Freeze It and Save

Last week I made my favorite glazed salmon recipe, which calls for one teaspoon of adobo sauce. Back in the day, I would purchase a can of chipotle chiles, use one teaspoon of the adobo sauce, and then pitch the rest of the can. After all, it wasn't like I was going to make the same recipe the next day! And it only cost 99 cents...not a big deal, right?

Now that I'm a little more concerned about my consumption habits, I've learned to modify my behavior to send less waste to the landfills with the added benefit of spending less money at the grocery store. Here are some quick and easy tips to freezing:

Freezing Sauces
Save that leftover spaghetti sauce, pesto, gravy, or just about any other sauce (including adobo) for upcoming meals. Simply pour the remaining sauce into a muffin tin or ice cube tray and freeze. Once frozen solid, pop the sauce cubes out, put into an airtight container, and return to the freezer. Your frozen sauce will be good for two months.

Freezing Fresh Fruit Juices
If you know you’re not going to be able to use those limes and lemons before they go bad, squeeze the juice into an ice cube tray and freeze. Once frozen solid, remove from tray, put into freezer bags, and return to the freezer. Your frozen fruit juice will be good for 8 to 12 months.

Freezing Fresh Herbs
Fresh herbs are yummy but can be expensive. Don’t let those leftover herbs go to waste. Wash the healthiest looking leaves and pat dry with a dishtowel or (gasp) paper towel. Spread the individual leaves on a small tray or cookie sheet. Cover and place the tray of leaves into the freezer. It’s important to freeze the leaves flat so they don’t turn into a big ol’ solid brick. Once frozen solid, place in airtight containers and return to the freezer. Your frozen herbs will be good for about three months.

Share your tips! What do you like to freeze?

5 Minute Organic Herb Garden

I absolutely LOVE to try new recipes and I truly believe that fresh herbs can make or break a meal. But it gets rather expensive to buy fresh herbs for each dish that you make. My favorite Roasted Chicken with Lemon and Thyme just isn't the same with dried thyme so I used to buy fresh thyme for this dish and then throw the rest away. How often do you really use thyme? What a waste!

I always wanted an herb garden of my own but I mistakenly thought that they were too much work. That all changed when I discovered the organic potted herbs at my grocery store. Not only are they grown organically, they are planted in biodegradable pots so all you have to do is dig a hole, put the entire pot in the ground, fill with soil, and water. Voila! You have an organic herb garden in less than five minutes.

The picture above is my mini herb garden, which is nestled happily between my gerbera daisies and bougainvilla. Admittedly, this is a rather odd location for an herb garden but it works! If you don't have a yard, you can easily plant a window box of herbs in your kitchen or on your patio.

It's worth it knowing that I have these wonderful herbs at my fingertips. All I have to do is walk out to my backyard to pick cilantro, basil, oregano, parsley, and of course, thyme, for my summertime meals. Plus, I'm saving money (and last minute trips to the store) when I want to whip up a batch of guacamole. (Sorry but I can't link to that recipe because it's top secret.)

Tips to Green Your Next BBQ

Green Grill:
Gas is the most resource-efficient means of powering a grill and the least polluting. Gas barbecues produce about half as much CO2 as charcoal grills, and about 1/3 as much as electric grills. If you are a die-hard charcoal enthusiast, there are green options for you as well! Coconut Shell Briquette Charcoal is all natural and 100% chemical free.

Smart Food:
Your local farmer’s market is a great resource for local fruits, vegetables, meats, and dairy products. If you are serving fish, the Sierra Club recommends wild-caught Alaskan or Canadian salmon and farmed U.S. catfish as sustainable choices. Organic meat is always a good choice if you can afford it.

Natural Drinks:
We used to always offer a tub full of bottled water on ice so our guests would stay hydrated in the heat (especially when serving alcohol). I’ve discovered the error of my ways and now serve up iced water in a glass jug filled with lemons, limes, or even refreshing cucumber slices. Looking for locally brewed beer? Check out BeerTown to find a craft brewer near you. If vino is more your speed, Chartrand Imports offers a list of sites that sell organic wine by state.

Savvy Serving:
Use cloth napkins instead of paper towels or paper napkins. You can find them on sale and you can use them over and over again. Use reusable or compostable plates, cups and silverware to minimize waste. There are some wonderful serving dishes made from sustainable resources or recycled materials. Check out these bamboo bowls and recycled glass platters.

Eco Cleanup:
Don’t dump the half-empty glasses of water down the drain! Pour them all into a bucket and use that water to refresh your potted plants, yard, or indoor plants. It goes without saying that all cans and bottles should be recycled. Leftover vegetables can go into your compost pile or you can send plates of leftovers home with your guests.