The FastDay Forum

I noticed so many people in this forum make their own "ingredients" when the general population buy from the store

thinking

- cheese
- yoghurt
- bread
- sprouts
- chilli sauce
- chilli jam

in our household thus far its yoghurt, sprouts and chilli sauce but going to branch out into cheese soon. Ive done the home made bread thing but ive so cut bread out of our eating that the occasional store bought home style bread suffices.

This club lets the do it yourselfers share their ideas in the kitchen. hmmmm.. could be in the bedroom too as i seem to recall one forum member into home carved sex toys... anyway whatever you home make.. please share your methods unless of course they are some secret recipe you dont wish to divulge though pics of your food would be good. now.. pics of the sex toys.. now we are talking.

to kick start things

Almond Milk

i came across this site this morning and i now have my cup of almonds soaking

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbTg8wLbBMw#t=16

she refers to this to.. http://www.greensmoothiehabit.com/all-r ... in-vitamix

will tell you how i go.

I had two tiny chilli plants last year, I bought them in the 'sick plant/reduced section of the garden centre and took them home expecting 3 or 4 chilli's off them. I got hundreds, even with our miserable summer. So I ended up drying loads. I now have a pepper grinder that I have filled with some of my dried chilli's (the are evil) some peppercorns and some dried onions to make my own grinder mix. Its a little something, that is fun to do, especially when you warn friends to be careful as it has the home grown chilli's in it. Why do people assume that British grown chilli's are wimpish?

I also make my own pasta on occasion. Giant homemade stuffed ravioli's are lush. 2 ravioli per person, yummy.

We are fortunate enough to have wheat grown in the fields around our house and friendly farmers who are quite happy to give us a bucket of 'bread' wheat whenever we want. We have bought our own electric mill and bake three or four small loaves a week. We are not keen on 100% wholemeal, so mix it with good quality shop-bough white flour. We also grow our own potatoes, tomatoes, sweetcorn and cucumbers - obviously not all the year round!

Great idea for a thread!

I always make my own 'curry powder' and here's the recipe I use:

http://www.greatcurryrecipes.net/2012/0 ... ry-powder/

I also make my own preserved lemons - so easy:
Unwaxed lemons (or waxed, well scrubbed) quartered
Sterilised jars (wash and pop in warm oven for 15 mins, then allow to cool)
Rock salt
Couple of lemons for juicing (I also preserve the skins)
Boiled water

Method
pop lemons into jar, add about 1oz (30g) rock salt and juice of 1 or two lemons.
Fill with boiled water. You can also add black peppercorns etc.
Lid and leave for 3- 4 weeks.

Rinse before use and use the skins, diced, in middle eastern dishes.

How long do the preserved lemons keep for@PennyForthem? Once you've opened the jar do you have to keep them in the fridge? I like the idea of these as some of the preserved lemons I bought were in oil - not so good for fast day cooking.

Once opened, they'll last a few weeks, as long as the lemons are submerged. The lids can go a bit manky though, after a while, with contact with the salt. If in doubt, make small amounts.

How can you make sprouts from scratch ?

If I am not mistaken, they are vegetables so you can grow them but not make them

How can you make sprouts from scratch ?

If I am not mistaken, they are vegetables so you can grow them but not make them

What i mean is that most people buy sprouts from the store with the "seeds" ready sprouted with not just water and light but loads of chemicals. Never did research what chemicals they use to make the ginormous mung bean sprouts when they naturally sprout to say 1cm. seee this pic.

I got this pic from http://www.rawfullytempting.com/2012/07 ... -mung.html

this is a far cry from mung beans in teh store

same goes for alfalfa sprouts. the store bought ones are maybe 1 inch long and standing tall.. if youve tried sprouting alfalfa your luck to get say 1/2 inch even 1/4 inch but they are yummy. im learning to improve their sprouting by using a little fish tank light on them.

anyhow thats what i mean by "make it from scratch" sprouting

Great idea for a thread!

I always make my own 'curry powder' and here's the recipe I use:

http://www.greatcurryrecipes.net/2012/0 ... ry-powder/

I also make my own preserved lemons - so easy:
Unwaxed lemons (or waxed, well scrubbed) quartered
Sterilised jars (wash and pop in warm oven for 15 mins, then allow to cool)
Rock salt
Couple of lemons for juicing (I also preserve the skins)
Boiled water

Method
pop lemons into jar, add about 1oz (30g) rock salt and juice of 1 or two lemons.
Fill with boiled water. You can also add black peppercorns etc.
Lid and leave for 3- 4 weeks.

Rinse before use and use the skins, diced, in middle eastern dishes.

Your recipe is well timed as i have a tagine planned for next weekend that requires preserved lemons and OH suggested making our own preserved lemons. thanks. will give it a go.

I made the almond milk. This one is per this recipe https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbTg8wLbBMw#t=16 She flavours it with Medjool dates soaked in coconut water, cinnamon and vanilla but you can just drink it straight.

Honestly never thought it could be easier.

And this means at $3.75 a 1 litre carton of So Good Almond milk (and i used to buy 5 or 6 a week) I no longer need to buy. Much less sugar in the home made variety and a lot of flavour.

1 cup of almonds makes 4 cups of milk. Not including the coconut water and medjool dates, in can be quite an inexpensive healthy drink. Not sure if its ok for fast days. Probably not.

You have to try it. - took a pic as i was feeling proud.

Flip it, I just deleted a huge post.

I have made elderflower cordial and will shortly try gorse flower cordial. Blackberry and apple jam was very successful christmas gifts. I added port and cinnamon for a festive flavour. Similar story for blackberry whiskey. I wish I made more of that! I have made marmalade from the starter tin. Does that count! Wild garlic is just coming into season now and makes a really nice pesto. Hummous is fairly easy to make too. There is no cooking so I cant burn it, lol!

Later in the year I want to try sloe gin. I am new to hedgerow forraging and learning as I go. I think the key is to identify something abundant locally and then do a net search for ideas on how to use it.

Does anyone know a good website that would give a calendar of what is in season when? I would love a book/ diary/ website with id charts and recepies by month!

[janeg]

Where are you based Scubachick? That'll help with the seasons!
Love the atavar.
I really like elderflower cordial- very refreshing.
My friend is a great wild/forager and makes amazing stuff and has a huge knowledge base built up from experience. Talented lady- as all of you are (no men yet?)

.... could be in the bedroom too as i seem to recall one forum member into home carved sex toys...

hahaha home grown marrows anyone!

Janeg, I did wonder about puttin in a location! From my spelling you can probably guess that I have Uk english and the "whiskey" spelling narrows me down to the country! But no doubt Edward Snowdon's ex colleagues know exactly where I am!

Nice thread Juliana.
I make bread, mostly sourdough. I sometimes make my own pasta. I've made cheese and am soon going to try making yoghurt. I want to try the sprouts too.
I also, with a lot of help from hubby, grow a lot of herbs, salad, corn, silverbeet, capsicum and beetroot. We are planning on planting lots more when we have five minutes to do it.
Oh and I'm hoping for an ice cream maker for my birthday later this year so I can make my own ice cream.