December 12, 2024 • 26 mins
This episode uncovers how embracing the 12 Days of Kitchen Activism can enhance the holiday season, dramatically reduce waste, and foster genuine connections. Florencia Ramirez delves into the staggering statistics of holiday trash and explores practical ways to slow down, savor moments, and connect with loved ones, transforming the festive season into one of joy, reflection, and meaningful action.
Ramirez brainstorms traditions that reflect community values, such as neighborhood toasts, community gatherings, and simple meals prepared with others. She encourages listeners to skip the pressure to overbuy, create a Pinterest-perfect holiday, and instead return to the true holiday spirit—one focused on connection, love, generosity, and savoring what matters most.
Start Meal Planning to Save the Planet and Money! Click Here to get started.
Join us inside the Kitchen Activist Collective. Learn more here.
Get a copy of the EAT LESS WATER book.
Reach me at info@eatlesswater.com
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Welcome.
I'm glad you're here.
Together, we will turn ourshared concern about the state
of our environment into a forcefor change.
It will require you toreimagine the role of your home
kitchen as more than a warehouseof food or a room where we cook
and gather to eat.
The time has come to enter yourkitchen with eyes open to the
(00:24):
transformative power itharnesses for the planet and you
.
The home kitchen has alwaysbeen ground zero for positive
environmental and social change.
Waiting for you to take yourposition as a kitchen activist,
(00:56):
now that you arrived, you willchange the world with what you
eat.
You ideas, in the span of timebetween now and the holiday,
even if you don't celebrateChristmas, to slow down, to
savor moments with loved onesand friends and to extend the
spirit of generosity and joybeyond a single day.
(01:17):
I'm recording this podcast themorning of December 12th and it
got me thinking about the 12days of Christmas.
Traditionally, the 12 days ofChristmas begin on December 25th
and conclude on January 5th,leading to the celebration of
the Epiphany.
It's a time of celebration andreflection.
(01:39):
The period was originally seenas a sacred festive time to
focus on faith, familygenerosity, and the 12 days were
filled with various customs,like feasts and gift giving and
acts of charity.
Concentrating all celebrationson a single date reflects the
(02:05):
intention of creating anextended time to connect with
loved ones and appreciate theseason's blessings.
In medieval England I thoughtthis was interesting For example
, each day of the 12 days wasmarked by a specific feast or
celebration that includedcommunity gatherings and shared
(02:26):
meals.
In other parts of Europe, localtraditions varied from parades
and performances to symbolicacts of giving, such as
distributing food to those whofind themselves in slim times or
lighting candles for loved oneswho can use our prayers.
These customs remind us thatthe spirit of the season is
(02:47):
rooted in togetherness andmindful celebration, which is
why celebrating the 12 daysbefore Christmas instead of
after makes perfect sense to me,because it sets us up to truly
enjoy the season.
In this time that just becomesbombarded with messages to shop
(03:12):
and consume right, buy, buy.
Our phones ping with textmessages from shops offering
discounts, our email lists andmailboxes are jam-packed with
offers to spend money, and ourprecious time scrolling through
digital shops or going to bigbox stores that we'd rather not
(03:34):
be inside.
But at the end of the season,what often lingers is not the
material gifts but the momentsof connection and the memories
we've created.
Can you even remember the giftsyou gave or received last year?
Truly, I was really spendingtime this morning as I was
(03:56):
putting this together for you,this podcast, and really
reflecting on this.
I cannot come up with onesingle thing, but I can remember
the gatherings.
That's what I remember is thegatherings.
And I also remember thatfeeling at the very end, after
(04:19):
things are cleaned up on the25th, and especially when
decorations start coming down,and then I start to think, wow,
I didn't do the cookie bakingthat I wanted to do.
Or gosh, I really wanted to gocheck out the Festival of Lights
which is in my community withmy kids, who are growing up
(04:41):
really fast.
So those kinds of things that Ijust didn't slow down enough to
do, and that's not just lastyear, it was a year before that
and the year before that.
So this year, on this beginningof the 12 days, I'm going to do
it differently, because modernculture tends to squeeze holiday
(05:05):
merriment into a frenzied blurof one or two days, and that's
why we often feel drained andoverwhelmed and just not
satisfied.
But the beauty of the 12 daysof Christmas is that it
encourages us to pace ourselvesof Christmas is that it
encourages us to pace ourselvesspreading out joy, reflection
(05:28):
and meaningful activities.
No-transcript.
The moments At the same timethe holiday generates
significant waste.
It's reminding us of theimportance of mindful
(05:49):
celebrations when we reallystart to slow down.
Just think of these statisticsAmericans create 25% more waste
between Thanksgiving and NewYear's, accounting to 1 million
extra tons of trash per week,and we all have seen the trash
(06:10):
cans overflowing right after.
On the 25th, my recycle bin isalways overflowing, and
unfortunately, so is my trashcan.
So this includes food waste too, like packaging and plastic
decorations, and that's reallywhere the trash comes from.
It's the plastic inserts withinboxes of the gifts that we give
(06:33):
or we receive and that cannotbe recycled.
Even if it has a little recyclesymbol on it does not mean that
it can be recycled, and sothat's something I'm always
thinking about is how can Ireduce my plastic waste?
Here's another statistic 2.3million pounds of wrapping paper
(06:57):
end up in landfills each yearafter the holidays.
200 million pounds of turkeyare discarded during the season.
A couple episodes ago, I talkedabout how we can reduce our food
waste during the holidays.
Reflect on how did it go foryou on Thanksgiving, did you end
(07:17):
up throwing away turkey?
And I encourage you to go backto that episode if you haven't
listened to it, or to listen toit again, because I give some
really good ideas of how we candial that back, because these
are things that I don't expectfor you to be thinking about how
can I improve what I'm alreadydoing, the systems that I
(07:46):
already have in place in myhouse, and how can I help others
do the same thing, so that youdon't have to go through that
whole same process, but ratherjust listen to these episodes,
get on my email list, listen toother people who are also dialed
in and thinking about thesethings, because we can't all be
experts, so that's why we needeach other and each other's
(08:08):
gifts.
In this episode, I'm going togive you these ideas of how we
can dial back our footprint andamplify joy and connection
during these next 12 days.
In the last podcast episode, Ioffer ideas on how I approach
gift buying at my farmer'smarket, which supports small
(08:31):
scale artisans and foodproducers.
And remember, when I talk aboutfarmer's markets, I don't just
mean the pop-up tents.
Where I live, it doesn't snow.
I'm here near the beach inOxnard, california.
So we have weather that cansupport a farmer's market
outdoors all year long.
So we have two in my communityevery week.
(08:54):
But there's also the brick andmortar farmer's market.
Right, that's those coffeeroasters in your community, the
cheeseesemonger if you're luckyenough to still have a
cheesemonger in your community.
We don't Bakers, thechocolatiers, the ice cream
(09:15):
makers that are using the bestingredients that they can get,
that they're purchasing organic,they're purchasing from small
scale farms.
They are mindful in the kindsof materials that they use,
because they're driven by notjust profit but by purpose.
So that is a brick and mortarfarmer's market.
(09:37):
And then you have this virtualmarketplace, this virtual
farmer's market, which isconnected to the vendors that
you do find at the farmer'smarket, the pop-up tents or
these small community shops thatwe all have.
Or it could be a virtualmarketplace Like.
(09:59):
I've really dug into Etsy lately.
I really enjoy.
I just bought this gorgeousfelted garland that I mentioned
in the last episode, but I justgot it in the mail yesterday and
it's beautiful that I havegoing up my stairs and there's
no glue.
It's all hand-sewn by a motherand daughter in South Carolina.
(10:20):
How sweet is that.
It came with a note.
Those are the things that buildconnection right.
They just.
That's part of our kitchenactivism.
Last week I went to the farmer'smarket and I purchased some of
my gifts for my siblings and myparents and stocking stuffers as
(10:41):
well, and one of the gifts Igot were two gorgeous
hand-thrown rice bowls thatcomes with chopsticks and even
little like opening in the bowlso that you can slip the
chopsticks in there, and I planto include a large jar of Lotus
Foods, which is my favoritego-to rice, because they're
doing all the right things, andI'm also going to include a
(11:05):
recipe for baked tofu stir fry.
I'm not saying who this gift isfor, just in case you're
listening, but what is alsopacked in the box with those
bowls is the sweet smile Ireceived from the potter with my
purchase and the conversationwe had when I mentioned that I
(11:25):
was going to include some whiterice with it, and then it made
her remember how about anorganization called Empty Bowls
that she participated in.
That was founded by a potter,lisa Blackburn, back in the 90s,
and the fundraiser, as far as Ican tell, can be organized by
anyone in their home communityand connecting participating
(11:49):
artists and groups to create anddonate bowls, then serve a
simple meal to give to those whoare in need of a meal or to use
it as a fundraiser so that thatmoney then can go to food banks
.
So there's all kinds of waysthat I saw that people have
carried this idea of the emptybowl into their community, and I
(12:12):
love that idea too, that weeach throw a stone.
We each toss a stone andthere's ripple effects of our
actions and we just have to keeptossing those stones and we
just don't even know how it'sgoing to influence or take shape
as it merges with others andother ripples.
(12:33):
For me, this first day of the 12days of Christmas, I'm hosting
my sister and my father for ahome-cooked meal and we're
celebrating the season plus mybaby sister's birthday, which I
missed last week because I wasjust too busy Again.
That's why I really need toslow down.
Around the table, we're goingto enjoy enchiladas with fresh
(12:56):
beans and calabacitas, which iszucchini sauteed with some corn,
garlic and tomatoes, and whenseasoned with cumin, it's so
delicious, it's so nourishing,and this homemade feast will
embody love and care that I feelfor my sister and my dad.
(13:16):
And really it started lastnight already the slowing down
just with this meal, because onething leads to the other thing,
that leads to the next thing.
So my daughter, esreia, and Ishop for the missing ingredients
.
Once my sister let me know thatshe wanted to have enchiladas.
Then I realized that I had somethings that I still needed to
(13:37):
go out and get, and my teenagedaughter, who often doesn't join
me for food shopping these days, especially on a school night,
said that she would come with me.
So I was already starting theseason of savoring the time
spent with those that we love,and we shared stories with each
other as we walked through thegrocery store, because there was
(13:58):
all this Christmas stuff outand I mostly listened to her
remember things like eggnog andcookies we baked.
There was not a single mentionof a Christmas present that she
got.
Now that I think of it, becauseit's not that we remember, it's
the time spent, it's thegathering, it's the slowing down
(14:23):
, it's not those elaborateevents or grand gestures, but
about connection, intention andshared experiences.
So here are some day-to-dayinspirations for the 12 days of
Christmas.
Maybe you take these ideas asis, or they spark another idea
(14:45):
that reflects your situationwhere you live, the things that
make you uniquely, you.
So one would be to host aneighborhood toast.
I've been wanting to gather myneighbors together.
I have some really wonderfulneighbors and some new ones and
it could be something small.
(15:05):
Share a holiday drink, whetherit's mulled wine, hot cider, a
simple herb tea.
It's just a time to gather, toconnect and strengthen your
neighborhood community.
The second is to bake and share.
Finally, make those cookiesyou've been meaning to bake
every year.
Package them up with a personalnote.
(15:27):
I like to use parchment paperand string all of it compostable
and then put a little note anddeliver it to friends, neighbors
, strangers, anyone who coulduse a little holiday cheer.
Three is to make tamales oranother community meal.
Gather family and friends fortamale making or something that
(15:49):
thrives on many hands workingtogether.
The process is as rewarding asthe meal itself, because it's
creating shared memories whilekeeping cultural or family
traditions alive.
In my book Eat Less Water, Ihave a really great recipe for
plant-forward tamales that youare more than welcome to use,
and if you don't have the book,I know that they have the
(16:11):
library, many libraries aroundthe country.
Or just send me a message and Iwill make you a copy of it and
send it to you.
Four string popcorn for thebirds.
Spend an afternoon stringingorganic popcorn because remember
, they're little bodies.
They have little bodies, sothey don't need the chemicals
(16:32):
from conventional popcorn andcranberries to hang outside.
This is a simple act that's funbut also gives to nature right,
helping wildlife through thecolder months.
This is especially sweet inareas where there's snow outside
.
Five take an evening hike.
(16:58):
Say no to a meeting or eventand instead take an evening hike
.
Connect with nature, marvel atthe night sky, find peace in the
stillness.
Six cozy up with a book.
Dedicate an evening, or coupleevenings, to reading a book,
with a cup of tea or hotchocolate.
My favorite is Tasa hotchocolate.
(17:18):
That's also a recipe in thebook of Eat Less Water.
This intentional slowdown canbe restorative amid the busy
holiday season.
Try a new recipe.
Seven dust off that eggnogrecipe that you say every year
you're going to do and you neverdo, or the apple cider recipe.
(17:40):
Experiment with something you'vealways wanted to make.
The kitchen is the best placefor creativity.
Eight craft handmade cards orgifts.
Skip the plastic trinkets andinstead make heartfelt gifts or
cards, whether it's a jar ofhomemade jam, a batch of granola
(18:02):
, I love to make homemadegranola in my electric oven.
It does it so well.
And then I could add I alwaysthink about how can I layer in
some more goodness.
So I put flax seed and hempseed, as many nuts as possible
for good protein, and some driedfruit.
(18:23):
Put it in a mason jar and thereyou have a wonderful gift Zero
plastic, just good, wholesome,nourishing, clean food.
Nine cook together, gather yourchildren, your siblings, if you
have children, whether they'reyoung or they're grown, to come
and make a simple meal ordessert.
(18:44):
The act of cooking togetherjust fosters connection, creates
memories that last long afterthe food is gone and you could
think about what seasonal foodscan you bring in.
Maybe it's making a butternutsquash soup, for example,
because that's in season.
Maybe it's a roasted beet salad.
(19:05):
So just think about, let theseason inspire you, but it
doesn't need to be elaborate.
In fact it shouldn't beelaborate.
Keep it really simple.
What's important is that you'retogether and you're cooking
together.
Ten reflect on your plasticfootprint.
Think about ways to reducewaste.
(19:26):
This holiday season Can you usefabric, gift wrap or repurposed
paper.
Make sure that you're choosingwrapping paper that's made with
post-consumer, recyclable,recycled paper.
Offer plastic-free presents asmuch as you can.
When I was choosing some giftsfor my sister for her birthday,
(19:50):
I had the idea to get her somebath salts and some scrubs.
There was two options there.
There was an option for a scrubthat came in a plastic
container and then there was onethat came in a metal container.
So I chose the metal containerbecause that is fully recyclable
(20:12):
.
So that's simple.
That was a simple act andactually there was no difference
in price either.
It was just being mindful.
That is how simple this is.
But it makes a difference themore we do it and the more of us
do it.
Eleven, slow down and savor.
Take time to prepare a slow,mindful meal.
(20:35):
This doesn't have to be withothers.
This is just for you.
Let it be an exercise inappreciating the process of
nourishing yourself.
It can include others, butthink about what is it that you
love to eat, because I know wetend, especially women as adults
and when we're caring forothers and we're cooking for
(20:58):
others, we the tendency is tothink about what is it that
other people like to eat.
But when is the last time thatyou've really considered what is
it that you love to eat?
What is your comfort food whatfeels nourishing to you, and
make yourself something with you, front and center, because we
(21:23):
need to nourish ourselves whenwe're doing all of these things,
but we need to care forourselves.
Twelve plan for the new year.
As a season concludes, thinkabout how can you carry the
lessons of kitchen activism intothe new year to continue on
this delicious lifestyle ofsavoring, slowing down, enjoying
(21:50):
, gathering those who you careabout around the table, enjoying
the whole process, not justpart of it, not just the actual
sitting down for the meal, butfrom the very beginning of the
planning, all the way to the end.
So right now we have theopportunity to think beyond our
own kitchens.
(22:11):
Consider giving back throughfood banks, volunteering,
donating nourishing meals tothose in need.
I I'm putting that empty bowlidea out there.
Maybe somebody can do somethingsmall this year or maybe it
seeds an idea for the comingyear.
In the US, millions face foodinsecurity during the winter
(22:35):
months.
At the grocery store yesterdayI was asked if I wanted to make
a $5 contribution for a foodbank.
So simple thing there I couldjust say yes, we can all make an
impact.
We can volunteer at the localsoup kitchen, organize a food
drive or support organizationsproviding meals to families.
(22:57):
Small acts of kindness rippleoutward to create meaningful
change.
Before I go, I just want to giveyou some ideas for seasonal
inspiration from the kitchen.
As we're slowing down andsavoring, we can really
celebrate the bounty of theseason Right now.
In season generally becausewe're all in different regions,
(23:20):
but generally for fruits it'soranges, tangerines, apples,
pears, pomegranates, persimmon,cranberries.
Think about incorporating theseingredients.
Sweet potatoes, kale, brusselsprouts, cabbage, carrots, beets
(23:47):
, leeks, onions, fennel,cauliflower all of those things
make wonderful soups.
They also make great fillingsfor tacos.
Tonight, the enchiladas thatI'm making will include kale,
and that's just.
That's something we don't thinkabout for enchiladas, but
(24:09):
absolutely it makes such awonderful filling paired with
sweet potatoes or with potatoes,and it's good for your gut
health.
And then herbs Right now what'sin season is sage, thyme,
rosemary.
Those are all things that youcan include in your cooking.
(24:30):
Or I also like, instead ofputting ribbons like the plastic
ribbon on gifts, is to take anherb, like a snippet of rosemary
, for example, and tying thatwith some string.
So these are the ingredientsthat can inspire comforting and
(24:50):
sustainable holiday meals,whether it's your hearty soup,
your roasted vegetables, yourcitrus dessert.
To close, as we embark on this12-day journey, just remember
the holidays are not aboutperfection or excess.
They're about love, presenceand care for ourselves, for
(25:12):
ourselves.
I have to say that twice,because we often forget for
others and for this planet.
This year, let's celebrate withintention and embrace the joy
of simplicity.
Thank you so much for spendingthis time with me.
Will you leave me a review ofthis podcast?
(25:32):
Share it with a friend and signup for the newsletter, if you
haven't done so already.
Together we will growwell-being.
There is power in thecollective.
Until next time.
Welcome.
I'm glad you're here.
Together, we will turn ourshared concern about the state
of our environment into a forcefor change.
It will require you toreimagine the role of your home
kitchen as more than a warehouseof food or a room where we cook
and gather to eat.
The time has come to enter yourkitchen with eyes open to the
(00:24):
transformative power itharnesses for the planet and you
.
The home kitchen has alwaysbeen ground zero for positive
environmental and social change.
Waiting for you to take yourposition as a kitchen activist,
(00:56):
now that you arrived, you willchange the world with what you
eat.
You ideas, in the span of timebetween now and the holiday,
even if you don't celebrateChristmas, to slow down, to
savor moments with loved onesand friends and to extend the
spirit of generosity and joybeyond a single day.
(01:17):
I'm recording this podcast themorning of December 12th and it
got me thinking about the 12days of Christmas.
Traditionally, the 12 days ofChristmas begin on December 25th
and conclude on January 5th,leading to the celebration of
the Epiphany.
It's a time of celebration andreflection.
(01:39):
The period was originally seenas a sacred festive time to
focus on faith, familygenerosity, and the 12 days were
filled with various customs,like feasts and gift giving and
acts of charity.
Concentrating all celebrationson a single date reflects the
(02:05):
intention of creating anextended time to connect with
loved ones and appreciate theseason's blessings.
In medieval England I thoughtthis was interesting For example
, each day of the 12 days wasmarked by a specific feast or
celebration that includedcommunity gatherings and shared
(02:26):
meals.
In other parts of Europe, localtraditions varied from parades
and performances to symbolicacts of giving, such as
distributing food to those whofind themselves in slim times or
lighting candles for loved oneswho can use our prayers.
These customs remind us thatthe spirit of the season is
(02:47):
rooted in togetherness andmindful celebration, which is
why celebrating the 12 daysbefore Christmas instead of
after makes perfect sense to me,because it sets us up to truly
enjoy the season.
In this time that just becomesbombarded with messages to shop
(03:12):
and consume right, buy, buy.
Our phones ping with textmessages from shops offering
discounts, our email lists andmailboxes are jam-packed with
offers to spend money, and ourprecious time scrolling through
digital shops or going to bigbox stores that we'd rather not
(03:34):
be inside.
But at the end of the season,what often lingers is not the
material gifts but the momentsof connection and the memories
we've created.
Can you even remember the giftsyou gave or received last year?
Truly, I was really spendingtime this morning as I was
(03:56):
putting this together for you,this podcast, and really
reflecting on this.
I cannot come up with onesingle thing, but I can remember
the gatherings.
That's what I remember is thegatherings.
And I also remember thatfeeling at the very end, after
(04:19):
things are cleaned up on the25th, and especially when
decorations start coming down,and then I start to think, wow,
I didn't do the cookie bakingthat I wanted to do.
Or gosh, I really wanted to gocheck out the Festival of Lights
which is in my community withmy kids, who are growing up
(04:41):
really fast.
So those kinds of things that Ijust didn't slow down enough to
do, and that's not just lastyear, it was a year before that
and the year before that.
So this year, on this beginningof the 12 days, I'm going to do
it differently, because modernculture tends to squeeze holiday
(05:05):
merriment into a frenzied blurof one or two days, and that's
why we often feel drained andoverwhelmed and just not
satisfied.
But the beauty of the 12 daysof Christmas is that it
encourages us to pace ourselvesof Christmas is that it
encourages us to pace ourselvesspreading out joy, reflection
(05:28):
and meaningful activities.
No-transcript.
The moments At the same timethe holiday generates
significant waste.
It's reminding us of theimportance of mindful
(05:49):
celebrations when we reallystart to slow down.
Just think of these statisticsAmericans create 25% more waste
between Thanksgiving and NewYear's, accounting to 1 million
extra tons of trash per week,and we all have seen the trash
(06:10):
cans overflowing right after.
On the 25th, my recycle bin isalways overflowing, and
unfortunately, so is my trashcan.
So this includes food waste too, like packaging and plastic
decorations, and that's reallywhere the trash comes from.
It's the plastic inserts withinboxes of the gifts that we give
(06:33):
or we receive and that cannotbe recycled.
Even if it has a little recyclesymbol on it does not mean that
it can be recycled, and sothat's something I'm always
thinking about is how can Ireduce my plastic waste?
Here's another statistic 2.3million pounds of wrapping paper
(06:57):
end up in landfills each yearafter the holidays.
200 million pounds of turkeyare discarded during the season.
A couple episodes ago, I talkedabout how we can reduce our food
waste during the holidays.
Reflect on how did it go foryou on Thanksgiving, did you end
(07:17):
up throwing away turkey?
And I encourage you to go backto that episode if you haven't
listened to it, or to listen toit again, because I give some
really good ideas of how we candial that back, because these
are things that I don't expectfor you to be thinking about how
can I improve what I'm alreadydoing, the systems that I
(07:46):
already have in place in myhouse, and how can I help others
do the same thing, so that youdon't have to go through that
whole same process, but ratherjust listen to these episodes,
get on my email list, listen toother people who are also dialed
in and thinking about thesethings, because we can't all be
experts, so that's why we needeach other and each other's
(08:08):
gifts.
In this episode, I'm going togive you these ideas of how we
can dial back our footprint andamplify joy and connection
during these next 12 days.
In the last podcast episode, Ioffer ideas on how I approach
gift buying at my farmer'smarket, which supports small
(08:31):
scale artisans and foodproducers.
And remember, when I talk aboutfarmer's markets, I don't just
mean the pop-up tents.
Where I live, it doesn't snow.
I'm here near the beach inOxnard, california.
So we have weather that cansupport a farmer's market
outdoors all year long.
So we have two in my communityevery week.
(08:54):
But there's also the brick andmortar farmer's market.
Right, that's those coffeeroasters in your community, the
cheeseesemonger if you're luckyenough to still have a
cheesemonger in your community.
We don't Bakers, thechocolatiers, the ice cream
(09:15):
makers that are using the bestingredients that they can get,
that they're purchasing organic,they're purchasing from small
scale farms.
They are mindful in the kindsof materials that they use,
because they're driven by notjust profit but by purpose.
So that is a brick and mortarfarmer's market.
(09:37):
And then you have this virtualmarketplace, this virtual
farmer's market, which isconnected to the vendors that
you do find at the farmer'smarket, the pop-up tents or
these small community shops thatwe all have.
Or it could be a virtualmarketplace Like.
(09:59):
I've really dug into Etsy lately.
I really enjoy.
I just bought this gorgeousfelted garland that I mentioned
in the last episode, but I justgot it in the mail yesterday and
it's beautiful that I havegoing up my stairs and there's
no glue.
It's all hand-sewn by a motherand daughter in South Carolina.
(10:20):
How sweet is that.
It came with a note.
Those are the things that buildconnection right.
They just.
That's part of our kitchenactivism.
Last week I went to the farmer'smarket and I purchased some of
my gifts for my siblings and myparents and stocking stuffers as
(10:41):
well, and one of the gifts Igot were two gorgeous
hand-thrown rice bowls thatcomes with chopsticks and even
little like opening in the bowlso that you can slip the
chopsticks in there, and I planto include a large jar of Lotus
Foods, which is my favoritego-to rice, because they're
doing all the right things, andI'm also going to include a
(11:05):
recipe for baked tofu stir fry.
I'm not saying who this gift isfor, just in case you're
listening, but what is alsopacked in the box with those
bowls is the sweet smile Ireceived from the potter with my
purchase and the conversationwe had when I mentioned that I
(11:25):
was going to include some whiterice with it, and then it made
her remember how about anorganization called Empty Bowls
that she participated in.
That was founded by a potter,lisa Blackburn, back in the 90s,
and the fundraiser, as far as Ican tell, can be organized by
anyone in their home communityand connecting participating
(11:49):
artists and groups to create anddonate bowls, then serve a
simple meal to give to those whoare in need of a meal or to use
it as a fundraiser so that thatmoney then can go to food banks
.
So there's all kinds of waysthat I saw that people have
carried this idea of the emptybowl into their community, and I
(12:12):
love that idea too, that weeach throw a stone.
We each toss a stone andthere's ripple effects of our
actions and we just have to keeptossing those stones and we
just don't even know how it'sgoing to influence or take shape
as it merges with others andother ripples.
(12:33):
For me, this first day of the 12days of Christmas, I'm hosting
my sister and my father for ahome-cooked meal and we're
celebrating the season plus mybaby sister's birthday, which I
missed last week because I wasjust too busy Again.
That's why I really need toslow down.
Around the table, we're goingto enjoy enchiladas with fresh
(12:56):
beans and calabacitas, which iszucchini sauteed with some corn,
garlic and tomatoes, and whenseasoned with cumin, it's so
delicious, it's so nourishing,and this homemade feast will
embody love and care that I feelfor my sister and my dad.
(13:16):
And really it started lastnight already the slowing down
just with this meal, because onething leads to the other thing,
that leads to the next thing.
So my daughter, esreia, and Ishop for the missing ingredients
.
Once my sister let me know thatshe wanted to have enchiladas.
Then I realized that I had somethings that I still needed to
(13:37):
go out and get, and my teenagedaughter, who often doesn't join
me for food shopping these days, especially on a school night,
said that she would come with me.
So I was already starting theseason of savoring the time
spent with those that we love,and we shared stories with each
other as we walked through thegrocery store, because there was
(13:58):
all this Christmas stuff outand I mostly listened to her
remember things like eggnog andcookies we baked.
There was not a single mentionof a Christmas present that she
got.
Now that I think of it, becauseit's not that we remember, it's
the time spent, it's thegathering, it's the slowing down
(14:23):
, it's not those elaborateevents or grand gestures, but
about connection, intention andshared experiences.
So here are some day-to-dayinspirations for the 12 days of
Christmas.
Maybe you take these ideas asis, or they spark another idea
(14:45):
that reflects your situationwhere you live, the things that
make you uniquely, you.
So one would be to host aneighborhood toast.
I've been wanting to gather myneighbors together.
I have some really wonderfulneighbors and some new ones and
it could be something small.
(15:05):
Share a holiday drink, whetherit's mulled wine, hot cider, a
simple herb tea.
It's just a time to gather, toconnect and strengthen your
neighborhood community.
The second is to bake and share.
Finally, make those cookiesyou've been meaning to bake
every year.
Package them up with a personalnote.
(15:27):
I like to use parchment paperand string all of it compostable
and then put a little note anddeliver it to friends, neighbors
, strangers, anyone who coulduse a little holiday cheer.
Three is to make tamales oranother community meal.
Gather family and friends fortamale making or something that
(15:49):
thrives on many hands workingtogether.
The process is as rewarding asthe meal itself, because it's
creating shared memories whilekeeping cultural or family
traditions alive.
In my book Eat Less Water, Ihave a really great recipe for
plant-forward tamales that youare more than welcome to use,
and if you don't have the book,I know that they have the
(16:11):
library, many libraries aroundthe country.
Or just send me a message and Iwill make you a copy of it and
send it to you.
Four string popcorn for thebirds.
Spend an afternoon stringingorganic popcorn because remember
, they're little bodies.
They have little bodies, sothey don't need the chemicals
(16:32):
from conventional popcorn andcranberries to hang outside.
This is a simple act that's funbut also gives to nature right,
helping wildlife through thecolder months.
This is especially sweet inareas where there's snow outside
.
Five take an evening hike.
(16:58):
Say no to a meeting or eventand instead take an evening hike
.
Connect with nature, marvel atthe night sky, find peace in the
stillness.
Six cozy up with a book.
Dedicate an evening, or coupleevenings, to reading a book,
with a cup of tea or hotchocolate.
My favorite is Tasa hotchocolate.
(17:18):
That's also a recipe in thebook of Eat Less Water.
This intentional slowdown canbe restorative amid the busy
holiday season.
Try a new recipe.
Seven dust off that eggnogrecipe that you say every year
you're going to do and you neverdo, or the apple cider recipe.
(17:40):
Experiment with something you'vealways wanted to make.
The kitchen is the best placefor creativity.
Eight craft handmade cards orgifts.
Skip the plastic trinkets andinstead make heartfelt gifts or
cards, whether it's a jar ofhomemade jam, a batch of granola
(18:02):
, I love to make homemadegranola in my electric oven.
It does it so well.
And then I could add I alwaysthink about how can I layer in
some more goodness.
So I put flax seed and hempseed, as many nuts as possible
for good protein, and some driedfruit.
(18:23):
Put it in a mason jar and thereyou have a wonderful gift Zero
plastic, just good, wholesome,nourishing, clean food.
Nine cook together, gather yourchildren, your siblings, if you
have children, whether they'reyoung or they're grown, to come
and make a simple meal ordessert.
(18:44):
The act of cooking togetherjust fosters connection, creates
memories that last long afterthe food is gone and you could
think about what seasonal foodscan you bring in.
Maybe it's making a butternutsquash soup, for example,
because that's in season.
Maybe it's a roasted beet salad.
(19:05):
So just think about, let theseason inspire you, but it
doesn't need to be elaborate.
In fact it shouldn't beelaborate.
Keep it really simple.
What's important is that you'retogether and you're cooking
together.
Ten reflect on your plasticfootprint.
Think about ways to reducewaste.
(19:26):
This holiday season Can you usefabric, gift wrap or repurposed
paper.
Make sure that you're choosingwrapping paper that's made with
post-consumer, recyclable,recycled paper.
Offer plastic-free presents asmuch as you can.
When I was choosing some giftsfor my sister for her birthday,
(19:50):
I had the idea to get her somebath salts and some scrubs.
There was two options there.
There was an option for a scrubthat came in a plastic
container and then there was onethat came in a metal container.
So I chose the metal containerbecause that is fully recyclable
(20:12):
.
So that's simple.
That was a simple act andactually there was no difference
in price either.
It was just being mindful.
That is how simple this is.
But it makes a difference themore we do it and the more of us
do it.
Eleven, slow down and savor.
Take time to prepare a slow,mindful meal.
(20:35):
This doesn't have to be withothers.
This is just for you.
Let it be an exercise inappreciating the process of
nourishing yourself.
It can include others, butthink about what is it that you
love to eat, because I know wetend, especially women as adults
and when we're caring forothers and we're cooking for
(20:58):
others, we the tendency is tothink about what is it that
other people like to eat.
But when is the last time thatyou've really considered what is
it that you love to eat?
What is your comfort food whatfeels nourishing to you, and
make yourself something with you, front and center, because we
(21:23):
need to nourish ourselves whenwe're doing all of these things,
but we need to care forourselves.
Twelve plan for the new year.
As a season concludes, thinkabout how can you carry the
lessons of kitchen activism intothe new year to continue on
this delicious lifestyle ofsavoring, slowing down, enjoying
(21:50):
, gathering those who you careabout around the table, enjoying
the whole process, not justpart of it, not just the actual
sitting down for the meal, butfrom the very beginning of the
planning, all the way to the end.
So right now we have theopportunity to think beyond our
own kitchens.
(22:11):
Consider giving back throughfood banks, volunteering,
donating nourishing meals tothose in need.
I I'm putting that empty bowlidea out there.
Maybe somebody can do somethingsmall this year or maybe it
seeds an idea for the comingyear.
In the US, millions face foodinsecurity during the winter
(22:35):
months.
At the grocery store yesterdayI was asked if I wanted to make
a $5 contribution for a foodbank.
So simple thing there I couldjust say yes, we can all make an
impact.
We can volunteer at the localsoup kitchen, organize a food
drive or support organizationsproviding meals to families.
(22:57):
Small acts of kindness rippleoutward to create meaningful
change.
Before I go, I just want to giveyou some ideas for seasonal
inspiration from the kitchen.
As we're slowing down andsavoring, we can really
celebrate the bounty of theseason Right now.
In season generally becausewe're all in different regions,
(23:20):
but generally for fruits it'soranges, tangerines, apples,
pears, pomegranates, persimmon,cranberries.
Think about incorporating theseingredients.
Sweet potatoes, kale, brusselsprouts, cabbage, carrots, beets
(23:47):
, leeks, onions, fennel,cauliflower all of those things
make wonderful soups.
They also make great fillingsfor tacos.
Tonight, the enchiladas thatI'm making will include kale,
and that's just.
That's something we don't thinkabout for enchiladas, but
(24:09):
absolutely it makes such awonderful filling paired with
sweet potatoes or with potatoes,and it's good for your gut
health.
And then herbs Right now what'sin season is sage, thyme,
rosemary.
Those are all things that youcan include in your cooking.
(24:30):
Or I also like, instead ofputting ribbons like the plastic
ribbon on gifts, is to take anherb, like a snippet of rosemary
, for example, and tying thatwith some string.
So these are the ingredientsthat can inspire comforting and
(24:50):
sustainable holiday meals,whether it's your hearty soup,
your roasted vegetables, yourcitrus dessert.
To close, as we embark on this12-day journey, just remember
the holidays are not aboutperfection or excess.
They're about love, presenceand care for ourselves, for
(25:12):
ourselves.
I have to say that twice,because we often forget for
others and for this planet.
This year, let's celebrate withintention and embrace the joy
of simplicity.
Thank you so much for spendingthis time with me.
Will you leave me a review ofthis podcast?
(25:32):
Share it with a friend and signup for the newsletter, if you
haven't done so already.
Together we will growwell-being.
There is power in thecollective.
Until next time.
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