Read

5 Cooking Hacks for Next-Level Adulting

Creator:
Published:
November 28, 2023
April 19, 2018
These 'adulting' cooking hacks will take your cooking skills to the next level.

We’re no cooking experts — heck, we’re still trying to get in the habit of eating before 8 p.m. because adulting can get crazy busy.But we are trying to get better at it, and these cooking hacks have us feeling like we’re leveling up in our ‘adult’ cooking skills.

  • Brown bananas attracting fruit flies? Don’t throw them away!
    1. They might be too mushy for the average person’s texture preference (not to mention the propensity for an extra loud banana sound…
      Yuck.
      ), but brown bananas have their perfect place in the world: banana bread.Don’t have a bread pan? No problem — we’ve made some in a small, round casserole dish before! Or you can always ask a neighbor.Banana bread can be one of the most versatile recipes — you can substitute protein powder for flour, ground flax seed for eggs, and so on. Just take stock of what you already have on-hand, and turn to our trusty friend Google to find a recipe that works with your pantry’s contents.
  • Monday’s avocado not yet ripe for Taco Tuesday? Brown paper bag it!
    1. Oh, science. You continue to amaze us — like how you can make avocados ripen themselves!All you need is a brown paper bag, if you have ~24 hours until you need said avo.If you’re on a shorter timeline, you can always cook or nuke the avocado.
      Oven:
      Wrap avocado in tinfoil, put in oven at 200* until avocado is soft, ~10 minutes.
      Microwave:
      Pierce the avo several times with a fork, then put in microwave for 30-sec increments until the fruit gives a little when you squeeze it.
  • Do your cookies lose their softness before you eat ’em all? Sliced bread to the rescue!
    1. Though we rarely have this problem (we’re a bunch of cookie monsters over here)…there is a solution!You know how
      awesome
      sliced bread is? Yeah…we don’t remember that era either, but it is awesome in this situation!Select a slice and place it in the cookie jar/tub/container with the cookies. The slice will absorb all the moisture and keep your cookies nice n’ soft...like God intended them to be. 😉
  • Afraid your celery has lost its crunch? Submerge it in water!
    1. We often buy celery because we know it’s healthy…but then don’t touch it for weeks on end (Wah, wah…).Even though it often goes soft by the time we finally bring it out for a snack, it just needs a bit of revitalization to snap back into crunchy-shape!Celery acts like a plant (I know…wat, right?) when submerged in water — it absorbs the H2O and gets back to its crunchy self.
  • Recipe calls for food to be sautéed in oil, but you just ran out or perhaps you’re watching your calories? Try these alternatives!
    1. Even though the technical definition of sauté is “to fry quickly in a little hot fat,” you can still get that sautéed texture from other healthier alternatives.If you have some low-sodium vegetable stock in your pantry, cooking your grub in this alternative can enhance the natural flavor of your food.Two zero-calorie alternatives for sautéeing are (1) water or (2) any type of vinegar (balsamic is a personal favorite).Just get the pan slightly warm on the stove (if you sprinkle water on it and it crackles but doesn’t explode, you’re ready to go), add your liquid, then toss in your food.

    Creators:
    Grotto
    Published:
    November 28, 2023
    April 19, 2018
    On a related note...
    My Eating Disorder Was About Control as Much as Food

    My Eating Disorder Was About Control as Much as Food

    Kristen Deasy

    To All Fatherless Daughters on Father's Day

    To All Fatherless Daughters on Father's Day

    Sarah Yaklic

    How Much We Really Use Our Phones Each Day

    How Much We Really Use Our Phones Each Day

    Erica Tighe Campbell

    How Cooking Became My Creative Outlet

    How Cooking Became My Creative Outlet

    Mary Claire Lagroue

    5 Daily Affirmations to Remind You of Your Worth

    5 Daily Affirmations to Remind You of Your Worth

    Jessica Ping-Wild

    The Surprising Way Self-Care and Service are Linked

    The Surprising Way Self-Care and Service are Linked

    Jessica Mannen Kimmet

    4 Things I Didn’t Expect from Pregnancy

    4 Things I Didn’t Expect from Pregnancy

    Mariah Cressy

    Life at Home Should Reflect Your Deepest Values

    Life at Home Should Reflect Your Deepest Values

    Marye Colleen Larme

    How to Help Someone Who Has Lost a Loved One

    How to Help Someone Who Has Lost a Loved One

    Dan Masterton

    How to Get Through A Rough Patch in Your Marriage

    How to Get Through A Rough Patch in Your Marriage

    Dr. Daniel, Bethany Meola

    How to Be a Good Ancestor

    How to Be a Good Ancestor

    Chris La Tray

    6 Ways a City-Dweller Can Help Save the Oceans

    6 Ways a City-Dweller Can Help Save the Oceans

    Lauren Fritz

    3 Ways Reading Books Can Change Your Life

    3 Ways Reading Books Can Change Your Life

    Chris Hazell

    Starting College? Here's the Advice You Really Need

    Starting College? Here's the Advice You Really Need

    Mike Tenney

    How a Scarcity Mindset is Holding You Back

    How a Scarcity Mindset is Holding You Back

    Krista Steele

    Facing Pandemic Panic? Pick up a Book

    Facing Pandemic Panic? Pick up a Book

    Megan Toal

    6 Tips for Exploring Your Creative Side

    6 Tips for Exploring Your Creative Side

    Maddie Thompson

    The Transformative Power of Therapy

    The Transformative Power of Therapy

    Jori Hamilton

    4 Ways to Respond When Your Goals Feel Out of Reach

    4 Ways to Respond When Your Goals Feel Out of Reach

    Robert Christian

    From Videographer to Farmer: A Story of Authenticity

    From Videographer to Farmer: A Story of Authenticity

    Grotto

    newsletter

    We’d love to be pals.

    Sign up for our newsletter, and we’ll meet you in your inbox each week.