Growing into 2011

Welcome back to Homemade Heaven. I've just returned from a wonderful summer holiday. I had a great rest and am back fully inspired to make wonderful food and share great out door experiences with you.

So to start off the year I want to give you something special from my garden.

A few years ago I was known as the Grim Reaper of the plant world. When I walked through garden centres and nurseries you could almost hear the plants screaming out in pain - trying not to get picked up by me.

I was never put off by the fact that everything I bought died a painful death. I continued to persevere in buying plants full of energy, taking them home and then I'd fane surprise that after 2 weeks of neglect they would be dead. I blamed the weather, the nursery that sold defective plants, not having the perfect place to plant things....the list just goes on and on. I have never been one short of excuses!

This all changed about 3 years ago when I started to investigate what exactly I was doing (or in my case not doing) which resulted in everything dying. Turns out that plants need love, water, weeding and a lot more work than I ever realised.

I turned over a new leaf (okay you can laugh now) and started focusing on planting things that I can eat. The excitement of planting a baby tomato tree and then 2 months later, picking the beautiful red gems of goodness and the feeling of creation in your hands just can't be beaten.

I really need to give special thanks to Keith for installing the automatic sprinkler system this year - without which my babies wouldn't have lived through the Cape Town heatwave while I was away on holiday .

Last night, Meatless Monday, was a feast of home grown goodness. Freshly picked tomatoes, chillies, oregano and thyme.

Heaven's Garden

No matter how busy my day is or how hot I am, there is always one thing I will find time for, my garden. A few minutes spent watering and talking to plants is the best therapy for stress, especially if you can do it in the cool of the evening.

Everything is growing so well at the moment. I have beans, radish, egg plant, 2 kinds of chillies, swiss chard, rhubarb (seedlings still), raspberries, blackberries, sage, thyme, oregano, lemon thyme, lavender, a fig tree, 2 plum trees , snails , worms and weeds! I also have 3 rose bushes, which I am trying to learn how to care for - thank you Google!

As you can imagine this keeps me rather busy and my husband is worried he is going to have buy a horse and cart soon and hit the road selling vegetables!

Here I have some pictures after last night's pre-supper harvest - can't get any fresher than this, and no need for any fancy cold-chain protocol, you just Pick 'n Eat!

Sprouting Joy

Last week the headline news was that Statistics South Africa announced the all-items consumer price index (CPI) increased by an annual rate of 13,1%, compared with 13,7% in August. Economists all agreed that the numbers should be good news for the South African market.

I don't know how many of you were as sceptical as me when you heard this. I don't disagree that the news is good, but what I would like to know is which shop do they go to? When I do my shopping, I see no evidence of any decrease in prices - and in fact the increases seem a lot higher than 13.1% in many of the things which I buy.

Every time I go shopping, everything as increased and not just a few cents here and there. It seems impossible to buy weekly staples without handing out huge wads of cash, and that does not include anything I regard as a luxury - like 2-ply toilet paper!

But hope is here! I certainly won't be sharing this with Statistics South Africa, because when they find out I have found a way save 92%, they will come out with new data showing inflation is actually -5%!

What is my new inflation beating secret? Sprouting!

I bought a packet of mixed sprouting seeds (5 different kinds) for R10.40 at The Wellness Centre in Kloof Road. I rushed home and started.

No fancy equipment is needed - you do not need the R800 sprouting machine. All you need is a large glass bottle (I don't throw out tins or bottles, but always save them for re-use or recycling), secondly you need a piece of fabric (I cut off a square from an old stained table runner) and lastly an elastic band (you can get these free at your bank, if you ask nicely).

So we still have only spent R10.40!

How is works:

Day 1 - Soak the seeds over night in your bottle.
Day 2 (morning) - Rinse the seeds, pour off the water and place the fabric on the top and secure with the elastic band. Place this in a cool dark cupboard.
Day 2 (evening) - Rinse the seeds, pour off the water and place the fabric on the top and secure with the elastic band. Place this in a cool dark cupboard.

This is how they look at the end of Day 2

Day 3 (morning) - Rinse the seeds, pour off the water and place the fabric on the top and secure with the elastic band. Place this in a cool dark cupboard.
Day 3 (evening) - Rinse the seeds, pour off the water and place the fabric on the top and secure with the elastic band. Place this in a cool dark cupboard.

This is how they look at the end of Day 3

Day 4 (morning) - Rinse the seeds, pour off the water and place the fabric on the top and secure with the elastic band. Place this in a cool dark cupboard.
Day 4 (evening) - Take out the sprouts, rinse and then drain them on a kitchen towel and store in the fridge for use.

Day 4 - Wotalotigot!

This is how easy it it to grow your own sprouts. Just make sure that the seeds you buy are sprouting quality - usually those in the health food section will be your best bet.

My fresh sprouts in our supper salad!

If you have children this is a great activity to do together.