Our friendship started from Sunflowers

A few years ago Katrina & Tim & Shanaka and I would pass each other in the street and say hi. A few times Katrina and Tim would be walking the dogs and Shanaka and I would be coming back from the Convent. Over the many months we would continue to say hi and that was about it.

Over the Summer months we grew sunflowers and once they had flowered the bees touched down on their pollen filled landing pads then flew off around the garden to help cross pollenate our veggies. Once the sunflowers had created their amazing hues of yellow pink and orange they would then continue on there journey to seed.

Grace and I collected these seeds one year and Grace decided to make a Sunflower Stall out the front of our house. Grace made a sign, I helped her to sew up some vintage fabric pouches then we filled them with seeds placed a box out the front with a note saying "pay as you feel".

The next time we crossed paths with Katrina and Tim they thank us for the Sunflower seeds and commented that they were looking forward to planting them next year. And that they did! And the colours were amazing! And our friendship grew from here. 
From a little seed. 

In the box this week:
(Spike Gives it a Thumbs Up!!)

Fennel

Asparagus

Mangoes

Beetroot

Potatoes

Onions

Apples

Apricots

Avocados

Cucumber

Broccoli

Cauliflower 

Grapes

Last night I made a Salad from the baby beetroot that I wanted to pass on since we have beetroot in the boxes this week. I found it in my Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Cookbook. 

Baby beetroot with spinach leaves, crisp ginger and a curry-flavoured dressing

Ingredients

• Serves 2

12 baby beetroot, red or golden

2 handfuls of small spinach leaves other pickings from the garden

6 thin slices of ginger

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• Dressing
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 2 tsp curry powder
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

Method

Preheat oven to 180C.

Wash the salad leaves and beetroot, trimming off the leaves (if there are lovely small ones wash them carefully and add them to the bowl with the other leaves). Put the beetroot in a baking tray with 1cm of water and a splash of olive oil and cover the dish with foil. Bake in the oven for 45 minutes.

Spin dry the green leaves and wrap loosely in a clean towel lined with kitchen paper. Refrigerate until needed.

Cut the peeled ginger slices into thin julienne sticks. Use a teaspoon of the olive oil to fry the ginger until golden and crisp. Drain on kitchen paper.

Mix all ingredients for the dressing.

When beetroot are cooked, peel and immediately spoon over half of the dressing.

Use the rest of the dressing to lightly dress the green leaves. Arrange dressed leaves and beetroot on a shallow plate and scatter with the crisp ginger.

We added some Goats Cheese Feta last night and it made it nice and creamy.

While flicking through Green Lifestyle Magazine I found a great little article on Seed Bombing. And it's for Sunflower seed bombs!

I know we sure will be taking part in this fun project!!

Until the next post, happy eating!
(I just finished eating a mango. Soooo Good!!
xxx
Brooke and Katrina
Abbotsford Wooden Box
p.s Tim and Shanaka, Thank You for your endless support!!