Green Inspiration #4

I've been making this green smoothie for a while now and it's amazing first thing in the morning. It feels healthy and gets you on the right foot to make good food decisions for the rest of the day. It comes from Gwenyth Paltrow's book "It's All Good" and it's pretty easy to make. I would recommend a strong blender due to the fact that the ingredients are quite hearty; another option is to use a juicer. Kale is in season at the moment, so see if you can get a nice big organic bunch from your local health food store. You can eat it fresh or freeze it until you need it.

Gwenyth's Green Smoothie

(Serves 2 medium or 1 large)

Ingredients:

A couple of handfuls of kale

1 apple

1 hunk of ginger (about 1 inch, or to taste)

A few mint leaves

One whole lemon, peeled

A few cups of filtered water (to cover the ingredients)

A few cubes of ice (optional)

Method:

Place all items in blender (except ice) and blend on high until all items are blended. Add ice and pulse until incorporated.

Drink and then feel smug about being one of those people that drinks green smoothies (and likes them)!

Enjoy!

Rubbish, I Say!

Garbage, rubbish, trash, waste, junk, debris, swill ...

Call it what you will, we all throw out a lot of stuff. At my house, we put out at least one bag of recycling and one bag of garbage each week. Sadly, these are our only options. I was recently back home in Toronto, and was totally inspired by the way that the city disposes of waste. At my mom's house, there are three separate bags - one for recycling (cans, plastics, paper, etc), one for compost (all food waste and easily broken down paper, like tissues and paper towel) and then the last one, actual garbage (which is really only things like cling film or plastics that can't be put in the recycling). After removing items which fall into the first two categories, there is little left over which is "real" garbage. This seems to be a great system - the amount of actual garbage disposed is much less, and hopefully, the compost waste and recycling items are put to good use and employed in another capacity which is beneficial to both consumers and the earth (for more info on Toronto's waste disposal, click here).

Living in a "throw-away" society contributes to our attitude and mentality about putting things in the bin. My grandparents wouldn't dream of throwing away something broken until they had exhausted all possibilities of fixing it at least a couple of times themselves (I'm sure it helps that they are quite handy and electrically inclined); today's generations (myself included) think about things very differently. The advent of cheaply made products gave rise to a disposable culture, and we could all do better to use less and dispose more mindfully.

Cities need to get on board and offer options for reducing waste, or at least improving the disposal options so that our impact on the earth is less. If you have space or a garden (not so common in densely populated London), consider putting a composter in the backyard - your flowers will thank you and the grass really will be greener (in your yard, no less!).

It is slowly happening and cities or councils are getting on board - a friend in a different part of west London recently showed me the compost bucket required by her council, so hopefully my council will pick this up soon, reducing at least one (perhaps the biggest) section of waste that goes in our bin - food products.

Until then ... the 3 R's - Reduce, Re-use, Recycle.

GG Rating - Good for Flaxseed Fanatics, given the lack of compost options.

Green Inspiration #3

Our groceries arrived this week, including a box of tomatoes, which was obviously intended for me because of the sole green one nestled amongst the "normal" tomatoes of orange, red and yellow. We enjoyed them with salads and on their own, and my husband and I fought over who would get to eat "the watermelon". Happy days.

A Very Eco-Christmas

As the Christmas trees go up, lights are lit and carols play continuously everywhere, I started to think about Christmas shopping. It seems that every year it gets a little bit harder to find that special present for each person on my list. As a relatively picky person myself, I find it difficult, not wanting to give presents that I myself would not want to receive. As I get older, I find that I am less interested in accumulating "things" and more interested in two categories of gifts - "perishables" and "experiences". Perishables include gifts like food (any and all, so long as it's tasty!), cosmetics (favourite brands - MAC, Mary Kay, and Pai), candles (beeswax or soy in natural scents only), etc. Experiences would include a private yoga class, a spa treatment or manicure, theatre or dance tickets, afternoon tea with a friend, a trip to Paris (well, if someone wins the lottery!), etc. One exception to this "rule" is books ... there is something magical about opening the first page of a new novel and devouring it (in your pyjamas with a cup of tea) or trying every recipe in a new cookbook, favourite ones becoming the cornerstone of your weekly meal plans.

All of the above create memories that do not require a keepsake to enjoy, and they don't take up space in a small flat (which severely lacks in closets and storage space) and whilst some may take a bit more time, for me, they are often more meaningful.

Living in a time-poor society means that we aren't often able to make everything ourselves, and when someone takes the effort to do so, it really shows how much they care. Giving the gift of "time" is also appreciated - some of my favourite gifts have been experiences or evenings out - a night at the ballet, a special dinner, movie night or afternoon tea - experiences that create memories and solidify friendships; and they give you something to look forward to when winter sets in and the festivity hangover begins. I recently read a blog by a mother who, not being able to move around her house for the sheer volume of toys, asked that friends and family give her children "time" - a day together at the museum, a afternoon hot chocolate date, an afternoon together at the park. Something that builds relationships, teaches her children how to interact with people of all ages, and doesn't contribute to landfill sites as they grow out of that year's trending plastic item, cheaply made in China.

I would also argue that spending a day making gifts for friends and family is much more enjoyable than spending a day elbowing fellow shoppers and traipsing through town, laden with shopping bags, growing more irritable every minute. You can also make big batches of one or two things and give them to multiple people; I often make several batches of Christmas cookies and give them to neighbours and colleagues with a card. Something little, but I've been told they were enjoyed and appreciated. And from another selfish perspective, giving the gift of time together is something that the gift giver gets to enjoy as well.

I was inspired by the idea of homemade gifts last Christmas when we received this beautiful gingerbread house, lovingly hand-made my one of my most creative friends (she even made the windows!).

Now this kind of thing should not be attempted by beginners (this woman also makes gorgeous hats, for all occasions, for goodness sakes!), but below are a couple of ideas which are relatively simple and can be easily made. For more ideas, Google "DIY gifts" and a plethora of options will appear (such is the magic of Google these days).

1) Spiced Oil

Ingredients/Supplies:

Dry chillies

Olive oil

Glass bottle

Decorations (your choice)

Directions:

Put chillies in glass bottle. Pour in oil and seal/close. Let sit for a couple of weeks (or more).

Decorate bottle with Christmas greenery and ribbons.

Bask in the delightful glow of making your presents this year!

A word of warning - you may be inspired to try different flavours of oil, but ensure that whatever you use is dry. Fresh herbs may look impressive in the bottle, but if not preserved properly, can produce a bacteria which, when ingested, causes a condition called botulism, which can be fatal. Which in turn would, (despite your best efforts for festivity), make for a very unhappy, unfestive holiday season ...but enough of that!

2) Sparkling Cranberries

These are a beautiful treat and add some sparkle to any table or make a nice gift. My sister recommended the recipe and I ate my fair share of them last Christmas. The recipe comes from 101 Cookbooks, a great vegetarian food blog with gorgeous photography. They are simple to make and only require 3 ingredients - cranberries, sugar (2 different types) and water. Find the recipe here.

I hope this Christmas you are inspired to reduce consumerism (more about that here) and give gifts that encourage memories rather than keepsakes. After all, the most important part of the holidays is spending time together - whether that is making gifts together, sharing a meal, or looking forward to some quality time in January and beyond.

GG Rating - Good for Spelt Supporters (and eco-warriors).