Author Archives: Anais_b

Why shouldn’t food go in the general waste bin? What happens to food that gets recycled? In celebration of national Recycle Week 2021, we share the answers to common questions about food recycling… What is national Recycle Week? Now in its 18th year, this annual celebration aims to raise awareness around the environmental benefits ofContinue reading “How many banana peels does it take to charge a mobile?”

Apart from the fact that they are tangy and delicious, making fermented vegetables is an easy way to preserve vegetables for many weeks or even months and in doing so, avoid waste. Fermentation works well even if foods aren’t at their freshest (provided they haven’t gone mouldy or slimy) so it’s a perfect way to give wrinklyContinue reading “Recipe: fermented French or runner beans”

As we roll into September, fruit and vegetable patches are (hopefully!) producing an abundance of fresh produce faster than you can eat. This week we were delighted to harvest 3 kilos of beans in a single day at our allotment! If you want to prevent waste by saving produce for later in the year, thereContinue reading “Top tips for freezing garden produce”

What can you make with lemon rinds, cauliflower leaves and apple cores? Even for the most resourceful of cooks looking to avoid food waste, finding ways to use up every part of a food can take some creativity! In this post we share some ideas for using fruits and vegetables in their entirety, from ‘rootContinue reading “From root to fruit: how to make more of fruits and vegetables”

Why grow ‘green manure’ crops? Green manures (also known as cover crops) are plants that provide multiple benefits to the food garden by enhancing soil structure and fertility. In doing so, they can improve yields by up to 47%. As they cover bare soil, green manures also have the added benefit of suppressing weeds. HowContinue reading “Boosting crop yields with green manures”

Tired of finding limp vegetables lurking in the back of your fridge or cupboard? Research from the University of Otago reveals the best ways to store common vegetables in order to prolong their shelf life by up to 10 times. See below for what they found… Avocado halves Of the 17 methods the researchers tried,Continue reading “How to make vegetables last 2-10 times longer”

Looking for a new way to use the odds and ends in your vegetable drawer? Turn them into mouth watering antipasti! You just have to roast them in the oven and then marinate them for a few hours. Together with a baguette, they make a quick and tasty dinner for two.  Ingredients 3-4 handfuls ofContinue reading “Homemade Antipasti Recipe”

Home composting is an eco-friendly way to turn kitchen and garden waste into a valuable resource which can be used in your garden. Homemade compost is teeming with beneficial microorganisms and nutrients that enhance soil health and help garden plants thrive. There are many ways to make compost, and in this post we look atContinue reading “Hot and cold composting: what’s the difference?”

A no-fuss recipe for all the bits and bobs that need using up in your veggie drawer. It goes well with either rice or noodles. For two portions: 5 handfuls chopped vegetables e.g. chard, mushroom, broccoli, leek, carrot, cabbage, peppers and celery Fresh ginger, grated Fresh garlic to taste, minced 1 Tbsp sesame oil 1Continue reading “Any-veg stir fry”

This week is National Gardening Week, the country’s biggest annual gardening celebration. Led by the Royal Horticultural Society, this year’s campaign is focusing on the mental and physical benefits of gardening and is calling on people to get their daily dose of ‘vitamin G’. Research shows that gardening can boost health and wellbeing and isContinue reading “Get your gloves on – it’s National Gardening Week!”