Life hacks facts
Tips, tricks and remedies to help you go about everyday life for the better.
Storing olive oil
The general rule is to use your extra virgin olive oil sooner rather than later; don’t keep it for some “special” occasion, as it may be past its best by the time you open it. Unlike wine it does not improve with age. When stored away from heat and light, an unopened bottle is generally good for up to two years from the date it was bottled. The Olive Tree in My Kitchen by Helen Melser
April garden
Now is the perfect time to prune and tidy daylilies, lavender and other perennials that have finished flowering. Sow Flanders poppies to commemorate Anzac Day, select and plant trees for autumn colour while you can see them at their best and sow broad beans, peas and onions. Yates Garden Guide ANZ Edition by Angie Thomas & Yates
Dandy dandelion
The dandelion is popular with children who love to blow away the fluffy seed “clocks”. Adults may curse when it appears in the lawn, but from a biodynamic perspective, when the plant uses its strong rubbery root to punch holes in the ground, it opens up compacted soil, exposing the earth to the light of the sun and other celestial bodies, so that new plants soon thrive there. Biodynamic Gardening by Monty Waldin for Weleda
Clever ways with broccoli stems
Peel the tough outer layer off and grate into rice-sized bits to make broccoli rice. Or make broccoli chips by using a mandoline to cut very thin slices of stem. Put them in a roasting dish and drizzle with olive oil. Roast in a 190°C oven for 20 minutes until crispy and golden. Sprinkle with sea salt to taste.
Low Tox Life Food by Alexx Stuart
Champagne on ice
Avoid storing champagne in your fridge for an extended period of time (a few hours is fine). Leaving it there any longer can cause the cork to stick. The refrigerator also draws moisture from the cork, which increases the possibility of oxidation. Instead, immerse the bottle in a bucket of ice and water to cool, and keep cool while drinking. 101 Essential Wine Tips by Tom Stevenson