The Kiwi Fruit

 

Kiwi :) Yang Tao

The kiwi fruit is a small fruit approximately 3 inches long and weighing about four ounces, tangy and sweet tasting fruit.Its green flesh is almost creamy in consistency with an invigorating taste reminiscent of strawberries, melons and bananas, yet with its own unique sweet flavor.

Native to China, kiwi fruits were originally known as Yang Tao. They were brought to New Zealand from China by missionaries in the early 20th century with the first commercial plantings occurring several decades later. In 1960, they were renamed Chinese Gooseberries.

Packed with more vitamin C than an equivalent amount of orange, the bright green flesh of the kiwifruit speckled with tiny black seeds adds a dramatic tropical flair to any fruit salad. California kiwifruit is available November through May, while the New Zealand crop hits the market June through October making fresh kiwis available year round.

Kiwi Juicing :)
3 Kiwifruits, peeled and cut in slices
Apples cored, peeled and sliced
Ice Cubes and 2  Kiwi Slices, for garnishing

Keep an empty container under juice extractor nozzle
and process apple and kiwifruit slices through juicer.
Add ice cubes in serving glasses and pour prepared juice over it.
Garnish with kiwi slices and serve
Enjoy :)

 

The Patio Gerbera

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gerbera  is a genus of ornamental plants from the sunflower family. Which was named in honour of the German botanist and naturalist Traugott Gerber

The  Patio Gerbera is fluffy, bright  and enchanting. Plant in a beautiful pot  and place on your terrace it is an extension of sunshine colour and beauty!

 

 

Planting

Start with mini seedling/cups/pots containers. Leave on a sunny windowsill to germinate.

As soon as the plant germinates and you can see a sprout transfer to a bigger pot

if however they are going directly into pots  plant them approximately 13 cm/ 5" in diameter. These are sun plants so try to give them some sun once in a while. Be mindful of frost and protect it from the cold months.

 

 

These flowers  come a varying colours and will form a few months after sowing to beautiful full bloom flowers!

Water freely during the warmer and hot months, however, water sparingly during winter and cold spells.

Gift it stylishly! :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fluted pumpkin leaf (ugwu) let us correct this...Not ''Pumpkin leaf''.

Fluted pumpkin leaf (ugwu/uGu)

                                            Above ''fluted pumpkin leaf''

Above ''fluted pumpkin'

 

 

This is the Fluted pumpkin leaf (Ugwu or Ugu) vegetable. Popular referred to as the pumpkin leaf which hopefully we can begin to correct. While on my research for the ugwu/ugu leaf, I originally searched for ''pumpkin leaf'', this initial search resulted in pumpkin leaf which of course is not ugwu/ugu as it is known.

 

                                                                  Above ''pumpkin leaf''

 

                                                            Above ''pumpkin''

 

My research lead me to a closer look at the family of this plant (cucurbitaceae) which at it,  I found the fluted pumpkin. Yes! I searched for the leaf, …oh what a relief! That is the Ugwu/ugu I know. It has been long misinformed and traders, consumers, as well as farmers have refered to ugwu/ugu as pumpkin leaf. So lets correct this. There is a difference between the fluted pumpkin and the pumpkin. The ugwu/ugu leaf  is from the Fluted pumpkin plant not the ‘’pumpkin’’  as shown above.(such a pedant:)

The fluted pumpkin ugwu/ugu  is  known as Telfairia occidentalis, a native to West Africa but occurs mostly in its cultivated form in various parts of southern Nigeria. It is widely cultivated for its palatable and nutritious leaves which are used mainly as vegetable. The almighty edikangkong vegetable soup is bestowed with ugwu/ugu leaf. My Calabar friends I hail!

 

                                                  Fluted pumpkin fruit and leaf ''ugwu/ugu''

 

 

The seeds are said to be nutritious and rich in an oil which may be used for cooking and soap manufacture.

The goodies are endless

From research the moisture content and composition of these leaves show large variations as a function of cultivar, plant age, ecological conditions and cultural practices. The composition of the leaves is comparable to that of other dark green leaf vegetables.

The leaf composition per 100 g edible portion is: water 86.4 g, energy 147 kJ (47 kcal), protein 2.9 g, fat 1.8 g, carbohydrate 7.0 g, fibre 1.7 g. The high content of mineral nutrients, especially of  vitamin C make the leaves potentially useful as food supplements.

 

 The mineral content of the seed is reported to be high. The seeds are high in essential amino acids (except lysine) and can be compared with soya bean meal with 95% biological value. The fruit pulp has a protein content of about 1.0%.

The main constituents of the seed oil are oleic acid (37%), stearic and palmitic acid (both 21%), linoleic acid (15%). Variation between samples, however, is large.

 Plant it

The conventional method of propagation is by seed, sown directly at a rate of 30,000–70,000 seeds spaced at 0.3–1 m × 0.3–1 m. Densely spaced stands are best for leaf production, while the wider spacing is best for fruit production when staked. Depending on the soil type, rainfall and cropping pattern, fluted pumpkin can be planted on the flat, or on ridges or mounds.

 Vegetable indulgence!

If you want a guaranteed ‘’nod-off’’ family/friends gathering prepare this vegetable soup alongside Pounded yam

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bolivian Rainbow peppers

 

 

Capsicum annum Bolivian Rainbow peppers

 

 

 

These are one of the most beautiful peppers I have seen which is why they are also called ornamental peppers! These peppers are Bolivian origin, hot and ornamental.

 

 

These Tear-drop shaped peppers turn from purple to yellow, to orange, to red with all colours present on the plant at the same time. They are so beautiful to look at. Some people refer to them as Christmas light peppers. They also have purple foliage and flowers and yield mini tiny pointed 1 inch fruits.

 

Packed with goodness! Peppers are low in Saturated Fat, and very low in Cholesterol and Sodium. It is also a good source of Thiamin, Niacin, Folate, Magnesium and Copper, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Vitamin B6, Potassium and Manganese.


 

Take another look at this beauty!

 

 

Growing is simple

 

Order your seeds from a local garden centre.
Grow  indoor 8 weeks before the average last frost date in your area. i.e enter your area and ''last frost date' in Google :) 

Get a few small planting pots Plant a Bolivian Rainbow pepper seed in each , sparingly covering the seeds with soil. water lightly and keep in a warm area of your kitchen. water once or twice a day

Keep looking daily until you see a sprout! :)
You are almost ready to transplant this should be about 10weeks after you planted. you would know when by the feel of the soil. if its damp then it is not ready...if it however feels like a cake...you are good to go:)

You need the  sun now. Dig down 12 inches and remove the weeds and rocks you find. Mix in a 2-inch layer of compost. Place the transplants 18 to 24 inches apart. At 18 inches, the plants will grow into one continuous entwined plant with a solid mixture of leaves and multicolored peppers, while planting them farther apart gives a look of individual plants. I would keep them together...

Water the plants well and keep them watered throughout the growing season


Great for cooking and in salads or salsas. For salads, I would personally recommend some feta cheese and cherry tomatoes, rosemary. sprinkle oregano and salt to taste. Exclude the pepper seeds O_O!  Enjoy :)

 

 

Gift it stylishly! Plant it stylishly too...
Use colourful ceramic pots, yellow, green, purples, whatever mood you are in :)

Mint (Mentha) Leaf

 Mint

 

  

Mentha also known as mint, from Greek míntha, is a genus of plants in the family Lamiaceae. a family of flowering plants.

Mints are aromatic, almost exclusively perennial, rarely annual, herbs. There are approximately 25 species of the Mentha group, including peppermint, spearmint, rosemary, thyme, oregano, pennyroyal, forest mint and apple mint. All of the mint species are strongly scented herbaceous plants that, when crushed they release concentrated oils.

A few months ago, I decided to surround my kitchen with culinary herbs. Mint was one of my choices for many reasons. firstly, there are varying uses to this amazing plant as written below. It was so easy to grow and has flourished before my very eyes. Grow it, you will be amazed how fast this grows. The aroma is unmistakably fresh.

                           Minty, amazing greens, flourish and bloom.

Culinary uses
Chop mint and add to meat balls, fish, stews, chicken  salads for freshness

Teas
Mint teas have been used for many years. They also have digestive health benefits. Peppermint, spearmint and rosemary mints are the most common mints used in teas. Peppermint, in particular, has been used to soothe gastrointestinal upset and stimulate digestion.

Flavour
Many types of mints are used in the kitchen to add flavor and spice to dishes, desserts and beverages. Peppermint and spearmint are used most often with desserts and beverages

Mojito: ( picture below) A cocktail that consist of five ingredients white rum, sugar/can juice, lime juice, sparkling water and almighty mint. A mojito is incomplete without mint.

More uses:

Breath Freshner
Chew after meals or crush and add to toothpaste due to they strong antibacterial and antiviral properties

Cosmetic Uses
Mint leaves have been used in homemade cosmetics from baths and herbal foot soaks to clean and invigorate the skin. Do however make sure you are not prone to reactions

Gift it stylishly using a white or pink ceramic pot. It is beautiful and aromatic. Grow it in your kitchen or bathroom for its freshness...why not?

Amaranth

 "Naija Greens" Callaloo. Ancient Greek "Life everlasting"...

                 Above :  Amaranth seed, baby leaf and full grown leaf.

Amaranth is  of the Amaranthaceae family. Grown for its protein rich leaves as well as it nutritious grains. The name Amaranthus is said to come from the ancient Greek meaning ‘life-everlasting’ which probably refers to its habit of self-seeding. It is also known as Indian, African or Chinese spinach or sometimes as calaloo. This plant seems to have everything going for it, it is easy to propagate, does not care where you put it, produces an abundance of fresh leaves to eat in summer and delicious nutty grains in autumn, it tastes great and is versatile in the kitchen.

Amaranth seeds

I ordered my seeds a few weeks back for my "grow your own" garden and I am amazed at how these seeds have developed into little leafy green wonders.

Plant it! simply spread the seeds like you would tomatoes seeds cover sparingly with soil, watch it grow.

Edibility :) Boil with/without salt for 5 minutes keep it fresh. Drain with or without salt, condiments if you please, add meat or fish or completely without.

The Goodies :)

Amaranth leaf: This food is low in Saturated Fat, and very low in Cholesterol. It is also a good source of Niacin, and a very good source of Protein, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Riboflavin, Vitamin B6, Folate, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Zinc, Copper and Manganese.

The seeds are very low in Sodium. It is also a good source of Iron, Magnesium and Phosphorus, and a very good source of Manganese.

 Gift it stylishly...It will look great on a window seal :)