Turn a orange into a candle

Try this a quick, easy and natural orange candle, you can make it in about 5 minutes and with only two ingredients.

Photo from handimania

What you need.
Orange, Grapefruit, Lemon
Knife
Any type of oil, Vegetable, Olive, Canola, etc.

Cut the orange skin only. Use the paring knife to slice into the peel of the orange. Insert only as far as the pith, taking the knife around the middle of the orange, going all the way around the circumference.

Peel the orange. Gently push your finger under the skin of the orange and peel only one half of the skin away at a time so that it separates from the orange without tearing.

Locate the "wick". Once separated from orange flesh, the orange peel should be easy to remove. When removing the orange flesh, a white wick-like “stem” part should remain––leave this intact, still attached to the peel.

Add oil. Pour a small amount of olive oil inside and wait a minute or two until the skin and wick soak with oil. It is really important that you wait because if you do it too soon you will burn the biggest part of your wick and there won’t be enough of it left to burn nicely.

Light it. Usually you have to try few times before it inflames for good but keep trying and don’t give up!

Homemade Vanilla Extract Recipe

Homemade vanilla extract is prized for its full, rich, complex flavor and an incredibly smooth aroma. Homemade vanilla extract is truly in a different league than what can be purchased from most supermarkets. The difference between pure vanilla and imitation vanilla is simple. Pure vanilla extract is made from vanilla beans, while imitation vanilla utilizes imitation flavors and chemicals.

Photo from MyBakingAddiction.com

Ingredients

Jar or bottle
Vanilla Beans - Use your favorite variety (rule of thumb is 5 beans per 1 cup of alcohol)
Vodka - but you can also use Bourbon, Rum or Brandy
Directions:

Instructions
1. Use a knife to split the bean in half, leave about ½ inch at each end intact.

2. Put your vanilla beans in your glass bottle or jar and cover with vodka.

3. Close jar or bottle and store in a cool, dry place for at least 8 weeks. Give the bottle a shake every week or so. As you use the vanilla, simply add in more liquor to replace what you have used.

Savvy Tip

Make now and put aside ready to give away at Christmas.

You can leave the vanilla beans in the jar, the flavor will continue to evolve - just be sure the beans are always submerged in alcohol.

Source: Beanilla

Freezing Herbs

Image from Our Garden Gate blog

#Savvy Tip

Freezing herbs is a great way to make use of surplus herbs in your garden or instead of throwing out herbs that you have purchased for a special recipe, freeze them to use later. Frozen herbs will keep their flavor for several months. Unlike dried herbs, where the flavor gets more concentrated when drying, frozen herbs can be used in the same proportion as fresh herbs. There are two ways that you can easily freeze herbs.

To Freeze Herbs

Option 1 - Free flow

1. Make sure the Herbs are clean and dry. Spread the individual leaves on a small tray. Freezing the leaves flat and individually will prevent them from freezing together into a brick.
2. Cover and place the tray of leaves into the freezer
3. When frozen solid, place in airtight containers or plastic bags and return to the freezer. 

Once frozen individually, the leaves will not freeze together.


Option 2 - Using Ice cube trays

1. Make sure the Herbs are clean and dry.
2. Put 2-3 individual leaves or a spoonful of chopped herbs in ice cube trays.
3. Fill the tray half way with water. Make sure the leaves are down into the water, as best you can. They will tend to float, but we'll fix that with the next step. Place the half filled tray in the freezer.
4. Once the ice cubes are pretty much frozen, finish filling the try with water. The leaves will no longer be able to float and should be completely surrounded with water. Now place the tray back into the freezer to freeze solid.
5. Once the ice cubes are frozen, remove from the tray and store in zip closure bags.

When ready to use, toss the whole ice cube into your favourite stew or dish.

Farmers Markets

But buying your vegetables at your local Farmers markets is a great alternative to growing your own.  

Now I like the idea of growing my own veggies, but find I am quite sporadic with the old veggie garden.  This year really has been a bit of a disaster, great weather for the beach but not so good for the veggie patch. We are on tank water so watering was not a option often this summer. Now with all this rain the garden is growing lots of weeds but not much else, due to it lacking the care and attention to actually produce something. 

Farmers Markets are a great way to buy fresh produce directly from the people who are growing it.  Also a great way to support your community as well, not to mention if you are a foodie a fun way to spend the morning.

To see where your nearest market is please check out http://www.farmersmarket.org.nz/

How to you tell a Egg is fresh?

How do you tell an egg is fresh before you even crack the shell? Easy!

Did you know you can test an egg and get an approximation of its age. All you need is a jug or bowl of cold water.

Gently drop the egg into the bowl of water. If it:

· Sinks to the bottom and stays there, it is about three to six days old.

· Sinks, but floats at an angle, it's more than a week old.

· Sinks, but then stands on end, it's about two weeks old. Best to use in baking Floats on the surface, there is a gas build-up inside, which shows it's past its use by date. Carefully throw the egg away being sure not to crack the shell. 

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Gluten-free Baking powder

Did You Know? Most commercially produced baking powder contains aluminium - sodium aluminium sulfate to be exact. Make your own baking powder, and keep your baked goods aluminium-free. I use this recipe for all my baking.

Here's how to make your own baking powder:

Ingredients
1/4 cup baking soda
1/2 cup cream of tartar
1/2 cup arrowroot flour

Sieve together baking soda, cream of tartar and arrowroot flour. Store in an airtight container.

Makes: 1 1/4 cups

Savvy Tip: The corn starch in this mixture will absorb any moisture from the air, and prevent the baking powder from reacting before you need it.

To make 3 teaspoons
Ingredients
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons cream of tartar

Mix together, use immediately.

Savvy Shopping Tip

Online grocery shopping and pickup service, this is a great way to save time and money.

 

I bumped into a lovely lady I had not seen in a while and she passed on this time and money saving tip – Online Grocery shopping. 

She had started shopping online at the local Countdown Supermarket, our local Countdown is the new Silverdale store. Logged on last night, set it up, put my order though. Then today popped in and there was my order in bags in a trolley ready to take home. Also got given some free eco store samples as well. Saved time and spent less!

• Buying online takes away the temptation to pop extra items into your trolley and lets you see your running total. 
• Once you reach your budget, you can delete or change items for cheaper options.  
• Set up your own list of the items you buy regularly, saving even more time.

#Savvy shopping

The first log in does take a little time to familiarise yourself with where to find everything but once you have a regular list it is totally a breeze. 

Unsweetened Greek Yoghurt

We love UNSWEETENED GREEK YOGHURT for its high protein, tangy flavor and thick texture. 

What might surprise you is its versatility ... sweet or savoury.

Use it to increase the nutritious nature of your food without taking away from the taste and texture of the dishes you love.

Cooking with plain unsweetened yogurt is easy. In many cases, the substitution ratio is one to one, so all you need to do is replace an ingredient without worrying about a change in the consistency of your cooking. 

For example:
Substitute yogurt one for one with sour cream. Greek yogurt works particularly well for this because of its tangy taste. Use it in any recipe that calls for sour cream - whether you are making a dip recipe or baking cake. 

Greek yogurt also works well as a topping on baked potatoes, nachos, soups, curries, pasta and many other popular dishes that use sour cream.
Cut back on the mayonnaise - substituting with unsweetened greek yogurt. No one will notice that your pasta salad, coleslaw, chicken salad or spinach dip is healthier, unless you tell them.
If you love creamy pasta dishes, try cutting back on the cream or cream cheese with Greek yogurt. 

You choose - replace completely with unsweetened greek yoghurt or a portion.

Use it in dressings, sauces, dips, curries, to replace mayo or sour cream, in baking, in ambrosia, fruit iceblocks, smoothies... the list is endless.

Homemade yoghurt is super quick with a Easyyo yoghurt maker , its so simple and takes along as it takes to boil the kettle. Do it before bed and pop it in the fridge in the morning. $3-4 to make 1 litre. Our family of 4 goes through 2 of these a week!

Below you'll find the links to some of our favourite recipes using GREEK YOGHURT

Easy Pizza Dough - 2 Ingredients!

Savvy Simple Baking

Tandoori Chicken

Easy and Healthy Frozen Yoghurt

Make YOGHURT CHEESE by straining the yoghurt in a sieve lined with paper towels for a couple hours in the fridge. Then add to BASIL PESTO make a super yummy spread to go on toasted homemade bread.

Click here for BASIL PESTO recipe.  

Basil Pesto

We would love to hear from you, let us know how you use greek yoghurt.

Trish and Treena x

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Autumn Heath Check

1. Am I eating properly? Proper nutrition is key to a healthy immune system. If your body’s defences aren’t strong, then you won’t be able to ward off the bugs. Sometimes our food choices change with the change in temperature. We stop eating as many healthy salads and fruits that provide us with the vitamins and antioxidants we require for a healthy immune system. It is suggested that for good health, we enjoy a minimum of three cups of fresh vegetables each day.

2. Am I getting enough sleep? A lack of sleep compromises our immune system and you will be more likely to get sick, especially after being exposed to a virus such as the common cold. A lack of sleep can also affect how fast you recover from an illness. Most of us require between 7-9 hours of sleep a night. If you are finding it hard to get this, try increasing your intake of magnesium rich foods.  Magnesium helps you to feel more relaxed and enjoy a deeper sleep.

3. Is regular exercise part of my routine? Regular activity not only reduces the risk of picking up a bug, but also helps your body to be more resilient if you do get sick. Research shows that moderate, consistent exercise helps to support a healthy immune system. 

4. Do I drink enough water? Autumn can be a very drying time of year. If you keep yourself hydrated, your mucous membranes will not dry out and can work more effectively to filter out anything unwanted. Drinking water is a simple inexpensive way to good health. Most people need a minimum of 8 glasses of water a day, with an extra 750ml for each 1 hour of exercise. Being well hydrated is also vital for good kidney function and to help flush toxins away.

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Adapted from Ideal Health (http://www.healthy.co.nz)

Chai Seeds

These tiny black (or white!) seeds are an amazing super food packed with so many essential nutrients. Chia seeds give you the necessary nutrients for gorgeous hair, healthy nails, and smooth, glowing skin! Beauty starts on the inside.

Great to use in just about anything. The flavor is very mild and almost non-existent.

We love them in:

• baked goods
• smoothies
• sprinkled on top of yogurt or cereal, fruit and salads. 

Unlike flax seeds, there's no need to grind them first. But if you want to unleash even more goodness just pop a tablespoon into your mortar and pestle - give a quick grind before adding to your breakfast etc.

High in Omega 3
A rich source of Omega 3 Fatty Acids, Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids are essential fatty acids, meaning that you need to get from food sources because your body cannot produce them itself. Omega 3′s reduce inflammation and may help lower risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer, and arthritis. They’re also said to help with weight reduction related to their regulation of blood sugar levels and insulin.

High in Protein
Chai seeds are one of the highest plant based sources of protein you can find. Protein is an essential macro-nutrient needed for almost every function in your body. It helps with weight loss and is a must for building lean muscle.

High in Fiber
They are great source of fiber. This helps keep you feeling full, controlling hunger and balancing your appetite. It also means less sneaky snack attacks. Fiber helps regulate your system, which will contribute to detoxing!

High in magnesium, potassium and calcium
These essential nutrients keep your body healthy and energized

How much chia should I eat daily?

For general purposes of health, nutrition and energy an adult would typically consume about 1-2 tbsp dry seeds daily.

Where do you buy chia seeds?

They are readily available in supermarkets. They can be found in the bulk section. Your local Organic store or Bin Inn will stock them as we'll.
Chia seeds have the ability to absorb 10 times their weight in liquid, creating a unique gel that is incredibly hydrating and satisfying! Use chia seeds to make a vegan pudding or add some thickness to your smoothies.

Did you know chia seeds are an ancient secret to strength & endurance? They have been traditionally used as an important food source in Mexico and Central America for thousands of years. They were even a main food source for Aztec warriors!


#BNatural

Let us know how you use chia seeds!

Information sourced from Internet

Butter Spread

#BNatural

For those of you who like using butter, but find:
- it's too soft in summer
- too hard to use in winter
- wanting a better alternative to additive full margarine (Why use butter food for thought)

Try this easy butter spread recipe

1 block of butter (needs to be soft)
1 cup LSA oil
1/2 cup olive oil

Beat together until smooth. Store
in a glass container with a lid
in the fridge.

NB:

You can use other oils if preferred

Use a Thermomix, hand beater, mixer or

kitchen whiz to beat