Year: 2016

Zero Waste Muesli Bars

½ cup (125mL) honey or 1/4 honey/peanut butter
¼ cup caster sugar
125g butter
3 cups rolled oats/cornflakes
1 cup Rice Bubbles
1 cup sultanas
½ cup chopped apricots, dates or choc chips
½ cup desiccated coconut
¼ cup pepitas (pumpkin seed kernels), sunflower or sesame seeds

 

Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease and line a slice tray (mine is 31 cm x 22cm) with baking paper. Combine honey, sugar and butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes until butter melts and sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil and cook for 2 minutes or until syrup thickens slightly. Remove from heat. Combine remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Pour over the hot syrup and stir to combine. Spoon into prepared pan and press firmly to make sure the mixture will stick together. I wet my fingers with a bit of cold water and press the top to get a smooth finish. Bake in oven for 15-20 minutes or until golden. Cool and then refrigerate until well chilled and cut into 24 slices (about 2cm x 6cm).

Plastic Free July is here!!

I love this time of year!  I get to feel great about doing something for the planet and challenge myself to learn new things.

Have you joined Plastic Free July yet?

It really is very simple.  Just pledge to give up disposable plastic bags, water bottles, straws and take away coffee cups.  You can do it for a day, a week or the whole month.  If your a bit more along the plastic free journey you might consider giving up disposable plastic packaging too.

You probably don’t need to go out and buy anything as most of us have all the tools we need right now.  Just say no to straws when you order out, remember to take your reusable shopping and produce bags with you, and keep your BYO coffee cup nearby if you like a take away cuppa.

I’ve been doing Plastic Free July since 2013 and every year I stretch myself to reduce one more thing.  My family aren’t as wasteless as me but that doesn’t mean I can’t still give it a go.  I can make decisions that are good for me and encourage them to make changes but I never want them to feel pressured into something.  Plastic Free July isn’t just about waste, it’s also about enjoying life.  I love that because of this challenge I now know how to make my own yoghurt, bread, soft cheese, pasta, granola and a bunch of other things.  I love that I have found a community of others who are doing good things for the environment (rather than just talking about how bad things are getting).  I love that I can shop quickly and easily, just buy what I need and spend more time enjoying life rather than dealing with stuff.  I love all that I have gained by getting rid of the rubbish in my life.

Over the month of July we will be giving you lots of suggestions via Instagram and Facebook on simple changes that you can make, but we would love to hear from you.  What are your disposable plastic dilemmas?  What are your disposable plastic solutions?

To make it just a bit easier and give you a little incentive to try reducing your plastic packaging – how about a 5% discount on any items bought during July where you have refilled your own container!  As always you can drop off your containers and we will do your shopping for you if you prefer.  It doesn’t get much easier to do the right thing!!

I dream of a day when no one’s green bin is full to the brim on rubbish collection day!

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Secret Womens Business (aka Wasteless Panties)

Reusable Sanitary Products are Better for You, Your Wallet & the Earth

Have you heard about Juju menstrual cups and reusable menstrual “Moon Pads”?

To tell the truth when I first heard about them many years ago it wasn’t something I ever thought I would try.  But fortunately I did give it a go and now I would never go back!

The amount of waste created by this most regular and intimate of bodily functions is pretty staggering.  Plus it’s just simply gross!!

Reusable menstrual cups and reusable pads are not as messy or complicated as you are probably thinking plus:

  • Once you have made your initial purchase you will always have your supplies on hand each month – you’ll never be caught out again
  • No risk of toxic shock syndrome
  • Easy to use and maintain
  • You get to know your own cycle better which means that you can manage your own health better too
  • In summer the cloth pad will breath better, no more sweaty bits
  • You can wear either or both overnight without any leaks
  • Work just beautifully for sporty types

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Pads are pretty self explanatory I believe but menstrual cups are a new concept for many so here’s a video to help explain the concept…

Tips for beginners:

  • It will take you about 2 to 3 cycles to completely get the hang of a menstrual cup – just like it took a while to get the hang of tampons so many years ago.
  • We recommend that you start with inserting and cleaning in the shower the first few times since this is where you have plenty of room to find your most comfortable position, your muscles are relaxed and you can keep everything clean.
  • A rough guide to sizing is Model 1 for under 30 years old and Model 2 for those who are over 30 years old or have given birth (caesarean included).
  • How often you need to change the menstrual cup is different for everyone.  If you have a heavy flow then day 1 and 2 might have you changing it every 3 to 6 hours but later in your cycle you might not have to change it for 12 hours or more.  You will know you need to change the cup as you will begin to feel a heaviness but you’ll pick this up pretty quickly.
  • I like to use a cup and pad for the first day or two so that if I’m away from an easily accessed toilet then I won’t have to worry about any accidents.
  • When you are away from home you can remove and empty over a toilet then simply rinse out with your handy bottle of water.  No waste to dispose, so no-one has to know what you’re up to.
  • Clean the cup at the end of your cycle with a mild soap and maybe boil in water if you want to be extra sure that it stays healthy.  As for the pads just throw them in the washing machine with all your other clothes when you have finished with it.

If you have any questions or want to check out the demonstration models then just pop into the store and have a chat with one of the girls!


No Waste Home Bathroom – Eco Body Care Checklist

We talk often about refusing, reducing, reusing, recycling and rotting at Wasteless Pantry.

The easiest place to start your zero waste living journey is in the bathroom!

You really don’t need all those potions and harmful microbeads, just a few simple goodies will get you through and simplify your daily routine once and for all.

Given there is so much talk about the risks of chemicals in cosmetics, eco hair products, eco skin care and environmentally friendly soap options might be just the remedy you were looking for.

So what is in a zero waste bathroom?

bathroom

What about deodorant, toothpaste, moisturiser, body scrubs and the like?

Each to their own on this one.  For me I’m happy with my DIY options…

DIY Deoderant

Mix together equal quantities of bicarb and coconut oil with essential oils of your preference (mine are lavender and chamomile)

DIY Toothpaste

Bicarb on its own [but I know others who swear by bicarb, coconut oil and peppermint oil]

* There is plenty of discussion out there about the pros and cons of fluoride and I am not an expert on this one at all so please seek info about this elsewhere on the internet 🙂

DIY Moisturiser

Coconut oil on its own [simple and effective!]

DIY Cleanser

Mix together 1 part bicarb & 2 parts coconut or olive oil

Lightly scrub body or face and then wash off with water

DIY Body Scrubs

Salt, sugar, quick oats and coffee grounds make great exfoliants and can be combined with oils and/or honey to make a wide variety of body scrubs that smell delicious!  Add in flavourings of your choice like cinnamon, vanilla extract, mint leaves, citrus oils or lavender flowers and you have something good enough to become a gift too!!  Play around and find your own favourite recipes, however as a rule of thumb you will need equal quantities of liquid to your dry goods.

If you are in the neighbourhood, then pop into the store and bring along your containers for refilling!

And if you are not in the neighbourhood then make sure you leave a comment below letting us know what your bathroom must-haves are!


Easy Hot Cross Buns with a Twist

Whilst we love our traditionally made Hot Cross Buns, sometimes you just don’t have the time or energy to tackle that ingredient list.

The alternative is going fancy with a basic bread mix – our crusty or soft bread mixes (try your hand with the gluten free range if you are inspired too!).

easy hot cross bun

 

Bread base:

500g bread mix

7g dried yeast

250g lukewarm water

 

Then tailor it by adding in one of the options below….

Traditional version:

65g sultanas

65g currents

10g mixed spice

 

Chocolate lovers:

25g cocoa powder

50g choc chips

* use melted chocolate for the cross

 

Choc Cherry:

25g cocoa powder

50g choc chips

65g glace cherries

 

Apricot & Almond:

125g diced apricots

125g sliced almonds

 

Date & Walnut:

125g chopped dates

125g walnuts

7g ground cinnamon

 

  1. Mix together bread base and optional ingredients until a smooth dough forms
  2. Cover with a damp tea towel and allow to proof for 10 minutes
  3. Knock down the dough and form into 6-8 buns approximately 1cm apart on a greased tray
  4. Cover with a damp tea towel and allow to proof for 40-60 minutes
  5. Make flour paste for cross by mixing 1/2 cup plain flour with 4 to 5 tablespoons of water and piping across buns
  6. Bake until golden brown for approximately 20 mins in 180-190C oven
  7. Brush with sugar glaze made by mixing 1/3 cup water with 2 tablespoons of sugar whilst buns are still warm

 

Enjoy!


Easy Quick Eco Cleaning Tips – How to Clean Your Kettle

Like a squeaky clean kettle but don’t want to have to scrub it?

You have two Wasteless options:

1. Throw in a used lemon and boil your full kettle a couple of times, letting it sit until all the nasties have lifted then rinse and you’re good to go. Or

2. Throw in a tablespoon of citric acid that you bought in your BYO container at ‪#‎wastelesspantry‬ then boil and rinse, no wait time for you next lovely cup of something yum! ‪