the winter garden

We've had a bit of a long week. Sick owlets. Too sick to go out. Too sick to leave bed or the couch. We've approached it with patience and good humour for the most part, staying indoors and enjoying snuggling... But this time of year seems so bleak without friends around. So cold when the sun isn't out... But today we had a lovely little moment of sunshine. Owlets coming down with new sniffles, but needing some sunshine and time outside to play and listen and find nourishment in nature...





While exploring, we discovered there's plenty of nourishment in our own little garden. Even at this bleak time of year.





Lemons, broad beans, herbs... Kale for green smoothies. A veritable feast! Enough to give us a little healthy boost to end our week, with hopes of joining civilisation again next week.

Broad-bean dip

About 1kg broad beans
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 sprigs oregano
1 tspn ground cumin
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt
Black pepper
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Shell the broad beans.
Put the garlic and a teaspoon of salt into a mortar and pestle and work into a paste.
Remove the oregano leaves from the stalks, chop, place in a small bowl with cumin and set aside
Put the broad beans and a pinch of salt into a saucepan and just cover with cold water.
Bring to the boil and cook for about 10 mins until the beans are tender
Drain the beans, retaining the cooking water.
Put the beans, oregano and cumin, lemon juice, garlic and 1/3 of the cooking water into a food processor. Whizz until smooth. Scrape the sides with a spatula, then add olive oil while blades are running. Add salt and pepper to taste.

*From Stephanie Alexander's Kitchen Garden Cooking with Kids - Penguin (simplified a little by me)*