Transforming traditional Irish soda bread to give it a Mediterranean twist!

Savoury Tomato and Basil Bread

This basic soda bread recipe can be transformed to make a variety of herb and nutty breads. Here, I’ve added sundried tomatoes, olive oil and basil to give it a Mediterranean savour and aroma.

Minimising Food Wastage at Home- Top Ten Tips

 From both an ethical and financial perspective, it’s important to minimise food wastage at home

1. Keep the fridge clean and clutter free so you know what’s in it
2. Plan meals ahead- utilize  food items you have
3. Less than perfect food is still 100% OK to use- ingredient left overs in your fridge can be used in omelettes, stir fries, smoothies, juices, soups and stews
4. Avoid buying too much just because there’s a 3 for 2 offer- don’t buy what you will end up throwing out!
5. Watch BB dates on all perishable items when buying then and know the BB dates of what’s in your fridge
6. Plate smaller portions and take seconds if needed
7. Be careful while trying "risky" recipes- if it goes wrong, you may need to discard the entire dish
8. Reuse left over meals for lunch the next day; NB- only ever re-heat leftover food once (Food Safety Warning)
9. Compost as much as possible- it is tragic that peels, leftover food end up in a landfill instead of returning to the soil as fertilizer by way of composting
10. Be a good role model- wasting food is morally wrong

 

World Environment Day- Thursday, 5th of June 2014- get involved!

Today, Thursday 5th of June is World Environment Day. Let's all stop and think about our impact on the environment. Can you adopt at least one new initiative to reduce your environmental footprint, for the benefit of the planet, our communities and businesses?

Here's some simple things that you can do and encourage your children to get involved too- reduce food waste (buy less & watch BBD on perishable foods), switch off all unnecessary lights/power switches, use public transport where possible instead of driving or car pool (I'm guilty here too!), spend a few minutes less in the shower, recycle everything to ensure nothing goes to landfill...