Everything's Coming Up Veggies

Hello there! How ARE you? It’s Jo here, back in the world of Raw Momalicious blogging after a tiny (five-week! Yikes!) break.

However, it’s not like I’ve just been swanning around enjoying our gorgeous Australian summer (apologies to those of you in the northern hemisphere) – I spent my blogging sabbatical immersing myself in the writing of my latest recipe book, which was submitted to the publisher last week.

Mind you, as part of my ethos of looking after myself, during that time I made sure I enjoyed a few lazy picnics with my girls, a few family outings, and a couple of massages. And the family sure enjoyed the recipe testing process. Or so they tell me… It was handy having Darren home on holidays for a good portion of that time, so that I could focus completely on the writing and testing.

Since submitting the book, I’ve finally taken a huge, deep breath, and have been winding down to a very comfortable level of holiday slothdom. Well, as much as my occasionally neurotic tendencies towards new-year house de-cluttering will allow. The girls and I have been “hanging out”, playing board games, enjoying even more picnics (sometimes indoor, given our crazy Melbourne weather), reading book after book, and lovingly tending to our flourishing garden.

You may remember that I wrote, back in October, about the start of our edible gardening adventures? If not, check it out here. We’re now reaping the handsome rewards of our hard work. Here are some luscious, sweet, crunchy, young green beans I picked just this morning. Divine!

Being able to pick our own vegies has been such a thrill. It’s also wonderful taking a shorter shopping list on our run to the shops, knowing that so many edibles are just waiting to be plucked from our vegie patch.

As part of my welcoming in of the new year, I’ve been following the latest edition of the Raw Divas’ Body Enlightenment System. A couple of days ago, I made the Green Goddess Soup for lunch (avocado, zucchini, chard/silverbeet, kale, cilantro/coriander, lime/lemon and salt), and sashayed out into our garden to pick some chard and zucchini for using in the soup. Back in the kitchen, I laid the glowing green veggies on the chopping board and realized that they were still warm from the sun. How beautiful is that? (Don’t you also love the contrast between the green of the soup and the red of the sun-dried tomatoes? Maybe I’m hanging on to Christmas.)

We’ve now had to buy a second compost bin, with the first one heating up nicely and creating some rich “gold” for our soil. In fact, the first compost bin is doing so well that this little tomato decided to grow from a seed that must have been somewhere in the bin. He’s managed to poke his head through an airhole and proudly push his way out to greet the sun. Isn’t compost amazing stuff?

Dear reader, if I have one new year’s wish for you, it’s to get your hands dirty. Take your children out into the garden and dig a wee garden bed, or rustle up some pots. If you’re in the northern hemisphere, start planning now for your spring and summer harvests. If you’re a novice gardener, start with herb seedlings like basil or mint, and perhaps try some “cut-and-come-again” lettuce seeds. Give your munchkins a pot or little garden patch of their own, and show them how to create life. They – and you – will love it!

See you next week!