HOMEMADE DISH WASHING LIQUID

Fabulous dish washing liquid with a gorgeous natural orange scent, chuffed to pieces with this outstandingly successful and minutes to make recipe.  Not only is this green and environmentally friendly it also knocks spots of the artificially chemically produced dish washing liquids, along with the extra bonus of being half the cost.  This recipe only takes five minutes to make and lasts a busy family around a month.

Making time 5 minutes

This is another great addition to my 1920's housewife life style where a little elbow grease can cut down on household bills and chemicals in the environment, give you a little more of a physical work out and an overall feel good factor that not only am I saving money, primarily all this is to help lower my families carbon footprint on mother earth, the additional boost is how much I am learning about that we do not really need very much in order to live a life with less demand on the buy me world and landfill.

Ingredients

(makes 1 ltr)

Luxurious Super Strength

Total Cost £2.64

1 ltr boiling water, just off the heat

1/3 bar of Dr Bonners Magic soap grated

3/4 cup 180ml orange liquid castile soap

7 tsp washing soda crystals

Medium Strength

Total Cost £1.96

1 ltr boiling water just off the heat

1/3 bar Dr Bonners Magic soap grated

90ml orange liquid castile soap

7 tsp washing soda crystals

Bring the 1 ltr of water up to a boil and take off the heat, add the grated Dr Bonners soap, liquid castile soap and gently stir together, add the soda crystals and stir in until dissolved.

Place in your glass bottle and leave over night to settle, the soap will thicken up to a white jelly like consistency, if you feel it is too thick just dilute with upto 500ml more of hot boiled water.  This gorgeous soap works at its best with hot water.

12 hours later your liquid dish washing liquid will look like this and you are ready to go.

My first attempts at using natural ingredients was not as successful as this, I first tried my London Nan's method which was just soda washing crystals, this did do a great job cutting fat but not quite good enough and it left a residue on glass which made me question why and was that safe to ingest?  Compared to the artificial chemicals in manufactured products yes this was a lot lower on the toxic scale and being natural a better bet, but I was not totally happy hence the quest to try other recipes.

I will work on other variations of this recipe in order to bring the cost down keeping the cleaning quality and let you know how I get on.

HOT FIERY DAN DAN NOODLES

This will put a yin in your yang for sure, a great va va voom for your body and mind!  If your feeling under the weather this is a dish for you, the bordering insanely hot chilli oil is almost unbearable but just not quite and you will find yourself not wanting to stop taking another mouthful, this is the beauty of the Sezchuan pepper it slightly numbs your tongue and lips therefore hiding the burning effects of the chilli heat the more you eat!   A great boost to your mind, an antioxidant detox boost to your body and a good cure towards colds or blocked sinus.

Ingredients

(serves 4)

300g dried egg noodles

500ml fresh homemade chicken stock

1 tbsp coconut oil

250g ground beef or skirt finely chopped

2 tbs honey

1 tbsp shaoxing wine

2 tbsp soy sauce

4 handfuls of torn kale

4 handfuls torn spinach

8 spears of asparagus diced

2 handfuls broccoli florets

1 bok choi sliced

4 cloves garlic grated

4 spring onions sliced

4 hot red chillies sliced

2 tsp ground Szechuan pepper

5 tbsp hot chilli oil

1 lime quartered 

To make your own chilli oil take 15-20 hot dried red chillies, place in a hot dry frying pan and warm through, add to a blender along with 350ml liquid coconut or ground nut oil and blitz, pour into a sterilised air tight glass bottle this will keep for around a year deepening in intensity over time.

In a wok add a little coconut oil, fry off the beef on a high heat quickly,more move from the heat and stir in the honey, leave the beef in the wok and keep to one side.

Bring the stock to a boil, then take off the heat, add the noodles and leave to cook according to the instructions, generally instructions are to leave the noodles for a few minutes in boiling water/stock then remove.  A couple of minutes before the noodles need to be removed add the broccoli, asparagus, bok choi and kale.  Drain reserving around half the stock and add all to the wok, put the wok back on a medium heat add the chilli oil, garlic, soy sauce and Sezchuan pepper and toss well together.

Pile high in your serving bowls and finish off with a scattering of spring onions and a squeeze of lime, and for the not faint of heart a extra drizzle of chilli oil.

PANANG CURRY ANOTHER GOLD MEDAL WINNING RECIPE

Gorgeously outstanding gold medal winning Thai curry, this is my new best friend!  Making your own fresh curry paste is the key to why all authentic curries tastes soooooo good, it only takes five minutes to make the curry paste, which will make enough for three curries and can be kept in the fridge for a couple of weeks.  I find the gentle pounding of ingredients in a pestle and mortar rather therapeutic and seeing all the ingredients transform into a wonderful automatic paste that promises a great curry to come.

Prep time 20 minutes / Cooking un-attended  2 hrs / Serving time 5 minutes

Ingredients

(makes enough for 3 curries)

The Curry Paste

2 shallots fine chopped

3 " fresh turmeric grated or 1 tsp ground

10 cardamom pods seeds only

1 tbsp dried chillies

2 tbsp coriander seeds

2 tbsp cumin seeds

1 tsp fennel seeds

1 tsp shrimp paste

10 kaffir lime leaves

2 tsp chopped galangal

2 sticks lemon grass fine chopped

5 garlic cloves

3 tbsp fish sauce

1 tbsp coconut oil

1/2 tsp Himalayan salt

You need a deep saucepan/casserole dish with a lid, heat to a medium heat, add the coconut oil, dried chillies, coriander, cumin and fennel seeds and gently fry for a couple of minutes to release their oils and flavours, place them in a spice grinder or pestle and mortar along with the cardamom seeds and grind, place in your pestle and mortar along with the rest of the ingredients and gently pound to a gorgeous smooth paste, divide in to three and place two parts in a air tight glass jar in the fridge for a couple of weeks or in the freezer for longer storage.  My paste won't last the week!

Ingredients

(serves 2)

1 tbsp coconut oil

500g leg of lamb chopped into chunks

500ml lamb or beef stock

6 kaffir lime leaves

2 tbsp green brined peppercorns or

(2 stems fresh if you can find them)

2 red chillis halved long ways

300ml fresh coconut milk

4 tomatoes skinned and roughly chopped

1 red pepper deseeded and finely chopped

2 tbsp fresh coriander

2 portions steamed rice to serve with

Heat your already used pan hot, add the coconut oil and lamb, brown off all over, add the curry paste, stir to cover all the meat and fry for a minute, reduce to a low heat and add the stock, chillies, green peppercorns and lime leaves, cover and leave to gently bubble away for two hours, if you want to cook in the oven then around 140 degrees.  

Fifteen minutes before you are ready to serve add the tomatoes, coconut milk, turn up the heat a little to reduce the consistency, you want a medium curry sauce, sprinkle with the fresh coriander and serve with steamed rice and enjoy.

HEALTHIER FRESH CRISPY SPRING ROLLS

Gorgeous healthy crispy spring rolls loaded with fresh crunchy carrots, cabbage, peppers, beansprouts and if you have left overs like roast chicken marinate in a dash of light soy sauce, shaoxing wine and sesame oil, this is a lovely fresh eat using up left overs and without any hidden fats or processed ingredients, once you make your own you may never go back to store brought spring rolls again!  These are quick and simple to make and are really just an assemble of ingredients.

Prep time 10 minutes / Cooking time 5-15 minutes depending on method

Ingredients

(makes 8)

2 carrots peeled and juilenned

300g beansprouts

1/2 sweetheart cabbage finely sliced

1 red or yellow pepper finely sliced

160g shredded left over roast chicken

1 tbsp light soy sauce

1 tbsp shaoxing wind

1 tsp sesame oil

1 ltr ground nut oil

To Make The Spring Roll Wrapper

1 cup of orgainc flour

Pinch of himalayan pink salt

3/4 cup of water

Dipping Sauce

Mix all the ingredients together

2 tbsp light soy sauce

1 tsp mirin

1/2 tsp rice wine vinegar

1 drop of sesame oil

1/2 tsp shaoxing wine

1 red chilli finely sliced

First make the spring roll wrappers, mix all the ingredients together to form a batter, heat a griddle or frying pan to a medium heat and brush over a hint of oil, pour two tablespoons of batter into the centre of the pan and quickly spread out the batter with the back of the spoon into a thin circle around 8" in diamater, cook for 1-2 minutes until the wrapper looks set, remove and lay on half a tea-towel and wrap over to keep the wrapper from drying out and cracking, repeat unitl you have used up all the batter, any extra wraps can be frozen for next time.

Prepare all the spring roll ingredients and place in a pretty line up on your work top ready to go, take a wrapper and start to place a small amount of each ingredient in the centre top third of the wrapper, to wrap, fold over the left side to the center and then the right side to the centre then just roll up all the way keeping the left and right sides tucked in.  Repeat until you have used up all the ingredients.

COOKING OPTIONS

Oven Bake

Brush the spring rolls all over with some ground nut oil, place on baking tray and bake for approx 15-20 minutes in a pre-heated oven 190 degrees, turning once.

Dry Fry

Brush the spring rolls all over with some ground nut oil and in a hot frying pan lightly brown off all sides until crispy.

Deep Fry

Naughty but Nice!

Heat a deep pan two thirds full with ground nut oil heated to 180 degrees, gently fry the spring rolls in batches, when you first put the spring rolls in, using a spatula hold them seam side down for a few seconds to seal the rolls, cook for approx two minutes turn over and cook for a further two minutes until lightly golden and wonderfully crispy, enjoy with the dipping sauce.

SLOW BRAISED OXTAIL SOUP

Simple old fashioned slow cooking that delivers a glorious deep rich soup and a great winter warming supper, add some horseradish dumplings and turn this into a hearty evening meal fit for a farmer!  When cooking this the house smells so welcoming and invokes wonderful childhood memories of my nan and her braising tin which I now cherish, this is my Nan's recipe with a little of Kristi in it.

Prep time 15 minutes / Un-attended cooking time 2-3hrs

This is a dish that develops deeper flavours if left for 24-48hrs before being eaten.

Ingredients

(Serves 4)

1.5kg oxtail tail

2 tbsp coconut oil

1 lrg onion finely chopped

1 stick celery finely chopped

1 carrot finely chopped

1 bay leaf torn

3 sprigs thyme chopped

Fresh ground black pepper

Himalayan pink salt or sea salt

500ml good quality red wine

1.5ltrs beef bone stock

2 tsp tom puree

2-3 tsp cornflour

First heat the oil in your casserole dish and brown the oxtail all over, remove from the pan and reserve to one side, add the onions to the pan and soften gently for five minutes, then add the carrot and celery and cook for another five minutes, add back the oxtail and all the other ingredients except for the cornflour.  Cover and slowly braise for 2-3 hrs or until the meat is falling off the bone, you can braise this in the oven 170 degrees or on a low heat on the stove.  If you want a thicker stoup (cross between stew and soup), consistency leave to simmer until desired thickness.

At this point I like to leave the casserole dish to cool on the side, then I remove all of the meat from the bones, adding the meat back to the stock and placing the dish in the fridge to set, this is so that all the fat will solidify on the top of the broth, making it easy to remove, giving you a healthier soup, totally optional.  

However I have often poured the hot stock into a fat separator jug, keeping the meat separate, added the stock back to the meat, minus the fat and eaten this soup as soon as it was made, but if honest I do prefer the deeper richer flavour of the rested matured soup.

To prepare the chilled soup for serving, first remove the cold layer of set fat from the top of the stock, bring up to a gentle simmer and heat thoroughly, taste and adjust the seasoning if needed with salt and pepper and enjoy.

TACO TUESDAY'S LIME AND CHILLI PICO DE GALLO STEAK TACOS

Dance on those taste buds, fresh zingy and vibrant lime and chilli sweet habanero pico de gallo steak taco, this gorgeous little number really packs a fresh punch from the zesty lime backed up with a hit from the fresh hot chilli tomato salsa balanced with the creamy avocado and cool sour cream a beautiful mouthful.  The steak is seared sashimi style which gives you tender melt in the mouth texture and flavour, finished off loaded in a fresh corn masa taco, a perfect taco tuesday.

Ingredients

(serves 4)

2 cups of MaSeCa white corn masa

water

2 8oz sirloin steaks, trimmed

1 tbsp coconut or nut oil

4 handfuls mixed salad leaves

1 lime juiced

1 large tomato de-seeded chopped

1 tsp coriander chopped

1 habanero chopped

4 tbsp sour cream

1 avocado mashed

1 clove garlic grated

1 tbsp red pepper finely chopped

Sea salt

Black pepper

First make the fresh tacos, this is a simple and quick job, place the masa in a bowl and add enough water to bring together in a tight dough ball.  Tear of a golf ball size and roll into a ball.

Cover your taco press with cling film top and bottom and press out your tacos, if using a rolling pin lay the ball on a sheet of cling film and top with another sheet and using your rolling pin roll out your tacos.

Cook the tacos for approx one minute on each side on a cast iron skillet, keep warm wrapped in a tea towel while you sear the steak and make the salsa.

Heat a skillet fairly hot, rub the steaks with a little oil and season with salt and pepper, sear all sides of the steak for around 30 seconds on each side, remove from the pan and leave to cool on the side.  Make the salsa and avocado while the steaks cool.  Slice the steaks on the diagonal and load your tacos with the mixed salad leaves, topped with the steak, avocado, sour cream and salsa. 

The Salsa

Mix the tomatoes, habanero as little or as much as you like, a sprinkling of sea salt and black pepper, coriander and a tsp of lime juice, mix together.

Avocado Guacamole

Mix the grated garlic, red pepper and mashed avocado together, season with a sprinkling of sea salt and black pepper and a some of the lime juice.

JALAPENO POPPERS

Just love love love these guys, gorgeous peppery crunch from the fresh jalapeño followed by the glorious warm, slightly sour cream cheese finished off with that naughty indulgement of a fired crispy panko coating, when ever I make a batch of these my family moan I don't makes them often enough, but the reason for that is they woof a batch of fifty down like there is no tomorrow! 

Prep time 20 minutes / Cooking time 3 minutes per batch of 6 x 4=12 minutes

Ingredients

(Makes 24)

12 fresh jalapeños 

300g tub of philadelphia cream cheese

300g panko breadcrumbs in a bowl

2 beaten eggs in a bowl

200g salt and pepper seasoned flour in a bowl

1 ltr organic rapeseed or nut oil

Line up your three bowls in order of eggs, flour and breadcrumbs, next cut all your jalapeños in half and de-seed, using a tea spoon scoop up some cream cheese and stuff as much as you can in each jalapeño half, next roll each jalapeño in the beaten egg and then in the seasoned flour, gently dust off any excess flour and place on a plate then pop in the fridge to dry and firm up for at least 30 minutes, not totally essential, but this helps hold a thicker layer of panko.  Helpful hint keep one hand for wet ingredients and one had for the dry ingredients.

Once your stuffed and rolled poppers have chilled, place a deep pan on the hob, fill with the oil and bring up to 180-190 degrees, meanwhile take your poppers from the fridge and give them their final coating, roll the chilled jalapeños in the egg wash and then in the panko breadcrumbs, place on a plate ready to fry.

Drop 4-6 poppers or however many your deep frying pan will hold, into the hot oil and cook for around 3 minutes or until lightly golden, if you over cook these you run the risk of the cheese bursting out.  Once cooked remove from the oil and drain on kitchen towel, cook the rest, these are best served fresh and warm, I cannot tell you how they taste cold as in my home these don't get the chance!

RICE PAPER SPRING ROLLS

Loving these a little bit too much at the moment, I think it is the glorious aromatic flavours from the pork and prawn infused with ginger, soy, shaoxing and sesame oil along with the beautiful fresh crunch from the carrots, bean sprouts, peppers, red cabbage and spring onions, then with a gorgeous little dipping bowl of soy, mirin, brown rice vinegar, sesame oil and wasabi no wonder these are my favourite go to I fancy one of those this week!

Prep time 15-20 mins / Cooking time 0 mins

Ingredients

(Makes 6)

6 rice papers

100g pork mince

80g raw wild cold water prawns finely chopped

1 tsp coconut oil

3 carrot julienned

1/2 a bag of bean sprouts

1 handful finely sliced red cabbage

1 red pepper finely sliced

100g rice noodles cooked (optional)

4 spring onions julienned 

1" ginger grated

1 tsp soy sauce

1 tsp shaoxing wine

1/2 tsp sesame oil

Dipping sauce

1 tbsp light soy

1 tsp mirin

1 tsp brown rice vinegar

1 drop of sesame oil

A pea size of wasabi

1/2 red chilli thinly sliced (optional)

Firstly in the coconut oil pan fry the pork mince and prawns, once cooked take off the heat and add the ginger, sesame oil, soy and shaoxing, leave to cool.

Simple construction is all that is needed for these spring rice rolls, prep the rest of all of the ingredients and have them in a lovely row ready to use, take a dried rice paper sheet and soak in warm water to soften for approx three minutes, gently lift the soaked jelly soft rice paper and lay flat on your work top, in the centre of the wrapper starting at the top a third of the way down place some carrots, keeping a distance of one third from each edge, then top with a little of all the rest of the ingredients

To roll, bring the left and right sides of the rice wrapper towards the centre of the wrapper, then starting at the top fold over the top flap and keeping the left and right sides folded in roll the rice wrapper up.  This gets easier the more you make.  The skins have a tacky texture once dried, which if placed to close to another spring roll they will glue themselves together and tear apart when you try to separate them, so keep a little gap between each roll.

The dipping sauce

Mix all the ingredients together and enjoy dipping in your gorgeous spring rolls.

HOMEMADE NATURAL DEODORANT

Outstandingly perfect, simple to make, five minutes, fifty pence cost and finally a homemade deodorant recipe that is natural and organic that really works for me, I enjoyed putting this recipe through its paces this winter but I knew on the first day it was a winner and will be with me for life, after a hour yoga session, then a cross country dog walk down the stables, followed by a riding lesson, mucking out and finally sweeping the yard, I for the first time since giving up commercial deodorants could not smell myself!  I spent the rest of the day silly excited and telling everyone how pleased I was with finally finding a successful solution without compromise.

Cooking/melting mixing time 5 minutes / Fridge setting time 1hr

As a family who are still inspired and trying to live like their grandparents back in the 1940's, who grew their own food, raised their own meat had very little wastage, made their own cleaning and beauty products and who did not know what plastic was, among so much more, their lifestyle is now considered a green family lifestyle, therefore we as a family are trying to copy and live a more natural life that not only is healthier for my guys but also supporting mother nature and reducing our carbon footprint.

I have tried several natural and organic deodorants from the beautiful looking Himalayan salt rock to Dr Organics and where these do do a job they are not efficient enough for my sporty sessions and manual working on the small holding.  I am very pleased that this recipe from Wellness mama is working really well and not only do I finally feel odour protected (a big thing for me), the fact that all the ingredients in this deodorant you can eat makes me feel naturally good I also have a gorgeous Shea butter smell and lovely moisturised arm pits too a winner all round.

Ingredients

(Makes 1 bar lasts 3 months)

3 tbsp organic cold pressed coconut oil

2 tbsp organic Shea butter

3 tbsp baking powder

2 tbsp arrowroot / cornflour

15 drops organic tea tree oil

Equipment

1 mason or kilner glass jar

1 wooden spoon

Cup cake casings or a bar mould

Optional pretty waxed cotton adjustable holder

14 x 20cm 100% cotton fabric

27g bees wax grated

Pastry brush

Pinking sheers optional

2 buttons, needle and thread

20cm natural twine

Bring a pan of water, 1/2 as deep as the kilner or mason jar you are using to a simmer, place the Shea butter and coconut oil in the jar then pop the jar into the hot water in the saucepan, you only just want to melt the Shea butter and coconut oil, take off the heat, stir in the baking powder and arrowroot or corn flour, keep stirring using the handle of your wooden spoon until combined, now add the tea tree oil, pour into you cupcake papers or bar moulds or just leave to set in the mason/kilner jar.

Once your deodorant bar, etc is set your are ready to use it, keep on the side in the bathroom and use every morning. In winter I have the central heating up high, therefore I do feel the need to keep my deodorant bar in the fridge, if I leave it on the side it dose not melt but it is soft to touch and is still totally usable, but I personally like it more solid from the fridge.

Optional waxed cotton adjustable holder

Pre heat your oven to 170 degrees, place your piece of fabric on a baking tray and grate over one ounce of bees wax, pop in the oven for 5 minutes, remove, then using a pastry brush spread the melted wax to the edges, leave to dry for a few minutes, fold in three equal parts, left to right and then fold the bottom 1/3 up.  At this point I have sewn two buttons on the front of the wrap to make the fabric holder adjustable.  Pop the bar of deodorant in and enjoy.

HOMEMADE SPAM

Fabulous fresh spam and not a processed tin in sight, this is a great fresh and healthier version of the processed tinned spam, a simple and easy recipe, more of a terrine really.  Spam!  The name spam is an acronym for spiced ham and my gorgeous guilty spam secret is as a child I loved my mums fried spam sandwiches and very very very occasionally still do, wedged between a couple of warm sour dough slices of bread terribly over loaded with butter and smothered with homemade salad cream. 

This recipe is so simple to make, I have stepped up a level by using my own cured preservative free jerk spiced ham from our own raised pigs, making this spam additive and preservative free.  But just by making any of your own food you are in charge of what ingredients go in.

Prep time 15 minutes / Cooking time 1 hour / Pressing chilling time 12hrs +

Ingredients

(Serves 4-6)

300g belly pork quite finely minced

700g pork shoulder quite finely minced

200g ham quite finely minced

2 cloves garlic grated

Small pinch of nutmeg

Small pinch of mace

1 tsp sugar

 1 pinch sea salt

 1/2  tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp white pepper

Pre-heat your oven to 170 degrees, place all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix well together, push the meat mix into your loaf tin, cover with a square of parchment paper that fits inside the loaf tin and then cover with foil, place the loaf tin in a deep roasting pan and 3/4 fill with boiling water, I add the water once the roasting pan is in the oven for ease.

Cook for approx 1 hour, use a probe or tip of a knife on your nose to check that the centre of your terrine is piping hot / 75 degrees, if using the knife method place the knife into the centre of the terrine and then place the blade of the knife on the tip of your nose, you can gauge the temperature of the terrine from this, generally I know it's cooked when I jump 3ft in the air because I have burnt my nose!  When fully cooked remove from the oven and leave to cool for an hour or so before the next stage.

Next stage you need to press the terrine, keeping the terrine covered with the parchment paper and foil, place a heavy object on top of the loaf tin, I used a brick covered in foil that naturally fitted the inside space of my loaf tin, but a few tomato cans will do the same job.  This is to gently compress the meat into a terrine.  Pop in the fridge for at least six hours, overnight is better if you can as this allows the flavours to mature further.

To remove the terrine from the tin softly run a thin bladed knife around the edge, this should be enough, if the terrine is being stubborn then place the terrine in a shallow pan and pour in a couple of inches of boiling water wait one minute and then turn out and enjoy.