Your green promises:

Re-use plastic bags when shopping, Oliver Marcus, London >> Stop wasting resources, Ness Backs, New York >> Consume more plant-based foods, Chana Tzi, L.A., Ca., USA >> Start growing my own herbs and vegetables, Holly Weisfeld, Herts >> Cycle one a day if not more, Jamie Cooper, Harts >> Visit a lot of eco-sites, Maria Kamutzki, Berlin >> I won't litter, Joel Austin, Pinner >> Be more eco friendly, Connor Buchalter, Hatch End >> Re-use water bottles so less waste, David, Middx >> I won't waste water anymore, Ben Green, Hach End >> Help my dad recycle everyday, Phoebe Decker, Northwood >> Turn electrical things off when I have finished using them, Talia Austin, Pinner >> Not to waste food, Joshua Roson, Rickmansworth >> Eat fairtrade chocolate, Josie Sacks, Pinner >> Bike/walk to places not to far away, Zoe Buchalter, Hatch End >> Recycle plastic bags when I go shopping, Sophie Scholl, Moor Park >> Take and re-use our own plastic bags when we go shopping, Cass Family, Harrow >> Not waste paper, Jed Gaffin, Northwood >> Walk to school more, Lea Abrahams, Pinner >> To be more careful with water, Max Abrahams, Pinner >> Turn the tap off when I brush my teeth, Ellie Roston, Rickmansworth >> Try and ride my bike as much as I can, Zack Bluestone, Stanmore >> Walk to from school everyday, Meiron Avidan, Stanmore >> Use tap water instead of bottled, Rianna Roston, Earth >> Turn everything off, not leave it on standby, Lewis Decker, Northwood >> Put my rubbish in the bin, Aron Bhalla, Harrow >> I will put my rubbish in the bin, Seth Bhalla, Harrow >> I will not watch the same thing as my brother on a different TV, Ilana Braham, Northwood >> Our family will walk to places if it is less than 2miles, the Garland family, Pinner >> Don't use sandwich bags for packed lunch, David Braham, Northwood >> Switch off lights when I am not using them, Matthew Rodin, London >> To walk and get the train more, Steph Leigh, Watford >> Not to litter and put rubbish in the bin, Jacob Lauder, Harrow >> Help put out the recycling more, Rachel Bard, Hertfordshire >> To put my cans in a recycle bin, Hannah Hyman, Borehamwood, Herts >> Walk to the bus stop, Matti Brooks, Borehamwood >> Re-use plastic bags when shopping, Gemma Black 5B, Hertfordshire >> I pledge to water my plants with a watering can and not waste water, Gemma Black 5B, Hertfordshire >> Make more things e.g sculptures instead of just putting them in the bin, Minnie Diamond, Bushey >> I shall turn off lights and T.V. when not needed on, Harrry Rubin, Hertfordshire >> Turn the TV off and not leave it on standby, Harry Rubin 5 Beech, Herts, London >> Turn lights off when I leave a room, Katie Moss, Radlett >> Only flush the chain when I need to, Hannah Hyman, Borehamwood, Herts >> Cycle one a day if not more, Jamie Cooper, Harts >> Ride on my bike at least once a day, Sophie Pollock, Borehamwood, Herts >> Grow my own fruit and vegetables in the garden, Isabelle Copeland, Bushey >> Don't leave lights on, Rebecca A, Herts >> Use energy efficent light bulbs!, Dov Colman, Borhamwood >> Not use the car for short journeys, Josh Zucker, Hertfordshire >> Turn the TV off and not leave it on standby, Jake Murray, Borehamwood >> To not leave the shower running!, Lauren Seres, Herts >> Turn lights off when I leave a room, Tyler Freedman, Bushey >> Do more recycling and help my mum sort out the waste, Maddie Freedman, Bushey >> Turn the TV off and not leave it on standby, Joseph White, Radlett, Herts >> Turn lights off when I leave a room, Zoe Klein, Hertfordshire >> turn off the plugs in my bedroom, Oliver Rothstein, Adlenham, herts >> Turn lights off when I leave a room, Nina Freedman, Borehamwood >> Take showers instead of baths, Harry Singler, Bushey >> Recycle my household waste, Harry Black, Bushey >> Recycle my household waste, Mrs Myers, Borehamwood >> Re-use plastic bags when shopping, Daniel Simmons, Radlett >> Not to turn lights on if it is not neeeded, Etienne Dean, Borehamwood >> Not use the car for short journeys, Leah Gorb, Bushey >> Use bits of junk around the house to make something & to not throw it in the bin, Sophie Pollock >> Turn the tap off when I brush my teeth, Natalie Maurer, Hertfordshire >> Turn the TV off and not leave it on standby, Rebecca Selt, Radlett >> Turn the TV off and not leave it on standby, Avital Cohen, Borehamwood >> Recycle my household waste, Max Bean, Bushey >> Start growing my own herbs and vegetable, Talia N, Hertfordshire >> Recycle my household waste, Leanne Rosner, Radlett >> Turn lights off when I leave a room, Leanne Rosner, Radlett >> Turn lights off when I leave a room, Kezia Blakeley, Hertfordshire >> Don't buy herbs if you can grow them, Emily Sterman, Hertfordshire >> Re-use plastic bags when shopping, Joshua Silver, Radlett >> Turn lights off when I leave a room, Ella Kosmin, St Albans >> Turn lights off when I leave a room, Ella Green, Borehamwood >> Replace two light bulbs in my house with energy efficient light bulbs, Jacqueline Sefton, Bushey >> Take showers instead of baths, Sophie Hyman, Borehamwood, Herts >> Turn the tap off when I brush my teeth, Joshua, Herts >> Turn the tap off when I brush my teeth, Benjamin Isaac, Herts >> Turn the TV off and not leave it on standby, Abby Rosen, Elstree >> Replace two light bulbs in my house with energy efficient light bulbs, Amanda Finestone, Borehamwood >> Try to have a shower instead of a bath and will not sing in the shower for too long, Sadie, Hertfordshire >> Cycle at least once a day, Jamie Cooper, Borehamwood >> Re-use plastic bags when shopping, holly, herts >> Turn lights off when I leave a room, Michelle Hertz, Stanmore >> Start growing my own herbs and vegetable, nicola weisfeld, hertfordshire >> Turn the TV off and not leave it on standby, Jack Glazer, Bushey >> Turn lights off when I leave a room, Jack Glazer, Bushey >> Turn the tap off when I brush my teeth, Holly Weisfeld, Hertfortshire >> Turn the TV off and not leave it on standby, Joshua Collins, Hertfordshire >> Eat less meat, Stephen Scott, London >> Turn the tap off when I brush my teeth, Hannah, London >> Continue to educate myself and others in ways of taking care of our earth, Raven Moon, Connecticut >> Try to live on less and take pleasure in the effort, Erich Connell, Greenville, NC >> I will be a vegertarian on a weekly basis, Lee-Ann, Tauyuan, Taiwan >> I promise to make sure all recyclable items go in the recycling and not in the bin, Lara Gordon, London >> I will try to keep recycling my clothes and not buy too many new ones, L.Bratter, North London >> I promise to recycle by altering my clothes, Anita Lancet, London >>

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Rachel Davies

A bit about me - as this is a food blog, I should say that until about 2 years ago I was the kind of cook who burnt Super Noodles, and could just about manage 3 minute filled egg pasta with pesto from a jar as a ‘good’ meal.

Then a year volunteering with VSO in Zambia changed all that. I was alone in a village in Southern Africa where the market sold dried fish, tomatoes and sweet potato leaves, and egg noodles were a 3 hour drive away. Something had to change, and that something was my ability to cook. So using whatever ingredients I could find, I started baking my own bread, and attempting all the dishes possible with the limited fresh ingredients. And I loved it!

Please sign up to this blog where I’ll share recipes and tips, and will have a look at what fruit and vegetables are in season and what great dishes you can make with them.

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Food Blog

Rachel Davies is a Jewish chef from North West London who has been writing her food blog for Big Green Jewish since March 2010. Rachel trained at Le Cordon Bleu and runs Rachel's Kitchen, offering catering for dinner parties and events, and teaching cookery in your home or in her kitchen. For more information please contact her at info@rachels-kitchen.com or the Rachel's Kitchen website, www.rachels-kitchen.com. Click here to subscribe to Rachel's blog.

November 2011

We’ve got a while to go until Chanukah. The days will start getting even shorter, the leaves will fall off the trees, and only then will it be time for the festival of lights. However, in between now and then, I’m getting married, so I thought I’d share a lovely latke recipe with you before I become engulfed in a sea of wedmin.

I just got back from making these latkes with year 12 and 13 students of the Jewish Society at Highgate School, and they produced delicious latkes on Duke of Edinburgh camping stoves, while cooking in the playground. It was a new experience for me, and if it can be done there, it can be done anywhere!

The first thing to remember about latkes is that you need to really drain the onion and potato, so press down on the mixture in a colander with a bowl underneath to catch the liquid, or wring it out using a clean tea towel.

I know most people don’t like to, but do measure out the salt and pepper, as the seasoning is what makes these really tasty, and lots of potato does need more salt than you might be used to adding. I promise, please try it and see!

Latkes can also be baked if you balk at all the oil they require. They won’t be quite as delicious, but will definitely be healthier. Have a look here for a baked latke recipe to try.

And finally, I’ve written a slightly unconventional salsa to go with the latkes. I think the Asian flavours, crisp apples and the slight kick are perfect with the salty, crunchy potatoes. You or your kids might not agree, so if not, go with plain latkes, add applesauce, or top with crème fraiche, smoked salmon and chives for a stylish Chanukah dish!

Mini Latkes

Makes approx. 20

Ingredients

1kg potatoes

2 onions

2 tablespoons plain flour

2 eggs, beaten

1 ½ teaspoon sea salt

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

Sunflower oil

For the apple salsa

2 Granny Smith apples

1 lime, finely grated zest and juice

½ small red onion, finely diced

½ red chilli, deseeded and finely diced

2cm fresh ginger, finely grated

a handful of cherry tomatoes, quartered

Small handful of fresh coriander leaves, chopped

Method

For the apple salsa, quarter and core the apples. Finely dice and put into a bowl. Add the lime zest and juice, and toss together.

Then add the remaining ingredients to the bowl, mix together, and season to taste. Use immediately, or cover and chill for up to 24 hours. Bring up to room temperature to serve on the latkes.

To make the latkes, grate the onion and potato, and put in a colander with a weighted plate on top to squeeze the water out.

Then mix the potatoes, onion, flour, egg, salt and pepper together. Heat a frying pan on a medium heat, with enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan. When hot, drop heaped spoonfuls of the mixture into the pan. Flatten gently with the back of a spoon, and leave to cook slowly until crisp and golden. Flip over and repeat on the other side.

Drain on kitchen paper.

Then either serve immediately with apple salsa, or store in layers in the fridge, and reheat at 200°C for 5 minutes.

Happy Chanukah!

Click on link below to view previous months

To read Rachel's earlier blogs, click here.

Take a look at Rachel's recipe for Earl Grey Infused Chocolate Petit Pots with Orange Crème, as featured in the Jewish Chronicle.

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