Environmentally Friendly TP Review

You’ve probably been inundated with ads for those green toilet paper companies on whatever social media you use, especially since you probably already follow a lot of vegan/earth friendly sites. As someone who could never find a vegan brand of TP I loved I thought I’d try them all and tell you what I thought :)

Depending on the brand you buy most supermarket brands will run between 77c-$1.50/roll.

The environmentally friendly options ranged between 71c-$2.25, so definitely something for everyone's budget.

Who Gives A Crap

So this was my first try at the earth friendly TP services so I went all out; I got 24 rolls of TP, a box of paper towels and a box of tissues. This company uses recycled office paper. They also have a bamboo paper option but it was more expensive and I wanted to try the regular first.  

I wasn’t overly impressed with the toilet paper. The tissue was weak and fell apart very easily, leaving bits everywhere. The paper towels were ok absorbent enough but not overly thick. The tissues were ok too but like all the other products the quality of the paper is a little rough. I don't like that the roll coverings look like donuts either. Unless that's the bathroom look you're going for of course ;)

After my success with Tushy I went back and bought the Who Gives a Crap bamboo offering. Honestly although it was stronger than the recycle paper rolls hubby’s vote went to Tushy. 

Cost for recycled paper: $1 per roll (same price with or without subscription)

Cost for Bamboo: $1.25 per roll

Products: Toilet Paper, Paper Towel

Cloud Paper

As my second try I thought I’d try a bamboo brand. I only chose TP this time to see the difference. I definitely liked it better that the recycled paper TP but still had a rough and not overly absorbent feel to it. 

Cost: $1.25 (subscription only)

Products: Toilet Paper, Paper Towel

Reel Paper

My third attempt was Reel Paper, two things I really liked about Reel was paper felt thick and absorbent the packaging is understated, it's a nice stone grey with the "R" symbol (which coincidentally is a "J" when turned upside down so that works for me LOL). What I didn't like was they don't have many other products (only paper towels) it wasn't the softest paper although thick.

Cost: $1.4 per roll with subscriptions  ($1.7 without)

Products: Toilet Paper, Paper Towel

Tushy TP

Forth purchase was Tushy, so far this was my favorite despite it being more expensive. These rolls were notably thicker and more absorbent than their counter parts, which might be due to the bamboo I'm not sure. I really loved the design as well, very classy!

Cost $1.6 per roll with subscription ($1.9 without)

Products: Bidet, Toilet Paper, Toilet accessories

Noo Trees - Amazon 

Not bought yet - no review

74c per roll

71c per roll (with 4 pack blk order)

Products: Toilet Paper, Paper Towels

Better way Bamboo TP - Amazon

Not bought yet - no review

By far the most expensive options is Better Way Bamboo toilet paper on Amazon

Cost: $2.25/roll

In conclusion, despite not having tried Better Way Bamboo or Noo Trees we decided we liked Tushy the best because of the strength of the tissue so that’s what we’ll be sticking with :)

Red Lentil Curry

This recipe from Rainbow Plant Life (my new favourite blog) was welcomed by the whole family which I can tell you is no easy feat! I've made this numerous times now and it's always fabulous!

Red Lentil Curry

Ingredients

1 tablespoon refined or virgin coconut oil, or a neutral-flavored oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and minced or grated
1 tablespoon minced fresh turmeric, or 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1-2 serrano peppers, diced (see recipe note below on spice level)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon Indian red chili powder (if you only have regular chili powder, which is a blend, use 1 teaspoon)
2 teaspoons curry powder
1 teaspoon garam masala
Kosher salt or sea salt to taste (I use about 1 tsp kosher salt, and add more at the end)
Freshly cracked black pepper to taste
1 cup (180-190g) red lentils, or split red lentils (the split variety will cook a bit quicker)
2 cups (480 mL) low-sodium vegetable broth
1 14 ounce (400-425g) can crushed tomatoes
1 13.5- ounce (400 mL) can full-fat coconut milk
3 tablespoons unsweetened creamy almond butter
1/2 a small lemon, juiced
1/2 cup (~8g) fresh cilantro, roughly chopped

For serving: Basmati or Jasmine rice 

Method

Rinse the lentils in cold water until the water runs clear.

Heat a large, deep skillet or large saucepan over medium-high heat and add the coconut oil. Once the oil is shimmering, add the garlic, ginger, fresh turmeric (if using), and Serrano pepper and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent garlic from burning.

Add the cumin, coriander, chili powder, curry powder, garam masala, salt, and black pepper to taste, and cook for 30 to 60 seconds until fragrant, tossing frequently to prevent burning. If using ground turmeric instead of fresh turmeric, add the ground turmeric now, along the the rest of the spices.

Pour in the vegetable broth, and use a wooden spoon or spatula to scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot. Add in the lentils and the crushed tomatoes and mix well. Reduce the heat to low and cover the pan with a lid. Simmer for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the lentils are cooked through and have mostly softened. If you find that the lentils are not quite soft after 25 minutes, add a few spoons more of broth or water and cook for another 5 minutes.

Remove the lid and stir in the coconut milk, almond butter, along with salt and pepper to taste Continue cooking on low heat, uncovered for 5 to 8 minutes, until the curry has thickened and is creamy.

Finally, stir in the lemon juice and cilantro, and turn off the heat. If you want your lentils to even creamier and more on the puréed side, use an immersion blender to lightly purée the curry.

Serve the curry with rice and/or Indian flatbread and garnish with additional cilantro. Store leftovers in the fridge for 3-4 days.

Apple Cinnamon Donut Cake

This original recipe from Sarah Bakes Gluten Free is for a regular sized caramel apple bundt cake - I made mine with hard sugar icing instead of the caramel and made them into mini bundt cakes. Caramel icing recipe at the end if needed :)

Apple Cinnamon Donut Cake 

Ingredients

3 1/4 cups Sarah’s gluten free flour blend
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1/2 cup apple juice or water
1/2 cup avocado oil or sunflower seed oil
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup cane sugar
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups peeled and grated apples, grated on large holes

I used a simple vegan icing sugar/water mixture and drizzled it over the cooled cakes.

Method 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray bundt cake pan with nonstick cooking spray.

Whisk together flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

In large mixing bowl, mix together almond milk, apple juice, oil, brown sugar, sugar, oil, apple cider vinegar and vanilla. Add grated apples and flour mixture. Stir until batter is smooth and well combined.

Pour batter into prepared bundt cake pan. Bake cake 50-55 minutes, depending on bundt cake pan. When toothpick inserted into cake comes out clean, remove from oven.

Place cake on cooling rack and allow to cool in pan 15 minutes. Invert cake onto cooling rack to cool completely.

NOTES

Caramel Glaze Recipe

1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup coconut cream, cream from top of canned coconut milk*
1 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

pinch sea salt

To make caramel glaze, place brown sugar and coconut cream in small sauce pan. Over medium heat, stir and bring to a low bowl. Once boiling, stop stirring and set a timer for 2 minutes.

After 2 minutes of boiling, remove caramel from stove top. Carefully pour into mixing bowl. Add powdered sugar, vanilla and salt. Whisk glaze until smooth.

Drizzle caramel glaze over cooled cake. Allow to set for glaze to harden. Slice and serve.

Peanut Noodles with Tofu

This was a great easy lunch prep I found - original recipe from My Food Story

Peanut Noodles with Tofu

Ingredients

Sesame Peanut Sauce

½ cup Peanut butter

2 tablespoons Sesame Oil

¼ cup Light low sodium Soy Sauce

¼ cup Rice Vinegar

1 teaspoon Chilli Flakes

2 tablespoons Maple Syrup or Honey

2-3 Garlic Cloves roughly chopped

1 knob Ginger peeled and roughly chopped

Other Ingredients

1 tablespoon Oil

350 gms Firm Tofu cut into small pieces 

Zucchinis spiralized or rice/GF noodles

Sesame Seeds and Green Onions for topping

Method

In a blender or add all the ingredients for the sauce along with a splash of water and blend till smooth. Set aside ¼ cup sauce and divide the rest in the mini sauce containers.

Heat oil in a pan and add the tofu. (I also like to bake instead of fry - 20 mins turning half way at 375F).

As soon as the tofu is a very light brown, add ¼ cup sauce to the pan and toss the tofu in it. 

Cook everything on low heat, the sauce will start to evaporate and slowly it will start turning into golden brown and sticking to the pan and tofu. 

Things will become crispy and you finally you'll be left with crispy browned bits of tofu in the pan.

To assemble the meal prep containers, divide zucchini noodles in the containers. 

Divide the tofu amongst the containers and place the mini sauce containers on one side. 

Place the lid and refrigerate for up to 5 days.

Chipotle Sweet Potato Fries

 Original recipe from The Fitchen. Perfect for fajitas or just munchin'! I love them dipped in vegan aioli sauce.

Chipotle Sweet Potato Fries

Ingredients

5 cups sweet potato, chopped into "fry" shape

3 Tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon paprika

½ teaspoon black pepper

½ teaspoon chipotle powder

¼ teaspoon cumin

⅛ teaspoon cayenne

⅛ teaspoon garlic powder

Method

Preheat oven to 375º and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a small bowl, combine well the  salt, paprika, pepper, chipotle, cumin, cayenne, and garlic powder. 

Spread sweet potatoes on sheet pan and drizzle with 2 Tablespoons of oil. 

Sprinkle half of the seasoning over them and mix them up to coat evenly.

Place the sweet potatoes into the oven and bake for 20 minutes. 

Flip fries over and continue baking for another 10-15 mins.

Serve as you like! :)

Breakfast Parfait (Homemade Granola/Muesli)

 I struggle with breakfast, not because I'm not hungry but because I'm not a hug fan of breakfast foods. During the week I need something fast and this has become my favourite breakfast. The things I like about it most (besides it being delicious) is that it can be varied quite a bit, it can be prepped in advance, in bulk and that I can take it with me. I keep a jar of homemade baked muesli (granola) at work and home so I just have to bring yoghurt and fruit :)

Breakfast Parfait

Ingredients

Dairy-Free Yoghurt of your choice (my favourite is Kite Hill unsweetened plain)

Fruit of choice (I usually have blueberries because I love them and they don't require chopping)

Homemade Muesli ingredients;

1 1/2 Cups GF rolled oats

1/4 cup maple syrup

1/4 cup sliced or slivered almonds (choose whatever nut you like)

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp spices (cinnamon is my go to)

Method

So on the weekend I'll bake my muesli and it usually lasts me the whole week (working week at least!).

Mix all the muesli ingredients together and smooth down onto a baking sheet.

Bake for 20 minutes at 300F/150C mixing around at the 10 minute mark.

I've left mine in there for longer and no burning so far LOL

Once cooled transfer into an airtight jar/container.

Putting your parfait it just about layering. 

If I'm doing it at home I do the muesli on the bottom (around 1/4 cup followed by 1/2 cup yoghurt and then 1/4 cup fruit on top. 

If I take it to the office I like to keep the muesli separate until I'm going to eat it otherwise the oats get soggy ;)

Red Curry Noodles

 This recipe from Pick Up Limes is great because it really only consists of one pot, plus whatever method you take to brown your tofu. Bit spicy for the kids but I loved it! Definitely enough for a few lunches too ;)

I think her recipe is for soup but mine ended up a bit thicker than that but it was fine with me!

Red Curry Noodles

Ingredients

1 Tbsp (14 g) refined coconut oil 
11.4 oz (325 g) extra firm tofu, cut into 1 cm cubes 
1 tsp (5 mL) vegetable oil 
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp (6 g) fresh ginger, minced
3 Tbsp (45 mL) Thai red curry paste*
2 vegetable bouillon cubes
2½ cups (600 mL) boiling water
1⅔ cups (399 mL) canned full-fat coconut milk 
2 Tbsp (30 mL) sodium-reduced soy sauce 
2 tsp (10 mL) sambal oelek (optional) 
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced 
4.4 oz (125 g) dry brown rice noodles 
2 small heads bok choy 

Method

Add the coconut oil to a large pan on medium-high heat. 

When the oil is hot, add the tofu. Try to let sit undisturbed, stirring only every few minutes. 

Continue until lightly golden and crispy on all sides.

Meanwhile, to a large pot on high heat, add the oil, garlic, and ginger. 

Let cook for 2 minutes.

Then add the red curry paste and cook for 1 minute more, stirring throughout.

To the large pot, add the bouillon cubes, boiling water, coconut milk, soy sauce, sambal, and bell pepper. 

Partially cover, and let simmer for 5 minutes.

Then add the noodles and greens and let simmer for 3 more minutes.

Serve, add the tofu, and your desired garnish.

Fermented Tofu

 Also known as Stinky Tofu this pungent condiment is used for many Asian recipes. It's an acquired taste but not similar to a pungent cheese. I love it as a base for sauces or on top of morning Congee! Original recipe from Full of Plants.

Fermented Tofu

Ingredients

1 pound firm tofu, cut in half

4 cups water

1 tbsp salt

optional: 1/4 cup chili flakes

Brine

1 and 1/2 cup water

3 tbsp salt

1 tbsp sugar

1/4 cup vodka (or 1/2 cup rice wine)

Method

Before starting use gloves when handling the tofu to prevent bad bacteria and mold from growing.

Bring 4 cups of water with one tablespoon of salt to a boil in a medium size sauce pan. Once boiling, add the tofu and boil for 4 minutes.

Remove the tofu from the water and place it on a few sheets of kitchen paper towel. Top with more kitchen paper towel and place a heavy weight on it to press the tofu and remove excess water. I usually use an iron skillet. Let it drain for about 90 minutes, changing the paper towel as needed if it becomes too wet.

Line a large plate with two layers of kitchen paper towel, or a clean towel. Cut the tofu into 1-inch cubes and place the cubes on the plate, leaving about 1 inch between each cube, so they don't touch each other. Top with another sheet of kitchen paper towel and cover the whole plate with plastic film. The plastic film will prevent bad bacteria from reaching the tofu.

Place the plate in a dark place at 77-86°F (25-30°C) and let it ferment for 2 to 3 days. The tofu will have taken a light orange color and will have a stinky smell. You may also see some white mold as well, this is okay. If you see blue or dark mold, scrape it off.

Prepare the brine: combine 1 and 1/2 cup of water with the salt and sugar in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and boil for 1 minute. Once boiling, remove from heat and let it cool completely. Add the vodka and stir to combine.

Transfer the stinky tofu to clean glass jars. If you want to make it spicy, dip each tofu cube in chili flakes before putting it in the jars. Pour the brine into the jars to cover the tofu. Close the jars with a lid and place in a dark cool place (around 68°F - 20°C) for at least 3 weeks. The longer you let it ages, the stronger and softer your tofu will be.

For extra flavor, you can add about 1/2 tsp of sesame oil into each jar after the 3 weeks have passed.

Use this fermented tofu to make dipping sauces, to top rice, add to vegan cheeses, use in marinades, soups, etc.

NOTES

For a quick dipping sauce, mash one cube of fermented tofu in a small bowl. Add about 1 tsp of lime juice, 1 tsp of sugar, and sliced chili to taste. Feel free to add a couple of tablespoons of water to taste if it's too salty. Use this sauce to dip steamed or roasted vegetables.

Congee (Savoury Rice Pudding)

Congee is known by other names and is a savoury rice pudding that is eaten in man Asian countries as any meal but particularly popular at breakfast. It's made bland and then you decide what to add to make it your own. Some popular toppings are green onions, fermented tofu, soy sauce, steamed vegetables, chilli paste, cilantro, sesame seeds, edamame, crispy tofu, natto, shitake mushrooms or anything you like. I tried different things (Thai Magic Sauce was pretty good) but I think I like it on it's own. I'm excited to try it with the Stinky Tofu! Original recipe from It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken.

Congee (Savoury Rice Pudding)

Ingredients

For the congee:

1 cup rice white or brown rice (short grain)

2 inch fresh ginger, minced

4 cloves garlic, minced

10 cups water

Method

Add the rice along with the ginger, garlic, and 10 cups of water to a large pot. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer and set a timer for 1 hour and 30 minutes..

Stir the pot every now and then as it simmers, especially as it gets closed to being finished so that it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan. When the congee is done it will be a thick rice porridge. If you prefer a thinner congee, add water until desired consistency is reached.

Serve along with toppings of your choice.

Easy Feta Tomato Pasta

So you may have heard the hype behind the TikTok feta tomato pasta video but there’s a reason. It’s seriously delicious and incredibly simple. It’s a minimal effort and time saving dinner that everyone will love. I added olives to mine and I’m thinking next time baby spinach will work well too!

Easy Feta Tomato Pasta

Ingredients

Pasta for two (any shape you like but spirals work well)

Vegan feta block

Punnet of cherry tomatoes

1 Tbls Italian herbs

1 tsp chili flakes (more to taste)

Salt and pepper

Method

Preheat oven to 350F/180C.

Start cooking pasta as per instructions on packaging.

In an oven proof dish drizzle some olive oil.

Place vegan feta block in the middle of tray and surround with the tomatoes.

Sprinkle seasoning and chili over the cheese.

Bake for 15-20 minutes until tomatoes have burst and feta is soft.

Remove from dish from oven when ready and mix in with drained pasta until incorporated well.

Add salt and pepper to taste and serve!

Tahini Dill Cauliflower

 This is a copycat recipe from a restaurant dish that I love. I can' say it's as fabulous as the original but still pretty amazing ;) Great starter or side dish. The original recipe calls for harissa tahini, if you want to use this or add in harissa spice I'm sure that would be amazing too!

Tahini Dill Cauliflower 

Ingredients

I head cauliflower

1/2 cup fresh dill

1/4 cup fresh mint

1/2 cup tahini

9 medjool dates (pitted) soaked in 1 cup hot water (keep the water!!!)

1 clove garlic, crushed

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

1/4 tsp salt (add more to taste)

pepper to taste

1/2 cup pistachios, crushed into small pieces

Method

Set oven to 400F/200C. Wash and break up the cauliflower and spread on a baking tray, bake for 30-40 minutes, turning half way.

While the cauliflower is baking put all ingredients except pistachios into a food processor and blend until smooth and mixed well. Taste add more seasoning if needed. If the mixture is too thick add more water. It should be the consistency of sour cream. Spoon in your pistachios.

Once cauliflower is ready allow to cool slightly then add to a bowl. Pour over the sauce and gently stire to combine.

Christmas Lunch 2020

As depressing as 2020 was , prepping and eating Christmas lunch/dinner always makes me happy! My favourite part is the days of leftovers...yum! LOL Yes always thinking about my stomach ;)

I do a bit a prep work the day before so I don't have to do everything on Christmas morning and it's only a few hours of work the next morning so I'm ready by lunchtime and then can enjoy the rest of my food induced coma day! This is what was on 2020's holiday menu...

This delicious stuffed tofu log was actually care of the good people at Murray Hillbilly here in Jacksonville. It was so good!

Smoky Baked Cauliflower

Southern Collard Greens - one of my favourite things on the planet. I throw all the ingredients in a slow cooker and it's done by lunchtime ;)

Green Been Casserole - so I did it a little differently this year. I used the filling from the Mushroom & Leek Pithivier Pie (sans celeraic) and mixed in the green beans. 

Rosemary Roast Potatoes - staple in our home at the holidays...the one vegetable I can rely on being eaten LOL

Condiments...Golden Gravy and Christmas Jelly

Don't forget the sweets...

Pavlova - a classic meringue, cream and fresh fruit dessert very popular in Australia and New Zealand at Christmas time.

Hot Cocoa with peppermint essential oil, peppermint candy cane and vegan marshmallows 

Peppermint Candy Cane Chocolate Fudge