Planning for being self sufficientish in 2015

[Flo]

Dunno - banana bread goes well in my family so perhaps we are missing a trick.

[Green Aura]

You wouldn't want it round your (vegan) bacon butty though would you?

[Flo]

Now there's an interesting thought.

But seriously - what are you actually going to do with this fufu flour?

[Green Aura]

There's not much left, flo. As I said i've been getting rid of it by adding a tbspful to a grain-free pancake batter we often have for breakfast.

It's basically just ground almonds and dessicated coconut with an egg (flax seeds if our gal's eating with us - vegan) or two, kefir (or yoghurt) and a bit of fufu if I think on. While I'm mixing that I bake some chopped apple, pear or banana in butter or coconut oil, in a little roasting tin and then chuck the batter in - like making yorkshire pudding really. About 30-40 minutes, medium oven. Serve portions with yoghurt or cream and a drizzle of honey - delicious.

[Flo]

But it's possibly not something you will buy again?

[Green Aura]

Not unless I had a specific purpose for it. It's too strongly flavoured for most of the things I actually wanted it for.

[Flo]

But what is this lentil flour you mention? You've now got me searching t'internet looking for unusual flours and it's a whole new world.

[Green Aura]

Sorry flo, I've only just seen this.

Lentil flour is lovely, a bit like gram flour but lighter in texture. It has a sort of savoury taste but is good for making cookies with. I think it's a bit like making a fruit pie with ordinary shortcrust - sweet married with savoury. As I can't bear sweet or enriched pastry it was probably a cert I'd like something like lentil flour.

It makes lovely pasta too - a bit delicate to handle but so tasty.

If you have a decent blender you can make it yourself but I don't so I buy it online from an Asian wholesaler. Any shop specialising in Asian groceries will have it.

[Flo]

But not something we could grow for ourselves this lentil flour. But if it saves us buying "stuff" it all helps with the self sufficient. It's something I'll put in the memory for the future.

[Green Aura]

But not something we could grow for ourselves

No but there are other grains and seeds that you can - amaranth for instance. Like you said there's a whole world of flours made from different nuts, pulses, grains and seeds. I've only touched the surface really.

I like the idea of always being able to produce some flour from something - seeds, pulses and grains have a much longer shelf life than flour.

[Flo]

I wonder if anyone here has grown amaranth for starters. Off to explore a whole new world.

[Flo]

I planted multi headed red sunflowers to put a bit of colour in the back garden. I'm now drying the heads for the squillions of seeds - will be handy for putting in the bird feeder this winter. I've been given a packet of sunflower seeds so don't need to worry about next year for a repeat trick.

[Green Aura]

We grew amaranth a few years back, flo.

Unfortunately I discovered that I really didn't like them, but even so it's a really pretty plant with striking spikes of really bright cerise - ish flowers, which then form the seed heads.

It's very easy to grow. My mother, in one of her helpful phases sowed and entire packet in a small seed tray - I think every one must have struck - we had hundreds of seedlings! However they were rather nice in salads, at that size. The leaves are OK too, but our main aim in growing was for a good source of starch.

I should add I only tried them the once, and to be honest I can't remember what it was I didn't like about them, so maybe I should try again next year.

If you didn't like the seeds you could always add them to your wild bird mix!

[Flo]

Now there's a not too glowing reference for amaranth - if I try it I hope I don't have choosy sparrows.

[Flo]

You know it's already the time of year to be planning for next year! Well on the gardening side anyway!