What happens when a warm, balmy summer day turns upside down? Could this be chemical ice nucleation?

New Zealand is not an island paradise with white sandy beaches and coconut palms around every corner.

Here in New Zealand, a biscuit is a crunchy-all-the-way-through sweet treat. Biscuit recipes are prepared with a variety of techniques, to produce that crisp crunchy, or short texture beloved by folks around the country.

Every garden is different, every soil is different. It is said we can learn more by moving around and growing in different soils...

Which tomatoes...

Lettuce - easy to grow in all temperate climates. Learn from our 25 years of growing lettuces from seed in 12 different food gardens, across three three different countries all with temperate climates but with wild variations - from the Highlands of Scotland to the dry plains of Victoria, Australia.

Growing some of your own food is becoming a necessity in today's world. It's not a feel good activity for people with time and money, but vital for good health for ALL people.

This recipe is quite amazing, and is a change from our regular cashew dressing. One batch of this delicious mayo...

Here in New Zealand, the temperatures have dropped. The first day of winter, June 1st on the meteorological calendar, was true to form. Cold, windy, wet.

There I was in the midst of the climbing beans, contentedly tucking and twining vines in and out of the chicken netting wire, when my Mum pointed at a fat bulging bean on the vine...

Pleasingly green, satisfyingly rich, studded with bursts of goodness. Soup au Pistou is full of joyful memories of the summer vegetable garden, and the sadness that autumn (Fall) is upon us here in New Zealand.

Every new garden is mixed with happiness and tinged with sadness at leaving the last. As we assess every new soil and dig every new raised bed we wonder, "Which tomatoes will grow well here?"

In Australia, technically summer is just two weeks away!

This sauce recipe is so multi purpose! We have been making this recipe for more than 20 years, with a little tweak here and there, depending on where we have lived, or who is healing from which intolerance! This is our current recipe. I'll post a couple of variations on the use. We do own a very elderly Vitamix blender, which is a high speed blender with half a horse power motor, also more than 20 years old. However, if you SOAK the cashews overnight or at least 3 hours, cook the carrot and then using cool water instead of boiling, blend or process with all the other ingredients and then cook, stirring frequently in a pot. Well, voila, Cashew Cheese Sauce sans Vitamix.

In the previous post, Gluten Free Vegan Pizza Dough, we gave a fabulous dough recipe from Free Range Cookies website. This time we'll have a look at quick and easy pizza toppings. Remember a pizza is traditionally made from little bits and pieces of leftovers - use what you have and be adventurous. The only one we haven't liked is when the leafy greens overwhelmed every other flavour! Too much silver beet (known as chard in the northern hemisphere).

Pizza, a treat in our house. But can be a careful way to use up little bits and pieces of food too. So here goes - vegan gluten free base today. And watch this space for the Cashew Cheese Sauce. If you can eat grains which are gluten free, this could the pizza dough for you. Also good for flat bread topped with rosemary and olives and drizzled with olive oil. Thanks to Free Range Cookies for her amazing Easy Pizza Dough.

I would like to share with you a very versatile gluten free recipe, which can be used for crepes, wraps or for pasties.

Taking her place at the family table, Andrea looked happily at the expectant faces. Her two boys were smiling. Young and innocent smiles, still shielded from the sometimes cynical world outside the family’s front gate.

March 4, 2014 - Fiona Timmins Last time, we discovered the real tomato is golden orange in colour. But why is this so important for human health? And where can you get the seeds to grow your own?

February 22, 2014 Tomatoes, the most popular savoury fruit in the world are beginning to unfold their secrets to researchers around the world, and the latest discovery is astonishing! If you can grow a tomato plant then you can benefit from this amazing discovery too!

August 12, 2013 - by Fiona Timmins Growing Organic Food without a Garden! Almost anyone can grow a good portion of their fresh food needs, no garden needed! All you need is a jar, something to strain water through but catch your crop, water and organic mung beans, seeds, lentils, legumes or nuts! In three to five days you will be munching down on organic vegetables!