Dying Easter eggs using plant-based dyes is a tradition in Eastern Europe. It’s so easy to do, and everyone should give it a try at least once! To create these gorgeous eggs you need some herbs and colorful veggies. You can use spinach leaves, beets, red cabbage, or onion skins for the dyes. As for the designs, herb leaves work well, or you can go outside and look for interesting leaves and plants. What better way to welcome spring than with some natural Easter eggs decorated by Mother Nature herself? Let’s get started!

Supplies:

1) A dozen eggs

2) Vegetables, fruits, and spices (red cabbage, spinach, carrots, onion skins, blackberries, blueberries, paprika, and turmeric are dyes that work well)

3) About 1 1/2 cups of white vinegar

4) Salt

5) Leafy herbs or fresh leaves that you’ve found outside

6) Two pairs of sheer stockings, cut into tubes

7) Pots (each dye will need its own pot)

Step #1:

The first step is to make your dyes. To make a green dye, add about 5 cups of water to a pot with 1 pound of fresh spinach leaves. Add in a pinch of salt and bring it to a boil. After it starts boiling, turn down the temperature to a simmer. Allow the dye to simmer for 1 hour. If you would like an orange dye, add about 5 cups of water, 10 carrots, 5 tbsp of paprika, and a pinch of salt to a pot. As before, bring it to a boil and then turn down the temperature to a simmer for 1 hour. For a blue dye, do the same using 1 whole red cabbage. If you’d like a reddish-brown dye, use onion skins (you need about 5-6 onions worth of skins). For a pink dye, use beets (about 3 cups). If you want your dye to be yellow, use turmeric (2 tbsp). When your dyes are ready, strain the vegetables and fruits, leaving only the liquid. Pour your dyes into a measuring cup to see how much dye you have. For every cup of dye, you need 3 tbsp of white vinegar. When you’ve measured out the amounts of dye, pour the dyes back into their pots and add the required amount of vinegar.

Step #2:

Once you have made your dyes, it’s now time to decorate your eggs! Rub a paper towel soaked in vinegar over each of the eggs. Place an herb leaf on each egg and arrange it any way you want. Take a stocking tube and place the egg inside the tube. The stocking will hold the leaf in place. Tie the ends of the stocking and repeat this process with all your eggs.

Step #3:

Place your eggs in the dye pots and boil them for 10 minutes. When the 10 minutes are up, take them off the heat and allow them to cool completely. Place them in the fridge overnight. If you’d like them to be a pale color instead of a vibrant color, keep the pots in the fridge for 1 hour.

Step #4:

When the eggs have reached the shade you like, you can take them out of the stockings and place them on a wire rack to dry. When the eggs have dried, you will notice that the colors may not seem so bright. To make them shiny, you can rub a tiny bit of oil over them to bring out the beautiful colors.

Photos: Adventures in Cooking, Craft Hubs, Indulgy.

If you enjoy gardening, it’s time to start your garden NOW! Many veggies can be sown in March, and it’s great to get a head-start for spring! Carrots, kale, peas, spinach, and turnips can all be sown outdoors straight away. Take a look at our complete list of veggies and herbs you can plant in March!

1) Carrots

Carrot seeds can be sown in light soil that’s free of stones.

2) Parsley, Dill, and Chives

These herbs can be sown either in containers, or straight into the soil.

3) Turnips

If you want to get a head-start on your turnips, you can sow the seeds directly into the soil.

4) Spinach

Spinach thrives in soil that’s loaded with nutritious compost. You can plant spinach outside straight away.

5) Parsnips

If your soil isn’t too hard, you can plant your parsnip seeds in rows. Make sure the seeds are about 30 cm apart.

6) Spring Onion

It’s called spring onion because it’s ready to eat in the spring! You can get them started directly outside and they make a fantastic addition to salads!

7) Kale

Kale is ready in the summer, so get it started now by planting seeds outside in a well-prepared garden.

8) Peas

Peas can be planted directly into the ground. If you’ve got a problem with mice or other small critters, you can start them off in containers before transferring them to your garden.

Photos: Img Arcade, Kids Quest Museum, Wikipedia, Grit, Gardening Know How, Img Buddy, Gorsia, Bonnie Plants, Away to Garden.

Sometimes there isn’t enough time in the day to do everything, and we’ve all been guilty of forgetting to water our plants. With these self-watering planters dead plants are a thing of the past! Place these cute planters on your windowsill and enjoy your new fresh herbs!

Supplies You Will Need:

– herbs

– cut bottles (you can find glass cutting kits at your local craft store)

– string

– water glasses

– thin mesh screen

– potting soil

Step 1:

Make sure your cut bottle necks are shorter than your glass so they can rest inside them without touching the bottom. Once you’ve cut your bottles, sand down the edges so they’re not sharp. Take a 2″ by 2″ square of screen and cut a small hole in the center so your string can pass through. The string acts as a wick for the water and draws it up to the plant. The soil will be wet enough to keep your herbs growing.

Step 2:

Pass the string through the screen and tie a knot that’s large enough to keep it from slipping through the screen’s holes.

Step 3:

Take the string and run it down the neck of the bottle top with the screen resting at the top. The top of your bottle neck is now your planter, and the bottom is your water reservoir.

Step 4:

Transplant your herbs in the bottle top. Check to make sure your string reaches the bottom of the glass. Keep your water at a level that the string is always submerged, and you’re done!

Photos and idea: Design Sponge.

If you want to get started on your very own soup garden, you need to decide which ingredients you use most in your favorite recipes. If you love tomato soup, plant several varieties of tomatoes like meaty romas and grape tomatoes. For chicken noodle, onions, carrots, and parsnips, along with herbs like thyme and parsley. Other great additions to any soup garden would be garlic, turnips, sweet potatoes, beans, and kale.

To start your soup garden, make sure water is easily accessible. Many herbs don’t require much watering, but vegetables need to be watered often. Make sure you use mulch, as it helps reduce weeds and waterings. The use of flow meters help you to keep track of exactly how much water you are using. Work a lot of organic matter into the soil to create a nutrient-rich soil that your vegetables will love. If you don’t have enough yard space, you can still plant many vegetables and herbs on your balcony or patio in large pots.

To enjoy your harvest into the winter, you need to plant a larger garden and then freeze or can your vegetables. Tomatoes, green beans, and peppers can be frozen or canned. Onions, potatoes, garlic, and winter squash can be stored for months in cool, humid conditions.

Photos: Ewa in the Garden, HG Decoration, Home Garden Air.

We love using spices and herbs! From simple oregano and basil to nutmeg and saffron, there are many to choose from. There are spices and herbs that are common in every day dishes that we use almost every day. If you’re wondering which to stock up on, read our list!

1. Oregano

Oregano is a staple in Mediterranean cuisine, and it’s mostly used on pizza, as well as tomato sauce. Due to its strong flavor, oregano is best paired with other bold flavors to keep it from dominating the dish.

2. Basil

Just like oregano, basil is a staple spice that’s added to sauces and topped on pizza. Basil goes best with tomato dishes. Basil can also be paired with meats, fish, and salads.

3. Rosemary

Just as you would with oregano, rosemary is best paired with bold flavors since it has a bold flavor itself. You can remove the leaves from the stems and just add them like that to your dish, or you can chop them up to release the oils and thus more flavor.

4. Cinnamon

Cinnamon can be used as a natural food preservative due to its ability to stop mold from growing. It can be used in savoy and sweet dishes like chili, beef brisket, or pumpkin pie.

5. Black Pepper

Black pepper is the most widely used spice in the world. Dishes with a cream sauce may require white pepper, which is a milder version than black pepper. Black pepper is usually added after the dish has been cooked.

6. Sage

Because of its minty taste, sage is often used in sauces for meant entrees like pork chops, chicken breasts, and turkey. It also goes well with squash and pumpkin.

7. Bay Leaves

Bay leaves were used by the ancient Greeks, and it’s commonly used in Mediterranean cuisine. Bay leaves can be used in soups, meat stews, seafood dishes, and vegetable dishes.

8. Paprika

Paprika is a common spice used in the Balkans, Morocco, and even South Africa. It can be used in stews such as goulash, and it is also used in preparation of sausages. Paprika also goes well with tomato dishes, and in chili.

9. Onion Powder

Onion powder is simply ground onion with salt. You can use it in pasta dishes, pizza, and on grilled chicken.

10. Nutmeg

Nutmeg goes great in stuffings and sausages. It also pairs well with lamb, veal, and pumpkin.

Photos: Wikimedia, Evo Marketplace, Gourmandistan, Rhinobutt, Jones Garden, Free Food Photos, Amoils, Gujarat, Cooks.ndtv, Your Med Guide.

We’ve decided to ditch the store-bought deodorizers in favor of natural, home-made ones. Free of any toxic chemicals, they’re completely safe for you and your pets. These natural home deodorizers can be made in almost any combination. Simply add the ingredients (cut any fruit into slices ) to a pot and fill 3/4 of the way with water. Bring to a boil, then lower the temperature down to a simmer. Leave the scent to simmer for a few hours, adding water as needed. If you like, you can use a crock pot instead of using the stove. You can also freeze the scents for future use. Remember, there are no measurements in these recipes! Experiment a little to find which scent suits you best.

Here are a few recipes to get you started:

1. Cinnamon sticks, orange rinds, apple peels, and whole cloves.

2. A few drops of vanilla and orange peels.

3. Lime, coconut oil, and vanilla.

4. Oranges, cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, and vanilla.

5. Rosemary, lavender, and lemon.

6. Cedar twigs.

7. Lemon, black peppercorns, and basil.

8. Earl Grey tea and vanilla extract.

9. Lemon, peppermint extract, and rosemary.

10. Orange and almond extract.

Photos: Day Break Houses, Eliza Domestica, A Joyful Dwelling.

Who needs store-bought salad dressing when home-made is way better? Here are 4 salad dressing recipes that you need to know by heart! Use them as dressing, or as a dip. Our home-made Italian dressing can even be used to marinade fish or chicken! Making your own home-made salad dressings are super simple and quick to make, even if you are short on time.

Easy Ranch Dressing

This dressing is best when made fresh, but it can sit for up to 3 days in the fridge. This recipe makes enough to dress 1 salad.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp buttermilk
• 1 tbsp mayonnaise
• salt and pepper
• 1/2 tsp rice vinegar (optional)
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder (optional)
• 1-3 tsp finely chopped fresh chives, mint, or parsley (optional)

Instructions

1. Whisk together buttermilk and mayonnaise. Season with salt and pepper.
2. If you like, whisk in rice vinegar, garlic powder, and herbs.
3. Store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Blue Cheese Dressing

This dressing is perfect as a dip, or drizzling over iceberg lettuce topped with bacon bits. This recipe makes about 1 1/2 cups of dressing, and can be stored in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Ingredients

• 1 cup blue cheese, crumbled
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 2 tbsp mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• salt and pepper

Instructions

1. In a bowl, use a fork to mash mash the cheese and sour cream together until a chunky paste is formed.
2. Mix in buttermilk, mayonnaise, and lemon juice. Taste and season with salt and pepper

Balsamic Vinaigrette

This balsamic vinaigrette is a salad staple that every cook should know. Really simple, this barely even needs a recipe. With only 4 simple ingredients, this dressing is simple to make but big on flavor. Makes about 1 cup of dressing. This dressing will keep on the counter for several weeks, but refrigerate if you add any fresh ingredients

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• salt and pepper
• Extras: mustard, shallots, garlic, fresh/dried herbs, honey or brown sugar.

Instructions

1. Mix olive oil and balsamic vinegar in a jar or other air-tight container.
2. Add a big pinch of salt and a little bit of black pepper to taste. Screw on lid and shake well.
3. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.

Italian Salad Dressing

Red and white wine vinegar add plenty of punch to this salad dressing. The mustard adds the perfect tanginess and also thickens the dressing, while the honey helps balance all the ingredients. This dressing is not only for salads, but can be used as a marinade for fish and chicken, too. You can also use it as a veggie dip. This recipe makes 1 1/2 cups of dressing, and can be stored in the fridge for several weeks.

Ingredients

• 1 cup canola oil
• 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 garlic clove, pressed
• 2 tbsp finely chopped shallots
• 2 tbsp finely chopped red bell pepper
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp honey
• 1 tsp salt (add more to taste)
• 1/4 tsp dried oregano
• 1/4 tsp dried marjoram
• 1 pinch red pepper flakes
• black pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Combine all the ingredients in an air-tight jar or container.
2. Shake well until the mixture is well-combined and until it has thickened.
3. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.

Photos: The Kitchn.