Naturally Goode

Author: naturallygoode

  • Cooking without Gas (or electricity)

    Cooking without Gas (or electricity)

    My new favourite piece of kitchenware is my Thermal Cooker. It looks like a giant thermos and works like a slow cooker, but without needing to be plugged in.

    I first came across this handy kitchen appliance at the caravan and camping expo. I was very skeptical about how effective it would be and about a couple of the claims made by the salesman.

    How it works

    Essentially, you load the pot up like a normal slow cooker. You whack it on the stove for about 15 minutes to get heat all through the dish (you can heat it for less time if you don’t have meat in it, I have found). Then you put on the lid and put it into the outer flask. Close it all up and leave it for however long you need to for the recipe you are using. At the end of that time, or whenever you get back to it, the food is cooked and hot/warm and delicious!

    The Thermal Cooker uses it’s own heat to continue cooking the food. Claims are that you can’t overcook anything using it and you can’t burn anything using it. So far, I have found this to be true.

    What can cook in it?

    So far I have only used mine to cook main meals. However, you can cook bread, desserts and porridge in it, among other things. You can put ingredients in the night before, heat, set and forget and wake up to a warm, cooked porridge or loaf of bread the next morning!

    Where can you use it?

    Basically anywhere. Most people buy this for use when travelling but I use mine at home all the time as well. I cook a slow cooker meal at least once a week so the meal is ready to go the minute we walk in the door after school and sports activities. On more than on occasion, I have come home to find that there was a power outage during the day, or my cleaner unplugged the slow cooker to use the power point, and all we have on offer is raw meat. With my thermal cooker, I don’t have to worry about that any more.

    When we travelled to Sydney last school holidays, I put a risotto in as we were leaving home mid afternoon and threw the thermal cooker in the boot. Later that night, I was able to feed us all a warm, healthy, home-cooked meal on the road, rather than resorting to fast food or servo take away.

    I’m looking forward to using it when we head to the snow in a month or so. We will be camping at the bottom of the mountain. Coming back to a ready-made hot meal after a long day in the cold will be heaven!

    Which one is best?

    My research into these suggests that all brands are much of a muchness in terms of how well they work. The difference lies in the accessories and what’s available. I picked up one of these second-hand, with the full range of accessories, for just $55, although I actually haven’t used anything except the main pot yet.

    Cleaning it

    Cleaning the inner pots and accessories is really easy. At home, they can be thrown into the dishwasher and clean up beautifully with Tri Nature Citrus Dishwasher Powder. On the road, Tri Nature Chamomile Dishwashing Liquid and some warm water is all you need to bring the insides back to new! If the outside of the inner pots ever get blackened, Tri Nature Ultra Cream Cleanser is your best option. Put a little on a cloth and rub it on for a minute, then rinse off and you’re back to shiny again.

  • Balloons are NOT cool

    Balloons are NOT cool

    I realise this may be a controversial statement for many people, but this month the thing that floated through my ether was an article on the damage caused by balloons. Balloons are a longtime entry on my naughty list and they are something I argue with my kids about on a regular basis. I thought it might be time to get elaborate on why I think they should be banned everywhere, all the time.

    Of COURSE balloons are fun. That’s not in dispute. But at what cost?

    Recent studies have proven that balloons are the deadliest of all plastics for marine animals. They are NOT biodegradable, as many balloon companies claim. Theya re made of a polymer that hangs around in the environment for a VERY long time.

    As with placcy bags, balloons look a lot like a jelly fish to a hungry bird or turtle. They are regularly found in the stomach contents of dead marine life. While hard plastics are also bad, balloons and other soft plastics are worse because they change shape, twist and bend and therefore block things that should remain open, resulting in pain and/or death.

    And how many of your kids manage to hang on to the balloons they’re given? Especially the helium ones? Isn’t it lovely to watch a balloon float up into the sky and off on its adventure? NO! Because guess what! Eventually, it comes back down. In fact, depending on where you live in the great land of Oz, it may be illegal to release balloons. It certainly should be, everywhere, because when it does come back down, it’s effectively littering!

    So what can you do to reduce balloon dependence and help our marine life?

    1. Refuse balloon handouts. Everyone is giving out balloons these days to attract attention. McDonalds have even had a special holder built for them in many stores. Don’t take them. Say no. Teach your kids to say no and tell them why.
    2. If you MUST have balloons, only use balloons INside and ensure all of them are responsibly disposed of.
    3. Try Bubbles instead! Everyone loves bubbles and they are gentle on this earth and our marine life.

    And rather than buying a new bubble stick every time, make your own bubble mix and save on landfill. It’s really easy. All you have to do is mix dish washing liquid with water. And for awesome bubbles that will do NO harm, make sure to use Tri Nature’s Chamomile Dishwashing Liquid (I find 8ml Chamomile Liquid to 250ml water is a good mix for long-lasting airbourne bubbles)!

  • How to be a more eco friendly traveller this holiday season.

    How to be a more eco friendly traveller this holiday season.

    We are now into the Australian summer and speeding towards peak holiday season at an alarming rate. I thought it good timing to provide some tips about how to keep your traveling as eco friendly as possible with as little waste as possible.  Whether you’re flying to the farthest corners of the earth or roaming the outback in a caravan, there are small things you can do to make sure you tread lightly on this great earth of ours.

    Flying High

    If you are flying:

    • purchase carbon offsets
    • make your trip for as long as possible and fly as little as possible to reduce the carbon footprint.
    • Do your research and make sure areas you are visiting have fresh water available. If not, take a drink bottle with a built-in filter.
    • If you have to buy water, buy in the largest size possible and use that to refil your day to day drink bottle.
    • If you are staying in accommodation, look for venues that are eco friendly and employ sustainable practices.

    Going Bush

    If you are camping:

    • Take food and water with you and pre-prepare travel meals and snacks to reduce the need to purchase take away.
    • If you have to eat out, eat in the restaurant to reduce packaging waste.
    • Take reusable containers to reduce your need for single use wrappers. I have a set of tupperware just for the caravan so we can pack sandwiches and snacks for any day trips we take during our holidays.
    • Take a portable loo and empty it at proper dump points in the nearest town. Don’t leave your ablutions and TP all over the bush, buried or not.
    • Make sure your waste water is let out far enough away from the nearest body of water.  Check local regulations to see how far that needs to be.
    • Use Tri Nature products so your waste water won’t cause harm to the environment or wildlife
    • Don’t wash (clothes or yourself) in waterways, dams, rivers, oceans, etc.  Using soap and personal care products in waterways causes pollution and harm to aquatic life, not to mention sending your bodily fluids to everyone downstream.  Get in and get wet, then get out and take a bucket of water the appropriate distance away to soap up and rinse off.
    • Take all your rubbish with you and dispose of properly.  Have everyone do an emu parade at the end of packing up to make sure you don’t leave anything behind.  You each get allocated a certain area of your camp site and you walk that area and pick up any pieces of rubbish within.  Don’t forget tent pegs, ropes and bits of fishing gear!

    No matter where you are:

    • If you are taking your washing home with you, take a travel size enhance pre-wash spray so you can get onto stains asap. Enhance won’t wreck your clothes and it will make sure the stains don’t set before you have time to wash.
    • Pack some cloth bags.  I have about 5 that roll up into almost nothing and they live in my handbag.  They are so handy for so many things, like when you go to the shop for one thing and end up buying about 10.
    • Snack on fresh fruit wherever possible so there’s no packaging waste.
    • If you need to do your own washing while you’re travelling, take a small container of laundry powder, so you know you can be more eco-friendly than a hotel laundry or in a laundromat.
    • Take a travel size Sphagnum Moss Disinfectant with you for emergencies like cleaning a public loo seat before using it, or spraying stinky teenage boy feet and shoes when they take their shoes off in the car on long road trips.
    • Take your refillable drink bottle with you. There are some excellent squishy ones around that fold/roll up nicely when empty so they don’t take up too much space in your luggage.  Most airlines don’t count drink bottles or coffee mugs in the weight of your carry on, if you are holding them.
    • Take your coffee travel mugs with you or order in and sit down for your coffee.  Research ahead and find cafes that let you bring your own mug (although most do these days).
    • Take a travel cutlery set everywhere, including metal straws, so you don’t need to use any single use sets.
    • Make a list of any ideas you have for next time.  Remember, you don’t have to get it right and be perfect with zero waste.  This is just about making better choices and getting better each time.  And if you have ideas I haven’t listed, please get in touch and let me know so I can add them to this post for all to share.
    • Have fun!!
  • Why are there streaks of gunk on my washing?

    Why are there streaks of gunk on my washing?

    Have you ever had the problem of your washing coming out of the machine with streaks on it?  I recently bought a second-hand washing machine and, even though I cleaned it before I started using it, this was what my clothes looked like 3 loads in.  I took it as a great sign, here’s why…

    What are the streaks made of?

    While the streaks may have a little bit of debris from your water supply or dust from clothing, they are generally made up of fillers and extenders from laundry products.  Fillers and extenders are the “stuff” most brands add to the active ingredients to dilute it down.  They are the reason you have to use so much with each load, because most of the scoop isn’t actually doing anything to wash your clothes.  They fill up the packet and make the product cheaper to produce.

    In liquids, water is the most common filler.  In powders, fillers and extenders seem to largely be made of things that don’t dissolve.  If you want to test this yourself, you can watch how I did this simple experiment myself here.

    These particles of non-dissolvable stuff build up, over time, in your machine and in the fibres of your clothes.  The reduce the life of your machine, make your fabrics stiff and scratchy and are the cause of many skin irritations and reactions.   Fillers and Extenders also leave streaks on your fabrics.

    Why are the streaks slimy?

    Some of the sliminess may be due to bacteria but it’s more commonly silicone from fabric softeners.  Fabric softeners work by coating your fabrics in a layer of silicone to give them a smooth feel.  The irony here is that you really only need fabric softener to make the fabrics feel softer because of the scratchiness of the fillers and extenders trapped in them.

    Why are the streaks coming out with my natural, concentrated brand?

    When you switch over to a herbal brand without fillers and extenders, like Tri Nature, a few loads in and you find the existing fillers and extenders built up inside your machine start to break down and come out on the wash in bulk quantities.  A herbal concentrated laundry product will help to clean out your machine.  This is a terrific side benefit but you don’t want it to happen all over your clothes.

    How can I stop the streaks?

    The best way to stop the streaks on your washing is to clean out your machine thoroughly and only use a 100% concentrated, preferably herbal, brand of laundry product such as Alpha Plus.

    When I say clean out the machine, I mean with a proper descaler, not just vinegar and bicarb.  An empty hot, hot wash cycle and the instructed amount of descaler in the machine is all you need to do.  It may take several goes, depending on how many years’ worth of build up you need to clear.  It took 3 descales for my new machine but it’s as good as new now and it smells terrific!

    If you still want to use a fabric softener, look for a plant based one that has no silicone in it, like Tri Nature’s Angelica.

    The other benefits include that you will find your clothes much brighter and less scratchy after a couple of washes, as the fillers and extenders are washed out.  Those with sensitive skin will find significantly less to no irritation.  And you will be able to use all your grey water on the garden!

  • Water Saving Tips for Summer

    Water Saving Tips for Summer

    How to save and recycle water around home

    As we head into what’s shaping up to be a long, hot and very dry summer, I thought it was a good time rehash and extend my list of water saving tips for you.  I have added to this list as people have shared their ideas and tips with me so please, keep them coming and I will keep adding to the list for you all!

    Obviously, my number one tip is to use all Tri Nature products throughout your house.  That way, ALL your grey water can go on your garden!

    Laundry

    • In our house, the washing machine hose goes out the window of the laundry and all water from the washing machine goes straight onto the grass and the garden.  This isn’t an issue for the grass or plants because I use Tri Nature products. The hose we have is really long so I can move it around as needed.
    • An alternative is to have the hose, and all the water, go into a wheelie bin with a hose connection fitting on it.  Then you can wheel the bin around the house and use the water wherever you need it on the garden.  We made our own version of this but you can buy these wheelie bins with hose fittings on them from Bunnings and other hardware stores.
    • Always do full loads in your machine.  Don’t waste water to wash one or two things.  It’s never hard to fill up the washing machine in our house.
    • Soak stained clothing in a bucket instead of the sink.  Use Tri Nature and then you can throw the water onto the grass or garden when you have finished soaking, instead of down the drain.

    Bathroom

    • Keep showers to a minimum.  4 minutes is always the goal.
    • Bath or shower small kids together.
    • Have a bucket in the shower with you, or more than one, if you have them.  This will catch lots of shower water before it goes down the drain.  You can then use it to water the garden or flush the toilet (you can “bucket flush” the toilet by just tipping the water into it with the same force as a flush would use).
    • If you have a motorised pump rig, you can pump water from bath into a wheelie bin for use on the garden.  If you don’t have one of these, you can bucket the water out onto the garden.
    • When it comes to the toilet, in our house, we apply the saying “If it’s yellow, let it mellow.  If it’s brown, flush it down.”.  We don’t flush unless the loo is getting too full of toilet paper or it’s smelly.  Flushing less often saves water and using the half flush at every opportunity saves a bit more.
    • Don’t leave the tap running while you brush your teeth.  Wet your toothbrush, turn it off, brush your teeth and the turn it on to rinse your toothbrush.  Use a cup with some water in it to rinse your mouth.
    • When washing your hands, apply hand wash and rub all over, then turn on the tap to rinse off.  Don’t leave the tap running while you apply soap.
    • Turn off the shower while you shampoo your hair or lather yourself.
    • Replace shower heads with water saving models.  Many water companies and councils have these available for free if you swap them for existing ones, or at a reduced price.
    • Hang your towels up to dry and reuse instead of increasing washing.  You don’t need a clean towel every time you wash.  You have only used it for drying off clean water.

    Kitchen

    • Use your dishwasher for everything.  Dishwashers use much less water than hand washing your dishes does.
    • Don’t rinse your dishes before you put them in the dishwasher.  Use cutlery to scrape off any excess food and then load them up in the dishwasher.  There’s absolutely no need to rinse something clean before if goes into the machine designed to clean it.
    • Again, full loads only.  Or half loads if you have a machine that only washes half.
    • If it takes a while for your hot water to come through, catch the cold water in a jug or a bucket and use it on the garden or in the kettle instead of letting it run down the sink.
    • If you can, set your dishwasher up the same way as the washing machine above.  Send the hose connection outside so the water goes onto the grass or garden or into a wheelie bin for distribution later.
    • Put your glass under the tap before you turn it on so you make sure you catch every single drop.
    • Reuse water from boiled or steamed food for other food, or wait til it cools and use it on the garden.
    • Put leftover ice cubes from your drink into a pot plant instead of in the sink.
    • Soak all your fruit and veggies in one sink together instead of rinsing each piece as you are about to eat it.

    Garden

    • Any water that hits our roof goes into rain water tanks and is used on the garden.  We have evaporative cooling which dumps water onto our roof every 3 hours when it’s on, so even though it hardly ever rains here, we still get water in the tanks.  It’s easy and affordable enough these days to buy IBC’s (old 1000L plastic shipping tanks in cages) off marketplace or Gumtree and divert your rainwater into those instead of the drains.  You don’t have to invest in big, expensive water tanks and a plumber.
    • For any plants in pots, put a saucer or tray underneath.  This will catch any water that drains out and the plant roots can suck it up as they need.
    • Water your plants at night.  Watering in the morning or during the day means you run the risk of much of the water evaporating before it can be absorbed by the plants.  Wait until the earth has cooled down of an evening and water your garden then.
    • If you mulch around your plant base, this helps retain moisture in the soil.
    • Many studies have been done that show planting into grassy ground, instead of tilled and harrowed soil, actually benefits the plants you’re planting.  Grass, rather than competing with your plants, actually helps to put more nutrients back into the soil and improve the soil’s water retention.  This can be harder to get your head around, especially because it looks messier than your conventional garden.
    • Indigenous plants are generally less thirsty than imports.
    • Native grasses are also less thirsty and far more drought tolerant than others.  If you know what to look for, you can gather up seeds from the side of the road and spread around your grassy areas to encourage it to grow.
    • Mow your grass long.  Taller grass retains it’s water better so you don’t need to water as often.
    • Fertilizers increase water consumption so use the minimum amount required if you must use them at all.  Consider making your own fertilizer with a worm farm.

    General

    • Leave your flowers growing in the garden rather than cutting them for display.  Fresh cut flowers can use up a lot of water to keep them alive. Consider living pot plants instead.
    • Check all your taps, hoses and fittings for leaks and repair them as soon as you can.
    • Eat foods with a higher water content to help keep you hydrated without needing to drink as much!
    • If you are washing your car at home, make sure you do it on the lawn so the grass benefits from the run off.  And make sure you are using Tri Nature products so you don’t kill the grass.
    • Wash pets and cars using a bucket, instead of a running hose.
    • Use a broom instead of a hose for cleaning tiles, driveways, etc.
    • Turn taps on slowly, not straight to full blast like my kids seem to do every time.
    • Teach your kids to be mindful of their water use and to be less wasteful.
    • If you have a pool, get a pool cover to reduce evaporation.
    • Report any broken pipes in public areas.
    • If you have to buy any new equipment or machinery, consider and compare water efficiency.

     

    Try doing just one thing each day and remember that Every Drop Counts!

  • Tri Nature Vs Grey Water Systems

    Are Tri Nature products suitable for use in Grey Water Treatment Systems?

    The expansion of urban sprawl has led many local authorities to encourage householders to install one of the numerous multi-stage effluent/grey water systems currently on the market.

    With the prospect of town sewage treatment being unavailable to many new urban areas, these systems offer more aesthetically pleasing and environmentally acceptable methods of treating home effluent than the septic tank.

    The downside, if there is one, seems to be the fragile chemical balance that has to be protected to ensure continued functioning.  Most problems arise from excessive or improper use of chemicals that poison the system killing the viable enzymes and bacteria, necessary for the digestion of waste.

    How then does Tri Nature rate as providers of cleaning products suitable for use in these systems?

    The answer is very well!

    There are 3 factors in the use of household cleaning products that affect the health and performance of the digestive organisms.

    1. The general toxicity of the product.
    2. The concentration of the products in the system.
    3. The extent to which they change the pH of the system.

    Whilst there is no excuse for over use, it is logical to assume that the lower the toxicity of the product, the higher the concentration can be tolerated.

    Tri Nature’s products are recommended on numerous grounds.

    1. They are readily biodegradable, resulting in a greater degree of breakdown occurring during the relatively short process of time.
    2. Tri Nature products have no strong biocidal action and are not toxic to the viable bacteria, when used according to instructions.
    3. Tri Nature products are very efficient and therefore less chemical can be properly used to achieve a desired result. Less chemical therefore goes into the system.
    4. Tri Nature products are generally less alkaline than ordinary products and are less likely to affect the delicate pH balance of the system.

    Used prudently and according to instructions, Tri Nature’s products provide a safer alternative than most cleaning compounds.

    Why are Tri Nature products safe for use in Bio-cycle type systems and septic tank systems?

    The answer is because of their good biodegradability and overall gentle characteristics.

    Tri Nature products are eminently suitable for use in all compact effluent treatment systems.

    All products in the Tri Nature range may be safely used in these systems.

    The major concern in maintaining a healthy system is to ensure that the enzymes and digestive bacteria present remain viable and healthy.  Under good conditions the colonies are self generating.  There are a number of things that can cause poisoning of the system and kill the bacteria.  Two major problems that can be caused by improper use of chemicals are a sudden or dramatic change in pH, as might occur with excessive use of acidic or alkaline products, and a high level use of disinfectants.  The philosophy regarding the use of chemicals in these systems should always be one of moderation.

    We must remember that Tri Nature products are sold as concentrates and that proper use according to Tri Nature’s recommendation is important in all circumstances to eliminate wastage.  It maybe considered even more important in unsewered areas.

  • Killing it in the Kitchen

    Killing it in the Kitchen

    5 eco-friendly tips to save hours of time, stress and mummy-guilt each week.

    Time for me to let you in on some secrets about how I kill it in the kitchen.  In our house, meals are my responsibillity.  This is, at least in part, by my design.  If it were up to my partner, we would be eating store-bought meatloaf with a side of two-minute noodles every night.  I was raised on a lot of veggies and salads and I wanted my kids to have the same, so I took over meals.

    I work 3 days a week in my job, a least another 2 days a week on my business, volunteer for canteen duty and school excursions where I can plus try and keep on top of the rest of the housework for a partner, 2 kids and up-to 4 part timers.  In other words, I’m as busy as every other mum out there.

    My kids have been in childcare since they were 7 months old, when I had to go back to work full time after each of them.  My job back then demanded long hours and we were often not home until after 6pm for the dinner/bath/bed routine.  We were getting up at 5.30am to start the next day so they really needed to be in bed by 7pm.  Frozen, ready-to-eat meals were a staple.

    While things have improved sightly over the years there was still a large amount of pre-preared foods involved.  I have still been wracked with mummy-guilt that I don’t give my kids enough of the right foods, that I don’t prepare their food from scratch so that I know exactly what’s in it, that I am contributing waaaaay too much packaging to landfill, etc. etc.

    I made some big commitments to myself for this year that I would cook from scratch, eliminate as much pre-prepared food and packaging as possible, feed my kids more veggies and the right kinds of foods.  I have had to make some big changes to achieve those goals.  I’m pretty happy with how things have turned out so far.

    1. Meal Plan

    I know, I know.  Super nerdy and one of those tasks that sounds like just one more thing on the never ending to-do list.  BUT I spend less than half an hour on this once a week and it saves me at least that much time on a daily basis.  I know what we are having for dinner each night for the next 7 days.  No more getting home from work and spending ages staring into the fridge or pantry trying to figure out what I’m going to make for dinner.  The decision is already made so I can just get on with it.

    I have thousands of recipes.  For someone who never really cooked much before kids, I seem to have accumulated quite the collection of cook books.  Each week I pick 3 books and I flick through and choose our week’s meals.  I generally go for some meat based meals, some with eggs, beans or lentils, one from another country (my youngest “visits” a different country in her class room each week so we talk about the food and which country it came from) and, especially in winter, a soup.  Friday night usually involves something easy and not necessarily healthy like home made pizza or sausages.

    2. Shop to a list

    I make my shopping list while I am doing my meal plan.  “Hello Fresh” love telling everyone how much their food packages save wasted food.  Well, so does meal planning and shopping to a list and you don’t have to pay extra for it.  I reckon I have knocked between $50 to $100 per week off the cost of our weekly shop just by meal planning and shopping to a list.

    I used to go to the shop and wander the aisles while I tried to remember what we needed plus work out what we might eat for the week and what I needed for that.  I would always end up forgetting something, spending too much time in the store and getting frustrated and just grabbing whatever was easiest because I didn’t want to think anymore.

    With my list, I buy only what I need to make the meals for the week.  I don’t end up grabbing stuff off the shelves “just in case”.  It saves wasted food, it saves wasted money and it saves me so much time in the store because I know what I need to get.  Having a list also stops me impulse buying a bunch of stuff that we will never use, just because I was hungry while I was in the shop.

    There are a couple of exceptions worth noting here.  I will sometimes buy bulk or a whole item instead of just what I need, to save getting additional packaging.  For example, if I need 500g of pumpkin for a recipe, I will buy a whole pumpkin so I don’t have to deal with the plastic wrap and the styrofoam tray (not to mention the additional cost per kg).  I find that the produce I buy whole seems to keep much longer than any pre-prepared produce from the stores.  There are also some great reusable produce bags you can get that make your fruit and veggies last even longer in the fridge.  Then I’ll make sure next week’s recipes include those ingredients so nothing is wasted.

    3. Tools

    4 years ago, my uncle and auntie bought me a 5in1 multicooker.  It does slow cooking, pressure cooking, rice cooking, steaming and soup.  I don’t think I really appreciated the value of this little gem until this year.  It is bloody fantastic.

    The 3 days I work, we generally have slow cooker meals.  I can’t tell you how good it is to come home after a day of work and an evening of rushing kids between dancing and karate to a cooked meal ready to be served.  The amount of stress this has taken out of my life is huge!

    I have a bumper womens weekly slow cooker cook book ($20 from the book man at before school care, thanks very much) and another slow cooker 365 cook book.  Between the 2 of them, I haven’t run out of new meals to try yet.  There are so many amazing things you can do.

    On my non-job days, the pressure cooker function still lets me whip up a risotto in less than half an hour including prep.  I also have a Thermomix which has been a terrific complement to my kitchen and helps me cook some amazing meals from scratch in under half and hour.

    If you can’t afford to splash out on the 5in1 or a Thermomix, a plain old slow cooker is a must have.  I would also highly recommend a good food processor.  You can save a lot of time, money and waste by preparing your own veggies.  For example:

    • chopping up your own tomatoes instead of using tinned ones
    • growing your own herbs, drying them and blitzing them and keeping them in old vegemite jars for whenever you need them

    Blitzing onions in the food processor has also saved me many tears and cut fingers.  If you want to get even more eco friendly, Tupperware have the Smooth Chopper, which is a people-powered food processor, no electricity required and you can work out while you’re cooking!

    4. Re-purpose the left overs

    I have 2 kids of my own plus between 0 and 4 part-timers.  Especially in the 4 years after my first daughter was born, my partner would turn up with up at dinnertime with any or all of them without notice.  I got really good at the fishes and loaves trick, making a meal for 4 into a meal for 8.  Perhaps as a hangover from then, I still tend to over-cater for dinner most nights.  This actually works out really well because we re-purpose our left overs.

    Generally, my partner and I will take some for work at lunch for at least one day.  Where there is a lot left over (like when I make soup), I divide it up into portions in containers and freeze it.  That way, we have ready meals for days when there are no leftovers for lunch and for times we may be away for the weekend and come home to no food.  This also gives me a backup options for the nights I can’t be bothered fighting my kids to eat on the meal I have cooked.  If the freezer ever starts to get too full, I just plan a few less meals for a week and use it up.

    5. Use your Dishwasher

    I know I say this often but honestly, if you have a dishwasher, you’d be mad not to use it.  In our house, everything goes in the dishwasher.  If it doesn’t survive the dishwasher, it has no place in our kitchen.  The dishwasher saves time and is more environmentally friendly.  Dishwashers use less water than hand washing dishes, as long as you don’t rinse the dishes frst.  Scrape food off into the bin and load the dishes up.  Use an eco friendly powder like Tri Nature Citrus Dishwasher Powder (then you don’t need to worry about toxic residue on your plates or killing the fishies).  I also use Tri Nature Rinse Aid. I have solar power so the dishwasher goes on one the eco cycle right before I walk out the door each day.  By the time I get home, the dishes are clean and dry and ready to use again or be put away.

    So there you have it!  My top 5 on how I get through the days and weeks without totally losing my mind over meals.  I would love to hear if any of this helps you or if you have any other tips you would like to share.  Please feel free to comment or get in touch and let me know!

  • Why I chose Network Marketing

    Here’s a quick video for you to explain why I chose network marketing over a traditional home business or a more socially acceptable franchise.

     

  • Folding and Storing Sheet Sets

    Folding and Storing Sheet Sets

    Here’s a quick video about one of my life hacks.  This is how I fold and store my sheet sets to save myself some time and sanity.  I hope it helps you too!

     

  • A little bit of Tri Nature History

    A Little Bit of Tri Nature History

    I was watching a Facebook video about a new eco cleaning company and how they got started.  It reminded me that Tri Nature has a history that dates back to 1979 and two amazing Australians who set out to change the world!  I thought I would share a little bit about that.