adventures in baby wholefoods

I simply cannot believe my little one is 5 months old - where has the time gone?! (Utters every parent around the globe...)

I've been very lucky that breastfeeding has gone so well and my little guy has packed on the pounds quite well, and quite quickly. But lately he's been showing signs that he may be ready for more variety in his diet, so today he had first taste of food. Exciting!

So I turned to this book, "Wholefood for Children," which a friend gave me a couple of months ago. I have a feeling this book will be a treasured resource for years to come.

It has a chapter on first foods and gives great insights into the importance of cooking as much of the baby's food as possible, the types of foods to start feeding to baby, why we should use the oven or steamer as opposed to the microwave, and includes many recipes to keep things interesting as well as healthy for the bub. The book also suggests some of the best nutrient-dense first foods are egg yolk, liver and lamb's brains (!). I love that throughout this chapter are ideas for how to make food for baby out of what you are cooking for yourself so you don't have to double up on cooking.

As the book (and the Early Childhood Centre) suggest, my son's first food was a root vegetable. I decided to start with sweet potato because, hello, sweet potatoes are amazing. But assuming he continues to enjoy his first veggies I'll work some egg yolk into the veggies soon.

Picking up sweet potato from the Manly Food Co-op.

The author also suggests enriching the foods with ghee or coconut oil in order for the baby to better assimilate the vitamins and minerals. I opted for just a tiny amount of coconut oil so as not to worry about dairy for now.

I roasted a sweet potato rubbed with coconut oil (both from the Manly Food Co-op) in the oven until a fork went easily through it. After it was cooled I scooped the flesh into a small saucepan (and ate the delicious skins myself - yum!) and pureed with a drop of coconut oil and a bit of cooled boiled water using a stick blender.

By all accounts I'd call it a success. He certainly made the initial, "What is this?!" face of confusion-slash-disgust, but soon enough was grabbing for the spoon to chew on and lick himself.

The experience was as delightfully messy as you could imagine!
Though you can't see it all that well, he is wearing a cardigan that was
hand-knit by our neighbour's mother - so kind and gorgeous and warm!
And his bib is a fabulous secondhand item from our dear friends. 

Only time will tell if I continue to make all his meals - I quickly learned how full my days are caring for this little munchkin - but I certainly think this book will give me the necessary guidance and recipes as I get started.

Does your little one have any favourite foods that I should try?

In my excitement I forgot to photograph this with the food in it - part of
the adorable Love Mae bamboo dining set that hubby bought when I was
pregnant. I cannot believe we are already using it.

xxLisa

long live the manly food co-op

If you've read my book you'll know that the Manly Food Co-op and I got off to a rocky start. What is up with all these bins? Am I really meant to bring my own containers? What do all the different prices mean? And how much did I just spend on olive oil (while distracted from the beautiful Brazilian checkout boy)?

Fast forward 8 years and I am a Manly Food Co-op pro (it helps that it moved to a larger, brighter, swankier space). My husband and I can collect our containers from home and do a "big shop" in about an hour - including getting all the beautiful organic, local, packaging-free ingredients for two flavours of homemade muesli, stocking up on pantry essentials like rice, legumes, and nuts, and gathering whatever produce strikes our fancy. Ty has volunteered off and on over the years, and this year I've been volunteering as Director of Sustainability. We honestly don't know what our lives would be like without the Co-op.

Unfortunately we may soon face the reality of a life without the Co-op and the sense of community it brings us. The Manly Food Co-op is facing closure if we don't raise $50,000 (AUD) by 20 August. That's just over a week from now! The details of why we need that amount and what it will be used for are on the Pozible crowdfunding site, so I won't get into it here.

What I do want to say here is how important I think places like the Co-op are for building community and for offering the potential to radically change our food system.

When the Co-op was founded over 21 years ago by Keelah Lam and other local environmentals, they had a vision to offer clean, affordable food to the Manly community that was better for the planet and better for people's health. Those same values drive the Co-op today, and are as important as ever as governments and corporations seem hell bent on keeping polluting, wasteful practices as the norm. If you watched the War on Waste and saw the latest report about how some of our recyclables only get recycled 50% of the time you will know the importance of avoiding packaging in the first instance.

As we like to say at the Co-op, we never had to ban the plastic bag, because we never used it in the first place.

In addition to waste avoidance - and pollution avoidance (and health benefits) of buying organic - the community of the Co-op has enormous revolutionary potential. As I've been writing about in my thesis lately, the way to change practices (like grocery shopping) to be more sustainable is not to focus on individual behaviour change, but to focus on creating networks and building connections. Building networks provides emotional support, but also supports multiple ideas to come together to start to change the system itself, which then enables everyone to have a more sustainable shopping experience.

This week I've been blown away by the passion of the fundraising committee - including my husband. It seems I have fallen even more in love with him this week (had no idea that was possible!) as I've seen his fighting spirit come alive, and heard him speak with tenderness of the love he feels for the Co-op as he contacts some of the 600+ Co-op members to raise the funds to save the shop. In less than 2 days they have raised over $12,000. I have witnessed the power of community, the power of this network, as it is rallying together to save an institution they love.

If you are passionate about stopping food and packaging waste, supporting organic farming, and the idea of changing the food system to be more sustainable, equitable and healthy, can I ask you to do me a favour and donate to the Manly Food Co-op fundraising campaign? If you are a local, you can contribute while getting (or renewing) a membership, or take advantage of some awesome rewards (like a sailing excursion or a tour of Keelah's house and beehive!). If not, consider it a donation toward a space that is trying to set the standard for a new way of providing food.

Long live the Manly Food Co-op!

book review : eating the ocean

What did you get up to over the holidays?

I ate a lot, swam a lot, enjoyed not sitting in front of a computer, and caught up on some reading, including Eating the Ocean, by Elspeth Probyn (who happens to be my Associate Supervisor at the University of Sydney).

Reading Eating the Ocean while at the ocean - the best place to read!

I absolutely devoured this book (pun very much intended) and learned a lot about how entangled we humans are with fish, the ocean, and the world's fisheries. Eloquently written, Probyn's vivid detail brings us along her journeys following (and eating many) oysters, swimming with tuna, covertly eating endangered bluefin tuna, and tracking the history of herring quines and women's roles in fishing. She encourages us to consider not just the ocean and all its inhabitants, but the people "who spend their lives in and on the sea" in her quest to "figure a different kind of relating of people, oceans and fish."

Probyn takes as a jumping-off point marine science descriptions of our 'simplifed sea' - because we have fished through the food web to the detriment of biodiversity - to challenge assumptions on sustainability because, as she suggests, "what constitutes sustainability is a fraught and complex set of issues."

For instance, have you ever wondered why it seems harder to care about tuna compared to a panda. Is it because, as Probyn suggests, "It's hard, though not impossible, to cuddle a fish"? WWF and Sea Shepherd both thought so when they launched the below campaigns (both discussed in the book).

 

And through her story of Loch Fyne Oysters in Scotland my own assumption that 'employee-owned is better than corporate-owned' was challenged when employees exhibited a visible look of relief at no longer having major financial stress after the company was bought out, and the town continued to have a near-zero unemployment rate thanks to the success of the business.

I was particularly struck by her description of swimming "on the water rather than in the water", most definitely my mode of swimming. I tend to stay halfway in and halfway out, floating on the top, looking down on the sea and its life below. But what might I learn by swimming in the water? How would my perspectives change if I just dove a little deeper and thought with the ocean, rather than about it? If I was lucky, I'd come to similar conclusions as Probyn about the "relatedness of all entities" and reconsider my own consumption habits (seafood or otherwise).

This book is so much more than a dictate on "eat this, don't eat that" that so many sustainability experts offer (including plenty of my own suggestions!), and she successfully avoids moral overtones throughout the book. But when Probyn is asked by people what we should be eating, she does have an answer, it "is always little fish - those that reproduce quickly, don't live too long, and humble and abase our gargantuan appetites for the disappearing top predators of the ocean". There are human health benefits as well as oceanic biodiversity benefits of this suggestion - you may even reconsider popping another Omega-3 tablet and reaching for a tin of sardines instead. If you're like me, you'll feel compelled to heed Probyn's advice to "eat the ocean better" and "to eat with the ocean".

I've greatly oversimplified the content of this book, offering a teaser to encourage you to read it yourself. I learned so much about the state of our oceans, where our seafood comes from, the danger in always choosing tuna and salmon, and the role of aquaculture (which provides more than half of all seafood consumed by humans!), but most importantly, I was encouraged to think differently about what 'sustainability' means, which I think is so important as a person who works in this sphere.

Now - off to make some lunch. I think I'll have a salad with some anchovies.

film review : cowspiracy

I know, I know, Cowspiracy came out in 2014, it's not exactly new, but I suspect there's a few of you out there who haven't seen it. Am I right?

The film is pitched "As eye opening as Blackfish and as inspiring as An Inconvenient Truth" and documents one man's journey into understanding the environmental impact of large-scale factory farming. We follow Kip while he learns more of the facts and approaches many institutions - including leading advocacy groups - to ask why more isn't being done to change a system that so negatively impacts the climate, water use, deforestation and ocean health.

While watching the film I felt an overwhelming urge to call Kip (our protagonist documentarian) because I connected so much with his story. I, too, was greatly impacted by seeing An Inconvenient Truth, and adopted all sorts of environmentally-friendly changes in my lifestyle (as readers of Sustainability with Style know). And I, too, was floored when I learned about the devastating environmental toll of livestock production as it is practiced today, and wondered why it wasn't receiving more airtime.

I also experienced the terribly uncomfortable 'Beefgate' weekend, when I learned firsthand that asking people to change their food habits is 'no go' zone of environmental activism. As a recap, talking with loved ones about environmental changes went roughly like this:

Have you changed your lightbulbs? Easy!

Why don't you bring your own bags to the grocery store? Done!

How about you drive one day less a week? I can do that!

Are you recycling properly? You betcha!

Let's not eat any beef this weekend? How dare you ask me that!

That reaction took me by surprise, but also intrigued me enough to make it a focus of my Masters research. 

The reasons why people react this way are varied and complex, and relate to things like their personal identity, wanting to maintain a positive self-image, health and fitness concerns, cultural identity, and freedom.  The notion that we are free to make our own choices in Western democratic societies is a powerful one, and food appears to be one of the things we cherish the right to choose, right up there with religion (and fashion! as I'm finding out).

There are countless reasons to eat more plants and less meat - health, environment, animal rights, food security, the well-being of our fellow humans in developing nations - so if you're a meat-loving carnivore, you can start by dabbling. Start with Meatless Mondays, work up to being a Weekday Vegetarian, and opt for meat that is organic, free range or otherwise sustainably reared.

In the meantime, 'beef' up on more information by watching Cowspiracy - it's on Netflix now, or you can download it for $5 on their own website. (Oh, and eco-hunk Leonardo DiCaprio is an Executive Producer, as if you needed another reason to watch.) Here are a couple screenshots:

Be prepared, sometimes the information feels a bit 'sensationalised' and overly 'preachy' - which I know we all hate! (And I realise I'm on the verge of doing myself here, so I'm going to wrap it up.) The statistics are valid, but Kip's impassioned tone can feel a little irritating at times. I recommend you push on, there are brilliant interviews with leaders in food and sustainability, and you'll walk away armed with more data than you know what to do with.

Next week I'm participating in a Veg*n Sustainability workshop at the University of Sydney, where we'll discuss why it's so hard to talk about changing meat consumption practices, and where we can go from here. Watch this space! 

And if it turns out we really can't kick our meat habit, some folks are dabbing with growing meat in a lab - not my personal choice, but I admire their ingenuity.

Have you made changes to your diet in the interest of the environment? What has been easiest? Or hardest? I'd love to hear from you!

xxLisa

* * * *

In the interest of transparency: I eat meat about once a week, and beef 3 or 4 times a year. The vast majority of the time the meat is organic and free range. Yes, this makes it more expensive, but it also makes it more nutritious and softer on the planet. And because it's a 'sometimes food', I don't mind paying the higher price.

finding balance

There is a reason 'Finding Balance' is a chapter in my book - living 'sustainably' is a constant balancing act.

Don't get me wrong, there are many effortless days, when it has become routine to use all natural body and beauty products, separate my rubbish into various recycling elements and use my trusty travel pass to dash around the city via public transport.

Then there are days like these, when I find myself in an interesting eco-conundrum; the latest confusion is due to the delicious Pressed Juices store that has recently opened up in Manly.

I am seriously obsessed with these little bottles of goodness!

In addition to fashion and the environment, I have a passion for what I'll call 'health foods'. I am by no means an expert, there are plenty of other bloggers with that expertise. But I have been known to follow health food fads. First it was goji berries - I didn't love the taste but I kept tossing them into my cereal anyway. I quickly fell in love with Acai bowls (I could go for one right now, actually). And quinoa, kale and I have been in a serious relationship for awhile.

I've never been big into juicing, generally preferring to eat my fruit and veggies whole to take advantage of the fibre in the pulp. But something about the cold pressed juice craze has sparked my attention. I think it has to do with the claims of "up to 5 times more vitamins, minerals and enzymes" of other juices. Well, that, and knowing that with one green juice I can get a serious serving of leafy greens. It also helps that they are crazy delicious.

If you can't see the eco-conundrum I'm facing based on the photos I'll tell you - it's the plastic bottles. I confess I've had 4 green juices over the past 5 days, and I think I may get another one today. Yikes! That is a serious increase in my plastic consumption! Of course I am recycling the bottles, but I know that recycling plastic requires energy and the quality of the plastic is lessened with each recycle. There has to be another way!

I don't know that I'll follow this cold pressed juice craze for too long, and unsure it would be worth investing in a machine for myself. Besides, based on my schedule I don't know that I'd have the time to source all the ingredients and make myself one a day.

So, I'm afraid this isn't an eco-solution today, readers. In fact, I'm seeking your guidance. Do you have any suggestions on how I can participate in this delicious health fad without all the plastic? Or shall I just start communicating with these lovely companies, asking them for refillable containers?

xxLisa

give a fork

Last week I attended the fantastic Give a Fork launch dinner hosted by Sustainable Table at the fantastic Studio Neon. This year's Give a Fork theme is #wastefree, and the dinner was an excellent (and delicious!) excuse to talk about shifting our food habits so we waste less food and food packaging. We were treated to a scrumptious meal cooked by eco-wise Aaron Teece, the owner of Studio Neon.

The table centre piece featured produce from Harris Farms' Imperfect Picks.
Guests were allowed to take home the produce at the end of the night!

Smoked Onion Risotto with Organic 62 degree hen egg. As a way to
make this a #wastefree dish the chef used the skin from the onion
to create the stock to cook the risotto. Clever!

Imperfect Orange dessert - I'm drooling again just recalling
this orange zest sponge cake served with orange rind puree,
Jannei goat's curd, and dehydrated orange. Heaven!

Why the emphasis on food waste? Well,

• Australians throw away 1 out of every 5 bags of groceries they buy? That's 20% of our grocery budget right down the drain, about $1,036 per household. Ouch!
• 20-40% of edible produce is rejected before it even makes it to the shops, because they don't meet our expectations of the 'perfect' piece of food. So it is wasted at the farm level.
• Australians only recycle 36% of eligible plastic bottles, and globally we add 6.4 million tonnes of plastic into the ocean each year, a large proportion being food packaging.

This is the 'imperfect' produce I took home - I'm making eggplant parmesan
tonight, and last week that quirky potato made it into a soup and the asparagus
into a frittata.  Just because they look different doesn't mean they taste different!

Two Give a Fork ambassadors were on hand to share their personal experience - Take 3 Founder Tim Silverwood and writer Sarah Wilson of I Quit Sugar fame. We also heard from the effervescent Ronni Kahn, CEO and Founder of OzHarvest.

Good onya Tim! My hubby is a devout 'Take 3er', which
can easily turn into taking 4, or 5, or, you get the idea.

I didn't realise that the I Quit Sugar recipes also work
toward a waste free kitchen (or pretty darn close, anyway)

Aside from the speeches, we viewed a short documentary titled Waste Deep, which covered everything from the problems with plastic in our oceans (here are some stylish solutions to the current problem) to how we buy and cook our groceries.

This is all the waste that was generated from feeding 40 people - incredible.

* * * *

I left feeling inspired to host my own Give a Fork dinner - my hubby and I decided to tackle a low-food waste Thanksgiving meal next month - why don't you consider hosting one as well?  Sustainable Table has provided a free eBook talking you through easy ways you can reduce your food waste at a dinner party, and in your kitchen everyday.

Any money you raise goes directly to funding Sustainable Table and the great work they do in educating Australians on sustainable food practices, and working with projects in developing nations to ensure communities have a safe and ongoing provision of food. 

I'll be in touch with an update after Thanksgiving!

xxLisa

diy delight : harissa

I don't know about you, but I am not coping well with winter. Hailing from snow-capped Utah, I feel slightly embarrassed admitting Sydney winter is getting to me; I blame the lack of central heating and poor insulation in my gorgeous (but old) apartment block.

One tactic I'm using to stay warm is cooking soups and stews. Tonight I'm going to make this Moroccan Vegetable Stew I spotted in the weekend paper - my mouth is watering just thinking about it!

Thanks, Bill, for the Veggie Stew recipe! So many recipes
in the weekend papers feature meat. This is hearty, healthy,
eco-friendly recipe was a pleasant surprise.

One of the ingredients in the stew is harissa. I didn't have any on hand, and I try and avoid buying packaged foods when I can help it, so I googled a recipe to make my own version of this warming, zesty chili paste. I found a very simple harissa recipe courtesy of SBS, and was able to whip it together in just under 30 minutes.

I loved this simple recipe with only 7 ingredients.

Taking out the chilli seeds was the most time consuming aspect of this recipe. I also included fewer than the half-the-seeds in the recipe; these chillies were fairly spicy and I can't take too much heat.

Not too much of a mess was made for this culinary creation.

Because both my hubby and I hate to waste packaging, nearly every time we buy something in a jar we wash it and keep it for later use. Typically the jars get filled with food from the Manly Co-op (strictly BYO packaging at the Co-op) . . .

Here's a shelf from my pantry - one jar filled with Co-op tahini,
another with dried chickpeas - I wonder if my hubby is dropping
a hint for me to make homemade hummus?

. . . but today one of the jars got filled with my homemade harissa.

The finished product

This harissa tastes delish, packs a punch and is packaging free. Do you make any sauces or special seasonings from scratch? I'd love to hear your recipes!

Stay warm out there my friends.
xxLisa

a green thanksgiving fling

Happy Thanksgiving!

I don't know about you, but I love Thanksgiving. It's definitely my favourite holiday, and one American tradition that I've proudly continued in Australia. (My Aussie friends are so thankful, too.)

Thanksgiving a couple years ago - summertime feasting!

The real beauty of the holiday is that it does not focus on gifts or spending money. It's not exclusionary based on religious choices. It's just a time to get together with those you love to enjoy a feast and express gratitude.

As soon as I sit down and reflect in a state of gratitude, I find my list of thanks is limitless. A wonderful, supportive family. A caring husband. Generous friends. Freedom. Passion. Time to write and explore. A healthy body that can exercise, dance and practice yoga. The ability to travel. Accessible technology that allows me to keep in touch with loved ones around the globe. And so much more!

What are you thankful for this year?

My chalkboard wall at my last home - the perfect
spot for guests to share their gratitude!

Besides 'being thankful,' this day is really about eating. A lot. And watching football. And eating some more. Probably in the form of a cold turkey and cranberry sandwich.

Since it's not a holiday here in Oz, I'm hosting Thanksgiving next weekend. As I plan I'm hoping to make this feast-day as eco as possible. (These tips are probably too late for my American readers, but file these thoughts away for your upcoming Christmas feast, too.)

Organic, free range turkey
I limit how much meat I eat on a day-to-day basis to keep my eco-footprint low. On special days like Thanksgiving, though, I definitely enjoy my meat. For Thanksgiving I ordered an organic, free range turkey - I'm so thankful my local butcher can order this for me! This means the bird has led a healthy, humane life, free from antibiotics, hormones, and unnatural food sources (did you know that over the past 50 years the average domesticated turkey has grown by 12 pounds, causing a number of health concerns? Yikes!).

Look at this lovely scene.

Reduce Packaging
I also limit food packaging in my regular eating routine, and Thanksgiving is no different. I have a lot of fun making things from scratch that 'traditionally' are made with packaged foods (at least in my house!). These days I use fresh green beans in the green bean casserole, fresh pumpkin and homemade dough for pumpkin pie, and fresh sweet potato for candied yams. Making these treasured favourites from fresh ingredients reduces packaging waste, and is healthier, too, because I can limit the salt and sugar I use, and avoid unnecessary preservatives and food colouring.  

My first 'from scratch' pumpkin pie last year.

And of course my Thanksgiving shopping was done with reusable shopping bags.

Vegetarian options
Apart from the turkey, I prefer side dishes to be vegetarian. Historically, Thanksgiving celebrates the pilgrims first harvest with the help of the American Indians (that's the story everyone's sticking with, anyway), so it makes sense to feast upon local, seasonal produce. Keeping all the sides dishes veggo means my vegetarian friends can feast along with us, and we keep our meat eco-footprint just for the big bird.

Reusable dishes, glasses and cutlery
It's quite common during the holidays to succumb to the convenience of disposable plates, glasses and cutlery.  Using 'real' plates and glasses saves waste from going to the landfill and adds an extra sense of occasion. When I don't have enough to go around, I don't break the bank stocking up (definitely not sustainable to buy things just for a one time use!). Instead I assign someone (or a few people!) to bring their dishes/glasses/cutlery instead of a side dish. And occassionally I break out the picnic plates, too.

We can't all have a kitchen this well-stocked.

Leftovers
I'm hoping to end up with some leftovers so I can enjoy a few cold turkey sandwiches. Hopefully I don't wind up with too many leftovers, though.  Did you know that globally, one-third of all food is wasted? Food waste is the largest component of American landfills, and equates to 40% of Australian waste bins.

To cut down on food waste this Thanksgiving, I'll send some plates home with my guests, and look up 'leftovers recipes' to avoid wasting any of the delicious feast.

Homemade stock
After the bird has been carved and I've pulled apart the wishbone with my hubby, I'll be keeping the carcass to make my own stock. 1 Million Women recently posted this very affordable homemade stock recipe that I'll be putting into action - I particularly love that it helps me cut down on waste by using the little 'bits' of veggies that I usually toss. Genius!

Black Friday shopping
Since I'm not in America this year, I can avoid the mayhem of Black Friday shopping altogether. (Though, I have been in America the past two years and successfully avoided shopping centres on both visits.) This is the traditional kick-off to the silly season of spending, with stores promising mad discounts and special deals the day after Thanksgiving. And now it is creeping into Thanksgiving day itself, to the horror of many Americans.

No thank you! And before any Aussies get too judgmental, this is not
dissimilar to the Boxing Day craziness.

I believe that shops would not be open on Thanksgiving, or at ridiculously early hours on Black Friday (hello 4am! May as well stay up all night for that one), if there were not people willing to shop at that time. The stores are not without fault, but shoppers are also to blame, demonstrating time and again our thirst for a bargain. Instead of rushing out to try and get the so-called bargains, I prefer to vote with my wallet by not shopping on those days, and keeping my wallet shut.

If you also choose to keep your wallet closed this weekend, don't fret about the upcoming gift-giving season. I will be coming to you with eco-holiday gift tips in the coming weeks.

Until then . . .

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! And sending extra special love to my family up north today, missing you all heaps.
xLisa

Gobble, gobble!

a green muesli fling

I don't know about you, but I wake up hungry everyday.

I hear people talk about not being able to eat first thing in the morning and I truly cannot comprehend. As soon as my feet hit the floor, my tummy is asking for food, and most mornings that means a bowl of delicious, homemade muesli.

To be completely honest, my gorgeous hubby usually mixes up our all natural muesli. But he's busier than I am this week, so I took it upon myself to create our latest batch. 

Here's my easy 5-step method to making delicious, organic muesli.

Step 1 - make your shopping list

• Rolled oats
• Dried cranberries
• Dried apricots
• Almonds (sliced)
• Pepitas
• Coconut (shredded)

Buy as many organic ingredients as possible, and mix it up! This is the recipe this week, but next week may see dates, walnuts and sultanas mixed in with the oats.

I purposely left out amounts of the ingredients because it should all be done to taste. As a guide, the rolled oats by themselves should equal between one-half and two-thirds of your muesli container, and a little goes a long way when it comes to the other ingredients.

Step 2 - visit the Manly Co-op
I am so lucky to live in a neighbourhood with a fabulous organic food co-operative - the Manly Food Co-op - which sells all the ingredients I need for my muesli in bulk bins. 

Those of you who have read my book know that I have a love-hate relationship with Co-op shopping. Since you have to bring your own container to fill, there is a level of organisation I don't naturally posses as it relates to shopping, so it can at times feel like a mission. Luckily for the planet (and my health!), my LOVE of saving so much packaging whilst supporting organic food growers outweighs my organisation frustration, and I'm a Co-op regular.

Bulk grains, legumes, dried fruit and more at the Co-op.

We have been members of the Co-op for a few years, and my hubby volunteers in the shop about once a month, so we get fabulous discounts. If you're a Manly resident (or Sydney resident!) you should definitely check it out.

If you don't have a co-op, the next best thing is a health food store with bulk bins (like Whole Foods or Sprouts for my US readers). If that is not possible, you can buy all the ingredients at your local grocery store; buy in the largest size possible to reduce packaging.

Step 3 - get organised
Gather all your ingredients, your muesli container, a knife, cutting board and mixing spoon.

Step 4 - chop ingredients
Lucky me! This week I only needed to chop the apricots, everything else was already the perfect muesli size.

Don't be alarmed by the colour. These are all-natural dried apricots, with no sulfates or other preservatives to maintain the orange colour. Okay, they are not quite as pretty, but they are just as tasty, and healthier for me, too.

Step 5 - layer and mix
Remove about half the oats and layer in your tasty ingredients.

Don't worry - this container is BPA-free!

Give it all a stir (or put the lid on the container and roll it around a few times), then add the remaining oats and give it another stir or roll.

Enjoy!
There you have it - natural, organic, no added salt or sugar, muesli. Enjoy with your favourite milk, or over yogurt and honey, and sprinkle on a little LSA and maybe some cinnamon to get your day off to a great start.

xxLisa

Want to know more ways I live my life sustainably everyday? Keep up with me on Twitter and Instagram for all the bits that don't make it onto the blog.

My instagram while I was shopping!

a green expo fling

Last weekend I braved the blustery winds (made quite easy thanks to my military sweater I picked up at Vinnies the other week) and made my way to EcoXpo.

The first thing I noticed as I stepped through the doors were the fabulous feedback trees from Green Cities being reused!

Bonjour Baby, InterfaceFLOR and Paper Couture all sponsored the trees, and we were
invited to write our 'wishes for the planet' on the leaves - so beautiful!.

I enjoyed reminiscing as I read over some of the Green Cities comments, and one in particular struck a chord, because it's one I continue to come across when talking with folks about the environment:

I want to be 'green' but I don't have to have to think too hard about it . . . 

Luckily for all of us, the EcoXpo had plenty of solutions that make green living easy.  Here are my top picks from the EcoXpo that can help us all achieve sustainability simply, and even stylishly!

• Rosnay Organic sparkling wine
  I was feeling under the weather but I still enjoyed a cheeky little wine tasting, and I'll be ordering some of Rosnay's Vintage Sparkling Chardonnay after I finish this blog - delish!
• Lentilicious lentil meals
  We know how good lentils are for us - high in protein, folate, iron, Vitamin B and fibre, and low GI - and now there is a company zhooshing them up for us with tasty flavour combinations like Coconut Fusion, Mediterranean and Turmeric Magic.
• Hemp Gallery home decor
  I will be the first to admit that 'hemp' and 'style' don't typically go hand in hand, but the Hemp Gallery stand at the expo was by far the most beautiful.  It was all I could do not to purchase all the pillow covers and baby toys on display.
• Lunchbox Mania tiffins
  Adorable and functional stainless steel tiered tiffins, great for storing lunches and other food products safely and stylishly.
• Bounty Burgers
  Finally, delicious soy burgers have made it Down Under!  I hate comparing, but I have really missed veggie burgers since moving to Oz, but thanks to Bounty Burgers I can be (almost) veggo and eat a yummy burger, too.
• Jayride & GoGet
  There is nothing stylish about a monthly payment for a machine that sits unused most of it's life - that's why ride- and car-sharing is the future. Jayride is an innovative ride-sharing program, connecting riders and drivers all across the country. Heading to a music festival? Moving cross-country and want some company? Post your ad and share your ride. And GoGet, the most popular car share program in Australia, now has some electric cars powered by Origin Energy in their fleet - how much greener can you get?

While I was at the EcoXpo I also saw the Trashion Fashion show, a performance where the models wore trash couture, made entirely of litter found on beaches - beautiful and disgusting at the same time.

Thanks EcoXpo! I hope there are a few more eco-fashion labels on display next year, maybe that would have attracted some of the hundreds of fashionistas lining up outside the other expo hall for Fashion Weekend, but overall a great display of the many eco-products and services already on the market.

Did you go to the EcoXpo? What were your favourite booths?