Organic Empire

Featherless Chickens are not OK!

2012-02-24T19:24:00.000+11:00

I really dislike being a bad news bear, preferring to appreciate the positive, but there are something's that I need to share...like how disgusting it is that they are breeding featherless chickens to make it easier to process them after slaughtering, and how they are genetically modifying mosquito breeds, or how the new genetically modified corn is killing our bees. I am not sure how exactly we got to this place....
C'mon people make a change, we can't create a world like this for our kids. GET ORGANIC, GROW YOUR OWN, SUPPORT ORGANIC FARMING, LEARN LEARN LEARN ,EAT WELL and LIVE WELL
Read more on what's going on in the world of genetic modifications on the BFA website

Get juicy with us

2012-02-24T19:14:00.002+11:00

I want this week to be all about feeling good. Feeling good is SO important, because how you spend your days..you spend your life. SO we are all about feeling good the majority of the time, and we know the power of food to exert those good feelings. When the body is balanced and nutritionally sound everything works perfectly, you sleep well, you feel full of energy, your skin glows, your are eyes clear. This all sounds dreamy and divine, but then the reality of a hectic lifestyle reminds us of why we are the way we are, consuming foods on the run, forever busy..

This is the story of my life, so I can sympathise with you all, and as a nutritionist I know the importance of sound health and good food. I would like to encourage you all to do one thing this week for you, for your health. Something you can take in the car, make it in a flash and revitalise your body with, helping the body obtain all the nutrients it can. They are tasty and delicious and the kids will love them too. Intrigued ???

Its organic juices and smoothies, these powerhouses of health can be made to provide all the nutrients we need. All you need at home is a blender/juicer and we will supply the rest in the form of amazing organic produce, just be sure to place you order now.

We want to help you, so this week we have all the juicing essentials on special, as well as the juicing box discounted to $20 for only this week, CHECK OUT OUR ORGANIC STORE NOW.

There is more, we are also going to provide lots of recipes for juices and smoothies updated daily on our site, so check back daily and let's get juicy.

There are lots of ways that we can work on improving nutrition so stay tuned on Facebook and on the website for meal ideas, green smoothies and juices this week. Together we will build a program a lifestyle that cleanses and energises the body and mind. So plan your menu out this week to try and include a vegie juice or smoothie a day!

ORGANIC HOME DELIVERY MELBOURNE, ORGANIC FOOD HOME DELIVERY MELBOURNE, LOCAL ORGANIC FOODS, ORGANIC EMPIRE,

Get juicy with us

2012-02-20T19:14:00.005+11:00

Ignite some kitchen chemistry

2012-02-13T17:54:00.000+11:00

We all know the power of food to heal, but did you know that certain foods posses aphrodisiac qualities, ones that can transform a non existent libido to a sexual prowess. Some of these unfounded, but science knows one thing for sure, undernourishment results in a loss of libido and decreased fertility. So go organic, get the most from every bite, flavour, nourishment and excitement ;0

In ancient times, foods that beared a physical resemblance to genitalia were deemed foods that would promote procreation, this was when the connection between food and fertility began.

There are so many different foods that we could include in this list, but for the sake of seasonality and availability, lets go with the ones we have available this week.

So what do we know

Almonds; the aroma is said to induce passion in females. Interestingly the almonds is one of the oldest symbols of fertility. In Indian medicine the almond is used to stop premature ejaculation and increasing sex drive. Eat them RAW. Great source of protein, fibre, zinc, selenium, copper, potassium, phosphorus, biotin , riboflavin, niacin and iron.

Avocado; the Mayans and Aztecs revered the avocado fruit as one of the most powerful, naming it Ahuacuatl- translated means testicle tree. Rich in fibre, folate, Vitamin K, E C, potassium.

Bananas; you can understand why the humble banana has been heralded as the aphrodisiac fruit, its phallic shape earning this title. Rightly so, an organic banana contains high amounts of potassium and B vitamins, both of these nutrients are essential for sex hormone production.

Chocolate; ok so who can go past this...an ultimate aphrodisiac and researchers agree finding a higher degree of sexual satisfaction from those that consumed chocolate daily. In no way is this an endorsement or encouragement to over indulge, nether less interesting. Make it dark and raw. Chocolate naturally contains both serotonin and phenylethyamine, both these are mood lifting compounds.

Figs; a true food of the gods and incidentally in stock this week. Visually figs are thought to look like the female sexual organs. A great source of calcium, copper, potassium, manganese, iron, selenium and zinc.

Honey: In ancient times, Sterility and impotence were treated with honey, also as a source of concentrated energy. During the medieval age, a drink called 'mead' made with fermented honey and was given to newlyweds, and seducers hoping to get lucky.

Rocket; was recognised as an aphrodisiac since the Roman times AD. Dioscorides warning that eating it raw stimulates lust and sexual appetite. A great source of vitamin A, C, beta carotene, calcium folate, fibre and phytonutrients.

LOCAL ORGANIC FOOD, ORGANIC HOME DELIVERY MELBOURNE, ORGANIC FOOD HOME DELIVERY MELBOURNE, ORGANIC EMPIRE

Putting LOVE into your food

2012-02-13T00:16:00.003+11:00

This article written by our own Angela Gioffre, Nutritionist about the importance of putting love in your food.

Download it here

Ethical Meat

2012-02-11T00:26:00.000+11:00

So in light of today's media coverage of an abattoir in Sydney, in which animals were beat prior to slaughter has heavily reinforced the need for us as a community to become more connected with our food. Its such a tragedy that these creatures are killed so inhumanely, in a country with enough knowledge and resources to make more informed choices, instead choosing willed ignorance. The mistreatment of these defenceless animals is just another example of the problems associated with mass business riddled with moral and ethical ambiguities. It hasn't always been this way, in a time before mine, families reared loved and killed their own animals, only taking what they could eat, with integrity and respect for the animal. This symbiotic relationship equated to healthy animals, and healthy people. On a recent trip to Italy we visited my aunties farm, where she keeps pigs. Everyday we would go and visit the pigs, where she would feed them, rub them and kiss them. Perplexed, I asked her why she was kissing her pigs, and as absurd as it may seem, she proceeded to inform me it was because she loved them. I told her that perhaps you could love a pig, but she didn't need to kiss it. She answered she loved the pig because it would feed her. The penny dropped, this profound respect for the pig, her connection with the animal meant that the love that reared and worshiped it would take it's life with integrity. This makes me wonder, if we all had to look after the animals which we wished to eat, how different our lives would be. Its also a realisation that this disconnectedness with our food creates the world in which we live, where animals can be beaten before slaughter, that can cry for their fellow creatures when they see them killed on the kill floor. Is it not enough that they have given their lives to be consumed by humans?

The truth is we vote for the world we want with every dollar we spend. Demand ethical treatment of animals, demand a world where your food is produced humanely.

Do you think that humans have the right to treat animals badly? You owe it to yourself, as well as to the animals to make informed choices. What are the consequences of your eating decisions? Trace your food, can you find a farmer that loves and cares for his animals? If you are aware of a local farm in Victoria that we should all know about, please let us know, comment below. Thanks

HUNGRY FOR CHANGE?
PETA. People for the ethical treatment of animals
Humane Society

ORGANIC EMPIRE, LOCAL ORGANIC FOODS, ORGANIC FOOD HOME DELIVERY, ORGANIC FOOD HOME DELIVERY MELBOURNE

Back to school

2012-02-06T14:57:00.002+11:00

So its back to school and routinefor the majority of us this week, and although its quite stressful to leave thebliss of summer holidays behind, where the only rule was that there were norules, dinner at 9pm was ok and so was sleeping in till 10. I think itsnice to have routine again, and however stressful and hectic your lives may be,it can be made better by looking after yourself. I know that when we feeloverwhelmed the last thing we think about is eating well, but its truly themost important thing.

Never before have we been so busy,our western lives driven by haste and in turn convenience mean that themajority of the population turn to processed quick fixes in order to feed thebody.

With a little organization, this canbe different, your story can read like this ...' the kids lunch boxes were theenvy of the school yard, my lunch was amazing and I felt fabulous and nourishedafter enjoying it'..

All it takes are some simple tools,knowing what it is you are making, having the ingredients on hand, and takingthe time to make it. The truth is, it's usually quicker than going to the lunchbar...

So what can you do differently thisweek, what can you have in your lunch that will make you feel amazing?. Organic fresh produce is a great start, and sois increasing the amount of fresh produce. Why not try varying your diet andincluding new foods, making sure that everyday you and your family eat arainbow. (that is a variety of different coloured foods).

If time is truly against you, naturehave the answer, making lunch orders easy by perfectly packing produce in itsown delicious skin. Just grab some carrots, some cucumbers (add a pinchof salt for perfection), grab a couple plums, bag of grapes and abanana...delicious, nutritious and easy. Nuts for afternoon tea, withsome goji berries...

These actions, however small willensure that your life is changed for the better.

So what's for lunch? How aboutsome....

Rice paper rolls, made in a flash, the kidswill love them, let them fill them with their favourite vegetables.

Avocado Salad, this can be made withwhatever you have on had, diced with avocado, and dressed.

Vietnamese Salad, make extra for dinner andtake it to work the next day

Beetrootand pumpkin salad,roasted the nightbefore, makes a divine lunch. just be sure to wait to dress it before youeat.

NEED SOME MORE INSPIRATION FOR YOUR KIDS LUNCHBOXES

CLICK HERE

or perhaps make up a big batch of raw or cooked muesli bars,either waydelicious, try them for yourself

GET A SMS REMINDER

Forget to place your order, registerfor our SMS reminder service and never miss getting the best organic producedelivered each week. REGISTER HERE

To ensure you receive your delivery,why not ORDER NOW

WEEKLY PRODUCE REPORT

Organic Iceberg lettuce are sensationalat the moment, and perfect for hydration.

Organic Pineapples aresweet and delicious and perfectly in season.

Organic Green beans,crispy and sweet in great supply with amazing colour.

Local organic zucchini are in abundance,and an amazing addition to your meals.

Organic continental cucumbers area great buy at the moment too, grown locally they are a great addition to everymeal

"The doctor of the future will no longertreat the human frame with drugs, but rather will cure and prevent disease withnutrition” Thomas Edison

ORGANIC EMPIRE, LOCAL ORGANIC FOOD, ORGANIC DELIVERY MELBOURNE, ORGANIC FOOD MELBOURNE

What's for dinner??

2012-02-03T20:19:00.003+11:00

So it's Friday night, deciding on the cuisine for the night, is usually the hardest in most homes, but tonight I am feeling exceptionally inspired with an organic summer bounty to rival any harvest. Where to start, the organic and biodynamic produce at the moment is sensational. The organic iceberg lettuce with their slight cosmetic imperfections an example of true organic farming, full of flavour, crunch and juicy with water to hydrate. The flavour of organic tomatoes is exceptional, this is one fresh item I refuse everywhere unless its organic, I think why waste my time chewing and digesting something that hasn't that flavour, most conventional tomatoes just taste like a textured water ball.

So on the menu tonight, eggplant cutlets, tomatoes salad, peas with a tomato salsa, corn, green salad, sweet potatoes and roasted pumpkin mmmm buon appetito.

Need some inspiration for your feast tonight or any other night, check out some healthy fresh recipes here

ORGANIC HOME DELIVERY MELBOURNE, ORGANIC FOOD, LOCAL ORGANIC FOODS, ORGANIC EMPIRE

We are back!!! Time to reinvigorate your diet

2012-01-30T23:39:00.000+11:00

We are so happy to be back... Its a new year, a new beginning. To be honest though I like to look at everyday as a new opportunity to make change, to make life better, to get healthier, to get happier. Let's take this day as a new chance to make our lives everything we ever dreamed of, and to be real the only way that most of our dreams can be achieved is with health. It's the truest wealth.

I began my journey with health improvement, way back when I was 7 when I became a vegetarian for the first time, at 14 my mum made dramatic changes in our diets. We were not unwell when my mum made these change, we were probably just like the majority of the population, fed, full and unaware. Since that time my journey in life has been predominately an obsession with good health. Now as a nutritionist I have the privelidge of having an academic education with which to impart knowledge to you all. I am truly committed to living in optimal health and sharing that with you. Its possible for everyone, its not just a dream. We can all live healthy, happy lives and I want to help you do that.

So lets get to it, what is it going to take for you to be healthier, do you need to increase your energy? immunity? lose weight? increase stamina? sex drive? Interestingly these can all be improved with good nutrition, organic food and knowledge. And we want to show you how.

The first thing that needs to happen for change to take place is a decision, so today make that decision. Write it down and commit to it. Write it in present tense, for example

'I am strong, fit and healthy, I nourish my body with the best organic foods, I live the healthiest life'. or ' I fit into my favourite dress by 1st March 2012', set a date. Get committed and get to it!

STEP 1. Download our menu planner today and get organised, choose your meals (rather than choosing the non healthy variety of food because you are starving), check out our recipes for different ideas, plan it out.

STEP 2. Order your fresh organic produce and groceries online now.

STEP 3. Every day remember your goal, keep it fun, organise your time and make some delicious food, pack your own lunch, decide on your own destiny (just to let you know the majority of fast food outlets are not too interested in preserving your health, so you must be!).

STEP 4. Move your body, a 20 minute walk a day is a great start, see where you end up from there.

STEP 5. Be grateful to be alive, we are truly so blessed to have amazing organic foods available to us, we have a real opportunity to nourish ourselves and everyone we love, promoting a beautiful life. Share your food wisdom with people you know, let's get this world a healthier place.

Let me share with you my goal, I have a desire to change people's lives

for the better to make them healthier, which in turn makes people happier= a better life for everyone. I know the importance of good nutrition, from a scientific standpoint, but also as a fellow citizen of the human race, we all see what eating well does, and on the other end of the spectrum what poisioning our bodies with substances disguised as food does.

EXCUSE ME WHILE WE CHANGE IN FRONT OF YOU....

Ok so after much deliberation, we have decided to change the way we serve you. We are continually researching new ways we can serve you better, and ensure that your produce is delivered at its best, and that you are happy and we think we have found the answer. So please read on for changes to our deliveries.

We have a NEW Delivery Schedule, please check your delivery day.

This means that the cut off time for delivery to your area has changed, please be sure to check and ensure that you order before the cut off times.

It's best to order as soon as possible, to ensure that you receive your delivery, or do one better and sign up for our seasonal boxes and get a box of the freshest local organic produce delivered, without having to do anything!

PAPER NEWSLETTERS

We have decided to do away with the paper newsletters for the moment, in an attempt to become more ecologically sound we wish to direct you to our website weekly for menu's and recipes.

OUR STORE

Renovations are nearly complete on our farm store, what that means is that you can come out to the farm and purchase your goods straight from us. We will let you know closer to the opening date.

FOOD SCHOOL

We are also excited to announce that we will be opening an Seasonal organic food school, where we will have a host of amazing raw food chef's, nutritionists, cooks and artisians sharing their wisdom with you. Stay tuned for a schedule of events.

"Be willing to be a beginner every single morning

Meister Eckhart

Organic Empire, organic food home delivery Melbourne, local organic foods, organic delivery

Making friends with salad

2012-01-29T07:18:00.000+11:00

Salad is one of the best friends you could have in this world. I am not suggesting that you ditch all your other friends, merely expand your horizons. Having a salad a day could in fact be one of the most significant and beneficial changes that you can make to your life. It sounds preposterous, I know, but by enjoying a salad a day not only do you increase your daily fruit and vegetable intake, your increase your fibre which is so important for warding off many cancers, preventing constipation and lowering cholesterol. You increase antioxidant intake, which is beneficial for everything, by protecting the body from damage from free radicals which lowers the risk of most cancers. You increase your water intake, hydration is one of the most important elements to good health and ensures the proper functioning of our bodies. You increase your enzyme intake; enzymes are found in raw foods and are destroyed by heat; enzymes serve as catalysts for virtually every function in the body...no enzymes sluggish metabolism, poor digestion. Eating salads encourages the use of good fats, healthy fats are crucial for our good health and are found in avocado's, extra virgin olive oils and nuts; healthy fats help the body absorb protective phytochemicals.

So that's a wrap, a salad one for today, perhaps and a hope that you will do something new, try something new, try one of our salads....

ORGANIC EMPIRE, LOCAL ORGANIC FOODS, ORGANIC HOME DELIVERY MELBOURNE, ORGANIC FOOD HOME DELIVERY MELBOURNE

Get Wild with Australian Bush foods

2012-01-25T22:25:00.001+11:00

Marketing is an amazing thing, focusing on eating non indigenous animals as a symbol of being Australian.. I'd prefer to market something truly Australian, bush foods. Foods that have the fed the indigenous Aborigine's for thousands of years, as nomadic hunters and gatherers, they learnt what was safe and nutritious and what was to be avoided. These foods flourish wherever you are, because they are indigenous to our soils and adapt to water availablity, soil type and structure. And are something that we should all promote, enjoy and grow.
I have found a great site 'How to Grow Australian', they have lots of resources that will help you find indigenous stock wherever in Australia or overseas you may be. On this Australia Day why not do something truly Australian and make a difference to your life, grow Australian....

ORGANIC EMPIRE, ORGANIC FOOD HOME DELIVERY, ORGANIC HOME DELIVERY MELBOURNE, ORGANIC FOOD, LOCAL ORGANIC FOOD, ORGANIC FRUIT, ORGANIC VEGETABLES

Feeling the heat

2012-01-23T22:08:00.001+11:00

Its definitely heating up in Melbourne and what a blessing that is....that is of course if you can cool down. Do you know that nature has tailored seasonal foods to cool us down in the heat...amazing but true.

Vegetables, try cucumber, leafy greens (except spinach), cooked beetroot, cabbage, celery, potato, sweet potato, sprouts, fennel, asparagus, beans, zucchini, carrot, artichoke, snow peas, coriander, broccoli, cauliflower,  peas, rocket, watercress, lettuce, endive, pumpkin, kale, radicchio and parsnip.
Herbs, try coriander, mint and basil.
Fruits, of course watermelon, mango, cherries, lemons, oranges berries-blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, grapes ...anything high in water content

Interestingly these foods contain a high water content, which helps thin the blood and release the heat...

Want to stay cool as a cucumber: AVOID salty and fried foods..

Why not relax with a Watermelon and mint juice or a Fattoush Salad, perhaps a lemon granita or some fresh homemade lemonade

ORGANIC EMPIRE, LOCAL ORGANIC FOOD, ORGANIC HOME DELIVERY MELBOURNE, ORGANIC FOOD HOME DELIVERY MELBOURNE. ORGANIC DELIVERY

Beet the sugar

2012-01-23T06:08:00.001+11:00

So in a time gone by, when mass farming, production and processing of our foods wasn't centralised to one area, when foods were not highly refined,....there was sugar beets, beta vulgaris var altissima.

The desire for sweetness is an inbuilt one in humans, an innate understanding that sugar = energy in the form of simple carbohydrates, once broken down provide fuel for all the cells in the body. (interestingly most big food companies know that, and that's why you find sugar as the main ingredient in most foods, even savoury ones.)

In the 18th century, scientists found that root vegetables, in particular sugar beet were sweet as 'sugar'. By mid 19th century most of the sugar in Europe was produced using beetroot. Even Melbourne had a go, constructing a railway from St Kilda to Oakleigh that was to be dedicated to sugar beet production, finally Maffra in Victoria's east was the production mecca, that was until 1948.

Now most of our sugar (sugar cane) comes from South America, in particular Brazil with no commercial quantities of organic sugar any longer being farmed in Australia. All of the commercial agave coming in from Mexico. Sugar beets are still grown commercially, and Genetically Modified crops have been approved for cultivation...ouch.Why not make your sweetener at home?? Get local, get organic and get cooking....

Step 1. Grow your own, we will have the organic sugar beet seeds available soon.(Organic Empire).
Step 2. Plant in early spring and harvest in autumn.
Step 3. Add the leaves to your salad.
Step 4. Wash and chop, slice or grate beetroots finely.
Step 5. Cover with water and simmer till soft and tender, this is usually around 30 mins.
Step 6. Strain beetroots and RETAIN the water, this is your sugar syrup. Do not discard the beetroots instead using in a salad or for preserving.
Step 7. Return the beetroot water to the stove and simmer till liquid thickens up and produces the syrup. Remove from the heat.
Step 8. Cool then place in a container. This beetroot juice/syrup over time will then crystallise just like honey does. As this process occurs its important to break them up and over time forming sugar crystals. Or you can further reduce syrup so that this process is sped up, and this is done by cooking for longer until the crystals begin to appear.

NB You can just use from Step 7 as a sweetener in a syrup form.

100kg fresh sugar beet can give 12 - 15kg sucrose, 3.5kg molasses, 4.5kg dried pulp and varying amounts of filter cake.

Bearing in mind that even though this sugar is made from beetroot, its still a sugar just like any other sweetener and has the same effect on the human body, raising blood glucose, providing simple pure carbohydrate to our bodies... this is not the best, so like everything in life use in moderation.

Thanks to Lorri for opening up the conversation.

ORGANIC EMPIRE, LOCAL ORGANIC FOODS, ORGANIC HOME DELIVERY MELBOURNE, ORGANIC FOOD, ORGANIC DELIVERY MELBOURNE

Salad Days

2012-01-20T02:24:00.000+11:00

This divine Melbourne heat is the perfect time to eat fresh food in its most natural state, raw and preferably organic, but that doesn't mean boring. Fresh raw foods provide your body with an optimal opportunity to absorb and utilise the vitamins, minerals and enzymes within the food. If this is not enough they taste amazing too.
I am known in many circles as the Salad Queen I could live on them.. I virtually do most of the year, so for me salads need to be everything, satisfying, full of texture, appealing to the eye and most of all nutritious... Without further adieu allow me to give you just a taste of the 3 summer favourites at the moment.

Vegan Vietnamese Salad- inspired by food from a market stall food vendor I had here in Melbourne, I had to recreate it. It's divine and full of amazing flavours.

Tomato Salad- if you have access to heirloom tomatoes , use these.

Fattoush Salad- this salad makes use of summer's amazing bounty with the addition of optional wholemeal pitta bread for texture.

For more super salad ideas, check out the website.

ORGANIC HOME DELIVERY MELBOURNE, LOCAL ORGANIC FOODS, ORGANIC EMPIRE

Growing Change

2012-01-18T01:27:00.000+11:00

So I often don't get time to watch much Television, which I think is quite a blessing. Occasionally though I will sit, rather hesitantly to watch some amazing shows... Growing Change is one of them. I thought it necessary to open the conversation....
What do you believe in? Do you believe that humans and life on this planet are meant to thrive without mass corporations controlling our world...with people in charge of our most important commodities...us and our lives

Do you think that humans are capable of producing their own food?? Do you think that we are capable of pure health I do, do you think that our food need to be grown with oil based fertilisers, herbicides and pesticides I DON'T..I believe in clean food produced by people; farmers .
Why do we poison our waterways?, make extinct so much life? think its ok to patent our food, to create sterile seeds? to genetically modify our foods? Why do we give control of our lives to mass corporations that grow our food with chemicals that make us sick then medicate the masses with more toxins.
I believe that we can live the best life with good clean food, grown organically, I believe that we can change, that everyone can have access to food, health giving food...
When people are healthy, they think better, with clarity, we can create a new world, one where hunger and famine don't exist, free of disease, full of possibilities....let's get to it! Lets get informed, speak up, connect with others, eat well, feed those you love well with organic fresh produce..

ORGANIC EMPIRE, ORGANIC HOME DELIVERY MELBOURNE, LOCAL ORGANIC FOODS

SUN DAMAGED.. Saved by the ...carrot

2012-01-16T10:30:00.000+11:00

Not just rabbit food...Did you know that you can boost the bodies ability to heal and repair with organic foods... the magic word is 'antioxidants' and carrots contain an antioxidant called beta carotene which helps the skin retain moisture, repairs cells after damage and wait for it also increases the bodies natural sun protection factor, otherwise known as SPF.

What are you waiting for, make like a rabbit and munch...

ORGANIC EMPIRE, LOCAL ORGANIC FOODS, ORGANIC FOOD HOME DELIVERY MELBOURNE

THE ORGANIC DEBATE

2012-01-14T12:00:00.000+11:00

It's truly this SIMPLE........the message again is to go ORGANIC

ORGANIC EMPIRE, LOCAL ORGANIC FOODS, ORGANIC HOME DELIVERY MELBOURNE

Change your ways

2012-01-14T11:41:00.002+11:00

This is a inspirational video from Severn Cullis-Suzuki, these words coming from a 12 year old girl...the message is clear... GO ORGANIC.

Look after the earth in which we live peoples, we are the blessed one's who can make educated decisions to make this earth a wonderful place... our own heaven

When all the trees have been cut down,
when all the animals have been hunted,
when all the waters are polluted,
when all the air is unsafe to breathe,
only then will you discover you cannot eat money.
~ Cree Prophecy ~

LOCAL ORGANIC FOOD, ORGANIC HOME DELIVERY MELBOURNE

How lucky we are.....

2012-01-14T10:46:00.002+11:00

I have come to realise how blessed we are to live in Melbourne, I will admit as an avid traveller, actually more of a gastronomic traveller its always about the food and my recent journey within Australia , to Sydney actually has affirmed the superiority of Victorian food . This is not a cheap shot, it's a reality! Victorian food is fresher, generally of a superior quality and the price Is substantially better...this is disheartening as much as it is endearing for our farmers.My latest journey has reinforced the definite need to have fresh food that is financially accessible to everyone. Everyone needs to be able to afford fresh foods, this is paramount to fostering a healthy community; and a healthy world.
Melbourne's fresh food is truly affordable! We really should count our lucky stars, I know that the quality of Victoria food is revered the world over but its not until you step outside the comforts of our border can you truly appreciate the value and privilege of our food. It tastes better, and is better.
Just a bit of interesting information...the majority of fresh organic food in Sydney comes from our Victoria farmers...that's how good we have it!

My wish for you this year is that you choose fresh local organic foods over dry processed packaged foods, because often when people are watching their dollar, they choose these foods to provide satiety, but its the fresh foods that give life, I hope that you realise how blessed we are to have all that we have, to enjoy your foods, to savor every bite and eat more live fresh foods because we are amongst the luckiest people on this earth.
We head back to work on the the 30th January and we have for you growing right now the freshest organic foods to deliver to nourish you and your families, we look forward to serving you then xx

Organic Empire, local organic food, organic home delivery Melbourne

Salt of life

2012-01-08T00:26:00.006+11:00

Salt is a necessary part of the diet, which is essential for the maintenance of correct volume of circulating blood and tissue in the body and is especially important in the warmer months when we tend to sweat more.

Currently though the majority of people over consume salt, which causes many health problems, including high blood pressure, a very common ailment here in Australia.

The aim with salt intake is to make sure that you take in no more than 4g a day ( if you are engaging in vigorous exercise this amount increases). This is approximately 1.5 teaspoons of salt, but humans can survive on 1g of salt a day if required to.

Preservation of food and enhancement of flavour and the primary reasons that salt is used so heavily in processed foods. The result of over consumption of these foods correlates to a high intake of salt without even picking up the grinder.

Why not try Himalayan Sea Salt ($8.99) with over 87 trace minerals, stay away from processed foods, eat lots of fresh foods high in potassium and drink lots of water to help flush your body!

Organic Empire, Local organic foods, home delivery Melbourne

Happy new health

2012-01-04T08:39:00.004+11:00

Happy New Year, hope that 2012 brings you all; health, happiness and good living. Its nice to start a new year, turn a new page, write a new chapter in your life story.

There are lots of changes going on around here, keep turned to learn all about them, change the way you shop and live, we are about making your life and our world a better place with organics.

Its time to get healthier and the most important change you can make in your life is to eat fresh, alive organic foods, (that in conjunction with drinking clean water). So don't hesitate, make a change now, become who you want to be, the healthiest person that you can be.

Without your health you have nothing, your health is everything, so nurture your body in the best way that you can....with organics.

ORGANIC TIP FOR THE DAY

Enjoy your day, be happy, breathe deeply, stop, this day is yours. Eat some fresh organic foods, laugh often, drink some fresh water...enjoy your summer days. Start your day with a beautiful organic fruit salad, recipe for it is here

Why not go raw just for one day a week. Have fruit for breakfast, vegetable juice for morning tea, salad for lunch, nuts for afternoon tea and salad for dinner. Help cleanse the bowels and give your real enzyme energy, real nutrition and real live foods=life...

ORGANIC EMPIRE, local organic foods, organic fresh foods Melbourne

CHRISTMAS TIME

2011-12-31T13:59:00.002+11:00

Wow, so there is only 5 days left till Christmas, and so much to do...I am not sure about you, but I have list's everywhere... First priority at Christmas in our family is always food, we relish daily in gathering to enjoy amazing food, but Christmas just intensifies this experience and inspires the greatest of culinary feasts. We enjoy the whole day together, gathering for both lunch and dinner.

The traditions and food of this time of the year are ingrained in our cells, with the most divine regional dishes being prepared lovingly by each family and brought to the table for all to devour. Its indulgent and divine, but this time of the year it also does something amazing for the soul. It nourishes the soul as much as it does the body. That is the biggest blessing of Christmas, and the truth is that food prepared and shared with love has the capacity to do this.

The power of food should never be under estimated, it truly does have the ability to bind people as much as it does to destroy them, and this is on so many levels. I can speak from my own experience when I can say that our family comes together gathering to enjoy food daily and if the food tastes amazing, the experience is heightened, the body more nourished and the bodies cells more receptive.

Traditions formed around food preparation are some of the best, and are something that should be passed down from generation to generation. These skills, historically are what have formed our societies, our health and our lives, so this Christmas, I urge you to share, a delicious dish, pass on an amazing recipe and make your food with love(and fresh organic ingredients). I would like to start the ball rolling sharing some of our family favourites....

-Melanzane Sotto'olio this is the most divine dish that my grandmother makes most weekends for me to devour. Its raw, eggplant and delicious. You can have this with everything or by itself.

-Walnuted figs- these are the simplest of sweets and are great for Christmas or anytime of the year. Don't underestimate the flavour of simple foods

-Fragole al vino- Organic strawberries and wine.. sounds peciuliar but is so delicious

Head to our recipe book for so many more ideas....

There is something else that I think is really important this Christmas and that is to be grateful for the amazing people that we have to share this festive season with, how blessed are we to have the access to divine foods, but to be able to share them with people that we love, this is truly the essence of life. At the root of everything this is all that matters when you strip away all the distractions, food and people are all that matter, because with your health and food to eat and people..anything is possible.

On that note we wish to express our gratitute to you..We are so grateful for all the support that you all provide for us, your support means that we spread organic goodness further. We make the world a healthier better place as you do! We are so grateful that you care enough to eat the best, that you nourish yourselves and those you love with organic food. We are so grateful to be able to serve you. Check out our farm news for a new way that we are going to be able to serve you in 2012.

OUR GIFT TO YOU

We have a special gift for you all this week, in your boxes you will find a hand made eco pot, seeded and ready for you to plant. Simply plant your little pot in the ground and watch it grow. It is biodegradable, organic seeds and a little way we can give you a little of our hearts, a little of our farm and feed you whilst we are on holidays.

CHRISTMAS ORDERING

Due to the craziness of this period, we ask that you get your orders in as soon as possible prior to Wednesday for delivery this week. Be sure to stock your fridge full of our freshest organic produce, it will last well and truly into the next week or two. We have the freshest local produce, picked virtually the day of delivery or day before, this ensures absolute freshness and amazing taste.

CHRISTMAS BREAK

The summer holidays are such a brilliant time just to take time and we have decided to close from December 23rd and return to trade on Monday 30th January and although this is an unusually extended break we believe that holidays are just as important as working and thus we must rest ourselves and our staff. We will take this time to work on the farm and develop ways to serve you all better as well as catch a little Vitamin D. During this time we will spasmodically send out our newsletters to keep you informed, eating well and living well.

Farm News-Scattagnolo

So this week we announce some amazing news, during the Christmas break we will be renovating our farm store. This will be opening in early 2012, a gorgeous original 1930's organic store in the Yarra Valley. We so look forward to welcoming you and once open please feel free to come and pick up your organics every week, have an organic juice with us and get out and about! Please stay tuned for more information, and check it out here....

organicempire

Forage, grow, harvest and share

2011-11-24T20:55:00.004+11:00

So last night, I had the privalidge of attending an event hosted by The Sustainable Table and Dumbo Elephant. All the guests were asked to bring something to the table, and from that bounty ,Chef from Pope Joan, Matt Wilkinson cooked up a storm. At grassroots this event was about bringing a consciousness to our food, eating with the seasons, tasting the sun, absorbing the rain, nourishing our bodies with the freshest produce.

For us all on this journey we call life, as humans, I think its important to connect with our food and the best way to do that is to eat seasonally. Living in Melbourne, we are blessed to sometimes have four seasons in one day, but we truly do have four distinct seasons in a year. Four seasons that each provide a bounty of flavour and health, with enough diversity to satisfy everyone.

Seasonal eating is not a new concept, rather living wisdom that dates back decades,centuries even millennia that has somehow got lost for the majority of us with the advances in transportation, supermarkets and the haste of our lives.

All is not lost, we can return to the beautiful place where we grow, we eat, we thrive, and we can do this quite easily. Think about it for a minute, what if you did an experiment and you only ate seasonal fresh foods for a week, how would this impact you? Your family? your world?

Get a seasonal list, we have one thats quite extensive, use it, get some organic seasonal produce and create your own food, food that is grown where you live.

Get your seasonal list here

http://www.organicempire.com.au

ORGANIC EMPIRE, organic home delivery melbourne, local organic foods

Thanksgiving

2011-11-24T20:50:00.011+11:00

So today is Thanksgiving in the US, and I was pondering this concept and thinking that if there was anything that we should take from the US, it should be thanksgiving. Giving thanks collectively has to be one of the most beautiful things that we could do, living in Australia, having access to the most delicious foods to nourish ourselves- there's a good reason to give thanks.

So today, from the team at the Organic Empire we thank all the amazing people that support us so that we can serve you and deliver to you, the freshest local organic, seasonal foods, we thank our amazing farmers, artisans, and above all we thank you!

Organic Empire

Eating Ethically

2011-10-18T06:51:00.006+11:00

So its Nutrition Week in Australia and its all about promoting good health, to foster a better Australia.

Nutrition Australia has released a series of flyers to educate the broader community on healthy eating for a healthy world, one of them is a great one on Ethical Eating. At the Organic Empire, we love the promotion of ethical eating as one of the most important steps forward that we can take as a civilisation, one that can free so many from hunger, foster nutrition and promote a beautiful connection with our own lives and the people in it. Ethical eating forces you to take the slower more conscious path, one where convenience is not the only factor in food, but people matter and the health of our world. Have a read, what are your thoughts on ethical eating?

http://www.organicempire.com.au

ORGANIC EMPIRE, organic home delivery melbourne, local organic foods

Fattoush Salad

2011-09-27T17:12:00.004+10:00

Some guys I used to work with would call this fat arse salad, for the obvious name reasons, an amazing salad to make with the divine organic radish that are around at the moment.

Ingredients:

1 round wholemeal Mountain bread/ Tannor bread

 2 organic Lebanese cucumbers, finely diced (if very fresh, no need to peel) 

2 organic tomatoes, finely diced

 ½ cup organic radish, finely diced 

½ organic red capsicum, finely diced 

4 organic spring onions, finely diced 

2 tablespoons organic mint, finely chopped 

½ cup organic parsley, finely chopped 

Dressing juice of 1 organic lemon

 ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

 Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Description:

Bake the Lebanese bread in a medium oven for about 10 minutes. This will make the bread nice and crisp.

 Combine the rest of the ingredients with the bread and toss with the dressing

http://www.organicempire.com.au

ORGANIC EMPIRE, organic home delivery melbourne, local organic foods

Our farm-Scattagnolo...

2011-09-26T19:09:00.006+10:00

Ok so the packing sheds are nearly ready to go, organic inspector is on his way its all happening. I feel like breaking out in song, "ei i ei i o...and on that farm, we have lots of snails ei i ei i oooo". To explain the quantity of snails we have at the moment, there is a new packing shed which has been erected, we are not sure how but snails have made a home inside, and if you you didn't know you would think that they are the walls. I have never seen so many snails in the one place before. Escargo anyone...

Its amazing they are a perfect reflection of our farm at this moment...slow...

So this is a picture of our farm, even just looking at the views make me happy, imagine how happy the veggies are going to be. Till next week, Farmer Ange x

http:www.organicempire.com.au

ORGANIC EMPIRE, organic home delivery melbourne, local organic foods

Lettuce Facial

2011-08-25T05:47:00.005+10:00

Place two lettuce leaves in a blender. Add 3 tablespoons and mix with natural yoghurt, and two tablespoons of raw honey.

Apply on face for 15-20 minutes.

It contains vitamins and macro nutrients: A, B1, B2, and C, folic acid, manganese, chromium, phosphorus, and potassium.

ORGANIC EMPIRE, organic home delivery melbourne, local organic foods

Skin becomes softer, smoother, and more relaxed. Repeat once a week

http://www.organicempire.com.au

Saving Money by eating organics

2011-08-24T17:35:00.005+10:00

Did you know that buying organic foods can save you money... what you say...lets clear up a few things.

We know the better you eat the healthier you are, the healthier you are, less you will need to visit the doctor, so first savings on doctors bills, second on medications. Organically grown food is your best way of reducing exposure to toxins used in conventional agricultural practices.

The more nutrient dense your food the less your body needs, note here I said nutrient dense not energy dense (by this I mean highly processed, sugared, inert foods), so you effectively get more carrot for your carrot. Organic foods are nutritionally superior to conventionally grown produce as a rule, 41 studies on organic foods have concluded

27% more vitamin C
21.1% more iron
29.3% more magnesium
13.6% more phosphorus

Eating seasonally will save you money, buy in bulk, and preserve. Buying organic in season can be cheaper than buying conventional, especially if you purchase from Organic Empire.

GET HEALTHY GO ORGANIC EMPIRE

ORGANIC EMPIRE, organic home delivery melbourne, local organic foods

Childhood Obesity- New initiative

2011-08-15T09:59:00.008+10:00

The Victorian government has this morning announced a $40 million program to end childhood obesity in Victoria with staggering figures that have found that one in four children are obese or overweight. This is sad and scarey, never before in history have we seen nations suffering from these tremendous weight problems, with Australia leading the way with the highest rates of obesity per capita....

The initiatives include:

A research centre that will evaluate health programs in schools and other early childhood centres.

Policies implemented to guide the social, physical and emotional health of young people

Awards programs for schools, recognising excellence in health and food service to children

Cooking classes for adults and children

Various social marketing and public education engagements

I don't know that we need to complicate things though, this all just comes back to food, the importance of teaching children about food and nourishing them with healthy food is the only way that we can curb this. Childhood obesity is not just about being a 'bigger' kid, there are so many health problems associated with excess weight,cancers, diabetes, high blood pressure, strokes can be the reality of a unhealthy lifestyle.

Its also at this point that I think that Junk food should be heavily taxed, making real food more affordable in comparision. The real change will happen then, when it becomes harder and expensive to eat 'processed, inert foods'.

We agree that the value of educating children on good food is and should be our highest priority, what can you do at home, find our more here.

Have a question for our nutritionist...ASK HERE

ORGANIC EMPIRE, organic home delivery melbourne, local organic foods

Organic Certification and wombats

2011-08-08T20:52:00.007+10:00

So back to the grind this week, the first thing we need to address on our farm is organic certification. Have been going through the different certifying bodies, to determine what separates them from each other and the truth is not much. They all routinely do random assessments, and have the same rules...so its fair game. The OGA certified organic Australia, will be our badge of choice....look out for it peoples, will be completing the forms this week...tooo exciting.

Prior to purchasing the property, we became aware of the fact that we have wombats residing under the buildings on the property...awww cute yes...not so good for structures though and our pets (supposedly they lure cats and dogs into their lair and intentionally do harm).... So after consultation with the local wildlife group, we have found out that you cant actually move wombats, because if you do they will try and find their way back home and usually end up as roadkill or having a fight with another wombat over territory...ouch... So the only way is to encourage the wombats to move to another one of the homes (yes quite the entrepreneurial spirit, often having 2-3 unrenovated homes). This will be undertaken by setting up a low grade electric fence around the perimeter of the buildings, placing sand around the burrow and waiting until they have left for the evening. The electric fence is then put on, once they receive the gentle persuasion, they immediately go and renovate another one of their dens... Amazing , think we will miss the huge pot holes around the buildings and the idea that another beautiful creature wants to share the space, but we have located their other dens and know that they will only be a couple of meters away....Till next week on the farm

organicempire

ORGANIC EMPIRE, organic home delivery melbourne, local organic foods

Fountain of Youth

2011-07-25T22:14:00.006+10:00

What if organic foods were the eternal, illusive 'fountain of youth'?, what if organic fresh foods held the key to youthfulness and health...look a little closer, the truth is that they do...

The Organic Center is a research facility in the US, they have released an interesting article on organic foods, antioxidants and the fountain of youth, check it out here....

FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH FOODS

Organic Blueberries, tea and cocoa, all contain tea and blueberries,catechins, antioxidants that can turn off damaging transcription factors and turn on protective ones. Cocoa contains procyanidin B-2, which can protects brain cells from inflammation and stop the production of pro-inflammatory chemicals that are released in the skin.

Organic Cinnamon is a powerful anti-inflammatory spice that regulates blood sugar and assists in keeping skin wrinkle-free.

Raw fresh organic foods in their natural state, offer a plethora of antioxidants and nutrients to nourish the body and provide anti ageing support and health.

Citrus Fruits–oranges, tangerines, lemons, limes, and grapefruit–all have vitamin C, known to reduce the risk of cancer and cataracts. In addition, citrus fruits contain limonese–a compound that may help the liver detoxify carcinogenic chemicals.

Sulfophrane found in cruciferous vegetables such as Broccoli, cauliflower, kale and bok choy contain a naturally-occurring compound in foods that neutralizes highly reactive, dangerous forms of cancer-causing chemicals before they can damage cells and promote cancer.

Protect our daily bread

2011-07-24T22:53:00.008+10:00

Ok people the time has come to act, this could be the biggest injustice to our livelihood ever, never before in human history has our ignorance compromised our food systems as much as the change that is about to occur. The PM has allowed for genetically modified wheat to be grown in commercial quantities in Australia, this is very very scary.

If you are new to the Genetically Modified food debate, please allow me to give you a basic rundown , genetically modified food is foods that are created in a laboratory, by modifying the genes of crops to make it possible to put more fertilisers and pesticides on them that it wont kill them...but possibly us.

Genetically modified foods have never been proven safe for humans to eat, yet our government is allowing this.

Apart from the the nutritional affects, if a genetically modified seed lands on a non GM farm, the farmer then has to pay foreign companies for that germination..... the most ridiculous thing ever... there are many court cases going on around the world as we speak, where little farmers are being taken to court. One such case already exists in Australia, an organic farmer in western Australia is battling these companies after his organic farm was contaminated by GM crops, losing his organic certification and ruining his farm!

So what can you do.....

GET EDUCATED

Check out this video

Boycott wheat, these amazing chefs are on board too , read more about it here

Download the true food kids guide here, published by GREENPEACE

SUPPORT ORGANIC FARMS AND BUSINESSES

Join the True food Network

Write a letter to the PM

Shop responsibly, email the supermarkets tell them you don't want GM crops on their shelves

VOTE WITH YOUR DOLLARS,

Wholesale Markets moving to Epping

2011-07-21T15:53:00.005+10:00

So it was announced yesterday that the Wholesale produce markets are officially moving to Epping, this has so many implications for anyone who eats in Melbourne unless of course you live in Epping or in the vicinity of Epping.

This is not just the organic world it will affect but the conventional markets as well, forcing increases in the cost of food, which is three fold, this in conjunction with rising oil prices and a new carbon tax, fruit and vegetable vendors have no choice but to either raise their prices or shut up shop. The relocation will also mean that the vendors will have to refurbish their stores and this costs money, which ultimately the consumer will wear!

Speaking of that already way to many small fruit and vegetable vendors have decided that by the time this move occurs they will have shut up shop. This is really sad for the fresh food industry in Melbourne and means that the bigger players, namely the supermarkets will dominate the market even more. The repercussions of this are disastrous for our farmers, our food and our livelihood.

So what can be done, now that the decision has been made, unfortunately not much in terms of lobbying. I think the most important thing that can be done is supporting your local fruit and vegetable vendors, ensuring that you vote with your dollar and keep the world of fresh food alive. The alternative is that when the big players totally dominate, your 'perfect' foods, waxed apples, sprayed tomatoes will take over this world.... Keep the power people, vote with your dollar and while we are on the subject 'go organic, support our local farmers, work with us'

ORGANIC EMPIRE, organic home delivery melbourne, local organic foods

Organic Cheffie

2011-07-19T11:44:00.007+10:00

So Masterchef is a phenomenal success that's inspiring people to get in the kitchen, which in itself is a great feat. Lets take this one step further and make it healthier with our version of 'ORGANIC CHEFFIE', please send us your favourite recipe, if we publish this on our site you will receive an 'organic bag', a bag of fresh organic seasonal delights delivered from our farm to your door.

Spread the word tell your friends, lets get creating together...a true masterpiece of health.

SORRY ONLY FOR FOODIES WHO LIVE IN METRO MELBOURNE

EMAIL US tastesbetter@organicempire.com.au

ORGANIC EMPIRE, organic home delivery melbourne, local organic foods

MIRANDA KERR AND ORGANICS and KIDS ORGANIC FARMS

2011-07-13T10:11:00.008+10:00

I think its fabulous when a high profile celebrity such as Miranda Kerr, backs an industry. Miranda Kerr is a big proponent of organics and a down to earth realist, she has also developed her own organic skin care range KORA organics.

In Australia she is also backing the 'Organic School Gardens' program. This is a fantastic program that we will be hosting on our very organic farm 'Scattagnolo'. The 'Organic School Gardens' programs seeks to educate primary school children on the skills of organic farming and provides practical support to teachers and children alike. You can even use this program in your own educating your kids on farming methods that you can demonstrate in your backyard.

Its a fantastic resource from the Biological Farmers of Australia. Click here to download it .

For more information on our farm, check us out here

ORGANIC EMPIRE, organic home delivery melbourne, local organic foods

CARBON TAX V ORGANIC FARMING

2011-07-11T12:34:00.005+10:00

All this conversation about the carbon tax can be very confusing, is it right to charge more and penalise for use, or would it be best to teach new ways, foster new methods. Charging people, industry more for use just increases our cost of living, when there are soooo many more methods for positive change, one of them being organic farming. This is known as carbon sequestion.

Through the process of organic farming, carbon is sequested from the environment, this is a process through which carbon dioxide (CO₂) from the atmosphere is absorbed by trees, plants and crops through photosynthesis, and stored as carbon in biomass (tree trunks, branches, foliage and roots) and soils. This relates to the organic matter in organic soil being mainly carbon. In conventional farming the organic matter is typically depleted.

The Rodale Institute has translated this to if '10,000 medium sized farms were converted to organic production, they would store so much carbon in the soil that it would be equivalent to taking 1,174,400 cars off the road, or reducing car miles driven by 14.62 billion miles.'

Makes good sense...just another reason to GO ORGANIC.

Just another bit of information:

Other methods of carbon reduction would be to stop the logging of old growth forests, tropical deforestation accounts for around 20% of the WORLD's carbon emissions.

ORGANIC EMPIRE, organic home delivery melbourne, local organic foods

Organic Carrot Cake

2011-06-08T17:41:00.006+10:00

250 g melted butter

1 cup organic brown sugar

3 organic eggs

2 tsp organic vanilla

grated rind of one organic lemon

2 1/3 cups organic wholemeal plain flour

1/3 tsp himalayan sea salt

1/3 tsp bicarb soda

2 tsp baking powder

2/3 tsp mixed spice

1 1/3 tsp organic cinnamon

2 cups packed, finely shredded organic carrot, soaked in juice of lemon

Beat sugar and butter, then add eggs one at a time, and vanilla and lemon rind, beat until light in colour. Then add flour and carrot alternating beginning and ending with flour, add rest of ingredients. Mix to combine.

Pour into a lineed cake tin and bake for 45-50(or until skewer comes out clean) at 160-180.

Enjoy

ORGANIC EMPIRE, organic home delivery melbourne, local organic foods

Our new website

2011-05-26T21:47:00.007+10:00

Hey y'all, you have to come and check out our new website, full of great recipes, easy shopping and the freshest local organic foods, the majority of which are coming straight from the farm.

Today we included some organic purple heirloom carrots in the boxes, this what all carrots were like until the 1500's, high in antioxidants, these are touted as a superfood.

The new website development means that we will be posting more recipes onto that site, with occasional recipe posts here. I would love to use this blogging platform to explore the wide world of food, customs, traditions, tastes, nutrition and everything else that accompanies food on this journey we call life.

Love to hear your thoughts, experiences and all things food too....

This cold weather makes me wonder what warmth ever looked like, or how I could ever want to eat watermelon again....I find myself craving warm soups, anything substantial, which is a far cry from my usual fare of raw foods. Its at this time of year that warming soups and cooked foods make their way into my diet. 30% is my rule of thumb, still feel good and nourished.

So what's happening in your kitchen, what do you feel like eating, what do you want that you feel you shouldn't have. Our relationship with food is such an interesting topic to delve into, it is actually consuming (pardon the pun), and as much as we deny it, it has a place in every encounter we have, food is always at the centre of everything (and anything in my world anyway). And rightly so, food is what keeps us alive, keeps us warm, keeps our blood pumping and in alot of ways keeps us happy. I have written before about putting love into food, but sometimes I feel like food puts love in me. There is nothing like having a delicious meal, being so satisfied with every mouthful and so content, but yet yearning for more. That is love, mmm that is life

ORGANIC EMPIRE, organic home delivery melbourne, local organic foods

Organic Empire: Bircher Muesli

2011-05-09T14:43:00.000+10:00

Organic Empire: Bircher Muesli

Bircher Muesli

2011-05-09T14:26:00.004+10:00

Bircher muesli is a great way to start the day, raw oats, dried fruit, soaked overnight. Tastes so good the kids will want it for dessert and jam packed full of nutrients to keep them and you in optimum health. Great source of raw carbohydrates, protein and goodness.

BIRCHER MUESLI

½ cup organic rolled oats

¼ cup freshly pressed organic apple juice

¼ cup organic yoghurt (sugar free is best)

handful organic currants or sultanas

a sprinkling of organic ground cinnamon

1/4 Organic apple, grated (skin on) to serve or banana

Seasonal berries and chopped almonds.

Method:
Combine the rolled oats, juice, currants or sultanas, and cinnamon in a large bowl and stir together. Chill overnight.

To serve, stir in the grated apple and yoghurt, put into a bowl and garnish with berries and crispy almonds

ORGANIC EMPIRE, organic home delivery melbourne, local organic foods

Whats in season, May

2011-05-02T18:55:00.005+10:00

apples

banana,

cumquat,

custard apple,

feijoa,

grapes

kiwifruit,

lemons,

limes,

mandarin - imperial,

melon - champagne,

nuts - chestnut - hazelnut - peanut - walnut,

pears - howell - josephine - packham - red sensation - williams,

persimmon,

quince,

rhubarb.

asian greens , bok choy, - choy sum - gai laan - wonga bok,

avocados - fuerte - sharwill,

beetroot,

broccoli,

brussels sprout,

cabbage,

carrots,

cauliflower,

celeriac,

celery,

daikon,

eggplant,

fennel,

garlic,

ginger,

horseradish,

leeks,

lettuce,

mushrooms - wild - field - pine - slippery jacks,

okra,

olives,

onions - brown - spring,

parsnip,

peas,

potato,

pumpkin,

shallots,

silverbeet,

spinach,

squash,

swede,

sweet potato,

taro,

tomato,

turnip,

witlof,

zucchini.

ORGANIC EMPIRE, organic home delivery melbourne, local organic foods

Raw Oat biscuits

2011-04-26T17:55:00.004+10:00

In commemoration of our fallen diggers, a raw version of the traditional Anzac biscuit, packed with nutrition and so easy to make

1 cup organic raw oats

1 teaspoon organic ground cinnamon

1/2 cup firmly packed organic pitted Medjool dates

1/2 cup organic sultanas

Favorite topping such as chopped, nuts, coconut (optional).

Combine the oats and cinnamon in the food processor and process into small pieces. Add the dates and process to mix well. Add the sultanas and your favorite topping and pulse to mix.

Press about 3 tablespoons of the dough into cookie cutters on a plate lined with baking paper, or roll the dough into ball and flatten.

You can add a tiny bit of molasses for some anzac flavour

ORGANIC EMPIRE, organic home delivery melbourne, local organic foods

2011-04-18T16:11:00.004+10:00

ORGANIC EMPIRE, organic home delivery melbourne, local organic foods

Lets get juicy

2011-04-11T18:42:00.005+10:00

Juicing is such a fantastic way to get a dose of pure fresh vitamins with a compliment of delicious taste.

Whatever combinations work for you is fine, but try to get your dosage of vegetables in as well as some fruits to sweeten the mix.

A great blend that I love is Carrot, ginger, apple and carrot. Classic but delicious.

Juice

3 carrots

1 apple

small knob of ginger

and whole beetroot

Enjoy as soon as possible after juicing to prevent nutrient loss and oxidation

ORGANIC EMPIRE, organic home delivery melbourne, local organic foods

Nothing beets a root

2011-04-04T18:25:00.003+10:00

400G ORGANIC beans

400g beetroot

1 organic red onion

300g organic (or best quality ) Feta

80ml extra virgin organic olive oil

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Blanch beans in boiling water for 2 mins. Steam chopped beetroot till tender (around 20 mins). Transfer to a bowl. Add 1 halved and sliced medium red onion and crumbled feta.

In a small bowl, combine 80ml olive oil and 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. Pour over salad, mix, then serve.

Pumpkins, pumpkins everywhere. PUMPKIN SALAD

2011-03-28T16:17:00.004+11:00

This delicious salad is courtesy of the amazing Sandy who runs Semillia's Kitchen, she runs cooking classes in Melbourne using whole organic foods, and also does catering, if you need some delicious food for a function.

Quinoa & pumpkin salad

Sign up for one of her cooking classes here and make this at home, it sensational...

1 1/2 cups of red or white quinoa

2 bay leaves

1/2 a small pumpkin, washed & sliced into wedges, golden nugget or Jap

2 handfuls of fresh parsley, roughly chopped

6 small potatoes, washed and sliced, about 5mm thick

2 red or green capsicum, thinly sliced

sea salt

freshly ground black peppercorns

1/4 cup roasted pepitas

1/2 cup roasted walnuts, roughly chopped

3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

3 tablespoons olive oil

3 cloves garlic, peeled & crushed

1 teaspoon roasted coriander seeds, crushed

1 teaspoon roasted cumin seeds, crushed
Preheat oven to 200. In a large deep baking tray combine the pumpkin, garlic and potato with crushed spices sea salt and olive oil. Bake until vegetables are caramelized, around 45 minutes. Meanwhile, place the quinoa with the bay leaves and 3 cups of water in a large pot. Cover, place pot over medium heat, bring to the boil then turn heat down to lowest setting and simmer until quinoa is well cooked, about 20 - 25 minutes. Turn heat off and allow to sit for 10 minutes. Combine quinoa in a large mixing bowl with the roasted vegetables, capsicum, parsley, walnuts, pepitas and vinegar. Taste, then add salt and pepper as desired. Serve.

Lose weight with Marissa

2011-03-28T14:20:00.002+11:00

Australia is one of the fattest nations in the world!

Being overweight or obese is a significant heath risk. 55% of Australians are currently overweight and the prevalence of obesity has tripled in the last 30 years. We need to effectively address this epidemic and turn the tide on obesity-related conditions, such as heart disease, diabetes, depression and arthritis. If you or someone you love is overweight or obese, I can help you to lose the excess fat and get healthier!

The real fat loss challenge.

Losing weight can be a challenge, but maintaining weight loss long term can be the real challenge. How many times have you gone on a diet, lost the weight, only to put it all back on again, possibly plus a bit more! For many people this is a common hurdle in weight loss. The most common reasons people have for rebound weight gain is failure to change their dietary and lifestyle habits, and because they may have lost muscle as well as fat on their last fad diet.

Fat loss not weight loss.

Many calorie-restricted diets produce disappointing results, principally due to the excessive loss of muscle mass. This loss of muscle reduces your metabolic rate (ability to burn calories) and increases the likelihood of you putting the fat back on (yo-yo dieting). Losing muscle mass and reducing your metabolic rate tends to create a vicious cycle of fat gain, which can cause many imbalances in your body. A ketogenic program, such as the one I offer, avoids these damaging effects of dieting because it is a fat loss system, not a weight loss system.

Losing fat is not only good for your figure.

Many people want to lose body fat simply so that they look good; however, having a high percentage of body fat is known to be one of the most serious causes of ill health, increasing your risk of diabetes, heart disease and many other chronic diseases.

Throw away the scales!

I offer clients the most effective fat loss program available. To help you to lose up to 2 kg of fat per week whilst preserving your muscle mass. My fat loss program is so much more than a “weight loss” program – this is a natural, scientifically-proven “fat loss” plan that delivers fast & lasting results. This is achieved with:

• A carbohydrate-controlled dietary program.

• A dietary plan that includes moderate levels of protein and good fats.

• Moderate regular exercise.

• High quality nutritional supplementation.

• Daily urine testing of ketones to measure fat burning.

Real results with ketosis.

This scientifically proven weight loss program works on the principle of ketosis. Ketosis works by shifting the body’s metabolism away from “fat storage” towards “fat burning” by restricting dietary carbohydrates. When fat is utilised for energy production, ketosis is mildly induced and can be easily measured with a simple urine test. Typically, people report that mild ketosis and this switch in metabolism are reflected in increased energy, appetite control and efficient fat loss. You can typically expect the following from a ketogenic fat loss program:

• ½ - 2 kg of fat loss per week.

• Maintenance of lean muscle mass.

• Long lasting healthy body composition (fat to muscle mass ratio).

• Better blood sugar regulation.

• Improvements in cardiovascular risk markers.

Losing fat is empowering.

Losing body fat is an incredibly powerful experience. You are actualising something that only you have the power to do and that only you will truly experience the personal reward for. Meeting your fat loss challenge, improving your health and looking better, can all be easily achieved by following the scientifically-proven weight loss program I run at MNW. You can do it!

If you would like support in reaching your ideal weight call or email now so I can help you achieve this goal today!

MELBOURNE NATUROPATHIC WELLNESS
Marisa Camilleri - Naturopath
Melbourne: Suite 15 / 12 Collins St 9663 5940
Newport: 102A North Rd 9004 3673

marisa@naturopathicwellness.com.au <mailto:marisa@naturopathicwellness.com.au>
www.naturopathicwellness.com.au <http://www.naturopathicwellness.com.au/>

ORGANIC EMPIRE, organic home delivery melbourne, local organic foods

Raw ORGANIC daikon Pickles

2011-03-14T21:12:00.003+11:00

Using radish, chop off the ends, peel off the skin.
Slice the daikon into rounds.
Place on a plate and salt with himalyan sea salt, heavily. Sit for at least half an hour.
Then mix with some grated ginger, grated carrot and dress with apple cider vinegar and extra virgin olive oil.
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ROASTED GOLD NUGGETS

2011-03-07T15:52:00.004+11:00

4 organic golden nugget pumpkins - cut open at top and seeds removed

Cut the tops off and remove seeds, lightly oil the inside using extra virgin olive oil, sprinkle with salt and bake at 190 for 20 mins until the flesh is tender.

In the meantime combine

150 g organic baby spinach

100g organic cherry tomatoes, chopped

1 organic avocado, diced

100 g organic feta

1 chopped organic lebanese cucumber.

When the pumpkin is cool, take off lid and place salad mix between them. Put lid back on and serve 1 per person.

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Pear and Ginger Juice

2011-02-28T15:47:00.006+11:00

In light of the fact that it it is the beginning of the pear season we have a delicious recipe to make a pear smoothie, you can make it with any pear, the thing with pears is that you will generally need to add more liquid (ie some fresh clean water) or in this case add carrot juice for some extra Vitamin A, otherwise the consistency is too thick.

Juice 2 carrots,

small knob of fresh ginger

2 ripe pears

You can add a little parsley too.

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Berry Smoothie

2011-02-21T14:22:00.002+11:00

1 organic ripe banana

1/4 cup frozen organic blueberries

1/4 cup frozen organic raspberries

1 organic orange

Peel and chop the orange, place orange, banana, and berries in a blender and blend. So yum, so easy, great way to start the day,

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Pumpkin Soup

2011-02-21T14:10:00.004+11:00

1kg peeled, deseeded organic jap pumpkin

3 organic carrots chopped

2 organic sebago potatoes, washed and chopped

Extra Virgin Cold pressed olive oil

1 organic large onion, peeled, topped and tailed and kept whole

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 litre (4 cups) vegetable or chicken stock

Place all ingredients in a pan and cook over a medium heat until vegetables are softened. Remove from heat and place in batches in blender, whole onion included and blend till smooth (Be careful as at this stage its super hot and can burn)

Serve garnished with parsley

Whats in Season

2011-02-14T16:56:00.005+11:00

Berries

figs

little grapes

melons

Passionfruit

Stonefruit

Pears

Beans

Capsicum

Celery

Cucumber

Lettuce

Onions

Peas

Corn

Tomato

Zucchini

Herbs

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Potato Omelette

2011-02-07T16:55:00.005+11:00

2 medium organic onions, peeled and diced
6 organic sebago/charlotte potatoes, peeled, diced and steamed
2 tbs extra virgin organic olive oil
4 organic eggs beaten
Salt and pepper to taste

Saute onions in a large frying pan until semi transparent. Add steamed potatoes and cook till lightly browned. In the meantime beat eggs and add. Cover. and cook till one side is lightly browned, turn over and cook the other side.

Season and serve with a salad

BEETROOT, BEAN AND FETA SALAD

2011-01-31T12:06:00.004+11:00

400G ORGANIC beans

400g beetroot

1 organic red onion

300g organic (or best quality ) Feta

80ml extra virgin organic olive oil

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Blanch beans in boiling water for 2 mins. Steam chopped beetroot till tender (around 20 mins). Transfer to a bowl. Add 1 halved and sliced medium red onion and crumbled feta.

In a small bowl, combine 80ml olive oil and 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. Pour over salad, mix, then serve.

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2011-01-24T16:37:00.001+11:00

Whats in Season

2011-01-24T16:27:00.004+11:00

Berries

Melons

apricots

nectarines

Plums

Peaches

Passionfruit

Beans

Capsicums

Celery

Cucumber

Lettuce

Peas

Corn

Tomato

Zucchini

Garlic

Herbs

ORGANIC EMPIRE, organic home delivery melbourne, local organic foods

Salt

2011-01-17T18:16:00.001+11:00

Salt is a necessary part of the diet, which is essential for the maintenance of correct volume of circulating blood and tissue in the body. Currently though the majority of people over consume salt, which causes many health problems, including high blood pressure... so how do you make sure you are getting enough salt and not too much , the aim is to make sure that you take in no more than 4g a day ( if you are engaging in vigorous exercise this amount increases). This is approximately 1.5 teaspoons of salt, but humans can survive on 1g of salt a day.
The majority of salt that is consumed in Australia is via processed foods, where it is used to enhance flavour and preserve foods. So what can we do, use Himalayan Sea Salt ($8.99) with over 87 trace minerals, stay away from processed foods, eat lots of fresh foods high in potassium and drink lots of water to help flush your body!

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Summer Organic Fruit Skewers

2011-01-17T16:29:00.002+11:00

2 organic bananas

2 sustainably grown peaches

1/4 organic rock melon, peeled, deseeded

8 organic strawberries

1 tbs organic honey

35g (1/2 cup) shredded coconut

Thick organic fruit yoghurt and extra honey, to serve

Chop all the fruits into large chunk, thread onto a skewer, and drizzle with honey. Roll in coconut; serve with yoghurt and extra honey.

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2010-12-20T12:16:00.004+11:00

f rom all our us to you, from the farmers, to the staff at the Organic Empire, we are so grateful for your support throughout 2010 and look forward to a bigger and better 2011.

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SUSTAINABLE TABLE

2010-12-16T13:31:00.011+11:00

Hello everyone, I would love to introduce a fantastic non for profit group called Yaubula. Yaubula is a group of amazing individuals that are commited to sustainable and healthy future of the earth and its inhabitants. They channel the funds to support sustainable development projects globally. They have combined with some amazing individuals from around Victoria, notable chefs, farmers, producers, winemakers, gardeners and everyday people who are tackling environmental issues through to create The Sustainable Table. This is a fabulous addition to any kitchen, packed with inspiration, great recipes, advice and ways to be a conscious foodie including seasonal charts, foods to avoid and so much more. It even has a entry from our own Angela Gioffre, from the Organic Empire. Check out the promo here.

The Sustainable Table from Hayley Giachin on Vimeo.

This the best CHRISTMAS PRESENT EVER, its the gift that keeps on giving. Want a buy a copy for delivery before christmas. Email us tastesbetter@organicempire.com.au and the book is yours for only $39.95, wrapped in brown paper with a gift tag....so easy to be healthy and green. 100% of all profits goes back into supporting YAUBULA.

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Holy Guacamole

2010-12-13T18:30:00.003+11:00

2 organic avocado

2 organic ripe tomato, finely chopped

3 organic spring onions, chopped finely

Juice of ½ organic lemon

Mix spring onions, tomatoes and lemon juice, season with salt to taste, place in the fridge to allow favours to marry. Just before serving add the avocado by placing in the bow and mashing with above ingredients.

Raw cookies for santa

2010-12-06T13:42:00.003+11:00

3 cups of raw cashews
1 vanilla bean
¼ cup coconut oil
¼ cup agave
This recipe handed down from Mother Claus to make sure that Santa is getting the goodness he needs this christmas without the refined products...

Dairy Free Choc Chips
½ cup raw cacao powder
¼ cup coconut oil
¼ cup agave

Blend cookie mixture in food processor until fine. Add cashews first and then remove ¼ of cup of the powder to use later.

To make choc chips. Add all items into a food processor, blend until smooth and spread out onto a baking tray and place in the freezer until hard. Then cut or break into small pieces.

Mix the Choc Chips into the Cookie mixture and roll into small balls and flatten with a fork. Then press the cookie into the cashew powder to finish and keep either in the fridge or freezer.

Rainbow Radish Salad

2010-12-06T07:50:00.004+11:00

This delightful recipe comes from farmer Wayne down in Baxter. Its an amazing dish in flavour and especially delightful to the eye in this festive season.

1 bunch organic rainbow radish

3tbs organic extra virgin olive oil

1/2 bunch parsley chopped finely

Salt to taste

Thinly slice the radish, so that you have a consistent paper thin radish slices, garnish with parsley, season with salt and drizzle with oil. Yes its that easy

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Organic Protein nut bars

2010-11-29T18:30:00.003+11:00

1 cup organic raw nuts of choice

1 TBS organic minced fresh ginger

2 TBS organic sesame seeds

1 cup organic raisins

2 TBS organic raw honey

Directions:
Grind all ingredients, except for the honey, in a food processor until fairly fine but still having some texture (you don't want it to have the consistency of peanut butter).Add honey and process just long enough for it to blend in.Press into a square about 3/4-inch thick on a plate or square pan and refrigerate for about an hour or more.Cut into 2-inch squares.Makes 12 bars

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Whats in Season-November

2010-11-29T18:12:00.002+11:00

Strawberries
Cherries
Bananas
Watermelon
Starfruit
Paw paw
Artichoke
Asparagus
Avocado
Beans
Cucumber
Lettuce
Spring Onions
Snow peas
Spinach
Sweet corn
Tomato
Watercress
Zucchini
Zucchini Flowers

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Zucchini Omelette

2010-11-22T13:14:00.006+11:00

1 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium organic zucchini, cut into 1cm-thick slices
3 organic eggs, lightly beaten
3 tablespoon finely chopped organic parsley leaves, plus extra to serve
100g feta crumbled organic if possible

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 160°C or 140°C fan.. Roast for 15 minutes, until tender. Set aside.
2. Heat remaining oil in a 22cm frying pan on medium. Cook zucchini slices for 5 minutes, until tender. Pour in egg combined with feta and parsley and continue to cook for 5 minutes. Pull in cooked edges occasionally with a fork, so uncooked egg runs to the sides. When base is golden and top almost set, scatter with parsley. Place under a preheated hot grill for 2-3 minutes, until top is set and golden.
3. Slide frittata onto a serving plate and cut into wedges. Serve sprinkled with extra parsley.
serve with an icerberg salad made with lebanese cucumbers and dress with extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar and a sprinkle of salt

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Strawberry Ice

2010-11-15T18:23:00.002+11:00

This is so easy to make and tastes so good.

500g organic Strawberries

2 tbsp organic agave syrup

500ml organic rice milk

Blend the strawberries, till smooth. Add in the rice milk and agave and blend till combined. If you have an ice cream maker put it in there for 20-30 minutes, or put in a shallow container in the freezer and whisk it every 30 minutes with a fork till mix has frozen.

Serve with some mint leaves for a delicious treat.

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Spinach Dip

2010-11-08T13:42:00.005+11:00

1 organic avocado

Juice of 1/2 organic lemon

1 can organic chickpeas drained and rinsed

200g fresh organic spinach

1/4 cup chopped organic parsley

Process avocado, lemon juice and chickpeas in a blender till it forms a smooth paste. Then add the spinach and parsley process again, add pinch of salt and serve with a drizzle of olive oil.

Transfer to a bowl and serve.

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Vegetarian San Choy Bau

2010-11-01T14:22:00.006+11:00

12 dried Chinese mushrooms (shiitake)
1 organic coral lettuce
200g fresh oyster (abalone) shimeji or shiitake mushrooms
100g tinned water chestnuts
250g firm organic tofu,
diced 1 knob organic ginger,trimmed
2 tbsp organic sesame oil
100g bean sprouts, rinsed
3 tbsp organic braggs soy sauce
1tbsp hoi sin sauce
4 organic spring onions, finely chopped
2tsp cornflour, mixed with 1tbsp Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
2tbsp organic coriander sprigs

Fill a bowl with hot water and add mushrooms, soak them for around 30 mins, after this reserve water and dice the mushrooms, disposing of the stalks.

Rinse lettuce and then pat try and chill in the fridge.

Drain and finely chop the water chestnuts. Chop the ginger into matchsticks.

Tofu, chop into small squares around 1cm, boil for 1 min then drain.

Heat the oil in a wok until hot. Add ginger, dried and fresh mushrooms, water chestnuts and beansprouts and toss well. Add soy sauce, hoi sin and 150ml of strained mushroom water, and toss well. Add tofu and spring onions, tossing well. Add the cornflour mixture and toss over high heat until the sauce thickens. Serve in a bowl next to the leaves and scatter with coriander.

If you want to add meat, add some free range organic diced chicken

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Organic Strawberries

2010-10-25T12:17:00.007+11:00

Strawberry season is just beginning in Melbourne, I am so grateful, the selection of organic fruits was becoming a little limited. The strawberries that we have coming in from Melbourne are great, they are just a segue for the local silvan strawberries, which should be available within the next month or so. In celebration of the strawberry why not whiz it up to make a delicious fruit smoothie. This is the way we have taken to starting our day.

In a blender, blend the following:

1/2 organic red papaya-paw paw

6 organic strawberries

1 organic orange

1 organic banana

Blend until smooth, its soo yum. SO good for breakfast, afternoon tea or freeze them and make healthy icy poles for the kids

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Organic Charlotte Potatoes

2010-10-18T15:14:00.004+11:00

Organic Charlotte potatoes are a great all rounder, especially great for potato salads, roasting and they make the ultimate mashed potato. Try this delicious recipe out....

1 tsp organic olive oil

50g butter
2 organic garlic cloves, crushed
1.5 kg organic Charlotte potatoes , cut in half if large
1l hot organic vegetable stock

2 sprigs thyme, leaves only

Heat oven to 200C Heat the oil and butter in a large roasting tin. Add the garlic and cook over a medium heat for 2 mins. Tip in the potatoes and toss to coat in the garlic butter and oil.
Pour the stock over the potatoes and season with pepper and a little salt. Bring to the boil then transfer to the oven. Cook for 40-45 mins or until tender.
Transfer to the stove-top and toss over a medium heat until most of the liquid has been absorbed and turned to a shiny glaze - about 15 mins. Tip potatoes into a warm serving dish and scatter over the thyme and serve.

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Organic Eggs

2010-10-18T14:48:00.003+11:00

Organic Eggs are the most human choice when buying eggs they are:

raised naturally
no hormones
allowed to run free
feed organic grains and are free to forage on grass
are fed vegetarian diets
no antibiotics
no de-beaking, this means that they get to keep their beak.
make you feel good
are a great soure of protein
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Brown Rice Salad

2010-10-11T13:15:00.003+11:00

¼ cup (50g) canned organic cannelini beans/lentils/red kidney beans

¼ cup (50g) organic brown long-grain rice

½ small organic red onion (50g), chopped finely

¼ cup finely chopped organic fresh flat-leaf parsley

¼ cup finely chopped organic fresh mint

1 medium organic tomato (150g), chopped finely

1 tablespoon toasted slivered almonds

2 tablespoons organic fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons organic olive oil
METHOD
Place beans in small bowl, cover with water; stand overnight, drain. Rinse under cold water; drain. Cook beans in small saucepan of boiling water, uncovered, until just tender; drain. Rinse under cold water; drain. Meanwhile, cook rice in small saucepan of boiling water, uncovered until rice is tender. Rinse under cold water; drain.Place beans and rice in medium bowl with remaining ingredients; toss gently to combine.

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Whats in season-October

2010-10-04T15:26:00.006+11:00

Strawberries
Cumquats
Grapefruit
Lemons
Paw paw
Bok choy
Asparagus
Avocado
Broccoli
Cucumber

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Whats in season-October

2010-10-04T15:26:00.001+11:00

Asparagus

2010-10-04T14:53:00.005+11:00

Asparagus is a member of the lily family, that is super high in folate, a great source of potassium and low in sodium. The amino acid asparagine, gives asparagus a diruetic effect, and contrary to popular belief this is not the compound that can make urine odourous, the odour actually comes from the sulfur compounds.

Asparagus contains a unique kind of carbohydrate called inulin that we can't digest, but the health-promoting friendly bacteria in our large intestine, such as Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli, do. When our diet contains good amounts of inulin, the growth and activity of these friendly bacteria increase. And when populations of health-promoting bacteria are large, it is much more difficult for unfriendly bacteria to populate our intestinal tract.

Easy ways with asparagus

Eat it RAW
Grill asparagus, top with grated parmesan
Drizzle with olive oil and celtic sea salt
Sprinkle with balsamic and extra virgin olive oil
Sprinkle with fresh herbs
Steamed asparagus served with light lemon vinaigrette makes a delightfully refreshing salad.
Toss freshly cooked pasta with asparagus, olive oil and your favorite pasta spices. We especially enjoy thyme, tarragon and rosemary.
Chopped asparagus make a flavorful and colorful addition to omelets.

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Cucumber Salad

2010-09-27T14:31:00.005+10:00

2 organic Green cucumbers
Macrobiotic sea salt
Organic Apple Cider Vinegar

Peel and slice thinly 2 organic green cucumbers, place in a bowl sprinkle with some macrobiotic sea salt, dress with 4 tbsp of vinegar, sit in fridge for an 1.5 hours. Serve with everything.

Note can add thinly sliced onion if you like too!

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Salute to SPRING

2010-09-26T18:47:00.004+10:00

That’s what young kids may do if they’re suffering from seasonal hayfever – the ‘allergic salute’ – rubbing the nose upward with an open palm or extended index finger, which over time can result in a horizontal crease over the bridge of the nose. Bet you wanted to know that in full detail! Well maybe you will be grateful for the gory details if this is a behaviour you recognize in your own child/ren, especially if their allergies have not been diagnosed as such.
Many cases of hayfever in children are mistaken for the common cold, with symptoms being similar: nasal congestion, clear runny nose, itching of the nose and eyes and sneezing. Nasal itching may lead to some bizarre facial expressions as the child tries to relieve it and to one thing all parents love – nose picking. More serious symptoms can include headaches, wheezing and coughing, and nasal congestion is usually worse at night, interfering with sleep, and I’m sure we all well know that disturbed sleep often leads to a disturbed human being the next day – an irritable child then equals an irritable parent!
School-aged children with hayfever often have trouble concentrating in class due to tiredness and irritability, caused either by the hayfever symptoms themselves or as a side effect of anti-histamines, leading to compromised learning and cognitive function. Interestingly, there has been recent investigation in a possible correlation between hayfever and ADHD, as there are similarities in classroom symptoms.
Hayfever is in the same family as eczema and allergic asthma, and indicates an imbalance of the immune system. Most people are unaware that 70% of the immune system is in the gut, so digestive health is vital in the prevention and treatment of hayfever and other allergies – ensuring proper digestion and adequate bowel movements (sorry, but it needed to be said!) by getting plenty of raw fruits and veggies, water and exercise is important. Probiotics and digestive/anti-allergy herbs may also be need.
Another factor that has been found important in the immune system maturing properly is what’s called the ‘Old Friends’ hypothesis – that is, exposure to friendly micro-organisms in soil and worms – so get those mud pies cooking and don’t use antibacterial everything, which kills off all those lovely good bugs.
Diet can also create a state of immune imbalance and increased mucus production, predisposing to hayfever, and these dietary components do not necessarily give a positive reading in skin prick tests for allergies. Most typically, they are dairy products, white flour products, sugar, salt and yeast.

Brought to you by Janelle Moors, Naturopath/Remedial Massage Therapist
27 Yeaman Rd, Montrose, 3765 Ph: 0432 893 810 E: janelle.moors@internode.net.au

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Organic Date balls

2010-09-12T22:30:00.005+10:00

1 cup raw almonds

1 cup dates

1/2 cup coconut flakes

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (plus extra for the coating)

In a food processor, first blend the almonds to a fine meal, then add the dates a few at a time. Next add the coconut flakes and vanilla extract and pulse a few times. Place the mixture in a small bowl and mix using hands. Form into 10cm balls and roll into the extra coconut flakes. Place onto a baking sheet lined container and refrigerate! DELICIOUS!

ORGANIC EMPIRE, organic home delivery melbourne, local organic foods

Make a spring change

2010-09-06T13:52:00.005+10:00

Spring is the best time to embark on a new journey, making for a lighter journey, healthier, cleaner, happier life. Reducing the toxic burden on your body can improve digestion, increase energy, clear up sinus problems, and make you feel better! So throw the windows open on your body, it doesn't have to be drastic, small incremental changes are the way to go…

BREATHE NEW LIFE INTO YOUR BODY

Throw out the sugars and fried foods, refined, processed, packaged, these foods rob your body of vitamins and minerals and give back very little in terms of health, energy and vitality.

If your mind doesn't know what it is you can be pretty certain that your body doesn't know what to do with it.. learn to read labels.

Drink WATER, this is the most important nutrient that we can intake, so get to it, drink regularly.

Increase your vegetable intake; try a new vegetable every week. Mix it up add vegetable to every dish that you eat.

Get active, go outside smell the crisp outdoor air, and improve your circulation, your head space and your ability to deal with problems.

Simple changes result in significant results, more energy and vitality, and a feeling of contentment.

ORGANIC EMPIRE, organic home delivery melbourne, local organic foods

Chinese green Salad

2010-08-30T16:59:00.003+10:00

4 teaspoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon organic soy sauce
1 teaspoon organic toasted sesame oil
3/4 teaspoon raw organic sugar
5 cups sliced, raw organic bok choy
2 tablespoons chopped organic cashews

Whisk together 4 teaspoons rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil, and 3/4 teaspoon sugar in a bowl. Toss in 5 cups sliced, raw bok choy (any type; about 1 1/2 pounds). Top with 2 tablespoons chopped cashews

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Raw Cauliflower salad recipe

2010-08-23T14:06:00.004+10:00

1 head small cauliflower, cut into small pieces
1 large head broccoli, chopped into small pieces
1 punnet cherry tomatoes
185 pitted black olives
220g feta cheese, crumbled
Italian salad dressing, to taste

In a large bowl, combine the cauliflower, broccoli, cherry tomatoes, olives and feta. Add enough dressing to coat, toss and refrigerate overnight. It really is that easy and looks beautiful.

WARM CAULIFLOWER SALAD

2010-08-23T14:03:00.004+10:00

600g organic cauliflower, trimmed, cut into florets
1 tablespoon organic olive oil
2 teaspoons organic ground cumin
1 teaspoon organic ground turmeric
1 teaspoon organic fennel seeds
1/2 teaspoon organic ground cinnamon
1/2 cup organic toasted pine nuts
1/2 cup organic raisins
50g organic baby spinach
organic lemon wedges, to serve

Steam cauliflower for about 10 minutes or until just tender. Drain. Set aside.
In a large pan over medium heat, add spices, cook for a min, then add the cauliflower over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until golden. Remove from heat. Stir in pine nuts, raisins and spinach. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with lemon wedges.

ORGANIC EMPIRE, organic home delivery melbourne, local organic foods