Slightly random car boot purchase....

I am not entirely sure what these little pots are supposed to be used for....but they cost me £2 at a car boot and I just couldn't resist, particularly as they match our green kitchen so well.
Any suggestions on what to use them for welcome. Jam would be one option of course, it's just that, to be perfectly honest, I don't frequently offer four types of jam at my breakfast table!

Homemade strawberry lemonade...

I love lemonade and original homemade is my favourite but with a recent excess of strawberries I decided to try the strawberry variety and it was well worth the effort. I found various recipes online, all fairly similar but I mainly followed this one from Gastronomy Domine (I added a little more sugar and I used my handheld blender to liquefy the strawberries as I didn't have time, ie. the patience, to soften overnight). It was pure loveliness in a glass.....

Sale on at Ethical Superstore

Ethical Superstore are in the midst of a massive clearance sale and there are some hefty discounts going on that you might like to take advantage of. Unfortunately, most of the clothes items for sale that I would otherwise consider seem to only be available in very limited sizes (ie. only in large) but if you are lucky enough to find your size it is well worth a look. A number of their other home and grocery items have also been significantly reduced.

My top sales picks are:

Komodo Merino Stripe V Neck Jumper £13.79 (was £56.12 but only available in XL)

Marrakech Mosaic Glass Lantern £8.38 (was £16.75)

Spiezia Lemongrass & Marigold Body Scrub £11.25 (was £22.50)

Stroopwafels from 'The Grocery'

I don't often take a lunch break at work...I know one is supposed to for improved productivity and work-life balance yada-yada but generally I would rather get more done and be able to leave on time. However....the recent spate of sunny-gorgeousness outside has made me resent being desk bound for long periods at a time and so I have been 'popping out' to get some fresh air and enjoy the sunshine on my face. And I do actually work in a very interesting area (Shoreditch) and have discovered some great shops and pubs and cafes in the last few days that I have generally known about but never actually located. In particular I can't believe I have never been into 'The Grocery' on Kingsland Road despite having walked past it a few times. It's right up my street (figuratively and kind-of literally), and crammed with not only lovely organic and/or fairtrade groceries but various organic cosmetics and toiletries as well. In their own words "The Grocery sells organic, fresh and whole foods, household goods and all your favourite everyday brands. Our stock is sourced from reputable local producers and we advocate good trading relationships. We supply healthy, well sourced produce, keeps prices down and tie our efforts in to local community needs." All of which sounds good to me. I am not quite sure where my purchase of Stroopwafels (Syrup Waffles) fits in with these policies but I had been after some since reading about the Holland House Festival on the weekend and The Grocery seemed as good a place as any to pick some up. Will definitely be stopping by there a bit more often in future....

Join the Fish Fight....

Luckily for me, I am not a seafood fan....not because of any sustainability arguments (although there are many) but just because I honestly can't stand the taste. As I was so fond of reiterating during my childhood when well-meaning relatives would try and encourage me to eat fish, prawns, lobster, calamari etc...."nothing from the sea please! I don't eat anything that swims or lives underwater". But this isn't really about my fussy eating habits. This is about Greenpeace's current campaign to improve the sustainability of UK tinned tuna, and they are doing incredibly well but they are still appealing for consumers to help them even more and influence, in particular, John West and Morrisons, to raise their games.

Many of us are familiar with the dangers of certain commercial tuna fishing methods and the impact they have on sharks, rays and other marine species. If you want to know more, I suggest you check out the Greenpeace website (www.greenpeace.org.uk/fishfight) and/or check out Hugh's Fish Fight which is being shown again tonight at 10pm on More 4.

A fantastic number of supermarkets and manufacturers have joined the campaign and improved their methods but for some reason John West and Morrisons are lagging behind. The simplest thing you can do of course is not buy John West and not shop at Morrisons but you can also join the campaign by writing to them via the Greenpeace website. With so many supermarkets improving their methods there really is no excuse for others not to do the same, so make sure you voice your disapproval and let them know it's not a minority 'treehugger' concern but something that everyone is aware of and not prepared to accept!

Coveting....Neal's Yard Remedies Cosmetics

Neal's Yard Remedies have recently launched a cosmetic range. As per their usual product philisophy, none of the products have been tested on animals and contain no parabens, bismuth oxychloride, mercury, phthalates, talc and carmine.

Although there is an increasing range of organic, 'no-nasties' beauty products available now, cosmetics are one area that can be tricky for make-up lovers who are looking for more natural products. Neal's Yard Remedies new range, which includes lip glosses, eye shadows and eye liners, is a welcome addition and I personally have my eye in particular on the English Rose Lip Gloss, which at £9.50 is fairly reasonably priced.