Selwyn Times: August 21, 2019

26 Wednesday August 21 2019
Latest Christchurch news at www.star.kiwi
Tasty Bites
SELWYN TIMES
Getting protein through a science-based diet
The role of protein in
people’s bodies, its
sources and the benefits of
consuming it across the day
can’t be underestimated.
These recipes provide a
science-based approach to
ensuring you get enough in
your diet
Orange kumara and
haloumi fritters
Serves 4
Ingredients
1.2kg orange kumara, peeled and
coarsely grated
320g haloumi, coarsely grated
2 tsp ground cumin
Light olive oil spray for cooking
2 cloves garlic, crushed
4 spring onions, white part thinly
sliced into rounds, green part
thinly sliced diagonally
120g baby spinach leaves
Avocado dressing:
80g medium-sized avocado
⅓ cup (80ml) white wine vinegar
or apple cider vinegar
½ tsp dijon mustard
Directions
To make the avocado dressing,
blend all the ingredients in a jug
with a hand-held blender until
GARDENING
smooth. Season with black pepper
and set aside.
Heat a large non-stick frying
pan over low-medium heat.
Combine the kumara, haloumi
and cumin in a bowl and season
with freshly ground black pepper.
Lightly spray the pan with
olive oil and drop in firmly
packed cup measures of the
kumara mixture, pressing down
to form 8cm circles. Depending
on the size of your pan, you will
probably need to do this in two
batches of four.
Cook for 5min each side
or until golden and cooked
through. Remove and cover to
keep warm. Lightly spray the pan
with a little more oil and increase
the heat to high.
Add the garlic, white part
of the spring onion, spinach
and 60ml water. Cook, tossing
constantly, for 2min or until the
spinach has just wilted. Remove
the pan from the heat and season
with black pepper.
Serve two kumara fritters per
person, layered with the spinach
mixture. Spoon over the dressing
and sprinkle with the green
spring onion.
Roast herb chicken and
vegetables
Serves 4 with leftovers
Ingredients
½ cup finely chopped flat-leaf
parsley
2 Tbsp finely chopped rosemary
1 Tbsp mixed dried herbs
6 cloves garlic, crushed
¼ cup (60ml) olive oil
¼ cup (60ml) red wine vinegar
1.8kg lean chicken tenderloins
1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
7 carrots, sliced into rounds
7 zucchini, thickly sliced into
rounds
750g button mushrooms
Light olive oil spray for cooking
1 cup (250ml) salt-reduced
chicken stock
Lemon wedges and flat-leaf parsley
leaves, to serve
Ingredients
Heat the oven to 200 deg C (or
180 deg C fan-forced).
Combine the parsley, rosemary,
dried herbs, garlic, olive
oil, vinegar and chicken in a
large bowl. Season generously
with freshly ground black pepper
and toss well to coat the chicken.
Divide the vegetables among
two large roasting tins and
lightly spray with olive oil. Toss
to combine, then top evenly with
the chicken mixture.
Pour half the stock over the
ingredients in each tin. Bake,
swapping the tins halfway
through and tossing the chicken
and vegetables, for 25-30min
or until the chicken is cooked
through and the vegetables are
soft.
Divide one-third of the chicken
and vegetables among four for
dinner, with lemon wedges and
parsley. Cool the leftovers, then
divide evenly between two large
airtight containers.
Store the leftovers in the fridge
for up to two days or in the
freezer for three months. Thaw
the frozen mixture in the fridge
overnight. Transfer the chilled
mixture to a baking dish and
reheat in a preheated 220 deg C
(200 deg C fan-forced) oven for
15-20min or until hot and crisp.
Magnificent magnolias need protection
LATE WINTER is the season
when the deciduous magnolias
are at their best.
August seems to force these
gorgeous flowers to open in a
rush.
The breathtaking sight of the
large, tulip-like blooms perching
on bare branches can send
passers-by rushing to the nursery
to buy something similar.
There are dozens of magnolia
varieties, and making a choice
can be a formidable task.
Most grow into small trees
but, if space is tight, look for
one of the shrub-sized star
magnolias.
Because magnolias come from
cool climates with rich, moistureholding
soil, keeping them
happy through hot New Zealand
summers can be a challenge.
It’s important to take the
opportunity to improve the
soil as much as possible before
planting.
Choose a spot that gets at least
half a day’s sun and is protected
from strong winds. Because
magnolias hate being dry, it
can also be helpful to add some
water-storing crystals into the
planting area.
Create a planting hole that’s
about twice the size of the pot
and approximately the same
depth. Take the plant out of the
pot with care (magnolias hate
root disturbance) and sit it into
the planting hole.
Backfill, then water well to
settle everything into place.
Lastly, spread a layer of organic
mulch. This will keep the soil
moist and stop competitive grass
from growing back over the root
area.
Needing Landscaping?
• Landscape Design
• Decks/Pergolas/Paving
• Irrigation Systems
• Plant Supply & Planting
• Ready/Hydro/Artificial Lawn
• Digger & Truck Hire
The Landscape Specialists
Prompt and professional service by experienced staff
Phone: 03 349 4363
Email: greenscapes@xtra.co.nz
www.greenscapes.co.nz