Cooking Radish Leaves (2): Radish leaves and feta cheese quiche

Back in April, I shared my radish leaves pesto recipe on that blog. Radishes are healthy and super easy to grow – even in containers and in a relatively cold climate.

Radish leaves are also edible and tasty. They taste very good with feta cheese and today, I would like to share my radish leaves & feta cheese quiche recipe.

Ingredients

• A bunch of radish (leaves)
• 100 gr. of feta cheese
• Puff pastry dough – I bought a ready-made one but several recipes are available online.
• 2 eggs
• 200 ml of fresh cream
• Pepper & Salt
• Fresh herbs

Steps

Separate the radish leaves from the bulbs. Rinse and dry them.

Line the pastry in a tart tin and lightly prick the base of the pastry with a fork all over.

Spread out evenly your chopped radish leaves and crumbled feta cheese over the base of the tart.

Mix the eggs and fresh cream in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper – You can also add some herbs (parsley, oregano, etc.) to the mixt.

Pour the mixture over the feta cheese and radish leaves.

Cook for approx. 30-35 min. (180 degrees)

Eat warm, or at room temperature with a nice salad.

Bon appétit!

My little paradise…

I am sorry for having been so quiet recently but I spent a few days at my parents’ place – in south central France. They live in a small village in “the middle of nowhere” – as my partner put it ;). A perfect place to relax and… enjoy a simpler life.

Helping with the Garden

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Enjoying long walks with your family & friends

 

 

 

 

 

 

Looking at the swallows outside your house

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cooking and learning new recipes

My mum shared with me her new recipe for cookies and I just like it!

Ingredients:
250g. of flour / 1 tea spoon of baking powder / 1 tea spoon of baking soda / a pinch of salt / 100g of oat flakes / 200g of chocolate chips  / 100g of brown sugar / 125g of butter / 1 table spoon of vanilla / 50g of pecan nuts and 50g of pistachio

Steps: Mix all the ingredients mentioned above; make some cookies and bake them for 12/13 min. at 180 degrees. Enjoy your dessert!

Doing some reading in the garden

I finished reading “No impact man” by Colin Beavan – also watched the documentary – and found it very interesting.

I also received “Je fabrique mes produits menagers” (I make my own cleaning products, soap and shampoo) by Laetitia Royant as a present. This book is full of very useful tips to make your bathroom and house more eco-friendly – I can’t wait for trying some of her recipes.

 

 

 

Last but not least, I would like to mention an initiative that has been taken (informally) by some people in my own village and that could benefit others (and our planet!).

Several times a year, the local council use chemical weedkillers on both sides of the road to “keep it clean” – they sometimes spray it on your garden by mistake too! It’s now well documented that most chemical weedkillers are dangerous for the environment and human health – click here for further details. As some people people now use the “no junk mail” logo on their mailboxes, people in my village have started to display “No weedkillers in front of our house” signs in front of their houses.

I have always stated how much I believe that little things can make a big difference. Not only, does this type of actions help to protect the environment but they also contribute to raising awareness of the environmental impact of weedkillers. And you, what have you done to make your life greener?

 

 

 

Greening my bathroom

As most western girls, I used to buy lots of cosmetics without really reading any labels and lists of ingredients. However, more than 80% of the cosmetics sold worlwide are made from synthetic ingredients and petroleum derivatives.

Not only, can these products be dangerous to human health (see parabens and other chemicals), but they also have negative environmental impacts.

Buying organic products and making our own cosmetics can help protect the environment (and preserve our health)!

Organic cosmetics

Buying organic cosmetics is the first step to make your beauty routine more eco-friendly. However as organic cosmetics are becoming more and more popular many companies use the word “organic” on products that may only include one organic ingredients.

As such, I try to only buy certified cosmetics. Here is the list of the most commonly used certifications in Europe:

BDIH

BDIH was created in 2001 in Germany.

The makers of the products marked with the BDIH “Certified Natural Cosmetics” seal use natural raw material such as plant oils, fats and waxes, herbal extracts and essential oils and aromatic materials from controlled biological cultivation or controlled biological wild collection. In addition to the careful selection of raw materials, the ecological impact of each product plays an important role. The BDIH’s guidelines are available here.

BDIH certified products are exported to over 40 countries. For the full list of BDIH’s certified companies, please visit: http://www.kontrollierte-naturkosmetik.de/e/producer_natural_cosmetics.htm.

Cosmebio

Cosmebio labels offer a guarantee to customers that the labeled cosmetics they purchase comply with Environmental standards and are truly organic.

There are two Cosmebio certification standards: Bio Label & Eco Label.

Ecocert

To ensure an environmentally friendly cosmetic product, the Ecocert standard lays down:

1. The use of ingredients derived from renewable resources, manufactured by environmentally friendly processes.

2. A minimum threshold of natural ingredients from organic farming to be reached to obtain certification.

3. On site audit is performed by an Ecocert auditor.

ECEAE  Logo

Products bearing the Leaping Bunny mark are certified ‘cruelty free’ under the internationally-recognised Humane Cosmetics or Humane Household Products Standards.

 

BDIH, Cosmebio and Ecocert certified products do not contain petroleum-derived products. These logos also guarantee the eco-friendliness of the packagings.

Homemade cosmetics (Easy recipes)

Organic cosmetics are better for the environment and for our health. However, that should not prevent us from acting in a responsible way and asking us if we really need a product before buying it!

Our skin needs to be gently cleaned, moisturised and sometimes protected. Here are some simple recipes & tips that can help you greening your bathroom:

• Learn how to use oils & essential oils
• Note: I have recently started to do weekly “facial sauna” and really like it. Hot water steam face opens the pores, facilitating the  evacuation of toxins and dirts. Boil some water, add  1/2 drops of lemon essential oils per litre and steam your face for about 5 min. Use a big towel covering the head, such that the water vapor is gathered, clothe your eyes and relax.
• Make your own tooth powder
• Opt for Monte-Bianco toothbrusches
• Make your own natural mouthwash
• Use reusable cotton rounds as opposed to disposal rounds
• Reuse your coffee ground as exfoliant

And you, do you have any green tips that I could use in my bathroom? Any easy recipes?

Slow living: Rediscovering your city

Two months ago, I decided to rediscover Dublin only using green transports i.e. walking, cycling and public transports. Rediscovering your city that way is cheap, fun, eco-friendly and excellent for your health. You will also be amazed by the number of things you will learn from it…

Over, the last few weeks, I will show you some pictures made during these relaxing walks. Here are some pictures that I took in Dalkey last week end.

Seagulls in Dalkey

Dalkey is easily accessible by public transports from Dublin city centre – 26 min by train (DART) from Pearse Street Station .

I found these two dogs barking at the seal extremely cute

If you have a little bit more time, I would also recommend the Dalkey – Killiney Walk (again accessible by public transports – DART – from city centre).

You don’t need to spend a fortune to relax. Take your time and enjoy everything around you!

 

 

 

 

Seal in Dalkey

DIY: Ecological toothpaste

Over the last five years, I have gradually moved from conventional beauty products to organic and home-made cosmetics.

I will soon post on how to green a bathroom but today I would like to share my homemade toothpowder recipe. One very good news, it’s healthier, cheaper and more eco-friendly than toothpastes that you can buy in shops.

Ingredients

• 20 g. of clay (white or green)
• 20 g. of baking soda (to withen the teeth)
• 2 drops of  tea tree oil (antibacterial)
• 2 drops of peppermint or 4 drops of lemon essential oil (fragrance)

Steps

In a small jar/plastic jar, mix the clay and baking soda. Add the drops of essential oils and mix again.

Wet your toothbrush before using your toohpowder. Et voila!

I use it along my homemade mouthwash and find it very good.  It’s also extremely cheap – 20g. of clay (approx. €0,45 / 500g = €9); 20g of baking soda ( €0,16 / €500g = €4); a few drops of essential oils – and allows you to reduce your wastes.

Talking about reducing wastes, I also like Monte-bianco toothbrushes and their replaceable heads – I used to import them but they are now available in Dublin (Down to Earth).

Note: A very good documentary on fluoridation in our water is available here.

Do you know more toothpaste/powder recipes?