Dealing with 'failure'

So, I cancelled the Food Swap Day. I just didn't get enough people signing on to make it a success. Initially I was upset...and confused. Then I got an email from Jessie (remember Jessie from the green cleaning post?). Jessie often makes me see things in a different light. And this was no exception. She proposed that maybe my invitees didn't feel confident enough that the items they could offer for swap would be worthy of swapping. I hadn't thought of this. I love cooking, and as is often the case with something you love, I put a lot of time and energy into learning and practising cooking...and I enjoy doing this. Of course I have failures, that can happen to anyone. But most of the time I just love making something and sharing it with someone else. I forget that other people don't feel this way. I'm pretty bad a sport, pretty much all sport. I once scored an own goal in netball (I don't even know what you call that? That's how bad I am at sport). I could practise and maybe I would improve, but it's not my passion...and because I'm no good I wouldn't consider joining even a social sporting team. I feel I would just embarrass myself. When I started seeing things in this light, I understood a little better. Sure, some of the invitees were busy, some may have had better offers, some may just have wanted a quiet weekend. But those of you who didn't feel that they could be proud of something they'd made - I get you. I hope, one day, that I can give this whole thing another go and that maybe you will come along. The same thing can be said for many other things in life. Don't avoid participation because you don't think you're good enough yet...you get good by participating. Jump in and learn something. That's what SkillCycle is all about! 

Making your own muesli (granola)

One of the best ways of saving money and having control over what you eat is by making your own cereal. After searching the aisles of supermarkets and natural food stores alike, I struggled to find a breakfast cereal that was just what I wanted. They all had either too much fat or too much sugar. None that was "just right"...hehehe. So I decided to make my own.

I'm a toasted muesli girl (or 'granola', for American readers) so that's what I chose, but you can make a wide range of cereals very cheaply. The easiest would be natural muesli (untoasted muesli). Just get your hands on some good quality rolled oats and mix it with any dried fruit, nuts, seeds and spices. You can add anything you like. There's plenty of recipes online but just go with what your taste buds tell you. 

The natural bulk foods store I shop at has a really good range of puffed, flaked and rolled grains. You can make a lighter option if you don't like muesli by just blending these with some fruit and nuts or seeds. There's some pretty protein packed grain options available (like quinoa flakes).

My favourite is a toasted muesli though. I don't really have a recipe, I just use what I have on hand. My most recent blend was rolled oats, coconut, almonds, apricots, cinnamon and honey. It's like a big bowl of sunshine in the morning. The basic guide is below, but really, it's hard to go wrong here. Start experimenting!

My muesli blend

all measurements are guestimates

6 cups rolled oats

2 cups shredded coconut

1 cup raw almonds, roughly chopped

1/2 ts cinnamon

1/3 cup brown sugar 

1 tb rice bran oil (any oil would do, olive is apparently nice)

1/2 cup water

2 tb honey

1 ts vanilla extract

1 cup dried apricots, diced

Mix the first four ingredients in a bowl. I like chunky bits (the ad companies call them 'clusters') in my muesli so I do a little trick where I put a cup of these dry ingredients in the food processor and pulverise them then mix in with the rest. 

Heat the next five ingredients until the sugar has dissolved. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Spread out on a lined tray (probably two trays) and bake on a low heat 'til lightly browned. If you like a muesli without clumps, stir the muesli as it cools. If you like clusters, don't stir. I add my fruit after the muesli has cooled. If you like your fruit super chewy, you can bake it in with the muesli. Store in an air tight container when completely cool. Lasts for about a month.

Food swap day planning

I've decided on the day for the food swap (March 25, three weeks away) and I've started making plans. The invites are sent (virtually) and I've begun the difficult task of making a list of what to make... So many options! This is the perfect opportunity to try out some new recipes. I often get overwhelmed with too many cookies or too much bread when I bake (good problem to have), a food swap allows you to have a little bit of everything. I can't wait to try what the other swappers bring too. It's a little bit like the best country fete/fair but everything is free!

So far, my list looks something like this:
pesto - my summer basil needs a trim
mini pies - there's some tasty apricots down at the green grocer
biscuits - too many options, but maybe these from 101 Cookbooks
jams - I have some rhubarb and vanilla bean jam I made earlier
salted caramel sauce - this looks amazing!


I better not get carried away though... What would you bring to a food swap?

Changing seasons

I spent the afternoon clearing out the spent summer growth in one of my vegie gardens. A pumpkin vine had taken over...but it wasn't earning it's keep, lots of flowers and no pumpkins. So off with it's head! I salvaged the last of the silverbeet (the leaves that the caterpillars left me anyway) and mixed up some tasty ravioli filling for the freezer. I've found this makes it super easy when you have a craving for fresh ravioli. Simply mix up some pasta dough, roll it out and fill with your frozen mix. I'm usually lazy and just have it with burnt butter and sage sauce. We can have dinner on the table in 30 minutes (more if I'm patient enough to rest the dough properly). 

I need to sit down and plan for my autumn planting. Autumn is one of my favourite seasons to grow veg. It's a little cooler, often more rain and plants just seem happier. Summer is passionate and chaotic - boom or bust. Autumn is a pottering, pondering season. I prepared a second bed during the heat of summer in anticipation. The warm temperatures are perfect for kick starting a lasagne style garden bed, gets everything breaking down. So far all I've managed to plant in it is lots of basil. What are you planning for the next growing season?

News and Links

Hey there skillcyclers, it has been quite a while since I last posted. I wanted to say a quick hello and update you with a few bits and pieces. 

In the time that I've been away from this space, we have moved house and are setting up (rental) home in a little cottage on our own. Quite a process. One of the things I'm excited about is knowing EXACTLY what we own and only keeping those things that are useful or wanted and have a place in our home. My husband and I were sharing house for 20 or so months and it was easy to accumulate things in a large and rambling home and lose sight of what we had and where it was!!

Another thing I'm very excited about is that a friend of mine is looking to start Skillcycle in her own town. She's been chatting with friends and thought there was no point in re-inventing the wheel. This opens more possibilities for inspiring one another and seeing what clever skills another lot of people are interested in and have to offer.  So we'll keep you posted with these happenings. 

And, finally, I wanted to put up a link to a write up on Megan's blog, The Byron Life. Megan also contributes on Simple, Green, Frugal Co-op where you can read about all sorts of things to do with sustainability and simple living. Megan has just written an article about another clever woman, Rhonda Hetzel, her blog and her new book 'Down to Earth: A guide to simple living". Rhonda has an interesting story and has a huge change of heart and lifestyle. Worth checking out! Click HERE to go to the article. 

I'm also curious to know what you're reading or what events, groups and happenings you've been involved in that share similar values to Skillcycle?

~ Melania

Food swap

I've been thinking about having a food swap day for a long time. I think February is the month it is finally going to happen. A food swap can be as organised or relaxed as you like. It can be as simple as a table where people place the food they've made/grown and want to share and anyone can take whatever they want. Or it can be structured, using cards where people can offer a swap for each item (using swap sheets with categories What, Who and Offers). Then the maker can choose what 'payment' they want for their product. I'm kind of excited about this! I'll keep you posted on the planning.

Community swapping and sharing is starting to gain momentum in Australia. Yesterday I read an article about home grown produce sharing in Melbourne and surrounds. It sounds like a great idea, one I'd love to get started here. It's just another way of developing community sufficiency, instead of being too worried about complete self sufficiency. Do you have anything like this near you?

Free Library

I recently stumbled across a link to any amazing project called Little Free Library on Hip Girl's Guide to Homemaking. It started in the States and basically involves a weather proof box where you leave books you want to share with the neighbourhood. Locals borrow the books and then bring them back, same as you would with a regular library. People even contribute their own books.

It seems like a wonderful way to encourage community, sharing and reading. I wonder if it could take off here?