SCOOP MAGAZINE TERM 3 2016

Handy
Home
Hacks
∙Lengthening Vegetables Lifespan∙
If vegetables become cheaper in price due to ageing,
you should stock up. As soon as you have your produce
at home slice and dice it and then place it in freezer
bags. If you immediately freeze it then you will halt the
ageing process. Plus, you’ll have ready-to-use frozen
vegetables for whenever you want to make a stew or
sauce
∙Storing asparagus∙
We all have experienced vegetables getting soft and
limp inside the bottom drawer of the fridge. How do
we keep vegetables alive longer? Place a vegetable like
asparagus upright in a jar, or cup in your fridge. Remove
the bottoms of the storks, put them together into
bunches and soak in a few centimetres of water to ensure
they retain their freshness.
∙Homemade frozen yoghurt∙
It’s hard to beat a homemade healthy yoghurt dessert.
But who has the time to spend churning and turning to
produce the results? To achieve the same result, buy
a single-serve size of creamy yoghurt and a packet of
wooden sticks. Don’t take the lid off, instead, pierce it in
the centre with the stick. Next, put it in the freezer and
then when the weather’s warmer and you’re after a treat,
remove the lid and ease the now frozen yoghurt out of
the container.
∙Watermelon lollies∙
Eating watermelon can be difficult at best. Watermelon is
awkward to eat, big and difficult to move around on your
chopping board, let alone cut. Then the fruit’s natural
juice all over you. Rather than slicing the melon into
traditional slices, cut it in half, then slice into strips and
stick in a toothpick.
∙Keep bananas ripe for longer∙
Wrap your bananas with plastic cling wrap on their ends
and they will last days longer.
∙Delicious homemade iced coffee∙
Enjoy a glass of homemade iced coffee that’s better than
any store-bought caffeine kick. The trick to making good
iced coffee is preparing frozen coffee cubes in an ice
tray in advance. When needed you can add the cubes to
ensure your coffee stays cold, then it keeps its strength
rather than be watered down.
∙Removing strawberry tops∙
We always tend to waste a lot of strawberries by
chopping off their stems.
Instead of using a knife, which doesn’t get close enough
to removing only the stork, use a straw. Pierce the base
of the berry with the straw, by pushing it through you
will see only the unwanted stem is removed from the
strawberry. It is not messy and quick as well.