Archive | FOOD AND DRINK

The Secret to Our Coziest Meals, Even on the Busiest Nights

Let’s be honest, nourishing yourself well sounds simple until real life shows up hungry.

One minute, the house smells like garlic and onions sizzling, and Mr. Sweet Greens is happily moving around the kitchen, totally in his element. The next, it’s colder than expected, Olive is underfoot hoping something drops, and I’m asking, “How is dinner already smelling this good?”

The answer, more often than not, is Aneto Broth.

Mr. Sweet Greens does all of the cooking in our house, and he’s particular about ingredients. If something is bland, overly processed, or pretending to be “healthy,” it doesn’t make it into the rotation. Aneto is one of those rare finds he immediately approved of, slow-simmered, real ingredients, and flavor that actually shows up in the final dish.

Made traditionally in Spain with fresh vegetables, olive oil, sea salt, and responsibly sourced proteins, Aneto broths taste like someone spent all day in the kitchen, even when dinner came together in under 30 minutes.

Basically, it’s the quiet hero behind many of our coziest meals.

🌿 Why We Love Aneto Broth

💚 Slow-simmered with real ingredients
Fresh vegetables, olive oil, and sea salt, cooked the way broth is supposed to be cooked.

🍲 No shortcuts, no fillers
No concentrates, preservatives, or artificial flavors, just honest, nourishing flavor.

👨‍🍳 Chef-approved (and husband-approved)
If it passes Mr. Sweet Greens’ standards, you know it’s good.

⏱️ Perfect for busy evenings
Deep flavor without hours on the stove.

🇪🇸 Rooted in traditional Spanish cooking
Every carton reflects care, craft, and respect for food.

7 Ways Mr. Sweet Greens Uses Aneto in Our Kitchen

Because great cooking starts with great ingredients.

1. Weeknight Chicken + Rice 🍗

When we want comfort without heaviness, he sautés onion, carrot, and celery, adds shredded chicken and cooked rice, then lets everything simmer in Aneto Chicken Broth. Finished with lemon and fresh herbs, it’s simple and grounding.

2. Lemony Spinach Orzo Soup 🍋

Aneto Vegetable Broth gives this soup its depth. Orzo simmers gently, spinach wilts in at the end, and a squeeze of lemon brightens everything up.

3. Creamy Cod Chowder (No Heavy Cream Needed) 🐟

Using Aneto Fish Broth, he simmers potatoes, leeks, and garlic before adding cod and just a splash of coconut milk or cream. Cozy without being heavy.

4. Paella Nights That Feel Special 🥘

Aneto’s Paella Bases make it possible to have a beautiful paella on a weeknight. Add rice, vegetables, and seafood or chicken, and dinner feels like a small celebration.

5. Flavorful Grains for Bowls 🌾

Quinoa, farro, or rice cooked in Aneto Vegetable Broth becomes the foundation for salads and grain bowls that actually taste good on their own.

6. Simple Braised Greens 🥬

Kale or chard simmered with garlic and a splash of broth turns silky and savory, perfect alongside roasted veggies or fish.

7. Chilled Gazpacho on Warmer Days 🍅

Even cold soups benefit from real broth. Aneto adds depth without overpowering the fresh vegetables.

💚 Why Aneto Fits the Sweet Greens Way

What I love most is how intentional Aneto feels. It supports the way we actually eat, seasonal, nourishing, and unfussy. It lets Mr. Sweet Greens cook the way he loves to cook, with quality ingredients that don’t need much else.

Living in the mountains means we crave food that warms us, fuels us, and feels good to come home to. Aneto fits naturally into that rhythm.

If you’ve ever wanted meals that taste homemade without starting from absolute scratch, this is one pantry staple worth keeping on hand.

🛒 Where to Find It
You can explore Aneto’s full line of broths and paella bases at anetobroth.com.

Light a candle, let someone else take over the stove, and enjoy the comfort of a really good meal. 🌿

Last Minute Holiday Gift: DIY Vegan Brownies In A Mason Jar

Hello, Friends! The holiday countdown is here! Have you finished your holiday shopping? Don’t forget your children’s teachers and the neighbors. You can still put together organic succulents in recycled paint-dipped cans or miniature Christmas Trees made using recycled wine corks. If you are going to be baking this weekend, you can throw together a few simple, vegan brownies in mason jars.

What you will need:

  • 2 cups organic flour
  • 1 cup organic carob chips
  • 1 tbsp organic baking powder
  • 1/2 cup organic brown sugar
  • 1/2 tsp salt

Directions:

You can either layer all of the ingredients separately in the jar or to save time mix all of the dry ingredients and top with the chocolate chips.

Attach a tag with the instructions to add:

  • 1/3 cup of your favorite neutral oil
  • 1 3/4 cup organic almond milk.

Bake at 350° for 30 minutes.

Enjoy!

How to Make a Healthier Gingerbread House for the Holidays


Every year as an advent activity, Eben and I made a gingerbread house. While those store-bought gingerbread kits seem very simple, making your own gingerbread house can be too! You can use ingredients that you already have on-hand, use your creativity, and there is no packaging waste either.

This year, we decided to make a healthier version of the gingerbread house using ingredients that we already had in our kitchen cupboards. And while there are still a handful of chocolate candies used in the decorating, most of the ingredients are better for him. The best part, it took less than an hour to make and we laughed and chatted while we made it, and our house smelled fantastic when we were done! Read on to learn how to make a healthier gingerbread house with your children for the holidays and add it to your weekend activity list.

Step 1: Gather Your Ingredients

  • graham crackers 
  • carob chips
  • shredded coconut
  • miniature chocolate pieces
  • yogurt covered almonds
  • square cereal pieces
  • ice cream cones
  • cinnamon sticks
  • peanut butter
  • baker’s twine

Step 2: Choose your Design

Eben and I decided on a simple cottage design inspired by the ingredients that we had on hand in our kitchen. We wanted a sweet look and choose our colors to match the orange yogurt covered almonds that we had.

Step 3: Construct the House

You will need 4 graham crackers squares and 4 graham cracker triangles. Use a serrated knife to cut the graham crackers into a triangular shape.

We melted carob chips and used them to “glue” the house together. We then placed it in the freezer for a few minutes to speed up the hardening process.

Step 4: Add the Roof

Choose your favorite square cereal to construct the roof. We used peanut butter to secure the “shingles” on the roof starting from the bottom and then layering each level until we reached the roofline. We added the shingles to all four sides of the roof.

Step 5: Add Doors and Windows

We used more cereal and miniature chocolate pieces to make the front door and windows – attaching those to the house with peanut butter as well.

Step 6: Add a Little Color

We used orange yogurt covered almonds to the peak of the house!

Step 7: Make the Trees

We used sugar ice cream cones turned upside down and adorned with miniature chocolate pieces (also attached with peanut butter) for our miniature forest of trees.

Step 8: Make a Wood Pile

We tied a small stack of cinnamon sticks together with baker’s twine to make a stack of firewood to place next to the house.

Step 9: Add the Snow

We sprinkled shredded coconut all around the gingerbread house and then added the trees and woodpile to the finished display!

Step 10: Eat and Enjoy!

After all of our work, Eben didn’t want to eat the house immediately – he said we should at least wait a day and enjoy looking at it before we devour it.

Do you make gingerbread houses with your children? Have you ever made a healthier version? How did it turn out?

Green Gatherings: Tips For Planning A More Sustainable Thanksgiving


This time of year is all about gathering with loved ones and expressing gratitude. And in the U.S., gratitude is best expressed in the form of food. Thanksgiving is the embodiment of this tradition, and this time of year is full of more friends, family, and food than most people know what to do with.

Even the most well-intentioned holidays can lead to excess, and this excess likely goes against your sustainability goals. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to enjoy a Thanksgiving meal while keeping it green and eco-friendly. The following are some of the many ways to throw a sustainable Thanksgiving dinner.

Buy organic meat and produce.
Whenever possible, purchase locally-grown organic produce for your delicious Thanksgiving dishes. As for the meat, grass-fed is generally best. This may be tough if you’re committed to turkey, but there are lots of sustainable meats to choose from. Beef from grass-fed cows has higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids, as well as vitamins A and E. As for the turkey, opt for a free-range bird.

Use reusable plates and utensils.
While paper plates and plastic utensils offer convenience, these items are a significant source of waste. Instead, serve food on reusable or ceramic plates. Whoever didn’t help with the cooking can clean them. Easy, right?

Decorate with natural materials.
Store-bought Thanksgiving decorations tend to adorn the table for one day before landing in the garbage. This year, try decorating with natural materials instead. One of the best decorating tricks is to choose three colors for the event theme and then use them for all of the decor items. The oranges, browns, and greens found in nature are perfect for your entire Thanksgiving color scheme and centerpieces.

Cook outdoors.
In a recent study, the Hearth, Patio, and Barbecue Association found that 60% of grillers cook outside throughout the entire year. This can be a great way to cook more sustainability, as long as you stay away from gas-powered grills. Instead, try cooking over a fire or woodstove. Food tends to taste better when it was cooked outdoors, so your taste buds and the environment will win.

Compost any cooking scraps.
The simple act of cooking is one of the most significant sources of Thanksgiving waste. When cooking a big meal, food scraps pile up. Instead of throwing them in the garbage, compost them instead. If you don’t already compost at home, contact your local compost companies about pickup and dropoff services.

Remember to say thanks.
Gratitude does not produce any waste. Take the time this year to pull the focus off of material items and onto the act of giving thanks and cherishing the people you love.

“If distance or circumstances prevent you from spending Thanksgiving with some of the people you love, call, email, or write them a letter (on recycled paper) to tell them why they mean so much to you and how they make your world a better place,” Larry West writes in ThoughtCo.

By spreading the love to both your dear ones and the planet, you will have a wonderfully nourishing Thanksgiving Day.

🧀 Calling All Cheese Lovers: Meet the Holiday Gift That’ll Change the Way You Store Cheese Forever

Are you a cheese lover like me? Because if there’s one thing I take seriously, besides hot cocoa season and holiday playlists, it’s cheese. Brie, cheddar, gouda, chèvre… I love them all. But nothing breaks my heart faster than opening the fridge and finding a sad, moldy wedge hiding in the corner of the drawer.

We’ve all been there. You buy a gorgeous piece of cheese for a charcuterie board, wrap the leftover in plastic wrap “just for a few days,” and next thing you know, it’s dry, slimy, or covered in fuzzy green spots.

So why does that happen?
It’s simple: cheese hates plastic. Conventional plastic wrap suffocates it. Because it’s non-porous, moisture gets trapped inside, creating condensation that leads to mold, weird smells, and a serious flavor downgrade.

Enter my new kitchen obsession and favorite holiday find: Formaticum, the ultimate cheese storage solution that will make every cheese lover smile (and every fridge a little happier).

🌿 Why Formaticum Is a Game-Changer

Formaticum was founded by true cheese experts who wanted to help us store cheese the right way, the way cheesemongers and professional affineurs do. Their bags and papers are specially designed to let cheese breathe, keeping the moisture balanced and preventing mold, dryness, and waste.

Think of it as the difference between storing your cheese in a plastic bag (ugh) versus giving it its own little eco-friendly cheese cave (yes, please).

Even better? These bags make a fantastic holiday gift for the foodie or adventurer in your life, the friend who brings the cheese board to every gathering or the traveler who picks up wheels of cheese from every farmers market they visit.

🎁 My Favorite Formaticum Picks for Holiday Gifting

🧀 Classic Cheese Storage Bags ($17.50 / 15 count)

Made in France and designed just for cheese lovers, these are the perfect intro set. They’re reusable (until butterfat stains show through) and make storing leftovers effortless. I’m planning to wrap a set up with a wedge of brie and a small honey jar for the perfect hostess gift.

🌎 Zero Cheese Storage Bags ($19.50 / 10 count)

These are for the eco-conscious cheese aficionado (hi, that’s me). They’re compostable, biodegradable, and recyclable—made from white greaseproof paper and brown vegetable-waxed paper to create the perfect breathable micro-climate. Ideal for aged cheeses and charcuterie.

♻️ Reusable Cheese Storage Bags ($19.50 / 10 count)

These sturdy, reusable bags keep cheese fresh and flavorful longer. They’re made from calcium carbonate and polyethylene, so they’re fully recyclable while still letting cheese breathe. I love that they feel like a small step toward less plastic waste in the kitchen.

🧺 A Gift That Keeps On Giving (Literally)

Cheese consumption skyrockets during the holidays, wine nights, grazing boards, after-dinner bites, so why not make sure every wedge stays as perfect as the day you bought it?

Pair a pack of Formaticum bags with a few specialty cheeses, a small wooden knife, and maybe even a jar of fig jam or olives. Tie it all together in a reusable basket, and you’ve got a thoughtful, eco-friendly gift that any host or food lover will adore.

It’s elegant, practical, sustainable, and deliciously different from another bottle of wine (though let’s be honest, you can totally include that too).

🥂 For the Love of Cheese (and the Planet)

Formaticum is more than just a product, it’s a way to honor the cheesemaker’s craft, savor every slice, and reduce waste. Plus, with their professional-grade wax-coated paper, Italian cheese knives, and other accessories, you can easily build a beautiful cheese care kit for the foodie in your life.

So this holiday season, skip the gimmicky kitchen gadgets and gift something that brings pure joy to the cheese board. Because with Formaticum, every bite tastes just as the cheesemaker intended, rich, flavorful, and full of life.

Now that’s a reason to say cheese. 🧀✨