Explore food

We are rather spoilt for choice on the Sunshine Coast with some great local chocolatiers and suppliers of quality chocolates. And there is plenty of choices for those who want vegan, nut free, dairy free, lower sugar etc

Week 3: Storing food for freshness Bananas and bread are two of the top wasted foods in Australia, but this can easily be avoided using these handy storage tips.

Week 2: Prepare only what you need This week is all about planning, purchasing, and preparing to avoid food waste. Plan: Planning your meals can cut your food waste fast!

Get involved Find community gardening initiatives near you to get involved: Alexandra Headland Community Garden - Nelson Park, Katoa Street, Alexandra Headland (Alex Community Association) Bells Reach Community Garden - Active Park, 36-58 Indigo Road Caloundra West, Caloundra West Lions Club Facebook Page Buddina Community Garden – Kevin Asmus Park, Nanyima Street, Buddina Eastbank Edible Garden – Be:, Sportsmans Parade, Bokarina - Phone: 1300 785 446 Eumundi Community Garden - Old Eumundi Sports Field, Memorial Drive, Eumundi - eumundigarden@gmail.

Join Amy and Mickey from Little Acre Gourmet Mushrooms for a fun discussion on: What is a mushroom? Mushroom life cycle What role fungi play in the eco-system What types of mushrooms we can grow at home Best way to cook mushrooms About your host Urban farmers Amy and Mickey Pascoe, founders of Little Acre Gourmet Mushrooms, are on a mission to educate people about the fascinating world of fungi.

You can register anytime throughout the challenge. Did you know that Organic materials make up about half of what Queenslanders throw out each week. That adds up–it’s estimated that Australian households spend between $2,000–$2,500 per year on food that is wasted.

This sauerkraut, however, is nothing like that. It’s homemade from scratch with simple ingredients to help promote a healthy gut (and there’s no mayonnaise in sight).

After registering, you’ll receive an email with a list of ingredients for the event if you’d like to cook with us. If you prefer to watch and not cook, that’s fine also.

Please remind your residents to register for this hands on session , where they will make fried rice using ingredients they already have at home.

Learn which plants to grow in your garden to add to your daily cuppa or craft your very own herbal tisane. Take a stroll with Monica through her own tea garden and demonstrates the art of tea blending.

Here is a short video by the fabulous team at 1 Million Women that shows you the most simplified version of making a reusable wax wrap.

Heralded from a time when meat consumption was typically low and nothing went to waste, bone broths utilise animal waste products (think: bones, cartilage and feet) to create a frugal yet nourishing dietary addition.

It can also be challenging to figure out which items can be recycled. A recent WWF study found that of 82 common packaged products, only 20% were recyclable at home.

April and May are prime planting times for our autumn and winter crops. We only have short seasons during autumn and winter (June/July) so it’s best to make the most of them.

Love your Leftovers Veggies = Frittata Bundle those leftover roasted veggies into a frittata by adding some eggs and cream. Use up all those leftover herbs and add a couple of tasty items such as capers or anchovies, olive oil and lemon juice to make a sparkling salsa verde to add zing to your frittata.

Moving to the Sunshine Coast several years ago, Helen wanted her family to experience the same connection to food that she did growing up, so they bought acreage where the family could grow their own produce.

This simple and nutritious breakfast is another popular before school breakfast from 4 Ingredients. Children just love the layers and it’s an easy way to get them to eat fruit for the first important meal of the day.

From adorning cakes to transforming a bowl of leafy greens, edible blooms are easy to grow and full of goodness. You may be surprised by just how many types of flowers can safely make the transition from garden to table.

Join the local fermenting legend Elisabeth Fekonia, accredited permaculture teacher from Permaculture Realfood, Friday 24 July, 10am to learn how to make fermented sourdough. Be sure to schedule it in the diary and pre-prep your ingredients.

You’ll be rapt with this sustainable alternative to plastic food wraps. This video demonstrates how fun and easy it is to make your very own beeswax wraps.

How do we know which tea bags can go in the compost and which should go to landfill? Which tea bags do not contain plastic and which tea bags do?

There’s nothing like the smell of freshly baked sourdough bread…the irresistible, comforting aroma that that evokes a sense of the simple life. With many of us having extra time at home time on our hands, due to Covid-19, more people have been discovering the soothing ritual of sourdough breadmaking.

Living Smart hosted a series of workshops for Plastic Free July, designed to cut through the information overload and make waste and plastic reduction achievable for everyone.

Recent discoveries indicate First Nations Australians were turning seeds into flour for breadmaking over 36,000 years ago. The origins of leavened bread (using a raising agent) are uncertain but it is thought that sourdough, one of the oldest forms of leavened bread, dates back to the Middle East around 8000 BC!

Set in an idyllic Mapleton location between two of the Sunshine Coast’s most spectacular national parks, The Falls Farm is a remarkable tale about farming in harmony with nature.

The micro-organisms in the mix also ensure the waste does not putrefy. To complete the composting process the waste is transferred outside and buried beneath the soil.

Learn how to grow nutrient-dense organic food gardens in urban spaces. Dig in with quick, easy DIY tips and lessons by expert organic gardener, author and speaker, Anne Gibson.

On our virtual sofa, we spoke with resident expert and senior food microbiology consultant, Cathy Moir. Here’s what she had to say on all things food and coronavirus.

Recipe by Simon Bryant - dirt(y)Serves four INGREDIENTS 150g whole red lentils (skin on) 700g of peeled potatoes 1 onion 2 celery sticks 1 carrot 2 cloves crushed garlic 1tbsp tomato paste 1 cup diced tomato 1 tbsp red wine vinegar 100g mushrooms 100ml cream 100g butter Handful of grated cheese Handful of parsley Olive oil Bay leaf (optional) Thyme (optional) Puff pastry (optional) METHOD Cook 150g whole red (i.

Vibrant, tasty and nutritious, microgreens can bring salads, smoothies and main meals to life. Their rich green and fuchsia hues are an ideal way to enliven a boring salad, garnish your favourite chargrilled meat or add verve to school lunchboxes.

Fortunately, the Sunshine Coast is home to a growing number of microbreweries embracing both the craft of beer-making and a commitment to sustainable practices.

With a number of the 50 events on offer already sold out, and registrations for The Food Fair increasing by the day, the event is proving popular with locals, and visitors to the Sunshine Coast.

Earthborn has been turning raw organic materials such as green waste into value add products at their Palmwoods site for almost two decades. The family-owned company has been involved in green waste recycling since its inception in Australia, through its Gold Coast-based sister company, Phoenix.

No matter what choice of diet or way of eating you follow, there is one thing everyone can agree on: increasing our plants (fruits and veggies) is always a good thing.

That’s right, there is a World Pizza Day! Have I answered all your prayers and dreams at once? I thought as much. Pizza is that soul food that pretty much everyone loves.

There are loads of places across the coast where you can self-serve bulk foods, bringing your own reusable containers or using paper bags or reusable glass containers supplied.

by Simone Bright Ingredients 1-2 over-ripe bananas 1 teaspoon bicarb soda Dash of nutmeg and ground cinnamon 1 cup pitted dates ½ cup brown sugar ¾ cup orange juice 60g butter - melted 1 egg 2 cups self raising flour (or try using almond meal with baking powder).

Pasta is an absolute hero dish when it comes to using up leftovers! Think of all those fibre-filled veggies and beans, heart healthy fish and monounsaturated oils, antioxidant-rich tomato sauces and protein-packed cheeses, poultry and lean meats.

Serves 4 12 Roma tomatoes, halved lengthways 2 tbsp. EVOO Thyme from 6 sprigs 1 litre vegetable stock Preheat oven 180C. Place tomatoes on a paper lined baking tray, cut side up and drizzle with the oil.

This article is part of a series that draws on the latest research on back to school transitions. In it, experts explain how best to prepare children for school, and counter difficulties such as stress or bad behaviour.

Leftover Sunday Roast - rehash your roast into these delicious fritters! RECIPE: www.ozharvest.org/wasty-recipes-by-ozharvest/

Millions of people around the world follow Kim McCosker’s recipes every day, turning to her 4 Ingredientscookbooks for simple, family-friendly meals and treats that don’t break the bank.

Here’s a breakfast treat the kids will love from Kim McCosker of 4 Ingredients. It’s the perfect way to Love Your Leftovers and use up any excess bananas.

Love Your Leftovers with this simple and delicious tart from Kim McCosker of 4 Ingredients. It’s the perfect way to make the most of just about any leftovers you have in the fridge; zucchini, feta cheese, corn, asparagus, baby spinach, semi-dried tomatoes.

The problem is once in a while has become too often, with the average NZ household eating takeaways 2-3 times a week (compared to the once a fortnight recommendation).

Here are a few pointers taken from my book Fresh Start (there are more in the book!), and some super fresh, healthy recipes that will fuel you with lots of goodness, and make you feel great!

It would seem my latest book, I Quit Sugar: SIMPLICIOUS, is a little contentious. The fact I advocate doggie bags, double dunk my teabags, and cook up my friends' fish bones into stock apparently leaves some a little uncomfortable.

I’ve also asked a few foodie friends to contribute, including Curtis Stone whose latest book What’s For Dinner is really very, very clever. Martyna Candrick is a recipe developer and photographer in our orbit.