Bek's Sweet and Healthy Strawberry tart

I love strawberries. Always have, they are a burst of colour and healthy deliciousness. I have even worked as a strawberry planter and picker when I was young. They are also one of my absolute favourite plants to grow and fruit to cook with.
Wherever we live we always have hanging baskets and pots of strawberries growing, just as my mum did when I was a child. I am so delighted that picking fresh delicious, organic strawberries are as much a part of my two daughters childhoods as it was mine. I can still clearly remember my school friends always marveling at the growing jewels and especially at her alpine strawberries.

Recently I took part in a very exciting opportunity for me, a 6 part fresh local food column in a fantastic local magazine, WHY Fitness. WHY Bfresh with Rebecca Mugridge.

This delightful deliciousness was one of the recipes I created for them using local gourmet deli and store Bfresh's beautiful local strawberries.

Bek’s Sweet and Healthy Strawberry Tart

Ingredients

Pastry

·         2 cupsNutworks macadamia meal (this is a great local producer I like to support, you could also use almond meal)

·         2 cups rice flour

·         ½ cup coconut oil

·         1 free range egg

·         1 teaspoon pure vanilla paste

·         1 teaspoon pink Himalayan salt

·         ½ cup Rapadura sugar (see notes)

Filling

·         ½ cup coconut oil

·         ½ cup Rapadura sugar

·         5 free range eggs

·         Finely grated rind of 1 orange

·         Juice of 2 oranges

·         1 tablespoon tapioca flour whisked in an equal amount of water

Topping

·         1 punnet fresh strawberries

·         1 packet Tortengus ( natural fruit glaze available from supermarkets)

·         250 mls fresh orange juice

·         Extra rapidura sugar

Method

·         Pre heat oven to 180’c

·         Grease 1 large or 6 small spring form tins.

·         In a large bowl combine the macadamia meal and rice flour for the base.

·         Add the vanilla paste and rub into the flour mixture the hard coconut oil until the mixture resembles bread crumbs.

·         Mix in the rapadura sugar and the egg, gently mix it all together until it resembles a smooth dough. If needed you can add a little extra water.

·         Press pastry evenly into the prepared tins.

·         Bake blind for 10 minutes by covering with a layer of baking paper and spreading with a layer of rice or baking beans.

·         Then remove baking paper and rice and cook for few extra minutes until lightly golden brown.

·         Remove from oven.

·         Filling. Melt the coconut oil in a saucepan. Add in the finely grated orange rind, stir through and remove from heat.

·         Sift the sugar into coconut oil mixture, add in the eggs and whisk it all together.

·         Add in the tapioca flour and the orange juice, whisk.

·         Bring it to the boil and then remove from heat and pour into a shallow dish and refrigerate for around 10 minutes or until cool.

·         Pour the cooled egg mixture on top of the pastry bases; sprinkle each evenly with the extra rapadura sugar.

·         Cover all pastry edges with alfoil and put the tarts under a medium hot grill to caramelise, and they will visually firm up.

·         Remove from heat and allow to completely cool.

·         Combine 1 packet of the fruit glaze with 250 mls fresh orange juice in a medium saucepan.

·         Bring to the boil, stirring and then remove from heat.

·         Cut up the fresh strawberries and arrange them on top of the tart.

·         Cover with the fruit glaze.

·         Allow to set.

·         Serve.

Notes

·         Rapadura sugar is a much healthier, whole foods alternative to refined sugars. It isn’t processed under hot temperatures or spun so it retains its many mineral and vitamin qualities.

·         Macadamias are not just an exciting Australian native they are also full of health benefits and loaded with important nutrients including healthy proteins, minerals, vitamins, monounsaturated fats, dietary fibre and phytochemicals. They also have no trans fatty acids. Here on the Sunshine Coast we have locally processed macadamias and macadamia meal (much like almond meal) as used in this recipe here from Nutworks in Yandina.

·         Coconut oil is a great healthy alternative to butter with many health benefits.

·         The fruit glaze used here is a natural product made from seaweed.

·       Fab Slabs schopping boards  (pictured with the tarts) are a local Sunshine Coast ethical company making beautiful chopping boards from Camphor Laurel trees which are a pest species in this area.

Strawberries

Strawberries, as a garden plant, were said to be being taken from the forests to the gardens in France in the 1300’s and are even mentioned in ancient Roman literature. They have vast become a beloved fruit. 

At BFresh on the Sunshine Coast and when in season people can find a locally produced variety of strawberry that has been grown here for over 20 years, right here due to a special relationship between the grower and BFresh. These strawberries are all about taste, you know the ones, bright red and they taste and smell amazing, they are not ones that are bred to travel and store well, rather they are the kind you remember from your childhood.

Strawberries don’t just taste wonderful; they are a great source of vitamin C, flavanoids and anti oxidants. And as a snack they are guilt free with 1 cup of fresh strawberries being generally less than 50 calories!

Strawberries are also easy to grow and are beautiful looking plants; they make a gorgeous hanging basket.
They can be grown from seed or runners, I prefer to grow mine from runners, their natural way to reproduce. Give them plenty of sunshine, really good drainage ( they do not like soggy feet), if growing in pots, do not scrimp and buy only really good quality potting mix, in the ground a slightly acidic soil with composted material is best and a good thick layer of mulch makes strawberries happy. Companion plant with marigolds, borage, basil, spinach, silverbeet. Remove dead leaves, water in the morning if you can and keep a big watch out for aphids, easily removed with soapy water.

Recipe and photography © RebeccaMugridge2013

Detox your home or business with Plants

Plants make us happy and make our environments indoor and outdoor healthier and less toxic.

Landscaping and use of plants, including indoors in homes, in bistro settings, courtyards, foyers, restaurants and entrances has become very in-trend and for good reason. Not only does it add to the ambiance, create freshness and give a sense of style and is actually proven to improve air quality too.

The research by NASA dating back from the 1970's shows that in as little as 24 hours as much as 87% of indoor pollutants are removed. Air pollutants that can come off paint, furniture, upholstery, carpet, building materials, air conditioning, paper and cardboard products, packaging, plastics even electronics.
The recommended ratio by NASA is 15 good sized specimen in around a 6 inch pot per 170 Sq m.
It is a combination of the plant leaves, roots and also soil bacteria that play a crucial role in removing toxins.

Image Source

Research by the US EPA and its Science Advisory Board have consistently ranked indoor air pollution among the top five environmental risks to public health.

What air is effected ?
Quoted definition from the Australian Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities.
“The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) defines indoor air as air within a building occupied for at least one hour by people of varying states of health. This can include the office, classroom, transport facility, shopping centre, hospital and home. Indoor air quality can be defined as the totality of attributes of indoor air that affect a person's health and well being.”

The air inside our homes and office’s can contain a cocktail of toxins, many we wouldn’t be aware of and can come from commonly found sources in our homes, work places even in our children’s classrooms and bedrooms.
With recent figures estimating average Australians spending as much as 90% of their time indoors the quality of the air in our indoor spaces because something we need to look at carefully.

While good ventilation plays a big part in reducing effects studies show that certain indoor plants are extremely effective at removing indoor air pollution.

Research first done by NASA and in particular Dr Bill Wolverton, Senior Research Scientist at NASA’s John C Stennis space station proved that certain indoor plants are extremely effective at reducing and even completely removing certain very harmful toxins from air in confined spaces. While this research was originally intended for space it became apparent that it was applicable to our homes and office building 

environments. 

Image Source

5 dangerous toxins commonly found that are able to be treated by indoor plants

Formaldehyde
Carpet, cleaning products, fire retardants, furniture, paper products, ply wood, particle board, pressed wood, some grocery shopping bags, waxed paper, foam insulation and natural gas.
Benzene
Detergents, inks and dyes, plastics, Petroleum products, rubber,  synthetic fibres, pharmaceuticals, paints, oils and  tobacco smoke.
Trichloroethylene
Adhesives, dry cleaning, inks, dyes, lacquers, paints, varnishes and metal degreasing
Xylene
Rubber, printing, leather, paints and varnishes
Tolyene
Silicone sealants, leather, paint thinners, disinfectants, adhesives, printing, lacquers and disinfectants.

Pollutants also dealt with by plants either by degradation or elimination include metals, pesticides, explosives and even crude oil

There are so many different ways to add some plant design features to a business and a lot will depend on how much light the area has, what look you are interested in, whether plants can be rotated and how much maintenance you are willing to take on.

Structurally, architectural looking plants can make dramatic entrances and features.
Things like large matching pots with plants that make a bold colour statement at an entrance or in a row, massed plantings of different grasses and foliage contrast plants in an area and the use of large visually beautiful pots planted with dramatic plants as features.
Think plants with lines like dracenas, grasses, grass trees, pineapples, aloe’s, grasses, yukka’s, succulents.

A very stylish feature is currently the vertical gardens, a wall of succulents, herbs or flowering plants. Very space effective and gives an absolute wow factor. There are many designs available for this kind of garden including pallet gardens.

Image Credit

The use of water holding planting devices like the EzyGrow which not only holds its water but reuses and makes it available to the plants are perfect for small courtyards, units, outdoor eating settings.

Image Source

A tropical themed dense planting around entrances, stairways always looks fantastic and tropical looking plantings with a water feature can completely transform an area and invite people to feel relaxed.

Image Source

Topiaries of suitable citrus trees are always a classic, though they must have full sun, perfect if you have an open courtyard, outdoor eating area or for an entranceway. Pots and planters of herbs and annual flowers make a beautiful addition to outdoor eating areas if it is exposed to sunlight. As do the fantastic colour flare of bougainvilleas, that can also be shaped. 

Use plants to add colour.

So many plants have fantastic colour, in their flowers and foliage.
Combine with coloured pots and use matching coloured or contrasting coloured plants, even follow a colour theme you already have in your business or home to give a stylish look.
Mass planting of the same or similar plants always gives a great effect; consider a row or a grouping.

Indoors dark green, leafy plants make their dazzling appearance and give a lush feel.
Large indoor plants can also be used to subtlety divide areas and provide screening and private alcoves or to disguise less attractive areas.

And to create a hidden oasis feel, adding huge impact to atmosphere.

Peace Lily Image Credit

A touch of lush green has been said to have soothing, calming effects on an atmosphere making indoor plants a great investment for businesses, waiting rooms, homes and working environments. Including office areas.

Ficus Image Source

Some great indoor choices would be: Peace Lily - Spathiphyllum ( hardy and very beautiful)
Bamboo Palm - Chamaedorea Seifrizii, Golden Pothos - Epipremnum Auereum (poisonous if eaten, but fantastic for trailing and in hanging baskets, very beautiful). Elephants Ear-Philodendron Domesiticum. English Ivy - Hedera Helix (Trailing and good for hanging baskets).
Spider Plant - Cholorphytum Comosum (Hardy can also be grown in hanging baskets). Aglaonema
Dracena Marginata (can be toxic to dogs and cats – very striking looking)
Boston Fern - Nephrolepsis Exaltata ( Great for a hanging baskets if limited in space-hardier than they look!)
Ficus Benjamina ( Very hardy and an attractive tree like plant)
Mother in Laws Tongue Plant - Sansevieria Trifasciata and popular cultivar Sansevieria Laurentii (Very hardy and architectural looking but can be toxic to dogs and cats)
Areca Palm-  Chrysalidocarpus Lutescens, Dwarf Date Palm - Phoenix Roebelenii, Phalenopsis Orchid Sp. Anthiriums.

Depending on the situation and light levels, it is a great idea to have indoor plants that can be rotated with others that are in a better lit position to keep healthy plants on display, as even indoor plants do need some light. This will also ensure that your plants are always fresh looking and healthy.

For the non green thumbs who want plants with minimum of care, cast iron plant, mother in laws tongue, Spider plants, Peace Lily’s, English Ivy, Ficus and certain Palm’s are beautiful and very hardy.

General growing tips and notes for plants in houses and business situations

• Ensure plenty of light wherever possible, keep near windows, under skylights, outdoors but also watch that they don’t burn too, keep adjusting is possible until you find great positioning for your plants or rotate.
•  Use good quality potting mix, always. This is one thing you should never scrimp on with plants in pots.
• Water regularly, don’t forget to water them but don’t drown them either. You can always feel the soil, a few cm down to see how dry or wet it is and a lot of plants will visually wilt when thirsty.
• Put them out in the rain if possible every so often, they will love it, (just don’t leave them out there when the sun comes out if they are indoor varieties.)
• Use pots with good drainage and saucers or pot feet. It is important for plant health to have good air circulation around their roots. There are planter systems available like EZY Grow that actually store the water in them as well so there is no mess on the ground, a great feature for eateries.
• Along with a slow release, fertilise with Seasol or similar on a regular basis to ensure they are healthy and happy. Just check the proximity to people eating and try and fertilise on a day when no-one will be there or ask your local nursery for plant feeding options that would suit your situation.
• Where you are very limited with natural light try having a couple of plants and rotate outside ones with the inside ones regularly so you are always putting a fresh plant in the spot, most plants will take 2-3 days indoors without light.
• When buying plants look for a nice healthy looking specimen that is pretty stable in its pot. Check it over for pests and diseases, a quick look should reveal any bugs, slugs, badly eaten leaves or fluffy white mealy bugs around the stem and under leaves.
• Ask the nursery person if it needs re-potting any time soon when you buy it, a pot bound plant will not be happy for long.
• Consider multi plantings. Plants do better when grouped together and it looks aesthetically beautiful too so even if you have limited space, try putting a few together.
  

Copyright RebeccaMugridge2013
Rebecca is a qualified Horticulturalist with over 15 years experience and a love affair with plants, gardening, nature and cooking.
To share this article please use the share features below or ask Rebecca for a quote - thank you.

A Horticulturalist That Cooks

There are chef's that garden - I am a horticulturalist that cooks

From as early on as I can remember I was in the garden with my mum, my dad, even my grandfather.

My mum tells me I used to say I was a 'plant doctor' and carry a basket on my arm filled with scissors, sticky tape and homemade healing spray (water with lemon juice apparently) and trot around the garden like a doctor on their rounds (whether the plant was sick or not!)
At 16 I enrolled in my first year of study in Horticulture and fell in love with this field of study immediately.
Well actually maybe not the whole field as I never warmed to Horticultural machinery subjects, spark plugs and lawnmowers are not my friends but to be able to study and learn about plants was pure joy to me.
I knew then what it meant when people would say, "Find what you love to do and work becomes pleasure."

I also grew up with my mum working as a professional cook and came from family of chefs and cooks and all these incredible women making amazing food all the time, so right from an early age I had a love and wonder around food and cooking.

I love that in my life now these two elements are a big part of me and of what I do and what I share with my own two girls. 

I believe that growing food is one of the most exciting things we can bring into our lives.

I often think that if you are going to be watering a garden you should have at least one thing edible or medicinal within it. People usually only grow veggies and herbs in backyard plot but these plants can be so striking and beautiful, they really can be grown on full display and landscaped with to make dazzling displays and patterns in even the showiest of gardens.

To me it is the whole journey that excites me so much about real food and back to basic's, the journey that starts with food growing and ends with a delicious meal.

Want some of my edible gardening tips?

Check out my gardening tips in the post by Natural New Age Mum on her fantastic blog,
Gardening with Kids

You can also read about my latest adventure - cooking at the Real Food Festival, in the feature on me in the Hinterland Times here:
HERE "Back to basic's - that's all it takes"

Happy cooking AND gardening

Bek XX

Edible Organic Gardening and Composting Talk - North Shore Community Centre

Edible Gardens & Composting Demo

November 24th 11am
North Shore Community Centre
Come and learn about getting started growing organic edibles at your home and why the soil is so important, with tips for turning your household scraps into usable, beautiful compost!