Windows are panes (owwwww, the pundamonium) when it comes to trying to make your house energy efficient. They are the weakest 'thermal' link in your house and account for a huge amount of heat loss and heat gain. 

If you live in a cold climate, you know you have to insulate your windows to keep your house warm in winter.

Double (or triple) glazing works well but is often expensive to retrofit but there are some really simple ways of trapping a layer of still air using plastic window insulation film.

I'm doing a few shows at the fabulous floral festivos of Floriade again this year. In the 'Tasting Plate' kitchen under the theme 'The other flour festival' I cooked up some treats. Here they are. Good luck with them and let me know how you go.

MANDARIN AND (SNEAKY) CHICK-PEA CAKE

Here is the fabulous recipe from Chrissy Freer's book 'Super Legumes'. If you like the idea of incorporating the super vegetable into all manner of recipes, this is a great book.

"You made this?" is usually the response when I turn up with a few crusty-on-the-outside, chewy-on-the-inside baguettes tucked under my wing. Truth is, I did make the bread, but it is almost easier than going to the shops. And people will be your friend with this bread. Really.

I'm not at all tech savvy but I do have one gadget I really like - my indoor-outdoor thermometer. It’s simple yet smart, wireless and does its job very well … I aspire to have those credentials.

I love it. It's like watching teli, in fact I think it has a better plot line than some teli.

The vegetables you grow are like your children. While you may love them, others may not find them that enjoyable.

I've got loads of zucchini growing, and growing, and ...

When I turned 40 last year I was given the ultimate present to preserve my youth. It was a Fowlers Vacola electric preserving pan.  Yesterday I was gifted some vintage bottles full with historical, and unidentifiable, fruit.  I have to compost the fruit and then use the jars for more bottled treats.

Can you believe it? GIY has just won it's first award for best info site in the online category of the Green Lifestyle Awards. It was a real treat to be recognised.

Not since the Tooma Gymkhana in 1980 have I won anything of note*. It is really rather exciting.

Hot water systems can one of the biggest energy users in your house, especially if it's a giant electric storage system and/or you've got people who seem to get trapped in a hot-water soaked stupor when they are in the shower.

It makes sense then that you insulate the tank and pipes to keep that precious and expensive hot water in and not let it all be lost to the cold winter air.

But can you insulate 'the works'?

Stand-by power sucks. 

Most of us know that if you turn electroinic stuff off at the powerpoint  you save around 10% on your electricity bill.  But we don't because it's too darn tricky, and a little bit, well, dull.

There are heaps of technologically advanced things to help you. The EcoSwitch (RRP $19.95) is one of them. Five hard-wired GIY reviewers put it to the test and here's what they thought.

I like puns.

I like marketing that uses word-play. It draws/sucks me in. Some people would argue that putting a pun into a business name is bad form. Au contaire. You only have to look at the success of such business as The Snuggle Inn, the Thistle Do Nicely scottish gift shop or the Lord of the Fries chip shop to know that puns = punch.

I like products with a good idea and a good heart.