Munch Monthly - QCWA | Country Kitchens
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Monthly
Munch
qcwacountrykitchens.com.au MARCH 2021
QCWA International Study Conference
Each year, the QCWA nominates a Country of Study to introduce members to the many facets of the country's
history, crafts, food and other cultural activities. This year, the Country of Study is Malaysia, and the three day
International Study Conference was held in Longreach. The team was lucky enough to deliver three sessions
as a part of the conference program, and had the opportunity to present new Country of Study resources to
all attendees. This included Community Activity Guidelines featuring three Malaysian themed health promotion
activities, a healthy Malaysian recipe booklet and tropical fruit and vegetable flip cards.
The first Country Kitchens session of the weekend involved a popiah party! A popiah is a fresh spring roll
commonly enjoyed as a Malaysian street food. Attendees worked in groups to prepare a variety of fillings and
garnishes and then came together to try their hand at rolling their very own popiah. Check out the rolling skills
in the image below.
On Sunday, Health Promotion Team Leaders Jemma and Aleks talked attendees through the three activities
outlined in the Malaysian Community Activity Guidelines. These activities are suitable for branch or external
events and promote the Country Kitchens 5 key messages. We concluded the second session by handing out
taste testers of bubur cha cha - a Malaysian coconut milk and sago dessert. The final session kicked off later
that afternoon with a tropical fruit smoothie demonstration and a run through of the tropical fruit and vegetable
flip card activity. Between sessions, Country Kitchens State Program Manager Meg led a couple of tai chi
sessions to promote our final key message, sit less, move more. Check out the action shot below!
A resource pack containing the three Country of Study resources was provided to all branches in attendance
over the weekend. For all other branches, these resource packs will be mailed out in the coming weeks, so
stay tuned! If you use any of the activities or resources in your branch or community, we would love to know.
Send photos to your Country Kitchens buddy or email countrykitchens@qcwa.org.au.
Connecting women who have the power to heal their communities
Meet a Farmer
Spotlight
Kanako, Mark and Peter Boothman -
Avocado Farmers
This month we would like to highlight QCWA member Kanako
of Coomera Branch, her husband Mark and her father-in-law Peter who run
a small avocado farm in Beechmont on the Gold Coast hinterlands. Below is a snippet from our interview
with them, but head to our website to read the full blog (linked below).
Today we meet avocado farmers, Kanako, Mark and Peter Boothman, as part of QCWA Country Kitchen’s
Meet a Farmer initiative. Kanako is our first member/farmer interviewed and she is a proud member of the
QCWA Coomera branch.
Avocados are a staple in many Australian’s diets and are a heart health booster. Avocados contain mostly
healthy mono-unsaturated fats, which can help promote healthy cholesterol levels in the body. There are 10
varieties of avocado grown across Australia, with the majority (80%) being Hass or (17%) Shepard varieties.
Queensland is the lead grower of avocados, producing nearly 50% of Australia’s avocados!
Originally a dairy farm, the Boothman's property has been in the family since 1982. Mark’s father Peter started
a small avocado production years ago, with hopes to expand the operation. This year the Boothman’s have
planted over 700 new trees!
While the joy the Boothman’s have for farming shines through, it does have its struggles. Avocados are
notoriously difficult to grow and are extremely susceptible to fungal diseases and changes in weather
conditions. Phytophthora cinnamomic is a soil borne fungus that causes root rot in avocado trees.
It takes about 2-3 years for trees to start bearing fruit and 4-5 years for a strong production. The first two
years is also where the trees require the most attention, needing consistent watering and monitoring for
diseases.
Having just planted about 700 trees, the Boothman’s are in for a busy year ahead. While shoppers may be
used to seeing Hass and Shepard avocado varieties, the Boothman’s primarily grow the Fuerte avocados at
their property.
"Fuerte is a premium avocado, it is extremely creamy and primarily goes to restaurants. You cannot usually
find Fuerte in the markets, as they are too easily damaged to work well there" explains Mark...
To read the full blog, and to learn more about the Boothman's recently expanded avocado farm, head to our
website: https://www.qcwacountrykitchens.com.au/meet-the-boothmans-avocado-farmers/
qcwacountrykitchens.com.au
Recipe
Corner
Healthy Lunchboxes
The food we pack in lunchboxes is so important for keeping us going throughout the day. We need to
make sure we are packing foods that are rich in vitamins and minerals, complex carbohydrates, protein and
calcium to keep our bodies healthy, give us energy and keep our brains switched on. The good news is
that packing a healthy lunchbox each day doesn’t have to be a chore! With a little planning and a process in
place, you can have a healthy lunchbox made in just a few minutes every morning for you and the kids.
Top tips for a healthy lunchbox:
• Keep it simple: You don’t need to spend a lot of money or time to create a healthy lunchbox. Use what
you have and what is available to you. Try packing leftovers from last night’s dinner, boil some eggs or
cook up some chicken to pack during the week.
• Use fresh instead of packaged where possible: Veggie sticks and fresh fruit are just as convenient as
grabbing a packet snack, and they don’t have any hidden sugars!
• Kids like smaller sizes: Kids generally like smaller snack size portions of food for their little hands and
little tummys! So try to pack foods like mini cucumbers, mini tomatoes, mini wraps or cut up sandwiches,
fruit and veggies.
• Get the kids involved: Don’t try to change everything your child eats all at once. Teach children about
healthy eating by getting them involved in the shopping, cooking and packing of their own lunchboxes.
By doing this, they are more likely to eat all the food in their lunchbox.
• Use the freezer: Often you can spend a bit of time cooking a batch of muffins, quiches, meatballs, slices
etc. on the weekend and freezing them in individual portions for easy packing into lunchboxes during the
week.
For more information on healthy lunchboxes, check out Nutrition Australia's Healthy Lunchbox Guide. This
e-book is free to download from their website: https://www.healthylunchboxweek.org.au/lunchbox-ebook
Recipe Corner
Avocado Salsa with Pita Chips
Serves: 8-10 Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 10 minutes
1 serve per portion
INGREDIENTS
8 thin pita or Lebanese breads
3 avocadoes, destoned and roughly chopped
2 long red chilli, deseeded and finely diced
1 bunch coriander, chopped
½ red onion, finely diced
½ cup corn kernels
2 limes, juiced
Pepper
METHOD
PREHEAT oven to 180°C.
CUT pita bread into triangles, place on a tray and bake for 10 minutes or until golden and crispy.
COMBINE remaining ingredients in a bowl, mix well and season with pepper.
GARNISH with extra coriander and chilli and serve.
Recipe courtesy of Judy Stubbs, Maleny Branch
Connecting women who have the power to heal their communities
Agricultural
Spotlight
Maranoa Division Industry Highlights
Maranoa Division sits primarily within the Western Downs region.
Agriculture is the heart of the Western Downs economy, with 22% of
people in the region employed in the agriculture, forestry and fishing
sector. Western Downs produces 38% of Queensland’s cereals and
legumes and 25% of Australia’s melons. Depending on the season, you
will pass the rusty red fields of sorghum, golden wheat, barley, chickpeas,
soy, mung beans or harvesters busy with vast cotton crops, the fluffy white
balls lying by the roadside. Sorghum and eggs are the highest gross
value products in the region, worth around 1.5 billion dollars.
At the heart of the agriculture industry in Western Downs is livestock
production, including beef, pork, poultry and eggs. The area is the
greatest producer of pork in Queensland and has a history of being
one of the original cattle farming regions in southern Queensland. The
Juandah historical site was home to one of the oldest and largest cattle
stations in Queensland. Settlers in the 1800’s Juandah, now Wandoan,
employed 80 stockmen and ran up to 50 000 head of cattle. The site is
now a tourist destination, where you can glimpse a little bit of the history
of the area. To learn more about the Western Downs region, you can head
to the Western Downs Council website.
5 key messages for autumn
Get more fruit and veg into your meals
Did you know that frozen fruit and vegetables are just are good for you as fresh? Buying frozen helps
avoid spoilage that can occur with fresh produce, which can be useful for people who have unpredictable
schedules.
Cook at home
Food brings people together and cooking at home is a great way to unite your family or friends over the
dining table. Choose a Country Kitchens recipe from our website and try making it this weekend.
Check your portion size
When we are hungry, it can be easy to overindulge. Take it slow and avoid eating with distractions, like in
front of the television.
Be aware of sugar in your drinks
On average, we should aim to consume around 8 glasses of water every day. Try using a water tracking app
or set reminders on your phone.
Sit less, move more
Australia’s physical activity and sedentary behaviour guidelines recommend that adults do muscle
strengthening activities on at least two days each week. To get started, try doing body weight exercises, like
push-ups, squats or lunges, at home.
P 3236 6419 M 0417 539 663 A RFH on Gregory, 89-95 Gregory Tce, Brisbane Q 4000 E countrykitchens@qcwa.org.au
qcwacountrykitchens.com.au
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