Small Wonders

The tiny things offered up by nature are among the most delightful to me. There is something about their smallness that draws me to them; that makes me want to sit and examine closely their often intricate and delicate perfection. 

A tiny, pale beach flower.

A tiny forest fungi.

One tiny native bee visiting a blossom.

Are you drawn to small wonders too?

Meg

Autumn's Turn

I have been waiting for the subtle signs of Autumn. Waiting impatiently! And then, this morning, I noticed this leaf, among others, on the deciduous trees that border our fenceline. Its margin now defined by a rusty brown and its summery bright green changing to yellow, this leaf is a sure signal that Autumn has come. At last!

A beautiful Autumnal leaf.

I am so ready for Autumn for it is my favourite season of the year.  I love its clear blue skies, crisp mornings, cooler temperatures, changing leaves and warming foods. And, I love that it's time to fill my main veggie bed with the seedlings I've been hesitant to plant before now. For, while the calendar signalled Autumn's arrival a couple of weeks ago, daytime temperatures here (above 30degrees C) suggested Summer was lingering on.

Some seedlings for Autumn planting.

My main veggie bed has been ready for a few weeks. I enriched the soil with compost, worm castings and cow manure before covering it all with a blanket of newspaper and lucerne mulch. I've watered it regularly so it has retained its moisture. Under its top layer, it is rich and moist and waiting for seedlings to nourish. 

Waiting for seedlings!

Later today, in the fading light of an Autumnal afternoon, I will make little "pockets" in the mulch, break the newspaper layer, and carefully plant each seedling with a handful of compost for good measure. I'll water them in with seaweed solution and wait for them to grow. 

More seedlings for our garden.

That wait will be well worth it. There is nothing more fresh and tasty than homegrown veggies from your own backyard.  I am looking forward to our Autumn harvests very much indeed. It seems too that there will be some sweet and juicy fruit ready soon too. Just as those beautiful leaves are changing their colours, so too are the mandarins which are gradually ripening to what will be a vibrant orange.

Ripening mandarins on our tree.

Yes, I love Autumn. There is so much to look forward to! I hope you have much to look forward to from your Autumn days too.

Meg

Chocolate and Sweet Potato Cake

I love sweet potatoes roasted, in salads or mashed as a topping on a shepherd's pie. My boy likes to eat them in chocolate cake. So, when we dug up a few sweet potatoes from the garden last week, it was cake we decided to make!

Love this cake!

The sweet potato in this chocolate cake adds sweetness and keeps the cake soft and moist. There's no need to ice this cake (though you could if you wanted to) but it is lovely served with freshly whipped cream, vanilla ice-cream or thick yoghurt. 

The recipe I use is based on Hazel Key's recipe for Clever Chocolate Cake in her book, The Clever Packed Lunch. 

This is how I make it at our place:

Chocolate and Sweet Potato Cake

180g mashed and cooled sweet potato

juice of two oranges

1 cup of medjool dates, pitted and chopped

100g melted butter

1 1/2 cups wholemeal spelt flour

1/2 cup dutch processed cocoa powder 

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 cup coconut sugar 

1 cup milk 

Peel, steam and mash sweet potato. Cool.

Melt butter. Add orange juice and dates.

Simmer until dates are soft. 

Whisk flour, baking powder, cocoa. 

Mix in the sugar.

 Blend sweet potato, date mixture and milk until smooth.

Pour blended mixture into dry ingredients.

Mix gently until just combined. 

Pour mixture into lined cake tin. 

Bake in a moderate oven for approximately 45minutes.

*Check if it's cooked by inserting a skewer and checking that it comes out clean.*

Cool on a wire rack.

I've found this cake is ideal for freezing. Once it has cooled completely, slice and place a single layer on a lined baking tray, cover with plastic wrap and freeze. When frozen, transfer slices to a labelled plastic clip-lock bag or air-tight container. Return to the freezer and defrost as needed for special guests or hungry children!

I hope you'll have time to bake yourself a cake this weekend!

Meg