Smorgasbord Blog Magazine – Guest Post – #Life – I Wish I Knew Then What I Know Now! by Carol Taylor

I am sure like me, there have been times when you have wondered what difference might have been made to your life, if your younger self had been gifted with the experience and knowledge you have accumulated over the years.

I invited several friends from the writing community to share their thoughts on this subject which I am sure you will enjoy as much as I did.

I wish I knew then what I know now! by Carol Taylor

When Sally invited me to partake in this prompt, I racked my brain for days and just couldn’t think what to write… but how could I get to my age and not “Wish I knew then what I know now”

We have all had those moments when we wish we had the knowledge and insight we possess now a few weeks, months or years ago…

Would I have remained footloose and fancy free…I guess not…

I was a 50’s child and my father thought all girls got married and raised a family…my mother did just that and when I wrote copious pages for homework and got A grades she said” very nice dear” …my sisters played with dolls…

I should have… could have followed my dream to be a journalist…I didn’t…but the truth is there has been ups and downs over the years but all of that has made me what I am now… I am happy with that…

I came to blogging and writing late in life and a part of me wishes I had applied myself to that sooner…although I always loved English in school both language and literature and passed my exams with good grades, I do wish now I had taken that further it would make my life so much easier now when writing…

This writing game is not easy at times I seem to go around in circles and see everyone around me doing so well …

My second biggest regret is that I am passionate about the environment and I wasn’t passionate enough when I was younger and I wish I had been and had achieved far more in that world…made my voice heard…really heard…

I wish I had taken environmental studies… Would I have been a real activist…probably not as I believe in talking but not the extreme actions, I see playing out now …I think that alienates people who sit in the middle and could or would have taken more action in their own homes and may have supported a cause if their lives weren’t disrupted by someone glueing themselves to the motorway and prevented them from getting from A to B…

Or I wish I could have been a scientist…I love research and to be able to realise my dream and be able to spend the time researching and writing up that research…testing it out and if successful I can but imagine the buzz… but also know that a scientist observes and asks questions relating to the subject of the research, measures and communicates the idea and then makes a prediction now comes the really exciting part… to test and record each and every step systematically so it can be re-created.

Testing ideas, not all of which work, but what a buzz when it does…to a point I do this with my recipes as I have learnt the hard way if I tweak a recipe, I write it down…I learnt that lesson when watching a programme, a while ago where chefs wrote out a recipe and then gave it to another chef to cook it…

The commentary and the results were so different from the original recipe…basically the chef’s testing the recipe didn’t have a clue what the writer meant and they were chefs…

These chefs were watching the other chefs create their recipe and soon realised that what they had written wasn’t sufficient for another to understand the process…

It made me realise that although I know what I am doing the person reading my recipe has also to know and I have to make it super clear…so barring oven temps and all ovens are different it should turn out the same…

The conclusion is maybe I am a scientist of sorts…

I’ll leave you with this song…by one of my favourite singers…in this track Rod sings about “I wish I knew then what I know now” Rod Stewart

I wish I had taken more risks when I was my younger self…I wish I knew that I was smart…

You can’t however go back and would I have listened to anyone when I was younger …the young don’t …

©Carol Taylor 2022

My thanks to Carol for sharing her thoughts on the prompt, and having been lucky enough to enjoy Carol’s amazing recipes she shares here on the food column and her green kitchen, I can say without a doubt she is an alchemist…I know she would love to hear from you.

About Carol Taylor

Enjoying life in The Land Of Smiles I am having so much fun researching, finding new, authentic recipes both Thai and International to share with you. New recipes gleaned from those who I have met on my travels or are just passing through and stopped for a while. I hope you enjoy them.

I love shopping at the local markets, finding fresh, natural ingredients, new strange fruits and vegetables ones I have never seen or cooked with. I am generally the only European person and attract much attention and I love to try what I am offered and when I smile and say Aroy or Saab as it is here in the north I am met with much smiling.

Some of my recipes may not be in line with traditional ingredients and methods of cooking but are recipes I know and have become to love and maybe if you dare to try you will too. You will always get more than just a recipe from me as I love to research and find out what other properties the ingredients I use have to improve our health and wellbeing.

Exciting for me hence the title of my blog, Retired No One Told Me! I am having a wonderful ride and don’t want to get off, so if you wish to follow me on my adventures, then welcome! I hope you enjoy the ride also and if it encourages you to take a step into the unknown or untried, you know you want to…….Then, I will be happy!

Carol is a contributor to the Phuket Island Writers Anthology: Amazon US

Connect to Carol – Blog: Carol Cooks 2 – Twitter: @CarolCooksTwo – Facebook: Carol Taylor

Thank you for dropping in today and it would be great if you could share Carol’s post… thanks Sally

Smorgasbord Food Column – Carol Taylor’s Green Kitchen – October 2021 – Yeast Free Raisin and Cinnamon bread, Hair Conditioner, Fabric softener, World Food Day

October my Green Kitchen with Carol Taylor.

Welcome to October’s edition of my Green Kitchen…where I aim to cook food which is chemical free, in season and grown either by myself or purchased locally and in season…
Produce which is in season has far more taste than produce which is forced and grown out of its natural season …I also think it is the anticipation and taste that first of the season produce brings to the enjoyment of our food…

There is nothing better than cooking and serving that first crop of new potatoes or that first crop of peas, the first of the root crops, new ginger or lovely strawberries it brings such pleasure and we should savour every mouthful as many don’t have that option.

I am a firm believer that if we didn’t crave more and more of foods which aren’t natural to our particular environment that there wouldn’t be so much starvation and hunger in the world ..we live in a world of supply and demand and if we didn’t demand there would be no need…

Sometimes we have to deny ourselves for the good of others…

Recipe for October…Yeast free Raisin and Cinnamon Bread.

This bread is easy to make, smells wonderful because of the cinnamon and makes a lovely breakfast bread. If you don’t have any buttermilk then it’s easy to make just enough for this recipe I never buy it I just make it as requires. A few minutes is all it takes.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup raisins -soaked
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup dark brown sugar
• ⅔ cup granulated sugar, divided
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp coarse salt
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and divided
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• Pinch ground nutmeg

Let’s Bake!

Preheat the oven to 350° F / 177C and grease an 8×4-inch loaf pan.

Soak the raisins in hot water for 15 minutes, drain, and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, ½ cup of the granulated sugar, the baking soda, and salt.

In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, buttermilk, vanilla, and 3 tbsp of the melted butter.

Slowly pour the wet ingredients into the dry until the batter is moistened. Fold in the raisins.

In a separate small bowl, mix together the remaining granulated sugar, the cinnamon, and the nutmeg. Reserve 1 tbsp of this cinnamon-sugar for finishing the bread.

Spoon half of the batter into the greased loaf pan and then sprinkle with half of the larger amount of the reserved cinnamon sugar.

Repeat with the second layer of batter and cinnamon sugar, and then cut through the batter with a knife to swirl the cinnamon sugar throughout.

Bake until a toothpick inserted into the centre of the loaf comes out clean, about 55-60 minutes.

Evenly baste the top of the bread with the remaining 1 tbsp of butter (making sure not to over-butter one spot or the inside will be soft) and sprinkle with the reserved 1 tbsp of cinnamon-sugar…I didn’t use the whole tbsp as I felt it would have been too much it depends on how sweet your tooth is methinks.

Cool the bread in the loaf pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack, and then cool for an additional 10 minutes.

Slice and serve with butter and or jam.

My testers loved it...I liked it…it was a tad too sweet for me but the bread had a lovely texture and I would make it again for hubby…

Now for a recap on last month’s projects

Hair Conditioning Bar…called Foamie that has now arrived…

Lily is my little tester for this as she has quite fine hair which knots easily so needs a conditioner…it also has no nasties is not packaged in plastic which means so far it a winner.

• 0% parabens, silicones, sulphates, microplastics, nano particles
• 100% plastic free, vegan and cruelty free.
• Dermatologically tested.
• Ergonomic design for easy use.

They do two one for normal hair which contains coconut oil and one for damaged with Hibiscus.

Lily’s verdict: She loves the smell and the softness of her hair…my verdict I think she loves having something of her own and something her brother is not going to use…

What’s New?

Fabric Conditioner:

Well, my in-house testers would have had something to say if it’s not doing the job…I have been using it for a few weeks now and no one has said anything…I take that as a win…and another plastic bottle less coming into the house… plus nothing nasty is going in to the water system so a little less to harm the little fishes…

To make the fabric conditioner…You will need:

• 500ml Glass bottle/jar
• 500ml White vinegar
• 30 drops Essential Oil of your choice

Directions:

Fill your bottle/jar with vinegar, and add around 30 drops of essential oil to your vinegar.

To Use:

Shake well before use

When you are ready to add the fabric softener to your machine, fill the fabric conditioner compartment of the drawer up to the line with the scented vinegar. For a half load of washing, decrease the amount by half.

Using this mixture in place of fabric conditioner will give your laundry a delicate and clean aroma without a hint of vinegar — promise! If there is still a trace of vinegar on your wet clothes, this will dissipate as the clothes dry.

This is my first attempt at homemade conditioner and the oil I used was the lemon grass essential oil I made last month… but depending on your preferences any essential oil will do…as I love the smell of Jasmine methinks that will be my next choice and after that who knows… Alternatively, you can skip the oil for a scent-free conditioner.

I also halved the recipe just in case plus as I had no dark 250/500ml bottles left I improvised and used an empty beer bottle…we are nothing if not inventive in this house…lol

Vinegar makes for a great natural fabric conditioner because it cuts through soapy residue and it won’t interfere with the absorbency of your laundry, making your clothes and towels last longer and smell better. Nor will it leave deposits in your washing machine or plumbing. In fact, vinegar also cuts through grease so you’ll actually clean your machine every time you do a load of laundry. Win! Win! Plus, another plastic bottle or those little sachets are gone…

If you are still wondering why, you should ditch the manufactured Fabric Conditioner then…some brands use “dehydrogenated tallow dimethyl ammonium chloride.” in layman’s terms “animal fat” pure and simple so if you follow a vegan or vegetarian lifestyle…check your fabric conditioner.

It goes without saying it is also not good for the environment …many brands contain a cocktail of non-renewable petroleum-based chemicals which are not easily bio-degradable…they can contribute to eczema and may contain carcinogens they are also toxic to those little fishes…

It was world Vegetarian day on the 1st October and on the 16th, it is World Food Day...

Let’s tackle Vegetarianism first…it seems though that there are an increasing number of “isms” … one example is “ Pescatariaism”…. That comes from the Italian word for fish “Pesce” it is the inclusion of fish and other seafood to a plant-based diet…I could happily go with that as I love fish far more than meat…

But what about the lab produced meats …What are your thoughts? What is Cultured Beef?  

Meat substitutes …i.e. Beyond Burger…

Plus the Impossible Burger...Womens Health conducts some tests...

More on this next month…

World Food Day…16th October…

Every time I see images of children starving it breaks my heart…it breaks my heart when I see mothers and grandmothers on a screen telling us, begging us to help feed the children… it breaks my heart.

It also makes me so mad when I see the statistics of world food waste… About 17% of global food production is wasted, according to the UN Environment Programmes (UNEP) Food Waste Index...Here’s the kicker...we/us are accountable for 61% from households, 26% from food services and 13% from retail.

Why World Food Day?…This day aims at tackling global hunger and is striving to eradicate hunger across the world.

World Hunger Facts…

While doing my research I was astounded that despite the focus being on building sustainable and fair food systems the UN summit was boycotted and criticized by none other than scientists, farming groups and social movements…

I was now reading this with a look of pure disbelief on my face…Why?…instead of giving the platform to groups who were building and advocating for sustainable food systems worldwide…the summit centred around major food and agriculture companies who argue that the way forward is through proprietary tech and more chemicals.

The first feed the world, Band Aid was in 1984…Thats 38yrs ago…

We are now a few months away from 2022 and I am still seeing those pictures and images of starving children…it may be labelled differently …Climate Change and covid are now thrown into the mix…BUT it doesn’t alter the fact that children are still starving worldwide…

I think after reading all that I can only focus on the statistics of household food waste and continue to support local initiatives who help feed the starving children where I live…to do that we need to focus on labels…particularly Use by and best before dates.

Use By: tells us when the food is still safe to eat. Found on perishable foods such as chilled meats, dairy and ready meals. To avoid waste only purchase when you require them there is no point in stocking up on a bargain and then it doesn’t get eaten and is ultimately thrown away…Don’t stock up unless it’s something which can be frozen.

Best before date:

This date is far more flexible than use by dates. After this date and within a reasonable time, dried beans, pasta, lentils can be consumed safely…trust your senses.

Check your fridge and cupboards regularly…once a week have a pot luck meal and any odds and ends of vegetables can be chucked in a casserole or soup, mixed in with a pasta dish, a stir fry or an omelette.

Get creative, find new recipes which only require a few ingredients.

Learn what you can freeze successfully before the use by date…Frozen odds and ends of fruit make great smoothies or fruit compotes.

A vegetable stir fry is one of best ways to use up odds and ends of veggies…that half an onion, those two mushrooms, that lone green onion, that handful of bean sprouts, that half a carrot or those few broccoli or cauliflower florets, the odd piece of cabbage, a tomato, half a bell pepper…even those couple of prawns/shrimp or bit of chicken you can make a main meal out of this with some rice…

Let’s reduce that 60% and make a pledge to avoid processed foods like the plague or bodies don’t need them to stay healthy.

Sustainability is on the agenda…Food and jobs are on the agenda…a healthy world is on the agenda…

Are you ready to join me in making your kitchen and garden a little greener, are you ready to cook from scratch more often and to count chemicals instead of calories and cost? Love Carol xx

About Carol Taylor

Enjoying life in The Land Of Smiles I am having so much fun researching, finding new, authentic recipes both Thai and International to share with you. New recipes gleaned from those who I have met on my travels or are just passing through and stopped for a while. I hope you enjoy them.

I love shopping at the local markets, finding fresh, natural ingredients, new strange fruits and vegetables ones I have never seen or cooked with. I am generally the only European person and attract much attention and I love to try what I am offered and when I smile and say Aroy or Saab as it is here in the north I am met with much smiling.

Some of my recipes may not be in line with traditional ingredients and methods of cooking but are recipes I know and have become to love and maybe if you dare to try you will too. You will always get more than just a recipe from me as I love to research and find out what other properties the ingredients I use have to improve our health and wellbeing.

Exciting for me hence the title of my blog, Retired No One Told Me! I am having a wonderful ride and don’t want to get off, so if you wish to follow me on my adventures, then welcome! I hope you enjoy the ride also and if it encourages you to take a step into the unknown or untried, you know you want to…….Then, I will be happy!

Carol is a contributor to the Phuket Island Writers Anthology: Amazon US

Connect to Carol – Blog: Carol Cooks 2 – Twitter: @CarolCooksTwo – Facebook: Carol Taylor

 

My thanks to Carol for another wonderful column and I so appreciate the work that goes into creating them each month. do head over to her blog to follow her informative and entertaining posts every week…. thanks Sally.

Smorgasbord Food Column – Carol Taylor’s Green Kitchen – August 2021 -Bamboo Toilet Paper, Cream Cheese Bread, Conservation, Grow Your Own, Shampoo Bar.,

Good morning and welcome to the August edition of my Green Kitchen… Just to recap for those who are new here…This monthly post will cover sustainability, news on food production…changes for the better and maybe a villain or three…haha, a recipe or two including some plant- based recipes, hints and tips on making my household a little greener…aka recycling and composting.

Plastic Free July is over…for all of you who have participated and cut down your plastic waste… give yourself a big pat on the back… Plastic Free July has made me refocus…it has made me aware of just how much plastic waste we generate as a household and made me look at how much of that could be recycled and isn’t here where I live…

Nothing I can personally do about that …which has made me think about what I can do and where I can make changes…

My idea about using small cloths instead of toilet paper…although I did point out that the bum gun was to clean and the cloth to dry…the menfolk here were less than co-operative…which meant at the end of the day we all live here and changes happen quicker and are sustained if everyone is on board…

Also know I don’t give up…hehe

Take 2…

Bamboo toilet paper…Bamboo is sustainable and fast growing plus bamboo toilet paper comes in a cardboard box or wrapped in paper or a fully compostable wrapper. No plastic in sight…Plus it’s kinder to the plumbing its biodegradable and septic tank friendly.

The downside as you see was there was no way I could attach to the loo roll holder not to be daunted I purchased some lovely bamboo containers.

The bamboo tissue is tough and soft not at all flimsy only comes in the one unbleached colour but it is an ok colour a pale beige…

No complaint for the men either…which means this is a great success no trees were used plus its bye bye to plastic and bleaching.

The cost…I think it is comparable it may cost a few baht more but nothing major…

I have also discovered that it is available to buy around the world.. Here is the link for my US friends and For my UK friends

Also, as you know another solution from the consumer is cooking from scratch using fresh ingredients, far better for the environment and it does ensure that the food you make for your family is clean and as chemical free as it can possible be…

I would also love to know that instead of counting calories and cost that more people counted chemicals as it is the chemicals in processed foods which affect our health and wellbeing.

It isn’t easy …in theory we know what we should do …THEREFORE I have looked at what I can do gradually…every small change is a bonus.

This Month’s Recipe...Cream Cheese Bread…

This is a lovely bread which just pulls apart..

Ingredients:

• 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• Scant ¼ cup sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 ¼ tsp instant yeast
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 cup milk
• 1/3 cup softened cream cheese.
• ¼ cup melted butter

Let’s Bake!

Whisk together the flour, sugar, salt and yeast then add the beaten egg, milk, and cream cheese mix until dough forms then cover and rest for 20 mins.

Then mix in your melted butter flex those muscles and give your arms a good workout knead until the dough is elastic then shape into a round shaped ball put in an oiled bowl and leave to rise for 1 hour.

Punch out the gas and divide the dough into two.

Flatten and roll into a rectangle shape then roll the dough tightly lengthways and pinch the edges to seal. Cut into 8 evenly sized pieces.

Put into a rectangular dish or loaf tin…mine was approx 10 x 8.

Cover and rest for 45 minutes…Then brush with egg wash and bake on 180C/350F for 25-30 minutes.

The verdict...it was a nice textured bread which I will cook for a little longer next time although the colour was darker than in my image …photography is not my forte…sigh.

Next time I bake a batch of these I will roll with some brown sugar and cinnamon or jam and some berries…I will also experiment with some different flour add some whole meal maybe like I do with trusty sandwich loaf.

But definitely a recipe I would make again…

Growing Your Own: I am so excited as I have honey bees and they are still here after 2 weeks so guessing as I am not an expert that they are here to build a nest and not just resting…I am looking forward to some lovely honeycomb…I just need a man who can…

As for growing my own…we are learning (fast) we have had to erect some cages to stop the birds as they stripped my long pepper plant…the plus side is it is sprouting new little peppers… sometimes called Indian long pepper or pipli.

The oldest known reference to long pepper comes from ancient Indian textbooks of Ayurveda, where its medicinal and dietary uses are described in detail.

I am looking forward to cooking with these long peppers and am searching for some recipes as it’s not a pepper I have cooked with before …If any you have, please share your recipe as I love a recipe which is tried and tested…from my research it seems to point to Indonesian and Malaysia which will be starting point for recipes.

I love trees and fruit trees which sometimes take a while to establish and fruit hence I am looking at air pots as also if I move it will be easier to take them with me…it also sounds as if they help to grow a better root structure and the fruit yield seems to be higher…

Research has shown that Air-Pot grown trees absorb up to 75% more CO2 than those grown in conventional containers. They also continue to to grow 40% faster after they have been planted in the landscape. … “The Air-Pot container’s reusability makes the growing process much more sustainable.

Conservation Corner…

I have been very heartened by much that is happening in the world how people are really thinking how they can make a difference..Great Barrier Reef

Intervention could buy 20 years for the declining Great Barrier Reef…which is really good news. The great Barrier Reef is very important to our survival as are all the seas and its flora and fauna.

Update…Apple Cider Vinegar.

My apple cider vinegar is now strained and bottled I am just waiting for it to mature and then I will put it in the fridge but it’s looking good and smelling good another week I reckon.

I will probably give it another strain through some muslin although the ACV that I used to be able to buy from here was an Australian one and looked very similar with the sediment in the bottom…I will give you the completed recipe next month with our verdict on Homemade ACV…

My next change in the fight against plastic has been to buy a bar of shampoo which is Reef safe which means whatever goes down the drain will not affect the little fishes…it is biodegradable and sulphate free…everything about it is said to be eco-friendly…so far so good it seemed quite soft when it arrived so I put it in the fridge which although still soft it is nowhere near as soft…

A reddish-brown colour (which) I hope doesn’t colour my hair…it says it softens but I never use conditioner anyway my hair although thick has always been quite soft…I don’t have any scalp problems so I am starting using it from a good position methinks…I will use it for a few weeks and let you know…

Another area of waste is clothing…

Fast Fashion comes at an astonishing environmental and social cost  While the impacts of the fashion industry in terms of pollution, water use, carbon emissions, human rights, and gender inequality are increasing, the need for a shift to sustainable fashion is evident. Organizations in Geneva and beyond are joining efforts to shift the fashion economy and foster international cooperation on the issue.

This subject is one I have thought much about lately personally I think the industry plus the consumer need a big reset…we are a throwaway society plus we love a bargain and these cheap factory outlets fuel that passion…in order to address everything which is wrong is a mammoth task…I welcome any thoughts on this…

Sustainability is on the agenda…Food and jobs are on the agenda…a healthy world is on the agenda…

Are you ready to join me in making your kitchen and garden a little greener, are you ready to cook from scratch more often and to count chemicals instead of calories and cost? Love Carol xx

About Carol Taylor

Enjoying life in The Land Of Smiles I am having so much fun researching, finding new, authentic recipes both Thai and International to share with you. New recipes gleaned from those who I have met on my travels or are just passing through and stopped for a while. I hope you enjoy them.

I love shopping at the local markets, finding fresh, natural ingredients, new strange fruits and vegetables ones I have never seen or cooked with. I am generally the only European person and attract much attention and I love to try what I am offered and when I smile and say Aroy or Saab as it is here in the north I am met with much smiling.

Some of my recipes may not be in line with traditional ingredients and methods of cooking but are recipes I know and have become to love and maybe if you dare to try you will too. You will always get more than just a recipe from me as I love to research and find out what other properties the ingredients I use have to improve our health and wellbeing.

Exciting for me hence the title of my blog, Retired No One Told Me! I am having a wonderful ride and don’t want to get off, so if you wish to follow me on my adventures, then welcome! I hope you enjoy the ride also and if it encourages you to take a step into the unknown or untried, you know you want to…….Then, I will be happy!

Carol is a contributor to the Phuket Island Writers Anthology: Amazon US

Connect to Carol – Blog: Carol Cooks 2 – Twitter: @CarolCooksTwo – Facebook: Carol Taylor

 

My thanks to Carol for another fascinating post about how we can make a big difference to our health and that of the environment.. do head over to her blog to follow her wonderful posts every week…. thanks Sally. 

Smorgasbord Food Column – Carol Taylor’s Green Kitchen – July 2021 – Plastic Free, Buttermilk Bread, Buying Bulk, Stuffed Mushrooms, Grow Your Own, Conservation.

Good morning and welcome to the July’s edition of my Green Kitchen… Just to recap for those who are new here…This monthly post will cover sustainability, news on food production…changes for the better and maybe a villain or three…haha, a recipe or two including some plant- based recipes, hints and tips on making my household a little greener…aka recycling and composting.

Plastic Free July…Be the Change and Join me and  sign up here.

I would like to say “well done” to those of you who are well on the way to a plastic free home and some have been raised where the reliance was not on using plastic which is great while others it’s all they have known and to sign up for a challenge gives focus…I signed up not to give me focus but to give me ideas maybe something I could do but didn’t know how or hadn’t even thought about.

I have also come to realise that around the world recycling is different …some countries seem to be more advanced with their technology as many plastics need specialised machinery or facilities to enable recycling.

Take France for example 16 billion pots of yoghurt or fresh dairy products are sold and consumed every year BUT only 30% of this packaging can currently be recycled.

That is shocking and manufacturers should be taken to task and be required to produce pots which can be easily recycled and not require specialised facilities or machinery if they can’t they should bear the cost…Governments need to get tough.

One solution from the consumer is cooking from scratch using fresh ingredients, far better for the environment and it does ensure that the food you make for your family is clean and as chemical free as it can possible be…

I would also love to know that instead of counting calories and cost that more people counted chemicals as it is the chemicals in processed foods which affect our health and wellbeing.

It isn’t easy …in theory we know what we should do …THEREFORE I have looked at what I can do gradually…every small change is a bonus.

This Month’s Recipe… Buttermilk Bread…

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups of lukewarm water.
• 1 cup of Buttermilk.
• 1 tbsp quick yeast.
• 1 tbsp salt
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 6 1/2 cups of unbleached bread flour.

Let’s Bake!

• Mix water, buttermilk, yeast, salt, sugar in a bowl. Add the flour. No need to knead…
• Just combine all the ingredients together. Lightly cover the bowl and leave to rest/rise for 2 hrs.

The bonus of living here is dough rises quickly…I love using yeast now.

• You can use the dough immediately, store covered in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 weeks.
• If you are using now preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Dust the dough with flour and very lightly knead, shape into a round. Cover and rest for 90 minutes.
• Oh, and I made a cut into the top of my dough just like a cross.
• Bake in the middle of the oven for approx 40 minutes until golden brown and delicious.
• Remove from the oven and brush the top with melted butter.
• Leave to cool before slicing.

Enjoy!

Did you know?

It’s a given that processed foods can save you a little time. But what you gain in convenience, you lose in money, environmental impact and maybe even health.

That’s because processed foods require more labour to convert them from their natural state to something that fits in a box, bag or tub.

You’re also paying for the chemicals added to the processed food to keep them fresh.

You’re paying for the packaging, too, which is totally worthless once you get it home.

Indeed, $1 out of every $11 you spend at the grocery store you spend on packaging you throw away.

Buying bulk…dried goods is one way to reduce packaging…again this varies around the world and for me buying foodstuffs spanning two entirely different cultures is more difficult…

I have no chance of buying pasta/cereals loose but I can buy rice, flour, dried fish, dried fruits, nuts, lentils and pulses, dried mushrooms…my answer is that where I can I buy the biggest pack available which means one bag/packet rather than 4 which go in the waste…I try to reduce my waste any which way I can which is why I say it is individual and down much of time to where you live…Please don’t beat yourself up about what you can’t do but celebrate what you can do…

Stuff Them…

My mother used to stuff a marrow with mincemeat flavoured with onions, carrots and some herbs I have done it occasionally in the past but I think it is more popular now to make your vegetables the star of a dish by stuffing them with something even more delicious like seasoned rice, some cheese, bacon and fresh herbs it can make those veggies sing and even the kids will eat them. Stuffed peppers are a popular option, but you can also hollow out and stuff eggplants, zucchinis, mushrooms, squash, potatoes, and artichokes.

Here is a tasty quick recipe for button mushrooms…

Ingredients

• ¼ cup breadcrumbs
• ¼ cup grated Pecorino-Romano
• 2 Tbsp shredded mozzarella
• 1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tsp chopped fresh mint
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 4 Tbsp olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 36 white button mushrooms (about 1 1/2 lbs), stemmed

Let’s Cook!

• Combine the breadcrumbs, Pecorino-Romano, mozzarella, parsley, mint, garlic, 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl and toss to blend.
• Toss the mushrooms with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large bowl and arrange on a small baking sheet or plate with the cavities facing up. Divide the breadcrumb mixture among the mushrooms, filling the cavities and pressing down gently to secure.
• Place the mushrooms in a single layer on a baking try lightly sprayed with oil. Put in a pre-heated oven 180 F and cook until the filling is bubbling and browned, about 15 minutes depending on your oven.

Growing Your Own: When your space is limited… Lettuce, Cucumber and Peas…

3 Vegetables Easy to Grow in Hanging Baskets 🥒☀️🥬

Conservation Corner…

I have been very heartened by much that is happening in the world how people are really thinking how they can make a difference…

Scheduled to be demolished…A bridge over the Mississippi River the I 180 …I think this is a great idea for the Bison, the environment as to demolish that bridge would be an enormous undertaking and costly…

Business owners and leaders weigh in on Bison Bridge proposal

Along with saving Illinois millions in demolition costs, city authorities and regional planners hope re-purposing Fred Schwengel Memorial Bridge on the I-80 will draw tourists to a part of the country where the population hasn’t risen in 30 years.

I hate waste and am always on the lookout to utilise what I can…my current project entails apple skins and cores I am having ago at making my own Apple Cider Vinegar…

I have started by collecting Apple peels, cores and any browning/discoloured flesh but not rotten or mouldy flesh from pesticide-free apples I make sure of that by cleaning the skin thoroughly before I peel my apple what you need is (approx 6 large apples) and a quart sized jar…

Today the day…I started my Apple cider Vinegar…I filled my glass jar ¾ full with apple scraps and then covered them with water… 1 cup of water to 1 tbsp of sugar I used raw sugar.

This needs to be left on a dark shelf, on top of the fridge is where mine is going for two weeks…It can be stirred every two days if you like.

After the 2 weeks you strain the apple scraps and compost them or feed the chooks and then recover the jar and leave for another 2-4 weeks…

You will know when it is ready as it will have that unmistakable vinegary taste and smell…I can’t wait to see how it turns out…

Another area of waste is furnishings and furniture ...In the UK over 20 million pieces of furniture/furnishings are discarded annually and only a fraction of that is discarded…90% end up in landfill…

How often do you replace your cushions? They can change the look of a room or a bed but what do you do with old ones?

If you have cushions with a removable cover then maybe you don’t need to swap as often but sometimes you see a cushion cover and it’s the wrong size or many cushions now are all in one …

I think this is a great idea as I love new cushions…Cushion Swap has arrived…

Sustainability is on the agenda…Food and jobs are on the agenda…a healthy world is on the agenda…

Are you ready to join me in making your kitchen and garden a little greener, are you ready to cook from scratch more often and to count chemicals instead of calories and cost? Love Carol xx

About Carol Taylor

Enjoying life in The Land Of Smiles I am having so much fun researching, finding new, authentic recipes both Thai and International to share with you. New recipes gleaned from those who I have met on my travels or are just passing through and stopped for a while. I hope you enjoy them.

I love shopping at the local markets, finding fresh, natural ingredients, new strange fruits and vegetables ones I have never seen or cooked with. I am generally the only European person and attract much attention and I love to try what I am offered and when I smile and say Aroy or Saab as it is here in the north I am met with much smiling.

Some of my recipes may not be in line with traditional ingredients and methods of cooking but are recipes I know and have become to love and maybe if you dare to try you will too. You will always get more than just a recipe from me as I love to research and find out what other properties the ingredients I use have to improve our health and wellbeing.

Exciting for me hence the title of my blog, Retired No One Told Me! I am having a wonderful ride and don’t want to get off, so if you wish to follow me on my adventures, then welcome! I hope you enjoy the ride also and if it encourages you to take a step into the unknown or untried, you know you want to…….Then, I will be happy!

Carol is a contributor to the Phuket Island Writers Anthology: Amazon US

Connect to Carol – Blog: Carol Cooks 2 – Twitter: @CarolCooksTwo – Facebook: Carol Taylor

 

My thanks to Carol for another fascinating post about how we can make a big difference to our health and that of the environment.. do head over to her blog to follow her and take your appetite… thanks Sally.

 

Smorgasbord Food Column – Carol Taylor’s Green Kitchen -April 2021 – #Pretzel Bread, #Onions, #TomatoKetchup, #Japanese Wood Production.

Good morning and welcome to April’s edition of my Green Kitchen… I cannot begin to tell you how delighted I am to be back with a brand- new column at Smorgasbord Magazine… and how welcome you are making me feel.

I am passionate about cooking from scratch using fresh ingredients, the environment and ensuring that the food I make for my family is clean and as chemical free as it can possible be…I would also love to know that instead of counting calories and cost that more people counted chemicals as it is the chemicals in processed foods which affect our health and wellbeing.

Just to recap for those who are new here…This monthly post will cover sustainability, news on food production…changes for the better and maybe a villain or three…haha, a recipe or two including some plant- based recipes, hints and tips on making my household a little greener…aka recycling and composting.

It isn’t easy …in theory we know what we should do …THEREFORE I have looked at what I can do gradually…every small change is a bonus.

This Month’s Recipe…Pretzel Bread.

Started with a challenge…Never one to back down I accepted…I do love a challenge…

Pretzel Bread.

All I knew about pretzel dough was that like beigels the dough was boiled before baking and this gives it that characteristic deep brown crust and pretzel taste…

It was lovely a little sweet my tester said it tasted like currant bread sweetness not horrible he liked it and the salt was a foil for that methinks but with some ham and mustard in a sandwich it went down a treat…

I have however tweaked the original recipe and used less sugar…1 tbsp instead of 3 tbsp.

Ingredients:

• 2 and a quarter tsp of instant yeast.
• 1 cup of lukewarm water
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tbsp milk…I used full-fat milk
• 4 tbsp (2 oz) melted butter
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 3 cups of all-purpose unbleached flour

Baking Soda Bath:
• 4 quarts (8 pints) water
• Half cup Baking Soda

Pretzel Topping:
• 2 tbsp butter melted
• Coarse salt for topping.

A lined baking tray.
Preheated oven 200 degrees

Let’s bake!

• Combine your yeast, water, and brown sugar in a bowl and stir to dissolve sugar.
• Melt the butter and then add to the milk then stir into the yeast mixture to combine.
• Add the salt and flour 1 cup at a time and stir to combine then once the dough has come together knead until it is a firm but slightly tacky dough. If you need to add more add a little at a time.
• Put the dough into a greased bowl and cover with a cloth and allow to rise about an hour and it should have doubled in size.
• Once the 60 mins are up put your 4 quarts of water in a large pan and bring to the boil then add your Baking Soda…DO NOT ADD IT ALL AT ONCE OR IT WILL ALLL FIZZ OVER …add a little at a time I added it a tsp at a time.
• Then punch your dough down to remove the gas and divide it into two portions…Add one portion to the boiling water and turn after 60 seconds and give it 60 seconds on the other side remove with a slotted spoon to drain and make a small cross in the middle and sprinkle with salt.
• Put on a lined baking tin…
• Repeat with your second piece of dough…When cutting the cross, for the first time I made mine too big as this dough once boiled is easier than a normal risen dough to cut through.

Boiled Pretzel Dough

• Sit both pieces of prepared dough on a lined baking tray and put it into your preheated oven…200 degrees.
• Cook for 23-25 mins turning the tray around halfway through the cooking…

I was quite amazed at how it coloured up and just looked the colour of a pretzel that lovely deep brown…

Pretzel Bread

When you remove it from the oven brush with the melted butter and enjoy it!

Did you know?

It’s a given that processed foods can save you a little time. But what you gain in convenience, you lose in money, environmental impact and maybe even health.
That’s because processed foods require more labour to convert them from their natural state to something that fits in a box, bag or tub.

You’re also paying for the chemicals added to the processed food to keep them fresh.
You’re paying for the packaging, too, which is totally worthless once you get it home. Indeed, $1 out of every $11 you spend at the grocery store you spend on packaging you throw away.

I will give you a simple example…Tomato Ketchup.

I find most processed ketchup contains way too much sugar. You can reduce the sugar down and spice it just the way you like it if you make your own.

You can make it from canned tomatoes, but to avoid the packaging and avoid Bisphenol-A (BPA) which is a controversial chemical compound present in commercially available tin can plastic linings and transferred to canned food. The inside of the can is coated with an epoxy coating, in an attempt to prevent food or beverage from coming into contact with the metal.

Another reason why I use fresh plum tomatoes which you can get at the grocery store or your local farmer’s market unless of course you grow your own.

Another bonus is you can make as much or as little as you like and its easy…

Just peel, seed and dice the tomatoes, add a tablespoon or so of minced red onion, a tablespoon or so of apple cider vinegar, minced garlic and hot sauce like siracha if you want some spice. Process in a food processor.

If it’s not as thick as you’d like, simmer it on low until some of the liquid evaporates. You can also play with spices like ground ginger, cinnamon, honey and cloves.

The beauty of making it yourself is that you can make it exactly the way you like it and the amount that you want.

As my grandkids don’t eat ketchup or eat it very rarely, I make a small amount at a time maybe 3 large tomatoes, 2 tbsp minced red onions, a clove of garlic, 1-2 tbsp apple cider vinegar, tbsp of siracha and some cinnamon and smoked paprika is our preferred recipe just don’t be afraid to experiment.

I was very recipe driven before I lived here and none of the Thais who have taught me to cook use recipe books…which has meant I have learnt to rely on my eye and my taste which means the food is far better…even my grandkids will say to me nan you need more lime juice, chilli or fish sauce they do the same which I think is great it develops a good palate…

Does it matter?

How you slice your onions?…actually yes it does.

If you slice an onion from end to end, it will have a milder flavour than if you slice it across the middle. That’s because cutting an onion releases flavour compounds, and how you slice with or against the grain releases more or fewer compounds.

When you cut your onion from end to end or with the grain, you cause less damage and release fewer compounds than when you slice through the middle.

Slicing through the middle, or against the grain, causes a greater disruption and leaves you with a stronger, more pungent taste.

So, the next time you go to slice rings for your burger and you love to taste your onions think before you slice…

Growing Your Own:

Egg Boxes and Egg Shells…

The seeds which I planted in egg shells have started to pop their heads above ground but did you know that when you transfer your seedlings to their permanent home or just a larger home that the egg shells you are planting with them provide calcium to the soil?

The calcium from eggshells is also welcome in garden soil, where it moderates soil acidity while providing nutrients for plants.

The shells also contain nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium which are most vital for healthy growth, calcium is also essential for building healthy “bones” aka the cell walls of a plant…win-win all round and no waste…

Conservation Corner…

I have long admired the Japanese for their foresight and their environmental knowledge and practises. Do you know how the Japanese make wood without cutting down trees? I didn’t until I came across this practise called Daisugiit… is both brilliant and fascinating.

How The Japanese Make Wood WITHOUT Cutting Down Trees!

Covid-19…has rampaged through the world…many have unfortunately died, many have lost their jobs, schools have had to close…BUT there have been positives…This is one of them…That it is a good news story about a species of cat makes me happy as I am a firm believer that the animal world is far better at conservation than we are …I also believe that the animal kingdom should be nurtured and cherish as they are vital to our survival…

This is an interesting article which highlights all the areas and causes of the lynx coming back from near extinction…

Sustainability is on the agenda…Food and jobs are on the agenda…a healthy world is on the agenda…

Are you ready to join me in making your kitchen and garden a little greener, are you ready to cook from scratch more often and to count chemicals instead of calories and cost? Love Carol xx

About Carol Taylor

Enjoying life in The Land Of Smiles I am having so much fun researching, finding new, authentic recipes both Thai and International to share with you. New recipes gleaned from those who I have met on my travels or are just passing through and stopped for a while. I hope you enjoy them.

I love shopping at the local markets, finding fresh, natural ingredients, new strange fruits and vegetables ones I have never seen or cooked with. I am generally the only European person and attract much attention and I love to try what I am offered and when I smile and say Aroy or Saab as it is here in the north I am met with much smiling.

Some of my recipes may not be in line with traditional ingredients and methods of cooking but are recipes I know and have become to love and maybe if you dare to try you will too. You will always get more than just a recipe from me as I love to research and find out what other properties the ingredients I use have to improve our health and wellbeing.

Exciting for me hence the title of my blog, Retired No One Told Me! I am having a wonderful ride and don’t want to get off, so if you wish to follow me on my adventures, then welcome! I hope you enjoy the ride also and if it encourages you to take a step into the unknown or untried, you know you want to…….Then, I will be happy!

Carol is a contributor to the Phuket Island Writers Anthology: Amazon US

Connect to Carol – Blog: Carol Cooks 2 – Twitter: @CarolCooksTwo – Facebook: Carol Taylor

 

My thanks to Carol for another fascinating post about how we can make a big difference to our health and that of the environment.. do head over to her blog to follow her and take your appetite… thanks Sally.

 

Smorgasbord Food Column – Carol Taylor’s Green Kitchen – March 2021 – #Crumpets, #Baking Soda, #Minced Garlic and Egg Boxes uses.

Hello and welcome to Carol Taylor’s Green Kitchen I cannot begin to tell you how delighted I am to be back with a brand- new column at Smorgasbord Magazine… and how welcome you are making me feel.

I am passionate about cooking from scratch using fresh ingredients, the environment and ensuring that the food I make for my family is clean and as chemical free as it can possible be…I would also love to know that instead of counting calories and cost that more people counted chemicals as it is the chemicals in processed foods which affect our health and wellbeing.

Just to recap for those who are new here…This monthly post will cover sustainability, news on food production…changes for the better and maybe a villain or three…haha, a recipe or two including some plant- based recipes, hints and tips on making my household a little greener…aka recycling and composting.

It isn’t easy …in theory we know what we should do …THEREFORE I have looked at what I can do gradually…every small change is a bonus.

This Month’s Recipe…Pikelets/crumpets

There is nothing like a hot buttered crumpet on a cold day…or any day come to that…I have happy memories of toasting mine on an open fire when I was a child a memory which I hope to rekindle next time I go to the village… there is nothing like toast or crumpets cooked over an open flame.

This recipe came about when a C02 shortage affected the production of crumpets. Leaving some people bereft as if they couldn’t get their crumpets.

Hopefully it will also make you smile as I had one of my kitchen disasters…image provided…c02-shortage-cant-get-your-crumpets-recipe-here/

Did you know?

It’s a given that processed foods can save you a little time. But what you gain in convenience, you lose in money, environmental impact and maybe even health.
That’s because processed foods require more labour to convert them from their natural state to something that fits in a box, bag or tub.

You’re also paying for the chemicals added to the processed food to keep them fresh.
You’re paying for the packaging, too, which is totally worthless once you get it home. Indeed, $1 out of every $11 you spend at the grocery store you spend on packaging you throw away.

I will give you a simple example…Baking Powder…

Not all brands of Baking Powder are aluminium free…Baking Powder is a combination of baking soda, cream of tartar and cornstarch or arrowroot powder.

It is also an effective replacement for yeast…a chemical leavening agent that makes your baked goods rise by increasing the volume and lightens the texture.

Healthwise many studies link aluminium to diseases like Alzheimer’s…many cheap baking powders contain fillers and gluten free ones can be a lot more expensive…

All it takes to make your own is 3 white powders so please check your labels I have often picked up the wrong white powder…you will need…

• 2 parts Cream of Tartar
• 1 part Baking Soda
• 1 part arrowroot/corn flour

That’s it just measure and mix the 3 together …I used a tbsp and then seal tightly in a glass jar. The arrowroot/corn flour is added to stop clumping as if you just stored the baking soda and cream of tartar yes it would do the job but it would clump as those of you who use baking know that baking soda does just that.

Ready to use and no fillers or aluminium. Which means that is one more chemical eliminated from our diets…

Does it matter?

You are reading a recipe which says “minced garlic” …you have garlic paste, you could chuck in the whole clove or crush it…couldn’t you?

It’s the same ingredient after all garlic is garlic…Garlic contains alliinase that is activated when the cloves inner flesh is exposed to air…this creates the garlic smell we know and love.

However, the more you slice, dice or mince garlic the more alliinase is released thus creating a stronger more pungent flavour.

Dishes which rely on a bold garlic flavour often call for minced garlic when we roast our winter veggies, we add the whole cloves which then provides a subtler and sweeter taste which is why I roast garlic and add to my garlic mayo and I also roast garlic when I am making soup and tomato sauces…a more mellow flavour.

So yes, if a recipe says minced garlic you know it will have that pungent garlic taste which us garlic lovers enjoy…minced garlic it is…

Growing Your Own…

One of the comments on another post of mine last week was that many people work and have a family and are maybe too tired to grow their own herbs and maybe vegetables…I get that I really do I have always juggled work and bringing up a family…6 kids to be accurate and no it isn’t easy…at one point a few herbs on the windowsill was all I could manage…But that’s fine it is a start…a few veggies among the flowers or a hanging basket with strawberry plants was a big favourite with the kids…Give the kids a little space and a few packets of seeds or seedlings they will love it and stop mithering you…they may get dirty but hey ho a shower works wonders…

Egg Boxes and Egg Shells…make wonderful homes to start your seeds…even an empty cardboard toilet roll …we all have them in our homes no need to go and buy non buy non-biodegradable seed posts.

Make ideal seed trays and the beauty of the cardboard egg trays and boxes is that once the seedlings are ready to transplant just make a few holes in the bottom and plant the whole thing the roots will be able to spread and grow…

Egg shell are also another little vessel for a seed…

If anyone has some hints and tips on how you grow your own please share…we are in this together…

Covid-19…has rampaged through the world…many have unfortunately died, many have lost their jobs, schools have had to close…BUT there have been positives…This is one of them…

Sustainability is on the agenda…Food and jobs are on the agenda…a healthy world is on the agenda…

Are you ready to join me in making your kitchen and garden a little greener, are you ready to cook from scratch more often and to count chemicals instead of calories and cost?  Love Carol xx

About Carol Taylor

Enjoying life in The Land Of Smiles I am having so much fun researching, finding new, authentic recipes both Thai and International to share with you. New recipes gleaned from those who I have met on my travels or are just passing through and stopped for a while. I hope you enjoy them.

I love shopping at the local markets, finding fresh, natural ingredients, new strange fruits and vegetables ones I have never seen or cooked with. I am generally the only European person and attract much attention and I love to try what I am offered and when I smile and say Aroy or Saab as it is here in the north I am met with much smiling.

Some of my recipes may not be in line with traditional ingredients and methods of cooking but are recipes I know and have become to love and maybe if you dare to try you will too. You will always get more than just a recipe from me as I love to research and find out what other properties the ingredients I use have to improve our health and wellbeing.

Exciting for me hence the title of my blog, Retired No One Told Me! I am having a wonderful ride and don’t want to get off, so if you wish to follow me on my adventures, then welcome! I hope you enjoy the ride also and if it encourages you to take a step into the unknown or untried, you know you want to…….Then, I will be happy!

Carol is a contributor to the Phuket Island Writers Anthology: Amazon US

Connect to Carol – Blog: Carol Cooks 2 – Twitter: @CarolCooksTwo – Facebook: Carol Taylor

 

My thanks to Carol for another wonderful post about how we can make a big difference to our health and that of the environment.. do head over to her blog to follow her and take your appetite… thanks Sally.