Strangely enough, throwing a sustainable picnic, ain’t no picnic. Come to think of it, it's not even a walk in the park... Thinking green often goes out the window in a mad dash to catch some elusive British sunshine. That’s why, to coincide with National Picnic week, we’ve done the pre-planning for you to make sure you can enjoy eating outdoors whilst still being your earth-friendly self.

1) Choose reusable

First things first, a no-brainer: plastic is a picnic party-pooper. Plastic bags, cutlery and plates are definitely not invited to this alfresco affair. But fear not, this does not mean you will have to haul heavy ceramics or fistfuls of silverware from your home. There are plenty of good eco-friendly options out there from companies like A Slice Of Green and investing in a few reusable containers and bamboo cutlery will make sure plastic doesn't p*** on your picnic parade this summer. 

Instead of bringing along single use plastic bottles (*boo hiss!*), we suggest investing in a reusable bottle from Chilly's. They also do food tins too!

Cling film is a really tricky customer as its convenience is undermined by it non-eco credentials. As an alternative, why not get your hands on these amazing sandwich wraps made of beeswax from Beeswax Wraps, which are not only reusable, but add a pop of colour to your picnic. 

Two things are inevitable with picnics: firstly, ants and secondly, mess. With that in mind, we recommend stocking up on kitchen roll from these guys who make forest friendly paper towels, made with a blend of bamboo & sugarcane. Oh, and they also donate 50% of our profits to help build toilets for those in need. So, win win really. 

2) Picnic Baskets and Blankets

Investing in a picnic basket is a no brainer. Practical, reusable and far more grammable than a shabby Tesco bag. Plus, you’ll find a lot baskets come equipped with the requisite glasses, cutlery & plates. Prices range from £10 to over £300, so you can go for budget or bells & whistles. 

For all your picnic rug needs, look no further than Atlantic Blankets - their cosy picnic rugs are made from recycled yarns in beautiful coastal colours, such as blue and sea green. 

3) Food & Drink

Although it's tempting, try to avoid buying those pre-prepared picnic items wrapped in unnecessary plastic packaging. We're big fans of BOL who make delicious vegan and vegetarian meals served in little reusable and recyclable pots. Our faves have to be their Mediterranean and Mexican Salad Jars.

For drinkies, we love what the guys at The Uncommon are doing with their British-grown, eco-friendly, sustainable wine....in a can! For the beer fans among you, our fellow food-waste warriors at Toast ale are a great option with their beer brewed from surplus bread.

And of course, no picnic is complete without dips. It may as well be called a dipnic or a picdip. For this, we highly recommend the delicious hummus from Chic P, made from imperfect veggies. Their Beetroot, horseradish & sage is basically a dream come true. 

Last but not least, nothing pimps a picnic more than a killer range of condiments.  So bring along a selection of Rubies jars and everyone will want to be your best friend. 

4) The clear up

Without all that rubbish to deal with, clearing up the aftermath should be relatively easy. Box up any leftovers for tomorrow’s lunch or dinner and freeze anything you don’t think you’ll use in the next few days. Wash out your reusable containers for another time. Shake out your rug and head home, smug in the knowledge that you have enjoyed Britain’s most patriotic summertime activity, in the most eco-friendly way possible.

*This competition is now closed*

This summer, we’re celebrating National Picnic Week (15th - 24th June) by giving you the chance to win the ULTIMATE GREEN PICNIC HAMPER containing goodies from our favourite sustainable brands that share our vision to treasure our resources and do business ethically.

What’s up for grabs? Win a hamper with a selection of Rubies in the Rubble relishes and mayos, some of our eco-warrior friends have very generously contributed some of their products, to ensure your hamper is the most sustainable in the park.

For a chance to win this hamper, please go to our Instagram post and follow these 3 simple steps:

1) LIKE our Instagram Post

2) FOLLOW each brand involved

3) TAG a friend/friends you'd like to bring on your picnic 

1) Toast Ale

3 x bottles (One of each - Much Kneaded Craft Lager, Bloomin' Lovely Session IPA and Purebread Pale Ale)

Toast Ale brews award winning beer with fresh surplus bread and donates all profits to charity to end food waste.

2) Atlantic Blankets

1 x recycled picnic blanket worth £40

Atlantic blankets makes picnic blankets made from recycled yarn wool.

3) BOL Foods

A selection of BOL’s delicious veg pots, salad jars and soups

BOL make nutritious and delicious plant-based meals, made with the most sustainable and ethical practices. What we love about BOL is that their jars are 100% reusable so join the dontwastecreate brigade and start of fun ways that you can reuse yours!

 
4) Beeswax Wraps

Medium Kitchen Pack worth £20

Beeswax Wraps are plastic free, re-usable alternative to cling film. Handmade in The Cotswolds using local beeswax by Carly & Fran.

 5) Chic P

2 x Chic P pots of hummus (Beetroot, Horseradish + Sage and Carrot, Ginger and Turmeric)

Chic P are a selection of sweet & savoury hummus made from surplus fruit & vegetables.

PARMESAN RINDS

When you get to the end of a chunk of Parmesan, save the rind and freeze it. Every time you make a soup, pasta sauce or stew, drop one of your rinds into it when you add the cooking liquid. Leave it to cook and it will subtly infuse whatever you’re making with a savoury, umami flavour – giving guts to whatever you’re making. Pull it out and discard it before serving.

POTATO SKIN CRISPS

If you are peeling potatoes for mash, wash the potatoes before peeling then put the peelings onto a metal tray with a drizzle of rapeseed oil and a sprinkle of sea salt and smoked paprika. Toss so that the peelings are covered then spread out into a single layer.

Bake in a 200°c (180°C fan) oven for 15 minutes or until the peelings are crisp. It helps to move them around once half way through cooking. Drizzle some Rubies in the Rubble chipotle mayonnaise over them and tuck in.

HOW TO AVOID WASTING BREAD

If you ever have any leftover sliced bread, pop it in the freezer so that you always have some to toast from frozen. You can also make sandwiches for packed lunches with still-frozen bread. That way the bread defrosts over the morning, keeping the fillings cool and stopping the bread from being stale by lunchtime.

If you have any ends of loaves left – the funny bits of crusts that aren’t big enough for a sandwich; the slightly too stale ends of a baguette; even leftover bits of naan from a takeaway – rip them into chunks and put them in a bag in the freezer. Once the bag is getting full, pull the pieces out to defrost then whizz them in the food processor. The resulting crumbs can be re-frozen and used from frozen in all sorts of dishes such as the pangrattato and chicken fingers that follow. 

By Gemma Wade

Recipe by Gemma Wade

Serves 4
Prep time: 15-20 minutes
Cooking time: 50-70 minutes

The mindset of making something out of nothing is so useful, especially on the day you feel like you must go food shopping but can’t summon the mental strength or budget. Get into this habit and you can add an extra day or two to the length of time between supermarket trips. Just think of the money and time you’ll save over the year.

The recipe below is something I make a version of at the end of the week to empty the fridge. It makes plenty and can easily be doubled so you can make extra to freeze or to eat the next day for lunch. This is more of a habit or a formula than a recipe, so once you get into it, you’ll find yourself instinctively knowing what to throw in to make a delicious, frugal stew.

Use your cooking time to practice your chopping and flavour and texture balancing. Make sure you have different textures and flavours going on and each mouthful will taste good. Think about what goes well with the softness of the hot veggie stew - topping it with an egg or a spoon of yoghurt adds creaminess. Adding the tail end of a bag of salad or wilted fresh herbs adds freshness. Crumbling a couple of crackers over at the end adds crunch transforming the dish into something balanced and satisfying. As for flavour balancing, the stew has acid from the vinegar, the sweetness of the cooked vegetables, the savouriness of the cheese, and the saltiness of the salt and cheese.

To make enough for 4 people follow this recipe but please, please, please use this only as guide. Use whatever you have to substitute as long as you roughly follow my directions. I’m giving measurements as an indication but you should be driven instead by what you have to use and what your taste buds tell you

INGREDIENTS:

Vegetables:

• 1 tablespoon olive or rapeseed oil
• an onion, chopped into a small dice
• 1 bulb of fennel, chopped into a small dice
• 4 carrots, scrubbed but unpeeled and chopped into a small dice
• 1 red pepper, chopped into a small dice
• 3 courgettes, unpeeled and chopped into a small dice
• a handful of whole baby tomatoes
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced

Flavour boosters:

• 2 tablespoons chutney such as Rubies in the Rubble - Spicy tomato relish
• a teaspoon of fennel seeds
• a Parmesan rind
• a half teaspoon of smoked paprika
• a couple of tablespoons of grated Parmesan or crumbled Feta
• a tablespoon of red wine vinegar
• salt and pepper

To serve:

• 4 eggs or 4 dessert spoons of yoghurt or soft cheese
• a couple of handfuls of chopped rocket, basil, parsley or coriander use the stalks and leaves
• 2 seeded spelt crackers or toasted breadcrumbs

METHOD:

1. Heat a large heavy pan on a medium heat, and add a tablespoon of oil. Chop the onion followed by the fennel, carrot, pepper and courgette, adding each one to the pan as it is chopped. The vegetables that take longest to cook are chopped and added first.
2. Once all the vegetables are all chopped and in the pan, add the baby tomatoes and cook them slowly while you go off and do other things. Stir every 5 minutes or so until the vegetables are starting to turn golden. This will take anything from 20-30 minutes depending on the size of your pan and the heat.
3. Add the sliced garlic, chutney, fennel seeds, smoked paprika and a half teaspoon each of salt and pepper and stir. Then enough water so that the vegetables are two-thirds covered before throwing in a Parmesan rind. Stir and bring to a simmer. At this point you could stir in some canned beans.
4. Gently simmer with a lid on for 30-40 minutes on a low heat, stirring every 10 minutes and adding more water if it is sticking. This is another part of the process where you can go off and do something else. The lower the heat, the longer it can cook without sticking. Alternatively you can cook the stew in the oven at 150°c (130°C fan) without needing to keep stirring it.
5. Once the vegetables are tender, take the lid off and cook until the liquid has reduced to a stew texture. Stir through the grated cheese, if using. Season gradually with salt, pepper and vinegar, tasting and adjusting until you are happy that it is balanced. At this stage you can set it aside with a lid on until you are ready to eat. I like it to be warm rather than hot.
6. To serve, fry or poach your eggs or use a spoonful of soft cheese or yoghurt for creaminess instead. Toast breadcrumbs or nuts or blitz crackers in a food processor. Stir any chopped fresh herbs or salad greens into the stew at the last-minute then top the stew with the eggs and crumbs on top.
7. Leftovers can be frozen. Or will sit in the fridge for 3-4 days. Leftovers make a great lunch, stuffed into pitta bread with some crumbled feta.

We have recently celebrated the spectacular annual event that is British Sandwich Week.

This event provides a chance to take a step back and reflect on possibly the most iconic British culinary invention, the humble sandwich.

From baps to baguettes, 12 billion sandwiches are eaten every year in the UK. Most are made at home but nationally we spend £7.5bn annually on shop bought sarnies. Now, that’s a lot of bread and butter.

To celebrate British Sandwich Week this year, we asked some of our favourite shops that stock the Rubies range to share with us some of their brilliant creations. And of course, all of them featured a Rubies condiment for that extra special touch.

1) The Roasted Vegetable Sandwich with Rubies Aquafaba Mayo

The ultimate food waste warrior- this is made using wonky veg from Oddbox.

Born in London, Oddbox rescues the curvy courgettes, petite pears and bi-colour peppers from local growers and delivers them straight to your door - and because it’s not ‘perfect’ you get it 30% cheaper.

Between two layers of this warm focaccia, there’s one imperfect aubergine, courgette, red onion, spinach and two tomatoes that would otherwise be thrown away due to strict supermarket standards. We drizzled them in olive oil to be roasted and served them with a basil, yogurt and Rubies Aquafaba Mayo dressing. 

2) Rude Health’s Club Sandwich

Chicken, Bacon, Rocket with Rubies Spicy Tom

Located in Fulham, Rude Health are passionate about nutrient-dense, natural food that tastes good and does your body good. Their menu is full of local and seasonal produce as well as their homemade sprouted, cultured and fermented foods. You won’t find anything artificial or refined in the Rude Health Café.

3) Rude Health’s Veggie

Falafel, Grated Carrot, Spinach & Rubies Chipotle Mayo

For those looking for a veggie or vegan alternative, this is your sandwich.

4) EatFirst Extravaganza

The Chicken & Bacon Club with Rubies Chipotle Mayo

Eat First was started by Head Chef, Benn Hodges, with the mission to create the world's finest ready meals. The gourmet meals cooked by my Great Taste award-winning chefs are healthy, small-batch and sustainable, with absolutely nothing artificial.

5) The ‘Hamish’

Ham, Cheddar, Rubies Spicy Tomato Relish & Spinach

Looking for the latest grilled cheese sandwich sensation? You’re in luck – this melty miracle from Deeney’s is the toast of the town. Ranked by Time Out as one of London’s best grilled cheese sandwiches, this one is a winner with a dollop of Spicy Tom.

6) The ‘Vegan Lady Macbeth’

Vegetarian Haggis, Rubies Aquafaba Mayo, Caramelised Onion, Rocket & Mustard

Ever heard of Vegetarian Haggis? Neither had we until we found Deeney’s. An alternative take on the Macbeth Classic, this one caters for those that aren’t immediately swayed by the Scottish Sheep bits (we don’t blame you).

7) Genius Gluten Free Classic Toastie

Chicken, Cheese and Avocado with a layer of Rubies Pink Onion and Chilli relish on Genius Gluten Free toastie loaf.

It's a classic and it's delicious - especially for all the gluten-free lot out there! 😋

8) The Vegan Delight

Chickpea & Sweetcorn Salsa with mixed leaves and Rubies Chipotle Ketchup and Rubies Aquafaba Mayo on sourdough bread.

This clever concoction was created by North Star Roasters in Leeds. A vegan alternative to the classic tuna mayo.

9) Piper’s Farm Everyday Steak Sarnie

Steak, Avocado, Lime, Paprika, Pickled Cucumber Slices and a very generous dash of Rubies Chipotle Mayo.

Piper's Farm is a family-owned farm located in the rolling hills of Devon. With their hearts firmly in sustainability, Piper's believe in working in harmony with the natural landscape and small-scale mixed farming. For more information, visit their website, but you can be sure that any produce from Piper's is the most sustainable kind around. 

Hanna is a sustainability blogger turned eco-entrepreneur. Her blog, Flor and Cesta, is the ultimate guide to becoming a sustainable city dweller without the need for radical lifestyle change. Hanna uses this space to question big brands' 'sustainable' practices, to inform us of the latest smart city initiatives and simple ways that we can make a difference to our environment. Hanna also created a series of 'Responsible Recipes' in collaboration with Rubies in the Rubble to prove that cooking doesn't have to be difficult, expensive, or require complicated ingredients. 

More recently, Hanna has launched Acala - an online store of natural, organic and vegan health and beauty products from leading brands. All responsibly packaged; refills, plastic free and zero waste packaging.

Hanna very kindly agreed to be interviewed by Rubies. This is what we found out...

1. Tell us a bit about yourself and what motivated you to start Flor and Cesta?

Growing up with a mother who ran her own gardening business and always being surrounded by germinating plants (literally, every surface was covered with them near springtime!) I have always taken an interest in ‘growing your own’, eating local and being self-sustaining in the sense of food. We were also always taught to use reusable water bottles and to pick the non-plastic option wherever possible, so I think minimal waste and plastic free living is something that was ingrained in me from an early age.

It wasn’t until much more recently though that I started to become aware of environmental issues on a wider scale. The turning point for me came though after a few years working in the city; I would watch the rubbish bins in my office fill up every day with paper cups and lunch bag wrappers as we all rushed blindly from meeting to meeting, completely unconscious to the amount of waste we were contributing to landfill daily. I thought “there must be a better way to do this!”

It was then that I decided to start Flor + Cesta. For me it is a public commitment to living a sustainable lifestyle and a way to engage others in important topics whilst showing that living sustainably is fun! The goal of the site is to arm readers with all the know how to make easy and informed changes every day that fit within their lifestyles.

2. What does sustainability mean to you? Any tips for people looking to live more sustainably?

To me sustainability is all about living in equilibrium with the earth. Too often as humans we think about what is good for us but not about the impact it has on our environment. We cannot only satisfy our own needs but that there is also the need to adjust to the needs of others and nature. It involves being in tune with your surroundings.

Making the change to living more sustainably can seem overwhelming with the current options we have available. And we’re all super busy right! It’s all a journey and perfectionism is impossible. These would be the key things I would say to people. When I first started trying to live more consciously I felt paralysed to the point of thinking I could probably never leave the house again! It is overwhelming and you’re not going to crack it all at once. I would suggest breaking it down into chunks and focusing on the small achievements that lead to a better bigger picture. An easy start that means everyone can get through a day zero waste is to buy a reusable cup, a reusable water bottle, a lunchbox and take their lunch into work with their own cutlery. And if you think you haven’t got time to make your lunch- bulk cooking my friends. Cook in bulk and freeze it, it means you always have something ready in the freezer.

3. You’ve gone from sustainable blogger to eco-entrepreneur. Tell us a bit more about Acala and your inspiration for starting the business

I had a huge “a-ha” moment a little while ago whilst, of all the glamorous activities, I was taking out the rubbish. As I tipped it into the chute I realised that 90% of the waste was from bathroom items. I started thinking, “If that’s just one week, how much rubbish am I creating in a year?!”

I quickly realised that the environmental and health benefits of these natural and organic products can often be outweighed by the amount of plastic packaging committed to landfill. While it may seem like a simple thought, it was a big wake-up call that led me to expand my definition of sustainability and what it really means to consume in a way that is beneficial for your body and the planet.

In the beauty industry, fancy packaging is a sign of product success. A colossal 120 billion units of packaging are produced every year by the global cosmetics industry. The cardboard that envelops perfumes, serums and moisturisers contributes to the loss of 18 million acres of forest each year. If this level of consumption continues, by 2050 there will be 12 billion tonnes of plastic in landfills, the equivalent to 35,000 Empire State Buildings.

In my experience, though, finding alternatives is hard; with our busy work and personal lives, few of us have the time to hunt around for eco-options. So, I decided to make it simple for people. Acala is an online store offering an extensive range of natural, organic and vegan health and beauty products from leading brands. Think eco-friendly Boots and you’re on the right lines.

The store will stock everything from skincare, suncare, dental and personal hygiene products to refillable cosmetics and travel items. All Acala products are responsibly packaged, and I will be offering customers refills and plastic free packaging options on the majority of products. Where plastic is necessary it will always be biodegradable or 100% recyclable.

4. What's the power of people making small changes to their lifestyle like buying eco-friendly skincare ranges?

We are seeing a shift in consumerism as shoppers become increasingly health-conscious and environmentally aware. As this growing tide of consumers prepared to use their shopping basket to make a point increases, brands are increasingly having to actively change and speak out about their supply chains and environmental policies. Consumer power is really strong at the moment, so choosing to turn away from and call out brands using unnecessary chemicals and packaging can have a huge effect.

Some skincare brands are already starting to make changes. For example, as a direct result of customer feedback, REN skincare have pledged to become a zero waste business (all packaging, operations and supply chain) by 2021. This is really exciting news!

5. What would you say are the most up and coming ethical cosmetic brands to look out for?

As mentioned, definitely REN, they are doing some amazing things. I also love BYBI, founded by Elsie and Dominika Rutterford of Clean Beauty Co. Their brand not only beautifully natural, the girls have really thought about everything in their supply chains and packaging. If you’re looking for natural, refillable cosmetics I’d recommend Zao. The only refillable cosmetics brand in the UK, we are stocking them on Acala. There are also some amazing, super brands out there creating some beautiful natural products in biodegradable packaging such as Kutis Skincare from Wales. Their natural deodorants in biodegradable cardboard tubes are a top seller on Acala.

Clare is a physio living in London and she started 2018 with the resolution of giving up plastic. With Earth Week being on Sunday, Rubies and the Rubble have asked a few questions about how it's going. 

1. Why did you decide to give up plastic this year?

It was actually last November that I had the idea. I had given up take away coffees in the run up to Christmas as I was trying to save a little bit and had been on a mega holiday.  It coincided with cosy nights in, and watching Blue Planet 2.  I was so shocked by the plastic problem that I thought, what else could I do? I felt I could give it up entirely. I drove back to London on January 1st with my KeepCup for the service station coffee and went from there. 

These fun and flavourful dips are the perfect starters for any party. Serve with a big bowl of crudités and crisps for a colourful display that your guests will love.

Try also pairing them with eggs on toast for a quick and easy lunch or brunch.

Beetroot Dips

• 180g Baby Beetroot in Malt Vinegar 
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 200g Chickpeas 
• 1 tbsp Tahini
• 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 tbsp Rubies in the Rubble Aquafaba Mayo
• Salt and Pepper to season

1. Blend chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice and garlic.
2. Add Beetroot and Aquafaba Mayo and blend until smooth.
3. Season with salt and pepper and mix in.
4. Pour into a bowl and chill in the fridge until ready to serve.
5. Present with crackers, crisps or crudités.

Avocado and Spinach dip

• 60g fresh spinach leaves
• 1 sliced avocado
• 1/4 small red onion, chopped
• 1 tbsp Rubies in the Rubble Aquafaba Mayo
• 1 fresh chilli chopped
• 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• Salt and Pepper to season
• Coriander + half chilli to garnish

1. Dice red onion
2. Place diced onion, sliced avocado, spinach, lemon juice, chilli (leave some aside for garnish) garlic, salt, black pepper in a blender until smooth.
3. Scrape dip into a serving bowl. Scatter with finely chopped chilli slices and coriander as garnish.
4. Chill in the fridge until ready to serve.

Sweetcorn, Chilli and Coriander dip

• 195g tinned Sweetcorn 
• 120g Cannellini Beans 
• 2 tbsp Rubies in the Rubble Aquafaba Mayo
• Handful fresh coriander
• 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1fresh red chilli chopped
• Salt and Pepper

1. Blend the sweetcorn and cannellini beans with mayo, lime juice.
2. Add the coriander, salt and pepper. Blend again until smooth.
3. Season with pepper to taste. Chill in the fridge until ready to serve.

Frijoles refritos:
Glug of olive oil
2 x shallots, chopped
2 x cloves of garlic
1 x tin of kidney beans (rinsed)
4 x ripe tomatoes (chopped)
½ tsp of cayenne pepper
½ tsp of paprika
1 tbsp. of tomato paste
water
Salt & pepper 

For the tacos:
4 x small flour tortillas
4 x eggs
Rubies in the rubble, tomato spicy relish
Feta (sprinkled)
Cherry tomatoes (quartered)
Spinach
Chili (finely sliced)
2 x avocados
Seeds selection (flax, sunflower, sesame, pumpkin seeds were in my mix)
Pea tops (I used pea tops as this is what I had in the fridge, but coriander would be great!!)

1. Start by making the frijoles refritos, as this takes a little while.
2. Pour a glug of olive oil into a large frying pan, add the chopped shallots and chopped garlic, soften for a couple of minutes.
3. Add the cayenne and paprika cook for a further minute or so then add the tin of rinsed kidney beans, and chopped fresh tomatoes and stir well
4. Add the tomato paste and enough water to just cover the beans, season with salt and pepper and turn the heat right down let this simmer for approx. 1 hour/ 1.5 hours until the beans turn mushy (if the mixture starts to stick to the pan or look too dry add a little more water during the cooking time).
5. When the beans are almost done, wrap the tortilla’s in silver foil and place in a preheated oven just to warm up for a few minutes.
6. While the tortillas are warming, you can poach your eggs.
7. Boil the kettle and add to a saucepan, carefully drop the eggs in the water – cook to your preference.

1. Onto each of the tortillas spread our Spicy Tomato relish.
2. Next add a layer of spinach, then spoon on some of the Frijoles refritos, next carefully remove the eggs from the water (using a slotted spoon to make sure there is no excess water), and add to the taco, place the chopped cherry tomatoes, a ¼ of an avocado – and sprinkle with seeds on there as well/
3. To finish off, sprinkle feta, chili, a crack of black pepper and the pea tops over the whole thing.

 By Annie Van Reyk

Smoky Bloody Mary

The noble bloody Mary – airport aperitif, brunch-necessity and finest hangover cure. Spiced up with a little Rubies in the Rubble Chipotle ketchup, this one’s hard to beat.

Ingredients

• 250ml tomato juice
• Juice from 1/2 lime
• 2 tsps Rubies in the Rubble Chipotle Ketchup
• 5 tsps vodka
• Handful of ice cubes
• Garnish with 2 celery stalks, lime wedge and/or parsley
• Salt and pepper
• Chilli salt for the rim

Method

• Mix together lime juice, tomato juice, Rubies in the Rubble Chipotle ketchup and salt and pepper. Stir well to blend flavours.
• Fill glass with ice and add your desired amount of vodka. Pour in Bloody Mary mix and stir to combine. Garnish with celery stalks or anything else you desire.

Banana-colada

‘If you like Pina Colada’… then you will love this fruity banana variation of the classic Caribbean queen. Add a little of Rubies in the Rubble banana ketchup and a fresh banana for a refreshing tropical twist that will transport you to paradise.

Ingredients

• 1 banana
• 3 tsps Rubies in the Rubble Banana Ketchup
• 2 tsps coconut yoghurt
• 1 cup of pineapple Juice
• 5 tsps rum 
• Handful of crushed ice

 Method

• Blend all of ingredients and 1/2 banana with crushed ice.
• Pour into a glass to serve with straws.
• Garnish with a slice of pineapple and the rest of the banana.

Fiery Mickelada 

Calling all lager lovers seeking a more adventurous tipple– it’s time to spice up your life – and your lager – with this revitalizing Mexican cocktail. Mexican cuisine has become increasingly desirable to the modern British palate and the Michelada is no exception. Traditionally comprised of tomato juice, hot sauce, lime juice and beer, the Michelada holds a vibrant combination of flavours and a fiery kick. The secret is to master the balance of ingredients. Given its high composition of tomato juice, it’s also a close relation to the bloody Mary, so it’s sure to be a good hangover cure. 

Ingredients

• Juice from 2 limes
• Tomato juice
• 2 tsps fiery ketchup
• 1 light Mexican beer, eg. Corona for authenticity – however any lager will do!
• Sea salt
• Ice

Method

• Blend tomato juice, lime juice, Rubies in the Rubble Fiery ketchup and salt together.
• Pour into a glad over ice cubes and fill to the top with beer. 

Spiced Pear Mojito

Upgrade your chutney with a spice of booze. Rubies in the Rubble Pear, Fig and Port is more than just an accompaniment to your slab of Roquefort. This contemporary variation of the Cuban highball makes for a cool, crisp and irresistibly punchy summer blend. It’s as a simple and as tasty as it looks!

Ingredients

• 5 tsps dark rum
• 2 mint sprigs
• 3 lime wedges
• 3 pear slices
• 1 tsp Rubies in the Rubble Pear, Fig and Port chutney
• Soda Water

Method 

1. Place the limes, mint and chutney into a sturdy highball glass and 'muddle' or mash with the end of a clean rolling pin, to bruise the mint and release the lime juice.
2. Add the ice and pour over the rum.
3. Add soda water to taste and stir well. Garnish with a mint sprig and couple of pear slices and serve.

This Pancake Day, celebrate sustainability and fight food waste with The Thoughtful Pancake, a limited edition pancake that you can dig into at London's premium pancake destination, Where The Pancakes Are, a.k.a home to all things fluffy and delicious. 

For a limited time only, Where the Pancakes Are are giving you the chance to customise 'The American' pancake by adding our Blueberry BBQ Sauce or Banana Ketchup on top! 

The American is the restaurant's favourite dish, a maple-syrup drenched stack of pancakes, adorned with streaky bacon and blueberries. Adding some Rubies sauce on top gives it a delicious sweet/savoury twist. It's the kind of combo that dreams are made of, the kind that keeps you up at night wanting more, the kind that no other pancake can ever live up to. In short, it will blow your mind.

WHY A PANCAKE PARTNERSHIP?

This sustainable stack was inspired by the resourceful origins of Shrove Tuesday. Nowadays, Pancake day is more often than not seen as an excuse to scoff as many crepes as possible. But traditionally, Shrove Tuesday was a chance to use up all the perishable items that wouldn't last the full 40 days of Lent, such as eggs, butter and milk. In other words, the feast before the fast. So really, it's about making the most of what you have, being resourceful and reducing food waste! Needless to say, we’re big fans. 

And The Thoughtful Pancake has some pretty solid sustainability stats - each bottle of banana ketchup saves 2 over-ripe bananas, whilst the BBQ blueberry contains 260 blueberries that would otherwise go to waste. 

So in true Shrove Tuesday spirit, let’s stick two fork prongs up at food waste and tuck into some pancakes! 

DETAILS:

WHERE: 

Where the pancakes are....
Arch 35a
85a Southwark Bridge Road,
London SE1 0NQ

WHEN: 

10th-28th Feb

Ingredients:

For the muffins -

• 1 x jar Rubies in the Rubble aquafaba vegan mayo

• 200g brown rice flour

• 50g ground almonds

• 150g stevia

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 4 tablespoons cacao or cocoa powder + 200ml boiling water

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

• 1 teaspoon almond extract

• 75g pomegranate seeds

For the topping -

• 100g silken tofu

• 50g dark chocolate, broken into pieces

• 1 teaspoon coconut oil

• Pomegranate seeds

• Flaked almonds

GET MAKING! 

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C and lightly grease a 6-hole muffin tin.

2. Place the mayo, flour, stevia and baking powder in a large bowl and beat together with an electric whisk for 1 minute.

3. Whisk together the cacao/cocoa and water until smooth then pour in along with the cinnamon and almond extract. Beat again for a further minute until smooth.

4. Fold in the pomegranate seeds then spoon into the muffin tins to reach the top,

5. Bake for 15-20 minutes until firmed up then leave to cool.

6. Meanwhile gently melt the dark chocolate and coconut oil and leave to cool a little. Place the silken tofu in a blender, add the melted chocolate and whizz up until smooth.

7. Once the muffins have cooled spoon some of the topping on each and decorate with pomegranate seeds and flaked almonds. Enjoy!

When we first heard of aquafaba, we thought it sounded like a water-wielding superhero or a some kind of suspect processed food from the 80s. But it turns out that despite its fancy name, aquafaba is an altogether more humble thing.

For the uninitiated, aquafaba (the Latin for bean-water!) is something of a revelation. Simply put, it’s the protein-rich water left over from cooking chickpeas which most of us wouldn’t think to reuse. The clever thing about this liquid is that it mimics the thickening effect of egg whites, so it can be used to replace eggs for those who are allergic or vegan.

Come to think of it, the way it imitates eggs is kind of like a super-power. Just, like, a really niche one…

How do Rubies use it?

Aquafaba can be used in a whole host of delicious recipes and is most commonly used in baking (watch this space for some aquafaba recipes we are busy concocting). But when we found out about aquafaba, our minds immediately dreamt of mountains of glistening mayonnaise. In our bid for world condiment domination, our lack of mayonnaise offering has, until now, been a conspicuous cavity in our condiment kingdom.

Our delicious vegan mayos are made by whisking together aquafaba with rapeseed oil, a pinch of salt, a squeeze of lemon juice and a hint of Dijon mustard (or a good dose of Chipotle chilli powder for our Chipotle flavour). For all you mayo purists out there, don’t panic - our aquafaba versions retain all the satisfying creaminess and texture of regular mayo!

Why do Rubies use it?

Our over-arching mission at Rubies is to value all good food and, where we possibly can, eliminate waste in our food supply chains. Whilst aquafaba may not be like the wonky cucumbers or over-ripe tomatoes we use in our other relishes and ketchups, it is still a food product that is typically thrown away for no good reason. We believe that this ‘surplus’ food shouldn’t be overlooked, but rather celebrated.

Are chickpeas the only legumes who produce Aquafaba? 

Nope. Technically, the word Aquafaba means 'bean water', so it isn't specific to chickpeas. However, aquafaba from other legumes may vary in consistency to chickpea aquafaba, so if you are using alternative sources of aquafaba in a recipe, you may need to experiment a little bit to get it right!

At Christmas it’s tempting to stock up on your favourite foodie goodies, and in a bid to please everybody (and crucially, keep the peace..!), preparing too much food is almost inevitable. But going overboard on the festive spreads can mean that whatever doesn’t end up on your waistline, ends up in the bin. Now, we aren’t suggesting scrimping on the pigs in blankets. Heaven forbid! But by following some of our top tips, you’ll be able to ease the burden on wallets and waistlines that comes with the festive period.

1) Plan, plan, plan

Start by planning what to buy - think carefully about the number of people who will be eating with you and how much you will need per person. Use tools like the party portion planner on the Love Food Hate Waste website that can help you work out how much to buy for larger groups.

Make a shopping list and stick to it – by doing this you're less likely to buy things on impulse that you don't actually want or need. 

2) Get smart with your Christmas shopping

Steer clear of too many two-for-one Christmas deals or discounted multipacks. Buy what you actually need and know when you plan to use it, otherwise it could be destined straight for the bin.

Don’t go shopping when hungry – this is a particular hazard around Christmas, with temptations a-plenty in the supermarket aisles. Trust us, head to Waitrose on an empty stomach and you’ll end up with a trolley full of Tyrrells.

When shopping for gifts, watch out for packaging - if you can buy loose or in paper packaging, it will cut down on waste.

3) Avoid the detox panic

Come Boxing Day, try to pre-empt the inevitably rash decision to go on a puritanical diet of ‘only kale and cayenne water’, whilst throwing all your indulgent foods in the bin. Before attempting to get a smug head-start on your New Year’s resolutions – think again, why not turn your leftovers into lighter dishes. Keep an eye out for our leftover recipe ideas coming soon!

4) Wrap with a conscience 

Wrapping presents and writing cards are a big part of the festive ritual but they are also two of the biggest sources of waste at Christmas. Research suggests that paper waste over the Christmas period is equivalent to 5-12 million litres of biofuel - that’s enough to power a bus to travel to the moon 20 times! So before you purchase a load of rolls and glittery cards from the high street, consider some alternative options:

• Gather together old magazines, newspapers, maps or even cloth to wrap your presents in. This is the perfect excuse to get cosy and have a DIY Saturday in front of the fire.
• If you don’t have the time to make your own, try and avoid buying the metallic or plastic coated wrapping paper and instead go for recycled paper or paper that can be recycled after its use. Some beautifully designed eco-wrapping paper can be found here.
• Recycle an old gift bag. Just make sure you don’t accidentally give it back to the person who gave it to you!

Final thoughts..

So when you’re slumped on the sofa in a post-prandial daze - one hand on your discernibly rounder tum and the other clasping the remains of a large glass of port – take a moment to think about how you can be savvy this Christmas.

No matter what your reasons for wanting to reduce waste this Christmas, we hope these tips work for you and if you have any new ideas to share, please let us know by posting in the comments below! 

**This competition is now closed**

This Christmas we have a real cracker of a giveaway for you. We decided to create the ultimate Christmas hamper with other wonderful brands who share our vision to see food done properly and business done ethically. For a chance to win this hamper, simply enter your name and email address below.  

Peters Yard Crackers
1x Crispbread selection gift set
Chutney without a cracker is like a snail without a shell...and believe us when we say that these are the best shells a snail could hope for! Their range of Scandinavian crispbreads deliver the perfect crunch and delicious subtle flavour. They are without question, the perfect vessel to transport chutney into your mouth! 

Lemonaid
1x bottle of lemon lime, 1x bottle of blood orange
We've got a real brand crush on Lemonaid. They make delicious and refreshing soft drinks how they should be. With only the best organic ingredients and Fairtrade-certified. So far, so delicious. But they are also committed to seeing social change, and are on a mission to change the world drink by drink with their Charitea foundation. We are smitten.

Toast Ale
2x pale ales
Toast Ale are our real brethren (breadren?) when it comes to fighting food waste. They make award winning ale, brewed with surplus bread and to date, have saved 9194 kg of bread and brewed 100407 litres of beer...tis the season to be very jolly! 

We Are Tea
1x Moroccan Mint Green Tea, 1x Super Berry Infusion Tea
We are particularly picky are our brews and We Are Tea certainly hit the mark with their delicious blends. Supporting the Ethical Tea Partnership, they source their whole leaf teas from smaller tea estates across the globe. 

The Soap Co. 
1x Wild Nettle & Sage Soap, 1x Wild Nettle & Sage Hand Lotion
(both from the new eco range)
One of our absolute favourite beauty brands, The Soap Co. is an ethical luxury brand which makes products that are go and do good. As a social enterprise, they providing training and work opportunities for people who are visually impaired, have disabilities or are otherwise disadvantaged. We love them for their sophisticated fragrances, minimalist design and a strong social and environmental ethos. 

**This competition is now closed**

At Rubies, our love of food is rivalled only by our love of plants. A fern here, a succulent there...put simple, we cannot get enough! That's why, this December, we've joined forces with our friends at Patch, who specialise in delivering urban jungles right to your door! 

Whether inside or outside your home or office, Patch (www.patch.garden) helps you discover the best plants for you, delivers them to your door and helps you look after them. Why not get your Christmas tree through Patch this year? Their prices will beat any delivery service in London, all trees are delivered for free, and their non-drop trees are guaranteed for a month from the date of delivery.

For your chance to win a £50 voucher for Patch, as well as a year's supply of Rubies in the Rubble ketchup (12 bottles), simply enter below! 

The number of people that are converting to a vegan diet has increased dramatically in the past few years alone. Ten years ago, there were an estimated 150,000 vegans in Britain but that number has now risen to at least 542,000. With documentaries such as ‘Cowspiracy’ and ‘What the Health’ increasing people’s awareness of the problems with animal agriculture, this number does not seem all that surprising. With all this media attention, the pros and cons of a plant-based diet are something that we often discuss in the office, with team members following various diets, from the committed carnivores to the strictly vegan. It’s a very complex issue without a clear-cut answer, and whilst we don’t claim to be experts in all the different areas of global agriculture and economics, here’s a snapshot of some of the research we’ve done to help you navigate the different arguments a bit more easily.

The main arguments against animal products in terms of sustainability, are linked to the environment. Certainly, the production of meat and other animal products places a heavy burden on the environment, from crops and water required to feed the animals, to the transport and other processes involved.

It’s a known fact that the farming of animals puts a great deal of strain on water supplies as it takes more than 2400 gallons of water to produce 1 pound of beef. That’s 1066 500ml bottles of water that are needed to produce 4 hamburgers. In comparison, only 244 gallons of water is needed to produce 1 pound of tofu. In terms of dairy, 683 gallons of water are needed to produce 1 gallon of milk. By going vegan, one person can save approximately 219,000 gallons of water a year, which is the same amount of water that would be used in the average daily shower, over a period of 35 years. Not only does animal agriculture put immense pressure on water supplies, it also has a significant impact on climate change. In a paper by Goodland and Anhang, it was revealed that livestock and their by-products account for at least 32,000 million tons of carbon dioxide per year, or 51 percent of all worldwide greenhouse gas emissions. Someone who eats more than 3.5 ounces of meat per day generates the equivalent of 7 kilograms of carbon dioxide emissions a day whereas vegans are responsible for 2.9 kilograms. The greenhouse gas emissions of a meat eater are 102 percent higher than those of vegans. With a global population of 7.5 billion, and this number increasing by the second, these figures are only going to get worse.

Furthermore, a plant-based diet requires less land than both the meat and dairy industry, one third less to be precise. 70% of the grain grown in the U.S. alone is fed to livestock and is the equivalent of being enough to feed 800 million people. In Brazil alone, the equivalent of 5.6 million acres of land is used to grow soya beans for animals in Europe. Worldwide, 50% of the grains are being eaten by animals in the industry, while 82% of children living next to livestock are starving. By growing cash crops for animal feed, rather than themselves, this is contributing to malnutrition. It is more efficient and sustainable to use the crops of grains and pulses to feed humans rather than feeding them to animals.

On the other hand, considerably lower quantities of crops and water are required to sustain a vegan diet.

So, if all these facts are true, what would be the problem of everyone turning vegan? Well for starters, in low and middle income economies, livestock accounts for 40-60% of agricultural GDP and farm animals provide livelihoods for almost one billion people. Furthermore, in developing countries, livestock is needed to provide energy-dense, micronutrient-rich food for malnourished children. If everyone were to turn vegan, land would be wasted that could be used to feed other people. This is because different kinds of land are needed to produce different types of food. Grazing land is often unsustainable for growing crops and when parts of the Sahel (south of the Sahara Desert in Africa) were converted from livestock to croplands, the result was desertification, according to BBC reports.

Animal agriculture may be damaging to the environment, but turning vegan can also have significant impacts. The increased demand for avocados, for example, has had a weighty effect on water consumption. Farmers in Mexico have found it more profitable to grow avocados than most other crops. Avocado plantation needs repeated cycles of chemical inputs and puts pressure on local water reserves. It takes an estimated 272 litres of water to produce 2-3 medium sized avocados. Furthermore, food transportation is quickly becoming one of the world’s fastest growing sources of greenhouse gas emissions due to the increase in transporting.

Given both sides of the argument, where does this leave us? The important thing to take from this is to remember every action has an impact on the environment, so we need to be conscious consumers and question wether the food we are buying is having a positive or negative effect on the planet. All things considered, we believe that a good middle ground is focusing on reducing the quantity of animal products we eat. Cutting down consumption of these products will lead to a decrease in the strain on the environment. If every American reduced their meat consumption by just 10% for one year, enough grains would be alleviated from the factory farming industry to have the potential to feed 60 million starving people. Ultimately, we believe it's our mission to encourage people to think more about their choices as consumers and to really value their food. So if you are a committed carnivore, consider trying to curb your meat intake, introducing a #MeatFreeMonday or another easy way to enjoy veggie dishes. And if you are vegetarian or vegan, do some research into the kinds of foods you're eating and ensure that the food you're buying isn't putting an adverse strain on the environment. 

Go big or go home. That's our (unofficial) motto. That's why, throughout June, we are hosting a Surplus Pop Up in Selfridges Food Hall. We've been working hard in the kitchen to create a range of open top sandwiches, or as well like to call them, 'topless' sandwiches! Perfect for a snack or a light lunch, these dishes are all made from ingredients that have been sustainably sourced. Time Out have given our 'salvaged sarnies' rave reviews so come on down and see for yourself!

PRACTICAL INFORMATION:

Date + Time: Open every day throughout June from 11am-8pm
Location: Selfridges, 400 Oxford Street, LONDON
Cost: Each serving is £5, plus £1.50 for our salad of the day

Have a little look at our menu and guide to ingredients below - it's sure to whet your appetite!

MENU:

PULLED BEEF & PICKLE

Slow cooked chipotle beef with pickled cucumbers & aquafaba mayo.
Served on a beetroot & ginger cracker with Rubies in the Rubble Chipotle Ketchup

SPRING VEG & BLUE CHEESE (V)

Brown butter with spring root veg & crumbled blue cheese.
Served on a kale & spinach cracker with Rubies in the Rubble Piccalilli

AVO & BEET HoumoUS (VG)

Beetroot houmous, avocado, nigella seed.
Served on a beetroot & ginger cracker with Rubies in the Rubble Pink Onion & Chilli

NUT BUTTER & BANANA

Nut butter, bananas & berries with toasted coconut and cinnamon seeds.
Served on a turmeric & carrot cracker with Rubies in the Rubble Top Banana

GLOSSARY OF INGREDIENTS:

Without going full Marie Kondo on you, there's no denying the satisfaction of a spring clean. There's a certain thrill in clearing out your things so that only your favourite and most necessary items remain. The process can get almost Hunger Games-y in its ruthlessness. But it's a challenge we relish (ba dum *tss*). This spring, we're putting a twist on the traditional clean by challenging ourselves to think about how we can repurpose our belongings rather than simply chucking them out and buying more stuff. Whether you're an expert crafter or a DIY novice, there are some amazing ways that you can make the most of what you already own. Here is a round-up of some of our favourites to help you get started!

1. A good place to start is to use any jars you have lying around. No doubt you have by now amassed a mountain of Rubies in the Rubble jars which, once you've gobbled up the delicious relish inside, can be given a second life, from canning to candle holders. Here is a brilliant list of ways you can upcycle them.

6. This is possibly one for the more advanced crafter but adding a little embroidery to your jeans or denim jacket adds a personal touch that gives old jeans a new life! Click here for a step-by-step guide!

Get in touch with your favourite DIY ideas and let us know how you get on!

One of the best things about where we work is that Vauxhall City Farm is just down the road, a genuine little bit of countryside in central London. You can hang out with Alpacas, ride a horse and learn how to grow squash and pumpkins. Everyone needs a bit of nature in their life. Even more so when you live in the city. Get some inspiration, whether you're an adult or child. Find your local city farm here. 

We spoke to Carol Bentall, CEO of Vauxhall City Farm, about how she got started and what her advice to others would be.

What inspired you to take on your role at Vauxhall City Farm? 

I made a deliberate career move from the Corporate World to the Youth Charity Sector six years ago.  I grew up on a farm and have a life-long love of nature so when the job at Vauxhall City Farm came up it felt like the perfect combination of everything I’m passionate about.

What's the most unexpected joy you get from what you do? 

Seeing the reaction of children when they come face to face with our animals and seeing the incredible (and often funny and poignant) interactions between the two!

What would your advice be to other women interested in getting into farming?

That they have an up to date tetanus jab… seriously :) The best advice I'd give is the same advice I would give any women who wanted to get into a particular field (pardon the pun), if it’s what you want to do go for it.  If you don’t have the right experience to break into right now; find ways to take personal ownership or fill the gaps; develop your knowledge (there’s a whole world of resources out there); get some practical experience (volunteering is a great way forward) then don’t be afraid to display your passion and value to potential employers.

Finally, we couldn't help ourselves. What are your top tips to stop wasting food? 

Ignore supermarket special offers; only buy what you know you’ll need and use.  If you still have ‘left-overs’ find ways to avoid putting them in the bin; get creative with your cooking (some of my favourite recipes have been born this way!). Always look for alternatives to the bin; composting, sharing and making better use of the freezer.

You can visit Vauxhall City Farm Tuesday-Sunday 10am-4pm in Lambeth, London. Support the work they do by volunteering or donating.

The landscape of farming is fast-changing, more and more food is now being grown in cities. Instrumental behind much of this is the Incredible Edible network, a community growing movement that's now spread from Yorkshire to London, to Bristol and beyond the UK.

As part of our conversations with women who grow food, we spoke to one of the champions of growing food in the city.

Meet Sara Venn, a horticulturalist, food activist and writer. She set up Incredible Edible in her hometown of Bristol in 2014 following on from a career as a nursery woman. Working with people in gardens is her passion, creating confidence and passing on the skills she's learnt over her long and varied career.