Is Life Too Convenient? Have We Overdone It?

“Life for Rent”  That’s the title of a a recent article on co-living, a new form of shared rental housing that includes amenities like changing the sheets and towels, house cleaning and even topping off the toiletries. In addition, these rentals include social mangers to help plan tenants’ social calendars–finding “creative ways to get them … Read more

Best Practice Secrets of Good Every Day Cooks

For a recent magazine article, Martha Stewart was asked how often she orders take out. Her response was something like a couple times over the last 15 years.

Fact is, there are people “out there” who make healthy, good-tasting meals night after night like it’s no big deal. What do they know that most people don’t?

Is it OK to use the garlic and ginger that comes in jars?

Those little jars of prepared garlic and ginger are so completely convenient!  No fussing with paper-thin garlic peels, no paring gnarly knobs of ginger or endangering fingers on the ginger grater and no garlic-smelling hands for the rest of the night.  But is it OK to use these conveniences? I get this question a lot, … Read more

Convenience Foods Are Costly, But Can You Make Dinner without Them?

With grocery prices rising dramatically, convenience foods are an obvious cost-cutting target. But how can we make everyday meals without the convenience of ready-made and packaged foods? Three tricks of the trade: Strategic Substitution, Stretching and Simplifying.