Tomatoes
Broccoli
Carrots Table Grade
Cucumber – Telegraph
Celery Stick loose
Cabbage – Red
Apples – Braeburn
Apples – Royal Gala
Pears – Bosc
Garlic NZ
Kumara – Red
Spotlight on Kumera
All about the Kumara
| Rates as one of the most nutritious of all vegetables. A good source of antioxidants. Virtually fat-free. A good source of dietary fibre. A good source of Vitamin C. A source of Beta-carotene – a form of Vitamin A. A source of Vitamin E. Naturally gluten free. |
Heart friendly: Cholesterol free, virtually fat-free and VERY low in sodium (salt)
Keeps you vital: A good source of vitamins A, B6, C, E and other essential nutrients such as calcium for bone health, iron for healthy blood and potassium which regulates both overall body fluid levels and blood pressure. Eat kumara to give your system excellent nutritional support.
Keeps you clean: With more dietary fibre than Oatmeal, kumara is an excellent means to ensure your digestive tract remains naturally cleansed and healthy.
Actively fights health risks: The best defence is offence and kumara is loaded with anti-oxidants that take the fight to the free-radicals; known triggers of cell deformity including cancers.
Delivers sustained energy: Kumara, with 100 calories per 100g latent energy delivered as Starchy Carbohydrates, convert sugar, which could go into storage (fat), into energy. Its Low GI Rating means its slow-release energy – the best type and ideal for sustained activity.
The kumara has a long history of cultivation in New Zealand. Brought here by the early Maori settlers over one thousand years ago from Pacific Islands, they were widely grown especially in the semi-tropical regions of the North Island.
The Maori managed kumara growing with great horticultural skill, making use of the ideal growing climate and controlling kumara caterpillar with the use of tamed black-backed seagulls. Kumara caterpillar could devastate a crop almost overnight, hatching in their thousands. Pre-European Maori grew several different varieties of ‘bush’ kumara, but compared to the varieties we eat today they were very small in size, being no bigger than a finger.
The kumara we eat today has evolved from larger South American varieties that were brought out to New Zealand from the 1850’s on whaling ships from the Americas. The local Maori and early settlers saw the good characteristics of these varieties and quickly adopted them.
here you can see the different types of kumara – http://www.kumara.co.nz/types-of-kumara.html
Recipe of the week
Stuffed baby kumara
This crowd-pleaser dish is a great side as part of a big feast like Christmas lunch. Kids and adults will both love stuffed kumara, especially when they’re covered in melted cheese!
INGREDIENTS
- 800 g baby kumara scrubbed
- olive oil for cooking
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- dried mixed herbs or oregano 1 teaspoon
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ground cayenne pepper or chilli ¼-½ teaspoons (optional)
- 2 onions diced
- 4 garlic cloves finely chopped
- ½ cup parsley finely chopped
- 1½ cups tasty cheese finely grated
- Chopped chives coriander, parsley or basil , to garnish
To serve (optional)
- salsa
- guacamole
- sour cream
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat oven to 220°C. Halve kumara lengthways and score flesh in a criss-cross pattern. Place on a baking tray cut-side up, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake for 15 minutes or until flesh is tender (test with a knife tip).
- Mix smoked paprika, dried herbs and other spices together. Heat a good drizzle of oil in a large frying pan on medium heat. Cook onion with a good pinch of salt until soft. Add garlic, spice mixture and another drizzle of oil, and continue cooking for about 2 more minutes.
- When kumara is ready, remove from oven and switch to grill. Using a teaspoon, carefully scoop out most of the kumara flesh (being careful not to tear the skin) and place in a bowl.
- Add cooked onion mixture, parsley and 1 cup of cheese to kumara flesh. Gently toss to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Loosely fill kumara skins with the mixture. Sprinkle over remaining cheese and grill for 2-3 minutes until cheese is golden and bubbling.
- Serve scattered with chopped chives or other herb. If you like, you could also serve with little dollops of salsa, guacamole and sour cream (or chipotle sour cream).
NOTES
You can also serve these stuffed kumara for lunch or dinner as is with some guacamole, sour cream and salsa, perhaps on the side of some meat grilled with a Mexican rub. For recipes for tomato salsa and guacamole, check out these Make-Ahead Nachos.This recipe is from the Dec/Jan issue of NADIA magazine.This recipe works equally well with potatoes. You can make and stuff the kumara in advance and keep in the fridge. When ready to serve, top with grated cheese and warm in the oven for 10 minutes before switching to grill. It’s not necessary to add the guacamole, sour cream and salsa if they are already accompanying other dishes.
What’s happening in the garden
Lots of seedlings being grown and planted out. The garden beds are looking fantastic!
Events ahead:
- Saturday Market – The Old Packhouse Market Kerikeri (Every Saturday) from 8am ~ fresh orange juice, fresh vege juice blends, smoothies, smoothie ice blocks
- Sunday Market – The Old Packhouse Market Kerikeri (Every Sunday) from 8am ~ fresh orange juice, fresh vege juice blends, smoothies, smoothie ice block