Cucumber salad is a quick and easy way to use up your summer harvests. This salad is a light and refreshing side dish that would go great with any summer BBQ or rice dish. Simple, vibrant, fresh ingredients are what make a salad!
Cucumber Salad with Ginger Tamari Dressing
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Light and refreshing cucumber salad with ginger, tamari dressing.
Ingredients
1 - 2 Cucumbers
1 TBSP Tamari or light soy sauce
1 tsp Olive Oil or Seasme Oil
1 tsp fresh grated Ginger Root
1 fresh Red Chilli
1/2 tsp Honey
1 tsp Sesame Seeds
1 tsp fresh Lemon juice
1 small sprig of mint
edible flowers to serve
Instructions
In a small bowl mix Tamari, Oil, Honey, Lemon, Ginger, and 1/2 the Red Chilli sliced. Stir to combine.
Cut thin ribbons of cucumber length way using a peeler or the thin setting on a mandoline.
Dress the Cucumber and top with the rest of the fresh chilli, mint sprigs, and sprinkle over sesame and edible flowers to serve.
Garnish with the curled tendrils of the cucumber plant for extra detail.
Notes
This dish is best prepared right before it is ready to serve so that the cucumber stays fresh.
Make the most of your abundant Cucumber harvest with these delicious, quick, and easy refrigerator pickles. Turmeric has anti-inflammatory properties and the Apple Cider Vinegar has anti-microbial properties and anti-oxidants. These quick pickles are great for adding to sandwiches, salads, burgers, and of course a cheese platter!
Quick Sweet & Sour Turmeric Pickles
Yield: 2 jars
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 3 minutes
Additional Time: 2 days
Total Time: 2 days13 minutes
Sweet and sour Refridgerator pickles are so quick and easy to make!
Ingredients
2-3 Medium Cucumbers or two jars of whole small pickling Cucumbers
1 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
1 cup Water
1 TBSP Mustard Seeds
2 TBSP Sugar
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp ground Turmeric powder
Instructions
Sterilise your jars by heating them in the oven face down at 120degrees Celsius or in the dishwasher on high heat. Sterilise the lids in a bowl by pouring boiling water on them.
In a saucepan add your vinegar, water, sugar, turmeric, salt, and mustard seeds (*optional chili flakes see notes) and bring to a simmer.
Slice your Cucumbers into spears or round slices and place them in the clean jar.
Pour over your pickling liquid and secure the lid. Carefully place the jar upside down to cool. This helps create a secure seal.
Once the jars are close to room temperature, turn them up the right way and add them to the refrigerator.
They will be ready to eat after 48 hours and use within a month or two.
Notes
Add sliced Red Onion, Dill, or Chilli flakes to your cucumber pickles for extra flavour.
This recipe also works with Zucchini in replace of Cucumbers too.
Zucchini are ready and abundant during the warmer months of summer which co-insides with a season of celebrations and events. This Lemon and Poppy Seed Zucchini cake is perfect for any occasion. Light, fresh and easily adaptable to seasonal flavours and fruits.
Lemon and Poppy Seed Zucchini Cake
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Additional Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Ingredients
2 1/2 cups Plain Flour
2 tsp Baking Soda
1/4 tsp Baking Powder
1 Lemon
2-3 Zucchini (3 cups grated with the moisture removed)
3/4 cup Vegetable Oil
1 cup Sugar
1/4 cup Honey
1 tsp Vanilla Essence
3 Eggs
1 TBSP Poppy Seeds
1 tsp salt
extra salt for zucchini (1/4 tsp)
Icing
250g Cream Cheese
1 TBSP Lemon zest
2 TSBP Lemon Juice
1 cup of Icing Sugar
Instructions
Wash and grate the zucchini into a bowl. Sprinkle with roughly 1/4 tsp salt and mix through. Allow to sit while you prepare the other ingredients.
Preheat oven to 175 degrees celsius. In a bowl mix flour, baking soda, baking powder, poppy seeds, and salt and set aside.
In a mixer (or bowl with a whisk) add eggs beat until frothy. Add in the sugar, oil, vanilla, zest, and juice of one lemon. Whist until combined. Gradually add to the flour mix and stir to combine.
Strain and squeeze the extra moisture out of the zucchini using a sieve. Add 3 cups to the mixture and stir to combine.
Grease a cake tin (20cm). Pour in the cake mix and cook for 40 mins to 1hr or until a cake skewer comes out clean.
Remove the cake from the tin and allow to cool.
To make the Icing
Mix Icing ingredients together and ice the cake. Top with Dehydrated citrus and edible flowers.
Notes
To make a special occasion cake, make x2 cakes and add an extra layer of icing between them.
Zucchini are one of my favourite vegetables to grow because of their ease to grow and abundant harvests. They are such generous plants! The best thing about growing an abundance is that you can preserve the excess to use throughout the year. Harvesting and preserving your own Zucchini will allow you to build your self-sufficiency.
This Zucchini recipe is easy to make and you can adjust it to suit your harvest. Zucchini relish is a great addition to sandwiches or add it to a platter with all your delicious homegrown produce and homemade crackers. Zucchini pickle also makes great gifts! Sharing your delicious homegrown produce can help inspire others to grow their own too. Then you can swap and trade and support your friends and family.
Easy Zucchini Relish
Yield: 3 cups
Prep Time: 12 hours
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 12 hours20 minutes
Ingredients
1 1/4 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
1 cup Raw Sugar
1/2 tsp ground Tumeric
1/2 tsp dried Chilli flakes ( or more to your taste)
2 tsp dried Mustard Seeds
1 TBS Salt
3-4 medium Zucchini
1 medium- large Onion
3 tsp Cornflour
Instructions
Wash and dice your Zucchini and Onion into small cubes. Place in an airtight container and sprinkle with salt. Mix in well, place on the lid, and add to the refrigerator for 12-24 hours to release the water.
Remove the Zucchini and onion mix from the fridge and strain off the excess liquid.
In a saucepan add the Vinegar, Sugar, Tumeric, Chilli, and Mustard Seeds. Bring to a simmer and stir for 2 minutes. Then add the Zucchini.
Allow to cook down slightly for 15-20 minutes, stirring regularly.
Remove a TBSP or so of the liquid and mix with the cornflour to make a paste. Return this back into the saucepan to thicken the Relish.
Sterilize your jars by either running through a hot dishwasher or in the oven at 110degrees for 15minutes. Sterilize the lids in boiling water.
Pour your zucchini mix into the hot jars and secure the lid. Place the jars upside down to cool. This helps them seal. Once the jars have cooled down, place them in the refrigerator. Enjoy!!
For long-term storage only cook the zucchini mix for 10minutes then add to jars. Process the jars in a boiling water bath for 10minutes.
Notes
For added colour and flavour you can also add Capsicum into the mix.
Crackers are such an easy snack to grab and these Super Seed Crackers are also very easy to make. Having easy staple recipes on hand can help you make the most out of your produce. These Crackers also look amazing bundles up and given to friends.
Simply add these crackers to a plate full of fresh fruit and veggies from your garden, along with some delicious relish or garden pesto and you have a winning platter.
Super Seed Crackers
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour25 minutes
Easy and delicious super seed crackers. The ultimate summer platter addition. Serve with relish or pesto straight from the garden to the plate.
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups Sunflower Seeds
1/2 cup Pumpkin Seeds
1/2 cup Linseeds
1 TBSP Poppy Seeds
1/3 cup dried Goji Berries
2 tsp dried Rosemary (1 tsp if store bought)
2 TBSP Chia Seeds
1 Cup Sesame Seeds
2 TBS Psyllium Husks
2 1/4 Cups of Water
Instructions
Add all the ingredients to a bowl and mix to combine.
Allow to sit for 20mins to become a thick mixture.
preheat the oven to 150degrees celsius.
Pour half the mix onto baking paper and place another sheet on top. Roll out to form a thin layer then remove the second sheet of baking paper. Place on an oven tray and repeat with the second half of the mixture.
Bake for 1 hour or until slightly golden.
Remove and cool then slice into your desired cracker size shapes. Store in an air tight container.
Notes
Swap out the Goji berries with your favourite dried fruit. Mix it up!
Cornflour can be used as a substitute for Psyllium husks, you may need to add a little more. Also, mix it with a little water to form a paste before adding it to the mix.
Celebrate summer with these delicious watermelon choc-tops. Indulge in a sweet treat without all the added refined sugars. These watermelon choc-tops can be made frozen for an iceblock or chilled in the fridge for a refreshing summer treat. If you don’t like biting into a frozen iceblock, the refrigerated versions may be the best for you. These were such a hit and will now be a summer staple in our house!
With just two simple ingredients you can quickly and easily make these Watermelon Choc-tops that are sure to impress! Sprinkle with edible flowers before the chocolate sets to add a little extra magic.
Watermelon Choc-tops
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Additional Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours5 minutes
Watermelon Choc-tops are the ultimate summer treats! Quick and easy to make using simple ingredients.
Ingredients
Watermelon
Chocolate buttons (or whatever chocolate you prefer)
Edible Flowers
Iceblock sticks
Instructions
Slice your watermelon up into Iceblock sized pieces around 1cm thick and place in a container in the fridge to cool while you melt your chocolate.
To melt the chocolate I place my chocolate buttons in a small saucepan and set it over another saucepan with water and allow the steam to heat it.
Once your chocolate has melted remove it from the heat.
Create a rack to hold your watermelon iceblocks by placing two sticks (or chopsticks or knives) across the top of a cup.
Push the iceblock stick into the watermelon pieces so that they are secured.
Spoon over your melted chocolate and sprinkle on edible flowers. I used dried cornflower. Carefully place your chocolate-coated watermelon upright on your makeshift rack by holding the bottom edge of the watermelon.
Place in the freezer to set. The watermelon will be frozen and ready to eat within 2hours. Or place in the fridge until the chocolate has set for the fresh version.
Notes
Both fresh and frozen are good! However, I do prefer the frozen ones.
The difference between the fresh or frozen versions is :
Fresh - Sweeter, very juicy, a little hard to eat.
Frozen- Mild watermelon flavour, not too sweet, need to be good with biting into frozen food.
