These Zucchini wrapped haloumi skewers are so delicious and easy to make! Marinated in my favourite green sauce plus the Rosemary flavour also infuses during cooking. I made this during one of my YouTube live streams and had to share the recipe! Serve on a fresh salad or with a charcuterie board. These would also be great for summer BBQs.
Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) is a fragrant perennial herb. Rosemary is a hardy, drought-tolerant shrub and can also be used as an ornamental due to its evergreen foliage and purple or white edible flowers. Rosemary is a great herb to plant on your journey to sustainability, as it has a large list of beneficial uses for the garden, home, kitchen, plus many medicinal qualities. When Rosemary flowers it will attract an abundance of beneficial pollinators to increase your garden’s production.
Zucchini wrapped Haloumi on Rosemary Skewers
Yield: 9
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 8 minutes
Total Time: 8 minutes
Easy and delicious these Rosemary Skewers make a quick lunch or entertaining dish.
Ingredients
1 medium Zuchinni
1 packet Haloumi
Olive oil
9 Rosemary sprigs
Green Dressing (available below for logged in members or see notes)
Instructions
Soak the Haloumi in a bowl of water for 5-10 mins while prepping the rest of the dish (optional but reduces the salt and makes the halloumi softer).
Cut the Zucchini into thin ribbons using a wide vegetable peeler.
Prepare the green sauce or marinade (available below for logged-in members or see notes)
Pour half the marinade over the zucchini Ribbons.
Remove the haloumi from the water, cut it into squares roughly 1-2cm, and place in the bowl with the remainder of the marinade.
Place the ribbons and halloumi in the fridge to marinate further for 10-20min.
Heat a pan with olive oil on medium heat.
Lay a zucchini strip out flat and place a haloumi cube at the beginning then roll to wrap the square.
Strip 3/4 of the leaves from the rosemary skewers (see notes if you are using the leaves for the marinade you will need to do this at the beginning).
Place 3 wrapped cubes on a skewer and place in the pan. Cook until golden on each side - roughly 3 minutes each side.
Serve on a fresh salad with lemon or lime wedges and extra green sauce or a creamy yogurt dressing.
Notes
Non-member's alternative to the green dressing - Strip 3/4 of the leaves from the Rosemary sprigs. Roughly chop and add 1/4 cup of Olive Oil and use that as the marinade.
Swap Haloumi for Feta or Vegan Cheese
P.S - I make the members green dressing in the YouTube live.
Green Sauce Chimichurri
This vibrant green dressing is packed full of flavour and is a delicious way to add a fresh zing to your meals.
This simple homemade pickled red onion recipe is easy and delicious! I can easily demolish a jar of pickled red onions in a week. They just get better and better as they continue to pickle and infuse. You can eat these pickled red onions on absolutely anything!! And I mean anything…Top on salads, stirfries, curry, tacos, noodles, cheese, and crackers or in sandwiches. They also make beautiful, delicious gifts for your friends and family.
Watch how to make Pickled Red Onions
Simple Pickled Red Onions
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 2 minutes
Total Time: 12 minutes
Quick and easy pickled red onions add flavour to any meal. Add your seasonal garden herbs such as Fennel, Dill or Chilli to boost the flavours.
Ingredients
3 Red Onions
1/4 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
1/4 cup White Vinegar
1 1/2 TBSP Raw Sugar
1 1/2 tsp Salt
1 cup Water
Instructions
Finely slice the red onions - using a mandoline is the easiest option.
Cram as many red Onions into a clean sterilised jar.
In a saucepan add the vinegar, sugar, and salt and stir until the sugar has dissolved and the mix starts to simmer.
Add any extra flavours to the jar such as chilli, fennel flowers, fennel fronds, fennel seeds, mustard seeds, or peppercorns ( 1tsp per jar).
Pour over the liquid and secure the lid.
Allow cooling for one hour and place in the fridge.
Notes
To sterlise the jars place in a hot dishwasher run or wash and heat in the over for 10-15 at 110 degrees celcius.
You can swap and use just one type of vinegar if you prefer.
Use within 3 weeks.
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Rosemary and herb salt is a quick and easy way to preserve your homegrown herbs to use throughout the year. Herb finishing salts, add so much flavour to meals in a quick and convenient way. Try Rosemary and herb salt on your roast vegetables for a delicious boost of flavour.
Why Grow Rosemary?
Rosemary is such a versatile herb and works well with both sweet and savoury dishes. It has a fragrant, pine-like aroma. Rosemary offers so many beneficial relationships within your garden. Rosemary is a hardy, drought-tolerant, ever-green perennial herb. A fantastic staple to have to grow in any edible garden. Rosemary also has many healing properties, so it is a handy plant to have near the house or in a kitchen garden.
When to Harvest Herbs?
The best time of day to harvest your herbs is first thing in the morning. This is when the plants are hydrated and full of life. As the day goes on, they will lose moisture and not be as fresh and vibrant. Early in the morning, the bees are not yet active. As the sun comes up and the dew drys, the bees will be about in a hive of activity. So, if you do pick later in the day, just be cautious not stress them out and avoid getting stung.
Add to a mixer and blitz until breadcrumb consistency (or leave chunky if you would like too)
Add in salt and blitz quickly to combine.
Spread on to parchment and dry in the oven or dehydrator at 45 degrees celsius until dry. Stir through after one hour to loosen up the mix and allow it to dry faster. The length of time will depend on the water content of the herbs (approx 2 hours). The mixture will go a lighter green colour.
Once dry add to a clean airtight jar.
Notes
The colour may fade over time
Try herbs such as Thyme, Mint, Sage, Chilli, Oregano
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Preserving herbs from your garden is a great way to make the most of their abundance and store them for the winter months when many herbs will not be growing. Herbs are a great way to add flavour to any dish and once you make your own dried mixed herbs you will never want to buy them ever again!
Click below to watch
In this video I share how I pick, dry and preserve my herbs for both a dried mixed herb blend and also to make tea blends.
Why Grow Herbs?
Herbs are the easiest thing to start growing because they are hardy and less susceptible to pests. They also do not require a lot of room to grow. So you can grow herbs in pots or containers if you do not have room for a garden. It is absolutely achievable and you never know where the journey will take you.
Grow Abundant Herbs
Nature provides so much abundance when we learn to see and utilise it. Sometimes cutting your plants can spark new growth and they will continue to flourish in new directions. Young new growth is much nicer to eat than the older woody growth too. Preserving your harvests also allows you to slow down and reconnect with where your food comes from. It just feels so right to go out to the garden and pick food that you know exactly what has gone into creating it. No chemicals, pesticides, or nasty sprays.
Basil is a warm climate herb and will start to die off as the temperatures decrease. So harvesting and storing basil will mean I will be able to have it available during winter. Basil also responds so well to being cut. Especially towards the end of the season as it starts going to flower. By cutting the tops off, it will grow out thicker and will also help prolong the life of the plant.
Take Cuttings for Gifts
My rosemary is growing a little wild and has even collapsed in the middle under the weight. So I am going to take some cutting to replant and also harvest a big bunch to dry and preserve. Taking cuttings to regrow will give me new plants to gift and trade. It is always good to have some on the go for last minute gifting.
When to Harvest Herbs?
The best time of day to harvest your herbs is first thing in the morning. This is when the plants are hydrated and full of life. As the day goes on they will lose moisture and not be as fresh and vibrant. Early in the morning, the bees are not yet active. As the sun comes up and the dew drys, the bees will be about in a hive of activity. So if you do pick later in the day just be slow and cautious not stress them out and avoid getting stung.
Take time to Slow Down
Spending time in the garden harvesting and caring for your plants allows so much time to observe and learn from your garden.
To slow down and reconnect. Giving your mind time to think. Some of my most creative ideas come when I can quiet the rest of the world. Harvesting also gives such a sense of pride. That you have grown all this delicious food is so special.
How to Preserve and Dry Herbs?
To preserve these herbs I first rinse them off in the sink. Next, I separate the stems and lay the leaves out on my dehydrator trays. I put a layer of brown baking paper to stop them from falling through the tray grid. I keep and reuse the brown baking paper for future dehydrating. I then pop them in the dehydrator on the lowest temperature setting. Between 20 and 30 degrees Celsius. You can also do this in the oven but just be aware it may take 5-8 hours to dry depending on the thickness of the herbs. So it is important you are home when using the oven. To air-dry your herbs, hang them upside down but make sure you have a dry and warm climate. If you live in an area with humidity I would avoid air-drying. You want the herbs to dry as fast as possible.
Dry the herbs until they feel crispy as you do not want any moisture still left in the leaves. If there is still moisture they may spoil or grow mould in the storage process.
Once they are completely dry you can pop them straight into clean, dry jars or storage containers. If you want to save room you can crush them up using a mortar and pestle. Mix some of your herbs together to make a mixed her blend ready for all your winter soups and meals.
Share and Inspire Others
These dried herbs also make great gifts. Taking gifts from your garden to friends and family is something that should become a regular ritual. They will so feel special and you will also feel joy and pride in sharing your homegrown produce. Sharing from the garden can also spark others to try to grow their own food too. You have no idea how many people can be inspired to make changes from your single action of sharing. It should be the way of the future. Because what we are doing in the world right now is not sustainable.
I hope you feel inspired to grow your own herbs at home and make your own dried mixed herbs. They are so easy to make and so vibrant and full of flavour. Nothing like the dull grey herbs you find at the supermarket.
If you have any questions leave me a comment below.
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There has never been a better time to learn how to grow healthy, organic food at home. Take back control of your food systems and start the journey to live a more sustainable lifestyle. Say goodbye to nasty chemicals and wax-coated fruit and feed your body with real, nourishing, homegrown food.
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I grow a lot of edible flowers in my urban permaculture garden. That way, I not only have plenty of flowers for the bees, but also lots of beautiful edibles to brighten up any meal. Edible flowers have so many health benefits and valuable nutritional qualities. Flowers don’t often last long on the plant and a great way to preserve and harness their energy is to press or dry them. This way you can make infused oils, herbal teas and still have beautiful bright flowers to use throughout the year.
What Time of Day is Best to Pick Edible Flowers?
Pick your edible flowers in the morning but after the sun has come up. First thing in the morning the flowers will still be closed so wait until they fully open up. They will be at their best in the morning, full of life and well hydrated. Throughout the day they can lose moisture and become damaged by insects or wind. Make sure you select flowers that you know don’t have any chemicals or sprays on them. I only use flowers I have grown in my backyard as I can have more control over their surroundings.
Should you Dry the Whole Flower or just the Petals?
You can do both! If the flower has a thick base or bud I tend to remove the petals. Flowers such as Sunflower and Hibiscus, I usually remove the petals. The base will take a very long time to dry and most of the time will not be palatable/hard and bitter. Calendula has many healing properties in the base, leave this on if you are going to use it for infused oils and balms.
Air Drying Flowers Naturally
The main way that I preserve my edible flowers is to air dry them naturally. I keep a bowl or plate in my pantry and add petals and flowers to it regularly. Each time I go out to the garden to pick veggies, I will pick edible flowers as well. If I don’t use them fresh in my meals I will just pop them aside to dry. It is very hot and dry here in Perth, Australia during the summer, so they will dry within a couple of days. If you live in a humid or cool climate or it is winter, it would be best to oven-dry or use a dehydrator. You want to get the flowers as dry as possible with no moisture left. This is to prevent them from going mouldy or growing bacteria.
Oven drying flowers
Turn your oven on to 40-50degrees Celcius and spread your flowers out on a tray. If your flowers have thick buds or bases it will be best to separate them out and just dry the petals. This may take a while depending on the size and moisture levels of your flowers. It may take around 4-6 hours and gently turn and mix your flowers around during that time to help them dry evenly.
Drying flowers in the dehydrator
Lay your flowers out flat on a tray and turn your dehydrator on to 40-50 degrees Celcius. It will depend on the moisture levels and size of your flowers but it will take between 4-6 hours to dry. Make sure they are completely dry and they may sound crunchy to touch.
Pressing Edible Flowers
Another way I like to preserve my edible flowers is to press them. You can do this with any flower press or to press flowers without a flower press, simply place your flowers between sheets of paper or a notepad and stack some heavy books on top. Press whole flowers or petals but if the bud or base of the flower is quite thick, I would remove it and just press the petals. Pressing flowers will take a while to ensure that they are completely dry. Depending on your temperatures and climate it can take between 2-4 weeks to dry your edible flowers.
How to Store Edible Flowers
Once your flowers are completely dry you can store them in an airtight container out of sunlight. I keep all my air-dried flowers in jars in my pantry. My pressed flowers that I want to keep intact, I store in a glass container with a bit of paper towel. In dry conditions, these will last quite a while. I have some from a year ago that are still great.
How to use Dried Edible Flowers?
There are so many ways to use your dried flowers. Here are some of my favourite ways to use them.
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