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Coffee, collagen, and chocolate? That’s three of our favorite things in one recipe!

While this chocolate bomb recipe might sound too good to be true, you can make this decadent coffee upgrade at home using your collagen coffee creamer from Primal Kitchen. Delight brunch guests or add a little elegance to a weekday brew with Collagen Coffee Chocolate Bombs. All you need is a few ingredients and a hot chocolate bomb mold.

Made with tempered chocolate, these “bombs” melt into hot coffee and infuse your cup with velvety, rich flavor… plus, all the collagen protein benefits from a scoop of Collagen Fuel®. Add a little elegance to your caffeine fix with this crave-worthy coffee bomb recipe!

What Is a Chocolate Bomb?

A chocolate bomb is a hollow orb made of tempered chocolate and filled with a tasty surprise—in this case, Collagen Fuel! When you drop it in hot coffee, the chocolate melts, releasing the delicious contents. From there, you can stir or use a frother or immersion blender to mix it all together. Voila, your ordinary coffee is now a deluxe coffee beverage worth bragging about!

Collagen Chocolate Bomb Recipe

Makes: 4 collagen coffee bombs

Ingredients

• 200g 85% chocolate bar (see notes for types of chocolate)
• 1/4 cup coconut milk powder
• 4 scoops Primal Kitchen Vanilla, Hazelnut or Chocolate Collagen Fuel
• 24-32 oz. of your favorite coffee

Optional additions:

• Whipped coconut cream
• Vanilla extract or powder
• Milk of choice
• Liquid stevia or monk fruit

Directions

Step 1: How to Temper Chocolate

Start by chopping your chocolate. To temper using a double boiler:

1. Fill a pot with a few inches of water and place it on your stovetop over medium heat.
2. Place a heat-safe bowl on top of the pot. It should be a little bigger than the pot, and the bottom of the bowl should sit nicely inside the top of the pot. Pour about 2/3 of your chopped chocolate into the pot.
3. Use a spatula to stir the chocolate as it melts in the bowl. When the chocolate is nearly melted, use a food thermometer to test the temperature of the chocolate. When the melted chocolate reaches 115 degrees Fahrenheit (46 degrees Celsius), quickly remove the bowl from the heat.
4. Add the remaining chocolate to the bowl a little at a time, stirring continuously to promote the rest of the chocolate melting. This will also help cool down the melted chocolate slightly.
5. Once all of the chocolate has been added and the temperature of the melted chocolate reaches 80 to 82 degrees Fahrenheit (26 to 28 Celsius), place the bowl back on the pot.
6. Stir until the melted chocolate reaches 88 to 89 degrees Fahrenheit (31 to 32 Celsius), then quickly remove it from the heat again. Now your chocolate is tempered and ready to use!

Step 2: Make Your Coffee Bombs in a Hot Chocolate Bomb Mold

I recommend using a 2-inch or 2.5-inch silicone mold for the coffee bombs.

Use a silicone brush to brush the chocolate all over the insides of each of the round molds. This recipe will make 4 or 5 coffee bombs depending on the size of the mold you use and how much chocolate you use in each mold, so you will need to “paint” the insides of 8 to 10 molds total. I’d recommend starting with 8. You can always make an additional one if you have extra chocolate.

Once you have made your first chocolate layer, place the mold(s) in the fridge for 5 to 10 minutes to harden.

Remove the molds from the fridge and repeat the process of brushing the chocolate inside the molds, really focusing on building up the chocolate near the rims. Place the molds back in the fridge.

At this point, you can attempt to remove the chocolate from the molds, or paint the chocolate in the molds a third time. I’d recommend 3 times total to make sure your chocolate is thick enough and stays intact. Refrigerate one last time for about 15 minutes.

Once chilled and set, carefully remove each of the round halves from the molds.

Step 3: Fill the Coffee Bombs

In a small bowl, combine the coconut milk powder and collagen powder. Scoop the mixture into 4 (or 5, if you made 10) of the chocolate halves.

Brush a little melted chocolate on the outside rim of one empty chocolate half, then carefully press it on top of one of the filled halves to create a sphere. If you’d like, you can brush some chocolate around the outside of where the rims joined and roll it in a little collagen powder or coconut milk powder, as shown in the picture below.

Repeat with the remaining chocolate. Store the collagen bombs in the fridge.

Step 4: Enjoy a Collagen Coffee Chocolate Bomb!

Brew your favorite coffee. Pour a little in a mug and then add the collagen coffee bomb. Top with more coffee until the chocolate sphere melts and the contents come out. Use a little immersion blender or frother to blend everything up.

Optionally, add your favorite milk to the coffee and/or top with whipped cream or coconut cream. Enjoy immediately.

Notes:

• I recommend using a chocolate bar rather than chocolate chips for this recipe. The chopped bar will melt better and have more success being tempered. I used a very dark chocolate bar. Using a low-carb chocolate bar (e.g., Lily’s) would probably work as well.
• If you can tolerate dairy, feel free to use regular milk powder instead of coconut milk powder.

Learn more about collagen protein benefits:

• The Definitive Guide to Collagen
• Collagen Peptides FAQ: Answering 20 Questions about Collagen Supplements
• 20 More Questions about the Benefits of Collagen Supplements

Print

Collagen Coffee Chocolate Bomb Recipe

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• 
  Author: Mark’s Daily Apple
• 
  Yield: 4 chocolate bombs

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Description

These chocolate “bombs” melt into hot coffee and infuse your cup with velvety, rich flavor… plus, all the collagen protein benefits from a scoop of Primal Kitchen Collagen Fuel®.

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Ingredients

200g 85% chocolate bar (see notes for types of chocolate)

1/4 cup coconut milk powder

4 scoops Primal Kitchen Vanilla, Hazelnut or Chocolate Collagen Fuel

24–32 oz. of your favorite coffee

---

Instructions

Step 1: How to Temper Chocolate

Start by chopping your chocolate. To temper using a double boiler:

1. Fill a pot with a few inches of water and place it on your stovetop over medium heat.
2. Place a heat-safe bowl on top of the pot. It should be a little bigger than the pot, and the bottom of the bowl should sit nicely inside the top of the pot. Pour about 2/3 of your chopped chocolate into the pot.
3. Use a spatula to stir the chocolate as it melts in the bowl. When the chocolate is nearly melted, use a food thermometer to test the temperature of the chocolate. When the melted chocolate reaches 115 degrees Fahrenheit (46 degrees Celsius), quickly remove the bowl from the heat.
4. Add the remaining chocolate to the bowl a little at a time, stirring continuously to promote the rest of the chocolate melting. This will also help cool down the melted chocolate slightly.
5. Once all of the chocolate has been added and the temperature of the melted chocolate reaches 80 to 82 degrees Fahrenheit (26 to 28 Celsius), place the bowl back on the pot.
6. Stir until the melted chocolate reaches 88 to 89 degrees Fahrenheit (31 to 32 Celsius), then quickly remove it from the heat again. Now your chocolate is tempered and ready to use!

Step 2: Make Your Coffee Bombs in a Hot Chocolate Bomb Mold

We recommend using a 2-inch or 2.5-inch silicone mold for the coffee bombs.

Use a silicone brush to brush the chocolate all over the insides of each of the round molds. This recipe will make 4 or 5 coffee bombs depending on the size of the mold you use and how much chocolate you use in each mold, so you will need to “paint” the insides of 8 to 10 molds total. I’d recommend starting with 8. You can always make an additional one if you have extra chocolate.

Once you have made your first chocolate layer, place the mold(s) in the fridge for 5 to 10 minutes to harden.

Remove the molds from the fridge and repeat the process of brushing the chocolate inside the molds, really focusing on building up the chocolate near the rims. Place the molds back in the fridge.

At this point, you can attempt to remove the chocolate from the molds, or paint the chocolate in the molds a third time. I’d recommend 3 times total to make sure your chocolate is thick enough and stays intact. Refrigerate one last time for about 15 minutes.

Once chilled and set, carefully remove each of the round halves from the molds.

Step 3: Fill the Coffee Bombs

In a small bowl, combine the coconut milk powder and collagen powder. Scoop the mixture into 4 (or 5, if you made 10) of the chocolate halves.

Brush a little melted chocolate on the outside rim of one empty chocolate half, then carefully press it on top of one of the filled halves to create a sphere. If you’d like, you can brush some chocolate around the outside of where the rims joined and roll it in a little collagen powder or coconut milk powder.

Repeat with the remaining chocolate. Store the collagen bombs in the fridge.

Step 4: Enjoy a Collagen Coffee Chocolate Bomb!

Brew your favorite coffee. Pour a little in a mug and then add the collagen coffee bomb. Top with more coffee until the chocolate sphere melts and the contents come out. Use a little immersion blender or frother to blend everything up.

Optionally, add your favorite milk to the coffee and/or top with whipped cream or coconut cream. Enjoy immediately.

Notes

We recommend using a chocolate bar rather than chocolate chips for this recipe. The chopped bar will melt better and have more success being tempered. We used a very dark chocolate bar. Using a low-carb chocolate bar (e.g., Lily’s) would probably work as well.

If you can tolerate dairy, feel free to use regular milk powder instead of coconut milk powder.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 chocolate bomb
• Calories: 213
• Sugar: 5.5g
• Sodium: 247g
• Fat: 11g
• Saturated Fat: 6g
• Carbohydrates: 29g
• Fiber: 8g
• Protein: 3g
• Cholesterol: 5mg
• Net Carbs: 21g

Keywords: Coffee, Collagen

The post Collagen Coffee Chocolate Bomb Recipe appeared first on Mark’s Daily Apple.

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/

Research of the Week

More meat, longer life.

Colon cancer patients who survive and eat lots of meat do just fine.

Resistance training is the most effective exercise modality for seniors who want to improve cognitive function.

More serum albumin, longer life.

Higher vitamin D levels, more muscle (in Korean adults).

In infertile men, taking vitamin D improves HDL levels and fasting insulin.

New Primal Kitchen Podcasts

Primal Kitchen Podcast, Episode 19: The Secrets on Sexual Optimization and Aging with Dr. Amy Killen

Media, Schmedia

Archaeologists uncover a pristine 7000 year-old shrine where ancient Jordanian hunters corralled and slaughtered gazelles.

Lab leak theory now considered the most likely to be true in many circles.

Interesting Blog Posts

Pre-K simply doesn’t work.

Social Notes

Quite the map.

True security.

Everything Else

On natural wines.

Nice guide to shellfish.

Things I’m Up to and Interested In

Classic: “The Skinny on Fats”

Good letter to the editor: Wonder why it was rejected.

Wonder why: Fake meat companies aren’t doing so well.

Incredible: Teen born without legs wins state wrestling championship.

Not surprising: Meat intake a strong predictor of longevity.

Question I’m Asking

How much time do you spend on the floor?

Recipe Corner

• Simple chile paste, sambal oelek.
• Squash, pork, apples: the perfect triumvirate.

Time Capsule

One year ago (Feb 19 – Feb 25)

• How I’d Change Higher Education — What I’d do.
• Orthorexia: Where to Draw the Line Between Healthy Eating and Obsession?— Where’s the line?

Comment of the Week

“Mark i really enjoyed your post today. You made me realize the different types of hunger and whether it was even “real” hunger. Great food for thought today”

-I see what you did there.

The post New and Noteworthy: What I Read This Week—Edition 166 appeared first on Mark’s Daily Apple.

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/

Dear Mark,

Your website inspired me to join a CSA this past year, and I’m looking forward to frequenting my local farmers’ market again this summer. I absolutely love all the produce selections, but this has opened my eyes to how limited I am in the late fall/winter by what’s usually available (and affordable) in the grocery store. (I live in the Northern Plains.) I’d like to begin thinking about freezing some items to enjoy them post-season. What tips do you have for doing this? Thank you!

Thanks for the question! You’re correct—as incredible as it is to enjoy fresh veggies and fruits when they are in season, it’s smart to look ahead to the “scarcer” months. One of the best ways to carry over the season’s best, of course, is freezing. (Grok would’ve traded a lot of hides for a deep freeze chest….) This year, as you load up on seasonal produce in the spring, summer, and early fall, here are a few suggestions and resources for the best freezer prep and storage techniques.

The week of Feb 21, 2022, Primal Kitchen is featuring ways to cut down on food waste. Find food waste facts, waste reduction tips, exclusive recipes, and resources from the Farmlink Project by signing up here.

Set Up

Select your freezer space

First off, I’d highly recommend investing in a deep freezer. You can certainly make use of the freezer compartment of your refrigerator, but it’s typically a limited space and doesn’t stay as consistently cold as a deep freezer chest. (For best results, freezers should be kept at 0° Fahrenheit or less. A simple freezer gauge can give you an accurate reading.) Although items should still last a number of months, you aren’t going to get the same longevity using your refrigerator freezer (8-12 months for most produce when properly prepped and packaged).

If you’re worried about initial cost, keep in mind that there are plenty of good used deep freezers for sale. Check scratch and dent sales, classifieds, and Craigslist for starters. And also keep in mind that you have the potential to recoup much of that money within the first year alone, depending on how much you choose to freeze (produce, meats, etc.). It’s less expensive to buy good quality produce in season and make it last through much of the winter than it is to buy your full produce needs in the off-season. When you add the savings of cowpooling or other bulk meat/poultry/game storage, it won’t be long before your freezer will pay for itself.

Storage solutions for produce

As for wraps, bags, and such, don’t skimp. You’ll need high-quality storage to keep out moisture. Lined freezer paper and freezer tape can work for “dry” packing produce. Another option, particularly for purees or fruits that will be stored with juice, is freezer-appropriate canning jars. Many people find it more convenient to use plastic freezer bags (either the Ziploc kind or the self-cut kind that requires a heat sealer).

In any case, the freezer wrap or bags should be freezer-designated and vapor proof as well as pliant. The idea here is to mold the packaging as close to the outline of the food as possible to remove trapped air and to prevent the exchange of moisture. If the item is allowed to give off its own moisture, freezer burn will set in—those brownish, tough, odd-tasting areas on thawed veggies. Spare your produce the calamity and yourself the frustration (and lost money) by investing a little extra change in good storage solutions.

Prep the Produce

Selecting fresh produce

For the sake of taste and nutrients, you’ll want the freshest produce you can get your hands on. If you’re not a gardener yourself, the next best thing can be found in CSA packages or farmers’ markets, as you’ve discovered. Items are generally picked within a day or even a few hours of sale/distribution.

Washing and preparing the product to freeze

Wash, cut, peel and prep as needed. (The smaller the pieces, the more tightly you can pack your produce.)

Nearly all vegetables will need to be blanched before freezing. (A few like sweet potatoes and pumpkin should be thoroughly cooked before freezing.) The quick shot in boiling water or steam will halt the enzyme action responsible for natural decomposition. Too little, and you run the risk of not shutting down the enzyme activity (maybe even accelerating it). Too much, and you might be sacrificing nutrients as well as texture and taste. A brief “shock” in ice water immediately after blanching will keep the items from cooking further.

The timing on blanching, however, is a delicate dance. Check out this resource for specific blanching times for different vegetables. If you choose to “steam blanch,” the times are generally 1.5 times the length of traditional blanching.

Tips for freezing produce

A few other notes to keep in mind:

• You won’t need a lot of complicated equipment, just some large pots, bowls, tongs, towels, and maybe wire baskets.
• Although microwave blanching may work for small batches that will be eaten in a short period of time, many experts recommend against it for long-term freezing. There’s doubt that it halts all enzyme activity.
• Certain fruits like apples, peaches, avocado, and pears should be stored with ascorbic acid to prevent discoloration. You might also consider it for vegetables like artichokes and sweet potato to maintain peak color.

Package Well and Freeze Fast

How to freeze fruits and vegetables

Once the vegetables and fruits are appropriately prepped, cooked/blanched, and cooled, allow them to thoroughly drain and dry. Kitchen towels or paper towels can speed up the process, especially for certain intact items like green beans or whole berries.

Some fruits like apples and nectarines tend to freeze better with juice, but most vegetables and many fruits can be packed without any juice. After draining, you can tightly pack them in freezer bags or wrap and frozen in their bulk packaging. (Sugar or syrup packing is often recommended for fruit, but a small amount of juice and ascorbic acid can work just as well.)

If you have space, it’s a good idea to freeze fruits and vegetables in a single layer on a tray first, then immediately pack them in bags or wrap. This keeps them from clumping together and makes it easier to remove portions.

Cooked purees can be stored in large containers, but it’s even better to use silicone ice cube trays or containers designed especially for freezing single servings. This works especially well for baby food, where you only want to thaw a small amount at one time.

Organizing frozen produce in the freezer

Once you have your packages loaded and ready for storage, stack up already frozen items and move them to one side of your freezer. Spread the new packages across the open areas to encourage speedier freezing, which will discourage freezer burn and help preserve taste.

Have your own tips for freezing spring and summer’s harvest? Prefer canning or fermenting to freezing? Favorite uses for your frozen stores? As always, thanks for your questions and comments, and keep ‘em coming!

The post Dear Mark: How to Freeze Produce appeared first on Mark’s Daily Apple.

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Composting is one of those things that everyone agrees is good. There are literally no downsides, only benefits.

Composting creates nutrient-dense, well-fertilized soil.

Composting means “food waste” is no longer wasteful.

Composting is better for the environment.

Composting organic materials is more productive than simply throwing them away into a landfill.

Composting is passive income. You’re not actively breaking down the organic materials. You’re not doing anything except throwing it in the pile or in the container. The microbes handle the rest and you get the benefit.

From all perspectives, composting is a smart move. If you just want a healthier garden, composting does that. If you want to improve soil health and fight soil nutrient deficiencies, composting does that. If you want to fight environmental degradation, composting does that. If you just want less stuff in your trash can and in the landfill, composting does that.

There’s no reason not to compost. Even if you live in a small space without a yard, you can participate. But how do you get started?

The week of Feb 21, 2022, Primal Kitchen is featuring ways to cut down on food waste. Find food waste facts, waste reduction tips, exclusive recipes, and resources from the Farmlink Project by signing up here. All week, MDA will be featuring posts that can help you get the most bang for your grocery budget and minimize food waste to boot!

How to Get Started Composting

The basic way to get started is to just get started.

First, figure out what can and can’t be composted:

What to Compost

• Vegetable and fruit scraps
• Coffee grounds and paper filters
• Teabags, old tea leaves
• Unglossy/matte paper products and cardboard products (including PrimalKitchen.com kraft paper used in shipping!)
• Yard clippings
• Leaves, grass
• Hay and straw
• Untreated wood chips, sawdust, wood scraps, toothpicks
• Wine corks
• Tissues
• Eggshells (crushed best)
• Fur, hair, feathers
• Manure
• Old bread, cooked pasta
• Cotton, wool, linen

What Not to Compost

• Plastic
• Glossy paper products—magazines, “shiny” paper
• Metal
• Stone
• Glass
• Large branches, wood rounds
• Pet and human waste
• Treated wood chips, sawdust, wood scraps
• Synthetic fabrics
• Oil

So, do you just throw everything from the “What to Compost” list in a big pile or bin out in the yard?

Not exactly.

You should think of compostable materials in terms of “greens” and “browns.” Greens are wetter materials, higher in nitrogen. Browns are drier, higher in carbon.

Greens include:

• Most kitchen scraps
• Manure
• Coffee grounds
• Fresh (green) grass, leaves, and yard clippings

Browns include:

• Wood scraps, dust, chips
• Paper, cardboard
• Hay
• Dried (brown) grass, leaves, and yard clippings
• Egg shells

Ratio: You want more browns than greens in your compost pile or bin. It doesn’t have to be an exact ratio, but somewhere between 4:1 and 2:1 brown:green is good. “More browns than greens” is good enough. It’s not an exact science, more an art. Your compost should be moist, not soaking wet. It shouldn’t be dry, it shouldn’t be slimy, it should be juuuust right.

Layers: You should create rough “layers” of browns and greens. Browns on the bottom, then greens, then browns, then greens, and so on. Make sure the bottom and top are both browns. This will allow air to flow and prevent moisture from pooling. The layers are bound to get upset as the compost develops and you turn it, and that’s okay. It’s a guideline, not a hard-and-fast rule.

What Kind of Compost Set-Up is Best?

You can do your compost on the ground in a pile. No structure, no walls, nothing but the compost and the earth beneath it. That will work.

You can do your compost in a large bin. Four walls and a roof. If your compost is totally cut off from the ground, make sure you “seed” it with some garden soil to introduce microbes. That will work.

You can do your compost in a big tumbler with a handle that lets you tumble the contents and aerate it. That will work.

The best compost set up is the one that you can set up and maintain where you live. If that’s a small bin on your patio, that’s fine. If it’s a big pile in your garden, that’s fine. Whatever you have the room for will be a-ok.

Just stick with the basic concept of “more browns than greens,” frequently aerate or turn your compost with a spade or pitchfork (or tumbler handle), and avoid excessive moisture or too little moisture. Don’t lose sleep over composting set ups. Just do it.

There are some other options, though.

Make a Worm Composting Bin

Worm bins are great for smaller places without yards because they’re self-contained. Making a worm bin is pretty easy. Here’s how:

1. Get two plastic tubs. One shorter, one taller, with the taller one able to fit inside the shorter bottom one.
   Bottom tub: 15 inches long, 25 inches wide, 5 inches tall
   Top tub: 15 inches long, 20 inches wide, 15+ inches tall
   The top tub has a lid. Bottom tub doesn’t need one.
2. Drill a 1-inch hole 2 inches from the top of the top tub. Drill another one inch hole on the opposite side.
3. Near each bottom corner of the top tub, drill 1/8 inch holes.
4. Cover all six holes with vinyl screen. Glue or staple the screen in place. This will keep worms from escaping.
5. The top tub goes inside the bottom tub. Fill the top tub three inches deep with shredded paper and a pound of garden soil to introduce microbes. Add enough water that it’s all moist (but not wet).
6. Add the worms. Red wrigglers are best.
7. Let them acclimate to the bin for a few days, then add food. Food can be almost anything from the kitchen, but avoid meat, dairy, and bones in your worm bin. To add food, create a hole in the middle of the bin’s contents, add the food, and cover with the soil/paper mixture. You may have to add more soil/paper mix until the worms start creating enough soil of their own.
8. Feed your worms about once a week. If they’re ignoring a certain food you put in there, fish it out and don’t add it again. Worms have preferences. Yours simply might not care for that particular food.
9. The liquid that pools in the bottom tub is highly nutritious—for your plants. Add it to your garden.
10. When the compost reaches the two holes you drilled in the top bin, it’s time to harvest some of your compost and add it to your garden. Try to avoid scooping out worms.

If you don’t want to make your own, you can also buy pre-made setups.

Try Bokashi Composting

Bokashi is a Japanese method of composting that uses anaerobic fermentation to produce compost in a fraction of the time it takes a regular compost pile. And it’s easy to make your own setup.

1. Get two 5-gallon buckets and one snug-fitting lid.
2. Drill 20 small holes in the bottom of one bucket. Place the bucket with holes in the bottom inside the bucket with no holes. These are drain holes for the composting liquid.
3. Add kitchen scraps to the top bucket. Kitchen scraps can include anything, including meat, bones, and fat. Avoid excessive liquid and oil, though, and try to keep the pieces relatively small to speed up fermentation.
4. Sprinkle with bokashi bran—this is bran that has been inoculated with the bokashi microbes. Cover the surface of the scrap layer with bran and stir to mix. 1-2 tablespoons per every 2 inches of food scraps.
5. Put the lid back on. Make sure it’s airtight, as the bokashi needs an air tight environment to flourish. It’s even a good idea to cover the compost itself with a tight fitting plate or plastic weighed down with rocks to limit air exposure.
6. Every time you add more kitchen scraps, sprinkle on more bokashi bran and stir, then press down with a potato masher to compact the compost and minimize air.
7. Add kitchen scraps every other day at most; you want to minimize air exposure as much as possible.
8. Drain the liquid in the bottom bucket every few days. You can use this diluted on the garden.

Once the top bucket is almost full, cover and leave for two weeks for the process to finish. Keep draining liquid. After two weeks, the contents should be ready to move out to the garden to be buried or composted further. Don’t apply it right away to your plants, as it’s still very acidic. Another two weeks of “curing” outside or buried will render it suitable for garden application.

Some people even have success adding bokashi bran to their existing compost piles. It’s worth a try.

Choose Your Motivation

One important part of composting is your motivation. Why are you composting? Are you composting to save the world and fight climate change? Or are you composting to get better soil, to create your own fertilizer, to have a more sustainable way of life in your own household? I would argue that the latter motivations are more helpful and more sustainable for someone who wants to start composting and keep composting.

Because here’s the thing: when you are composting to save the world or some other grand design with global implications you’re not going to see any impact from your actions. It may help in some small way, but throwing your banana peels in the compost pile is not going to move the needle on the climate or world hunger or soil devastation. However, it will move the needle on the quality of your own garden and your own life.

If you’re expecting your little compost pile to save the world, and then it doesn’t, you’re less likely to stick with it. What’s the point?

If you’re expecting your little compost pile to save your garden, and then it does, you’re more likely to stick with it. Because that’s the entire point.

That’s it: a quick and dirty guide to composting.

How do you compost? What did I miss? What would you add to this article? Let me know down below!

More Ways to Reduce Food Waste from MDA:

• How to Preserve Fresh Vegetables
• Seasonal Eating: Getting the Most Out of Winter Vegetables

The post How to Start Composting appeared first on Mark’s Daily Apple.

Originally Posted At: https://breakingmuscle.com/feed/rss

Every time I see one of those “No Excuses!” headlines or memes, I want to heave a medicine ball at my computer. These posts send the messages that going to the gym isn’t selfish, kids shouldn’t be an excuse for not working out, and there’s no excuse for not taking care of yourself.

I agree, and over the years I’ve made working out a priority. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings at 9:30 a.m., I’m at my CrossFit box laboring away.

Unless there’s a snow day for my kids. Or they’re sick. Or I’m sick. Or the doctor/dentist/teacher/speech therapist/freelance client can only meet with me during my scheduled WOD. Or my freelance work exceeds my babysitting/kids-in-school hours for the week.

Most of the time, I can schedule around my workout or move my training to another day. But I won’t feel guilty for the days when I just can’t make it in. I’m tired of being told no excuse is ever good enough.

Editor’s note: This article is an op-ed. The views expressed herein and in the video are the author’s and don’t necessarily reflect the views of Breaking Muscle. Claims, assertions, opinions, and quotes have been sourced exclusively by the author.

Exercise Is Important. So Are Many Other Things.

Believe me, I know the stakes. I had an endocrinologist write out “Exercise 60 min. three times per week” on a prescription pad and hand it to me when I was overweight and near diabetic. He wanted to make it clear exercise was as important to my health as the medication he prescribed.

Another doctor, after my first child was born, shared the beautiful idea that the time we spend exercising and taking care of ourselves is given back to our children over and over because it will make us live longer and more fully. That hit me.

And I’ll stipulate upfront that I’m sure there are people who have oodles of time to spend at the gym, but instead play video games and eat junk. I’m not talking about them. I’m talking about people with busy, demanding lives that make it difficult to do laundry, let alone an hour-long workout.

Lecturing [people] about how important it is to prioritize their fitness without helping them find the time is cruel.

But all that “fitspiration” doesn’t even begin discussing what these people experience when they complain they don’t have time. And it makes no mention of what gym owners and trainers can do to help busy clients start creating more time to be healthy.

People work out more when it fits easily into their lives and they don’t have to neglect legitimate priorities like work and family. So how do you know if your gym is a break from the stress or yet another burden to your clients? Ask yourself the questions below:

Are Your Classes in the Middle of Crunch Time?

Do your training sessions all start in the early evening between 4:00 and 6:30? Do they end by 7:30 a.m. in the morning? I have never worked a full-time job that allowed me to take a group class. The typical morning class time didn’t give me enough time to get ready for and commute to work.

Not to mention, as a parent, the normal group class times are actually the busiest parts of my day. In the evening, I’m dealing with cranky, tired kids, getting dinner ready, and taking kids to sports practices and classes. (In a world where most parents work, few kid activities start before 5:30 p.m.) In the morning, I’m getting kids ready for school. I work out in the two-hour window between when I drop one child off and the other comes home, and my husband works out at 9:00 p.m. after our kids are in bed.

Do You Offer Childcare?

My gym doesn’t, and it can be a struggle. I work part-time from home, so if my kids aren’t in school, I either bring them (and their electronic babysitters) with me or I have to leave them with my husband.

Before my gym offered a late morning class, I missed a lot of evening CrossFit classes because my husband had to work late and I didn’t want to drag a toddler and kindergartener to the gym.

Do You Make Feeding a Family More Difficult?

Paleo, I’m looking at you. If you advise your clients who are cooking for partners and children to follow a restrictive diet without showing them how to do it in a way that won’t turn dinnertime into a full-scale nightmare, you are not serving your clients.

I am (mostly) paleo. My family is not. It took me a solid year to figure out how to do that effectively. It is still stressful, time-consuming, and expensive. Cooking for a partner and two, three, or even four children, like many of my CrossFit friends do, is hard enough without having to cook a separate meal for one of the adults.

Do You Offer Family Programming?

Families have precious little time to spend together. It’s easy to write off what parents feel as simply guilt, but I’d argue it’s more like longing. I love my kids and my husband. I want to spend time with them. It brings me far more joy than going to the gym.

If your goal is to get people moving and healthy, consider a yoga class for parents and babies or a playground strength class where older kids can play while their parents workout nearby. The next time your gym runs a fundraiser WOD, consider adding a non-competitive kids WOD so the whole family can attend. Do all the youth sports teams in your town practice in the same area? Try holding a boot camp on the sidelines for the parents while their kids practice.

Do You Encourage a Workout or an Active Life?

With two kids, it’s easy for me to be active outside the gym. We ride bikes, hike, play soccer in our backyard, sprint down the sidewalk, and explore museums. I often do pull-up negatives on the monkey bars when we go to parks. We shoveled a lot of snow this winter. Just because I skipped my workout doesn’t mean I didn’t exercise. Help your clients find ways to be active outside the gym on busy days.

Help Your Clients Help Themselves

Now, I know what you’re thinking: “Wake up and go to the 5 a.m. class! Your kids will understand if you go a whole day without seeing them! Exercise at home while trying to keep your small child entertained!” (Side note: If you have never tried to keep a small child entertained while you work out with weights heavy enough to send them to the hospital, you have no right suggesting it.)

People are already stressed out, lacking family time, and struggling to do even basic, necessary things know that they should do. They are beating themselves up because they can’t figure out how to do it all. Lecturing them about how important it is to prioritize their fitness without helping them find the time is cruel. Fitness professionals need to make getting healthy fit into, not work against, people’s busy lives.

Featured Image: Flamingo images/Shutterstock

The post Stop Time-Shaming Clients. Help Them Get the Work in Instead appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

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Keeping on our theme this week of minimizing food waste, today we’re going to talk about seasonal eating and getting the most out of the winter vegetables you’ll find at your farmer’s market and grocery store this time of year.

The statistics on food waste are sobering, as discussed yesterday. Reducing food waste takes a multi-pronged approach. Some of the things you can do to waste less food and be more sustainable in the kitchen include:

• Prioritize the produce that is seasonal in your region.
• Don’t buy more than you need.
• Learn how to store food correctly.
• Learn how to preserve food if you won’t eat it in time.
• Use the whole plant when possible. (Hint: All of the vegetables we’ll be mentioning today have edible leaves!)
• Use food scraps in broth, soups, smoothies.
• Compost what you don’t eat. (More on composting tomorrow!)

The week of Feb 21, 2022, Primal Kitchen is featuring ways to cut down on food waste. Find food waste facts, waste reduction tips, exclusive recipes, and resources from the Farmlink Project by signing up here. All week, MDA will be featuring posts that can help you get the most bang for your grocery budget and minimize food waste to boot!

What Is Seasonal Eating?

Seasonal eating means making an effort to buy vegetables and fruits that are naturally grown and harvested in a given climate.

Technically, this can include food grown on the other side of the planet and flown or shipped thousands of miles to your local grocer—for example, apples grown in Chile or New Zealand and sent to New England in winter. They are in season in the region they were grown, hence “seasonal.”

Generally speaking, though, when we talk about seasonal eating, we have more locally grown produce in mind. In-season, local fruits and vegetables are likely to be fresher and tastier by the time they make it to your plate, so you’re more apt to eat them. The less they have to travel, the less likely they are to spoil in transit, too, and they’ll carry a smaller ecological footprint.¹

Another benefit of seasonal eating is that it encourages you to diversify your diet throughout the year. For those of us who value variety, eating according to the season means you effortlessly incorporate a diverse array of produce as you move from hearty winter greens, cruciferous vegetables, and citrus fruits to summer berries, tomatoes, cucumber, and zucchini to autumn’s apples and squashes.

Of course, your ability to buy in-season and local produce depends very much on where you live. If you’re currently buried under feet of snow, you won’t have the same access to locally grown vegetables as someone who lives in a warmer climate. Gardening websites and resources like the USDA can tell you what grows well in your area and beyond throughout the year.

As always, this is a “don’t let perfect be the enemy of good” situation. Eating seasonally is a great goal to strive for, but it shouldn’t be stressful. It’s awesome if you can take steps that allow you to decrease your ecological footprint and food waste. You also shouldn’t feel bad about using frozen fruits and vegetables and fresh produce from farther afield to round out your diet when accessibility is an issue.

What Vegetables are in Season, and How Do I Use Winter Vegetables?

Late winter is the time to celebrate sulfur-rich cruciferous vegetables (aka Brassicas), robust leafy greens, and alliums (onion, garlic, leeks)! Although we’re focusing on vegetables today, let’s not overlook the citrus fruits and persimmons that abound at this time of year, too.

(The specifics obviously depend on where you’re located. I’m writing about winter vegetables now because it is winter in the northern hemisphere. Our friends below the equator are enjoying summer’s bounties. Likewise, these vegetables are ones we commonly grow in America. Your local harvest might look different.)

A few notes on preserving vegetables:

There are more tips for freezing vegetables coming tomorrow. For vegetables that can be frozen, the general method is:

• Bring a large pot of water to boil. Cut the vegetable into chunks or separate florets (broccoli and cauliflower).
• Place the vegetables in boiling water for two to five minutes, then transfer immediately to an ice bath for a minute or two. (Check recommended times for the vegetable you wish to freeze.)
• Drain and dry the vegetables as well as possible.
• Place on a baking sheet in a single layer in the freezer.
• Once frozen, transfer to an airtight container, removing as much air as possible.

Root vegetables—beetroots, carrots, radishes, rutabaga, turnips, and the like—can also be packed in sand, sawdust, peat moss in a wooden crate or plastic box. They will keep that way for up to six months if the crate is kept in a cool place like a garage or cellar. I’m not going to go into detail about that method here, but that’s an option you can explore.

For more information about how to safely can vegetables and fruits, start with the National Center for Home Food Preservation.

Dehydrating is another option for many fruits and vegetables, but today we’ll focus on methods that don’t need special equipment.

Now, without further ado, here are 18 of our favorite late-winter vegetables:

Arugula (aka Rocket)

Peppery leafy green in the Brassica family (a cousin of cabbage, Brussels sprouts, and broccoli). Usually eaten raw but can be cooked as well.

How to store: Roll loosely in a thin kitchen towel and place in an open food storage bag or bin so moisture can escape. Keep in the crisper drawer and try to use within three to five days.

How to preserve: Arugula can be frozen like spinach, but the best way to preserve arugula is to make a pesto or compound butter and freeze in individual portions (an ice cube tray works well for freezing pesto).

Try these recipes:

• Pear Arugula Salad {Primal Kitchen}
• Arugula Pesto {Epicurious}

Asparagus

Comes in green, purple, and white varieties. Rich in Vitamin K, folate, and the prebiotic inulin, asparagus can be eaten raw or roasted, grilled, broiled, stir-fried, and more.

How to store: Trim off the woody ends and store upright in a jar of water in the refrigerator. Eat within five to seven days.

How to preserve: Asparagus can be frozen, pickled, or canned.

Try these recipes:

• Asparagus Dip {Primal Kitchen}
• Spicy Pork and Asparagus Stir-fry {Nom Nom Paleo}
• Parmesan Roasted Asparagus {Food Network}

Beets

Beets are in in the same family as spinach and chard. Beetroots come in a variety of sizes and colors and are delicious raw or cooked. Try spiral cutting them into veggie noodles, or use your dehydrator to make beet chips. And don’t toss the greens! Sauté the greens with garlic or add them to your next stir-fry.

How to store: Separate the roots from the leaves. Roll the leaves loosely in a thin kitchen towel and place in an open food storage bag in the crisper drawer. Use within a few days. Beetroots can hang out in the crisper drawer loose or in a storage bag for weeks.

How to preserve: Beetroots can be pickled or canned. Roasted beets can also be frozen. Store in sand.

Try these recipes:

• Sautéed Beet Greens {Food Network}
• Belly Dance Beet Salad {Mel Joulwan}
• Beet Noodles with Mushrooms and No-Dairy Vodka Sauce (Vegan) {Primal Kitchen}

Bok Choy

Another member of the Brassica family, bok choy is most commonly associated with Chinese cuisine. Usually, the leaves and stalks are separated and added to soups or stir-fries.

How to store: Roll loosely in a thin kitchen towel and place in an open food storage bag. Keep in the crisper drawer and try to use within a few days.

How to preserve: Bok choy doesn’t preserve well. Try to eat it while it’s still fresh.

Try these recipes:

• Bok Choy Dim Sum {I Heart Umami}
• Korean Beef with Bok Choy {The Castaway Kitchen}

Broccoli

You know you can eat the florets and stalks, but if you’re lucky enough to find broccoli with the leaves still attached, grab it. Chop the leaves and add them to your next salad, stir-fry, or smoothie.

How to store: Make sure it is dry, then store it in an unsealed storage bag in the crisper drawer. Eat within three to five days.

How to preserve: Freezing works best.

Try these recipes:

• Summer Broccoli Salad {MDA}
• Roasted Broccoli with Dairy-free Cheese Sauce {Primal Kitchen}
• Creamy Broccoli and Spinach Soup {MDA}

Brussels Sprouts

Brussels sprouts must have gotten a new publicist in the past decade, because they went from being one of the most hated and maligned vegetables to appearing on the appetizer menu of every hip restaurant and gastropub. This glow-up is well deserved. Perfectly roasted Brussels sprouts are pure heaven.

How to store: If you can find Brussels sprouts still on the stalk, this is ideal. They will stay fresh on the stalk for a couple weeks in the fridge. Otherwise, keep Brussels sprouts in an unsealed or perforated storage bag in the crisper.

How to preserve: Freeze, pickle, lacto-ferment.

Try these recipes:

• Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad {MDA}
• Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts {MDA}

Cabbage

Cabbages come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors. They were first domesticated thousands of years ago and are the original Brassicas from which all the other Brassicas on this list (arugula, bok choy, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, collard greens, kale, kohlrabi, radishes, rutabaga, turnips) derive.

How to store: Do not wash or cut cabbage until you are ready to use it. Make sure cabbage is dry, then wrap in plastic. It will stay fresh in the crisper drawer for several months.

How to preserve: Ferment. Turn your cabbage into lacto-fermented sauerkraut or kimchi, and it can live in your refrigerator for months. If you can it, the heat kills the beneficial bacteria that drive the fermentation process, but you can store canned sauerkraut safely for several years in a cold cellar.

Try these recipes:

• Keto Cole Slaw {MDA}
• Unstuffed Cabbage Bowl {MDA}
• Roasted Veggie Bowl with Kale & Cabbage Slaw {Primal Kitchen}
• Homemade Sauerkraut {Cultures for Health}

Carrots

Carrots probably won’t help you see better, sadly, but they do contain high levels of vitamin A. When shopping for carrots, look for ones with the leaves still attached and turn the leaves into pesto. Make sure you wash the leaves thoroughly, as they trap a ton of dirt.

How to store: Cut off the leaves just above the carrot. Roll the leaves loosely in a thin kitchen towel and place in an open food storage bag. Store unwashed carrots in mesh or paper bags so they can breathe. The leaves will keep for a couple days in the crisper, while carrots will stay fresh for several weeks, perhaps even longer.

How to preserve: Freeze, pickle, ferment. Store in sand.

Try these recipes:

• Balsamic Roasted Carrots {Primal Kitchen}
• Carrot Top Pesto {Simply Recipes}
• Creamy Paleo Carrot Soup with Bacon {What Great Grandma Ate}

Cauliflower

Ah, the ubiquitous cauliflower. Thanks largely to the keto movement, cauliflower is having its heyday standing in for bread, pizza crust, rice, and potatoes. Is there anything cauliflower can’t become? (Yes, plenty, but it’s still pretty darn versatile!)

How to store: Wrapped in plastic in the crisper, it will stay good for several weeks.

How to preserve: Freeze, pickle, lacto-ferment.

Try these recipes:

• Cauliflower Steaks With Chimichurri {MDA}
• Buffalo Sauce Cauliflower Wings {Primal Kitchen}
• Lacto-fermented Cauliflower, Carrots, and Garlic {Cultures for Health}

Chard (aka Swiss Chard)

Packs tons of vitamins K and A, plus a decent amount of fiber. Both the stems and leaves can be eaten raw or cooked, as with any of the hearty greens.

How to store: Roll loosely in a thin kitchen towel and place in an open food storage bag. Keep in the crisper drawer and try to use within a few days.

How to preserve: Freeze the leaves. The stems can also be frozen, but the texture becomes unappealing.

Try these recipes:

• Warm Mushroom and Chard Salad with Bacon and Mustard Dressing {MDA}
• Swiss Chard with Raisins, Pine Nuts, and Porkitos {Nom Nom Paleo}

Collard Greens

Most associated with Southern cooking, especially collards cooked low-and-slow with bacon or ham hocks. The leaves are sturdier than lettuce or chard, so they make a good substitute for tortillas, though some people find raw collard greens to be bitter.

How to store: Roll loosely in a thin kitchen towel and place in an open food storage bag. Keep in the crisper drawer and try to use within a few days.

How to preserve: Trim off the tough stems, then freeze the leaves.

Try these recipes:

• Collard Green Tuna Wraps {MDA}
• Chicken Bacon Ranch Wrap {Primal Kitchen}
• Bacon Braised Collard Greens {PaleOMG}

Fennel

Fennel is kind of like if celery and licorice had a baby. That sounds atrocious, but fennel bulb is absolutely delicious raw in salads paired with citrus fruits and avocado (both of which are in season in the winter) or roasted with a whole chicken. The stems and feathery fronds are edible, too!

How to store: Optionally separate the bulbs from the stems and fronds. Roll them loosely in a thin kitchen towel and place in an open food storage bag. Keep in the crisper drawer and try to use within a week.

How to preserve: Fennel bulbs can be frozen (quarter or slice first) or fermented. The fronds can be frozen as-is or made into pesto. Try pickling the stems.

Try these recipes:

• Braised Turkey Legs with Fennel and Artichoke Hearts {MDA}
• Sausage, Fennel and Kale Ragù {Primal Gourmet}
• Citrus Salad with Fennel & Avocado {Love & Lemons}
• Fragrant Fennel Fronds Pesto {Whole Food Bellies}

Kale

Kale has exploded on the food scene in recent years and divided us into two camps: kale lovers or kale haters. I find that different types of kale work better for different applications—curly kale massaged for salad or dehydrated into kale chips, lacinato sautéed with shallots and garlic, red the jack-of-all-trades.

How to store: Roll loosely in a thin kitchen towel and place in an open food storage bag. Try to use within a week.

How to preserve: As with other leafy greens, freezing is best.

Try these recipes:

• Balsamic Glazed Salmon with Kale & Avocado Salad {Primal Kitchen}
• Turmeric & Kale Soup with Ground Lamb {MDA}
• Roasted Veggie Bowl with Kale & Cabbage Slaw {Primal Kitchen}

Kohlrabi

Kohlrabi is one of those vegetables that you might have seen in the store and thought, “What the heck is that?” It looks sort of like a cross between a turnip and a cabbage with leafy greens growing out the sides. Tastewise, it’s kind of like a mild turnip and is great raw (thinly sliced or shredded) in salads. Alternatively, you can roast it, sauté it, or use it recipes as a substitute for turnips, radishes, or rutabaga.

How to store: Separate the leaves from the bulb. Roll the leaves loosely in a thin kitchen towel and place in an open food storage bag in the crisper drawer. Use within a few days. Toss the bulbs into the crisper loose or in an open or perforated storage bag. They’ll stay good for a few weeks.

How to preserve: Kohlrabi bulbs can be frozen (cut into small cubes first) or fermented into pickles or kraut.

Try these recipes:

• Simple Kohlrabi with Pistachios and Sage {Healthy Seasonal Recipes}
• Paleo Kohlrabi Apple Slaw {Ugly Food Makeover}
• Lacto-fermented Kohlrabi Pickles {Cultures for Health}

Radishes

Many people have only eaten radishes raw, but cooked, they can sub in for potatoes or other root vegetables like turnips or kohlrabi in many recipes. The leaves are also edible, but make sure you wash them very thoroughly, lest you end up with a mouthful of soil.

How to store: Cut off the leaves just above the bulb. Roll the leaves loosely in a thin kitchen towel and place them in open food storage bags in the crisper drawer. Use the leaves within two or three days.  Radishes can be stored the same way, or keep them in a jar of cold water in the fridge, changing the water every few days. They will keep for a couple weeks or more.

How to preserve: Lacto-fermenting, either on their own or in something like kimchi. Store in sand.

Try these recipes:

• Vegetable Latkes {MDA}
• Summer Broccoli Salad {MDA}
• Garlic Roasted Radishes {The Real Food Dietitians}

Rutabaga

If you like turnips, you’ll love rutabaga, which is like turnip’s mellower, slightly sweeter cousin.

How to store: Place in a storage bag in the crisper. They will stay good for several weeks.

How to preserve: Freeze. Store in sand.

Try these recipes:

• Low-Carb and Keto Alternatives to Mashed Potatoes {MDA}
• Instant Pot Roast {The Castaway Kitchen}
• Rutabagas O’Brien {Primal Wellness}

Turnips

Another Brassica with edible leaves and a flavorful, often under-appreciated bulb (which is actually part of the stem, not a root per se). Although they can be eaten raw, cooking them will help release some of the natural sweetness.

How to store: Separate the roots from the leaves. Roll the leaves loosely in a thin kitchen towel and place in an open food storage bag in the crisper drawer. Place the turnips in the crisper drawer loose or in a storage bag. They will stay good for at least a couple weeks.

How to preserve: Freeze. Store in sand.

Try these recipes:

• Keto Egg Bake {MDA}
• One Pot Braised Pork with Root Vegetables {MDA}
• Roasted Turnips {Healthy Seasonal Recipes}

Related Posts from Mark’s Daily Apple

• 6 Primal-Minded Reasons to Hit the Farmers Market This Weekend
• Is Eating Local Best? Perhaps Not

The post Seasonal Eating: Getting the Most Out of Winter Vegetables appeared first on Mark’s Daily Apple.

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The week of Feb 21, 2022, Primal Kitchen is featuring ways to cut down on food waste. Find food waste facts, waste reduction tips, exclusive recipes, and resources from the Farmlink Project by signing up here. All week, MDA will be featuring posts that can help you get the most bang for your grocery budget and minimize food waste to boot!

You love eating vegetables. When you hit the supermarket or farmer’s market, you enthusiastically fill your basket with all the colors of the rainbow, grabbing up vegetables, fruit, and fresh herbs with abandon. But what you can’t figure out is how to prevent your fridge full of fresh, healthy produce from turning into a vegetable drawer full of mush!

Globally, people waste an estimated 1.3 billion tons of food each year between food that doesn’t get harvested in time and food that spoils during processing, in transit to stores, on store shelves, and in our refrigerators.¹ A 2020 survey of almost 40,000 Americans found that they spend more than $1,300 each year on food that’s ultimately wasted—more than the average American spends on gas, clothing, property taxes, or household repairs and upkeep.² This comes at not only a great economic cost but also an environmental one, as resources are poured into growing and transporting food that never gets eaten.

You can help reduce food waste by making sure that the food you buy doesn’t go bad before you get a chance to eat it. Here’s everything you need to know to preserve produce.

How to Select Produce

Fresh, healthy produce will last longest.

When selecting produce, make every attempt to select items that are near ripening, that have no bruises or brown spots, and that do not appear wilted. Selecting “ugly” produce—the lumpy, scarred, asymmetrical pieces—can actually help prevent food waste, as they are the most likely to end up in the trash bin. Just make sure they aren’t actually damaged or rotting if you can help it. If you bring any damaged items home, be sure to either eat them immediately or, if you intend to store them, remove the damaged parts to prevent the spread of microbes that can speed deterioration.

Separate Different Types of Produce

For ideal freshness, store fruits and vegetables separately.

Although fruits and vegetables are often lumped under the same “produce” umbrella, the reality is they don’t really get along that well, especially when it comes to ethylene. Fruits are generally ethylene producers, while vegetables are ethylene sensitive. That means vegetables tend to spoil even more quickly in the company of fruits.

There are a few exceptions to the rule:

• Asparagus and tomatoes, for example, are two vegetables (well, sort of) that actually produce ethylene,.
• Watermelon is something of a cross-over artist and is one fruit that is actually very ethylene sensitive.

As a rule of thumb, though, it’s best to keep your fruits and vegetables separated at all times for longevity.

Ideal Temperature and Humidity for Produce

Aim for the optimum temperature to preserve fruits and vegetables.

Every fruit and vegetable has an optimum temperature that can promote ripening while also staving off deterioration. Broccoli, lettuce and mushrooms, for example, need to be stored in a refrigerator, preferably at a temperature of between 34 degrees and 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Meanwhile, avocados, eggplants, onions, and squash are best left at room temperature.

Which refrigerator drawer is best for storing different produce?

Fruits need a dry drawer, but vegetables need a cold, crisp drawer.

Since fruits should be kept in a dry environment, and they should not be washed prior to refrigeration (or, if you’re going to wash them, make sure to dry them thoroughly).

Vegetables, on the other hand, like some moisture. “Moist” is not the same as “wet,” though. Delicate leafy greens are especially susceptible to rotting if they are too wet. Most vegetables will keep best when stored in the crisper drawers at the bottom of the fridge, wrapped loosely in kitchen towels and/or storage bags. Not only are crispers the coldest spot in the fridge—what with that whole law of physics, cold air sinks thing—but the drawers can also be set to preserve humidity. Need motivation to stock up on more produce? The crisper drawers actually work best when they are two-thirds full.

When storing leafy green vegetables such as spinach and lettuce, it is best to wash and dry the leaves, wrap them in paper towels and then store them in an airtight container. To prevent browning due to too much moisture, replace the paper towels every other day or so.

Freezing Produce for Preservation

Do you have too much produce that will go bad before you get the chance to eat it? Freezing is a great option for preserving the nutrient content of fresh produce.

However, in order to freeze vegetables successfully, you must first blanch them, a process whereby you partially cook them for a few minutes – either in boiling water or in a microwave – and then prepare them for freezing. For best results, blanched produce should be frozen within two hours.

If you’d like to learn more about freezing produce, we’ll have a post coming up later this week!

Do you have any special tricks to handle an abundance of rapidly decomposing produce? Let us know in the comments.

Further Reading:

• Fresh Vs. Frozen Food: Which is Better?
• 10 Freezer-friendly Meals

The post Vegetable Victory: How to Best Preserve Produce appeared first on Mark’s Daily Apple.

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Research of the Week

Fake plant milks: three times as expensive as dairy with fewer nutrients.

Pharmaceutical residues in rivers.

Droughts are decreasing.

More dietary creatine, less depression.

Acute CBD improves verbal memory recall.

Exercise right after vaccination increases antibody response without increasing side effects.

New Primal Kitchen Podcasts

Primal Kitchen Podcast, Episode 18: Falling in Love With Your Body With Danika Brysha

Media, Schmedia

Note how the idea that “plant-based meats” are the future is still implicit in this article critical of them.

A trillion dollars spent on statins, and what do we have to show for it?

Interesting Blog Posts

Cool post about head and visual stabilization.

Social Notes

Important.

Good thread.

Everything Else

Childhood obesity skyrocketed the past year.

Trees need weeds. I’m reminded of “junk DNA.”

Utah lowers legal blood alcohol limit for drivers, and fatal crashes drop.

More decentralization.

Things I’m Up to and Interested In

Big news: Vitamin D reduces autoimmunity.

Disgusting name: Milck

Troubling: The cognitive impact the pandemic response has had on children.

Where I have I heard about these foods before?: “We find that the top sources of priority micronutrients are organs, small fish, dark green leafy vegetables, bivalves, crustaceans, goat, beef, eggs, milk, canned fish with bones, mutton, and lamb.”

Interesting tool: Wood splitting sword.

Question I’m Asking

What happens when the neural implant or bionic eye you install goes obsolete and the company who made it goes out of business?

Recipe Corner

• Wonton soup.
• Carrot soup. I would use chicken stock instead of vegetable stock, and perhaps omit the carrot juice.

Time Capsule

One year ago (Feb 12 – Feb 18)

• Dear Mark: Keto and Selenium Deficiencies—Something to Fear? — Should you?
• DIY Parallettes: Plus a Dip Bar Workout — This is how to do it.

Comment of the Week

“I’ve made my husband (and best friend) of 44 years a handmade card and tomorrow night we will dress up and go to a Valentine’s Day Dinner & Dance featuring big band style music. He will write me a “Daily Sweet” email as he’s been doing (daily) for almost ten years.”

-Beautiful, Debbie.

The post New and Noteworthy: What I Read This Week—Edition 165 appeared first on Mark’s Daily Apple.

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Last week, I discussed winter survival tips and gear. That’s what most people mean when they talk about survival situations: staying alive in harsh snowy conditions. But there’s also summer survival. What do you do against the heat? If winter survival is all about maintaining body heat, keeping metabolic rate high, increasing both true temperature and the “feeling” of being warm, what is warm weather survival about?

There are a few primary things you need to take into account when dealing with warm weather survival:

• Staying hydrated.
• Avoiding excess sun exposure.
• Staying cool during the day (and warm at night).
• Staying fed.
• Tending to wounds and injuries.

In other words, you need to focus on the bottom two levels of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs: food, shelter, water, warmth, security, and safety.

These tips and this gear don’t just apply to full-on warm weather survival situations. They also apply to “simulated” warm weather survival situations—camping, hiking, backpacking. Any time you’ll be out in the heat for more than a few hours, paying attention to all these basic requirements will help you have an enjoyable and safe journey.

Survival Tips for Warmer Weather

You need access to safe drinking water.

Most water you encounter in a survival situation isn’t fit for drinking without treatment. And even if it is, you can’t know for sure, and making a mistake like that can set you back—or worse. There’s nothing quite so debilitating as a water-borne illness.

• Chlorine tabs
• Iodine
• Boiling water for a minute (or three minutes at elevation)
• Lifestraw (or similar filters)

Another thing to keep in mind is that springs are often clean. Map out any nearby springs using Find A Spring before you’re in a survival situation.

You need to regulate your electrolytes.

Hydration isn’t just about the H20. You also need to consume electrolytes. You need sodium, magnesium, and potassium. You even need a little bit of glucose or sucrose to aid in the absorption of water.

Normally, I recommend drinking a big glass of Gerolsteiner mineral water with salt, lime or lemon juice, and magnesium powder for proper hydration. That’s in the context of someone following a keto diet and trying to satisfy their increased electrolyte requirements—from the safety of their own home. But you can’t exactly lug heavy glass bottles of expensive German mineral water or go around mixing up coconut water with molasses in a survival situation. You need something hyper-portable, lightweight, and shelf-stable.

LMNT is a great powdered electrolyte supplement to keep on hand. Just add to water, shake, and drink to stay hydrated. Snake Juice is another option.

If you can figure out how to store it, blackstrap molasses is also a great source of electrolytes, especially calcium, potassium, and magnesium. Eating just a couple tablespoons of blackstrap molasses gives you more than twice the potassium of a banana, more calcium than a cup of raw spinach, and almost 100 mg of magnesium. Throw in some salt, add to water, and you’re good to go.

You need food that won’t go bad.

• Grain-free granola
• Jerky, biltong, pemmican
• Olives or dried olives
• Nuts and nut butter (available in single-serve packets)
• Trail mix, spiced roasted nuts
• Hard salami, summer sausage
• Hard cheese, freeze-dried cheese
• Tuna packets or other tinned fish
• Low-carb protein bars
• Low-carb tortillas
• Dried fruit: mangos, dates, figs, apples, pineapple
• Dried milk, coconut milk powder
• Instant coffee

Scope out the Keto Backpackers group on Facebook for a lot of great tips for keeping keto out in the wilderness.

There is a great Paleo MRE available made of jerky, nuts, and dried mango offering 800+ calories balanced between fat, carbs, and protein. This also looks good.

You need to know where you’re going.

Your phone won’t work forever. Keep paper maps and a compass.

You need a way to disinfect and dress wounds.

First aid is a must. Adventure Medical Kits makes some great first aid kids to fit almost any situation (ultralight, car, even canine first aid). Browse their offerings and get one that can handle the size of your party.

Practice first aid skills before you need them.

Have portable shade.

Maybe it’s a tarp you put up when you stop to rest. Maybe it’s light long-sleeve clothing that reflects heat. Maybe it’s a wide-brimmed hat (see below). Maybe it’s good sunblock (zinc oxide only) or a hiking umbrella. Maybe it’s planning your route through trees. Just make sure you have access to shade.

Get a good hat.

A good wide-brim hat will protect your face, neck, and shoulders from excessive sun exposure. Stetson is always a winner, or you could go for a “performance fabric” hat.

Bring a bandana.

Anytime you come across water, dip the bandana in it and wear it to keep cool.

Wear linen.

Spending more time in Miami has made me realize how much I love linen. It’s the perfect clothing material for hot, muggy weather because it wicks moisture and dries quickly. It also sits lightly on your body, allowing air to pass through and keep you relatively cool. I’ve since started wearing it on hikes and more grueling physical outings, and it holds up and works really well. Most people don’t consider linen activewear, but they should.

Alex Crane makes good linen with some “flex” to them.

Wear merino wool.

Merino wool is another breathable natural fiber with natural antibacterial properties that breathes well and keeps you cool. Wool is also fairly good at blocking UV.

Icebreaker offers a good merino wool line.

Stay ahead of exhaustion.

Take breaks in the shade whenever possible. Drink water even when you’re not yet “thirsty.” Eat food before you get hunger pangs. Just stay ahead of it.

Stay warm at night.

Days are warm, but nights can be cold. Make sure you have ample protection for all weather that may befall you. Get a nice warm wool jacket or sweater, some of the blankets from the last post, and some way to protect yourself from the elements—sleeping bag, tent, tarp.

Travel only at night (if serious survival, post-apocalyptic situation).

If there are bad people who will do bad things to you if they see you, traveling at night makes you harder to spot. It’s also much cooler.

Have the ability to start a fire.

Fire is soothing. Even if it’s summer, sitting around a fire at night is a lovely, nurturing way to spend the time. It’s also how you heat up food and water.

Just don’t start any fires in unsafe conditions!

I recommend at least two sources of fire starter: a gas lighter, matches, and/or flint. You also need fire starter substrate. Extra dryer lint is perfect. So are cotton balls soaked in Vaseline. Store in ziplock bags to keep dry. Or, you can use a Blackbeard fire starter.

Stoves are good, too. Something like this that runs off fuel, or something that runs on wood. Both, preferably.

Other helpful tools.

• Paracord.
• A good knife.
• Something to dig with.
• Leatherman multitool.
• Silk sheet for sleeping.
• Anti-insect spray, gel, or clothing.
• Protection: firearm, bear spray. Really depends on the situation, of course, and the local fauna (hominid or otherwise).

I could probably go on for a long time and never really cover this subject entirely, and that’s where you come in. What do you have to add? What are your essential tips, tricks, and gear for warm weather survival and outdoor experiences?

Thanks for reading, everyone. Take care.

The post Summer Survival Tips appeared first on Mark’s Daily Apple.

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It is entirely possible to train for the sport of weightlifting on a solitary basis. Many have done it this way, and no doubt many will continue to do so. It is also possible to be coached on a one-on-one or even online basis. However, this is not to say that individualized, solitary training is the optimal way to learn and train for the sport.

On the other hand, there are some severe limitations to the traditional model of group class instruction that do not lend themselves to holding an effective “weightlifting class.” In a typical group exercise class, the instructor leads the activities by designating the nature of the activity and providing parameters to standardize the activity. There is a short lifespan under which this type of instructional model can prevail for a group of different levels and abilities. Even teaching the most basic exercises for weightlifting will exceed the limitations of the group class model.

Know When to Individualize

So when is individualization necessary? The short answer is it’s necessary whenever it’s necessary. The goal of the coach is to make the athlete as efficient as possible. If over the course of a 10-year weightlifting career, the athlete’s body changes (and it will), then technique will have to undergo slight modifications, and the training will have to be suited to the specifics of the athlete’s training condition.

Furthermore, that same body will have to train differently depending on the point within the macrocycle, and this will require individual modifications. Although the movements being learned are the same, they will have to be modified to suit the specific body proportions and movement patterns of each individual. This means the coach will have to make specific adjustments.

On other occasions, a group made up of individuals with equal capacities who started at approximately the same time may have to modify certain aspects of the same training program. This requires the coach to do some individualization, which may include dropping or adding a set, eliminating or adding an exercise, adding repetitions on certain sets, or changing the number of sets performed in a specific intensity zone. To make these individualized modifications, the coach must have a deep working knowledge of the medium and a vision for the eventual goal of the training.

Group Training Has Its Place

Personally, during the sessions I host, we have 10 or more athletes training simultaneously on three different programs that vary according to each lifter’s abilities.

There is great energy in the room, as many of the athletes are trying to do well on the same training program and are anxious to see how others are doing. The energy is helpful. The lifters encourage each other, reinforce the culture of the sport, generate enthusiasm for upcoming competitions, and share common knowledge that lies beyond the training advice that I dispense as the coach.

The group also maintains a common pace that keeps the training active and inhibits lagging. For the less accomplished, there are role models to observe and performance models to mimic. Each team member is reinforced by the others. Performing such demanding training on a solitary basis will not last as long as is necessary to benefit from rigorous training.

Final Word

The conclusion here is that training must be individualized for it to be most effective, but must be performed in a group setting that encourages full participation and maintains enthusiasm. As a coach I’ve found this to be true in a wide variety of venues around the world. It is the most productive way to organize a team of lifters to achieve their highest potential.

You must coach individually in a group. 

Featured Image: Flamingo Images/Shutterstock

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