Kefir: The hardest working grains in the business

Kefir in a glass

What on earth is kefir? This was my initial reaction when my research first took me to the topic of fermented milk-based drinks. I had heard about yoghurt of course, and had a vague idea of what lassi was (combination yoghurt or buttermilk and water drink) but had no idea of kefir.

I needed to find out quickly for I had a deadline to write on this topic. So I put aside a weekend to research the topic. What I discovered about milk kefir over the two days both astonished and inspired me.

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Report Says Growing Interest In Microbiome-based Healthcare Applications —

There has been enthusiastic media attention in recent year towards the study of the human microbiome. It denotes the trillions of microbes which exist symbiotically in the human body. In areas of health care applications such as therapeutics, metagenomics, and metabolomic profiling and the in vitro diagnostics (IVD) are the major areas where human microbiome […]

via Report Says Growing Interest In Microbiome-based Healthcare Applications —

Margaret’s Easy Peasy Roasted Pumpkin Soup

Nothing beats the warmth and taste of a wonderful pumpkin soup. But the preparation can be fiddly, particularly time taken over the peeling of the pumpkin. Not a problem says guest author Margaret Paton — freelance writer, teacher and organic gardener, who gives us a few ideas on how to cook this wonderful recipe easily and quickly, with definitely no compromise on flavour, and with a few time-saving tips thrown in!

Jerusalem artichokes for chips like you’ve never tasted them before

Margaret’s JA chips

Ever thought of cooking with Jerusalem artichokes? Guest author Margaret Paton — freelance writer, teacher and organic gardener — discusses the taste sensation of chips made from this relative of the sunflower and how easy and healthy it is to cook yourself up a batch.

A tour of Margaret Paton’s permaculture inspired garden

An invitation to Margaret Paton’s garden in Blayney, in the Central West of NSW, is to witness what can be achieved with a bit of work, a touch of vision and a love of organic gardening. It is also a chance to wander through a cornucopia of produce and a perfect example of how even small yards can go a long way to providing the chemical-free veggies of a small family.

A freelance writer and teacher, Margaret took us on a tour of her front and back yard which was still producing fruit and veggies, even as the cold frosts of autumn began.

As we walked through the head high Jerusalem artichokes — in true permaculture tradition Margaret uses this in a number of ways — as a food, shelter and display crop, she gave some idea of which authors and thinkers first inspired her to get into permaculture and organic gardening.