WT's Take Five

  WT's Top Five Eat Green Recipes  

As part of the weekly countdown to the Midsummer Fair and Priceless People Wellbeing Festival this year, we're focusing on all things nutritious and delicious. So here are 5 of our favourite recipes so far and a cheeky ticket discount code for our lucky foodie readers, so you can come along for just £6.50!

1. WT's Helen recently purchased a Nutri Ninja and is having endless fun inventing new recipes for smoothies, soups, dips and dressings. Here's one of them...

The Blossom Blend...

What you'll need:

● spinach ● half an avocado ● 1 lime ● fresh ginger ● mint leaves ● 1 small pear ● cucumber ● chia seeds ●

● Slice up the avocado, cucumber and pear into smaller pieces and place in the blender along with the spinach

● Using a tea spoon, scrape off the peel of the ginger root and cut into chunks

● Squeeze in the lime juice and pop in the mint leaves and finally add a tablespoon of chia seeds

● Add the desired amount of water and wizz away until smooth and creamy

2. Over the last few years ethnobotanist James Wong's scientific and labour saving approach to edible gardening has garnered critical acclaim, landing him his own BBC series Grow Your Own Drugs and publishing contracts for numerous books. WT is delighted to announce that James Will be appearing at Wealden Times Midsummer Fair this June where he will be talking about his brand new book Grow For Flavour, sharing tips and tricks to supercharge the flavour of homegrown harvests. Here is one of our favourites, also featured in the April issue...

Roasted Beetroot and Lentil Salad...

What you'll need:

● 1kg small 'Detroit Dark Red' and 'Burpees Golden' beetroots, peeled ● 1 red onion ● 1 tbsp honey ● 2 tbsp unfiltered olive oil ● 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar ● salt and pepper ● 250g precooked beluga lentils ● 1 handful of beet leaves ● juice and rind of 1 orange ● a few sprigs of mint and dill ● 100ml creme fraiche ● 

● Cut the beetroot and onion into quarters. Arrange in a roasting tin and drizzle over the honey, olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Do not toss them together as the red beets will stain the yellow ones. Season with salt and pepper. 

● Roast the beetroot in a preheated 200 ˚C / gas mark 6 oven for 45 minutes until tender

● Spoon the lentils onto a plate and arrange the beet leaves around them. Top with the roasted beetroot, drizzle with the orange juice and scatter over the herbs and orange rind

● Serve with a dollop of creme fraiche and extra oil and vinegar. This salad is a match made in heaven with goats cheese or grilled mackerel. 

3. Yoga and nutrition teacher Julie Montagu is on a mission to prove that absolutely anyone can revolutionise their diet to take a giant leap towards long-lasting health. Known as the Flexi Floodie, Julie’s workable approach to incorporating nutrient-rich superfoods into manageable meals has led her to produce her first cookery book Superfoods which showcases nourishing dishes made with unrefined, wholesome ingredients to boost energy levels, lower cholesterol and balance blood sugar levels. Julie will be explaining how

to super-charge your lifestyle to eradicate the bad and introduce the good at this June’s Wealden Times Midsummer Fair’s Priceless People Wellbeing Festival on Friday 5 June.

Coconut and Almond Quinoa with Stewed Plums...

What you'll need:

● 170g quinoi ● 600ml coconut milk (or any plant based milk) ● 2tsp ground cinnamon ● 1tsp vanilla extract ● 4tbsp almond butter (or any other nut butter) ● 6 medium plums ● 100g coconut palm sugar ● 240ml water ● 1 cinnamon stick ● raw honey for drizzling ● desiccated coconut for sprinkling ● 

● Combine the quinoa and coconut milk together in a medium saucepan and bring to the boil. Add the cinnamon and vanilla extract, cover and simmer on a low heat for 15-20 minutes

● Meanwhile, make the stewed plums. Cut the plums in half, remove the pits, them cut the plum halves into chunks. Combine the coconut palm sugar, 240ml water and cinnamon stick in a saucepan over a medium to high heat and bring to the boil. Add the plums and continue to cook until the plums are tender. Once tender, use a fork to slightly mash. 

● Once the quinoa is cooked but still a bit runny, put it in 4 bowls and stir in 1 tablespoon of almond butter per bowl. Top with the stewed plums, a drizzle of honey and a sprinkle of desiccated coconut. 

4. Self confessed chocoholic, Davina McCall has documented how she has banished processed sugar from her life. Her 5 weeks to sugar free book offers tips and sumptuous recipe ideas that are easy and approachable, even with a busy household! Davina has become one of Britain's most recognisable faces and has now sold over 1.5 million copies of her chart topping workout DVDs and raised over 2.6 million for sport relief! Davina will also be appearing at the Midsummer Fair and Priceless People Wellbeing festival to talk about her sugar free journey and offer advice.



Bean Salad

What you'll need:

● 400g green beans ● 400g can of borlotti or cannellini beans, drained and rinsed ● 200g cherry tomatoes, halved ● 1 small red onion, diced ● half a cucumber, diced ● juice of half lemon ● 2 tbsp olive oil ● half tsp mustard ● half tsp honey ● handful of fresh basil leaves ● parmesan cheese shavings ● 

● Bring a saucepan of water to the boil, add the green beans and cook them for 3 minutes. Drain and refresh them under cold water

● Put the green beans, canned beans, tomatoes, red onion and cucumber in a bowl and mix them together. Whisk the lemon juice, olive oil, mustard and honey in a small jug and pour this over the salad

● Scatter over some basil leaves and shavings of Parmesan cheese just before serving



5. WT reader Stéphanie Castelain loves this salad because of the beautiful combination of green and yellow, two wonderful colours that nature can offer us. The crisp, roasted almonds mix well with the tenderness of the broccoli.  The calendula petals add the sunshine touch to the lovely flavour  of the brown basmati rice and fresh goat cheese. See more of her recipes on her blog www.lecomptoirdestephanie.com



Popcorn Salad

What you'll need:

● 1 cup of brown basmati rice ● about 200g of broccoli (only the heads) ● 30g of chopped almonds ● 60g of fresh goat cheese  1 head of a calendula flower ● 1 lemon ● olive oil ● coconut oil ● mustard ● salt ● pepper ●

● Prepare the rice by cooking it following the given instructions on the package (typically you have to wash it first and then cook it for about 40 min).

● Wash carefully the broccoli and steam them for a couple of minutes (10-15 min).

● Heat a pan on a medium heat and add a teaspoon of coconut oil. When the oil is melted add the almonds and roast them until golden brown. Set aside. 

● When the rice is cooked, drain it, rinse it. Once cooled, put it in a dish and add the broccoli. 

● Add in to the dish the fresh goat cheese that you have either diced or crumbled. (I served it aside as my son doesn’t like it) Top the mix with the roasted almonds and dress with the calendula petals.

● Next, prepare the seasoning by mixing 5 table spoons of lemon juice, 8 table spoons of olive oil, one teaspoon of mustard, salt and pepper. Add the seasoning to the salad.


"You will have a wonderful dish with green from Nature and some sunshine rays. Ideal to lift up your mind and spirit."

See below for an exclusive foodie discount code!

Priceless People Wellbeing Festival: Thursday 4th June, Friday 5th June and

Saturday 6th June at Hole Park, Rolvenden, Kent TN17_4JB 9am–4.30pm

Tickets: Advance booking: £7.50* On the gate: £8.50 Exclusive 3- Day Pass: £17

Online Tickets: www.wealdentimes.co.uk/events. Ticket hotline: 01580_713915**

For further information contact Georgina Toynbee and Helen Barton on 01580_714705

*Advance booking price available until 31/05/2015 **Tickets purchased via phone will incur a 50p admin fee

Exclusive Foodie Discount Code - fbloggers15
(ends 30/04/15)

April's Great Outdoors

  The April Garden  

As it's National Gardening Week this week, we thought we'd let you in on a few top tips for your gardens in April...



Control weeds and aerate the soil by cultivating between the rows of plants and remember that April is a great time to select and plant fruit trees and berry plants as they tend to do best when planted in full sun. 

There is always plenty to do in the vegetable garden! Start planning perennial vegetables like asparagus, rhubarb, horseradish etc. but don't be late to transplant large trees or shrubs.

The months of March, April and May are ideal for pruning evergreens. Pop round the garden to remove any spent flowers, dead leaves or branches, or any yellowing leaves. When they have finished blooming, you should deadhead your spring flowering bulbs, but don't cut off the green foliage yet! These green leaves continue to grow for a few weeks, and provide the bulb with food for flowering next year.

Make your pond wildlife friendly by adding some native plants around the edge and keep the birds fed, but only with smaller pieces as they'll be feeding their fledglings too. Hedgehogs will be coming out of hibernation as well, so some extra food for them will be needed as they would have used up their fat stores over the winter. Put in some butterfly attracting plants such as buddleia, honesty or even nettles.

Rotate your house plants so that each side receives it's share of light, for even growth and a balanced shape. Rinse the dust from the leaves with the kitchen sprayer. Clean leaves allow the plant to breathe and pinch back the tips of foliage plants to stimulate new growth and make your plant fuller and bushier.

Want more gardening tips? Then get involved with the Wealden Times Midsummer Fair and Priceless People Wellbeing Festival, where we will be joined with gardening experts such as James Wong and The Benton Brothers! Get your tickets here...

January's Great Outdoors

  New Seasons  

A new year, a new season, a fresh start. Here are a few tips to get you going in the garden...

1. Recycle your Christmas Tree

Rather than taking it to the dump, use all those nutrients for your own soil! By having your old Christmas Tree shredded and chipped, you can use it for mulch in your garden. Contact you local council for some more information.  Just make sure you wait for all the frost and snow to disappear first! Also, be careful when using rock salt to clear your pathways, as it can scorch and damage exposed roots and leaves.

2. Get digging

Start to dig and turn over empty beds and borders for the new season. This freshens up the earth, incorporates new organic matter which adds nutritional value to the soil and exposes any pests so the birds can get at them! It's also an opportunity to get rid of some of the weeds that have crept in and survived the frost.

3. Prune and Trim

January is a great time to prune back fruit trees, ready for a new year. It is also worth taking a walk round the garden to double check any potential damage done by winter wind and frost. Remove any mold early to prevent it from spreading.

4. Get things growing

Now is the time to start off your seedlings inside on a sunny windowsill or in the greenhouse. Good ones to start in January are broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, onions, and herbs like coriander, sage, chives and parsley.

5. Feed and Defrost

Keep bird feeders topped up and defrost the bird bath. Thrushes and blackbirds actually prefer to eat off the ground, so pop some nibbles in a clear, open space for them. If you have a frozen pond, make a hole in the ice by heating up a pan of water and holding it closely and carefully over one area, so it slowly melts away. Smashing the ice could cause damage to water plants or fish. 

December's Great Outdoors...

  Mid Winter Garden  

Although December can be a seemingly bleak time for our gardens, it's the perfect opportunity to get some odd jobs done, maintain our plants and make the most of those bright and sparkly early mornings before the day draws to an early end. Here are a few ideas...

1. Preparation...

Buy this gorgeous hamper here

Now is the perfect time to sit down with a cup of tea and browse some seed catalogues! Deciding what you want to grow in advance means you can prepare any specific pots or compost, clear a new area in the garden and make sure the soil is in good condition. It is at this point of the year where all the odd jobs that have been neglected up until now can be done, like cleaning algae off the patio or fixing that broken fence panel!

2. Wind and Frost...

Prune away! Make sure to cut back any shrubs and get rid of dead or diseased twigs and branches. You should try and trim your rose bushes back by half to protect them from potential wind damage and try not to walk on the lawn when it's particularly frosty, as you may end up with big brown footprints where the frozen brittle stalks have broken. 

3. Wrap up...

 If you have a greenhouse, then insulate it to protect any cuttings or tender plants you have been looking after. Bubble wrap is perfect for this. If it gets really cold, then add a second layer to ensure the little shoots stay cosy. However, if that beautiful winter sun does decide to make an appearance, open the windows and ventilate the greenhouse to prevent stale air and damp. 

4. Colour Splash...

If the lack of colour in your garden is bothering you, then pop to your local garden centre and grab something that's in bloom or has a pretty bark or foliage. Jasminum Mudiflorum, or Winter Jasmine, is not scented, but has a wealth of beautiful yellow flowers and will grow in most soils. Hamamelis Mollis, or Chinese Witch Hazel, is another little gem that crops up in the cold, smelling lovely with red and yellow hues.

5. Little Critters...

Remember to look after wildlife this winter! Keep the bird baths stocked up with water and make sure they have plenty of food (easy on the bread though). If you have a big pile of leaves or chopped wood in a corner of the garden, then leave it to create the perfect habitat for any insects or animals passing by to hibernate in. If you're going to do any major clearing, just double check you're not disturbing anything!

November's Great Outdoors

Urban Growing   

Living in a town or city doesn't have to put a limitation on your love of gardening and you don't need acres of land to grow your own fruit and veg. All that's needed is a little creativity. Here are some helpful hints to get you started...

1. Hanging Charm...

If a traditional hanging basket doesn't appeal to you then have a go at something a little different! WT's Lucy has made two beautiful terrariums using a glass fish bowl,  rope, gravel and a selection of cacti and succulents. Make sure the plants you choose can grow in harmony, and you will have a perfect splash of leafy green goodness in your bathroom or kitchen. You can even try making mini terrariums within a used light bulb, a tea cup or even an old glass jar.

2. Pot Crops...

Some crops are easier to grow than others, but most fruit and vegetables can be grown in pots. Some, like blueberries, even prefer it. Apart from the removal of dead twigs, they require no pruning and can be left outside all winter if necessary. All you need is a pot at least 30cm in diameter, some ericaceous compost and a sunny spot. They may need a fortnightly tomato feed as summer arrives and the flowers set into fruit. But they're a beautiful and sweet addition to any urban plot.

3. Reuse & recycle...

WT's editor Lucy, found some lovely old wine crates in a charity shop and turned them into the most perfect planters for her garden. Have a go at being really resourceful and use old plastic bottles, tin cans, wooden apple crates, guttering and pipes, or anything you can get your hands on! You'd be surprised how versatile these things can be. It's also a super cheap way of ensuring your little garden or balcony looks the part, and it's good for the environment. Everyone wins!

4. Extra TLC...

Unlike their ground based counterparts, your inside and container plants are going to need extra love and care to ensure they get enough water, aeration and nutrition, they're counting on you! Be sure to change the soil every year and use an organic fertilizer that contains all the macro and micro nutrients your plants will need. There are specific types depending on what's growing. Make sure you provide good drainage for them and water them regularly.

5. Green Light...

Living in an urban environment can sometimes mean that light exposure for your plants can be an issue. But there are different varieties of certain veggies that don't necessarily need 6-8 hours of sunlight. Bush beans or peas are great. They only produce a single crop over a shorter period of time as they use less overall light energy than bean pole crops. Leafy greens such as lettuce, spinach, kale and chard also require less light energy as we eat the plant itself, rather than having to wait for it to set seeds or fruit, so partial shade and reflected light would work nicely.