SEASONAL & SUSTAINABLE LIVING - NOVEMBER: OUR ECO-FRIENDLY ALPHABET

3 November 2020 - Posted by The Sisterhood of Sustainability

This is your last chance to make the most of all the wonderful things that Spring has to offer so don’t let the opportunity slip by! Enjoy the sunshine filled days, colourful florals and the delicious fresh fruits and vegetables that are currently in season…

FRUITS AND VEGETABLES IN SEASON IN NOVEMBER

November is the perfect time to enjoy delicious meals made with fresh food...

SEASONAL FRUITS

Banana - Cherries - Grapefruit - Honeydew - Loquat - Lychees - Mango - Papaya - Pawpaw - Rockmelon - Rough Leaf Pineapple - Strawberries - Smooth Leaf Pineapple - Starfruit - Valencia Oranges - Watermelon

SEASONAL VEGETABLES

Artichoke - Asparagus - Beans - Choko - Cucumber - Green Peas - Hass Avocado - Lettuce - Salad Onion - Spring Onions - Snow Peas - Sugar Snap Peas - Spinach - Sweetcorn - Tomato - Watercress - Zucchini Flowers

OUR ECO-FRIENDLY ALPHABET

A – Avoid single use plastics such as bags, cutlery and straws
B – Bake recipes using zero waste ingredients from the bulk food store
C – Clean using natural, organic and zero waste cleaning products
D – Donate extra food, unused belongs and clothes that you’ve outgrown
E – Eat foods that come package free or in minimal, recyclable packaging
F – Fix things that need repairing rather than replacing them
G – Grow your own fresh fruit, vegetables and herbs in your backyard
H – Hand your clothes out to dry rather than using a clothes dryer

I - Invest your money into a sustainable and ethical super fund
J – Join a community garden, clothing swap or beach clean up crew
K – Keep beehives and let the bees pollinate all the local plants
L – Learn how you can make your home and lifestyle more earth friendly
M – Make your own clothes, bags and accessories from recycled fabric
N – No products containing palm oil, micro beads or toxic chemicals
O – Open your mind to implementing sustainable and ethical habits
P – Protect pollinators by avoiding harmful chemicals and pesticides
Q – Question how your food and clothing is made and who makes it

R – Recycle paper, cardboard, plastics, aluminium and other recyclable items
S – Save as many resources, electricity, waste and water as you possible can
T – Take your fruit and vegetable scraps outside to compost
U – Use reusable bags when you go grocery shopping or to the farmers markets
V – Volunteer for an environmental not-for-profit organisation or second hand shop
W – Water your garden using fresh rainwater straight from your rainwater tank
X – eXercise outside by going for a run, swimming in the ocean or hiking in the mountains
Y – Yes to plastic free items and sustainable, zero waste alternatives
Z – Zero waste items, shopping techniques, home, travel and lifestyle

SUSTAINABLE RECIPES FOR TOMATO

The main tomato varieties are: gourmet (or ‘common’), which are round and pink to bright red in colour; sweet truss tomatoes, still attached to their vines; small red or yellow cherry and grape tomatoes; or elongated and firm red or yellow Roma tomatoes.

BUYING
Choose brightly coloured tomatoes with no bruises or soft spots.
For red tomatoes, choose bright red to use immediately or paler ones to ripen for future use.

STORING
Store at room temperature for 2 - 3 days until slightly soft and bright red.
To keep longer, refrigerate for up to a week.

To make a simple tomato relish, pan-fry chopped onion, garlic, chilli and mustard seeds on low heat until soft. Add chopped tomatoes, brown sugar and red wine vinegar. Simmer, stirring until mixture thickens. Refrigerate and use in sandwiches or serve with meat.

Bruschetta makes a great snack. Combine chopped fresh tomato, garlic, basil leaves and olive oil. Grill crusty Italian or French bread, rub sides with garlic, top with tomato mixture and drizzle with olive oil.

Before baking your next pizza, for a fresher, healthier meal simply add tomato slices or halved cherry or grape tomatoes before topping with cheese.

SUSTAINABLE RECIPES FOR ROCKMELON

Rockmelon is not sold by variety.
Its available throughout the year, although it’s more affordable in the warmer months.

BUYING
Choose melons that have pronounced ‘netting’ on the rind, and are being to golden yellow in colour. You should also be able to smell the sweet aroma of the melon.

STORING
Rockmelons don’t continue to ripen after being harvested, so eat them within a few days of purchase. Once they are cut, cover them and store in the fridge.

Make a light ‘antipasto’ plate: chop up some rockmelon and serve with shaved ham and then slices of a strong cheese, such as blue cheese, gorgonzola or sharp cheddar.

Make fruit fun! Using cookie cutter shapes, cut out pieces of rockmelon, watermelon, honeydew melon and pineapple. Thread them onto skewers with strawberries. The kids will gobble them up.

Make a quick healthy salad. Top a mixture of lettuce and spinach leaves with a sliced, grilled chicken breast, cherry tomatoes, thinly sliced red onion and cubes of rockmelon. Toss with a light French dressing or white wine vinegar.

SUSTAINABLE RECIPES FOR SPINACH

Spinach is commonly sold as English spinach (large bunches) and baby spinach (small individual leaves.)

BUYING
Choose fresh-looking, bright green leaves. Avoid any leaves that are wilted, yellowed or damaged.

STORING
Store fresh spinach in a clean container wrapped with paper towels. Place it in the refrigerator in the crisp drawer to save the greens for up to ten days.

For a light snack (or delicious party dip) finely chop cooked spinach and squeeze out excess liquid. Stir through a large dollop of sour cream, a few dashes of garlic powder and season with cracked black pepper. Refrigerate for an hour or so before serving with raw vegetable crudités, baked pita chips or wholegrain crackers.

Make your weekend breakfast a healthy and satisfying one by adding wilted spinach to poached eggs and multigrain toast.

When making lasagne, add in a layer or two of wilted spinach for an extra serve of vegetables. For a creamy option, stir it through ricotta first.