Faster Food

Our freezer is always full of faster foods we make ourselves.

In our humble home our preference is for slow food made by our own hands. However, it's nice to have a quick meal every now and then to avoid burnout from constantly cooking.
To break the cycle of prep/cook/clean/repeat, we rely on our freezer for convenient, healthier, and speedier alternatives. 
This approach provides numerous advantages:

• Control over ingredients and cooking methods
• No need for online orders or phone calls
• No tipping required
• Minimal packaging waste
• No driving necessary
• And, most importantly, delicious and nutritious meals

So, what's in our "faster food" freezer?
Beans prepared from dry: pinto, kidney, black, garbanzo, and soy. We also store bean boiling water in 500ml jars (except for chickpea) to make gravy and sauces for potatoes and pasta.
Prepared foods we regularly cook then freeze in bulk and portion out include: chilli, pasta sauce, pizza sauce, soups, cornbread, pizza, samosas, and lentil stew.
Our vegetable garden supplies us with frozen green beans, peas, kale, pesto, and cubed winter squash.
A well-planned approach is crucial when making your own food and utilizing your freezer efficiently.
Just like freezing your credit card in a container of water slows down impulse purchases, forgetting to thaw meals in advance can hinder quick dining. 
And anything that hinders quick dining makes us vulnerable to the fast food industry.

By embracing the slow way to "faster food" approach, we've taken control of our meals, our health, and our schedules. With a little planning and prep, you can too. 

Consider giving your freezer a starring role in your kitchen, and discover the freedom that comes with having delicious, homemade meals at your fingertips.

Escaping Urban Overload

We traded this...

“We’ve built a ‘human zoo,’ caging ourselves in routines, technology, and artificial environments.”   

- Ken Breniman

 

Cities are great places. They are exciting and interesting hives of activity. I lived in a city of a million people for almost a decade, and I mostly enjoyed it.  

However, it is my hope that I will never have to live in a large city again. Or even a small city.
About 55% of the global population currently lives in cities. That is over 4 billion people. The UN projects this will rise to almost 70% by 2050.
Around 80% of Canadians live in cities, meaning the rest of the land is virtually empty. That is where I will be found.
Don’t get me wrong. I love people. I just don’t want to live around a whole busy bunch of them. For my nervous system, that is urban overload.
That is why my dream has always been to live in as remote and beautiful a location as possible.

...for this. No traffic jams here.

Currently, I live in an amazingly quiet and beautiful district in Nova Scotia with 4.4 people per square kilometre. 
The largest city I have ever lived in has a density of 1,550 people per square kilometre.
I’m headed in the right direction.
If you're plotting your own escape, start small: Pick a day for a "rural reconnaissance"—drive, hike, or research a low-density spot that appeals to you. 
No commitments, just some testing - sense the quiet, note what your nervous system is telling you. 
A low-stakes audit can turn dreams into coordinates, like it did for us.
How about you? 
Are you a city person, or does rural living appeal to you more? 
Have you had enough? Are you planning to escape the urban overload?
Let us know your plan in a comment below.