#1 – A Simplicious Challenge: Cooking 306 Recipes

I love cookbooks. I own nearly 80 of them (including around 25 eBooks) – and I would own a lot more if I gave into every whim and desire I had to buy them. I also have a large collection of food magazines. But despite my fondness, or perhaps because of it, I have a bad habit of cooking only a handful of recipes from each book – returning to the same, familiar and appealing ones, while ignoring the recipes I think I won’t like.

Because of this, I’ve always fancied the idea of doing a Julie and Julia style challenge: to deliberately cook every single recipe in a cookbook. If ever a book was worthy of this challenge, I reckon Simplicious by Sarah Wilson is the one, with a whopping 306 recipes.

As soon I as started flicking through this book, the idea of doing this challenge started to grow on me. I was a bit worried I would do my usual: go straight to the gummy lollies and chocolate cardamom tarts, and never look back to the veggie-packed salads and meaty stews. Ultimately though, it wasn’t just the appealing recipes that encouraged me to consider this challenge. Continue reading →

Making the consumer difference, one free-range egg at a time

‘If you’re so against animal cruelty, why aren’t you a vegan?’ Said the carnivore, to the vegetarian.

Lately, I have spent a lot of time beating myself up about my own hypocrisy in making better choices as a consumer.

• I take reusable ‘green bags’ to the supermarket, but use masses of cling wrap and freezer bags at home.
• I buy local, free-range eggs but frequently buy garlic at the supermarket, which is imported from overseas.
• I avoid buying products that contain palm oil, but use chemicals to clean the toilet.
• I make my own baby purees, but there are thousands of dirty nappies in landfill from my two children.
• I very rarely use my clothes dryer, to reduce power usage, but even as I write this the heater is on.
• I avoid buying Nestle products, but my son wears Nike shoes.

Continue reading →