If you haven’t already guessed, I have a “thing” for simplifying.
Too often, I’ve decided to “ditch sugar” or “cut out the crap” and found myself biting off way more than I could chew… so to speak. I’ve done eCourses to help me make the changes, but really struggle to implement all of the changes so that they stick, so now
I just choose one thing.
I give myself a month.
And I get it sorted.
Every month or so, I choose one thing that we eat frequently and make a conscious effort to find a better alternative.
By giving myself just one thing each month, it means that I have the time to fully implement the changes and create a strategy for making those changes last.
Here are some ideas from what we’ve done. Please remember – whatever you choose to reduce or eliminate shouldn’t complicate your life. This is about simplifying and reducing the unnecessary to make room – in your heart, your mind, your home -for more of the good stuff.
Mayonnaise
We go through mayonnaise at a rapid rate so I wanted a better alternative to what was available in the shops. I now make my own using a simpleDonna Hay recipe. It’s quick and easy. A few minutes of work lasts a couple of weeks in a jar in the fridge. This also works out a lot cheaper than the store varieties, especially when you own chooks. I don’t own a Thermomix so I just use a regular blender and it does the job well.
Icing sugar
Instead of icing sugar, I now use one of three alternatives:
- Cream cheese and coconut sugar or stevia
- Coconut cream, cacao and rice malt syrup
- Whipped cream and vanilla
These alternatives aren’t sickly sweet like regular icing is and we find that now the adults can enjoy birthday cake too.
Minced Garlic
Making your own minced garlic is very quick and easy. I just peel and cut the rough ends off the garlic, then blitz them in a food processor. I add a pinch of salt and enough olive oil to just cover the garlic in a jar. I keep it in the fridge and tah-dah! Minced garlic when I need it!
Herbs
I grow my own. You only need a pot and some dirt!
Canned Food
Although it’s difficult to eliminate all canned food from our diet, I do as much as I can.
If you purchase your fresh produce from your local farmer’s market or green grocer, they will often have bulk fresh produce packaged up for quick sale because it’s close to going bad. Whenever I see tomatoes like this, I’ll grab a heap and dice them to freeze.
You can do the same when you have an abundance of produce in the garden. When zucchinis are in season, they can be prolific and there’s no way we would ever use them all at the rate they ripen. They can be grated and frozen to add to quiches, pies and meat dishes during winter. Beans and celery can also be chopped and frozen. They tends to hold a lot of water though, so you really only want to be adding these to soup dishes or casseroles.
This simplifies your life by helping you:
- save money
- be more self-sufficient
- eat a variety of food year-round without having to pay top dollar for out-of-season produce
- always have something in the freezer to add to a meal
Now over to you. What do YOU do to simplify food and create lasting change in the kitchen?
PS. You might also enjoy this guest blog I wrote for Eco Parents about helping kids make and enjoy real food.
