April 2017 Issue #140

Hello,

What fun that we both love gardening. Thanks for joining me.

1) To store or not to store
2) Eco gardening tips
3) Walnut & Rosemary Baked Brie

Hang about... here’s a good idea.

Eco gardening tips

• To store or not to store
  In case you missed my Facebook post, here's the gist of it: Some veggies increase their health giving phytonutrients, vitamins and flavour after being stored for a while. Sweet potatoes, winter squash, even fruit such as tomatoes and berries are good examples.
  
  

  But not so with the likes of broccoli. Research shows that by the time broccoli hits shop shelves at around 6 days old, it will have lost up to 80% of its nutrients. More reason to grow your own, and the time is NOW for you northern gardeners. See how at Growing Broccoli.



• Hairy corn
  If you struggle to get rid of all those silky hairs on your corn cob before taking your first luscious bite, here's what to do: Keeping the husk on the corn, cook it your favourite way, such as steaming or baking. Now slice the corn at the very end of the cob near the stalk. Remove this and gently squeeze the corn, fat end out first. Watch it slide out as smooth as silk.


• Baked bugs
  Baked, boiled or fried, bugs may save the world. Apparently, we could be utilizing the huge amount and variety of these insects to provide a tasty protein alternative to meat. But having just scooped a few slugs off my bok choy, I sent them well over the fence into the park instead of using them as a side dish for dinner. Apparently beetles taste like apples, wasps like pine nuts, and worms like fried bacon. Who's game?

A week by week and zone by zone growing system

Want to know: WHAT vegetables to plant; WHEN to plant them; and WHERE to plant them?

The GroVeg Garden Planner is your answer. Click here to read more and sign up for a FREE TRIAL!

Walnut & Rosemary Baked Brie

Creamy and crunchy, watch it get wolfed down before your eyes.

Ingredients

• 250g Brie or Camembert cheese
• 60g pecan nuts or walnuts
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, thyme or parsley
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Drizzle of honey (optional)
• Salt and pepper

Method

• Preheat oven to 200°C. Place cheese on a baking tray lined with parchment paper or in a small nonstick baking dish.
• Mince garlic and chop the nuts and herbs coarsely. Mix all three together with the olive oil. Add salt and pepper and a drizzle of honey if you like.
• Place nut mixture on the cheese and bake for 10 minutes or until cheese is warm and soft and nuts are toasted. Serve warm or lukewarm with crusty bread, crackers, sliced pear or part of a sharing board.

Preparation: 15 minutes.

Cooking: 10 minutes.

Serves: A small crowd as a starter, or after dinner.

Recipe thanks to Grownups NZ

Live, love and garden.
Megan