Don't Throw it Out

Let's say you're about to leave town.
You're about to leave town knowing there is food in your fridge and pantry that will go bad while you're away.
You feel guilty each time food must be thrown away.
Trashing food is like trashing money.

Let's consider this a twist on the very savvy meal prepping of this generation. I am a traveller by virtue of career and for the love of it. Also, I am a foodie. When a foodie is home for just a few days at a time, a foodie wants to cook! Foodies love to cook with fresh ingredients. Then, said foodie, hits the road, again. Consequently, unused fresh veggies, herbs and fruit may get left behind only to be tossed, later. Waste!

Take for example, this morning. The thought of another beautiful, not to mention pricey, bell pepper shriveling to a mushy, moldy mess in the drawer of the fridge got the better of me. Time to take action and, today, I had time...and 3 bells in the early stages of shrivel. Sautéd bell peppers in a little olive oil are easy! Let cool. Pack into a freezer baggie to use in future recipes!







Let's love that lonely lemon by saving the zest in a snack baggie in the freezer for a lemon cake or salad, later. 







Then, juice that baby into water to keep diced apples from turning brown until the decision is made to cook a couple down into apple butter for cornbread, tonight! 















A few of the extra pieces of apple can join a few less-than-fresh strawberries with a handful of trimmed kale held perfectly frozen until a green smoothie needs that packet of goodness!




Those store-bought herbs costing way too much money to go fuzzy can be stored in the freezer until their fragrance brings life to a pan of aging carrots. 








Soft potatoes, limp carrots, lack luster beets and even rascally radishes are perfect for roasting with a toss of olive oil and rosemary, which has been held in a cryo state!

AND, if there are leftovers from dinner, the veggies can be saved in a container in the freezer until a stew needs extra love added!

No waste!

Go play with your food ...and save it until you can get back to it!

Its the Little Things: Community

Flying over the patchwork quilt
of farming somewhere over Colorado 

Transposed the days of the Little Things to breathe-in and include the joy of travel! To stay put in one place and never experience other cultures, food or air would leave me feeling suffocated. Even as I type that last line, my respiration quickens to a small implosion of panic. My personality is wired to explore and experience and my husband is gracious to oblige speaking my love language.

As I write, seated on a plane next to me is a fellow-Nashvillian-replant. She from Portland, Oregon, and me from - welpst, all over. 

After babies and 52 years in one state, she relocated to our little city of hospitality about eight years ago and loves it. However, it's the personal history with friends and locale she misses from home. She longs for the instant connectivity of falling into easy conversation with a former high school classmate or giving directions to the favorite coffee spot known to locals. She skis and misses the quick one hour to perfect, snowy slopes.

I get it.

Although being from everywhere and nowhere, I enjoy my longtime association with Music City and the nooks out of sight from tourists, but am eager to direct the tourists to my favorite locals' haunt. 

There is community in living in one place where neighbors check on neighbors leaving veggies on the porch and friends become family when Thanksgiving finds the road too long and the holiday weekend too short. And, if you're blessed to have them nearby, real family hugs you tightly each time you see each other, picks up the mail and takes care of your dog while you're away.

See, I do get it.

I will always adore the thrill of new places and the journey to get there, but am growing to appreciate there's truly no place like home.

Colorado Vacation

Sensing both of us needed a non-working related vacation, my hubby wanted me to explore options within an easy driving distance from Nashville. He knows I love the planning of the journey just as much as the journey itself!

The same day he tossed the beach ball idea into my head, we received word an uncle had passed away in Texas. With that, we adjusted our schedule and just thought, "Because of the funeral, we'll already be 12 hours closer to the Rocky Mountains. Why don't we see if anything's available in Colorado?" A friend suggested I check into Homeaway.com or VRBO.com to see if there may be any great lodging reservations on such short notice. I found a jewel at Keystone, Colorado!

No, this is not a commercial for those websites or even for the resort. I know there are other travel enthusiasts, like me, who love a great tip and to share an even greater tip with fellow travel-bugs! Here's the listing: http://www.homeaway.com/vacation-rental/p103040vb. I wish I had saved the review I wrote which captured my thoughts exactly, because I was so refreshed! The pictures on the website were exactly what it looked like when we opened the door to Room 3065. HOLY COW! Provided: Baggage buggy from the private garage, Tide detergent for the stackable washer/dryer, kitchen utensils and cookware, dishwasher detergent, spa quality toiletries, K-cup coffee & cocoa. We felt Summit County lacked diversity in restaurants, but that didn't matter to us. With the gas appliances and grill in the condo, it was decided we could make delicious meals as a couple and not spending as much $$ eating out. It turned out great for our mostly-plant-based nutrition!

Keep in mind, we love to be outdoors on vacations and hiking is a cost-effective, stress-reducing pleasure! But, there were so many other activities in the mountains surrounding our condo, usually a haven for winter sports, they've managed to thrive in the summer! Temps: 75/43 degrees! We really wanted to mountain bike the ski trails and ride horses around Dillon, but we just didn't want to be with anyone else nor on someone else's time schedule. Face it--alone time and sleeping late is a treasure!

I thought I'd share a few of our fun pix from Keystone/Dillon/Silverthorne, Colorado, in beautiful Summit County! COLORADO IN THE SUMMER? IS THIS DONE? YES!