Food for thought

Reading
Cheap words: Amazon is good for customers, but is it good for books? by George Packer

Jack Monroe: 'I'm a lefty, liberal, lezzer cook by Tim Adams. I'm a huge fan of Jack Monroe and love her blog to bits. 

The rise of contemporary plus size fashion by Marie Denee

Watching
Just finished watch Top of the Lake

Also watching Casualty on You Tube (my guilty indulgence)


Working
Not too much work after running 8 workshops over the last couple of weeks. I'm working on the plans for running a planning day for the Darebin Fruit Squad on Friday, and a couple of events I'm hosting and some workshops. Here's a couple of pics of me teaching workshops: The first one was reducing food waste through using leftovers (in this case a raw workshop) and one on container and small space gardening.

                                    

Cooking
I made a really simple couple of pies on the weekend. Besides that, not so much sadly!


Things I'm liking

Cute cards with fruit and vegetable puns :

This lovely place 

Grow your own salad sprouts without a garden

 Looking for a quick way to grow something healthy without needing a lot of space? Even if you don't have a garden, these sprouts are a great project.

                 

Things you need:

• Clean sterilised jars (you don't need the lid)
• Muslin fabric
• Rubber bands
• Sprout seeds (you could try alfalfa, mustard, mung beans, chickpeas, peas or even radish and broccoli seeds)
• Water
• Bucket/sink

Directions

1. Put a tablespoon of seeds in your jar. Add a small amount of water to cover the seeds, and top with a small piece of muslin and a rubber band. Ensure the muslin is wet. Shake jar gently and leave for 4-6 hours in a light spot. If you have a lot of bigger seeds, a tray will also work
2. Fill your jar with a small amount of water and drain by tipping upside down and letting it leak through the muslin into a bucket. Shake the seeds gently and lie the jar on it's side. Repeat this process 2-3 times a day, ensuring that the muslin is always wet and the seeds are damp.
3. Within 1-3 days your seeds will start to sprout. After a day:

                     

After a week:

                           

What I like most about them is that they are a bright vivid green, unlike the rather pale offering that you can buy at the supermarket. I've had this batch for over a week and they are still fresh and not slimy or mouldy. 

Another option is when the bigger seeds have sprouts (such as peas) you can plant them in a shallow soil and shoots will grow which can be snipped off and served in salads. These microgreens are considered highly nutritious and a great addition to many veggie dishes.