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How to Make Tomato Purée from Fresh Tomatoes

Posted on September 22, 2022September 24, 2022by Anne-Marie Bonneau
Finished tomato purée fills a glass mason jar. The jar sits on a gray and white marble background

Slow cook fresh tomatoes, process them and cook them down for tomato purée. Freeze it to make tomato sauce, pizza sauce and more in winter.

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Doggy Approved Puréed Bone Treat

Posted on December 20, 2017December 21, 2017by Anne-Marie Bonneau

Before I start this post, let me point out that I am neither a vet nor a dog nutritionist, if that’s a thing, which it likely is because where I live, we have not one but two dog ophthalmologists (that I know of). I don’t have a dog. I had hoped my cat Bootsy might […]

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DIY Lard

Posted on October 15, 2014May 2, 2018by Anne-Marie Bonneau

If this was truly DIY, I would also raise the pigs… This may sound like a contradiction, or merely a justification from a woman who really likes to eat lard, but I don’t actually eat much meat and I rarely eat pork.

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  • Zero-Waste Basics

Solar Cooking Festival

Posted on July 23, 2014June 28, 2015by Anne-Marie Bonneau

“If you can see your shadow, you can cook.” Pass this litmus test and a solar oven can make your dinner, according to one of the solar chefs who demonstrated this past weekend at the Sacramento Solar Cooking Festival, hosted by the nonprofit Solar Cookers International. He was one of about twenty-five impressive solar chefs demonstrating their […]

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  • Sharing Economy

5 of the Things I Learned Over a Week of Compulsive Social Media Activity

Posted on June 29, 2014January 10, 2018by Anne-Marie Bonneau

I stumbled upon many more than five great ideas this past week, but felt I better limit myself. (I should limit my time on social media as well.)

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    • Food Waste

How to Make Easy and Free No-Waste Bone Broth

Posted on June 14, 2014February 13, 2023by Anne-Marie Bonneau

Click here to go straight to the recipe. I used to buy broth. I would use half a container, put the rest in the fridge and a couple of weeks later, empty the remains down the drain. The packaging waste is also excessive. At Safeway, you can choose from Tetra-Paks or cans for liquid broth; or plastic jars or paper […]

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How to Cook Black Beans

Posted on April 25, 2014January 19, 2021by Anne-Marie Bonneau

Click here to go straight to the recipe. Updated 01/19/21 Update 07/16: I now have a pressure cooker and cook my beans in that. IT IS SO FAST! Read more here. I don’t eat canned beans (or canned anything for that matter), for several reasons: Cans are lined with plastic that often contains BPA. Because […]

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"Bring me back" Last week, I visited family and f "Bring me back"

Last week, I visited family and friends in Canada and Friday in Montreal at @lepetitdep, saw these delicious soups from @latina_cuisine, sold in returnable mason jars. If you look at the Latina Cuisine website, you can buy their products at many locations in Montreal, including some IGA grocery stores! (You can find them in a handful of stores in the Ottawa area also.)

We have, for the most part, a centralized food system that cranks out ultra-processed, ultra-profitable "food" that can be shipped long distances thanks in part to indestructible, chemical-leaching, single-use plastic packaging. Our health, the environment (and our taste buds) need local, affordable, real food for everyone, crafted by small producers and sold in reusable, refillable containers.

Don't these look appetizing?
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#jars #jarporn #masonjars #reusables #reuserevolution #refillable #wastenotwantnot #sustainablelifestyle #sustainablefoodsystems #plasticfreeliving #plasticfreelifestyle #breakfreefromplastic #plasticpollution #plasticisfossilfuel #plasticfreejuly #plasticfreeforthesea #plasticfreeoceans #wastefreeliving #lowwasteliving #zerowastejourney #zerowastelifestyle #zerowasteliving #zerowastetips #zerowastehome #zerowastechef #climatecrisis #thereisnoplanetb #loveyourmother
I’m so excited! I’ll be at @rainbow_grocery on I’m so excited! I’ll be at @rainbow_grocery on Sunday, April 16th from 11am to 2pm, sewing produce bags out of donated fabric, handing those out and signing copies of my book.

Rainbow is bulk heaven. If you ever visit San Francisco and are into zero waste at all or low waste or whatever you want to call it, you must visit. One year for my birthday, I asked to go there.

After I sew and sign, I’ll stock up on all the stuff I’ve run out of, like looseleaf puerh tea and cacao nibs (I brew them together... OMG... I will have to post a Reel about that). My friend @debrabaida says if Rainbow doesn’t have it, it doesn’t exist. I think she’s right! 

I hope I can meet some of you in person that day. I’m really looking forward to it. Can you tell?
Thank you for asking for my food-waste busting adv Thank you for asking for my food-waste busting advice, @kristinhos of @outsidemagazine!

"I decided I needed to tackle my food waste problem at its source, so I hit up the Zero-Waste Chef Anne-Marie Bonneau for some tips. The good news? Her advice was not daunting. I didn’t have to make big, wholesale changes to my diet or lifestyle, and I immediately started saving money at the grocery store. And that silver scrap bin on my countertop? These days, it’s been much slower to fill."

Link in profile for full article.
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#nofoodwaste #stopfoodwaste #lovefoodhatewaste #zerofoodwaste #savefood #reducefoodwaste #wastenotwantnot #sustainablelifestyle #intentionalliving #plasticfreelifestyle #breakfreefromplastic #fermentedfoods #ferment #kitchentips #wastefreeliving #lowwasteliving #slowfoodmovement #slowlivingmovement #artofslowliving #zerowastejourney #zerowastelifestyle #zerowasteliving #zerowastetips #zerowastekitchen #zerowastehome #zerowastechef #climatecrisis #thereisnoplanetb
Even your carnivore eaters will devour this beanie Even your carnivore eaters will devour this beanie shepherds pie. And you’ll reduce wasted food when you make this highly adaptable recipe with what’s on hand.

You’ll need random beans, vegetables and potatoes. This tastes really good with tomatoes and mushrooms but don’t worry if you don’t have those. A bit of miso or spoonful of soy sauce will add umami if you don’t have mushrooms. Maybe you have a bit of red wine. Add a generous splash of that. Get creative with what’s on hand. And taste as you go!

Here is the non-recipe recipe:
💫 If you have mushrooms, sauté those in olive oil until they have released their water and browned. Set aside.
💫 In the same, now-empty pan, sauté random, bite-size vegetables for about 5 minutes. Add more olive oil if necessary. I used two small carrots and all the parts of a bunch of broccolini (you can eat all the parts, including any leaves). Set those vegetables aside.
💫 Next, sauté an onion or shallots or a small leek until softened. Stir in herbs. I used previously fresh sage I had dried after Thanksgiving.
💫 Stir in tomatoes if you have them. I have a few jars of frozen roasted tomatoes left from the fall. I added half a jar.
💫 Stir in cooked beans. I used pinto and white beans cooked a couple of days earlier in my pressure cooker. Add salt and pepper to taste. 
💫 If you’re using an oven-proof pan, spread the beans into an even layer. Or move them to a baking dish. Layer on sauteéd vegetables.
💫 Boil bite-size pieces of potatoes (skin on if organic), drain when cooked, add milk and butter of choice, salt and paper to taste and mash. You can make these a day or two in advance. Layer over the vegetables. 
💫 Place the shepherd’s pie on a baking sheet to catch any drips. Bake in a 400F oven for about 25 minutes. Broil the top for the last few minutes to brown the potatoes.

This large shepherd’s pie feeds us for a few meals. Cook less, eat more. Enjoy!
"The most important thing an individual can do is "The most important thing an individual can do is be a little less of an individual and join together with others in movements large enough to make change." — Bill McKibben, 350.org founder

Yesterday's IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) report is a summary of the previous sections of the IPCC's mammoth sixth assessment. It shows we haven't done enough to address the climate crisis but also that we have never been better equipped to tackle it.

You may be asking yourself what you can do. One thing we can all do is find our people by joining a climate-focused group such as @350org, @sunrisemvmnt, @indigenousclimateaction, @nrdc_org, @earthjustice ... There are many. And if you have eco-anxiety, working with other concerned citizens can help.
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#IPCC #IPCCreport #globalgoals #keepitintheground #loveearth #noplanetb #strikeforclimate #thereisnoplanetb #plasticisfossilfuel #climatecrisis #climateemergency #extinctioncrisis #climatechangeawareness #climatecrisisisreal #climatechangeisreal #environmentalactivism #climatechangesolutions #climatesolutions #climatejustice #climateactionnow #globalwarmingisreal #drawdown #drought #wildfires #environmentalracism #climateaction #actonclimate #loveyourmother
I’m out of dish blocks and dish soap 😮 No pro I’m out of dish blocks and dish soap 😮 No problem! I can make dish soap! Here’s how:

🫧 Heat 2 cups of water.
🫧 Turn off the heat and stir in 3 tablespoons of shredded bar soap.
🫧 After the soap melts, stir in 1 teaspoon of washing soda. 
🫧 Let the soap sit for several hours or overnight. Add 15 drops of essential oil if you’d like scented dish soap.

If it’s too thick to use, give it a whir with an immersion blender. Store in a pump and use as needed. I made this batch with Good Soap. Dr. Bronner’s is good.

This is not super sudsy like the commercial stuff but it gets the job done and doesn’t cost very much to make.

If you can’t find washing soda, you can make it by heating baking soda. See my recipe index for that and this dish soap.
Out of baking powder? If you have cream of tarter Out of baking powder? If you have cream of tarter and baking soda on hand, you can “make” it. Sift together 2 parts cream of tartar and 1 part baking soda. Sift and use immediately. Here, I’ve used the baking powder to bake sourdough discard biscuits.
 
Lemon juice mixed with baking soda can also replace baking powder. Mix 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice with 1/4 teaspoon baking soda for every 1 teaspoon of baking powder the recipe calls for and use immediately.

Link in profile for 8 more staples that are easy to make yourself.
A lower waste lifestyle should save you money, not A lower waste lifestyle should save you money, not bankrupt you. Yes, some aspects of zero-waste living cost more (unpackaged farmers' market produce versus a discount grocer that packages everything in plastic). But others aspects will save money—eating all the food you buy instead of throwing some out, eating lower on the food chain, buying in bulk when you can (for many items, not all). These nine ideas are just some of the ways to reduce waste and save money.
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#frugal #thriftlife #secondhandfirst #makedo #buyless #sustainablelifestyle #simpleliving #foodwaste #zerofoodwaste #lovefoodhatewaste #wastefreeliving #lowwasteliving #slowfoodmovement #slowlivingmovement #artofslowliving #plasticfreeliving #plasticfreelifestyle #breakfreefromplastic #plasticfreejuly #plasticpollutes #zerowastejourney #zerowasteliving #zerowastelifestyle #zerowastetips #kitchentips #zerowastechef #climateemergency #thereisnoplanetb
UPDATE: The 200 spots have filled! Thank you to ev UPDATE: The 200 spots have filled! Thank you to everyone who registered. Keep an eye out for the next starter class in a couple of months. 
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Every time I pull a loaf of sourdough bread out of the oven, I'm amazed that it contains only three ingredients: flour, water and salt. (Okay, this raisin loaf contains four ingredients.)

Before you can witness this amazing transformation, you need to start a sourdough starter. Learn how in my next free online sourdough starter class, Friday, April 7th at 9am PT/12pm ET. Bring a jar, some flour and your questions!

Want a gluten-free starter? The starter method is the same. Teff or buckwheat work well. (And if you use teff, you can also make injera.)

Link in profile for more info and to register. This class tends to fill up pretty fast.
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#sourdoughbaking #sourdoughbaker #sourdoughlove #sourdoughstarter #sourdoughdiscard #flourwatersalt #fermentedfoods #fermented #wildfermentation #wildyeast #kitchentips #foodmadewithlove #sustainablelifestyle #simpleliving #wastefreeliving #intentionalliving #slowfoodmovement #slowlivingmovement #artofslowliving #breakfreefromplastic #plasticfreeliving #plasticfreelifejuly #zerowastejourney #zerowastelifestyle #zerowastekitchen #zerowastetips #zerowastechef #thereisnoplanetb
Clean rust from jars and lids with DIY citrus scou Clean rust from jars and lids with DIY citrus scouring powder!

This jar had been filled with hair conditioner and sat in the shower, where the jar mouth and lid developed rust. If you ferment anything, you may have some rusty jars and lids.

Clean those jars up easily with homemade scouring powder with citrus zest. It easily removed all the rust from this jar and lots from the lid.

To make it, combine 1/2 cup baking soda, 1/4 cup salt, 1/4 cup washing soda and 1 to 2 tablespoons ground dried lemon and orange zest. See my website for the full instructions (link in profile).

Don’t have washing soda? You can make that too! Simply bake baking soda to transform it into washing soda. See yesterday’s post for the abbreviated instructions for that or my website for the full recipe.

Get more out of the citrus you eat. Put the scraps to work and keep your jars clean.
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