The seasons have changed and along with it so has what comes out of the kitchen.
I like that. Seasonal menus and changing what goes on our plate according to availability and the weather outside.
Orange and Coconut Cake, an easy one to make up a head of time. Keeps well, using some of the delicious new season oranges about. Try to find some organic oranges, as they shouldn’t be waxed. You don’t particularly want zest of wax in your cake do you?
I was lucky enough to get a lovely load of my dad’s backyard citrus.
Ribollita adapted from this Jamie Oliver recipe. A really easy meal based on vegetables on hand and using up stale bread. Frugal, seasonal, healthy, local produce and tasty. It doesn’t get much better than that.
Will the kids eat it? If you have miracle children they might, mine wouldn’t touch it.
So what else is looking tasty round these parts in June?
mandarins…. eaten by the bucket load at the moment. Easy snack.
radish… finally sliced in salads
pumpkin… thai pumpkin soup with a swirl of coconut cream.
cauliflower… I’m thinking this risotto, with extra chillies please.
kale… raw or cooked green goodness. SUPER food.
leek… base for a hearty soup or sitting in the bottom of a quiche.
mushrooms… cooked up in some olive oil with a side of polenta. Yum!
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What seasonal cooking are you doing?
What lovely ideas. I love the sound of that frugal dish. Yes, it’s such a shame that kids can be so picky. My first two were horrors and barely ate a thing but my little guy has been a complete blessing. When he was three he was asked at kindy what his favourite food was. He said ‘green stalks’ – broccoli! All the others in his kindy class said things like, McDonalds, pizza, ice cream, lollies. I was so proud that day! xx
Charlie I would have been proud too. The Monkeys to their credit do a fair amount of ‘green’, just not in a soupy fashion.
That cake sounds just my sort of thing – I couldn’t get sylvia to eat ribollita but you would think she might try roasted pumpkin – not even close! We have been into polenta too lately – seems the season for it
One day she will Johanna and she’ll be asking for seconds
Lovely post, Brydie! I’m cooking kale as well, and today I have several kilos of carrots from the backyard that I need to find a use for. Out of season tomatoes and as always, lots of leeks!
Celia, how wonderful to have that all coming out of your backyard. Kilos of carrots indeed!
That all sounds good. I must remember to check on my leeks
Probably doing their leeky thing Tandy
Oh Brydie…how I wish you would just turn up here and cook for me !! Your cooking is comfort food personified! Love the look of that cake!
Wouldn’t that be good Kim. Once a week someone comes in and makes a meal from the ingredients you have in your fridge… maybe do the dishes too.
All of those sound lovely. I would be happy to have anyone of them made for me! Tonight pumpkin is the star as the 14 yo is making an indian style curry with it. Smells yum.
Lisa I really am looking forward to the time when my little people aren’t so little and they can cook for me. An Indian style curry sounds great.
I really like it when bloggers do posts like this – such consideration are extremely important. Seasonal vegetables are the best way to frugality
and also deliciousness.
A huge amount of money can be saved by eating seasonally can’t it. Not to mention it tasting a whole bunch better!
you are an inspiration
Thanks kind lady
I’d take the ribollita that your children wouldn’t eat
We’re also into mandarins and also crisp apples…as well as porridge, and a new found love for baked and stuffed potato. They’re beautifully warming on cold nights!
The mandarins are lovely at the moment aren’t they. I like them eye squinty tarty.
You’re so lucky to receive citrus fruits from your dad’s backyard! Such a glorious, sunshiny gift.
Love the look of your soup too, it looks so nourishingly delicious.
Here, I have plans for an enormous spinach/cheese pie spanakopita style using up some of our silverbeet. The young people of the house will turn their noses up, so it will need to be encased in copious amounts of puff pastry..(to which I shan’t complain).
Hmm, yes, leeks..lot’s of leeks here, a great onion substitute and as we have a steady supply of eggs coming in, it’s custard in and on everything! (chocolate custard in the slow cooker=yum!).
mmmm, chocolate custard…
Christine it”s lucky I don’t live near you. You would probably find my nose squashed up against your kitchen window in hope of getting a few scraps.
oh great. I have a bag of oranges here. i made Orange and Cardamon Syrup last week. Looks like it your orange cake this week. Thank you
Yum Mel! What will you do with the syrup?
Miracle children lol!
I make a similar cake but it’s lemon and coconut and ‘iced’ with lemon curd. To.Die.For.
I’m getting jars in bulk delivered Tuesday so I can preserve and there will be strawberry jam! We are just getting into strawb season
Our strawberries aren’t in yet, but I’m already looking forward to when it is.
That citrus is amazing and to think it’s growing in your father’s garden. What are the big green things – limes? Now our organic shop has closed down I can’t get organic oranges or lemons any more and I really miss them.
What’s in season here are strawberries – our very first one was nearly ripe this morning. When I went out to pick it later on, the blackbird had stolen it
They are indeed lovely big limes. If you were a little closer I’d share some with you Choc
You know.. you’ve got me thinking when I can’t buy organic, I’d better scrub those lemons and oranges of mine before zesting!! Yikes! Love fresh in your area now, I’ve been sitting in the sun on my back patio reading blogs.. but you’ve inspired me. I’m shutting the laptop and heading out to the market! xoxo Smidge
Excellent! I hope you found some goodies Smidge
I just love the bright oranges of autumn, we a e watching our tomatoes turn from green to red with great excitement! c
That is a happy thing C. There is nothing finer than a good tomato.
That cake looks particularly good.
It didn’t last long at all
Great recipes in today’s post Brydie. I am picking Cavolo Nero kale from the allotment at the moment and I’m always looking for new ways to use it. I want to give the Orange and Coconut cake a go as it’s an interesting recipe – using the pulp as well.
The pulp keeps it lovely and moist Jean. Plus, you don’t have to waste any then.
We had minestrone last night along similar ideas to Jamie’s recipe. Don’t forget new season apples and strawberries, in the greengrocer’s yesterday I could smell the strawberries from several metres away.
I haven’t found any strawberries yet, but am looking forward to them!
Brydie, that cake looks delicious. Happy autumn to you all.
It’s probably a bit too easy to eat Misk
That’s always a good sign of a perfect cake!
Brydie, what a beautiful couple dishes there on your table! Love the sounds of the what’s-on-hand-and-fresh?-soup, and your citrusy cake looks won.der.ful! It’s always a bit funny to me, these upside down seasons of ours, but I love seeing what’s happening in opposite parts of the globe! It was Lovely stopping by! Have missed you!
Spree I agree, I can never quite get my head around the whole opposite seasons thing.
(and you’ve been missed as well!)
The orange cake sounds like my kind of dessert…simple but flavorful. I’m with you about looking forward to each season and the different foods we cook.
Super easy cake, just takes a little while to cook.
Anything with silver beet, pumpkin and goat’s cheese pizza, leek and chicken pie and lots of mushrooms. Apples and mandarins for snacks.
Yum Barbara!!!!
The orange with coconut cake sounds delightful and reminds me of ambrosia. I’ve never tried ribolitta but it looks great.
Ribolitta is a lovely warming winter dish. Keeps your belly happy over a couple of days.
Great pics and I do like the look of that cake! I haven’t used up my pumpkins yet and thai pumpkin soup sounds good!
lucky thing with all those pumpkins!
This seasonal cooking is very healthy and has more nutrients as they are available fresh from the mother nature…