Wellington food blogger and gardener Elien Lewis has just released Homegrown Happiness - a guide to setting up a garden, composting, foraging and keeping things low-waste.
Elien is a big fan of the no-dig garden, which she says can be put in now in preparation for spring planting.
Not digging up your garden is good for the health of the soil, Lewis says.
"Soil life is teeming with micro-organisms and they create all these channels and frameworks right under our feet. So digging up the soil and turning it over can destroy these.
"In the no-dig process you really rely on these micro-organisms to break down the top of the soil for you and it creates compost you can plant into."
Elien shares two delicious vegetarian recipes below:
Sticky Ginger Cauliflower
This moreish dish is sticky, sweet and spicy. The cauliflower pieces are dipped in batter then baked in the oven until crispy. They are then smothered in a flavour-packed, sweet and sticky sauce, and baked again. I serve this dish with sautéed cauliflower greens, fried in a bit of sesame oil and garlic, and rice. It’s finger-licking good. This dish can be made gluten-free by using a gluten-free tamari or coconut aminos instead of soy sauce.
Lemon & Nasturtium Pappardelle
Photo: supplied
When summer is here, I’m in the garden a lot, so I like having quick, simple recipes up my sleeve to whip up when I come inside in the evening. This pasta dish has fresh lemon, garlic and wilted nasturtium leaves from the garden. Add to that a simple butter sauce made by using the pasta water and a generous helping of parmesan cheese and you have the perfect easy summer supper.
