Easter co-op hours

Due to there being two public holidays, on Monday 25th and Tuesday 26th April, and not being able to have either of our normal co-op venues or source a suitable alternative, we shall be conducting a combined Ourimbah/Wyong co-op on Wednesday, 27th April for the members who can get there.

This will be held at Jilliby, just out of Wyong - actually in the same hall we held our very first co-op over two years ago! We have sent a map and directions to all our members, however if you have somehow missed it or cannot open it up, contact us on the FIG phone (04166 47715) or email info@fig.org.au and we will have it ready for you next Monday at the co-op, or could fax or post it to you.

So... here's the schedule for the next couple of weeks:

Monday 18th Apr - normal co-op at Ourimbah, 2.30 until 5pm

Tuesday 19th April - normal co-op at Wyong, 3 until 5.30pm

Wednesday 27th April - combined co-op at Jilliby, 3pm until 4.30pm (no other co-op that week)

Cedar Valley Centre, 369 Little Jilliby Road, Jilliby

Come for a (short) drive to the country! Plenty of grassy paddock for the children to run around in and the kettle will be on... If unable to get there at all, we're sorry that you have to miss a week and we'll catch up with you the following week:

Monday 2nd May - normal Ourimbah co-op resumes

Tuesday 3rd May - normal Wyong co-op resumes

See you soon...

Cooking with grains

How do you cook your grains? Sounds like a really silly question doesn't it - but lately, it's been something that I've been changing a little in our kitchen.

Again, after some time shared in the inspiring community kitchen that I am blessed to be guided by, I came upon the idea of soaking and cooking our grains with a stick of Kombu. I think this may be from the Macrobiotic indications, as the Alfalfa House food co-op website says in their section on Kombu (which is under the area of 'Macrobiotic'); "A stick of kombu can be added to pulses during cooking to soften them, increase their nutritional value and digestibility."

Sally Fallon of Nourishing Traditions talks alot about the benefits of soaking grains. In her introduction to Whole Grains on page 452, Fallon talks about the wisdom of our Ancestors who intuitively soaked and fermented all grains before using, cooking and eating them. She further goes on to talk about the mineral deficiency risk of a diet high in un-fermented grains.

Fallon recommends that the soaking of grains breaks down the phytic acid outer layer or bran that is contained in all grains. It is this phytic acid that can inhibit the absorption of vitamins and minerals from our bodies if it is consumed in an un-fermented state. The soaking of grains in warm water will also help to neutralise enzyme inhibitors and encourages production of other beneficial enzymes. (NT p452-453) In the online 'Nourished Magazine' there is two articles which reference the soaking of grains in specific applications; bread and also muesli. Both articles amongst the topic they are discussing, also talk about the general idea of why grains should be soaked before use/cooking/consumption.

We also try to eat a different grain on each day of the week. It doesn't always happen, but we try and in this attempt, our grain consumption is varied. In her book "The Waldorf Kindergarten Snack Book", Lisa Hildreth references in her section 'A Grain a Day', the book "Cooking with Grains" by Emma Graf. In her book, Emma Graf talks about how each day of the week has a cosmic origin and how that cosmic force that comes through on that day can guide us to eat appropriate grains that correspond with the influencing Planets of each day. You can see the suggested grains for each day and the corresponding Planets on this link. In the book, Emma Graf also shares how each grain effects the body's nervous system, digestive system, body functions and energy forces of the body. A summary of these descriptions are also shared on page 25-26 of the Waldorf Kindergarten Snack Book.

I always try to soak the grain we will be having every day. Breakfast grains are soaked the night before and evening grains are soaked in the morning or at the latest at lunchtime. I soak in warm water and add a pinch of Himalayan salt along with the stick of Kombu. Before cooking I generally skim off any froth that has risen out during soaking and then drain and rinse the grain before adding more water to the pot and cooking the grain very slowly by bringing to the boil and then reducing the heat to the lowest setting and cooking with the lid on. I've moved away from using a pressure cooking for any cooking at all after reading Fallon's words in NT about how pressure cookers cook foods too quickly and above the boiling point. (p68). I cook the grain with the stick of Kombu if the grain is to be used in a savory dish. Sometimes the Kombu will fall apart a little during the cooking and mix with the grain but it is not at all noticeable as a 'seaweed flavor' in the taste of the final dish.

I've really enjoyed this addition of soaking our grains with Kombu as it's an easy way to incorporate more sea vegetables into our diet and boost the nutritional benefits of the grains we eat.

The Season of apples

Golden leaves, crunchy carpets, the pitter patter of raindrops on the roof, mud puddles for stomping, mist in the valley, the smell of the first woodfire drifting across the hillside and crimson apples dangling in abundance from the great old apple tree! I know many folk who proclaim this as their favourite time of year. Can you guess that I'm one of them? I love Autumn and everything it brings. It's fun, it's snuggly, it's yum and it's inspiring. This 'Wild Child' of Autumn really is an exciting little Season.

I love the harvest, the preserving, the resting and the preparation for renewal that this Season brings. And APPLES! How exciting are the crisp, crimson, crunchy little bundles that hang from the great old apple tree, like baubles on the Christmas tree. It's such a versatile fruit that the options for what one can make with this amazing little Autumn gift are just endless; apple sauce, apple pie, apple and cinnamon muffins, Waldorf salad, toffee apples, baked apples with custard, apple slice.... and then there's everything yum they can accompany like; roast pork, morning porridge, red cabbage, hash browns, stir fry's, roast veggies... or how about an apple and raspberry frappe, some apple cider or a nice warm apple and ginger spiced tea to warm those cooling evenings. All the apple recipes you could EVER need can be found all over the internet - but this link has a great range of various apple recipes to inspire and delight. Over 350 of them! If you like to share stories with your family around your Seasonal baking, then The apple cake is a lovely story that follows the journey of an old woman who sets out to find some apples for her apple cake. It's a story about giving and receiving and the value that different things have to different people. The book also has a delicious apple cake recipe which can be easily adapted if you prefer more whole foods ingredients in your apple cake!

Yesterday we baked some apple and cinnamon muffins. They were so delicious that 4 hours later, I had to bake another batch because the first batch had just vanished! I thought I'd share the recipe with you;

::Apple and Cinnamon muffins::
(My recipe inspiration came from here, but as you can tell - the recipe is slightly adapted)

Ingredients;
• 2C freshly ground flour (you could soak this flour in 2C yoghurt or kefir for 12-24 hours and then omit the milk referenced if you are into the whole soaking of grains. We generally are - but this time, the muffins were needed in a hurry!)
• 1T baking powder
• 2T of ground cinnamon (plus a little extra for dusting)
• 1/2C rapadura
• 3 apples peeled, cored and chopped into small cubes
• 1/2C coconut oil softened, not melted
• 2 eggs, whisked
• 3/4C oat milk
• 12 fresh blueberries

Method;
• Combine flour, powder, cinnamon and rapadura
• Add wet ingredients; oil, eggs and milk - mix well
• Add apples and stir through
• Line a 12 hole muffin tin with environmentally friendly unbleached baking paper
• Fill each paper cup with muffin mix
• Dust muffins with cinnamon
• Press a blueberry into the top of each muffin
• Bake in 180ºC oven for about 20 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean
• Enjoy with your favourite Autumn herbal tea or a frothy hot chocolate!

And do you know about the secret that hides inside every shiny apple? A favourite Autumn activity with children is to 'apple stamp'.

::Apple Stamping::
• Take an apple (Grown up's job) and cut the four 'cheeks' off the apple.
• You'll be left with a little cube that encases the core
• Be sure the children are gathered around as you tell the little story;
"Who would think an apple
Red, gold, green and round
Would have a secret deep inside
When cut it can be found!
(this is a nice time to cut the apple core across the middle to reveal the 'secret')
I thought this secret only shone
In deep and darkest night
But when I cut my apple
It shines with five points bright!
And now you know the secret
Where shining stars are found
In every crunchy apple
Red, gold, green and round."
(Apple Secrets by Betty Jones)
• Have some heavy card paper available as well as some Autumn coloured paints or inks
• Make sure the seeds have been removed from the center of the star and then dab the 'apple stamp' into the paint/ink and then stamp into any starry pattern you like on your paper.

Apple candles are also another great Autumn activity. It's alot of fun to let children decorate their own taper candle with decorating wax, to sit in their apple candle holder. Apple candles add a wonderful energy to a Winter Solstice celebration or are lovely just to even illuminate those lengthening nights and create a snuggly family space.

Blessings on your crunchy, crisp Autumnal Harvest Season.