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Freeze Peppers: This is How They Stay Delicious

To keep peppers fresh and crisp for a long time, you can freeze the delicious vegetables. Here we explain what you should pay attention to and how to do it without plastic.

Freezing peppers: how it works

Whether as a side dish in a pasta sauce or as a healthy snack in between: paprika can be used in many ways. However, you should use up the crunchy vegetables within a few days. If you want to store peppers longer, you can freeze them.

Prep: Unlike other vegetables, you don’t need to blanch peppers beforehand. You don’t have to skin the peppers either.

This is how easy it is to freeze peppers:

Wash the peppers thoroughly.
Cut them into smaller pieces. For example, you can cut the peppers lengthwise into thin strips and then dice them further.
Put the chunks of pepper in a small tin and store them in the freezer.

Alternatives to plastic

Freezing peppers or other vegetables in plastic bags is often recommended. However, we recommend avoiding plastic as far as possible. There are some greener alternatives to plastic freezer bags:

You can use lunch boxes made of wood or glass several times.
Stainless steel cans are also suitable for freezing vegetables.
You can also freeze peppers in glasses (e.g. washed jam jars).
You can even freeze peppers in cotton or jute bags. You should first pat them as dry as possible with a kitchen towel.
By the way: A great alternative to freezing is to soak peppers in oil or vinegar. This way the vegetables will last longer.

 

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Cooking Tips

Peel Zucchini? Why the Skin Should Rather Stay On

If you don’t peel a zucchini, you not only save work and time: Read here about the advantages of peeling zucchini.

Do not peel zucchini – the skin is healthy

As with many other types of fruit and vegetables, the same applies to zucchini: the skin contains most of the vitamins. You also absorb important dietary fiber with the peel.

But it’s not just good for your health if you eat the shell. It also tastes better because the skin keeps the zucchini in shape as it heats. Without the skin, the vegetables quickly become mushy when they are boiled or fried. In addition, the pure pulp of the zucchini is not as aromatic as the skin.

So it would be a shame to throw the edible and particularly healthy part of a vegetable in the trash – especially since you have to do unnecessary extra work peeling it.

Also be careful with very bitter zucchini: If it tastes bitter, you shouldn’t eat it anymore. It’s rare, but if a zucchini tastes bitter, it contains too much curcubitacin, a toxic bitter compound. Neither cooking nor peeling helps against this substance, the zucchini is then no longer edible.

Pesticides on zucchini peel

Since the skin is eaten, you should pay particular attention to the origin of the vegetables: Zucchinis from organic farming are not treated with chemical-synthetic pesticides, but from conventional farming they are. Pesticides mostly remain on the peel. If you buy organic vegetables you ensure that the pesticides do not end up on your plate.

Also make sure that you buy zucchini seasonally and regionally. The zucchini season runs from July to October. During this time, the domestic zucchini are transported a comparatively short distance. Zucchini from distant countries, on the other hand, have long transport routes behind them, which means that significantly more greenhouse gases are emitted.

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Cooking Tips

Freeze Pasta: This is How They Stay Delicious

Freezing pasta is a good solution if you misjudged your cooking. Here you can find out what you should keep in mind so that they still taste good after defrosting.

If you ever have pasta left over after cooking and eating, you don’t have to throw them away. They don’t last long in the fridge either. All the better that you can also simply freeze pasta.

Freezing pasta: This is how you prepare the pasta

Before you freeze pasta, there are a few things you should do to prepare.

Let the leftover pasta cool completely.
Pour into a container suitable for freezing. In order to protect the environment, you should not use single-use plastic utensils. You can easily freeze pasta without plastic using mason jars or stainless steel cans.
A cotton bag is best for freezing noodles: Fill it up and lay it flat in the freezer – this is how you get a noodle sheet. From this you can easily break out the required portions later.
Tip: To prevent the noodles from freezing into a large, indivisible lump, you can toss them in a little oil beforehand. Wet them well and then pour them into the jar.

Freeze and thaw pasta

Then store your pasta in your freezer or freezer.

By the way: If you are still looking for an energy-efficient appliance, take a look at our best list of freezers.

You then have a number of options for defrosting the frozen pasta:

Moisten the noodles with a little water and briefly heat them in the microwave.
Put the frozen noodles in lukewarm water and slowly thaw them.
To keep them tasting freshly cooked, simply place the frozen noodles in a pot of boiling water for 2-3 minutes.
Tip: You can also freeze leftover sauce in a separate container.

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Lifestyle

Jog to Stay Fit: 4 Reasons Why Running is Good For You Right Now

Whether swimming pools, yoga or fitness studios: Most facilities that serve sporting activities are currently closed due to corona. But that’s no reason to hang up your sports shoes, because right now jogging is considered one of the most suitable sports.

4 reasons why jogging in Corona times is a good idea

Reason 1: No contacts – you train alone

You don’t necessarily need a partner for a run. To keep things interesting, you can listen to music or podcasts through headphones.

However, you may go outside with one person from your own household. Give other walkers or athletes a wide enough berth and choose paths that aren’t overly busy, such as country lanes or areas on the outskirts of town.

Reason 2: strengthening for the immune system

Running not only trains your muscles and cardiovascular system, but also your immune system. As a result, you don’t get sick as easily. Because when you jog, you not only absorb vitamin D from the sun, you also release killer cells and lymphocytes. These are immune cells that protect us from viruses and bacteria. Regular exercise therefore contributes to protection against diseases.

However, you should not exhaust yourself too much when running, you should not jog too fast or for too long – especially if you are a beginner. This overstrains the body and triggers the opposite effect (open windows effect): the body releases more of the hormones cortisol and adrenaline, which reduces the production of killer cells and lymphocytes. As a result, you are more susceptible to infections after exercising. It is therefore better to train at a slow to moderate pace and increase your distances instead of wanting to crack the ten-kilometer hurdle right away.

Reason 3: Exercise as a mood booster

The current situation is not easy for many and triggers inner stress. This means that in many people, the body is currently also increasingly producing the stress hormones just mentioned. Running can help here, because at a moderate pace it reduces the release of stress hormones and helps to clear your head.

In addition, when you run, your body produces more of the hormones norepinephrine, dopamine, and serotonin. These happiness hormones avoid mood swings and create positive feelings in you – your mood improves.

Reason 4: All you need is shoes and a step outside the front door

Since (almost) all fitness studios, swimming pools and yoga studios are currently closed, there is not much else left to do (endurance) sports. Try it, give running a chance. All you need is sports shoes and breathable clothing. Nice weather and music or podcasts can motivate, as can progress, which becomes more noticeable from time to time.

Beginners can walk briskly for 20 to 30 minutes at the beginning. Gradually, you can alternate walking and jogging slowly for about a minute, walking for a minute. However, avoid doing this training on public sports facilities, as these are currently closed. It is better to find a path that is not too crowded and has enough sunshine.

Important: Only go jogging if you feel healthy enough to do so! When you have symptoms of illness, exertion damages the body and slows recovery. In such cases, it is better to rest and inform your family doctor.

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Lifestyle

With These Tricks, Carpets Stay Fresh Longer

They are often the highlight of every apartment and spice up any room, no matter how bleak, drab or colorless: carpets and rugs. What just a few years ago only had the function of keeping feet warm is no longer more than just that nowadays: Even if carpets provide pleasant warmth, especially in winter, it is now primarily the look that makes many people to decide on a carpet or to have a carpet laid directly.

Fresh carpet floors

While carpets often look spotlessly clean and beautiful immediately after purchase or installation, this can change after a short time. Light-colored carpets in particular turn gray over time and develop stains. It can also happen that they no longer smell fresh. To prevent this from happening in the first place, there are a few things to keep in mind.

Treat stains immediately if possible

Stains in carpets and carpets cannot always be avoided. Especially those who have children will be confronted with it more often than they might like. In such a case, however, the carpet usually does not have to be disposed of. Most stains can usually be removed if treatment is started as soon as possible. The longer the stain can set in, the more likely it is that the liquid has penetrated so deeply into the fibers that it can no longer be completely removed.

A professional cleaning for carpet floors

If powder or wet cleaning no longer works, we recommend professional carpet cleaning and carpet cleaning. For this purpose, cleaning experts effectively clean the soiled carpets on site. Whether high-pile, wool, oriental rugs or even carpeting – anyone who has their rug or carpeted floor professionally cleaned can look forward to the result. Then see the carpeting how new it looks. Also note other useful home remedies for carpet cleaning.

Pressure points should be relieved regularly

Even if a rug or carpet does not have any acute stains, regular cleaning every three years is recommended. Because over time, dust, dirt particles and dirt are deposited in the fibers. These strain the carpet. Therefore, regular cleaning helps to let carpets shine in new splendor. In addition, it extends the service life. It is also advisable to eliminate pressure points in the carpets of furniture such as tables or cupboards from time to time.

So give your carpet a rest and relieve it. The heavier a piece of furniture, the deeper the pressure points. To ensure that these do not remain permanent and can no longer be removed, the pile should be regularly straightened up with a brush. In addition, you should regularly move pieces of furniture a few centimeters so that you don’t keep putting pressure on the same part of the carpet.

Tips for vacuuming carpets

If you vacuum your rug or carpeted floor, you should definitely make sure you choose the right nozzle. While short-pile carpets should be cleaned with an upright vacuum, high-pile carpets should only be cleaned with a smooth carpet nozzle. Special agents that were specially developed for carpets ensure that they do not become electrostatically charged, especially in the cold winter months in connection with dry heating air. Also, note the most common vacuum cleaner errors.

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Cooking Tips

Freezing Cherries: This is How They Stay Delicious After Thawing

Freezing cherries is a good solution when you have too many left over to eat them all fresh. We’ll show you what you should consider when freezing the sweet fruits.

Freezing cherries – the preparation

Leftover cherries can be easily frozen and stored for more than ten months. Nothing can go wrong if you follow these five steps:

select cherries
In principle, cherries do not ripen after they have been harvested, so you should not choose cherries that are too light or overripe for freezing.

wash cherries
Wash the cherries in a bucket or sink, then drain and dry well.

remove stems
Once the cherries are dry, the stems should be removed. This step is mandatory, but you have the choice of whether or not you also pit the cherries. The fact that they can then be processed further speaks for freezing without a core. However, less juice is lost if you freeze them with stone. If you let them thaw briefly after you take them out of the freezer, the core can still be removed easily.

Freeze cherries: first of all, shock-freeze

shock freezing
Before you completely freeze the cherries, you should definitely do this intermediate step. The shock freezing ensures that the cherries do not later freeze into a large lump. This keeps them crunchy even after thawing. Shock freezing also preserves more vitamins, since the faster freezing forms smaller ice crystals, which are well distributed in the cherry. How it works:

Add the cherries one by one
Then put them in the freezer or in the freezer compartment of your fridge for two hours at the highest level.
Freeze
The last step follows: the actual freezing.
Now fill your cherries in containers and store them in your freezer.
In order to protect the environment, you should not use plastic utensils, especially not disposable plastic (such as freezer bags). Instead, try mason jars or stainless steel cans, for example. Cotton bags are also ideal.

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Food

Storing Mushrooms: This Way They Stay Fresh Longer

Fresh mushrooms can spoil quickly in the wrong conditions. Here you can find out how to store mushrooms correctly and make them last longer.

Mushrooms are perishable

Mushrooms can be harvested all year round and can be used in a variety of ways – whether in the vegetable pan, on the grill or simply raw. Anyone who has ever bought mushrooms in the usual plastic bowl and put them in the fridge knows their disadvantage: the mushrooms start to mold and smell unpleasant after a short time. They end up in organic waste. With a few simple tricks you can extend the shelf life of the mushrooms.

How to store mushrooms correctly

First you should free the mushrooms from the coarsest dirt. Never wash them under running water, it is better to wipe them off with kitchen paper or a tea towel. You can also clean them with a brush.
Mushrooms keep longer in cooler temperatures, so it’s best to store them in the crisper in the fridge.
Condensation forms quickly in closed plastic bowls or bags, from which the mushrooms become mushy and go moldy more easily. It is therefore better to store the mushrooms in a paper bag or in a dry and clean tea towel – it is important that they get air.
It is advisable not to store the mushrooms next to other odorous foods, as they easily absorb foreign odors and thus lose their typical mushroom taste.
You can tell that mushrooms are spoiled by the open, darkly discolored slats on the underside of the head. Brownish bruises often form and the stem also turns brown.
With these tips, the mushrooms should stay fresh for at least three days. Even after that, they are usually still edible, but they no longer taste as good as the fresh mushrooms.

It is best to buy mushrooms only as needed

If you can’t harvest your own mushrooms, you can often find loose mushrooms at the market or in a health food store. On the one hand, you avoid the plastic packaging and, on the other hand, you can determine the amount of mushrooms yourself. If you do have too many mushrooms left, you can also preserve them by either drying or freezing them and then using them as needed.

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Food

Eating Figs: Why The Skin Should Stay on

Figs are considered the fruit of paradise – they are not only wonderfully sweet, but also healthy. Here you can find out why it is best to eat the fruit with the skin on and what you should consider when shopping.

The fig is considered a sacred fruit in many cultures. It originally comes from Asia Minor and has been cultivated in the Mediterranean region for centuries. Figs are not real fruits, but pseudo-fruits – the flowers grow inward and form the pulp of the fig.

Eating figs is healthy

Figs taste sweet and nutty – they promote digestion and are low in calories. Fresh figs contain only about 63 kilocalories per 100 grams. The fruits also provide many healthy nutrients:
Fresh figs contain many important B vitamins (B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B9). Among other things, they regulate the metabolism and brighten the mood.
Potassium lowers blood pressure and supports heart activity.
Vitamin E strengthens your immune system.
Vitamin K and calcium are good for bone structure. If you avoid dairy products, figs are a valuable vegetable source of calcium.
Iron helps your body make blood.
The alkaline fruit stabilizes the acid balance in the intestine and provides it with plenty of fiber. Eating figs gets your gut moving and aids digestion. Figs are therefore a natural, gentle laxative that you can use for mild constipation.

Eat figs: preferably with the skin on

It is best to eat fresh figs whole – including the skin. In this way you also absorb the vitamins that are located directly under the shell. Simply wash the fig gently and twist off the stalk. Now you can eat the rest of the fruit.

If you buy organic figs, you can be sure that you are not eating any chemical pesticide residues.

Eating figs: the right choice

Most figs come from the Mediterranean region. There they grow in harmony with the Mediterranean climate and are therefore ecologically compatible crops. It is best to buy figs from these regions – they have to travel less than fruit from Asia or America and are therefore more climate-friendly.

In the Mediterranean region, the sweet fruits are harvested between July and October. In winter and spring, figs are imported from America or Australia.

Part of the fig harvest is dried and is therefore available all year round. Dried figs contain a particularly large number of nutrients – but also more fructose than fresh ones. They are a healthy snack between meals, a delicious addition to muesli and a good alternative when the figs are not in season.

Tips for buying figs

Figs come in many varieties – green, yellow or purple, with light or red flesh. To test the degree of ripeness, you can press the skin lightly – if it gives way softly, the fig is ripe and particularly tasty.

Don’t buy mushy figs. The ripe fruits are sensitive: they do not tolerate pressure and keep for about a day at room temperature and up to two days in the refrigerator. Unripe figs, on the other hand, only ripen on the tree, at home they age and spoil over time, but do not ripen. They can only be eaten cooked because of the milky juice that escapes. Therefore, make sure to buy ripe figs and eat them promptly.

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Cooking Tips

Freeze Chives: This is How They Stay Fresh and Tasty

Chives are one of the most popular kitchen herbs. Here you can find out what you should consider if you want to freeze chives. With our tips, the leeks stay fresh and tasty.

Freezing chives: you should know that

Fresh chives refine many dishes with their slightly spicy note. However, the popular kitchen herb is only in season from April to October. The rest of the year, chives come from greenhouses, which use a lot of energy. In addition, the leek plant usually has long transport routes behind it in the colder months.

To be able to use chives with a clear conscience outside of the season, you can freeze them in the summer. In this way, it retains its characteristic taste and nutrients. Important: Harvest the chives before they bloom. After flowering, the culms tend to be bitter and less aromatic. In this article you will learn how you can easily grow herbs yourself. Alternatively, you can buy organic chives at the weekly market or in the organic shop and freeze them.

How to prepare for freezing:
Wash the chives.
Dry it thoroughly with a tea towel. This is important, otherwise it will clump together when frozen and you won’t be able to use smaller portions.
Cut the chives into small rings. You shouldn’t freeze whole straws, as they may stick together. Use sharp scissors to chop. If you chop the chives with a knife, the stalks will crush and lose their flavor.

Freeze chives without waste: Here’s how

You can use a plastic container or an old plastic bag as a freezer container for freezing chives if you have one at home. Important: In order to avoid the production of new plastic, you should not buy classic freezer bags. In another article you will find out what else you can do to reduce your plastic waste. But plastic cans or bags that you have already used can also be contaminated with pollutants.

It is therefore best if you reuse a disposable screw-top jar for freezing. Glasses that are as round and straight as possible with a wide opening are suitable for this. You can simply fill the chopped chives into the jar and store it screwed on in the freezer. Glass lunch boxes work just as well.

You should consider this if you want to use the frozen chives:
Make sure that you only interrupt the cold chain for a very short time. If the chives are thawing, they will become mushy and clumpy if you refreeze them.
Only use the chives when they are frozen: if the chives are thawed beforehand, the cell walls will burst and they will lose their aroma.

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health

7 Ideas for Fitness in Everyday Life to Stay Fit

Stay fit in everyday life for physical and mental health. Bring more fitness into your daily life with simple tricks and get rid of bad habits. So you don’t necessarily have to go to the gym, but can become more physically active at home or at work.

Fit in everyday life instead of expensive gym

You pay for months for your membership in the fitness center, but then all too often you don’t have the time and motivation to exercise regularly. And so we pay our membership fee every month without benefiting from it. But don’t panic! If you integrate simple exercises into your daily routine and pay attention to a balanced diet, you can save yourself a trip to the fitness center and the money. Use simple fitness exercises and healthy habits. As a result, you can stay fit with more everyday exercise. You do something for your physical and mental fitness.

Tips for staying healthy and fit

Since there are many reasons to increase physical activity, you should start today. In addition, it is very easy to stay fit in everyday life. And in the long run, you will feel better. The more active you become, the easier it is for you to move every day. You can also do something good for your health if you have regular preventive health checks when you visit the doctor.

1) Bring more movement into everyday life

Every step makes you slim. In fact, you burn a lot of calories when you set out on foot. So it’s worth walking to do some shopping, go to the doctor or pick up the kids from school. In this way, you store routes that can be described as a tight walking program or as walking training. So that you can get through the day stress-free even without exercise, try the following methods to move more:

  • Move when you call.
  • Get a glass of water more often.
  • Get off a stop or two earlier.
  • Choose the farthest parking spot when shopping.
  • Don’t eat your lunch at work, but outside.

2) Ride a bike more often

Improve your fitness by getting on your bike more often than usual and cycling to your destination. Because cycling is healthy and also saves fuel and ticket money. If you have a little more time, you can also choose the most beautiful bike route to your destination, maybe you can cycle through a great piece of nature. But a bicycle in the form of fitness equipment for the home can also be useful and fun.

3) Go for a walk and stay fit

A walk in the morning or evening ensures more exercise and fitness in your everyday life. Going out in the fresh air can also be a great way to relax. In addition, regular walking can reduce the risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and Alzheimer’s disease. Therefore, go for walks alone or in a company more often.

4) Window cleaning fitness

Even cleaning the windows can strengthen the back muscles with the circular arm movements and is really fun when your favorite music is playing at the same time. If you have steps in your own house, you can use them to strengthen your calf and leg muscles. To do this, go up and down the stairs quickly several times, taking two steps at a time, it’s a lot of effort.

5) Climb stairs and stay fit

As already mentioned, you can strengthen your leg muscles by climbing stairs. In addition, you use up as much energy and calories when climbing stairs as with intensive weight training. So from now on, take as many stairs with you as you can. Run to the children in the basement and on the first floor. Or use the stairs instead of the elevator.

6) Watch your posture

In order to stay fit and avoid pain in your back or neck, you should pay attention to your posture. An upright posture while sitting at work or while walking will help you strengthen your muscles. And your health benefits from it. Also, note useful home remedies for neck pain.

7) Carpet as a yoga mat

You can also bring a little exercise into everyday life with yoga exercises at home and stay fit. There are a lot of good videos on the internet for beginners. And in the living room, the carpet replaces the yoga mat. As a result, you can do light and varied exercises comfortably without any effort in the living room to nice music or while watching your favorite film.

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