Going Green Diary – Chapter 1

Dear Nutrinut,

I have to say that I am truly feeling that New Year’s motivation here and have been able to concentrate my efforts in making my nutrition as nourishing and sustainable as possible. Since I’m still new to this diary thing, I can’t say that writing in this format feels too natural yet. But I think a good place to start is with some of my green initiatives from the week. Some parts worked out pretty well. Others were a bit tiring to be honest. So without further ado, let’s jump right in, shall we?

1. Reusable bags win

This advice I have been sharing over and over again “bring your reusable bags to the supermarket”. But true confession time now. I have not been good AT ALL about this one. Especially last year since many stores by me were not allowing it due to COVID.

Was I also using COVID as an excuse? Possibly. It is easier to say you forget than to actively get organized and be prepared. I did say that I wanted to share everything – the entire truth. And that’s the truth. I was becoming complacent.

I am happy to say though, that this week I did it! Not only did I have my bags when I went to the store, but I also already have everything in my car trunk for the next time. 

So this is what adulting feels like, huh? I like it!

2. Found a variety of plastic-free fruits and veggies  

Buying plastic free produce has been the main effort that I concentrated on last year. In the beginning it was tough. It felt very limiting and restricting. Because my go-to fruits and veggies were the “easy” ones that already came washed, peeled, and chopped.

But with each week, I started to appreciate the other fruits and veggies that I neglected for so long. There’s surprisingly a good variety if you pay attention. And every store has its own set of plastic-free veggies plastic -free. That’s why JP and I love to rotate our supermarkets.

This week, I was able to find broccolini, cabbage, onions, tomatoes, orange, apples, avocados, and papaya. So yes, it was a deliciously good week.

3. Made mimosas with fresh orange juice instead of buying OJ in a bottle

This one has a story behind it. Don’t worry, it’s short. A few years back, I gave JP for Christmas a Date Night Jar. If this is new to you, it basically is a decorated mason jar with date night ideas inside. We are FINALLY using the jar and the one we got over the last weekend was to Brunch. Since we are still living in COVID times, we decided to make it ourselves. And after living in Miami for 10 years, we know that you can’t brunch without mimosas.

So we bought some oranges instead of buying an orange juice bottle. This is under HUGE WIN for me because we had the choice to take the easier route. To hack brunch. But here’s the thing, we have to stop hacking our meals. Food is not meant to be hacked and something that we have to get over with. Do you know how long it takes for an orange to grow? A LOT! So let’s honor that baby. And while we’re at it, use the entire orange if possible.

And that’s what I did. From the orange peels I made candied orange peels and then made an orange cake with the leftover pulp. Another little moment of honesty here. I was POOPED after. Like so tired that I kind of got in a bad mood and took some of it out on poor JP. Love you hun and thanks for understanding…

But you know what? No regrets here. Some kitchen experiments work out. Others not so much. For me, it’s about honoring the food that nourishes us and gives us life.

4. Cooked my chickpeas from scratch instead of from cans

Another really big win was making my chickpeas from scratch. I always use the canned ones because once again, it just feels easier at first.

But I have a freaking Instant Pot. Cooking one’s beans and legumes should not feel like something so difficult. And it really is not. It’s just taking 5 extra minutes (YES, JUST 5 MINUTES!) to put things in the pan. And I had chickpeas done for the entire week. It worked out so perfectly and was transformed into multiple delicious and nourishing dishes.

You know what thought helped me snap out of lazy mode? Thinking about how food was made in the time of my parents and grandparents. Everything made fresh from scratch. For some reason, I like the sound of that. Cook your meals at least 80% of the time. That’s the secret sauce in nutrition. Make what you eat. Eat what you make.

5. Finished fruits & veggies from the week

And tying in with what I said above (eat what you make), I am happy to say that this week I finished what I bought and made. My produce fridge drawer is empty and nothing went bad. This one is worthy of fireworks. Although I have been practicing Leftover Friday’s for a while now, I still have weeks where things end up in the trash. But not this week!

So as I wrap up chapter 1 filled with joy while dancing to Shake It Off by Taylor Swift (don’t hate on my musical choices, I love pop and I love Taylor), I can’t help but feel gratitude. Gratitude for knowing that although there’s so much more to be done, I have come so far in my journey to living in a more sustainable way.

Am I afraid of failing this upcoming week? A bit. Because I am old enough to know that life is like a roller-coaster filled with ups and downs. But all I know is that I am taking that next step forward.

Wish me luck!

Love always,

Raisa

Going Green Diary The Nutrinut
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