Cloves & Cleaning

 

Cloves contain eugenol, which is a incredibly strong, natural antifungal and antiseptic. It doesn't just clean surfaces; it actually kills mold spores and stops them from growing back.

1. The Ultimate Anti-Mold Spray (Perfect for Bathrooms & Grotty Corners)

Instead of breathing in harsh bleach fumes while you're already feeling under the weather with the flu, this clove spray is amazing for tile grout, silicone seals, and damp areas.

How to make it: Take a handful of your cloves, crush them up roughly, and put them in a saucepan with about 2 cups of water. Bring it to a boil, put a lid on it, and let it simmer for 15–20 minutes until the water turns a deep, dark brown.

How to use it: Let it cool completely, strain out the bits, and pour the dark liquid into a spray bottle. Spray it onto moldy grout or shower recesses, leave it sitting overnight (don't rinse it off straight away—let the eugenol do its antifungal magic), and wipe it away the next day.

2. Scented Wardrobe & Pantry Protectors (Moth & Bug Deterrent)

Insects like silverfish, moths, and pantry weevils absolutely detest the strong scent of cloves.

How to make it: Take a few small pieces of cloth (like an old cut-up t-shirt or rag) or small mesh bags. Fill them with a mix of your crushed cloves and a cinnamon quill from your stash.

How to use it: Tie them up with a rubber band or string and toss them into the back of your wardrobe, linen cupboards, or the pantry. It will keep the bugs away and make your cupboards smell like a cozy winter cabin.

3. Fridge & Bin Deodoriser

If your kitchen bin or fridge is smelling a bit funky, cloves are brilliant at absorbing odors and killing the bacteria that cause them.

How to make it: Put a few tablespoons of bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) into a small open jar or container, and stir in a spoonful of roughly smashed cloves.

How to use it: Place the open jar in the door of your fridge or at the bottom of your kitchen bin cupboard. The bicarb absorbs the moisture and bad odors, while the cloves release a fresh, clean scent.

A Quick Warning for Surfaces: Because clove water turns quite dark, it can temporarily stain porous, light-colored surfaces like unsealed marble, light wood, or white plastic if left to puddles. Always do a quick spot-test in a hidden corner first!

Golden Yogi" Tea

 

​

​Simmer your Yogi Tea base

Boil your water for 15 minutes with: 

-  fresh ginger slice, 

- cinnamon shards, and 

- crushed cardamom pods.

Strain the tea into your mug, fill the rest of the mug up with your favorite warm plant-based milk, and stir in 

- a teaspoon of turmeric powder, and 

- a tiny crack of black pepper.

​This gives you the deep, circulating warmth of the ginger and cardamom, plus the heavy-hitting joint relief of the activated turmeric.

Golden "Milk" (Plant-Based)

 

Warm up some light almond, oat, or soy milk with a teaspoon of: 

- turmeric

- a slice of fresh ginger

- a dash of cinnamon, and 

- a tiny pinch of black pepper. 

The black pepper contains piperine, which increases your body's absorption of the anti-inflammatory compounds in turmeric by up to 2,000%.

Vegan Date and Banana Bread

​Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 50-60 minutes
Yield: 1 loaf (approx. 8-10 slices)

​Ingredients
​- 4 medium ripe bananas, mashed (frozen and thawed bananas work perfectly too)
​- ⅓ cup melted coconut oil (or neutral vegetable oil)
​- ¼ cup brown sugar (adjusts the texture and adds a rich caramel flavor)
​- 1 tsp vanilla extract
​- 2 cups self-raising flour (or 2 cups plain flour plus 3 tsp baking powder)
​- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
​- ½ tsp salt
​- ½ cup pitted dates, chopped into small pieces

​Method
- Preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced). 

- Grease a standard loaf pan and line it with baking paper, leaving a bit of overhang on the sides so you can easily lift the loaf out later.
- ​In a large mixing bowl, thoroughly mash the 4 bananas with a fork until mostly smooth. 

- Pour in the melted coconut oil, brown sugar, and vanilla extract. 

- Whisk the wet ingredients together until the sugar begins to dissolve and the mixture is well combined.
- Sift the flour, ground cinnamon, and salt directly into the bowl with the wet ingredients. 

- Using a wooden spoon or spatula, fold the mixture together just until the flour disappears. 

- Be careful not to overmix, as this can make the bread dense. 

- Fold in the chopped dates until they are evenly distributed through the batter.
- Spoon the batter into your prepared loaf pan and smooth the top with your spatula. 

- Bake in the preheated oven for 50 to 60 minutes. 

- The banana bread is done when a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. 

- Let the loaf cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then use the baking paper handles to lift it onto a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

Vegan Blueberry Puff Pastry Galette

​Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Yield: 4-6 servings

 
​Ingredients -  Blueberry Filling
​- 3 cups frozen blueberries (no need to thaw)
​- ¼ cup granulated sugar
​- 1 tbsp cornstarch
​- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
​- 1 tsp lemon zest (optional)
​- ½ tsp vanilla extract

​Ingredients -  Pastry
​- 1 sheet vegan puff pastry, thawed but still cold
- ​1 tbsp dairy-free milk (for brushing)
- ​1 tbsp brown sugar
​

Method

- Preheat your oven to 200°C (180°C fan-forced).

- Line a large baking sheet with baking paper.

- In a medium bowl, combine the frozen blueberries, granulated sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla extract. 

- Toss gently until the blueberries are evenly coated and the cornstarch has dissolved into the juices.
- Place the thawed sheet of vegan puff pastry directly onto the prepared baking paper. 

- If needed, use a rolling pin to lightly roll it out into a slightly larger square or circle, keeping it about 3-5mm thick.
​- Pile the blueberry mixture into the center of the pastry, leaving a clean 4-5cm border all the way around the edges. Gently fold the edges of the pastry up and over the blueberry filling, pleating it as you go around. 

- The center of the fruit will remain exposed.
- Lightly brush the folded pastry border with the dairy-free milk

- Sprinkle the coarse sugar over the crust for crunch. 

- Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the pastry is puffed and deeply golden brown, and the blueberry filling is bubbling in the center. 

- Allow the galette to cool for at least 15 minutes before slicing so the juices can set.

Vegan Miso Ramen

​Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Yield: 3 servings

​Ingredients - Broth
​- 1 tbsp sesame oil, plus extra for serving
​- 3 tbsp cooking sake
​- 3 tbsp mirin
​- 8 cups (2 liters) water
​- 1 tbsp shiitake dashi powder
- ​3 tbsp soy sauce
- ​5 tbsp shiro (white) miso paste
​- 2 tsp rice wine vinegar

​Ingredients - Bowl
​- 1 pack (270g) organic ramen noodles
​- 1 pack (200g) garlic tofu puffs
​- 1 ½ cups frozen corn
- ​1 ½ cups broccoli florets, cut into bite-sized pieces
​- 1 large carrot, cut into thin matchsticks or peeled into ribbons

​Method
​- Heat the sesame oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. 

- Pour in the cooking sake and mirin, allowing the liquid to bubble rapidly for 1 minute to boil off the alcohol. 

- Add the water, shiitake dashi powder, and soy sauce. 

- Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.

Miso and Infuse Tofu
​- Ladle approximately 1 cup of the warm broth from the pot into a small bowl. 

- Add the miso paste and rice wine vinegar the bowl and whisk thoroughly with a fork or small whisk until smooth and completely lump-free. 

- Reduce the stovetop heat to low, then stir the dissolved miso mixture back into the stockpot. 

- Add the garlic tofu puffs to the broth and keep warm on low heat; do not allow the broth to boil once the miso has been added.

​Noodles and Vegetables
​- Meanwhile, bring a separate large pot of unsalted water to a rolling boil. 

- Add the ramen noodles and cook according to the package instructions (approximately 4 minutes total). 

- During the final 2 minutes of cooking time, add the frozen corn and broccoli florets directly into the boiling noodle water. 

- Drain the noodles and vegetables thoroughly in a colander.

​Assemble and Serve
​- Divide the drained noodles, broccoli, and corn evenly among three large ramen bowls. 

- Top each bowl with the raw carrot ribbons. 

- Ladle the hot miso broth and garlic tofu puffs generously over the ingredients. 

- To finish, drizzle a few drops of fresh sesame oil. 

- Serve immediately.

Vegan Brownie Mug

Ingredients 
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 2 tablespoons water
- 4 tablespoons brown sugar, or coconut sugar, white sugar or cane sugar
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 4 tablespoons flour
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Method
- Add ingredients to a mug and stir.

- Place in your microwave for 60 seconds. - It's okay if it's slightly undercooked because it'll continue to cook while it cools. 

- It's better for it to be slightly undercooked than overcooked. 

- Remove and let cool for about 3 to 5 minutes.