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Zero-Waste Chef

  • ZWC Book

It’s a Book!

Posted on September 30, 2020May 18, 2023by Anne-Marie Bonneau

I’ve been working on this for a while! My book is now available.

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  • Wasted Food

MK’s Waste Free Strawberry Blueberry Galette with Semolina Pastry

Posted on May 31, 2023June 1, 2023by Anne-Marie Bonneau
A strawberry blueberry galette baked in a cast iron pan cools on a wooden backdrop. A red and white striped dishtowel sits off to the side.

Have strawberries past their peak? Save those berries while wasting zero pastry in a rustic galette—no trimming of the dough required.

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  • Sourdough

Egg Free Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies with Sourdough

Posted on May 25, 2023May 25, 2023by Anne-Marie Bonneau

These oatmeal chocolate chip cookies contain a very small amount of sourdough discard and flaxseed meal to replace the egg.

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  • Wasted Food

Quickly Turn Dry Bread Into Garlic Breadcrumbs

Posted on May 16, 2023May 16, 2023by Anne-Marie Bonneau
A wooden spoon stirs toasting breadcrumbs in a stainless steel frying pan cooking on an induction cooktop

Grate up dry bread into breadcrumbs, cook in garlic-infused fat and sprinkle on top of savory dishes like salad and pasta.

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  • Zero-Waste Basics

How FabMo Keeps 70 Tons of Designer Materials Out of Landfill Every Year

Posted on May 10, 2023May 11, 2023by Anne-Marie Bonneau
Bolts of various kinds of fabric in colorful patterns

Located in Silicon Valley, FabMo rescues designer materials headed for landfills and makes them available to the public for creative reuse.

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  • Fermentation

Brew Kombucha for the Climate, an Online Fundraising Workshop

Posted on May 5, 2023May 4, 2023by Anne-Marie Bonneau
a bottle of kombucha and two small glasses sit on a white tablecloth

Do you like kombucha? Do you want to see climate action? This workshop is for you. Brew kombucha and raise money for climate action.

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  • Wasted Food

Composting Is a Last Resort for Wasted Food

Posted on May 3, 2023May 3, 2023by Anne-Marie Bonneau

Composting is a crucial, yet last resort, taken after we have exhausted all the other efforts to reduce wasted food.

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  • Zero-Waste Basics

7 Consumer Habits I Easily Ditched and Don’t Miss

Posted on April 23, 2023April 23, 2023by Anne-Marie Bonneau
A hand pulls a flannel handkerchief out of a jean pocket. A white washing machine filled with clothes is in the background.

A handkerchief stuffed inside a pocket got me thinking about aspects of consumerism I’m happy I no longer have to deal with.

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  • Sourdough

Egg Free Chocolate Chip Cookies With a Sourdough Twist

Posted on April 12, 2023April 12, 2023by Anne-Marie Bonneau
Closeup of cooling chocolate chip cookies with sourdough discard flax egg

No taste testers have detected that these chocolate chip cookies contain a sourdough discard flax egg replacer. They just ask for more.

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  • Garden

How to Sew a Garden Kneeling Pad with Fabric Scraps

Posted on April 5, 2023April 5, 2023by Anne-Marie Bonneau
A denim garden kneeling pad outside. In the background are blooming orange California poppies.

If you have old jeans and lots of fabric scraps, you have the components to sew a kneeling pad for comfortably working in the garden.

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6 Comments

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Strawberry blueberry galettes with semolina pastry Strawberry blueberry galettes with semolina pastry Because you don’t trim the edges of galettes, which could lead to pastry waste, and you can fill a galette with whatever fruit (or vegetable) you have on hand, this rustic open pastry reduces wasted food—saving money, conserving resources, reducing methane and filling tummies, not trash cans. I had intended to bake these galettes immediately after I bought berries on the weekend but didn’t get around to it for a couple of days. By then the strawberries looked a bit sad, their flesh softening and color fading. In other words, they were still perfect for a fruit filling! If you don’t gobble these up entirely after they cool, cover them with a plate, not plastic wrap, to store. And freeze any berry bits to make fruit scrap soda later. See my profile or Stories for the link to the new recipe, courtesy of my daughter, MK.
TP TEA in Cupertino is now on the list of Silicon TP TEA in Cupertino is now on the list of Silicon Valley businesses that allow customers to bring their own mugs—or stylin’ @bettybobaco reusable glass and ceramic tumblers!—to fill with boba in order to avoid the single-use plastic. So much nicer to drink out of than single-use plastic. Over 50 businesses are now on the list of restaurants, cafés and bulk stores that allow—encourage even!—customers to bring their own containers to fill, avoid throwaway takeout containers and reduce waste. (Link to the full list @svreduces.) And if you'd like to start a similar initiative in your town, come to the next @usreduces and find out how to do it. (It's pretty easy!) . . . . . #bobateahouse #byoc #byocup #reusereduce #reusables #reuserevolution #reusablecup #wastenotwantnot #sustainablelifestyle #wastefreeliving #plasticpollution #plasticpollutes #plasticfreeliving #plasticfreelifestyle #breakfreefromplastic #plasticisfossilfuel #lesswaste #lowwasteliving #intentionalliving #slowlivingmovement #artofslowliving #zerowastejourney #zerowastelifestyle #zerowastetips #zerowastechef #climatecrisis #siliconvalleyliving #svreduces
Focaccia is a blank canvas to decorate with food s Focaccia is a blank canvas to decorate with food scraps that might otherwise go to waste. I embellished this whole wheat sourdough focaccia with an onion—including the greens—and a couple of radishes that I found rolling around in the bottom of the crisper. I found a spoonfull of capers in the refrigerator and tossed those on too. Use your favorite focaccia recipe. This dough contains: ✨ 125 grams leaven (i.e., active starter) ✨ 350 grams whole wheat flour ✨ 150 grams all-purpose flour ✨ 375 grams warm water ✨ 12 grams course salt (plus more for sprinkling) ✨ 3 tablespoons (40 g) olive oil, divided (1/3 in dough, 1/3 in pan, 1/3 on dough surface) At the end of the bulk fermentation, I place the dough in the prepared pan and do an overnight cold proof, pull it out, let it sit for a couple of hours at room temperature, dimple, decorate and bake at 425°F for 25 to 35 minutes, or until the focaccia is golden brown. Prevent wasted food and eat amazing bread!
🚨New recipe alert! Oatmeal chocolate chip cooki 🚨New recipe alert! Oatmeal chocolate chip cookies with a sourdough flax egg🚨 I've been posting cookie recipes on my blog recently because a) I figure that while ChatGPT can spit out recipes, it can’t test them so for now I still have a job and b) I like cookies. Swipe to see what the chatbot came up with for a sourdough cookie recipe BUT bake at your own risk! I haven't tested that, only my recipe below. 3 tablespoons unfed sourdough discard, 100 percent hydration 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed brown or golden, finely ground 1 cup all-purpose flour ½ cup old fashioned rolled oats ½ teaspoon baking powder ½ teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon kosher salt ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons butter, softened dairy or vegan ¾ cup packed brown sugar golden or dark 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 tablespoon molasses 1½ cups semisweet chocolate chip pieces 1. Make a sourdough discard flax egg by combining the sourdough discard and flaxseed meal in a small bowl. Set aside to thicken for 10 to 15 minutes. Preheat the oven to 375°F. 2. In a medium-size bowl, sift together the flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda and salt. 3. In a large bowl, beat together the softened butter with a hand mixer on high speed until creamy, about a minute. Add the sugar and beat until creamy. Beat in the sourdough discard flax egg, vanilla and molasses. 4. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Mix in the chocolate chips. 5. Drop the dough by rounded tablespoons onto ungreased cookie sheets, 2 inches apart. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until the cookies are golden brown. The centers will still be soft. Rotate the trays halfway through baking. 6. Allow to cool on the cookie sheets for 2 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack to completely cool. Store in a container for a week or the freezer for up to six months. Remember to save this recipe!
Bringing home intact strawberries in a container r Bringing home intact strawberries in a container rather than mushed strawberries (i.e., jam) in a plastic produce bag. Your area’s food laws may differ but here in California, if I (gently) dump baskets of berries into a container or jar and return the baskets to the vendor while I’m at the booth, the vendor can reuse them. The baskets have increased in price over the last few years so vendors are happy to have them back. If I take the baskets home and later return them, the vendor can’t reuse them unless they first steam them with a very expensive piece of equipment that no one owns. The thinking behind this law is that the baskets become contaminated in our homes. So, if I return them to the vendor after bringing them home, they will recycle them, which is often more like wish-cycling. Some of these went into strawberry-rhubarb galettes, some went into soda and some went directly into tummies. What's your favorite strawberry recipe? . . . . . #berryseason #eatseasonal #farmersmarkets #supportsmallfarms #reusables #reusableproducebags #jars #wastenotwantnot #sustainablelifestyle #packagefree #plasticfreeliving #plasticfreelifestyle #breakfreefromplastic #plasticfreejuly #plasticpollutes #plasticisfossilfuel #lowwasteliving #slowfoodmovement #slowlivingmovement #artofslowliving #zerowastejourney #zerowastelifestyle #zerowasteliving #zerowastetips #zerowastekitchen #zerowastechef #climatecrisis #thereisnoplanetb
Sewing helps reduce textile waste through repairin Sewing helps reduce textile waste through repairing clothing or, if it can't be repaired, upcycling that garment into something useful. Sometimes sewists can help reduce "waste" they may find on the side of the curb, like this electric Singer sewing machine I recently stumbled across. It needed a little bit of work but otherwise was in very good shape. These things were built to last. I was very tempted to snag this but I have one sewing machine and two sergers and not much room for another machine and I'm sure it's long gone now anyway. I may walk over after I post this and see if it's still there though... What is the best thing you've found on the street? . . . . . #upcycledclothing #upcycler #upcyclersofinstagram #sewist #sewistsofinstagram #dumpster #dumpsterdiving #dumpsterdive #consumerism #frugal #thriftlife #thrifter #breakfreefromplastic #plasticfreeliving #plasticfreelife #lowwaste #simplelifestyle #sustainablelifestyle #slowlivingmovement #artofslowliving #zerowastejourney #zerowastelifestyle #zerowastemovement #zerowastehome #zerowastetips #zerowastechef #thereisnoplanetb #loveearth
Before I used one (and for a little while after... Before I used one (and for a little while after...), I had a pressure cooker phobia. I worried I would blow up the kitchen. Now I can’t imagine cooking without one. My pressure cooker cooks beans and legumes to perfection quickly—saving time and money (bulk beans usually cost less than canned), consumes less energy, helps keep the kitchen cool (less cooking time and also the heat doesn’t escape), requires less water to cook food (not much water escapes either) and I can walk away from it while it does it’s magic. This secondhand pressure cooker cost $15 at the thrift shop. I’m using it with my induction cooker here, which saves even more energy! Do you use a pressure cooker (or Instant Pot)?
Feed stale bread to tummies not trash cans! Stale Feed stale bread to tummies not trash cans! Stale bread makes delicious, package-free breadcrumbs. You can blitz pieces of dried bread in a high-speed blender or grate them by hand. After grating up a hunk of dried bread, I transformed the crumbs into crunchy garlicky bits in a few minutes. For every 1/2 cup of breadcrumbs, use a tablespoon of olive oil, 1 large clove of garlic and if using, a pinch of salt (or to taste). Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the smashed garlic and stir often until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Remove from the pan and reserve for another dish (or just eat it immediately...so good!). Add the breadcrumbs to the oil and stir constantly until they turn a rich golden color, about 4 minutes. Sprinkle on salt if using. Remove the breadcrumbs from the pan to stop them from cooking and use immediately or allow them to cool and store them in a jar in the refrigerator for several days. I sprinkled some of these on a kale salad tossed with wheat berries, chopped preserved lemons, fresh lemon juice and olive oil. Delicious! Because preserved lemons are so salty, I didn’t salt the breadcrumbs. These also taste great sprinkled on pasta dishes, vegetable side dishes or soups. What is your favorite way to cook up every scrap of stale bread?
Sheet mulching the yard continues. "Weeds" covere Sheet mulching the yard continues. "Weeds" covered with cardboard covered with mulch helps suppress them. Depending on what you're growing, you might also add a layer or compost but the California native plants I've planted don't need it. They thrive in poor soil (we have clay). Along with lots of rain, the atmospheric rivers this year resulted in lots of so-called weeds. Weed is in the eye of the beholder, however. The bees and ladybugs are pretty happy with all the weeds but the neighbors, not so much. Last year, someone in the neighborhood complained about our weeds to the city, which issued us a warning to remove the weeds or have them removed. I envisioned lawnmowers destroying the tiny native plants out there so we pulled all the weeds. This year, I'm not pulling/sheet mulching the entire yard at once—I don't want to suppress all the weeds quite yet—but I'm doing enough to show progress 🤫 The native plants are filling in more now and providing habitat for the insects. These plants will eventually take over the yard and most of the weeds. The cats (ours, the neighbor's) like to supervise in the yard or from the sidelines, sitting on sacks of mulch. Half-filled bags also make good seats for working in the yard. We fill our free burlap sacks with free mulch from the city. Gardening doesn't have to be expensive—or involve piles of plastic. If you garden, how do you reduce plastic and save money?
Happy Mother's Day from my mothers, Etheldreda the Happy Mother's Day from my mothers, Etheldreda the kombucha SCOBY and Eleanor the sourdough starter! Etheldreda has traveled extensively despite having had hundreds of children. She was born in Florida and moved to California in 2014. Since then, she has taken up residence in 77 cities around the world (with multiple homes in several cities). She lives in the US and Canada, Argentina, France, Germany, Japan and India, where she helped found the kombucha company @mountainbeekombucha in Bangalore. Sourdough starter Eleanor is more like her mama (me) and would rather stay closer to home and bake all day. Her favorite sourdough recipes, in addition to the bread, are sourdough biscuits, crackers, pizza and cookies. (You can find all those recipes and more resources in the sourdough tab on my website.) Eleanor was photographed and featured extensively in my cookbook. Although they each approach motherhood differently, Etheldreda and Eleanor have found what works for them and they wholeheartedly support each other in their choices. Happy Mother's Day! . . . . . #mothersday2023 #kombuchabrewing #kombuchascoby #fermenteddrinks #fermentedfoods #fermentation #fermenting #fermented #wildfermentation #sourdoughbaking #sourdoughbaker #sourdoughlove #sourdoughstarter #sourdoughdiscard #plasticfreeliving #breakfreefromplastic #sustainablelifestyle #wastefreeliving #lowwasteliving #slowfoodmovement #artofslowliving #zerowastejourney #zerowasteliving #zerowastechef #thereisnoplanetb #climatecrisis #respectyourmother #loveyourmother
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Top Posts & Pages

MK's Waste Free Strawberry Blueberry Galette with Semolina Pastry
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Save Your Fruit Scraps to Make Bubbly Fruit Kvass
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Sourdough Starter Metric and US Equivalents
Simple, Adaptable, No-Waste Vegan Apple Crumble
How to Manage Your Jar of Sourdough Discard
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Recent Posts

  • MK’s Waste Free Strawberry Blueberry Galette with Semolina Pastry
  • Egg Free Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies with Sourdough
  • Quickly Turn Dry Bread Into Garlic Breadcrumbs
  • How FabMo Keeps 70 Tons of Designer Materials Out of Landfill Every Year
  • Brew Kombucha for the Climate, an Online Fundraising Workshop
  • Composting Is a Last Resort for Wasted Food
  • 7 Consumer Habits I Easily Ditched and Don’t Miss
  • Egg Free Chocolate Chip Cookies With a Sourdough Twist
  • How to Sew a Garden Kneeling Pad with Fabric Scraps
  • Easy 5 Ingredient Sourdough Biscuits That Gobble Up Discard

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