The Laura Lea Balanced Cookbook. Laura Lea

      smells. You can also put them down your

       garbage disposal to make it smell fresh and

       clean. Similarly, I like to keep one or two in my

       refrigerator, which helps eliminate funky odors.

      • Cooking with sea salt. When I refer to

       salt throughout the book, I am referring

       to fine-ground non-iodized sea salt. This

       is the ideal all-purpose salt for cooking,

       baking, and seasoning, in my opinion. I

       prefer sea salt over traditional table salt.

       Sea salt retains beneficial trace minerals, as

       it is less processed, and table salt contains

       anticlumping preservatives. You cannot

       substitute one for the other, because table

       salt is much more finely ground and the

       same amount will yield a much saltier

       result. Table salt also often includes iodine,

       a crucial mineral, but one that we can get

       from eating wild saltwater fish and seafood.

       I prefer to control my intake of nutrients,

       and this is difficult to do if they’re in the

       salt you use every day. My favorite brands

       are Selina Naturally and Frontier Natural

       Products Co-op. If you want to indulge in

       some lovely finishing salts, my favorites

       are sea salt flakes and pink Himalayan sea

       salt. Finishing salt is unrefined, natural

       salt, usually with a slightly larger grain,

       that is sprinkled on a dish before serving

       to enhance the flavor.

      FREEZING LEFTOVERS

      When you’re trying to get healthy, whole-foods

       meals on the table every night, the freezer can

       become your best friend. That is, if you know what

       to do with it. Here are my tested tips and tricks for

       using your freezer to your advantage, as well as

       some ideas for how to get creative with leftovers.

      • Always ensure that your freezer is set at 0° F.

      • Freeze fruit, vegetables, and soups in zip-

       top storage bags in a thin layer and place

       horizontally in the freezer. This way, you can

       stack multiple bags, as well as easily break

       off pieces to use. I suggest double-layering

       the bags to prevent freezer burn if you plan

       to keep them in there longer than a week.

      • You can also use silicone muffin trays or ice

       cube trays to freeze sauces. When frozen,

       pop out the chunks and store in a zip-top

       food storage bag.

      • For quick meals, freeze individual portion

       sizes in plastic pint containers that you can

       order in bulk online.

      • If you plan for an item to be in the freezer longer

       than a week, double-bag it or wrap it with plastic

       wrap before putting it in a container.

      • LABEL all of your freezer bags and

       containers: what and when. You need to

       know how long something has been in there.

       Also make some sort of symbol that denotes

       if a food is about to go bad, and that’s why

       you froze it. If you take it out to thaw, you’ll

       know you need to eat it ASAP.

      • Keep a notepad or whiteboard in your kitchen

       that lists everything you have in your freezer

       so you don’t have to go rummaging around

       when deciding what to make for dinner.

      • Invest in an insulated food and beverage

       container. They’re an amazing tool for on-

       the-go lunches, keeping food either hot or

       cold. I like Thermos Foogo or FUNtainer

       food jars and LunchBots.

      • Thaw food in the refrigerator, NOT at

       room temperature—this will increase the

       likelihood of harmful bacteria.

      • When in doubt, BRINNER (aka breakfast

       for dinner)! Pancakes, waffles, muffins, and

       breads all freeze very well. I slide a piece of

       parchment paper between each so they don’t

       stick. When I’m in a pinch for dinner, I’ll pull

      a few out, scramble some eggs, and voila!

      • Peanut or almond butter and jam

       sandwiches freeze well . . . seriously.

      • Freeze pre-made smoothies in silicone

       muffin tins or large ice cube trays. Place

       in blender and add splashes of hot water

       as you blend to save time in the morning.

       Don’t store longer than 1 week.

      HOW LONG TO FREEZE FOODS*

      Cooked

      • Steak: 2 to 3 months

      • Pancakes, quick bread, cookies,

       granola bars, and muffins: 3 months

      • Bread, unfrosted cake or cupcakes,

       waffles: 1 month

      • Casseroles, pasta-based dishes:

       2 months

      • Soups, stews, marinara sauce, stock,

       and broths: 2 to 3 months

      • Chicken breasts, thighs, and wings:

       4 months

      • Burgers, meat patties, and meatballs:

       1 to 2 months

      • Taco or Bolognese meat:

       1 to 2 months

      • Vegetables: 8 to 12 months

      • Grains: 3 months

      Raw

      • Chicken pieces: 9 months

      • Shrimp and scallops: 3 to 4 months

      • Raw lean fish (such as halibut):

       6 months

      • Raw fatty fish (such as salmon):

      

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