Any Vegetable Smooth Pasta Sauce
So good! So easy! A great way to eat a ton of veggies while creating a cozy, comforting sauce that almost feels like mac and cheese (but with way more fiber and vitamins). The general template: sautéed vegetables (any combo you like) + seasoning (salt, pepper, spices, herbs, whatever is floating your boat) --> blend in the pot with an immersion blender until smooth --> add grated parmesan and some cream (optional! with the right seasonings this is also perfectly delicious vegan) --> add in cooked pasta with a little pasta water, toss toss toss until cohesive, and eat up. You can take this so many different directions. A few of. my favorite combos: slow cooked leeks in butter + peas + lemon juice + parmesan + cream + lots of black pepper caramelized shallots + butternut squash + thyme + red pepper flakes + a tiny bit of miso and tahini stirred in after the vegetables are blended spinach (cook down until not too watery) + roasted garlic + cream/parmesan + a touch of pomegranate molasses + lots of black pepper
Eating with the seasons (when it's possible)
More delicious! More sustainable! Support local farmers (where possible)! It's a privilege to be able to access and afford a farmer's market (but if you have that privilege, please do use it!), but even at your regular supermarket, getting into the mindset of looking at the produce that is local and in season first will really up deliciousness and help you feel at least slightly more in tune with the turning of the seasons.
Frozen fruits and vegetables
Sure, eat local and seasonal where possible, but also don't be afraid of frozen produce when it's not! Especially if you live somewhere with a long winter, don't be afraid of the freezer veg - it's often better than out of season fresh, mostly cooks up just as good, and can live in your freezer for months, ready for your laziest of days.
An alarm clock (sleeping with your phone in a different room)
Now that I have an alarm clock, my phone is tucked in to charge at night in the kitchen. Waking up without my phone has made an incredible difference - I wake up and reach for a book instead of the hand screen, and for the first time in years have felt like a teenager gobbling up novels again and not looking at the phone until after my morning tea.
