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Green chutney goes well with bread, cheese and cold meats, which makes it perfect for picnics. You could also serve it with hot curry dishes. What’s more, you don’t have to wait for your tomatoes to ripen to make a green tomato chutney.  This recipe requires a preparation time of half an hour and a cooking time of two hours. Maturation time is one and a half months but the wait will be worth it as you’ll have a few jars of green tomato chutney to indulge in. (more…)

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Devilling was popular in the 19^th century, especially when it came to heating up any leftover chicken pieces from the previous day’s dinner. Dr Kitchiner had this to say about Devil sauces: ‘Every man must have experienced that when he has got deep into his third bottle… his stomach is seized with a certain craving which seems to demand a stimulant. The provocatives used on such an occasion an ungrateful world has combined to term devils.’ (more…)

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The Dalai Lama explained his religion by saying, ‘my religion is simple. My religion is kindness.’ And as South Africa’s Desmond Tutu says that being kind is a simple act since ‘it isn’t the spectacular things that makes you remarkable in the eyes of God, but instead, it is in lighting just one candle to dispel a little darkness that you are doing something tremendous.’ Read on to find out why being kind is good for you and others. (more…)

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Mrs Beeton’s Everyday Cookery book is full of recipes and cooking tips, some of which still apply today. On the subject of baking, she says this about puddings: ‘puddings are made basically from flour, breadcrumbs or cakecrumbs, fat, sugar, eggs and a raising agent.’ Here we share her views on how to work fat into pudding mixtures. Fat can be chopped in, rubbed in or creamed. Read on to find out more. (more…)

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A need for control may stem from a fear of letting go and trusting another person in case one is rejected in any way. This can mask a fear of intimacy. Those who constantly notice the negative aspects of their loved ones may also be avoiding intimacy. The same applies to people who constantly distract themselves with various people and activities: it keeps loved ones away. Then there are those who dislike vulnerability in others. They won’t commit emotionally for fear of dependence. (more…)

Photo: Andy Field (Hubmedia) / Flickr

As mentioned in a previous article, the best way to ensure the health of your plants is to plant them in good soil. Good soil is rich in organic matter, soil life and nutrients. This combination allows for well-fed plants that are strong enough to stand up to pests and diseases. We also pointed out that plants should have the right amount of water and sun. Read on for more tips on how to deal with gardening problems the natural way. (more…)

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Oriental desserts normally focus on fruits, allowing for a refreshing end to a meal. This recipe for rice-stuffed pears requires flaked rice, skinned almonds, lotus seeds, red and green glace cherries, vegetable oil, sugar and four pears that have been peeled, cored and halved. The sauce requires sugar, water and cornflour. You can add a few drops of pink food colouring if you wish. Allow for a preparation time of a quarter of an hour and a cooking time of 40 minutes. (more…)

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If you’re feeling tired all the time, don’t feel alone because over five million people in the UK feel the same way. For some people, the feeling of fatigue and weariness goes on for years. Whatever degree of lethargy you have, it’s something that should be addressed. Check with a doctor that you don’t have health issues. If nothing is done about it, you may continue to feel too tired to do anything and life will slip you by. (more…)

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There are so many things that we can do to help save our planet, and even the smallest changes can make a big difference if more of us adopt these planet-friendly practices. Here we share 15 tips from installing low-flow shower heads to cutting out cut flowers to filtering your tap water rather than buying plastic bottled water. Since we’ve mentioned three already, here are 12 tips on how to help the planet. (more…)

Photo: stu_spivack / Flickr

This ricotta and berry tart recipe makes use of a gluten-free short pastry base. The recipe comes from Love Green Food by Larissa Green, a book about cooking and eating with consciousness. The recommended pastry is made with high-protein quinoa flour, rice flour, ghee and an egg. The ricotta and berry tart filling is made with cream, egg and berries, besides ricotta cheese. Replace the gluten-free short pastry with an ordinary flour based pastry, should you prefer. (more…)