Go Nuts

Just a note thanking all the dining establishments who are currently putting roasted nuts on their menus. Well done, you. Savory or sweet, they are welcomed either before or after dinner. A great source of protein, nuts are served quickly and stave the hunger for a bit. We've gone nuts and order them whenever we see them listed as an option. These here are from Boo Radley's. See, our cup runneth over.

The Food Show 2013: From Show Room to Dining Room

Today was a day where busy doesn't quite sum it up. It was a good busy and the highlight was The Food Show 2013! We gave you a preview (along with a recipe) in our previous post and live tweeted all day from the events. It was the food festivity of the year with sampling, tastings and awesome new gadgets to be purchased. The amount of food tips, tricks, and knowledge we obtained at this annual event left us dumbfounded once again. We spent the good majority of the afternoon taking it all in visiting stalls and mingling with other attendees while shopping for those must have kitchen items. I did manage to stay focused on dinner for the evening. So tonight we share what went from show room to dining room all thanks to The Food Show 2013.

This NZeola Rapeseed Oil was one of the first hits for us when we arrived. We are always trying out new and natural oils in our kitchen from olive to coconut to avocado and now rapeseed. Rapeseed is light and fresh with so many uses. Throw in a high cooking ability and locally sourced ingredients and we were sold. 

We used it to coat the asparagus before grilling them for about 7 min. each. They were fresh and hearty so a simple vegetable seasoning sprinkled on top did the trick.

We are from bread loving families so our dinner table is never complete without a bit and butter. Butter just makes it all better. Good Honest Products Really Good Bread was a hit. We chose a grainy variety chocked full of seeds and goodness. We also threw in some Ciabatta. The flour coating and soft texture is authentic and delicious. We normally throw our Ciabatta in the oven to get it crispy. It makes the house smell great, too!

Needing a quick dinner we chose a frozen option that was sampled at the show and they were surprisingly delicious. Fry's Family Meat Free Schnitzels. They are filling and full of goodness using soy and other natural proteins like legumes and grains to create delicious vegetarian cuisine that are quick and easy. Consider doing a meat-free day in your house once a week. Ours was delicious tonight and yes, we were full. (Snacking all day at the show probably helped as well.) No meat, egg or dairy products make this the perfect choice for a truly healthy main dish.

The children were wishing that we had this as dessert. We didn't. Again, they had sampled enough for an army at the show.

Created by The George Hotel Executive Chef Andrew Brown and Executive Sous Chef Craig Neal, this innovative dish came together effortlessly. It was a deliciously modern take on Strawberry Shortcake served on the most ergonomically appealing spoons. The samples went really fast and what a smart recipe choice for the coming summer months when strawberries will abound. The sights of this cooking display were just as delicious as the shortcake itself.

We received heaps of recipe cards which we consider priceless. Not too many freebies but lots of show specials that you would never get in the stores so we try to stock up where we we see a deal. Even though we pre-ordered event merchandise our additional cooler was sold out (confusing because we pre-paid) but they did make up for it with an additional zipper pouch and wine glass so that was top customer service in our book. That came in handy as we sipped local wines to our delight. They wineries were out in droves. The range of wines at the show actually deserves it's own post so stay tuned for that one. 

In the meantime, we are going to enjoy a bit of The Doctors from Forrest Family Owned Wines before we go off to bed. We loved seeing them again this year and this range of wine is perfect for anytime and well deserved especially after a long day.

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Bananas: Fair and Delicious

We have been doing some serious sampling in the kitchen recently and especially delving into the world of children's food. As we explore the essentials of a child's diet one worldwide essential keeps coming back to the table. Bananas. Being that they are the 4th largest food staple in the world* bananas are a very smart way to shop and feed your family on a budget while giving them mega benefits. Unlike most fruits, they are available year round. We opt for the Fairtrade variety due to the ethical principles involved in their growth. We have never been so pleased with the flavor of a banana either. These above were delicious and we are frying them up for morning tea. See recipe we plan to use below!

Fried Green Bananas Recipe

Ingredients:

Green bananas

Oil for frying (a healthy oil, of course!)

Cinnamon, Salt or powered sugar for dusting (optional)

Instructions

1. Peel your green bananas. This may be a little hard to do as the skin doesn't separate easily from the fruit when it is not yet ripe. If you need to, use a knife to remove whatever skin remains behind.

2. Cut the bananas into thin, quarter inch slices.

3. Heat the oil in a frying pan until it is very hot. Add the banana slices, making sure they're all flat against the bottom of the pan.

Original recipe from Penniless Parenting

Grilled Bananas from Salt on the Pier in New Zealand.

Here is proof that the banana trend is catching. We dined on these at Salt on the Pier and the chef chose to grill these. We tried to verify if that were Fairtrade to no avail but were well received at our table by adults and children alike.

Just to name a few banana benefits...
combat nausea in pregnant women, aide in digestion, curb depression, shine your shoes, treat mosquito bites,protects the entire bowel system, sharpen awareness, and aide in the fight against osteoporosis, diabetes, kidney cancer and blindness.

The nutritional benefits of a banana are truly helpful in all stages of life development and growth with a delicious makeup that is rich in fibre, magnesium, calcium, potassium and Vitamin B6.

Click here for more banana benefits from Food Matters online.

Why buy Fairtrade?

Not all locations have Fairtrade Bananas available. We consider ourselves lucky that we are able to get them and have them as part of our diet. They promote small farms, equitable distribution and no forced labour. You wouldn't think that all of these issues take a toll on the quality of your food and its price but they do.

Bananas bearing the FAIRTRADE Certification Mark have been produced by small farmer organizations or in plantations that meet high social and environmental standards.  Farmers who produce Fairtrade certified bananas are guaranteed a Fairtrade minimum price to cover the costs of sustainable production and a Fairtrade Premium of US$ 1 per 18.14kg-box of bananas to invest in projects in their communities.

*According to the Fair Trade Website (http://fairtrade.org.nz/farmers/fairtrade-bananas). Updated 2012. New Zealand.