While you might only be able to grow vegetables on a miniature scale, it is always worth doing. You might have a balcony or small courtyard, but as long as you have enough space for a few pots, you’ll definitely be able to grow some food. Essentially, no garden is too small. Your little garden
Boldly tangy, with home-made ranch dip & fried in bacon fat, American-style fried green tomatoes are a crunchy savoury with a true wow factor! Long-perceived as a staple of the American south, fried green tomatoes are in fact from north-east USA but popularised by their namesake 1991 movie. What’s more, the dish is thought to
An African native that thrives in subtropical gardens, cranberry hibiscus is showy, edible, easy-care and quick to establish. A valuable plant in any type of garden, cranberry hibiscus will appeal to ornamental and food gardeners alike. What is Cranberry Hibiscus? Thought to be a hybrid of two wild species, the exact origin of cranberry hibiscus
A classic way to use up leftover cooked vegetables, spicy choko fritters help maximise harvests, fill tummies, and are easy to make. Just like classic vegetable fritters, choko is grated up and used as the basis for a yummy fried vegetable patty, known as a ‘fritter‘. Ideal to make in advance for lunches, they can
A guilt-free sweet treat that’s quick to make & uses home-grown ginger… low-fat ginger & date slice will have everyone coming back for more! We’ve crafted a whole new range of ginger recipes this year, to give you a range of goodies to make from your harvest. We’ve found that once once you start growing
What is Choko? Chokos (aka chayote) are amongst the most prolific, versatile and healthful vegetables you can grow. Uncommon in shops and stores, chokos are a traditional staple in many warm temperate and subtropical home gardens. The fruits’ crisp texture and mild flavour lends itself to roasting whole or adding to soups, stews and sweet dishes,
With a spicy ginger taste & a texture that melts in your mouth, these best-ever ginger biscuits really are the best you’ll ever make! These are quick & easy to make, and you’ll get at least 20 biscuits from a batch. This means there’ll be enough for morning teas, afternoon teas plus school and work
Ginger & walnut cake with vanilla buttercream seamlessly blends gingers spicy warmth with the satisfying crunch of walnuts…and it may well become your next classic. Each slice is a celebration of flavours—warm ginger, earthy walnuts, and creamy vanilla. Ideal for parties or morning teas, this recipe is both simple and indulgent, catering to bakers of
Growing up, I vividly recall Mum’s remedy for our childhood stomachaches—homemade ginger ale. Inspired by those memories, I ventured into creating my own homemade ginger syrup, perfect for mixing with sparkling water for a refreshing vitamin boost. Homemade ginger syrup is essentially a bunch of fresh ginger infused into a sugar syrup. The syrup itself
There’s nothing so comforting as the delightful combination of salt, spice & warmth, and our potato, paprika and choko soup fits the bill perfectly. Chokos can be a little difficult to know how to use. Even if you grew up with a choko vine in the backyard, those vintage recipes can be a little ho-hum.
A traditional Australian favourite yet rarely seen on restaurant menus, the humble backyard choko is experiencing a resurgence. No-one is surprised. This classic vegetable is at once unique, nutritious and filling. Its mild, buttery flavour means it can be adapted to a wide variety of sweet and savoury dishes (apple pie with choko, anyone?), and
Kosho is a (traditionally Japanese) condiment or spicy paste that is used to liven up & add flavour to a wide variety of meals. Combining the double whammy of citrus and chilli, this fermented blend usually features the north Asian fruit Yuzu. Here, we’ve swapped the yuzu out for makrut lime, better known as kaffir
Long prized for its health-boosting and purported medicinal properties, turmeric (curcuma longa) is a flowering plant in the ginger family. This heat-loving perennial is easy to grow at home if you can provide the right growing conditions. But beware- growing turmeric is addictive, and the harvests can be huge! Turmeric is a natural source of
Being able to preserve your harvest for later use is just as big a part of self-sufficiency as growing the produce. Food preservation is the process of treating and handling food in such a way as to stop or greatly slow its spoilage, and prevent foodborne illness while maintaining nutritional value, texture and flavour. When crops
Miso, mushroom & green bean bake is a fresh, modern take on green bean casserole, which Americans will know as a traditional thanksgiving side dish. Green bean casserole is usually made with tinned mushroom soup, as it was invented during the 1950s by Campbells specifically to boost sales of their tinned soup. Here, we freshen
Nasturtiums are an easy delight in any type of garden. They suit a variety of climates, and are easy to grow. They make a lovely ground cover, sprawl out quickly, and look attractive. But there’s much more to nasturtiums than simply filling up space, and they’re definitely more than a basic ornamental. Read on to
Whether you’re looking for a light meal, an unusual side dish or something different to make from your own produce, these roast zucchini w/nasturtium leaf pesto fit the bill! Tasty yet vitamin-rich, this neat little dish packs a serious punch of greens. Sure to be a crowd-pleaser for vegetarians, roast zucchini w/nasturtium leaf pesto showcases
Discover the delightful taste of a homemade warm passionfruit soufflé! This classic dessert is fairly bursting with tropical flavour- and it’s all the sweeter when made with fresh fruit from your own backyard. Enjoy the satisfaction of using your own passionfruit while creating a treat that’s both sweet and tangy. It’s a simple way to
From basil to rosemary to coriander and everything in between, fresh herbs are like fragrant treasures that add depth and complexity to dishes, transforming the ordinary into the extraordinary. They are fantastic to have in the garden, attracting beneficial pollinators to vegetable plants, adding visual interest and filling the air with sweet scents. At the
Take fancy dessert to the next level with our grilled figs w/cinnamon cheese + blackberry coulis! Figs have been a delicious delicacy for many centuries, and are thought to be one of the first fruits cultivated by humans. Integral to the history and ritual of ancient cultures, the fig has endured the test of time
Self Sufficient Me is a blog about self-sustainment by growing our own produce (plant/animal), and self-fulfilment by looking after our health (physical/mental) through exercise and slowing life down a little.
