Nuts about you.

We're nuts about nuts and having purchased freshly picked walnuts from the Abbotsford Convent markets on Saturday it confirmed once again, our love of all things that fall from a tree.

OK so the thought of having to crack the nuts yourself can seem a little tedious but armed with the right tools, its a task the whole family can partake in. We found the cracking 500gms of walnuts quite relaxing, there was something a little hypnotic about cracking one nut after the other.

The end result was ofcourse the most satisfying - we cracked ourselves just over 200gms of fresh walnut 'meat'. The flavour, well this is the type of taste that will have you buying shelled walnuts from here on, there really isn't anything like it.

The 'flesh' was white like snow and the flavour, now that's how walnuts should taste. Eaten raw, divine but eaten roasted in agave syrup and sea salt, out of this world!

So the next time you are out and about at the farmers market, look out for the stall selling bags of walnuts. If you are in Melbourne, look out for Alpine Nuts.

Tarian Pantry. Nuts about food.

www.tarianpantry.com.au

MISSCHU

The beauty of food is, there is always something and somewhere new to discover which keeps our taste buds very happy. Over the weekend, we dined at a cosy 'tuck shop' called MISSCHU. Located in both Melbourne and Sydney, this find was one we were happy to have stumbled upon.

Although not 100% vegan, they are conscious that there are people out there who don't eat animal/fish products and have tailored their menu accordantly. You feel confident that what you are eating is truly vegan and there has been no shrimp or oyster sauce sneakily added to your food.

MISSCHU are the makers of exquisite hand made Asian foods using the best and market fresh ingredients. The food is fresh, clean, healthy and 99% wheat free - perfect for the coeliac's amongst us. You will walk away from your dining experience feeling satisfied and content.

Pictured is the meal we devoured during our lunchtime visit - vegan rice paper rolls with a sweet chilli sauce and the Vietnamese warm vermicelli salad with sauteed shitake, enoki and shimeji mushrooms.

MISSCHU is certainly worth a visit. Visit www.misschu.com.au for locations and opening details.

Tarian Pantry. Sharing the foodie love.

www.tarianpantry.com.au

Vegetable of the week - Romanesco Cauliflower

Farmers markets are more than just supporting local farming, its an education too! We found whist shopping at the Melbourne showground farmers markets this unusual vegetable called the Romanesco cauliflower (also known as Romanesco broccoli and Romanesco cabbage). Likened to the look of cauliflower, it tastes like broccoli so any cauliflower phobics out there need not fear!

Cooking this vegetable is simple: steam florets and pan fry in olive oil and garlic and serve topped with roasted pine nuts or steam whole and drizzle with a vegan cheesy sauce.

Tarian Pantry. Always an education.

www.tarianpantry.com.au

Farmers Markets - Melbourne Showground

There is no excuse for not purchasing your 'in season' fruit and vegetables from a farmers markets as there always seems to be one on no matter what the weekend day.

Showing support for our local farmers, Victorian Farmers Market Association now support the Melbourne Showground Farmers Markets held every Sunday from 9am until 1pm in the Federation Hall.

Briming with produce galore, these markets although small are certainly growing. Unlike supermarkets, the produce is fresh, grown by locals and most importantly grown in Australia.

To read more about the stallholders visit www.melbourneshowgroundsfarmersmarket.com.au

Tarian Pantry. Never one to miss out on a good market!

www.tarianpantry.com.au

Reasons to eat seasonally

Seasonal produce improves your health by eating foods that are going to nourish you i.e – eating watermelon in summer helps keeps us cool whilst rehydrating us.

Buying anything you want from the supermarkets all year around, is a likely sign that the produce has been imported and lacking in nutrients

Learn from Farmers Markets: if it’s not available, chances are its not in season.

www.tarianpantry.com.au

One scoop or two?

Looking for that perfect ice-cream to compliment your hot apple pie? Well look no further, we have discovered a natural ice-cream that seems to have everything going for it.

Nushie's Natural is the perfect non dairy ice-cream; gluten, egg and dairy free, contains no chemicals or artificial additives and no added sugar. Its cholesterol and casein free, low GI, vegan and its certified organic, we have just found our perfect product!

Made from coconut milk and cashew nuts, Nushie's ice-creams are extra smooth and can be found in the following delicious flavours:

Chocolate with organic raw 100% cacao

Royal green tea

Strawberry

Truly decadent tiramisu

Vanilla with organic raw vanilla bean

To find a stockist of this perfect product, visit: www.nushiesnatural.com.au.

Tarian Pantry. Sharing the knowledge.

www.tarianpantry.com.au

Warming pasties

It's getting cold outside and we are looking for foods that keep us warm on the inside and out. Instead of turning on the heaters and using unnecessary electricity, are warming up the old fashioned way; ugg boots, blankets, hot water bottles and piping hot food!

Vegetable pasties are an ideal meal to cook for either lunch or dinner. Served with an organic tomato sauce, pasties can be eaten on the go, eaten hot or cold or eaten in the front of the TV (one of our favourite TV dinners).

Here is our version of the favourite pastie (makes 16 small pasties or 8 large):

Ingredients

1 large potato, peeled and cut into 2cm cubes

1/2 jap pumpkin, cut into 2cm cubs

1 brown onion, peeled and quartered

1 large carrot, peeled and cut into quarters

Handful mixed herbs (parsley, dill, chives)

salt and pepper

4 sheets Borgs puff pastry

Method

Pre heat the oven to 200 degrees. Line two baking trays with grease proof paper and set aside.

Using a blender, add the potato, pumpkin, onion and carrot to the bowl and pulse ingredients until the mixture resembles small cubes (as in picture). Stir through the herbs and salt and pepper and set aside.

Lay the pastry sheets on your workbench and allow to defrost. Using a 11cm round cutter, cut 4 circles into each sheet of pastry. Add 1 tbsp of the vegetable mixture in the centre of the round and fold over to make a half moon shape squeezing the edges closed. Prick with a fork and place on a greased baking tray. Repeat until puff pastry and mixture is all used up.

Brush each top of the pasties with soy milk and bake in the oven until golden brown, around 20 - 30 minutes.

Keep warm this Winter with food!

www.tarianpantry.com.au

Perfect basil pesto

As a vegan, its hard to find a pesto that doesn't contain parmesan. Even as a vegetarian, its hard as most parmesans contain rennet so they are technically not vegetarian. So is there a good pesto out there that vegans and vegetarian's can eat? There sure is.

Although the pesto we are talking about is not one that is purchased from a shop, its one made in your own kitchen preferably using ingredients from your own garden.

Using a food processor, this pesto will be made in, oh around 5 minutes (you couldn't get to the shop and back in that time).

Ingredients

100g fresh basil leaves

1/4 cup raw nuts (pine, cashew or walnuts are good)

2 garlic cloves, peeled

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

salt to taste

Method

Combine basil, raw nuts and garlic in a food processor and blend until the ingredients start to form a paste, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Slowly drizzle in a tablespoon or two of oil along with salt and process until smooth and creamy (adding more oil, if needed).

Pesto can be used in pasta's, spread on sourdough bread, used in soups or stirred through risotto's.

www.tarianpantry.com.au