Elegant yet simple, roast almond & potato spiced rice is sure to become your next family favourite. Fragrant & delicious, the double carbs make it hearty and substantial, and it is suitable to serve as a side dish or a main meal. Super-easy to make & supremely adaptable, it can be made vegan, vegetarian, or
Nut creams are a fresh, nutrient-rich alternative to traditional dairy cream, so can be eaten by vegetarians, vegans and carnivores alike. As the name indicates, nut creams are a cream made from nuts- and they really are creamy! If you’ve never made a nut cream before, I guarantee you’ll be delighted by the smooth, dairy-like
One of the biggest joys of gardening is its constant challenges. But as each new one greets us, we need to know how to manage it. Aside from issues with soil & the plants themselves, all sorts of unexpected weather conditions can occur, like a late frost, heat waves, freak storms, high winds, or too
When you’re new to gardening there’s so much to learn- and buy! Big things like soil, garden beds, and plants tend to take our attention first, but once you’ve answered those questions, managing the garden on a day-to-day basis becomes the focus. No matter what your tastes, budget, or location, there is an overwhelming amount
If you’re a beginner gardener & not quite sure how to start….this one’s for you! While more and more people are turning to food gardening to beat cost-of-living price rises, gardening should also feel like an enjoyable hobby, so it’s best if you can set your garden up the right way straight off so it
Dreamy, creamy & easy to make- this vegan vegetable soup ticks all the essential boxes! Despite the small ingredient list, this soup has a delightful taste and creamy mouthfeel. Big enough to feed a family or make dinner for several nights, this zucchini, potato & pine nut soup makes for a perfect quick weeknight meal.
Making relish is a great way to preserve your beetroot and perfect for when you have a whole crop that needs to be harvested at once. It’s spreadable, versatile, and will last several weeks in the fridge. Beetroot relish adds interest to a cheese platter or poached eggs, can be used to top mini quiches,
There’s no question that composting in some way is great for the environment. We all need to do as much recycling as possible, and turning our household food waste into a valuable resource for the garden is a no-brainer. But what form should that composting take? Should you have a worm farm? Or a compost
The onset of spring brings an awakening to the garden- but it also brings pest activity. As fruit trees spring into action, bulbs come back to life and flowers bloom, so the insect population booms. Mid-August to early September is when we start to notice pests reappearing the garden in Queensland. You might start to
There’s nothing like creating a gourmet food product from your own backyard. Not only can you laugh at those big grocery store prices, but you can make a better product as well. With cherry tomatoes being so easy to grow and a prolific fruiter (especially if you live in seQLD like me), it makes sense
There’s an easy way to make your own bread at home- and here it is! In this simple recipe, beer takes the place of yeast and raises the bread for you. None of the yeasting, kneading, raising, and waiting is necessary here; you only need mix the ingredients together and bake. What’s more, this loaf
When you first start growing your own food, the excitement is real. So much so, that it can be hard to wait for your first harvest! But it’s easy to start eating from your own backyard quickly, if you sow the right crops. Here are our favourite 6 crops you can harvest in under 30
When you become a gardener, the idea that water is a precious yet essential resource reaches a whole new level. Obviously, plants don’t survive without it, but water quantity isn’t the only consideration. Water quality, too, can impact your plants in a variety of ways, which is especially important when it comes to growing fruits
Flavoured salts are a great way to give an extra boost to recipes or finished dishes without adding extra calories or fat. Even better, making your own is super-easy: all it takes is some salt, fresh herbs from your garden, & a little time. The result is a fragrant blend that is far better than
When you first start vegetable gardening, the path to successful crops isn’t always clear. There’s a steep learning curve, especially when you’re starting your vegetables from seed. Variables like soil, watering, propagation, and maintenance can seem like minefields for the beginner. One technique that is critical to the success of any food garden, is potting
Cake is the most delicious way to showcase fresh fruit from your own backyard- and when mulberries are in season, there’s never a shortage! This mulberry & lime zest drizzle cake is our take on the traditional lemon drizzle cake. It’s more substantial, incredibly moist, and has a perfect balance between sweet & zingy fruit.
Don’t get the wrong mental picture: this deceptively-named edible plant is in fact a green leafy vegetable. An ancient annual salad green native to southern Europe, its name came about because it would typically self-seeded in corn fields. Don’t be surprised if you haven’t heard of Dutch corn salad- it is definitely a lesser-known edible.
We all know how good an authentic home-grown heirloom tomato is, so it’s no wonder that tomatoes are one of the most common plants in any home vegetable garden. But growing great produce is really only half of the self-sufficiency journey; we need to know how to use & preserve our harvests too. There are
A new take on an old favourite is always fun- but when the main ingredient comes from your own backyard, it’s even better! Blessed with a pest-free winter crop of custard apples, I’ve adapted the traditional teacake to allow the humble custard apple to shine. Custard apples are a fruit that many of us grew
We already know what a great food ginger is for its health and flavour qualities, but unfortunately it’s always expensive to buy. Growing your own ginger that you can preserve or eat as you like is much more cost effective- especially if you buy some rhizomes from a shop and plant them yourself. Here, we
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.
