Growing, cooking, preserving food, gardening, DIY & sustainable living
One of the biggest advantages of dehydrating fruit and herbs is that they don’t just become ingredients for cooking. Your pantry can also become your home fragrance cupboard. Introducing… simmer pots aka stovetop potpourri! These days it’s easy to buy candles, plug-in air fresheners or diffusion oils, but it’s satisfying to create your own using... Continue reading The post Simmer Pots (aka…
Delicious with fresh, preserved or frozen pears, these Pear & Ginger Muffins come into their own (and/or a Layer Cake depending on the occasion). I happen to have bagfuls of frozen pears! Earlier this year I had ensured I rescued them before our locals possums scoffed them all. My brown pears were picked when still... Continue reading The post Pear & Ginger Muffins (or Layer Cake!) appeared first…
There’s not much point dehydrating beautiful homegrown produce, carefully grinding it into powder, putting it into a jar… and then leaving it sitting on the pantry shelf looking pretty. Powders should be used. That’s become something of a mission for me lately. I love dehydrating produce because it’s such a practical way of dealing with... Continue reading The post Savoury Plum Powder Seasoning…
It turns out you can make a pretty decent little baked snack with just three ingredients: bananas, eggs and oats. That’s it. No flour, butter, added sugar, not even baking powder unless you decide you want it. Sometimes the simplest recipes are the ones that surprise me most. I wanted to make a quick, healthy... Continue reading The post 3 Ingredient Banana Oaty Bites appeared first on Rediscover…
Here’s my delicious homemade seasoning: a nod and a wink to KFC style flavours, to enjoy with chicken, fish and roast veggies. One of the biggest misconceptions about homesteading is that you have to make absolutely everything yourself. In fact, one of the best skills a homesteader can develop is knowing what’s worth making and... Continue reading The post KFC-esque Seasoning appeared first on…
Coffee grounds in the garden: should you use them? If you’re a coffee drinker, or frequent cafes for a takeaway cup of caffeine, before the used coffee grounds end up in the bin, it’s worth knowing that they can become a valuable resource in your garden. The trick is understanding what they actually do. One of... Continue reading The post No Waste Coffee Grounds appeared first on Rediscover Modern…
This is one of those easy, reliable recipes I like to have on standby. These Lime or Lemon Muffins are so reliable and I can whip up a batch without thinking too hard. Soft, bright, tangy, ready in no time, these lime or lemon muffins are wonderfully forgiving and perfect for those moments when guests... Continue reading The post Lime or Lemon Muffins appeared first on Rediscover Modern…
With just fresh citrus, vanilla beans and a bottle of vodka, you can create beautifully fragrant homemade extracts that will elevate everything from cakes and biscuits to desserts and frostings. Many of us grew up buying little bottles labelled “vanilla essence” or “lemon essence”. But when you make your own using real citrus peel or... Continue reading The post Homemade Extracts (Natural Baking…
Why make Tomato Powder? It transforms fresh or frozen tomatoes into a shelf-stable ingredient that takes up only a fraction of the space. Better still, when you need tomato paste or a burst of rich tomato flavour, it’s ready in seconds. Tomato powder is one of those ingredients that quietly earns a permanent place on... Continue reading The post How to Make Tomato Powder appeared first on…
What colour are limes? “Green,” you’ll probably say. We’ve all grown up believing that limes are green. That’s what we see in the supermarket. They’re green in cookbooks, green in cocktail recipes, green on social media and, after all, we even have a colour called lime green. But nature tells a slightly different story. The... Continue reading The post The Great Green Lime Debate appeared first on…
Turning leftover materials into something you’ll actually use is always a buzz. Over the years I’ve made plenty of chopping boards from timber offcuts, but one of my favourite projects has been these oversized wooden serving platters. Made from leftover wooden benchtop timber and fitted with simple handles, they’re sturdy, practical, and look fantastic loaded... Continue reading The post DIY…
With an over abundant harvest of kale, silverbeet, chard and spinach in my garden I’ve turned to dehydrating and powdering. I really don’t like wasting food, as you can tell. I have a home dehydrator which I enjoy using for a range of things including herbs, fruit slices and fruit pastes. My vegetable patch however... Continue reading The post Dehydrating Leafy Greens – Powdered Greens appeared…
When a lime tree decides to produce hundreds of fruit all at once, there’s only so much fresh lime you can use before you start looking for new ideas. Once I’ve dehydrated the zest for seasoning, my next job is turning the juice into a beautiful homemade lime cordial concentrate. Unlike many commercial cordials, this... Continue reading The post Homemade Lime Cordial Concentrate (Shelf-Stable)…
Turn your home-dried Lime Zest into something extraordinary. If you’ve gone to the effort of dehydrating and powdering your own lime zest, don’t let that beautiful ingredient sit forgotten in the pantry. Lime powder is one of those pantry ingredients that doesn’t look particularly exciting until you start using it. The flavour is incredibly concentrated,... Continue reading The post Smoky Lime…
Homemade shelf-stable lemon and lime juice? Yes-siree. If you’ve ever found yourself with a glut of lemons or limes, whether from a backyard tree, a seasonal haul, or a swap with a generous neighbour, preserving the juice is one of the simplest and most satisfying ways to make it last. Thanks to the naturally high... Continue reading The post How to Preserve Shelf-Stable Lemon or Lime Juice…
It’s citrus season and, like many gardeners, I’ve found myself with a basket overflowing with limes. My dehydrator has been humming away in the background while I work indoors wearing my winter coat, making the most of every single fruit before they have a chance to spoil. If you’ve ever been given a bag of... Continue reading The post Make Your Own Lime Zest Powder appeared first on Rediscover…
I recently received one of the most thoughtful gifts I’ve ever been given in a very long while. It wasn’t something bought from a shop. It wasn’t wrapped in fancy paper. It came in buckets. It was compost, bokashi compost. My dad is 85 years old. He lives in a first-floor apartment with only a... Continue reading The post DIY Bokashi Compost (No Starter Kit Needed) appeared first on Rediscover…
Do you think you are the only one out there with a humble veggie plot in your backyard? Think again. There are lots of locals, just like you, looking to grow, share, swap and be social. The joy of a money-less exchange of edible goodness is not a new concept, although after decades of consumerism,... Continue reading The post The Joy of Crop Swaps appeared first on Rediscover Modern Homesteading .
When most people think of citrus preserves, they think of marmalade that contains peel, and peel brings bitterness. If you’d rather capture the sweet, fragrant flavour of mandarins without the bitterness, try making mandarin jam instead. By using only the fruit segments, you create a bright, fruity jam that tastes much closer to fresh mandarins... Continue reading The post Easy Mandarin Jam: No…
It’s mandarin season, and if you’re looking for ways to use more of them than simply eating them straight from the fruit bowl, let me introduce you to my Mandarin Coconut Butter Cake. Recently, I decided to experiment with a recipe that traditionally uses crushed pineapple. If your garden or fruit bowl is overflowing with mandarins,... Continue reading The post Mandarin Coconut Butter Cake…
There’s often a grain of truth in old wives’ tales. Well, not always of course. Some deserve to be quietly forgotten but every now and then you stumble across a tip worth trialling. This week, that tip involved a pumpkin. Now, cutting pumpkins in our house is generally considered a health and safety event. My... Continue reading The post My New Go-To Pumpkin Cutting Hack appeared first on…
If you’ve ever grown parsley, you’ll know there are only two outcomes. You either have a few precious sprigs that you carefully snip when needed, or you have a jungle of the stuff taking over a corner of the garden. Today I decided to put some of my parsley to work by making parsley oil in... Continue reading The post Making Parsley Oil: Two Methods appeared first on Rediscover Modern Homesteading…
It’s mandarin season, and right now my citrus orchard is producing beautiful Corsica 2 mandarins. They ripen through June and July here in New Zealand and, in my opinion, a wonderful bonus as I finished harvesting my Satsuma tree several months ago. Corsica mandarins are juicy, easy to peel, and wonderfully sweet… the only downside... Continue reading The post Skin-On Mandarin Puree: Baking with…
The days are shorter, and spring still feels a little way off, yet here I am, already thinking about juicy red strawberries and planning ahead for the warmer months. All of my strawberry plants this year have come from runners that were gifted to me. I love growing plants for free! Not only is it... Continue reading The post My Winter Strawberry Prep – Growing Strawberries appeared first on…
A simple way to supplement fresh greens for chickens! One of the challenges of keeping chickens in a permanent run is that they can strip every blade of grass from the area surprisingly quickly. Given enough time, even a generous run can become little more than bare dirt, especially when enthusiastic scratching is added to... Continue reading The post Grass Grazing Troughs for Chooks appeared…
Once you’ve made a batch of Homemade Flavoured Salt you’ll not want to use ‘standard salt’ again! The beauty of homemade flavoured salts is that there is no real recipe – although there are guidelines and methods to take note of. This is a particularly wonderful use of excess herbs in your garden. Depending on... Continue reading The post Homemade Flavoured Salt appeared first on Rediscover Modern…
Parsley: the herb that just keeps giving, right? Here’s how to harvest and maintain parsley in your garden, how to encourage (or stop) self seeding, and some parsley trivia. Parsley is one of those plants that quietly gets on with the job. It grows happily in most gardens, and before you know it, you’ve got... Continue reading The post Grow Your Own Parsley Tips appeared first on Rediscover Modern…
There’s something optimistic about a garden that reseeds itself. Not rows-of-perfectly-labelled-seedlings optimistic, but more of the kind of optimism that says, “Well… apparently we’re growing tomatoes over here now.” In wilding gardens especially, letting a few plants go to seed can become part of the cycle of things. The scruffy look of a bolting spinach... Continue reading The post The Joy…
If you’ve ever ended up with a mountain of chokos climbing over the fence, you’ll know the problem isn’t growing them. It’s figuring out what on earth to do with them all. For years, chokos have carried the unfortunate reputation of being bland, boring, or simply “filler food.” But honestly? That’s a bit unfair. Choko... Continue reading The post Creative Ways to Use Choko appeared first on…
Traditionally garlic is planted on the shortest day of the year and harvested on the longest. For Kiwis, that means a mid-June planting. What to Plant The garlic bulb has many cloves and that is its seed. You can’t plant a complete bulb whole however, so break it up between your fingers to loosen the... Continue reading The post Garlic: How to grow in NZ appeared first on Rediscover Modern…
When it comes to choko season you’ll be looking for 101 different ways to use them. Turning choko into jars of rich, spicy, sweet pickle that will sit in the pantry waiting to spring to use in months to come, should be on your list. Choko are one of those vegetables that people either grew... Continue reading The post Choko Pickle appeared first on Rediscover Modern Homesteading .
There’s a point where bark stops being bark. What starts out as a tidy weed-suppressing layer slowly transforms over the years into something else entirely… rich, dark soil. Which is fantastic for the garden… but not so fantastic when it’s sitting on top of your weed mat. Our bark garden surrounds our raised vegetable beds and... Continue reading The post Recycling Garden Bark: Garden Gold…
It had to be done. Right in the middle of choko season, staring down a bench full of them (and more still hanging off the vine), I thought… why not Choko Chocolate Muffins? Because if you’ve ever grown chokos, you’ll know this isn’t a gentle, occasional harvest. This is abundance. One vine turns into a... Continue reading The post Choko Chocolate Muffins appeared first on Rediscover Modern…
I adore growing things from seed, particularly with my new hot house! There’s something about that small, hopeful act of pressing a seed into soil and thinking… this could become something. Watching those first shoots appear, then stretch a little taller each day, feels quietly magical. And yes, I absolutely get attached. I even enjoy... Continue reading The post Growing with my ADHD Brain…
If you’re a backyard gardener with just a handful of cucumber plants in your garden, you’ll appreciate the glut of fruit they will produce come summer. Aren’t they prolific! Once you’ve had cucumber with virtually every meal, you’ll probably be looking for ways to preserve them for the winter months. I’ve enjoyed and still make... Continue reading The post Cucumber & Onion Relish appeared first on…
I managed to salvage around 50 brown pears before the local possums absolutely decimated the tree (as they have been known to in previous years). A small victory, all things considered. Normally, these pears would be destined for a batch of Pear & Tomato Relish (or adapted into a hotter chilli relish) or folded into... Continue reading The post Freezing Pears appeared first on Rediscover Modern…
Oh the places you’ll grow choko! Growing choko from seed is easy. All you need is a choko… Whether you have a huge garden, a shade house, a cobblestone slab or a windowsill, there are many places and spaces you can cultivate your home-grown edibles, even in winter. Welcome to the world of choko. I... Continue reading The post Growing Choko from Seed appeared first on Rediscover Modern Homesteading…
Polenta, like so many interesting grains lately, has made a kitchen comeback. It’s affordable, versatile, and when cooked well, absolutely delicious. But how do you cook polenta, and how can you make it more than just another pantry staple? For anyone who’s tasted polenta in a restaurant, you’ll know what I mean when I say... Continue reading The post How to Cook Polenta the Easy Way appeared…
Go-to recipes are a gift, and this easy Banana Muffin recipe is firmly in that category. Let’s be honest. Once bananas start ripening in the fruit bowl, they seem determined to take everything else down with them. I love a firm banana for my daily porridge, but the moment those black spots appear, they’re officially... Continue reading The post Easy Banana Muffins appeared first on Rediscover…
Think of Cucumber Sushi as a fresh way to use up the summer glut! This Cucumber Sushi recipe is a fun way for using up a plentiful harvest. The cucumber becomes the “wrap”, which means no rolling mats and no seaweed. There’s something about cucumber season that feels quietly triumphant. One minute you’re coaxing along... Continue reading The post Cucumber Sushi appeared first on Rediscover Modern…
Make your own Salad Sprinkles – crunchy, nutritious, and zero-waste friendly If you’ve ever craved just a little something extra on top of your salad: a bit of crunch, a burst of flavour, a more satisfying bite, Salad Sprinkles might just become your new obsession. You may find them so delicious they become your ‘go... Continue reading The post Salad Sprinkles appeared first on Rediscover Modern…
I’m always on the lookout for recipe ideas that help reduce waste, use up leftovers, and still feel like something special. These Chicken & Potato Croquettes tick every box. This recipe is endlessly adaptable and a great way to turn fridge scraps into something you’d happily serve to guests. The base ingredients are simple: cooked... Continue reading The post Waste-Not Chicken & Potato Croquettes…
Years ago, while renovating our charming but weathered 1920s bungalow (who am I kidding, it was falling apart), I stumbled upon a small treasure trove of jars tucked away beneath floorboards, stashed in the back of cupboards, and buried in the garden: old 1 litre and 500ml Agee preserving jars. Most were the distinctive ‘Special’... Continue reading The post My Love Affair with Agee Special Jars…
Yes, you read that correctly! Here’s how to make chest of drawers from discarded furniture – the ultimate upcycle. Much good can come from the odd and the eclectic, particularly with regards to old furniture. Here, many ‘odd drawers’ have been salvaged from old bedroom tall boys, desks and bedside tables – some decaying from... Continue reading The post The Odd Drawer Chest – Upcycling Old Bedroom…
These chilly overnight temperatures mean our log-burner continues to work hard at the centre of our old homestead, keeping the main living areas warm and welcoming. While September is just around the corner, here in rural Ohaupo we remain firmly in the depths of winter. The days are often glorious with blue skies and sunshine,... Continue reading The post Firewood, Frosts, and Preparing for a…
When it’s time to beet the cold, this cozy Caprese Salad is fit for all seasons. It’s always time to celebrate when the beetroot harvest rolls in. Earthy, vibrant, and naturally sweet, beets are one of those lovely humble vegetables that brighten up any dish. A quick splash of lemon or vinegar in the cooking... Continue reading The post A Winter Twist: Beetroot Caprese Salad appeared first on…
This cottage cheese recipe is incredibly simple and rewarding to make from scratch. If you’ve ever been curious about making cheese at home, this is the perfect starting point. It’s an ideal project for anyone interested in traditional food-making, reducing store-bought packaging, or just experimenting with real ingredients. For this version, I used Puhoi’s dark... Continue reading The post…
If you’ve only ever steamed your broccoli, prepare to see this humble veg in a whole new light. Chargrilled! Chargrilling brings out a deep, smoky flavour and irresistibly crisp edges, turning simple broccoli into a standout side with just a few ingredients. Tossed in olive oil, chilli flakes, and bright lemon zest, it’s packed with... Continue reading The post Chargrilled Broccoli appeared first…
Homegrown Potatoes – All Grown Up There’s nothing quite like the taste of freshly dug new potatoes. They’re simple enough to grow, but traditional rows can eat up a lot of garden space. Luckily, potatoes are flexible things. You can grow them in all sorts of places and spaces: old compost bags, sacks, big tubs,... Continue reading The post Growing Potatoes – DIY Layered Spud Stacker appeared first…
Preserving pears in juice makes for a handy breakfast or baking companion, long after the pear season has ended. You can preserve just about any fruit using the Water-Bath method. In fact, I use the water-bath method a lot, particularly as my fool-proof way to ‘fix’ any preserves where the lids didn’t seal correctly. Let’s... Continue reading The post Preserving Pears in Juice appeared first on…