little eco footprints

Preserving summer’s sweet corn

One of my favourite tastes of summer is sweet corn. I’ve been buying fresh corn from a local farm gate and we’ve been enjoying it almost daily, on the cob either barbecued or steamed and as kernels in soups, stir-fries, frittatas and fresh in salads.

Sadly the sweet corn season is nearing an end. From April, the price of Australian sweet corn starts to climb and unpackaged fresh sweet corn becomes rare.

Luckily, it’s easy to preserve a little bit of summer’s flavour by freezing corn.

When freezing corn it’s important to start with fresh corn on the cob - as fresh as you can get. The husks should be green and not dried out.

You’re more likely to find the fresh stuff at a greengrocer, farmers market or farm gate – rather than at the supermarket where you’ll likely only find dehusked and trimmed packaged corn.

Removing the husks is a job I do outside to save myself having to clean up the thousands of silks that scatter everywhere when husking.

I appreciate the resultant pile of waste husks and cobs almost as much as the sweet kernels in my freezer. Corn husks are a favourite food for our guinea pigs and our chooks love pecking the remnant corn from the cobs. 

{thats not 'remnant corn' - this keen chook is photobombing my sweet corn photo shoot}

Corn, like any vegetable, needs to be briefly steamed or boiled prior to freezing.

This blanching destroys enzymes that would otherwise cause gradual decay and helps to maintain colour, texture and flavour.

Corn can be frozen on the cob or as kernels. I prefer freezing kernels because they take up far less freezer space.

I use a sharp knife to cut the kernels from the cob; bring a large pot of water to the boil; and fill a large bowl with cool water.

The kernels are boiled for about two minutes, poured into a strainer and then tipped in the cold water to cool.

If I’m blanching multiple batches I save the hot water in a bowl to pour back into the pot for the next batch and do the same with the cold water – adding ice cubes to cool when needed.

Drying the corn on a tea towel stops the kernels from sticking together.

I freeze them in glass freezer proof containers, but zip-lock freezer bags are another option.

I love the idea of pulling sweet corn from summer out of the freezer in the middle of winter.

[Originally published in the The Newcastle Herald 27th April 2013]

Some exciting news. Little eco footprints has been included as a top 100 finalist in Voices of 2013. It's among 25 other blogs in the Personal and Parenting category. I'm pleasantly surprised I'm in there among some very gorgeous and inspiring blogs. 

Time for Australian Garlic

Right now we are in the middle of the Australian garlic season. Australian garlic is seasonal and available for only a few months of the year, from around November through to the end of May. Outside of those months most shops will only stock imported garlic.

What's wrong with imported garlic? 

Food miles aside, imported garlic is fumigated with the highly toxic chemical methyl bromide on arrival in Australia and is also often bleached.

I’d rather go without than resort to buying imported.

I treasure foods more when I only eat them in season. That first sweet orange or crunchy apple is even more delicious after having gone without for a few months. However, I like to enjoy garlic all year round. Dahl, hummus, lentil loaf – many of my favourite staple frugal meals just wouldn’t work without garlic.

How to store garlic

If you store garlic properly it will last until around six months after harvest. After that, it will probably sprout.

I store whole bulbs in a bamboo steamer in the pantry. As long as they are in a dry, dark place at room temperature and have good air circulation they will stay fresh for months.

 

How to preserve garlic

To ensure an all-year-round supply I freeze garlic. To freeze, I separate the cloves and place them in a container in the freezer.

I don’t bother peeling the cloves and then use them without thawing when I need.

Other ways of preserving garlic include drying or storing with salt or in vinegar. I like the idea of storing in vinegar. Chopped garlic is submerged in a bottle of white or red wine vinegar and stored in the refrigerator. The vinegar and garlic is ready to use in salad dressings for up to four months.

Where to find Australian garlic

The best place to find Australian garlic is at your greengrocer, farmers market, or direct from the farmer. Several Australian garlic growers now sell online, including Hunter Valley grower Patrice Newell.

So if you don’t want to be tempted to buy imported garlic in a few months’ time, now is the time to buy garlic.

[Originally published in my column LESS IS MORE in the The Newcastle Herald Weekender Magazine 23rd February 2013]

Berry Delicious Pickings

It’s blueberry season here in the Hunter Valley, time to enjoy these berries fresh.

Misty Valley Farm at Brunkerville in the lower Hunter lets you pick your own organic blueberries for a fraction of what you would pay at the shops.

My daughter and I picked three kilograms of delicious blueberries. 

Or to be more precise, I picked and she sneaked, with her hand making its way to her mouth more often than the bucket.

We devoured handfuls on the drive home and the remainder were destined for the freezer.

Blueberries are easy to freeze.

I simply toss the berries into a container and put them in the freezer. If they are not organic I wash them in water and spread them out on a tea towel to dry.

We’ll enjoy the berries over the next few months in our porridge, on yoghurt, in smoothies, and as a simple frozen treat. Frozen blueberries are one of my favourite summer snacks.

Some families return to Misty Valley Farm every year to pick 20 kilograms of Blueberries to create a freezer stash that will last the year.

These local home frozen berries are far superior to the bags of frozen berries you’ll find in the supermarket.

Most, if not all of the berries you’ll find in the supermarket are imported from China and Chile.

Not only do these berries come with high food miles, they may also carry high levels of mould, fungicides and other chemicals.

Misty Valley Farm is open to the public now, although be quick as picking season is about to end.

The farm is located at 157 Leiberts Lane, Brunkerville and open seven days a week. Call first (02 49380389) to check that picking hasn’t ended.

Are you a fan of pick-your-own farms? Do you know of any other pick-your-own farms in the Hunter region or elsewhere? I know of Hillsdale Orchard - but would love to know of others. 

[Originally published in my column LESS IS MORE in the The Newcastle Herald Weekender Magazine 26 January 2013]

A recipe for fast and healthy waste-free lunch boxes

[This post is sponsored by Biome]

School starts back in only a few weeks so I thought I'd share my recipe for packing fast and healthy waste-free lunch boxes. 

1. Follow a template

On the rare occasion Daddy Eco has to pack Little Eco's lunch he gets totally flabbergasted and has no idea what to include. I created the following template for what to pack to make it easier for him: 

1 serving of protein. e.g yoghurt, cheese, hommus, olives, baked beans, or a boiled egg

1 serving of grains. e.g rice crackers, popcorn or a sandwich

1 serving of seasonal fruit.

1 serving of seasonal raw vegetables. e.g cucumber, carrot, corn, peas, or beans.

2. Embrace simple whole foods

You may notice that the above list doesn't include many baked goods or food that requires more than a moment preparation. Thankfully many kids prefer simple foods anyway.

3. Add variety by favoring seasonal foods

Embracing seasonal fruits and vegetables is a great way to add variety.

For example when school goes back in a few weeks I'll be including corn wheels, cherry tomatoes, asparagus spears, peas, snow peas, stone fruit, berries, watermelon and diced mango.

4. Prepare ahead

I try and organise the contents of a weeks worth of lunches at the start of the week.

I boil eggs and do all my slicing and dicing at once. 

5. Have a basic set of quality waste-free containers and wraps

Having a set of good quality re-useable containers and wraps makes avoiding disposable containers and plastic wrap easy.

My kit includes: 

Kids Konserve stainless steel nesting trio 

    -Pictured above holding the yoghurt and vegetables. 

    -These leak proof containers are great for holding liquids like yoghurt and diced fruit. 

Kids Konserve stainless steel mini food containers

    - I use these for olives and diced veggies and in the past (when her lunch box was stored in a child-care fridge rather than her school bag) yoghurt. 

    - These containers are nice and easy to open and close for toddlers. 

4MyEarth lunch wraps

    - I use the wraps to wrap sandwiches and the pocket to hold crackers.  Thanks to these I haven't ever had to use plastic wrap in Little Eco's lunch box. 

Little Eco used to use a stainless steel lunch box but now that her lunch will be stored in her school bag rather than a fridge we've upgraded to an insulated lunch bag. 

Do you have any tips for making packing waste-free lunches easy? 

[This post was sponsored by Biome. As mentioned, I don't accept cash for sponsorship. Instead I barter for things I need. In this case I bartered an insulated lunch box (pictured above) and drink bottle for Little Eco.]

A feast with a story to tell

I won't be slaving away in the kitchen this Christmas. Nor will I be spending a fortune at the supermarket. Instead, our Christmas meal will be simple and sourced from my favourite alternatives to the supermarket.

I’ve ordered free range ‘‘happy ham’’ from Organic Feast. I like that our Christmas ham enjoyed a life of wandering paddocks, not confined to a concrete floored shed.

We’ll enjoy a few salads, including a prawn rice salad my mum has made each Christmas for almost two decades. Each year she brings out the yellowing torn recipe and reads between the splashes from past Christmases.

The prawns will be collected Christmas Eve morning from the Newcastle Fisherman’s Cooperative. My dad and sister arrived at the Wickham store last year at 5am just on opening. Expecting to be first in line they found themselves at the end of a queue of hundreds of people. Apparently people start queuing from 3am, so this year we’ll pack coffee and make an adventure of it.

For dessert we’ll enjoy a delicious pudding from Pudding Lane. These award-winning puddings are made in Newcastle using local free range eggs and locally baked bread. The custard will be made using local Udder Farm milk, picked up from my favourite greengrocer The Fresh Ingredient, who pride themselves on supporting local farmers.

Mangoes and cherries are another favourite for our family Christmas. We’ll buy a box of each from the Newcastle City Markets. Not to be confused with the Newcastle City Farmers Markets, these markets distribute wholesale fresh fruit and vegetables to the entire Hunter Region. Each morning from 4am they’re bustling with greengrocers and restaurateurs picking up their fresh produce. Thankfully, they open briefly to the public on Fridays between 9.30 and 11am. Last year, much to my dad and sister’s delight, mangoes were only $10 a tray.

We’ll also visit the Newcastle Farmers Markets for other Christmas foods and treats, including Dennis’s delicious natural cordial. My favourite is Rose Petal & Lime syrup, which mixes well with gin.

If you’re looking for a Christmas feast with a story to tell, try to steer clear of the supermarket and instead support our local producers and small businesses.

[This column appeared in The Newcastle Herald Weekender Magazine 08 December 2012]