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ladysophiebeckett · 6 years ago

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a loophole

Santa Clarita Diet\The Good Place Crossover AU

(spoilers for both shows)

for you my love, @ssaalexblake . happy birthday. I apologize for it being so late. And not making an edit for this. also this is dialogue only. so, again, I’m sorry. pls enjoy

Summary: The Good Place fights for Joel and Sheila Hammond.

Joel: ‘Everything is Fine’? Everything is not fine. I’m dead. My wife is dead. We’re dead. We’re real dead! Like, for real dead!

Shelia: Joel, calm down. I’m sure this Judge—this very fair and might I add stunning—Judge, will explain everything.

Gen: Ya Dead.

Joel: Oh my god.

Sheila: I can’t die!

Joel: We can’t die!

Sheila: We don’t die!

Joel: We’re realators!

Gen: You know you lose points every time you mispronounce that.

Joel: FORK!

Shelia: Points?

*****

Joel: So you can make anything appear?

Janet: Yes. Except people who are currently alive. I also cannot ‘make’ people. I already did that and my Void cannot go through that again.

Joel: Right, my Void can’t do that either.

Janet: You don’t have a Void. You are not a Janet. You are a Joel.

Joel: …Right. I’m a Joel. Huh. That feels oddly reassuring.

Janet: I’m here to help.

Joel: Thank you, Janet and if it is at all possible, I would like to request a quart of ice cream—

Janet: I physically cannot do that.

Joel: But—

Janet: I can give you frozen yogurt in any flavor. We have all of them.

Joel: I’ll have another shrimp cocktail.

Janet: Of course.

********

Shelia: So this is your house?

Eleanor: Yup. ‘Icelandic Primitive’.

Shelia: That’s your essence?

Eleanor: Um, no. I mean, yes. Now. What? You don’t think I can be Icelandic Primitive?

Shelia: I didn’t say that. I just don’t think it captures you.

Eleanor: You’re not a real estate agent anymore—

Shelia: Rea-Hm. Realtor.

Eleanor: Still can’t pronounce it huh?

Shelia: It’s a surprisingly hard word.

Eleanor: Real-tor. Real-TOR. Realator. Oh.

Shelia: See?

*******

Shelia: Is it just me or does everything feel a little bit off?

Joel: You feel it too? It was the shrimp wasn’t it?

Shelia: Yes!

Joel: They said they were jumbo but they were medium at best. God, I miss writing yelp reviews. I would give ‘The Good Plates’ 3 stars.

Shelia: 3 stars? That’s a little harsh. You weren’t nearly as hard on Japopos and their clams literally killed me.

Joel: It’s the taste. It’s off. Like they’re using lemon instead of lime. They’re both part of citrus family but their taste is very distinct.

Shelia: …Right. That’s what I’m trying to say. It’s off. This is supposed to be paradise.

Joel: It is. Sort of. Except no ice cream. We can’t curse. We live in this house—which is not our essence at all.

Shelia: I thought this house was your essence?

Joel: Why would my essence be a Spanish Colonial? Yeah I want to spend eternity in a Chris and Christa Knock Off Home. I’d rather die again.

Sheila: Oh my god.

Joel: Shelia, we’re already dead, again. It’s not offensive.

Sheila: Joel.

Joel: Sheila.

Sheila: The Spanish Colonial isn’t my essence either.

Joel: But I thought---

Sheila: No. I’d rather spend eternity in—

Joel: Our starter home.

Shelia: This isn’t The Good Place.

*******

Eleanor: Let me get this straight—this couple from Santa Clarita dies. They’re zombies—

Sheila: The term is ‘Undead’.

Joel: We don’t like the ‘Z’ word.

Eleanor: ---You pop into Earth for 5 seconds and in those 5 seconds you see these, Undead people, and you feel bad for them? So instead of being impartial, you hide them here?

Gen: It’s complicated.

Eleanor: What about our experiment? This puts it in jeopardy. Somehow—I don’t know how but it does.

Gen: It doesn’t because this is case is different from yours.

Joel: Can someone explain what’s happening?

Eleanor: How is it different? They’re bad people and you’re trying to hide them in a controlled Good Place that’s supposed to help us show that your point system is flawed. That’s unethical. You’re being unethical.

Gen: If Chidi were here--

Eleanor: Don’t bring him up.

Sheila: Who’s Chidi?

Joel: That moral philosophy professor. We met at that welcome party. He couldn’t stop talking about almond milk.

Sheila: Oh. The guy with the stomachaches.

Gen: As I was saying—If Chidi were here—he would understand.

Eleanor: Well he’s not. And I am. So explain your oh so complicated reasoning.

Gen: Joel and Sheila Hammond are good people.

Joel and Sheila: Thank you.

Gen: But they’re also bad people.

Joel and Sheila: Fork.

*****

Sheila: We’ve been judged on points our entire lives?

Gen: Yes. And when you died the first time your point system paused for approximately 20 seconds. And when you came back your points rebooted. While Joel…

Joel: Lost a lot. Because I’m the reason she died.

Shelia: It wasn’t your fault.

Gen: It was. Every murder you committed had a positive and negative impact.

Eleanor: You’re murderers?!

(Joel and Sheila stare at Eleanor)

Eleanor: Oh wait. I already knew that. Why am I surprised? Oh wait. It’s because you ate your victims. Mr. and Mrs. Hannibal Lecter everybody.

Shelia: I’m sensing judgement.

Joel: We only killed bad people.

Shelia: You’re taking this way worse than Abby ever did and she was only 16 when she saw us bury Gary in the desert.

Eleanor: What the fork? Ugh. I hate the swear wards. It’s a bunch of bullshirt.

Joel: How do you think we forkin’ feel? Abby would hate it here.

Shelia: I know. I miss her.

Joel: Me too.

Eleanor: Who the fork is Abby?

Sheila: Our daughter.

Eleanor: Zombies raising a daughter in suburbia.

Joel: Undead Realators doing our best to provide for our daughter.

*****

Eleanor: So killing Nazi’s is okay.

Gen: Yes. Nazi’s are terrible people and them getting murdered was a good thing.

Joel: See? We’re good people.

Gen: But the point system gives you an even amount of good people points and bad people points.

Sheila: Because even though they were bad people, the act of murdering—

Joel: --Despite who you are murdering—

Gen: Correct.

Eleanor: …What are their points?

Gen: Are you ready? It’s a doozy.

Joel: But we saw our points when we got here.

Shelia: Unless…those weren’t real.

Gen: Yeah, they’re not. Take a look.

Eleanor: Oh. I wish Chidi were here.

Gen: Told ya.

*****

Shelia: Well then. The Solution is simple Gen. Can I call you ‘Gen’. I feel like we’re very familiar now that I see that you hold our afterlives in the palm of your hand.

Gen: You may. ‘Judge Gen’ was only fun for the first millennia.

Eleanor: This isn’t simple at all.

Joel: Yeah it is. Sheila goes to The Good Place—

Sheila: Joel no---

Joel: And I go to The Bad Place. It’s logical. The points are pretty self-explanatory. Which is something I never thought I’d say because I am very bad at math. Remember when I calculated our first commission and I was off by a 1000 dollars?

Sheila: There has to be something---

Eleanor: It’s ONE POINT! Can you just--

Gen: Why do you think I hid them away with you? I was buying time. As a Judge, I have to be impartial but when I saw their case—

Eleanor: You thought that if we could properly prove that bad people could change in the afterlife, it would show that the point system was flawed. But then they died, again, and they were already good people but the point system would separate them. And you were hoping that if our case succeeded it would support their case---

Gen: Yes.

Eleanor: So this whole time you were just hiding them from The Bad Place because if they knew about them they would go to some afterlife trial—like Mindy St. Claire’s case. And they would end up in some Middle Place but still not together.

Gen: Separate Middle Places. Yes.

Sheila: We’re not separating!

Joel: Shelia look at the points! They don’t lie!

Shelia: The points don’t matter! Haven’t you been listening! It’s flawed! Look, I don’t care about The Good Place. Let them take me instead. It’s my fault anyway. I’m the reason you died the first time.

Joel: And I’m the reason you died the first time.

Shelia: I’m the reason you died the second time! If I had been—

Joel: It wasn’t your fault.

Sheila: It was supposed to be date night---

Joel: Sheila, it’s okay. I made a vow that night. Do you remember? I swore to be loyal to you and only you. I promised to protect you, to protect our family—no matter what. No matter the sacrifice. This is me—honoring that.

Sheila: That’s not fair.

Joel: Maybe not, but it’s the right thing to do. I go to The Bad Place. How bad can it be? I used to eat people. And bleed black ooze. Which was gross to me every time. I never got used to that.

Sheila: There is no Good Place for me without you. As corny as this may sound…You are my Good Place.

Joel: And as corny as this may sound, you’re mine.

Eleanor: Fork. Does anybody have a tissue?

Gen: Here’s my sleeve.

*****

Sheila: Thank you for letting Joel have ice cream one more time.

Gen: It’s the very least I can do. I recommended a burrito but he said no.

Shelia: He loves them, but they make him gassy. I tried to explain that that won’t happen here—

Gen: Oh it will. Trust me.

Sheila: Oh. Hmm. Well, look I’m not gonna pussy foot around it—I can say ‘pussy’? Huh. A loophole. Anyway, no time. I’m not gonna pussy foot around it. Let me take Joel’s place instead.

Gen: I can’t do that. The points—

Shelia: Fork the points. It’s one point. You managed to hide us here with fake points. So just—give him one of mine.

Gen: Do you know how hard it was to even to do that? It’s not easy Sheila. I know I make it look easy—these robes are very misleading. But—

Shelia: I don’t care. Let me take his place.

Gen: I will look into it. But I can’t make any promises.

*****

Joel: Did Sheila talk to you?

Gen: (sighs) Yes.

Joel: Did she ask to take my place instead?

Gen: No.

Joel: Okay, good—

Gen: She demanded it.

Joel: Dam it. Dam? Oh. Dam. Like the beaver or that thing that stores water. A loophole. Did not see that. Anyway, no time. Don’t listen to her. Whatever she told you. This—it’s the right thing to do. I just have one request.

Gen: You already had your last meal--

Joel: The ice cream was great, thank you, but no. Something else.

Gen: I can’t let you go back to earth and tackle Chris to the ground. He is 6’5, he would still win.

Joel: That’s not—Really? Even as a—

Gen: Those 3 inches make a difference.

Joel: Whatever. Not what I wanted.

Gen: It’s one of the things you wanted.

Joel: Anyway. I just—can you promise me—Can you guarantee that Sheila not only goes to The Good Place but that she’s happy? I’m not a big fan of this ‘soul mate’ thing—but I can’t stand the thought of Sheila being alone.

Gen: I can promise you that she will get into The Good Place.

Joel: And?

Gen: That’s it. What happens after is beyond me. I can’t promise you anything.

*****

Sheila: So he goes into one vault and I go in the other?

Gen: You’re gonna get a little sick but it’ll pass. Just don’t breath through your mouth. The vomit just flies---

Joel: Why does that sound grosser than anything we’ve ever done?

Eleanor: Are you sure there isn’t anything else you can do?

Gen: No. This is it. Say your goodbyes. Anymore time wasted and—well nothing happens. Time isn’t a thing here. We could all chill and catch up on Grey’s Anatomy. They have thirty-six seasons. Thirty-Six! But we’re only delaying the inevitable.

Sheila: This is it then.

Joel: Forty-five years.

Sheila: We only made it to one Bop.

Joel: I have no regrets.

Sheila: I do. Just the one.

Joel: What’s that?

Shelia: We should have mailed that deed to Gary’s niece. It would have reduced our carbon footprint. And then maybe—

Joel: I don’t care. I would do it all over again.

Eleanor: (crying) How does keep happening to me?

*****

Eleanor: I can’t believe it. They’re just gone? They’re good people. Like, real good people. I mean, a little problematic because of the murder. But it was just one point--

Gen: Yup. One point. Unless---

Eleanor: Unless what?

Gen: They were human and still accumulating points.

Eleanor: Wait. What?

Gen: Think about it.

Eleanor: You know I am not good at that.

Gen: You humans are so slow. On earth they were Undead. Then they died, again. When they arrived to your neighborhood Good Place, they were human. The points rebooted.

Eleanor: What?!

Gen: It’s complicated. Serbia is…complicated. Being dead and then undead and dead again—it’s everything cancelling each other out. It’s like—

Eleanor: A loophole.

Gen: I cannot confirm that.

Eleanor: You—their points---

Gen: Are even.

Eleanor: I don’t---

Gen: Let’s just say, they both asked something of me in their final moments. And it evened them out.

Eleanor: But they went into different vaults?

Gen: Leading to the same place.

*****

Sheila: What are you doing here?

Joel: What are you doing here?

Shelia: I’m taking your place!

Joel: She promised me you would go the real Good Place.

Sheila: Unless this is—

Joel and Sheila: Fuck!

Sheila: Wait--

Joel and Shelia: Fuck?!

Sheila: FUCK!

Joel: FUCK!

Sheila: HOLY FUCKING FUCK !

Joel: MOTHERFUCKING FUCK !

Janet: Hello!

Joel: FUCK!

Janet: My name is Janet.

Shelia: We’ve met.

Janet: No, we haven’t. I’m your neighborhood’s Janet. There are millions of me for every Good Place neighborhood.

Sheila: Say that again?

Janet: Hello, my name is Janet—

Shelia: No, the other thing.

Janet: There are a millions of me—

Shelia: No—

Joel: This could take hours—Janet where are we?

Janet: This is The Good Place. Neighborhood #6969.

Joel: Wait—

Shelia: Later, Joel. No, not that like that. Well maybe like that—

--Fin—

#ssaalexblake #santa clarita diet #the good place #my fic #a lot of this doesn't make sense but i trust you to just go with it #you will have questions---i may have some answers

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easyfoodnetwork · 5 years ago

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11 Useful Items to Keep Hidden Away in Your Freezer

Frozen mixed berries | CLICKMANIS/Shutterstock

From cooking fat to freezer cake, these are the items that make cooking easier for Eater editors

For active home cooks or even those who generally dread the task, the freezer deserves credit for helping get dinner (or dessert) on the table. It’s a place that offers a wealth of shortcut meals and snacks, from exceptional frozen dumplings to nostalgic treats like tater tots. Frozen ingredients like chicken stock or marinara sauce can get a home cook most of the way to a finished meal. As long as people know the best way to store and defrost their freezer items, whether they’re cuts of meat or bagels, a freezer is undeniably an indispensable tool, during a pandemic and otherwise.

Here’s a roundup of the useful items Eater editors are most likely to keep hidden away in their freezers.

Cooking fat: Meat isn’t an everyday item in our house, so when we do cook with it, my partner and I like to save every last bit. That means saving the fat. Grease is one of those pesky residuals of cooking that’s harder to dispose of. It really shouldn’t go directly down the drain. Some people wait for it to cool in a container and then pour it in the garbage. However, I recommend saving that flavor. When you cook chicken, duck, bacon, or anything else particularly precious and tasty, save the drippings in a glass container and stick it in the freezer. Then use it in place of butter or oil in your cooking to impart more flavor. Duck fat is particularly tasty for cooking fried eggs at breakfast time. —Brenna Houck, Eater Detroit editor

Ice cube tray and ice cubes: The most important items in my freezer are my two ice cube trays and the ice they hold. Since shelter-in-place has coincided with my pregnancy, I’m drinking a lot of non-alcoholic beverages, each of which is greatly improved by being even colder. I make cheater iced almond milk lattes by stirring drip coffee with ice and then adding more ice and almond milk. I cool down cups of herbal tea I discover I’ve left on the counter and enjoy iced tea. I drink so much more tap water when I remember to put ice cubes in it. The trick: Refill your tray with water every time you take cubes from it. Just make it part of your routine and it’s never empty. —Hillary Dixler Canavan, restaurant editor

Frozen fruit: My biggest freezer staple is frozen fruit, mostly because I love a good smoothie. Great for breakfast or anytime you feel like you need a Vitamin C boost, the secret to a thick, filling smoothie is to use a fresh banana and frozen fruit without adding ice. I just buy the bags frozen from my local grocery store (even tropical fruits like pitaya are now pretty easy to find), but this is also a great way to store those final few strawberries before they go bad. Other uses of fruit in your freezer: cocktail ingredients, drink garnishes, a snack (especially frozen mango). —Erin Russell, Eater Austin associate editor

Dino nuggets: Why eat boring chicken nuggets when you can eat chicken nuggets shaped like dinosaurs? It may be childish, but I will never stop getting a kick out of dino nuggets. It’s an easy lunch on a hectic day; just toss them in the toaster oven. Flip once. I guess you could make a side salad if you’re feeling fancy. But the only required side, as far as I’m concerned, is a dipping sauce — ideally barbecue sauce from Dinosaur Bar-B-Que because (a) it’s good and (b) obviously dino nuggets go best with Dino sauce. —Rachel Leah Blumenthal, Eater Boston editor

Homemade gumbo: Gumbo is one of my favorite meals to make at home, but let’s be real; it’s a project, a cooking task that’s going to clock in at a couple hours before it’s done. Luckily, since there are only two of us at home, making gumbo always means gumbo leftovers, and I don’t think there’s a more satisfying freezer meal for me than a bowl of gumbo that I simply pulled out of the freezer (stored in a quart container) to defrost the night before in the fridge, and reheated for dinner that evening. Gumbo doesn’t really deteriorate significantly in the freezer; all you have to do is throw some rice in the rice cooker, and you have an easy weeknight dinner that totally makes up for all the effort you initially put into making a roux, simmering your ingredients, and just having patience for the gumbo to finish the first time around. —Missy Frederick, cities director

Frozen dinners from mom: Being far away from my family is hard, especially now that I don’t really know when I can safely go back home to New York. Thankfully, I usually have deep-frozen containers of my mother’s home-cooking in my freezer, from my last visit home. Whenever I fly home, my mother usually asks me what foods I want to bring back (my favorites: shrimp and potol, a Bengali pointed gourd; chicken with squash), along with biryani. My mom batch-cooks everything and my dad portions out the food into 16-ounce deli containers, labels each one, and carefully packs everything into a disposable cooler with ice packs, ready to be placed in my overstuffed suitcase. This way, I can hold onto tastes of home even though it’s 1,700+ miles away. —Nadia Chaudhury, Eater Austin editor

Banana ice cream: Forget cookies and cream or chocolate chip cookie dough. Banana is the best ice cream flavor, and I make sure to keep a half-gallon in my freezer at all times. Living in Newark, I’m lucky to be within walking distance of the scoop shop that makes it best: Nasto’s. I have three scoops after dinner every night, always with a drizzle of chocolate syrup, and it’s pure bliss. I understand that ice cream isn’t the most exciting thing in a freezer compared to frozen dumplings or mochi, but the flavor takes me back to sitting on my late grandmother’s balcony in Ankara, where we would split a bowl of fruit — mostly bananas — together. —Esra Erol, senior social media manager

Freezer cake: I don’t remember what life was like before I discovered Freezer Cake. I don’t care to look back on that era. There’s something special about knowing a slice of banana upside-down cake or a thick slab of banana bread is waiting there, whispering my name gently from the back corner of the freezer. In these not-very-sweet times, being able to eat a slice of cake without ever cracking an egg or dirtying a bowl feels like a victory. All you need to do is let whatever cake you’ve so wisely frozen defrost slowly on the counter. Because sometimes turning on the oven is just too much work. —Elazar Sontag, staff writer

Stock: The one thing I always try to have in my freezer is stock. Usually it’s chicken stock, either made from the carcass of a roast chicken or from a big pile of chicken wings I dumped in my Instant Pot, because so many recipes call for it, whether a little bit to help finish a sauce or several cups to make a soup or stew. Homemade stock tastes noticeably better, and since it’s easy to keep in the freezer, making up a big batch doesn’t risk any going to waste. To freeze stock, I measure it out into plastic baggies in rough one or two cup amounts, using a ladle with a half-cup measure on it, and then lie them flat in the freezer one on top of the other, so when they harden, they’re easy to stack. When I need to defrost, I zap a frozen bag for 30 seconds or a minute in the microwave and break off roughly as much as I need, or drop the whole cup or two into the pot. I have endured the shame of throwing out all sorts of things from my freezer, but I have never, ever wasted stock. —Meghan McCarron, special correspondent

Homemade pesto: My frozen secret weapon is an ice cube tray full of homemade pesto. Pesto sauce, to me, is a special thing. Basil is a precious, flavorful commodity that seems expensive if you don’t have a farmers market nearby, and it doesn’t stay for very long either. Pine nuts are also quite pricey, so when I do make a big batch from scratch, I make sure to make it last. Pesto is so flavorful that you don’t need to use a lot for any single dish. That’s where the ice cube tray comes in. Filling a tray with pesto and freezing it into cubes is a trick I learned long ago when Pinterest was new on the scene and basically church for those interested in recipe ideas and hacks. Popping out one or two cubes of pesto as needed is a great way to make use of the sauce you may have made months ago when basil was in season, without having to defrost an entire Tupperware. It’s such an easy and fast way to add flavor to a quick pasta dish, some beans, a sandwich of any kind, and even to make into a vinaigrette for a salad on the fly. —Terri Ciccone, audience development manager

Salted caramel ice cream: If it’s freezer junk food you seek, I present Lotus Biscoff Salted Caramel Ice Cream, something I started hoarding during the pandemic. I swear it’s the softest ice cream I’ve ever found. The instructions even recommend leaving it out for five minutes to soften before you dig in. There is a straight Biscoff cookie version, but I like the salted caramel mixed in. I buy it at Target, and do a search before I venture out to make sure it’s in stock. —Susan Stapleton, Eater Vegas editor

Honorable mentions: Fresh herbs frozen in ice cube trays, bags of pre-peeled garlic, brownies, Eggo waffles, tortellini, peas, pierogis, homemade marinara sauce, cooked beans, rice cakes for stir fries, cookie dough.

from Eater - All https://ift.tt/3dAswSL https://ift.tt/3i4YvxC

Frozen mixed berries | CLICKMANIS/Shutterstock

From cooking fat to freezer cake, these are the items that make cooking easier for Eater editors

Here’s a roundup of the useful items Eater editors are most likely to keep hidden away in their freezers.

from Eater - All https://ift.tt/3dAswSL via Blogger https://ift.tt/3dBvQNn

#Blogger #cooking #Eater #food #recipes

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ladystylestores · 5 years ago

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Easy Ways to Use Alternatives to Plastic • The Blonde Abroad

Have you heard of Plastic Free July?

Plastic Free July is an exercise — a time to acknowledge just how much plastic waste we’re creating, and do something about it. In honor of the movement, and to be part of the solution to plastic pollution, I’ve put together some easy ways we can all reduce single-use plastic waste at home.

While the changes might seem small, they make a difference.

Patterns are easy to fall into, and oftentimes can be even harder to break. It’s my goal to help you identify easy ways to decrease the amount of plastic you use. I understand that sometimes sustainability practices can seem overwhelming — Where do you begin? Are you doing enough? Can you really make a difference?

The truth is that YES, you can make a difference.

Each single-use plastic you don’t use or throw away is one less piece of plastic not getting discarded into the landfills or the oceans. And small changes every day add up to big changes.

While you don’t have to create a massive composting pile in your backyard (unless you want to)—there are other things you can do to reduce your environmental impact and be environmentally conscious at home.

Once you begin to implement little changes, they become habitual, and soon enough you’re part of the change. Think you can get on board with that?

So, where do you start? Take into account your groceries, household items, beauty products, food items (takeout containers, coffee cups, things wrapped in plastic). Once you identify where you’re using plastic, it’s much easier to find alternatives.

Here are easy ways to switch to plastic-free alternatives!

At the Grocery Store

You can actually ditch the plastic produce bags they provide at the market, and simply present your fruits and veggies sans baggie (make sure to give them a good wash once you get home!).

Alternatively, if you like having your items all grouped together in bags, opt for reusable ones. I love these reusable mesh produce bags because they’re durable, you can throw them in the wash, and they’re sheer enough so the register can read the product labels easily through the bag.

Always, always, always bring your own reusable bags to bundle up your goods to take home!

Net String Bags

I love picking up canvas bags from various places as a souvenir and using those when I’m at the market. Alternatively, these net string shopping bags are fun!

Shop Now

Glass Containers with Tare Weight

Cut out the plastic bag when it comes to bulk items. Getting granola, chocolate covered almonds, or other dry goods?

Shop Now

Reusable Mesh Bags

If you like to bundle up your goods at the market, these reusable mesh produce bags scan through easily and can be washed in your laundry.

Shop Now

Shop Local as Much as Possible

Consider heading to your local farmers’ market more often, too! When you shop locally, most items are not wrapped in plastic to begin with!

Search for your local CSA—short for Community Support Agriculture—so you can support small, local farms. They might even offer a weekly produce box.

Make What You Can at Home

Some products that you buy at the store (and come with a ton of packaging) can pretty easily be made at home and stored in your own glass containers. A few of my faves to make at home are:

How I Make Plant-Based Milk at Home

(for Only $0.50!)

I prefer to opt for alternative milk over dairy for several reasons: less waste, fewer chemicals, and overall better digestion, to boot.

Beauty + Grooming

Dental Hygiene

This little thing that you do every day can often be overlooked when it comes to implementing a change — but it’s a pretty easy one at that! Toothpaste, toothbrushes, and even the single-use flossing picks can all be switched out for more sustainable and practically plastic-free versions.

I like using Davids Toothpaste — it comes in a metal tube, and while the cap is plastic, it’s a lot less plastic than most brands. Alternatives to this are toothpaste tablets or toothpaste in glass jars.

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Skincare

Many companies package skincare and like products in plastic containers. If you can consciously make the decision to not support those companies or buy those products —that’s an improvement!

Opt for glass containers or ones made with recyclable materials for a more sustainable option.

Some companies have made the transition to glass containers and still use plastic lids, and while it’s not 100%, it’s still an improvement. Here are several products that come in recyclable packaging (some are even completely zero-waste!).

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Shaving

While it will cost more upfront than disposable razors, you can opt for something with longevity like this metal razor.

Helpful Tip:

Also, consider your toiletries! Instead of the small bottles of shampoo that you use a couple of times and then throw out, can you switch to reusable containers?

Period Products

Menstrual cups are a game-changer! These cool little cups can be reused for years and you just need one to be covered for your entire period.

If you’ve never used one, you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how easy and clean they are.

Just insert it then empty as needed. You can wear it for up to 12 hours at a time. They are easy to clean and get ready for instant reuse.

Luna Cup, OrganiCup, and Saalt are some of the most popular brands. However, there is a range of options out there and you might find that one type is better than another for you!

Period panties are another must-try! Thinx is a really cool concept that can replace tampons or liners. Each pair of panties can hold up to four tampons’ worth. And don’t worry—it doesn’t feel like you’re wearing a diaper.

They’re super easy to use, zero waste, and the most comfortable option if you’re not a fan of traditional menstrual products.

Trash Bags

Trash bags are one of the easiest switches to make!

Compostable Trash Bags

These trash bags are biodegradable, made from plant materials, and are certified compostable in the US & Europe. There are a variety of sizes, too!

Shop Now

Water Bottles + Coffee Cups

Do you have a reusable water bottle? If not, have you considered how many plastic bottles you go through in a day…a week? Is the backseat of your car a graveyard of half-empty bottles?

Reusable water bottles are where it’s at!

Hydro Flask

I love how Hydro Flasks keep the contents of the bottle cold (or hot!).

Shop Now

Reusable Coffee Cup

On the note of reusable bottles, getting a reusable coffee cup is a wonderful switch, too!

While some places/cafés might not allow this for safety and health reasons, other places highly encourage it. At the very least, you can store your coffee or tea in the reusable mug with coffee from home when you’re on the go!

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Straws + Utensils

Plastic-free straws are having a moment and I am here for it! Plastic straws really are no good and there are so many alternatives: stainless steel straws, colorful silicone straws, bamboo straws.

Having a set of plastic-free straws at home, and a stashed-in-your-bag straw is a super easy solution. Along with your “bag straw,” you can also have a set of on-the-go utensils, too.

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Leftovers + Food Storage

I switched to Stasher Bags in place of Ziploc baggies and use them every day. While they are more expensive upfront than a box of Ziploc baggies, you end up saving in the long-run by not buying over and over. Plus they’re better for the environment.

Do you tend to cover leftovers with plastic wrap before putting them in the fridge? You can switch to reusable beeswax paper which works in just as well but it’s sustainable!

For other food storage: glass jars (like Mason Jars), or airtight stainless steel containers are fantastic.

Stainless Steel Containers

Stainless steel can keep cold foods cold and warm food warm for longer. Plus, these containers nest for compact storage and are dishwasher safe.

Shop Now

Reusable Beeswax Paper

Sustainable, natural food storage—this plastic-free and eco-friendly food wrap holds its shape when it colds, creating a seal. So no need for single-use plastic! You can wash with cool water and gentle soap, then reuse time and time again.

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Stasher Bags

Forget the single-use plastic baggies, these silicone ones are made to be used time and time again. They are dishwasher, freezer, and microwave safe and come in a variety of colors and sizes.

Shop Now

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Final Thoughts

Package Free Shop is a wonderful resource with tons of plastic-free and package-free goodies for you to make the switch to!

One of my favorite quotes is by Anne Marie Bonneau. She said, “The world doesn’t need a few people doing zero-waste perfectly. The world needs millions of people doing it imperfectly.”

So, remember this when you feel like you’re not doing *enough* or single-use plastic and pollution seems like an overwhelming problem that you can’t do anything about. Every little bit helps and making these easy switches is a great way to start.

Do you have any tips or suggestions when it comes to ditching plastic? Know of better alternatives? I’d love to hear in the comments below!

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abiteofnat · 7 years ago

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GOT OUR NASH(FILL) OF NASH(VILLE)...

Because if there was a thing to be eaten in this city, boy did we eat it. They like to do it big in the south and I was not prepared for just hOW big our three days in Nasty Nash would be, from the food to the people to the number on the thermometor. Luzi and I took a tour-de-midwest adventure by way of MegaBus to the land of Johnny Cash in the late summer weeks when we believed good weather and positive thinking was fleeting, as once school picks back up fun is a fallacy, especially because three months ago I was sitting in an arena surrounded by the best & brightest peers with tequila bottles hidden up their graduation gown sleeves and I believed I HAD DONE IT. The four years of education that were truly some of the best of my life had ended, and I was so proud to walk out a scholar... until last week when graduate classes began and I found myself back in those same rooms with the same familiar dread of 7:15 p.m., when every student goes to Chipotle on our break and comes back with a full-on burrito bowl meal that we ALL get to enjoy with them. Really. I love school.

But we needed this last hurrah.

So nine hours later and hundreds of miles seen through MegaBus windows, some McDonald’s consumed along the way for road trip posterity, we tumbled out into the late afternoon sun of NASHVILLE! Step number one: get to the Airbnb and drop off our suitcases and wash our smelly selves. Step number two: EAT SOME FRIED FOOD AND HEAR AT LEAST 1-5 FIDDLES.

We chose our first spot, ACME Feed & Seed, due to multiple suggestions to check it out and because it’s a four-story bar alongside the river. Um, that sounded ideal. And it was. We ordered fried green tomatoes with pimento cheese and remoulade along with a deep-dish cherry cobbler toped with vanilla bean ice cream as our intro dinner, and found a place to sit amidst the dark, crowded scene of the first floor. There was a live band playing excellent songs that the crowd seated at tables and along the extensive bar were vibbing with, and while we snacked on the most incredible candied cherry and whole-grain oatmeal topped cobbler we slowly realized we did it; our yolo trip had begun!!! There’s a weird part of traveling where you don’t really believe you’re at the destination until a couple hours later and the travel has worn off, and then suddenly you’re just present in the location and the moment and it’s exhilarating. We looked at each other and the devil was in our eyes and that night went from chill tomatoes & beer to DRANKS at the three-story bar smack dab in the middle of Lower Broadway, a soon-to-be home base for us called Honky Tonk.

Honky Tonk is where you go for loud live music, people singing along with that live music, tons of open balconies and tables and dance floors, and cheap-ish drinks that allow you to have a wild evening should you be open to that. We fell in love on the spot and a drink called a “Yee-Haw” became my #1 beverage of choice, and both guys that offered to buy me a drink looked entirely stricken that they had to order a “Yee-Haw” instead of a “Can I get a, uh, Bud Light? Yeah. Bud Light. That sounds manly.”

The top floor is where it’s at, as they play only well-known but kinda old country music and you get a full view both directions on Broadway. The bright neon lights and exceptional masses of people really did make it seem like THE place to be, and so we stayed. For three nights. Along with checking out other bars, of course.

Food wise, this trip was remarkable. We tried a little bit of everything whenever we could, and here are my top top places for Nashville noshing.

1. Barista Parlor

Barista Parlor is the exact kind of coffee shop you want to find in a city of hipsters, music, metal, and heat. This giant factory/warehouse turned “parlor” was cool in every way: quiet, dim-lit, full of fun knick-knacks and decor, and had a gorgeous wooden floor with the logo carved into it.

The coffee was incredible, and my iced latte was served in that type of glass that makes everything taste a little bit trendier. We had heard of Five Daughters bakery and their hundred-layer donuts, so given the opportunity to snag the last chocolate one they had RIGHT THERE we had to take it. This crisp, hand-pulled espresso in almond milk along with a REAL, fried-to-the-extreme donut proved to be a heart-stopping breakfast. Like, do not eat one of these donuts if you have a history of heart disease. But holy wow, it was incredible. It was greasy and chocolate-y and somehow still flaky like a croissant, and the glaze on top was genuine milk chocolate melted down and dripped all over. Barista Parlor won over my corporate- America barista heart, and should I ever move to Nashville I’m taking my barista skills there to go up a level.

Luzi approved!

2. Five Daughters Bakery

Ok this bakery was the damn cutest thing I’ve ever seen. It has pink, it has green, and it looks like every preppy brand teamed up to make gluttonous food for fashionable lil people. The area where this place is located is where Draper James (Reese Witherspoon’s store) is, and the murals that make the city of Nashville so very Instagram-able. We’re talking “I Believe in Nashville” and the blue + white stripes that make for a very dynamic photo. There are a million tiny stand-alone boutiques, coffee stops, and trendy places to buy a candle so if you have an afternoon to burn this is your area. After donut #2 of the day of the same variety (even though they have a dozen + types of donuts to choose from), we stopped at Frothy Monkey for a caffeine pick-me-up.

3. Frothy Monkey

Luzi was like a kid in a candy store when we made it here, because this place was her #1 to visit and I was so happy we stumbled upon it! This location near Five Daughters is like a house turned coffee-shop fort, and it’s incredible cozy inside and out. Tables were hard to snag but we got one right on the front porch and sat like a couple of oldies just watching the people go by and enjoying yet another perfect latte. Nashville knows how to do coffee very well. We went back the morning before our MegaBus home departed and it was just as cute and good at a different location, and they appeared to offer huge beautiful breakfasts if you wanted to sit in a more formal dining area. A coffee house that can also serve up a mean omelette? Hell yes.

4. Biscuit Love

After a long night of debauchery and all-around YOLO moments Luzi and I greeted the day with sunglasses and a hunger for heavy southern food that frightened us both, so off to The Gulch for biscuits and cheese and hopefully a lot of butter. We waited in the fast-moving line along with bachelorette parties galore, adorable young families, and bros just looking to brunch and it was clear that is area is up n’ coming as a top young people living spot. Biscuit Love was an adorable cafe with a straightforward but intriguing menu circling around, you guessed it, biscuits and gravy and all those good things. We both got a biscuit with eggs and cheese and some iced coffee, and WOW that was just what the doctor warned against. The biscuits were huge and fluffy, moist to the middle but with a crunchy outside, and the eggs were folded to be eaten sandwich style should you wish. The inside is a very basic “country-chic” feel and offers the right amount of cute but practical that one wishes for when they’re eating a cheesy biscuit in the most elegant way they can. I was a big fan and would for sure return to try whatever else isn’t slathered in non-vegetarian gravy!

5. Martin’s BBQ!

This place stole the show for me. A very kind dad recommended it to us on the first night and we were hesitant because there’s always caution when a fifty year old man chooses to talk to two young women at a bar packed with people our age, but once we arrived at some real authentic BBQ I was thrilled. As I am a pro at making meals out of sides we got deviled eggs, mac & cheese, coleslaw, and some herb-pancake that was far too delicious for how cheap it was to sample. Luzi got the fried chicken that I drooled over from across the table, but the sides were all amazing and it was my absolute favorite meal we had there. The interior of this place is like a giant covered beer garden with tons of picnic and hightop tables and then trees and foliage all over, completed with bars and arcade style games once you move further inside. It’s loud, smoky, casual, and yet so perfect for a beer and some homestyle food. Plus, it’s only a couple blocks from Broadway so after you’re done and dawn has turned to dusk you just wander over to the nutty part of town for the night!

Honorable mentions include: the Florida Georgia Line bar that’s across from the Johnny Cash Museum; it has an excellent rooftop and by day is perfect for day drinking while at night turns into a RODEO of sorts. Plus their food in the lower levels is actually delicious and they play country music videos on the walls the whole time. Man I love country music and greasy food put together. Also, The Little Octopus offers a fancier evening setting if that’s what you’re looking for, with healthy & delicious tapas-style options such as fried yukka with aioli and rice and beans topped with a spicy tomato sauce. We treated ourselves on our last night out and got a flavor-filled, high class experience there that let us reflect on our time in Nash and get really emo about leaving. In 72 hours we really really fell in love with that city, from our sketchy but lovely Airbnb to everyone that kept asking “BUT WHERE’S THE REST OF YOUR GROUP” when they refused to believe it was just two of us doin’ a girl’s trip.

Would I go back? Absolutely. By way of the Megabus? Nope. But it was an excellent experience, and Nasty Nash filled our tummies & souls.

Until next time, Happy Eating!

-Natalie

#chicago #nashville #food blog #foodie #good eats #southern #southern living #southern style #fried chicken #broadway #coffee #travel #girl's trip

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jprologic · 8 years ago

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I have no affiliate links in my posts…yet. When I do, you’ll be the first to know. Or rather, the second.

Here recently I’ve had some major epiphanies when it comes to what my purpose in life is. As such, life is about to become very full…I mean fuller, and this forced me to evaluate my current life systems. I considered both of what I am being called to do, as well as things that I would like to build upon habit wise. Since we are all given 24 hours in a day, and some of us accomplish a ton, and some of us don’t, I had to look at my current productivity systems if I wanted to remain in the former category. I knew that no matter how much I chose to take on, I would still want time for rest, connection with my family and creativity. I’ve learned over the past 15 years that you can do and accomplish a lot of things while still having a ton of time left for unwinding. The only way to do it however is to keep things simple and not to waste time.

Much like your computer needs updating, so does one’s daily life habits. Each upgrade should produce pleasure and make life even more fun to live. I genuinely love the gym so when I went to upgrade my workout habits, I re-joined my preferred gym, but chose a location closer to my horses since that’s where I am in the morning. Now I enjoy my coffee while feeding and grooming my horses, and then head to the gym down the road to get a good routine in and can get home after work instead of getting a workout in. Now, if I hated gyms then maybe I would have added trail running or yoga instead. The point is, if you don’t like doing something, or if being around a certain person is close to painful, then stop spending that time in that way. We must be prudent, and good stewards of the time that we do have in a day. More pleasure and less bitching can solve a lot of problems.

I have found while living in simplicity that many opportunities present themselves, or I can actively pursuit them. This is because without clutter, chaos, distraction, and toxic relationships I’ve made the room in my life for me to “see” them. Without these things, I couldn’t handle the 9 very different irons that I currently have in the fire. Irons that I love by the way. Irons that made the somewhat painful weeding out process well worth it in the end. By the way, the process of weeding out can be it’s own journey. In fact, it can even be brutal and you’ll have to be courageous enough to allow that process in order to get as healthy as possible. It was something that I struggled with, and I took a decent amount of heat from people who are not only hard to be around, but have zero intentions of ever changing themselves and would rather bring you down for doing so. If that is the part of your life’s journey that you are in, then honor that. It has many gifts to share with you. If you would like some emotional support for while you’re going through it, then I invite you to see how I and another talented writer went through these processes, and continue to as it’s a life long thing. It just gets easier the more that you accept it as part of life. I promise. Check it out: liveyourpositivelife.com

Here I’ve taken my very short list of powerful personal actions for living a simple life and show how I personally implement them. As basic as these actions are, they are called “personal” for a reason. They are subjective and it’s up to you to make them your own.

Alas, things do not always go according to plan or the way that you want them to in life, but what is great about these powerful actions in particular is that once you build upon them for yourself, they are there for you to fall back upon while you re-position yourself. This keeps you fresh and organized for when you’re ready to try again at seizing opportunities. No worries if things go awry, when you’re living a simple life with any sort of dedication and intention, it’s not IF the opportunity comes, or IF things fall into place as they are meant to…it’s WHEN. Therefore, keep yourself prepared for the life of your dreams:

Feel Feelings

Dun Dun Daaaahhhhh. Yeah, I said it. Listen, the pain and suffering actually comes from avoiding it. If you sit with feelings you often can come to the root cause of them and work to release whatever it is that you are feeling. Please remember that feelings are not facts. They are just passing through our experience and the only thing that can give them power is our action and reaction to them.

As I have written about in the past at liveyourpositivelife, there was some in-law nonsense/trauma that I suffered through a few years back. Here recently though, some residual sadness and anger bubbled up and I almost chose to ignore it. Since I know better, I did all that I could to clear it by feeling it. I also went and spent about 5 hours talking to my parents about it and other family things, which is something that I never really did before with regard to this topic. Then with the combination of just allowing the feelings, coupled with the venting it out into the open, the feelings were gone. Just like when you turn on a light switch and it’s no longer dark, it was over. With the ickies out of the way, and back to feeling good, better decisions and clearer thinking can be had.

Acknowledge Fault

This is character building and it takes some practice, but once you are able to assume responsibility for actions, life actually gets easier. Have you ever tried telling a lie, and then had to tell another and then one more after that to cover for the first? Not only did it not work out in the end, the entire process was exhausting and probably got a lot of people angry and it ruined their trust in you. Learn to mean this: “I am sorry. It will never happen again. These are the actions I’ve taken to correct the action…”

I got the chance to practice this when I lost one of my client’s monthly boarding checks. This is a check that covers the boarding fee for two horses and are funds that I draw from to pay the landlord, as well as their grain and supplies. Of course it happened on a beautiful Sunday after I had a wonderful early ride and lovingly groomed all of the horses leaving my world to feel perfect and complete. When I realized that my check pouch was missing out of my purse I was so upset at myself. I was able to immediately pin point why it had happened, all because I had fallen out of organization that week because I had not realized until that moment that my systems were out of date to the changes I had recently undergone. I had to email her, apologize, ask her to reissue the check, and deduct and then cover her cancelled check fee. In the end it was more than ok, and it will never happen again. But blaming, coming up with a story, covering your tracks, it’s all needless and it will cost you much more overall than accepting responsibility ever could.

Create REALLY Healthy Habits S-L-O-W-L-Y

For me personally it all began about 10 years ago and it was a domino effect. Once I started working out, I didn’t want to eat bad food. Once I stopped drinking and hanging around party-all-night kind of people, I only wanted enriching experiences with close friends. Once I started meditating, I only wanted more quiet to connect to my creativity. Paying attention to my new found desire to live my life with intention had me actually living that way with only small changes a little at a time.

Wanting to build a gym routine can begin with a few walks around the neighborhood. Eating better can start with cutting take out one day per week. It’s the intention that matters the most and by asking yourself the below questions you just may find where to begin. Once you find a start place, start small. Want to meditate? Read about it, watch something on YouTube, or download an app, and aim for 2x in a week for 5 min each. From there gradually bump the time and frequency up. While in the process of creating healthy habits, think about these questions:

With What Do You Fill Your Head/Heart/Sub-conscious?

Since I’ve cut cable, you can find me on YouTube or Netflix under documentaries. I recently loaded Stitcher on to my phone so that I can listen to some awesome podcasts; both while I’m in the gym, and even while I’m riding my horse! It’s free and it’s awesome. Below is a few snapshots of my playlists. Please believe that Gary Vaynerchuk is on there!

When it comes to reading, I only read self improvement, spirituality, financial and business books. I have so little time that every moment that I do have I maximize with putting the most beneficial things into my thinking systems. You can find my essentials for your bookcase or reading device right here.

2. With What Do You Fill Your Vessel?

This is one that I’m constantly working on. I mean constantly. I have plenty of posts on here about meal planning and perfect grocery shopping but what I do 97% of the time is just make the best choice that I can in the moment. I go out of my way to remove all of the chemical laden sugar stuff from my existence by not buying it at all. Of course this leaves me with only whole foods that then must be prepared. On the nights that I run behind and don’t prepare my lunch for the next day, there have been times that I resorted to the fried chicken wings from the bodega down the street from work. Know what? I’m still alive. I didn’t get upset about my “poor choice”, I just resolved to do better next time.

When it comes to my mornings, I be sure to start off the way that I intend to go with the best of the best. Coffee: I make it as healthy as possible. It’s organic and I use unsweetened almond or coconut milk and then put in cinnamon for the added health benefit. I’ve nixed sugar and flavored creamers all together. Water: It’s the first thing that I drink in the morning, and I have it at room temperature so not to shock my system. To grow this habit, I will be adding organic lemons to it. Smoothie: I practice intermittent fasting and therefore only eat from 11 am to 7pm. But I do need nutrients so I mix up spinach, banana, almond butter, flax seed and coco powder with almond milk. If nothing else, then at least I have this great start to the day.

Most dis-ease can be avoided in the first place with better diet and lifestyle practices. Care enough about yourself to really do the homework about what you ingest. Understand how it moves through the system and that everything we swallow ends up as part of our anatomy.

3. With What Do You Do With Your Vessel?

Are you working out? Walking? Praying? Playing? Do you have quiet time? Are you reading things and viewing shows that add benefit to your life by making you think or inspiring you to do and be more? Do you plan trips to rest and recharge? Are you connecting in kinship with a supportive community?

I recently became very active in helping to start up my neighborhood’s civic association. The people that I’ve met and talk to weekly are amazing. We are all so very diverse and yet all of us have learned from and enjoy one another. I love walking around my city blocks meeting people and spreading the word. I’m forming community at home and that’s very important to be successful in life. Reach out, get involved. Start something, join something. Pay close attention to what thrills you and move towards that. That’s why we’re actually here on this planet. It’s not just to pay bills and then die.

4. Do You Have Morning & Evening Routines?

Crucial. SO crucial. Things can get away from us in the middle of the day. There’s so much that isn’t within our control; traffic, late starts and early dismissals from school, getting sick, other people’s tardiness. Yet the start and the end of our days are totally up to us and well within our control.

I used to sprint out the door about 20 minutes before I was supposed to be somewhere. I was tired, not prepared, and constantly chasing my tail through out the day. Now a days, I’m up at 4:30 am, done feeding and grooming my horses by 6:45 and at the gym by 7. I’m showered and heading to work by 8:15. I have everything with me, I know what I’m doing that day and where I have to be by what time. There is such a sharp contrast to how things are now as compared to how they used to be, that I can never go back. Once you taste the sweet freedom of the simplicity of granting yourself proper time in the morning, you won’t go back either.

My night time routine really exists to support my morning routine; prepare gym bag, do I need my riding clothes for after work? Is there lunch in the fridge for tomorrow? This is still a work in progress for me as I want to add nice things like stretching and also more things like more cuddles with Dylan and connection with Michael. To begin, Dylan and I started a new routine of going down to the river on certain weeknights. We look at the ducks, we sit on our rock and watch the sunset, and we just BE in the nature. I’m a firm believer that it take baby steps and I know that I will add even more great family connections because it’s small changes in a habit over a long period of time that makes them successful. (See what I just did there?)

Take Care Of The Small Things

Mow the yard if it needs it. Always wash, dry and put away the dishes at the end of the night. Make your bed every single day. These things reflect maturity, self-love and they build discipline. To lead the life of your dreams, you need to have your shit together and you can’t tackle the big things without taking care of the little things. Will you fall off from time to time? Yes. But then you take a few hours, or a day, and restore the balance in anyway that feels right to you. You’ll feel better and can move forward.

Of course there are some little pesky things that have to be done but we want to put them off. In those instances, I find it best to just do them as little as necessary. Don’t like paying bills? Make it a point to only have to do it once per month by making a budget and paying bills in advanced, or put them on auto pay. Hate the doctor/dentist? Make all appointments in the same week and just get it done. One thing that I’ve noticed by making sure all of the necessities are taken care of, I’m able to relax much more. The peace that you feel is palpable. Everyone deserves to feel that way.

In conclusion,

Simple living is simple…if you allow it to be. These actions one by one can build something magnificent. I’m living proof as the more that I practice these actions, the better things get. The key to it all is to allow. Allow yourself to have a lazy day without punishment. Allow yourself to adjust life practices so that they suit better. Most importantly, allow yourself to let go of the need to control or your need to keep doing things that are no longer working.

Jenna

I’m a blogger who is addicted to simplicity. My next goal is furthering my minimalistic habits by getting rid of 10 things per week. You will be hard pressed to find clutter in my home, yet I’m always able to find at least 10 things to pass on. I’m curious with just how little I may actually need to live life well. This blog documents my life journey thus far with simplifying all aspects of my life. As a former habitual shopper who was constantly in a rush to partake in nonsense, I hope to show others that simplicity is where it’s at.

And no, the picture isn’t recent; it’s 5 years old actually, but I had done my hair myself.

Powerful Personal Actions That Lead To The Simple Life Of Your Dreams I have no affiliate links in my posts...yet. When I do, you'll be the first to know.

#Truth #intuition #Learning #Organizing #Productivity #time management

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easyfoodnetwork · 5 years ago

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Frozen mixed berries | CLICKMANIS/Shutterstock From cooking fat to freezer cake, these are the items that make cooking easier for Eater editors For active home cooks or even those who generally dread the task, the freezer deserves credit for helping get dinner (or dessert) on the table. It’s a place that offers a wealth of shortcut meals and snacks, from exceptional frozen dumplings to nostalgic treats like tater tots. Frozen ingredients like chicken stock or marinara sauce can get a home cook most of the way to a finished meal. As long as people know the best way to store and defrost their freezer items, whether they’re cuts of meat or bagels, a freezer is undeniably an indispensable tool, during a pandemic and otherwise. Here’s a roundup of the useful items Eater editors are most likely to keep hidden away in their freezers. Cooking fat: Meat isn’t an everyday item in our house, so when we do cook with it, my partner and I like to save every last bit. That means saving the fat. Grease is one of those pesky residuals of cooking that’s harder to dispose of. It really shouldn’t go directly down the drain. Some people wait for it to cool in a container and then pour it in the garbage. However, I recommend saving that flavor. When you cook chicken, duck, bacon, or anything else particularly precious and tasty, save the drippings in a glass container and stick it in the freezer. Then use it in place of butter or oil in your cooking to impart more flavor. Duck fat is particularly tasty for cooking fried eggs at breakfast time. —Brenna Houck, Eater Detroit editor Ice cube tray and ice cubes: The most important items in my freezer are my two ice cube trays and the ice they hold. Since shelter-in-place has coincided with my pregnancy, I’m drinking a lot of non-alcoholic beverages, each of which is greatly improved by being even colder. I make cheater iced almond milk lattes by stirring drip coffee with ice and then adding more ice and almond milk. I cool down cups of herbal tea I discover I’ve left on the counter and enjoy iced tea. I drink so much more tap water when I remember to put ice cubes in it. The trick: Refill your tray with water every time you take cubes from it. Just make it part of your routine and it’s never empty. —Hillary Dixler Canavan, restaurant editor Frozen fruit: My biggest freezer staple is frozen fruit, mostly because I love a good smoothie. Great for breakfast or anytime you feel like you need a Vitamin C boost, the secret to a thick, filling smoothie is to use a fresh banana and frozen fruit without adding ice. I just buy the bags frozen from my local grocery store (even tropical fruits like pitaya are now pretty easy to find), but this is also a great way to store those final few strawberries before they go bad. Other uses of fruit in your freezer: cocktail ingredients, drink garnishes, a snack (especially frozen mango). —Erin Russell, Eater Austin associate editor Dino nuggets: Why eat boring chicken nuggets when you can eat chicken nuggets shaped like dinosaurs? It may be childish, but I will never stop getting a kick out of dino nuggets. It’s an easy lunch on a hectic day; just toss them in the toaster oven. Flip once. I guess you could make a side salad if you’re feeling fancy. But the only required side, as far as I’m concerned, is a dipping sauce — ideally barbecue sauce from Dinosaur Bar-B-Que because (a) it’s good and (b) obviously dino nuggets go best with Dino sauce. —Rachel Leah Blumenthal, Eater Boston editor Homemade gumbo: Gumbo is one of my favorite meals to make at home, but let’s be real; it’s a project, a cooking task that’s going to clock in at a couple hours before it’s done. Luckily, since there are only two of us at home, making gumbo always means gumbo leftovers, and I don’t think there’s a more satisfying freezer meal for me than a bowl of gumbo that I simply pulled out of the freezer (stored in a quart container) to defrost the night before in the fridge, and reheated for dinner that evening. Gumbo doesn’t really deteriorate significantly in the freezer; all you have to do is throw some rice in the rice cooker, and you have an easy weeknight dinner that totally makes up for all the effort you initially put into making a roux, simmering your ingredients, and just having patience for the gumbo to finish the first time around. —Missy Frederick, cities director Frozen dinners from mom: Being far away from my family is hard, especially now that I don’t really know when I can safely go back home to New York. Thankfully, I usually have deep-frozen containers of my mother’s home-cooking in my freezer, from my last visit home. Whenever I fly home, my mother usually asks me what foods I want to bring back (my favorites: shrimp and potol, a Bengali pointed gourd; chicken with squash), along with biryani. My mom batch-cooks everything and my dad portions out the food into 16-ounce deli containers, labels each one, and carefully packs everything into a disposable cooler with ice packs, ready to be placed in my overstuffed suitcase. This way, I can hold onto tastes of home even though it’s 1,700+ miles away. —Nadia Chaudhury, Eater Austin editor Banana ice cream: Forget cookies and cream or chocolate chip cookie dough. Banana is the best ice cream flavor, and I make sure to keep a half-gallon in my freezer at all times. Living in Newark, I’m lucky to be within walking distance of the scoop shop that makes it best: Nasto’s. I have three scoops after dinner every night, always with a drizzle of chocolate syrup, and it’s pure bliss. I understand that ice cream isn’t the most exciting thing in a freezer compared to frozen dumplings or mochi, but the flavor takes me back to sitting on my late grandmother’s balcony in Ankara, where we would split a bowl of fruit — mostly bananas — together. —Esra Erol, senior social media manager Freezer cake: I don’t remember what life was like before I discovered Freezer Cake. I don’t care to look back on that era. There’s something special about knowing a slice of banana upside-down cake or a thick slab of banana bread is waiting there, whispering my name gently from the back corner of the freezer. In these not-very-sweet times, being able to eat a slice of cake without ever cracking an egg or dirtying a bowl feels like a victory. All you need to do is let whatever cake you’ve so wisely frozen defrost slowly on the counter. Because sometimes turning on the oven is just too much work. —Elazar Sontag, staff writer Stock: The one thing I always try to have in my freezer is stock. Usually it’s chicken stock, either made from the carcass of a roast chicken or from a big pile of chicken wings I dumped in my Instant Pot, because so many recipes call for it, whether a little bit to help finish a sauce or several cups to make a soup or stew. Homemade stock tastes noticeably better, and since it’s easy to keep in the freezer, making up a big batch doesn’t risk any going to waste. To freeze stock, I measure it out into plastic baggies in rough one or two cup amounts, using a ladle with a half-cup measure on it, and then lie them flat in the freezer one on top of the other, so when they harden, they’re easy to stack. When I need to defrost, I zap a frozen bag for 30 seconds or a minute in the microwave and break off roughly as much as I need, or drop the whole cup or two into the pot. I have endured the shame of throwing out all sorts of things from my freezer, but I have never, ever wasted stock. —Meghan McCarron, special correspondent Homemade pesto: My frozen secret weapon is an ice cube tray full of homemade pesto. Pesto sauce, to me, is a special thing. Basil is a precious, flavorful commodity that seems expensive if you don’t have a farmers market nearby, and it doesn’t stay for very long either. Pine nuts are also quite pricey, so when I do make a big batch from scratch, I make sure to make it last. Pesto is so flavorful that you don’t need to use a lot for any single dish. That’s where the ice cube tray comes in. Filling a tray with pesto and freezing it into cubes is a trick I learned long ago when Pinterest was new on the scene and basically church for those interested in recipe ideas and hacks. Popping out one or two cubes of pesto as needed is a great way to make use of the sauce you may have made months ago when basil was in season, without having to defrost an entire Tupperware. It’s such an easy and fast way to add flavor to a quick pasta dish, some beans, a sandwich of any kind, and even to make into a vinaigrette for a salad on the fly. —Terri Ciccone, audience development manager Salted caramel ice cream: If it’s freezer junk food you seek, I present Lotus Biscoff Salted Caramel Ice Cream, something I started hoarding during the pandemic. I swear it’s the softest ice cream I’ve ever found. The instructions even recommend leaving it out for five minutes to soften before you dig in. There is a straight Biscoff cookie version, but I like the salted caramel mixed in. I buy it at Target, and do a search before I venture out to make sure it’s in stock. —Susan Stapleton, Eater Vegas editor Honorable mentions: Fresh herbs frozen in ice cube trays, bags of pre-peeled garlic, brownies, Eggo waffles, tortellini, peas, pierogis, homemade marinara sauce, cooked beans, rice cakes for stir fries, cookie dough. from Eater - All https://ift.tt/3dAswSL

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