We’ve had an abundance of leafy greens growing in the garden and they are all about to go to seed. If you are in the same boat (ready to harvest leafy greens) here’s a great recipe we trialled at Garden To Plate this week.

We used bok choy - but you can use whatever you have.

Bok Choy with Ginger

Ingredients

• 6 small bok choy

• 2 tbsp vegetable oil

• 1/4 cup ginger finely julienned

• 1/4 cup water (for steaming)

• 3 tsp cornflour

• 1 1/2 tsp soy sauce

• 1 tsp oyster sauce

• 2 tsp Chinese cooking wine

• 1 tsp sesame oil 

• 1/4 cup water (for sauce)

• salt

• white pepper

Instructions

• Trim the base of the bok choy then separate all the leaves. Cut the larger stems in half lengthwise so all the leaves are roughly the same size. Wash thoroughly and pat dry.

• Mix the cornflour, soy sauce, oyster sauce, Chinese cooking wine and sesame oil together to make a smooth paste, then add the water. Season with salt and pepper.

• Saute the ginger in the oil until it turns golden (about 1 minute). Then add the bok choy and toss to combine.

• Add 1/4 cup of water and turn the heat up with the lid on, so the bok choy steams for 1 minute.

• Remove the lid, add the sauce and gently stir until the sauce thickens. The bok choy should still have a soft crunch. If the sauce is too thick you can add more water.

• Serve with rice.

Thanks to everyone who came op shopping with us on Tuesday. We dodged the rain showers (mostly) and had a lovely time in Abbotsford visiting two op shops. We also stopped for Vietnamese for lunch on Victoria Street. Everyone bought something - Linda bought a footstool (which was tricky to carry around), Marie-Louise a dress, Monica some tea … and I can’t remember what the others got (I bought 2 jumpers and a long sleeve t-shirt).

Thanks to Clifton Hill/North Fitzroy Community Bank for supporting this adventure - it was really inspiring to go op shopping on public transport. Truly. So relaxing.

This last week it has been great to usher in spring - whilst Thursday felt like the depths of winter, Friday was sunshiny and lovely … and it was amazing to spend time in the garden! It is looking so fantastic and Clare and Corrado and Jenny - and everyone else who comes along on Fridays and contributes should be super proud. The wicking beds out the front, along with the delivery of fogo compost that we spread around, have transformed the bed outside our fence. Thanks to Yarra Council for helping us purchase the beds and for delivering the compost for free. On Friday Clare picked a huge amount of produce (our bokchoy was about to go to seed) and so we have lots of lovely home-grown vegetables ready for cooking this coming week.

Speaking of coming up this week we have all the usual things - our food programs, line dancing, book clubs, choir, music lessons, sound healing - along with two exciting workshops on the weekend. Weaving with Corrin starting up for a 6 week course (book in here) and Spoonmaking with Maylei - a one-day workshop (book in here).

We hope to see you at ACC soon.

Cheers Leanne

Last week we had a packed house for Garden the Plate, where we cooked vegetarian Indian dishes - they were really yummy. We had a pea raita, eggplant in coconut and a dry cauliflower curry, with basmati rice. It was excellent.

This week we are making okonomyaki (Japanese vegetable pancakes) - shining a light on cabbage. And we will make some teriyaki prawns and rice as well. Yum. Cooking starts at 11.30am. It usually takes about an hour for the cooking and then we sit down together to eat our creations … and finish up at 1pm. Book in on our website if you are coming along so we can judge numbers.

On Tuesday we have our Op Shop Adventure - you’ll find the details and the booking link the post below. We’d love you to come along. Last time was lots of fun - it was great to see what others were looking for and to compare bargains!

On Wednesday we have our 1st Wednesday Book Club here at night …and the two book clubs on Thursday (day and night). It is now the time of the year for book clubs to choose their reads for next year which is always a bit exciting! Darebin Libraries purchase new sets of books each year to try to ensure that book groups get variety year in and year out.

Speaking of Darebin Libraries, we have a little interactive community thing called Due Back up at Fairfield Library for Adult Learners Week. If you pass the library or an in the library please take a minute or two to fill in a card - a recommendation from you of a ‘book that stayed with you’ and a quick note about something you learnt from it There are some photos in the post below.

Corrin in starting up her Learn to Weave course in the Community Shed from this coming Saturday - if you are interested there are still spots available. It runs from 10am-1pm for 6 weeks and you will learn to weave and make something beautiful in the process - a scarf or the like. Here is he link to find out more and book in.

We also have Maylei back teaching a Spoon Making (whittling) for a one day workshop on Saturday 13 September from 9am-3pm. You can find out more in the post below.

Of course we have our Community Morning on Friday - a great chance for a chat inside or out (Clare will be busy in the garden with Jenny and Corrado and our garden is looking super with all their love and care) followed by lunch at 12pm.

We’d love to see you.

Cheers Leanne

Hi everyone

Sorry I missed the newsletter last week! I was on an overnight flight from Penang home and after 4.5 weeks of holidays I was a bit vague and forgot to check if we’d put something together or not.

But … I am back now and it has been lovely to catch up with so many of you in the last few days.

And … we’ve got lots starting up this week.

• Monday (today) - Table to Plate. It’s free! Join me from 11.30am-1pm and we’ll cook up seasonal produce (and catch up on life, school holidays etc.) and then sit down and eat together. We’re going to be cooking with lime today - fresh from my (and Julie’s) garden! And using some of the leafy greens that are flourishing in the garden beds at ACC, along with potatoes that we harvested just before the holidays.

• Clare’s Artful Paining and Drawing is starting this week, and Corrin’s Learn to Weave course is also starting up. Look at the bottom our this email, or on our website for their contact details to book in. It’s not too late!

• On Thursday we have Crunch. $15. I will cook lunch, and make you a coffee with a little sweet treat. Lee will lead a fabulous art activity. There is a regular crew of people who are coming now - but new faces are very very welcome. It is friendly, yummy, creative and fun. We hope to see you.

• Friday - Community Morning and Community Lunch. Free. Join us for craft and chats inside and/or join Clare in the garden and community shed for more practical activities (along with chats of course) outside from 10am. Followed by lunch at 12pm.

• Saturday - a new addition! John is running our new Men’s Breakfast. $10. Join him from 8am and cook up a storm together, before sitting down to eat and get to know each other. Suitable for men of all ages - brothers, sons, fathers, uncles, grandpas … You can contact our office to book in or get in touch with John (his details are in the brochure below).

Also, our Winter Salon is coming up very soon - on 22-24 August. We are seeking local artists to be part of the show, so please encourage anyone you know to get in contact with us if they might be keen. There is a form to fill out on our website. It is free to enter. Please not that works need to be for sale. It is always a lovely event - one of the highlights of the year. On the Friday night we’ll have our opening night, with drinks and nibbles from 5-7pm. And then the show will be open on the weekend from 10am-3pm for anyone to drop in. This year local artist Joe will be using The Kiosk for a poetry and movie installation - Lee and I spent last Thursday setting up the space and giving it a trial run - it is going to be super fun!

Okay, so that’s about it I think. Hope all is well with you and look forward to seeing you at ACC soon!

x Leanne

All going according to plan (thank goodness I was disorganised and missed the cheap deals on Qatar earlier in the year … so had to book with Malaysian Airlines) when you are reading this I am in Lyon, France. And yikes, it is going to be hot!

• Forecast Temperature Melbourne: 5-14 degrees

• Forecast Temperature Lyon: 22-34 degrees

I am visiting my oldest daughter who has been studying at uni in Lyon for the last 6 months - so I am very excited to see her! And I hope and trust that everything is going smoothly at ACC.

Tahlia is in the office this week holding the fort. I am sure she will be able to answer all your questions, and if not, she can touch base with Kalimna to sort things out. And if that fails I can check emails overseas.

Community Lunch is still on - we’re having bolognese this week along with a green salad and garlic bread. All welcome at 12pm. And of course you can pop in to gardening beforehand to work up your appetite - from 10am with Clare.

This week we have the Thursday morning and evening book clubs on. We’re looking forward to seeing you! A reminder to all book club members that we will close for the school holidays at the end of this week - so it is important to pop in and collect your books (if you missed your scheduled meeting) before 2pm Friday, and please drop your books back at the library if they are overdue rather than leaving them here - once we close on Friday we cant return them until we are back on 21 July.

Our new program is out for Semester 2, so you can check it out below, and book in via our website. We’re excited by all the things coming up in the second half of they year and hope you are too!

Have a great week. See you soon.

Cheers Leanne