Bobbie Bull

Uta’s Napa Cabbage Salad

½ head napa cabbage, finely sliced
1 medium carrot, grated
few stalks of parsley, snipped or sliced
¼ c. red onion, minced
½ green pepper, finely chopped
May add chopped radiccio

¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup tarragon vinegar
2 Tbsp. sugar
¾ - 1 tsp. dry mustard
¼ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. coarsely ground black pepper
Whip dressing well with a wire whip.

Mix salad ingredients well in a large bowl. Toss with dressing.

Notes: This salad is even better with the “crinkly” cabbage we have received the last two weeks. I prefer using rice wine vinegar to tarragon vinegar. Yummy and great for picnics as the ingredients can be out of the refrigerator for awhile without worry.

Travis Fulton deve ser aquele que mais lutou no MMA e conseqüentemente é aquele que mais venceu.

Em 2006 completou dez anos de atividade. E nesse ano ele teve sua segunda pior média de quantidade de lutas.

2008 – 2 lutas

2007 – 10 lutas

2006 – 8 lutas

2005 – 12 lutas

2004 – 22 lutas

2003 – 27 lutas

2002 – 17 lutas

2001 – 21 lutas

2000 – 25 lutas

1999 – 29 lutas

1998 – 38 lutas

1997 – 23 lutas

1996 – 3 lutas

Isso tudo da um total de 242 lutas. Ele faz jus ao apelido “The Ironman”. A média até hoje dá um pouco mais do que 20 lutas por ano.

Cartel

187 - 45 - 9 (Win - Loss - Draw) ( 1 NC )

Vitórias

58 (T)KOs ( 31.02 %)
122 Submissions ( 65.24 %)
6 Decisions ( 3.21 %)
1 Other ( 0.53 %)

Derrotas

4 (T)KOs ( 8.89 %)
25 Submissions ( 55.56 %)
14 Decisions ( 31.11 %)
2 Other ( 4.44 %)

Ele lidera com folga algumas estatísticas do Sherdog. Maior nocautedor do MMA, maior finalizador, sendo que o recorde de finalizações em um ano também é dele, 25 em 1998.

Mas se você não ouviu falar em Fulton não se preocupe, a grande maioria de eventos que ele lutou é pouco conhecido dentro do EUA. Mas ele já passou pelo RITC, KOTC, WEC, IFC e eventos de ponta como Rings, IFL, Pancrase e UFC (poucas vezes em cada).

Já venceu nomes conhecido como Heat Herring, Cabbage, Joe Riggs, mas perdeu para quase todos famosos que lutou Babalu, Ricco Rodriguez, Dan Severn, Vladimir Matyushenko, Pete Williams, Matt Lindland, Ian Freeman, Evan Tanner, Travis Wiuff, Jeremy Horn, Mike Whitehead e Ben Rothwell.

Ele já tentou vencer 4 vezes Dan Serven, mas perdeu três e empatou uma. Porém, por outro lado Dan Wheatley tentou cinco vezes vencer Fulton e nunca conseguiu ao menos empatar.

While some fast-maturing summer crops can still be planted--I'm thinking beans and basil, summer squash and cukes--you'll want to start thinking about what you want to have quantities of for winter use.  Of course you already planted your winter squash, leeks, and onions, but there's so much more to be done!

My fall garden line-up includes some big yellow beets, storage types of carrots (Chantenay types that do best in our heavy soil are also the best keepers), rutabagas, daikon radishes, and mustard greens mixes.  I've already got in the kale (some people plant this in spring--I don't have room at that point), and I sowed a little bulb fennel the other day as well.

I've also started soaking flats for fall cabbages--one for a red ballhead and another for a green arrowhead.  I'd thought I had seed for a big keeper variety like "Late Flat Dutch," but that must've been my imagination.

My cue for starting fall crops is when we start getting a little rain again after our early-July drought (we're getting a lovely soaking as I type this).  That makes it a little easier to keep things moist.

Carrots take quite awhile to germinate, too, so I usually strew my fall carrot beds with a very light covering of straw to keep in a little moisture.  Cover all the radishes and brassicas with row cover to discourage the cabbage moths and flea beetles that so like to munch on those crops.

We'll likely still have some "dog days" in August, but September comes quick, and then the frosts.  Get on that fall garden planning!

2 tablespoons finely chopped Red Onion

1 tablespoon sugar

3/4 teaspoon Celery seeds

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon dry mustard

1/4 teaspoon feshly ground pepper

1 clove garlic,minced

1/4cup vegetable oil 1 pound cabbage , finely shredded, soaked in ice water for 1 hour, Drained and dried.

1 (4 oz) package crumbled blue cheese

Combine first 8 ingredients in a small bowl. Add oil in a slow, steady stream, stirring constantly with a wire whisk. Cover and chill at least 1 hour.

Combine cabbage and blue cheese, cover and chill 1 hour.

Drizzle vinegar mixture over cabbage mixture. Toss gently and serve immediately

Serves 6

From

jamie Baur

This was the very first Chinese dish I learned how to make and it remains one of our favorites - the flavor is clean and light, and cabbages are available almost year round at the from a wonderful vendor of Asian vegetables at our local farmers' market in Southern California. Unless you have an enormous wok, don't try to cook the cabbage all at once - it will get soggy and steam rather than stirfry. If you are making a multi-dish meal, this should be one of the last dishes you make, as it should be served immediately.

ingredients

• 6 shiitake mushrooms, fresh or dried
• 1.5 lb napa cabbage
• 2 T oil
• 1/2 -1 tsp salt
• up to 1/4 c water (or broth or mushroom soaking liquid)

method

1. If using fresh shiitakes, remove the stems (save for a stock!) and cut caps into 1/4" strips. If using dried mushrooms, soak them in boiling water until softened, reserving the water for use later.
2. Separate the cabbage leaves and wash thoroughly - a good soak won't hurt them and will get rid of any grit by the stems.
3. If using napa, cut the leaves in half lengthwise, then into 1" ribbons across they leafy parts and 1/2" strips across the crunchier stem ends.
4. Heat 1 T of oil in the wok over high heat until it shimmers, then add the mushrooms, stirfrying quickly.
5. Add 1/2 of the cabbage, and stirfry until it is coated with oil.
6. Add 1/4 tsp of the salt and continue to stirfry as the cabbage releases its juices. If necessary, add a bit of liquid to keep the mixture moist until it reaches the desired doneness - some people prefer it crunchy, others like it cooked through.
7. Repeat with the second 1 T oil, 1/2 of the cabbage, and 1/4 tsp of salt.
8. Return the first batch of cabbage with the mushrooms, mix together, adjust seasoning, and serve.

variations

• In place of or in addition to the mushrooms, you can add 1 T tiny dried shrimp (soak as the dried mushrooms, reserving the liquid for use in the recipe) or 1/4 c cooked tiny shrimp for a more complex flavor.
• If you like bok choy, this is a great recipe for that cabbage as well: when cutting, separate the leaves from the stems; cut stems into 1/4" diagonal strips and leaves into 1/2" ribbons crosswise. When cooking, stirfry the stem pieces as the first batch of cabbage and the leaves as the second, recombining at the end. This allows you to cook the stems longer without overcooking the more tender leaves.

The family picnic took care of some of our vegetable glut.  We made cole slaw, using the shredder attachment for our stand mixer.  We used the slicing blade for the cabbage and the shredding blade for the carrots, mostly orange and some yellow for color.  Because of the heat, I didn't use the normal mayonnaise-laden dressing.  Instead, I made an Asian dressing of rice vinegar, canola oil (sesame oil gives too heavy a flavor), tamari soy sauce, grated ginger (I buy it jarred), and lots of sesame seeds (cheapest at an Indian grocery).

Also for the picnic, we made a big batch of tabbouleh (using 3 cups of bulghur wheat), and put in the entire bunch of parsley, three cucumbers, three orange carrots, and three yellow carrots.  The carrots are on the small side, the kind you buy at the farmers market not the kind you buy at the grocery store. 

We finally did some freezing.  It's been very hot, so standing over boiling water to blanch vegetables is thoroughly unappealing.  We boiled about two pounds of beetroots.  The larger ones are good for grilling.  The smaller ones are good for freezing.  It works out very nicely.  We boiled the beets for half an hour, but probably should have given them only 25 minutes.  After boiling, many of the skins came off easily, but if they didn't come off I didn't worry about it.  Skinning beets involves pushing at the skin, trying to slide it sideways over the inside part.  We sliced a few of the beets for putting on salads (cold).  The rest we cut into wedges and froze. 

We also froze some zucchini and green beans.  Putting Food By says that only small zucchini freeze well.  Of our six zucchini, I judged that three were small enough to freeze.  We cut them into thick slices, blanched them for three minutes, shocked them for three minutes, and put them in our freezer.  The green beans were also three minutes to blanch and three minutes to shock.  I cut them to lengths somewhere between one and two inches.  Unfortunately, sitting on the top shelf of our refrigerator for nearly a week caused many of the beans to freeze and become weirdly translucent and have to go straight to compost. 

In other food news, we tried kohlrabi finally.  I knife-peeled one of them, and cut it into sticks maybe half an inch on a side.  It's delightfully crunchy.  It reminds me of the inside of broccoli stems, which isn't surprising, because kohlrabi is also a stem. 

Finally, the inventory:  The non-roots still to be used are one bunch of dill, one bunch of lettuce, three large zucchini, one cucumber, and one kohlrabi.  The roots still to be used are lots of carrots, some beets (mostly chioggia), and two pounds of potatoes.  The fruits still to be used are most of two pints of black raspberries.

I forgot to mention the raspberries.  We went berry picking today with friends, and brought back two pints of purple raspberries and two pints of black raspberries.  Well, that's how many there were before we started the car ride home.  There were fewer when we arrived.  The purple raspberries I tried to turn into conserve.  I hope the boiled berry-sugar soup will firm up.  After a night in the refrigerator it will move into the freezer, in one-cup containers, to be moved to the refrigerator as needed during the year.

If you are planting by the moon for the first time have you had better results than normal or has it not made any difference? Please let us know by leaving comments below.

Monday 21st and Tuesday 22nd up until 5pm sow and cultivate flowers - All flowers, artichoke, broccoli & cauliflower.

Tuesday 22nd from 5pm right through to Friday 25th up until 1pm sow and cultivate leaves - basil, brussels sprout, cabbage, kohlrabi, sorrel, celery, chervil, chinese cabbage, cress, dandelion, curly endive, fennel, purslane, lamb’s lettuce, leek, lettuce, rocket, spinach, cardoon, parsley, swiss chard.

Friday 25th after 1pm through to Sunday 27th until 5am sow and cultivate fruits - all cereals, aubergine, broad bean, courgette, cucumber, gherkin, marrow, gourd, pumpkin, melon, pea, peppers, runner bean, sweetcorn, tomato.

Sunday 27th from 5am right through to Tuesday 29th until 5pm sow and cultivate roots - All root veg, beetroot, carrot, celeriac, endive, garlic, Jerusalem artichoke, parsnip, potato, radish, salsify, shallot, turnip, onions.

 1/2 - 1 small green cabbage head, cored and sliced as thin as possible
1/2 medium red onion, sliced thin
1 large carrot, grated or cut into thin julienne strips
1 1/2 Tablespoons dark sesame oil
1/3 cup rice vinegar
1 Tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon salt
3 Tablespoons sesame seeds
3 Tablespoons dry-roasted, unsalted peanuts

 1.  Put the cabbage into a bowl with the red onion, and fluff the cabbage and onion with your hands to separate the pieces.  Add the carrot, and mix well.

2.  In a small bowl, combine the sesame oil, vinegar, sugar, mustard, and salt.  Add the dressing to the cabbage and onion, and mix well.  Refrigerate the slaw for at least 1 hour so the cabbage can soften (I have never put it in the refrigerator - with fresh cabbage it doesn't seem necessary).

3.  Toast the sesame seeds to bring out their flavor.  Heat a heavy skillet over medium heat, adding the sesame seeds and stirring them often to prevent burning.  If you are using white seeds, toast them until they are uniformly brown; if you have black seeds, toast them until they taste nutty and toasted.  Transfer the seeds to a small plate, and let them cool.

4.  Just before serving, add the sesame seeds and peanuts to the slaw, and toss well.

- Vegetarian Planet by Didi Emmons

• Dwarf Beans - 'borlotto',
• Broad Beans - 'the sutton',
• Peas - 'ambassador',
• Pak Choi - 'riko white'.

Today I Will Mostly Be Harvesting:

• New Potato's - 'lady christl' and 'charlotte',
• Cabbage - 'spring hero' and 'advantage',
• Dwarf Beans - 'borlotto',
• Dwarf Beans - 'ferrari',
• Lettuce - 'balmoral' leaves,

Vegetables in Progress

• Tomato's - 'Green Zebra',



• Cucumber's - 'Marketmore',



• Broccoli 'tenderstem',

Plot Progress - Week 23

Plot 1
Carrots, red spring onion and beetroot are growing stronger from sowings made on 1st June 2008. Runner beans are slowly wrapping themselves around the canes. Parsnip foliage is going wild. Sowed Pak Choi into the gaps.

Plot 2
Tenderstem Broccoli nearly ready to pick, cabbage resolution savoy and golden acre are growing well after transplanting, still a few sacrificial cabbages of 'advantage' variety to attract the cabbage white butterflies to lay their eggs on (and not on my newly transplanted ones - seems to be working so far).

Plot 3
Broad Beans and Mange tout removed after harvesting. New sowings of peas, broad beans and dwarf beans under cloche (mainly due to cats digging bare soil). 2 x butternut squash plants doing well after transplant. Brussels sprout plants wedged in between dwarf beans but are growing steady.

Tomato and Cucumbers (outdoors)
Tomato's have been tied to the canes and pots placed into upside down propagator lids. This has helped as this fence is a sun trap and dries the plants out daily, I pour water into the lids so the plant takes the water from its roots when necessary and doesn't dry out. All tomato plants are flowering and some are fruiting. Cucumbers are rambling over the decking and are producing flowers and fruit.

Finely slice cabbage (or process in food processor to desired texture – I like it slightly coarser than apple sauce)
Remove to a large bowl.
Add remaining ingredients and mix well.

COLESLAW WITH CASHEW MAYONNAISE
CASHEW MAYONNAISE
1 C cashews, soaked 1-2 hrs., drained
1/2 t paprika
2 cloves garlic
1 t onion powder
3 T lemon juice
1/4 C olive oil
2 T water, or as needed

Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor and process to a creamy consistency.
Store in refrigerator for up to a week.

COLE SLAW
In a food processor, process to a fine texture (or chop finely)
1 lg. cabbage
1/2 lg. onion

Add cashew mayonnaise to taste.
Mix all ingredients thoroughly.

ZUCCHINI/CARROT/CABBAGE SLAW
1 med. zucchini, julienned
1 med. carrot, julienned
1 stalk celery, chopped
!/2 small head white or red Cabbage, finely chopped or finely processed in a food processor
DRESSING
1/2 cup olive oil
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
1 Teaspoon dijon mustard
salt and pepper to taste

Mix dressing ingredients well in a small bowl.
Toss chilled vegetables in a large bowl and mix in dressing.

ZUCCHINI PASTA
1 or more zucchini (or carrots, beets, or kohlrahbi)

Use a spiralizer to process zucchini into spaghetti-like strings.

BEET SALAD
1 - 2 lg. beets (or parsnips or turnips)
1 - 2 T apple cider vinegar, to taste
optional: 1 t extra virgin olive oil
garlic powder to taste

In a food processor, process beets to an “apple-sauce-like” texture.
Add remaining ingredients and mix well.

CIPPOLINO ONIONS - 1 bunch
CARROTS | Qty: 1 bunch
apparently, in the end, boxes had either carrots or golden beets.
BEETS | Qty: 1 bunch
I got two bunches of beets: golden and regular, both with nice greens
CABBAGE | Qty: 1 head
this is a cute little head, about 5 inches in diameter.
BASIL | Qty: 1 bunch
GARLIC | Qty: 2 heads
ZUCCHINI -- I got about 5 zucchini
CUCUMBERS -- I got about 4 small but healthy looking cucumbers

HAPPY NOTE: I found where they were craftily hiding the discard/exchange bin, and, rummaging through it, I scored 2 bunches of carrots, 2 heads of garlic, 1 cabbage, and 1 bunch of basil, a radicchio, and another bunch of onions.

Oh! THE FRUIT SHARE!!!!!

I got a big bag of peaches and a pint of blueberries!

Where is all this going? Duh! the refrigerator!!! Seriously... i have recipes! Do I ever have recipes! I am prepared. Stay tuned for my next post, wherein I will divulge all!!!!

One thing that I really like doing in my event catering and dinner party catering is edible cups for sweet and savory.  Most recently I have been working with Won ton wrappers as well as Egg roll wrappers. I love using them for a variety of reasons. Mostly, because they are already rolled out and cut. Also, because they are cheep and easily prepared for mass production. Not to mention, they look gorgeous and mix well for what ever flavor or theme you are trying to achieve. I have had some disasters and will share that with you so that you can trouble shoot your own method.

*Keep in mind that ovens calibrate differently and the ingredients used, makes a difference. The following is an example and you should play around a little to find your own version of perfection.

I start with a fresh package of either won tons or egg rolls. They can be purchased in the produce department at most grocers. The difference between the two is that egg rolls are bigger squares than the won tons. The cost is about two or three bucks a bag.

I then spray a muffin tin lightly with canola oil. If I am working with won tons I use a small tin and a large tin for the egg rolls.

You need to work fast once you open the wrappers because they will dry out and get icky. So open them and quickly place one in each of the cups and push bottom down into the cup.  (cover the unused wrappers with a moistend paper towel)  The edges will be spilling over so take the edges and tuck them in folds into the cup, or however you desire.  I do not aim for perfection. I like for them to look artisan or rustic. So, I do not freight over my folding technique. With the won tons, they will fit almost perfectly in the mini tin.

Now, give a light spray of canola oil, not a heavy spray and not a tiny spray. Just enough to coat it in a mist. This is important because if you spray too much the effect is similar to if you do not spray at all. Place in a 375 degree oven and keep your eye on it till golden brown (about 8 to 10 minutes) and the skins are bubbled. You want for them to appear fried. If you do it right, they will look beautiful and have a good consistency in crunch.

If you have not done it correctly, they will appear to be plastic like and have a mouth feel of hard plastic.  This can be due to a variety of reasons, too much oil spray, not enough oil spray or not enough cook time. You need to bake off a couple batches to figure out the right amount of oil and cook time. I am sorry to be vauge but it is hard to give an exact for this method when working with a spray and also not knowing your oven. Ovens calibrate differently..... They really do!

Variations: You can do sweet savory. Appetizer bites or larger side dishes for a salad or other filler. Asian, Italian, Southwestern or California cuisine. Either way, this is a beautiful way to present something and it works well for production when you are on a job. I always bake off the cups that day because of humidity issues. However, they can easily be prepped the day before. I tend to make 100 small ones at a time.

The above picture is a Thai Peanut Salad with baby Shrimp. I used the larger egg rolls and put it on an Asian Bistro Menu for a dinner party of 20. The filler was made with three variations of cabbage: purple, green and Napa/Chinese cabbage. All cabbage was shredded (by knife) along with grated carrot for color. If budget allows, cucumber can be added into the salad. Right before platting, you will toss this salad witha  Thai Peanut Dressing (I am using the Two Sisters Gourmet Peanut Ginger Marinade) and then add in either shredded chicken or Baby Shrimp. *I prefer the baby shrimp because it can be purchased in bulk and kept frozen until needed. Defrost only the amount needed by running under cold water in a colander. You will place your salad in cup right before service so that the liquids do not make the cup soggy, I then garnish with a little cilantro. If platting individually, I will garnish with a sprinkle of purple cabbage like confetti and swirl a little dressing on plate, as pictured.

For a sweeter variation, They can be sprinkled with sugar and Cinnamon before baking. It has been years since I have done a sweet variation and so I will need to play a little before giving direction. I am using the egg roll size for a dessert on job this weekend. The dish I have in mind is a banana split. I will be using the Cup as a reservoir to avoid additional dishes for a party of 20 and will place them on my famous tower. I envision a mini banana split and will use the mini bananas and a beautiful vanilla bean ice cream or the NAGA from Vosges. However, the cost of Naga is 8 bucks a pint and will drive my costs sky rocket. The topping used will be an Acai' berry conserve from Two Sisters Gourmet, home made chocolate ganache, frangellico (hazelnut) whipped cream.

I will be doing some other desserts as well, Just haven't thought about it yet. I guess I should figure that out with the job being two days away...........

Happy Cooking and email me your results if you try this out.

*If you are interested in Two Sisters Gourmet products they can be orderd through my web site and if you are interested in becoming a rep to get a discount or make extra cash, you can also sign up through my web site and join my gourmet team. http://www.twosistersgourmet.net/web/dustin Get in touch!

This recipe comes from the 101 Cookbooks website. Heidi Swanson creates some fabulous recipes! When I made this recipe, I made a couple changes. I used unsalted roasted peanuts and didn’t toast them because I was short on time. I also left out the jalapeño, but didn’t miss it at all. I doubled the recipe for a recent picnic and there was only enough left for one serving when all was said and done. I found that my mandolin worked really well to shred the cabbage too!

1 1/2 cups unsalted raw peanuts
1/2 of a medium-large cabbage
1 basket of tiny cherry tomatoes, washed and quartered
1 jalapeño chile, seeded and diced
3/4 cup cilantro, chopped

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon + fine-grain sea salt

In a skillet or oven (350F) roast the peanuts for 5 to 10 minutes, shaking the pan once or twice along the way, until golden and toasted.

Cut the cabbage into two quarters and cut out the core. Using a knife shred each quarter into whisper thin slices. The key here is bite-sized and thin. If any pieces look like they might be awkwardly long, cut those in half. Combine the cabbage, tomatoes, jalapeno (opt), and cilantro in a bowl.

In a separate bowl combine the lime juice, olive oil, salt. Add to the cabbage mixture and gently stir to combine. Just before serving fold in the peanuts (add them too earl and they lose some of their crunch). Taste and adjust the flavor with more salt if needed.

Serves 6 as a side.

Apple helps to correct skin and liver disorders. Beets nourish the liver. Cabbage is excellent for alleviating stomach ailments. Carrots are high in antioxidants including beta-carotene, vitamin A, C and E. Melons are wonderful kidney cleansers. Pineapple contains bromelain which has an anti-inflammatory properties.

On an entirely different note, what in the world is this?

Three of them just popped up around the yard, and they're like seven feet tall. Is this a weed?

My fears were validated when we came home from our CSA pick-up tonight with six more zucchini.  At least these are a normal size.  We were only allocated four zucchini, but we got another two in trade for a bunch of spring onions.  We also got one bunch of beets, two bunches of carrots, a head of green cabbage, four cucumbers, two pounds of green beans, and two pounds of potatoes. 

Both bunches of carrots are orange, but I think a different variety from what we'd gotten so far this year.  The new carrots are short and fat, like gnomes.

I think I'll make a casserole with the zucchini, with layers of polenta, zucchini, cheddar cheese, and either salsa or crushed tomatoes seasoned with cumin and cayenne.

While picking up our veggies, we asked our farmer what to do with the fava beans.  I don't recall his answer, because another person there picking up a share said he'd cooked his up in oil, garlic, and lemon juice, which sounded good to us.  A few leaves of the beet greens were starting to go already, so we made sure to use them in our meal, too.  I shelled all our fava beans (weeks 6 and 7) into a skillet, then added garlic and olive oil, and put it over high heat.  When the beans had softened a bit, I added the beet stems and salt.  When the beans were getting wrinkly and starting to pop out of their skins, I added the beet greens and lemon juice.  When the greens were wilted, I tossed the mixture with rotini.  The beet stems turned the rotini pink.  My husband picked through the remaining basil (week 5), and sliced the half of it that was still good into ribbons that went on top of the pasta-favas-greens mixture.  It was tasty and satisfying.  Now I know what to do with fava beans. 

The Napa cabbage (week 6) finally went into peanut noodles.  It was nice to have a cold supper on a couple of hot days.  Now that we have cucumbers, there's something good (besides carrots) to put with the parsley in tabbouleh. 

With so much food this week, we ought to be preserving some of it, but the only thing that I think would blanch well are the green beans, and they're so good fresh.

Before I start I should note that it's been an unusually warm winter. Anyone who doubts global warming just needs to take a look at our garden, it should not be possible to have flowering Puk Choi or potatoes in the middle of winter!

Bed 1

Mixed brassicas, silver beat. All doing really well.

Bed 2

In may be the middle of winter but the lettuces have still managed to put on a bit of growth (despite being a bit slug bitten), the silver beat seedlings have outgrown their bottles, and the onions will soon do the same.

Bed 3

We've already had a full crop of broccoli over the autumn and early winter. Now they're in regrowth and still flowering, albeit someone slug bitten. In part this bed is helped by the nearby brick BBQ structure, and being in a nice sunny corner.

Here's a nice close-up:

Bed 4

Bed 4 has just been renovated. Some parsley seedlings have been planted out eh front under bottles, and a couple of spare garlic cloves have been planted in two rows behind it. We're still deciding what to put in the rest of the bed.

Bed 5

Bed five has been partially renovated. On the right are some lavender clumps that were growth from cuttings, they will soon be transplanted to other places in the yard. In the back there is a lump of rye that just grew up randomly, we've left it there as the wild birds love it. Some feral potatoes from last years crop have started coming up.

This feral potato hasn't been hilled, it'll just be pulled up when we move the lavender and renovate the bed.

Bed 6

Bed six is growing onions (we like onions). I've hilled up a potato that started growing on the left edge of the bed, and leafy thing towards the front is a hollyhock, the result of some stray seed.

Bed 7

Bed Seven contains yet more onions, a stray Pok Choi that is gradually being fed to the rabbit, and various lettuces.

To deal with the slug problems the Chinese Cabbage (the slugs favourite) is being left unguarded whilst the lettuces have milk carton bases. We're hoping it will distract them, so far it appears to be working.

Bed 8

Bed 8 is growing (from left to right) Carrots, Turnip (top) and Parsnip (bottom), Silverbeat (top) and Spinage (bottom).

Bed 9

Leak (at the back), more Lettuce (at the front), and some Lambs Ears which will soon be transplanted out into the front garden.

Bed 10 - The Herb Couch

Not much happening, it's winter after all. The mint (left) isn't looking so good, but everything should spring back in Spring.

Bed 11

It's pretty much impossible to grow here in the winter, the slugs in this cooler part of the back yard overrun all defences. There is still some onion growing in a couple of the tires.

Bed 12

Some weed mat has been obtained for Bed 12. Eventually the strawberry seedlings will be transplanted here. At the moment the seedlings, which were harvested from runners in a neighbours garden waste, are developing in pots and under glass.

In time past growing under glass was the only way to see any greenery in winter. Now the strawberrys we have here are flowering and trying to fruit!

Here are some in pots:

Rhubarb Corner

It turns out our next door neighbour has a taste for Rhubarb, he's been harvesting great quantities of the stuff off of these couple of little clumps. This corner has possibly the best soil in the garden, unfortunately the dogs just love to stand in it and bark at the neighbours dog!

The Lemon Tree

Needless to say we haven't been buying cordial.

The Current Bushes

These current bushes at the right hand side of bed eight went in earlier this winter. Whilst weeding we noticed a couple of stray Puk Choi (Vietnamese Cabbage) seedlings, so naturally a couple of bottles went over the top to help them along.

Well, that's the garden as of the 15th of July 2008. Let's see what it looks like in a month!

My version is altered in various ways, but the textures and flavors are just as delicous. I also change toppings based on my current veggies, dressing may vary a little, but the basics make a wonderful, crunchy, spicy, slightly sweet meal, perfect for hot summer days.

I find it hard to give measurements, it depends on how many you have for dinner and what toppings they like. I usually find a handful or a sprinkling of each works for my plate. About 1/2 cup cooked noodles per person, 1/2 cup chicken per person, or 1/2 chicken breast each. Everything can be prepared a day ahead, like grilling chicken,chopping veggies, and cooking the noodles. Simply refrigerate and serve cool. Leftover veggies and chicken work just as well on this.

This has several layers:

1. Crunchy noodles; chow mein noodles, any brand
2.  salad/veggies; shredded cabbage and baby greens; favorite veggies I like are sweet yellow pepper, snap peas, fresh cucumber
3. Fresh cilantro, minced
4.  balsamic dressing; I like Newmans Own with a touch of sugar & toasted sesame oil added
5.  cooked noodles; I use Sun Luck brand Somen noodles, cooked then rinsed until cool. Toss to coat with Iron Chef brand Sweet pepper & garlic dressing for spicy.  (or teriyaki dressing for an all sweet salad). If you can't find these, angel hair noodles work as well.
6.  diced chicken-grilled is best, cold or hot works fine
7. optional: baby mandarin oranges, canned version and drained of juice

To assemble, sprinkle plate with chow mein noodles. Add handful of shredded cabbage and lettuce, sprinkle fresh cilantro. Add handful of veggies, drizzle generously with balsamic vinagrette.  Pile about 1/2 cup sauced noodles, then 1/4-1/2 cup diced chicken.

This is a great salad to experiment with. I like to mix random sesame, ginger, garlic, and teriyaki sauces to create unique dressings. Simply add some to a balsamic vinagrette. The noodles I ALWAYs do the pepper garlic because it is sooooo yummy. Like it super spicy? add more of that on top of your chicken! The texture of the crunchy noodles, soft sweet/spicy noodles and grilled chicken are a combination I could eat all day. This is fun for a group where each person can add toppings they like, but it's important to get the order right so the balsamic flavor is over the salad but not on top of the soft noodles or the chicken.

I make this once in a while because all my friends love it. I made this tonight and even J loved it who is not a big vegetable fan! Though it does not taste the same as mom's (I don't know why) everyone loves it. Just like my mom I feel the same about "white bread", so sometimes we have parathas with bhaji..no pav and it still tastes like heaven :)

Ta

Recipe
(Serves 4)

Ingredients

3 potatoes (approx. 1 lb)
1 eggplant (approx. 1 lb)
1 small cauliflower
1/2 cabbage
1 onion (finely diced)
3 tomatoes (boiled and pureed)
3 green chilies
small piece of ginger
3 cloves of garlic
2 tbsp of pav bhaji masala
1 tbsp of garam masala
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp red chili powder
1 tsp of turmeric
1 small stick of cinnamon
3 cloves
pinch of asafoetida
Oil for frying
salt per taste

Boil potatoes, eggplant, caulifower and cabbage in a pressure cooker (or microwave). Grind the green chilies, garlic, ginger, cumin, cinammon stick and cloves. Heat the oil in a pot. Once hot add asafoetida and chili paste. Fry the paste till it gives aroma and browns a little bit (be careful to not burn it). Add onions and fry them till they are done. Add pureed tomatoes to the onions and all the dry spices other than salt. Cook the tomato paste till the oil separates. With a slotted spoon add the boiled vegetables to the tomato paste. Mash the vegetables in the pot. Add salt per yor taste and cover the pot (else it splash all over..i learned the hard way!) and let it cook for about 15-20 mins. Stir it frequently so that it does burn at the bottom of the pan. Serve hot with raw onions and coriander sprinkled on top and some pav (bread). Enjoy!

If you are planting by the moon for the first time have you had better results than normal or has it not made any difference? Please let us know by leaving comments below.

Sunday 13th from 11am right up to Tuesday 15th sow and cultivate leaves - basil, brussels sprout, cabbage, kohlrabi, sorrel, celery, chervil, chinese cabbage, cress, dandelion, curly endive, fennel, purslane, lamb’s lettuce, leek, lettuce, rocket, spinach, cardoon, parsley, swiss chard.

Wednesday 16th right through to Friday 18th until 1pm sow and cultivate fruits - all cereals, aubergine, broad bean, courgette, cucumber, gherkin, marrow, gourd, pumpkin, melon, pea, peppers, runner bean, sweetcorn, tomato.

Friday 18th from 1pm to Sunday 20th up to 4am sow and cultivate roots - All root veg, beetroot, carrot, celeriac, endive, garlic, Jerusalem artichoke, parsnip, potato, radish, salsify, shallot, turnip, onions.

Sunday 20th from 4am until 7pm is one of those red periods when it is not a good idea to sow or cultivate anything.

Sunday 20th from 7pm right through to Tuesday 22nd up until 5pm sow and cultivate flowers - All flowers, artichoke, broccoli & cauliflower.

Last night I felt like making something combining tempeh and peanuts. I also had in my mind a cabbage roll that I had made back before I was vegetarian or vegan, which had ground beef, rice, and blue cheese in it. I decided I wanted to make something similar, but vegan! I looked at what I had on hand, and made this up-- and it really turned out pretty good! (I'll share the exact amounts that I used, but be warned that there are plenty of leftovers. This would make enough for at least 6 people, I believe. If you're cooking for fewer people, use less!) So here it is!

Tempeh-Peanut Cabbage Rolls

• Napa cabbage leaves
• 8 oz. tempeh
• 1 cup (uncooked) brown sushi rice
• 1/2 cup raw unsalted peanuts
• 1/8 cup sunflower seeds
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 1/2 tsp. raw sesame tahini
• 1/4 cup tomato sauce
• 2 tsp. caraway seeds

Rinse off the cabbage leaves, and let them dry. Boil the sushi rice with the peanuts, until done (use about 1 1/2 or 2 cups water). Meanwhile, boil the tempeh separately, for about 15 minutes. When the tempeh is done, place it in a large mixing bowl. Add all the remaining ingredients (except the cabbage), and mix well. When the rice is done, add it to the mixing bowl. Place a large spoonful of the tempeh mixture in the top part of each cabbage leaf, and roll it up, securing with a toothpick.

Crunchy Bacon Cole Slaw
by: Metami

• 3/4 cup mayo
• 1 tablespoon Splenda
• 4 cups green cabbage, shredded
• 1 cup red cabbage, shredded
• 1/2 cup pecans, chopped
• 4 slices bacon, crsiply cooked, crumbled

In a large bowl combine dressing and Splenda. Mix well.

Add the remaining ingredients. Toss to mix lightly.

Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Serves 8.

photo credit: WikiMedia