Archives for March 2019

Chia Sisters in Nelson

March 28, 2019 By k c

It’s time to welcome back our Guest Blogger, Maddy Bellcroft. This week Maddy has been catching up with the Chia sisters on behalf of Fresh Choice Nelson. Take it away Maddy…

This week I had the pleasure of chatting with Chloe from Chia about their delicious range of drinks. Chloe and her family have worked tirelessly to build up a load of tasty, healthy locally made products. I always love supporting products made by good people who are doing exciting and innovative things.

Firstly, tell us a bit about how CHIA began?

My Dad, Ben, is a swimmer, and my sister, Florence, is a triathlete. I wanted to create a nourishing drink full of essential nutrients to help them with their busy lifestyles. Chia seeds are rich in many of the nutrients we need more of in our diet, such as magnesium, omega 3, iron and fibre. But, the seeds need to be hydrated for the nutrients to be used by our bodies. My dad and I hydrated the chia seeds and then added local blackcurrants, and our first CHIA product was born.

What is the philosophy behind your products?

Our aim is to create the healthiest beverages available in the most sustainable way we can. In the past year we became Nelson’s first certified living wage employer and New Zealand’s first solar-powered juicery.

What is your favourite product that you make?

CHIA blackcurrant of course. The rich Nelson blackcurrants are a world secret and blended with hydrated chia seeds, makes the perfect health kick. Second up, is our fresh pressed apple and boysenberry juice, called ‘Bottled by the Sun’. This uses Nelson apples and Tasman Bay boysenberries. A great way to promote the wonderful growers here in Nelson, and that we are harnessing the Nelson sunshine to produce this juice.

Could you share some serving suggestions or recipe ideas using your product?

While CHIA is a great on the go drink, it is also a delicious and nutritious option served over coconut yoghurt, breakfast, or made into frozen ice blocks for the kids.

Thanks, Chloe, must be time for a stroll in the sun to Fresh Choice Nelson to pick up a nice cold bottle, or two, of CHIA.

Blackenbrook Wine @ Fresh Choice Nelson

March 22, 2019 By k c

Blackenbrook nelson Welcome back to our Fresh Choice Nelson wine aficionado, Neil Hodgson. This week Neil writes about a firm local favourite, Blackenbrook wine. Take it away Neil…

The Blackenbrook Story

For 2019 the Grocer at Fresh Choice Nelson has asked me to write about some of the outstanding local producers he supports. In turn, these producers support his goal of bringing the very best products to you at the very best prices.

One wine producer he has had a long and successful relationship is Blackenbrook Wines. The Grocer knows he can rely on their wines to deliver the purity of varietal flavours that make their wines so special.

When Daniel and Ursula Swarzenbach moved to Nelson in 1998 Daniel worked as winemaker at Seifried Estate. At the same time, he and Ursula searched for the perfect site to plant their own vineyards. When they bought a piece of rolling hillside land at Tasman overlooking the estuary, they set about establishing the vineyard. Daniel continued to work as a winemaker.

Working long days at one job and then coming home to work even longer hours in their own vineyard showed how this couple are prepared to work incredibly hard with a determined focus to produce the very best wines they can.

From the very first post they put in the ground to designing and building their environmentally friendly winery, the Blackenbrook vineyard was designed to extract the best from each variety. They use growing and processing techniques that have as little impact on the environment and the fruit as possible.

The attention to detail in everything they do means the grapes can express the varietal purity that is a hallmark of all their wines.

Blackenbrook @ Fresh Choice Nelson

Even with the attention to detail, they manage to get the wines in your glass at very affordable prices. This is thanks to the great relationship they have with the Grocer at Fresh Choice Nelson.

Wines like the Blackenbrook chardonnay and the Blackenbrook Pinot Noir Rose, are both $19.99, a saving of $5. Blackenbrook Sauvignon Blanc is $16.99. All express beautiful ripe flavours with complexity coming from the soils in the vineyard rather than lots of winemaker influence.

Pop a bottle or two in your shopping trolley when you next visit Fresh Choice Nelson, and you won’t be disappointed.

Nut-Free Low Carb Brownie from Paula

March 15, 2019 By k c

nut-free low carb brownie nelson This week, our Fresh Choice Nelson guest blogger, Paula, has some recipe inspiration for all you nut-free peeps out there. She has a delicious recipe for nut-free low carb brownie. Take it away Paula!

A lot of my low carb, sugar-free baking is made with nut flours and desiccated coconut. But, there are many people who are allergic to nuts or don’t like coconut.

With that in mind, I have a really simple recipe for a flourless, nut free, low carb brownie. It is gluten free, grain free and sugar-free. I use a blend of stevia and erythritol available as Sweetnz classic blend. You can find it on the shelf in the baking aisle at Fresh Choice, Nelson.

Nut-Free, Low Carb Raspberry Brownie with Chocolate Ganache

I’ve discovered this cake ticks lots of boxes! With the addition of raspberries, it has a nice tart bite which cuts through the richness of the cake. Serve it with some Greek yoghurt or whipped cream. We are lucky enough to still have fresh summer berries in the produce department, even though summer is officially over.

If you, like me, are watching your carb intake, you will be pleased to know it comes in at just 2g carbs per slice.

Ingredients: (serves 12)

Six free range eggs
160g melted butter
60g cocoa
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla paste
120g cream cheese (softened)
1/2 cup of the sweet classic blend
1/2 cup raspberries

Method:

Blend all the ingredients, except for the raspberries, with a stick blender. Once smooth stir through the raspberries.

Pour into a lined baking dish and bake at 180 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes.

Cool and place in the fridge.

Get baking this weekend. A good batch will give you sweet treats for a week! Don’t forget to call into Fresh Choice Nelson for all your ingredients.

Late Nelson summer fruit

March 8, 2019 By k c

Late Summer Fruit Nelson

In this week’s post, local Nelson chef and guest Blogger, Grant Dicker offers recipe inspiration so you can take advantage of the delicious Nelson late summer fruit. Take it away, Grant…

As we enter late summer there is still plenty of summer fruit to be enjoyed. Even with our current dry conditions, when most other things in our garden are looking pretty sorry for themselves, our passion fruit vine is thriving. I really like passion fruit, and it goes so well with late summer dishes, particularly summer puddings. Originally from the Amazon, it’s high in fibre and a good source of vitamin C, and though it’s only available for a short time, it’s a real treat when it’s around.

Here’s a twist on a traditional meringue pie; Passionfruit Meringue Pie! Light and fluffy meringue paired with the sweet but tart flavour of Passionfruit, on a sweet pastry base. You could make your own sweet pastry for the base, but great ready-made options are available in the freezer section at Fresh Choice Nelson.

Passionfruit Meringue Pie

Ingredients:

500 gm sweet pastry

Filling

12 passionfruit
4 Tbsp cornflour
140 gm caster sugar
4 egg yolks

Meringue

4 egg whites
200 gm caster sugar

Method:

Heat the oven to 200C. Dust the work surface with a little flour, roll the pastry out to the thickness of a $1 coin. Line a deep, 23cm loose-bottomed flan tin and chill until firm. Line with greaseproof paper and a layer of baking beans, then bake for 20 minutes. Remove the paper and beans, then return to the oven for five minutes until pale golden. Leave to cool. Cut the passionfruit in half, then scoop out the pulp of ten into a sieve over a large jug. Rub the pulp and juice through the sieve, discard the seeds. Scoop the pulp and seeds of the remaining fruit into the juice. You should now have 150ml in total (make up with orange juice if there’s not enough). In a pan, mix the cornflour with the sugar, then gradually stir in 200ml cold water followed by the passionfruit. Stir over a medium heat until the mixture boils and thickens. Take the pan off the heat and whisk the yolks into the hot mixture. Reduce the oven to 180C. Whisk the egg whites into stiff peaks, then gradually whisk in the sugar until thick and glossy. Reheat the filling briefly, then spread over the pastry base. Spoon the meringue over the filling, starting from the pastry edge and working your way into the middle, then gently swirl the spoonfuls together. Bake for twenty minutes until the meringue is lightly golden. Serve warm or cold.

Epic Beer @ Fresh Choice Nelson

March 1, 2019 By k c

Thanks to our Guest Blogger and beer aficionado… In this week’s article Denis “the man” Cooper writes about ‘Epic’ beer that you can find on the shelves at Fresh Choice Nelson.

What an epic summer so far! You know it’s hot when the chickens start laying hard-boiled eggs, the trees are whistling for dogs and Meatloaf is singing ‘hot summer night, and the beach was burning’ in your brain.

Fortunately, Epic Brewing from Auckland has three new ales to help dampen down the hot spots.

The thing with these brewskis is that they are not Epic’s traditional bitter hop bombs, but more easy-drinking, well-balanced thirst quenchers.

First up, Epic Hop Heavy Scottish IPA. What makes it Scottish? Och, to be sure, special Scottish ale yeast of course! You’d think, as the name suggests, that it would be heavy on hopes. But, nope, this Epic Beer is an evenly spread hot-malt brew with mild hop strength and fruity flavours. The name ‘Hop Heavy’ is just a play on the Scottish beer style ‘Wee Heavy’ and at 6.3% ABV is a little bit stronger.

Epic delves into some of NZ’s early history by naming a pale ale ‘Edwin Fox’. The EF was a merchant sailing vessel operating between 1858 and 1872 and was used between England and India. Carrying pale ale earned her the nickname of the ‘Booze Barge’. Her last sailing carried immigrants to New Zealand, and she now resides, peacefully retired, in Picton Harbour as a tourist attraction.

Yeah, yeah, enough history… What’s it taste like? Restrained but still hop forward, with citrus fruit flavours equally balanced by caramel malts and mild bitterness.

Epic Hop Taco. I know what you’re thinking, a beer made with tacos! Well read it and weep. Epic has apparently used all the ingredients that go into making a taco, including the shells; thankfully, however, the taste is mainly orangey, peachy hop notes with a mild peppery finish.

A special thanks: