LIFE MADE EASIER

EASTER
SWEETS!
page 34

Get More
Green
in Your Life
32 easy ways to
reconnect with nature

DECLUTTER
LIKE
A PRO USE UP
ALL YOUR
VEGGIES

+
A CLEAN HOME
YEAR-ROUND
APRIL 2024
 GOOD TASTE RUNS
IN THE FAMILY

M A D E W I T H M I L K F R O M G R A S S - F E D C O W S T H AT
G R A Z E O N T H E L U S H PA S T U R E S O F I R E L A N D.
 G E T M O RE G REEN IN YO UR LIFE
F O O D S T Y L I N G B Y C H E L S E A Z I M M E R ; P R O P S T Y L I N G B Y J U L I A B AY L E S S

84

features
70 78 84
Cut the Clutter Garden Goals 16 Ways to Use Up
How to let go of some of that stuff Transform your yard into a nature- Every Last Bit
that’s been bogging you down friendly paradise No wasting food here!

Photograph by Victor Protasio APRIL 2024 RE AL SIMPLE 1

 APRIL / GET MORE GREEN IN YOUR LIFE

contents
stuff we
love
1 3 Add to Cart
how
Cool serving tools, sky we live
blue paint, and tips for
5 3 Health
styling houseplants
Do your best on
1 8 Beauty race day
Road Test
how to 5 8 Modern on the
Hair products
that boost volume do things
Manners cover
34 and thickness
31 Drinking
Advice from Today’s
Hoda Kotb and Cover
20 The Books List Jenna Bush Hager Photograph by
with Jenna Johnny Miller
Top picks for book Brush up on your 6 0 Relating Prop Styling by
club and beyond wine vocab Get more from Glen Proebstel
21 Clever Items 3 4 Sweet Thing nature—and give
Little helpers to make Strawberry back to it! Sherwin-Williams
your life a lot easier cheesecake bars Cosmetic Peach SW
6 6 Smart Money
for Easter! 6618 Paint, $79 per
2 2 Organize This Three women share
gallon; lowes.com
Pack smarter with 37 Clean This their best decisions
Ceramic Indoor/
these suitcase buddies A checklist to Outdoor Wallscape
6 8 Nerding Out
24 Genius Beauty keep your house How birds learn to sing Planters, $39
Our beauty director’s tidy year-round each, and Fluted
Ceramic Indoor/
favorite new products 40 Sustainable
Outdoor Wallscape
26 Stuff She Loves Solutions what to Planters, from $49;
Brooke Shields’s Easy ways to be more cook westelm.com
little luxuries and eco-conscious
95 In Season
must-haves
37 28 Learn a New Trick
4 4 Simple Twists
Five surprising uses
A pineapple primer

96 5 Easy Dinners
Fun matzo recipes, and for rubber bands
Tofu skewers, chili-
finds for the kitchen 4 6 Taking Care lime salmon cakes,
All about your tongue, and more
plus a happiness class
1 02 Better for You
49 Pets Crunchy carrot salad
Ward off ticks
this season

4 Editor’s Note 8 REAL SIMPLE Everywhere 1 0 Your Words

1 0 4 Minor Issues, Major Opinions

REAL SIMPLE (ISSN 1528-1701) (APRIL 2024) (VOLUME 25/ISSUE 3) IS PUBLISHED MONTHLY EXCEPT FOR COMBINED ISSUES IN JANUARY/FEBRUARY AND JULY/
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2 RE AL SIMPLE APRIL 2024

Credit approval required. Terms apply. See capitalone.com for details.
 EDITOR’S NOTE
The Great Outside
A
R E YO U O U T D O O R S Y O R O U T S I D E Y ?
I’m definitely the latter. If you don’t own
a tandem kayak or subzero sleeping bag,
if your idea of communing with nature
is less scaling El Capitan and more walking in
the park near your house, you may be too.
I went to a small college in Maine, where I
was surrounded by backcountry skiers, com-
petitive mountain bikers, and hard-core hikers
(they had special boots!). One guy even went
on to race the Iditarod. OK, so maybe I hadn’t
attended wilderness survival school, but I had
spent endless hours in the forest in my parents’
yard, mesmerized by the giant old weeping
willows and teeny green aphids. Every walk
along the river felt like an adventure, every
mallard duck worthy of scientific observation.
Even now, when I step out into the evening
to sort the recycling or let out our dog, Rusty,
4 RE AL SIMPLE APRIL 2024
I always look up and clock the cloud patterns
and the moon, or find the Big Dipper. I breathe
in and watch the dark pines swaying in the
deep blue night. These days, I do own hiking
boots, and I’ve been known to follow a wilder-
ness trail or two. But I’m in it for the fresh air,
trees, grass, sky. I was, and remain, commit-
tedly outsidey.
Outsiders, this issue is for us. Being in nature
is good for humans, and you don’t need a
membership to REI to reap the benefits. In the
story starting on page 60, we help you get your
mind out of your phone and into the woods.
And because relationships are a two-way
street, that story also shares how to give back
to Mother Nature. Elsewhere, we solve the
hardest parts of sustainable living, the stubborn
pain points that hinder us on our quest to be
S T Y L I N G B Y L I Z Z Y R O S E N B E R G ; H A I R B Y C L AY N I E L S E N U S I N G L E O N O R G R E Y L ; M A K E U P B Y D E B O R A H A LT I Z I O
more responsible consumers (page 40). We
show you how to reach your earth-friendlier
gardening goals on page 78, and (spoiler alert!)
explain that recycling is worth it and does
work on page 104. If you’re ready to spend
F O R C R E AT I V E M A N A G E M E N T U S I N G G L O S S I E R ; M A K E U P A S S I S T E D B Y A LY S S A Z A B A W A
some time tidying up inside, check out our
anti-spring-cleaning guide (page 37) and “Cut
the Clutter” (page 70), which will inspire you to
find new, loving homes for your excess stuff.
This issue is filled with stories meant to
enhance your time on earth and your relation-
ship to it. I’ll be taking my copy outside to the
patio and reading it between glances upward at
the sky, to gaze at the miraculous shifting of
the sun and clouds.
Lauren Iannotti
E D I TO R I N C H I E F
LET’S CONNECT!
Follow me on Instagram
at @laureniannotti.
P h o to g ra p h b y Fe l i x Wo n g
 A STORY WITH
every step

Make moments that matter in hip and historic Frederick County,

Maryland. Wander historic downtowns with locally-owned specialty
shops, galleries, and theaters. Venture outdoors in National and State
Parks and experience our storied past at Civil War battlefields. Indulge
in world-class restaurants and unwind at dozens of tasting rooms.

visitfrederick.org

“Milkweed! It takes me back to
looking for caterpillars in the
front yard, putting them in jars,
and watching their chrysalises
turn transparent right before they
emerged as monarch butterflies.
Core childhood memory unlocked!”
DEPUT Y PHOTO EDITOR Lawrence J. Whritenour Jr.
“They’re very
polarizing—a lot of
people hate the smell—
but I love geraniums
and find them charming
and timeless. Plus,
they’re super easy to
care for.”
VICE PRESIDENT, GENER AL MANAGER Amanda Wolfe
SENIOR EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Mickey O’Connor
A SSO CIATE EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Katie Holdefehr
SENIOR SPECIAL PROJECTS EDITOR Leah Lopez Cardenas
HE ALTH & WELLNESS EDITOR Maggie Seaver
“Mimosa pudica!
It’s called the ‘shy’ or
‘sensitive’ plant because
its leaves fold up when
you touch it.”
6 RE AL SIMPLE APRIL 2024
Lauren Iannotti
EDITOR IN CHIEF
Phoebe Flynn Rich
CRE ATIVE DIRECTOR
Lisa Freedman
EXECUTIVE EDITOR
Tara Cox
MANAGING EDITOR
E D I TO R I A L
FE ATURES DIRECTOR Amy Maclin
HOME DIRECTOR Erica Finamore
FO OD DIRECTOR Jenna Helwig
BE AUT Y DIRECTOR Heather Muir Maffei
FE ATURES EDITOR Melissa Matthews
SENIOR HOME EDITOR Hannah Baker
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS
Hannah Dorough,
Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager,
Kristyn Kusek Lewis (books)
A RT & P H OTO
PHOTO DIRECTOR Muzam Agha
DESIGN DIRECTOR Deanna Lowe
A SSISTANT DESIGNER Natalie Guisinger
C O P Y, R E S E A RC H & P RO D U C T I O N
EDITORIAL PRODUCTION DIRECTOR
Filomena Guzzardi
COPY & RESE ARCH CHIEF Jenny Brown
CONTRIBUTING SENIOR RESE ARCH EDITOR
Maya Kukes
R E A L S I M P L E .C O M
SENIOR EDITOR, FO OD Samantha Leffler
SENIOR EDITOR, HOME Leslie Corona
BE AUT Y & FA SHION EDITOR Hana Hong
HOME EDITOR Morgan Noll
VISUAL S EDITOR Olivia Barr
SO CIAL MEDIA EDITOR Samantha Saunion
SENIOR VIDEO PRODUCER Jennifer Lomeli
What’s
your favorite
plant?
Tiffany Ehasz
VICE PRESIDENT, PUBLISHER
Allison Kelly
EXECUTIVE MARKETING DIRECTOR
A DV E RT I S I N G S A L E S
“As a new plant parent, I find
E A ST C OA ST
E A STERN ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Lizzie Meier Utt
snake plants to be incredibly
low-maintenance and
INTEGR ATED ACCOUNT DIRECTORS
resilient. But maybe ask me
Susan Schwartzman, Steven Zampieri
again in a few weeks.”
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER Meg O’Mara
BLUE GROUP MEDIA Eric Davis, Jill Stone
ADVERTISING SALES A SSISTANT Hayley Solomon
M I D W E ST
INTEGR ATED ACCOUNT DIRECTORS
Margaret Graff, Jennifer Latwis
ADVERTISING SALES A SSISTANT Teri Dasbach
W E ST C OA ST
SD MEDIA Steve Dveris
I N T E R N AT I O N A L
PRIME MEDIA Silvia Pachés
T R AV E L “A client gave me
NATIONAL MANAGER Katy Hildman a Christmas cactus a
number of years ago.
It flowers every holiday
MARKETING
season (even though I
DESIGN DIRECTOR Sarah Massimo
don’t have the greenest
HOME DIRECTOR Misty Chandler
thumb) and makes
MARKETING DIRECTOR Heidi Walters
me so very happy.”
ASSOCIATE MARKETING DIRECTOR Justine Russo
MARKETING CO ORDINATOR Mia Drake
BR AND COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER Katie Holzman
R E S E A RC H & I N S I G H T S
SENIOR DIRECTOR Bridget Sellers
SENIOR MANAGER Cheryl Campbell
MANAGER Maura Ruane
P RO D U C T I O N , C I RC U L AT I O N & F I N A N C E
PRODUCTION DIRECTOR John Beard
SENIOR PRODUCTION MANAGER Courtney Thompson
SENIOR DIRECTOR OF QUALIT Y Joseph Kohler
COLOR QUALIT Y ANALYST Sarah Schroeder
A SSO CIATE CONSUMER MARKETING DIRECTOR
Lynn Bolinger
NEWSSTAND RETAIL Rose Cirrincione
EXECUTIVE BUSINESS DIRECTOR Janice Croat
BUSINESS MANAGER Trish Schroder
ADVERTISING BUSINESS MANAGER Zena Norbont
BR AND LEADERSHIP
I L L U S T R AT I O N S B Y C L A R E O W E N
Alysia Borsa
PRESIDENT, LIFEST YLE
SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, GROUP GENER AL MANAGER,
HOME & DESIGN Mélanie Berliet
CHIEF REVENUE OFFICER, STR ATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS Brian Kightlinger
VICE PRESIDENT, STR ATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS Andrea Rogan
VICE PRESIDENT, LIFEST YLE MARKETING Kristin Guinan
 REAL SIMPLE Everywhere Find Exclusive Ideas,
Tips & Ways to Make Every Day Easier

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8 RE AL SIMPLE APRIL 2024

 YOUR WORDS

What was your wildest animal encounter?

My best friend, Clara, and

I were about 10 years old,
living in the small town of I was hiking in New
Jersey when a black
Columbia, Mississippi, when bear ran across
the neighborhood billy goat the trail, about 20
feet in front of me.
got out of his enclosure and Once, when I was I walked in the other
chased us down the street. walking in downtown direction until I could
Miami, a squirrel no longer see him!
We’re now 57, and that story climbed up my leg. ALICE KIDD
ANDOVER, NEW JERSEY
My screams sent it
has brought us many laughs flying into a tree. The
over the years. security guard who When I was a little
responded could kid, about 2 or 3,
K I M B E R LY H O L M E S E VA N S
not stop laughing. my mom took me to
FAY E T T E V I L L E , G EO RG I A
OLGAINPRINT
feed the ducks. Well,
the ducks got over-
zealous and started
I found myself Either the time
chasing us. My
face-to-face with my 30-pound dog
mom got scared and
a huge barracuda tumbled around
took off without me!
while snorkeling with a raccoon (she
I still have a fuzzy
in the British Virgin was OK!) or when
memory of that day.
Islands! Yikes! a possum made
COOKSCRAPCRAFT
AMY TYRRELL direct eye contact
TAMPA, FLORIDA with me inside
my apartment! I was camping in
My husband and I MARIA ADLEY Zimbabwe when I
were on Molokai, RICHMOND, VIRGINIA woke to a tribe of
Hawaii, and decided baboons trashing
to walk over some When I lived in Park the campgrounds.
fields to see the City, Utah, a moose I desperately had to
ocean. We climbed and her calves were use the bathroom
a fence and were in the backyard. and thought I could
met by a very angry I stepped outside, sneak out. Nope!
bull, who chased ever so slowly, to get Four giant baboons
us right back over a photo. The moose surrounded me,
the fence! heard me, pranced escorted me to the
DIANA DONER in a circle, and then bathroom, waited
LAFAYETTE, COLORADO reared up at me. for me, and escorted
I ran back and was me back!
frightened of her KIRA DOBSON
OCEANO, CALIFORIA
retaliation for hours!
DENISE LIND
CORRALES,
NEW MEXICO

10 RE AL SIMPLE APRIL 2024 Illustration by Sol Cotti

 I spent a college
semester in Australia,
and I managed READER OF THE
MONTH
to snap a picture
with a bunch of Caroline Costello, 58
kangaroos before
C O M M U N I C AT I O N S L E A D E R F O R
they hopped off. I encountered a T E A M RU B I C O N , A V E T E R A N - L E D
KENRIC DUNCAN wild boar with O RGA N I Z AT I O N T H AT H E L P S
MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE
tusks as I stepped COMMUNITIES DURING CRISES
out to cross a
C H I C AG O
In October, we went breezeway to my
to Orange Beach, first-grade class-
Alabama. The high- A few years ago, we Wildest animal encounter?
room. I ran back
light of the trip: were driving through When I lived in Arizona, I saw a cat
to the office, and the
A dolphin swam up Addo Elephant with her kittens burrow in the
principal laughed
to a foot from where National Park in bushes near my mailbox. I reached
as he said, “Welcome
I was standing on South Africa when in to give her a snuggle and
to country living in
the dock! Had I our tiny car was realized just in time that it was a
Alabama!”
been more prepared, surrounded by a bobcat and her kittens!
DEBBIE KIRKLAND
I probably would family of elephants. MADISON, ALABAMA
have jumped in. We were unable to The book you could read
move for a while! again and again:
MOLLY BROWNING That time I watched
ATLANTA TINA LAM Any from the Little House on the
from the couch as
DURANGO, COLORADO Prairie series. Those books instantly
my dad tried to
When we lived in take me back to grade school,
capture an adult
Indonesia, we were When I was in Costa which was such a happy time.
raccoon who’d
playing golf and Rica, a monkey overstayed his wel-
I saw this big black approached a group come in our house.
What’s always in your bag?
log in the middle of us and started Laneige lip balms. The gummy
This was actually a
of the fairway. acting very cute— bear flavor is awesome!
recurring problem.
It started moving waving, smiling. As
JUSTINE BLEDSOE
toward us, and I everyone gathered PLEASANT HILL, OHIO
What’s always in your car?
realized it was an around taking pic- Great music playing through
anaconda. It had to tures, I watched his the speakers—mostly rock, like
have been at least sly monkey friend Bruce Springsteen and The Killers,
15 feet long! sneak into some- with an occasional classical
@ODIEHENRY one’s backpack soundtrack thrown into the mix.
and steal snacks.
Our guide said it Who makes you laugh the most?
happens all the time. Stephen Colbert. He’s always
Good thing they spot-on and so creative in the way
C O U RT ESY O F CA R O L I N E C O ST E L LO

weren’t my snacks! he invokes laughter and joy.

KATIELTILLMAN

NEXT QUESTION
What’s the most adventurous thing you’ve ever done?
Send an email (and a photo, if you want!) to yourwords@realsimple.com
and let us know your answer. Your response could appear on these pages.

APRIL 2024 RE AL SIMPLE 11

 PROMOTION

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P h o t o g r a p h b y Te d C a v a n a u g h APRIL 2024 RE AL SIMPLE 13

STUFF WE LOVE
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Short Handle Salad Servers, $62.50;
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14 RE AL SIMPLE APRIL 2024
P R O D U C T I M A G E S C O U R T E S Y O F M A N U FA C T U R E R S ; C O U R T E S Y O F E R I N S A N D E R S A N D N AT H A N S C H R O D E R P H O T O G R A P H Y
COLOR OF THE MONTH
The Sky’s the Limit
Your weekly forecast: sunny with a chance of paint
inspiration. See, sky blue brings a natural, ethereal
element to any space, and it’s super versatile. Combine
it with neutrals for a subtle pop, go tonal with other blues,
or bring in mossy green or dusty rose for a luxe look.
Another idea: Make it the star—like Dallas-based interior
designer Erin Sanders did—and cover an entire room
with the color. Just like heaven. —Erica Finamore
THEY PUT YOU
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 STUFF WE LOVE

Grow a
BEAUTIFUL
GARDEN
that blooms
longer

Start with
the best varieties

MISTAKE S YO U DIDN’ T KNOW

YOU WERE MAKING

Learn more Decorating with

Houseplants
Christopher Griffin, a plant-fluencer
(@plantkween) and the author of You Grow, Gurl!,
gives us the dirt on what to avoid.

There’s You’re Not Your Planters

No Variety
“Choose greenery with
different shapes, sizes,
and textures,” Griffin says.
Why? “A diverse display
adds visual interest.”
Fill your space with an
Looking Up
Griffin suggests taking
advantage of vertical space.
Try placing pretty pots on
bookshelves and incorpo-
rating hanging plants
throughout your home.
Are Boring
“Consider materials,
colors, and shapes that
align with your overall
decor,” Griffin says. Think:
powder-coated steel
bins in a modern space, C O U RT ESY O F P H O E B E C H EO N G

array of plants that require “Whether suspended from or hand-painted terra-

similar care (a pothos,
spider, and monstera,
for example) and you
won’t have to remember
a million random
watering schedules.
the ceiling or mounted on
walls, hanging plants save
floor space and also draw
the eye up, transforming
your living space into a lush,
green oasis,” Griffin says.
cotta ones in a traditional
room. Make sure you
pick planters that have
drainage holes (and
matching saucers!) so
roots don’t drown. —H.B.

16 RE AL SIMPLE APRIL 2024

SEASIDE SERENADE ® NEWPORT HYDRANGEA
STUFF WE LOVE

BE AUT Y ROAD TEST

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18 RE AL SIMPLE APRIL 2024

STUFF WE LOVE

The Books List Top Picks for Book Club & Beyond
BY K R I ST Y N KU S E K L E W I S

Not Your Average Uplifting Mystery High Lit with Heart

Rom-Com
In Holly Gramazio’s Stunning
debut, Lauren comes
Historical Fiction
home after a big night
out and finds a man It’s 2011 when a stranger
she’s never met in her knocks on Eunju Oh’s
London apartment. door and sends her reel-
According to the photos ing back to a past she’d
on the wall and the texts hoped to forget. In the
in her phone, he’s…her 1980s, teenage Eunju
husband? But when and her mother, living
he climbs into the attic on the streets of South
to change a light bulb, Korea, were picked up
another man climbs by police and taken to
down, and it isn’t long one of the country’s
before Lauren realizes “reformatory centers”—
that every time she ostensibly created to
sends someone up help struggling mem-
the ladder, a different bers of society but
spouse returns. actually brutally violent
Refreshingly original work camps. Told from
and laugh-out-loud the perspectives of
funny, The Husbands Eunju, her mother, and
has a sneaky-smart two teenage brothers
message about how imprisoned in the same
hard it can be to make camp, The Stone Home
confident choices in by Crystal Hana Kim
a world with zillions exposes a dark reality
of options. in South Korea’s history
through a gripping
story about human
connection and the will
to survive.
When Clayton Stumper
was just a baby, he
was left on the steps of
an English commune
where a group of profes-
sional enigmatologists
(i.e., puzzle makers)
invented new games
and riddles. Now in his
20s, Clayton is a quirky
young man mourning
the death of the woman
who discovered and
raised him. But she’s
left him with one final
mystery to solve: Where
did he really come
from, and what’s next?
Samuel Burr’s The
Fellowship of Puzzle-
makers takes readers
along on Clayton’s
quest to discover his
roots, treating us to a
literary mood boost
about friendship and
found family.
The Limits, the latest
by Nell Freudenberger,
American Story is an astonishingly real-
istic portrayal of every-
Two decades after day people facing the
immigrating to the U.S., challenges of modern
the Shahs seem to be life. Set during the peak
living the dream. They of Covid (but don’t
have a successful busi- worry—it’s not a pan-
ness, a new home in demic novel!), it fea-
an upscale California tures unforgettable
community, three happy characters: Nathalie is
kids, and a close-knit a French biologist living
network of fellow Indian on a tiny Polynesian
Americans. Then their island who sends her
12-year-old son is teenage daughter, Pia,
arrested, and they learn to Manhattan to stay
they might have more with her ex and his new
in common with other wife, Kate, a teacher.
communities of color After Pia meets one of
than they’d believed. Kate’s students, a
With vivid characters 16-year-old caring for
and an absorbing plot, her toddler nephew and
A Great Country by haunted by anxiety,
Shilpi Somaya Gowda everyone’s paths collide
asks important ques- in deeply moving ways.
tions about race,
class, and what it really
means to “make it” in
the U.S. today.

P R O P ST Y L I N G BY M A R I N A B E V I L AC Q UA

20 RE AL SIMPLE APRIL 2024 P h o t o g r a p h b y Te d C a v a n a u g h


A single charcoal
filter lasts for 100 hours
of cooking.
1 when little guests visit,
B I G FA N
Many range hoods don’t
actually clean or remove
bad air (yikes). Set this
portable version near
your stove—a filter elimi-
nates nasty toxins and
fumes, then the air gets
recirculated. Wired Portable
Kitchen Air Cleaner,
$160; theairhood.com
to Make Your Life
4 6
P R O D U C T I M A G E S C O U R T E S Y O F M A N U FA C T U R E R S
A LIGHT TOUCH
By mimicking dusk and
dawn lighting, this
Wi-Fi-enabled lamp lulls
you to sleep at night and
wakes you gently in the
morning to help prevent
grogginess (and hopefully
crankiness). Lamp, $249;
byloftie.com
2
C O N V E RT I B L E B E D
Drive kids to the land of
Nod with this fun air
mattress. You’ll get tons of
mileage out of it: Use it
or bring it on a trip for a
spare place to (comfort-
ably) crash. Sleepover Air
Mattress, $79; funboy.com
Clever Items
Little Helpers
a Lot Easier
BY H A N N A H BA K E R
5 lingering stickiness with
T O P D R AW E R
This modern coffee table
has two shallow drawers
that can be pulled all
the way out to become
storage trays or lap desks.
Choose from three wood
finishes. Mensa Table,
$320; cozey.com
STUFF WE LOVE
3
BRIGHT IDEA
Going camping? Secure
your tent with solar-
powered stakes and you’ll
still be able to see around
the campsite after the
fire’s out. One charge lasts
up to 20 hours. Mpowerd
Portable Solar Campsite
Stakes, $80 for 6;
uncommongoods.com
T I DY T W O F E R
Wipe up spills and clean
this two-in-one paper
towel holder. The pole
hides a removable spray
bottle, which you can
fill with six ounces of your
fave cleaning solution.
Paper Towel Pump, $70;
simplehuman.com
APRIL 2024 RE AL SIMPLE 21
STUFF WE LOVE

ORGANIZE THIS

Your Suitcase
How do jet-setters get set to jet? They pack their bags with smart,
hardworking travel buddies like these.
BY H A N N A H BA K E R

SNAZZY SACK
With six adjustable sections,
four elastic loops, and a zip-
pered pocket, this toiletry
bag (in two sizes) can corral
your mini bottles, razor, and
more. Mila Toiletry Pouch,
from $50; dagnedover.com

P R O P S T Y L I N G B Y M A R I N A B E V I L A C Q U A ; P R O D U C T I M A G E S C O U R T E S Y O F M A N U FA C T U R E R S
T S A - P RO O F B O T T L E S
These stylish, leakproof con-
tainers are magnetic (so they
stick together in your bag)
and hold up to 0.56 ounces of
your fave creams, lotions, and
potions. Originals Set, $84
for 6; keepyourcadence.com

SUIT BAG
Separate your wet swimwear
D OUBLE-DECKER STOR AGE from dry clothes with this
Lotsa compartments for the win! The pouch on top holds toiletries and makeup waterproof bag. It’s also great
(and is lined with wipeable nylon in case of spillage); the bottom section has for keeping valuables safe and
spots for all your baubles. Made of soft vegan leather, these organizers come in two sand-free during beach hangs.
sizes and can be monogrammed for a sweet touch. Dual Travel Organizers, Horizon Wet Bag, $38;
from $79; markandgraham.com (see page 8 for a discount) wanderandperch.com

22 RE AL SIMPLE APRIL 2024 P h o t o g r a p h b y Te d C a v a n a u g h

 AN UNDENIABLE
American Masterpiece
Art comes in many forms. Whether it’s our picturesque mountain setting or our legacy
of longest running Five-Star, Five-Diamond service, The Broadmoor is sure to take
your breath away. Offering an array of award-winning restaurants, a Five-Star spa,
championship golf courses, and adventurous activities like zip-lining,
The Broadmoor is an experiential destination like no other.

Find your inspiration today at broadmoor.com.

877.497.3709 BROADMOOR.COM
 Genius Beauty Our beauty director tries
allll the products. These are her current faves.
BY H E AT H E R M U I R M A F F E I

1
SUNNY SHIELD
This moisturizer is just what
I need to face the day.
It protects against UV rays,
blue light, radiation, and
pollution—without leaving
white streaks behind. It’s even
good for oily skin. Triple Prep
Weightless Multitasking
Moisturizer SPF 40, $48;
supergoop.com

24 RE AL SIMPLE APRIL 2024 P h o t o g r a p h b y Te d C a v a n a u g h

 STUFF WE LOVE

2
S M O O T H O P E R AT O R
Say bye to unwanted 3
body hair and hello B RO W B O O S T E R
to this easy-to-use wax. My tip for brows that
It sticks to hair, not skin, wow: tint! It makes hairs
so it’s less ouchy. And it look fuller and nixes the
smells like mangoes. need to pencil. Brush on
Full On Meltdown the dye (in three shades)
Vegan Hard Wax, $26; and remove after 10
crybabywax.com minutes for color that
lasts for days but doesn’t
stain. Brow Pal, $24;
hallyhair.com
P R O P S T Y L I N G B Y M A R I N A B E V I L A C Q U A ; P R O D U C T I M A G E S C O U R T E S Y O F M A N U FA C T U R E R S ; I L L U S T R AT I O N B Y B A B E T H L A F O N

4
A BET TER BASE
Infused with hyal-
uronic acid and jojoba
oil, this buildable
formula blurs my lines
and pores while add-
ing a healthy sheen. 5
HD Skin Hydra Glow SLEEPER HIT
Foundation, $47; The next best thing to a full night’s
sephora.com sleep? An eye cream that helps
me fake one. This gel-cream brightens,
depuffs, and minimizes lines. Best of all,
it’s safe to use on the delicate upper
eyelids too! Full Orbit, $28; glossier.com

6 About Heather
SHOWER POWER
With more than 17
My five-minute shower has been years in the beauty biz,
feeling more spalike thanks to this luxe the busy mom of two
lather. It cleanses and moisturizes, (hi, Bean and Georgie!)
saving me a step on hectic mornings. has tried almost
every serum, balm, and
Olay Indulgent Moisture
potion out there.
Body Wash, $13; walmart.com She’s always down to
chat about facial hair.

APRIL 2024 RE AL SIMPLE 25

STUFF WE LOVE

STUFF SHE LOVES

Brooke’s Must-Haves
After 50-plus years as an actor and model,
Brooke Shields has a thing or three figured out. Here, the eternal
It girl shares some of her nonnegotiables and little luxuries.
BY H E AT H E R M U I R M A F F E I

“This rose-and- “I never really ‘got’

black-currant scent serums, but I mix
smells amazing. this with vitamin C,
Plus, my kids like it! 4 and now I notice
I travel with the the suppleness
solid fragrance.” of my skin.”

S H O P H E R FAV E S
1 1 Tequila Blanco, $50;
lalospirits.com
2 L’Ombre Dans L’Eau
Eau de Parfum, $230;

P R O P S T Y L I N G B Y M A R I N A B E V I L A C Q U A ; I N S E T: D AV E K O T I N S K Y/ S T R I N G E R /G E T T Y I M A G E S ; H E A D S H O T C O U R T E S Y O F E L L I S T O N L U T Z
diptyqueparis.com
3 Eye Drops, $13;
shop.lumifyeyes.com
2
3 5 4 Chebula Active
Serum, $90;
truebotanicals.com
(Brooke is an
6 ambassador for
the brand)
5 Peanut Butter
Snack Size Protein
Bars, $29 for 16;
“I use this every perfectsnacks.com
night, and
6 GrandeLash-MD
it’s definitely 7
making my Lash Enhancing
brows thicker.” Serum, $68; grande
cosmetics.com
7 Plackers Micro Line
Floss Picks, $8 for
“These little 300; target.com
9 tooth flossers
help separate 8 Chebula Extreme
my lashes.” Cream, $110;
truebotanicals.com
9 Liquid Lash
8
Extensions Mascara,
$25; thrive
causemetics.com
10
10 Nail Polish in
“When people come up
to my daughters and me Ballet Slippers, $10;
and say, ‘You’re so pretty,’ essie.com
I say, ‘What we really
are is confident, fun,
strong, and smart.’”

26 RE AL SIMPLE APRIL 2024 P h o t o g r a p h b y Te d C a v a n a u g h

STUFF WE LOVE

The best person to ask for

matzo advice? Someone
who keeps it stocked
all year long, not just at
Passover. Someone like
Eden Grinshpan, creator
of the cooking site
edeneats.com and author
of Eating Out Loud. We’ll
never turn down topping
it like toast, but she has
plenty of other ideas too.

Add It to a Frittata
for Some Texture
Soak 3 matzo sheets in hot
water for 3 to 5 seconds;
break into pieces. Cook in
melted salted butter in a
large oven-safe skillet until
crisp and lightly caramelized.
Reduce heat and add 12
whisked eggs and desired
mix-ins. Bake at 350°F until
just set, 15 to 20 minutes.

Bake Up Sweet

F O O D S T Y L I N G B Y J U L I A N H E N S A R L I N G ; P R O P S T Y L I N G B Y C H R I S T I N A D A L E Y; C O U R T E S Y O F P U B L I S H E R
Caramel Matzo Crunch
Cover a foil-lined baking
sheet with matzo. Bring 1
cup each butter and brown
sugar to a boil and whisk
until smooth, about 3 min-
utes. Quickly spread over
matzo. Bake at 350°F for 15
minutes. Top with chocolate
chips; once they soften,
spread to edges. Finish with
nuts, toasted sesame seeds,
flaky sea salt, or sprinkles.
Chill until set, then break
into pieces.

Make a Bread
LEARN A NEW TRICK Crumb Substitute
Grind up matzo in a food
U S E U P L E F TOV E R M AT ZO processor and use it as you
would bread crumbs; for
BY G R AC E E L KU S example, make crispy
chicken schnitzel, mix into
meatballs, or sprinkle on
top of pasta for added fun.

28 RE AL SIMPLE APRIL 2024 Photographs by Jennifer Causey

 COOK THIS BOOK

Health Nut:
A Feel-Good
Cookbook
Partly inspired by her collection
of 1970s cookbooks, Jess Damuck’s
colorful new tome ($35; abrams
books.com) features her take on SCENTABLES™ BY BLOOMABLES®
healthy cooking: fresh, veggie-centric
A curated collection of
food that’s not too difficult to make.
The produce enthusiast behind the beautifully fragrant plants to enrich
cookbook Salad Freak delivers every-
thing you’d want from modern-day your garden and your home.
“hippie” recipes—three types of
granola, grain bowls galore, a Califor-
nia veggie sandwich, and plenty of
nutritional yeast (natch). The baked
goods, like Date-Sweetened Carrot
Cake, are groovy too. —G.E.

GRE AT GE AR

Tweezer Tongs
Think of them as giant tweezers. Versatile, precise, and less
space-gobbling than traditional tongs, this tool is gaining a
reputation as an essential for home cooks. Sohla El-Waylly, author
of Start Here: Instructions for Becoming a Better Cook and the
Substack newsletter Hot Dish with Sohla, uses them to turn shrimp,
flip chicken thighs, warm tortillas over a gas flame, and more.
“Classic tongs aren’t allowed in my kitchen,” she says. “I don’t think
I would even know what to do with them anymore.” Her pick: the Scan to find the
Küchenprofi 12-Inch Tweezer Tongs ($20; amazon.com). —G.E. fragrance for you.

AVA I L A B L E AT
S E L E CT G A R D E N R ETA I L E R S
APRIL 2024 RE AL SIMPLE 29
www.BLOOMABLES.com
FIND A FRESH
PERSPECTIVE

The sweeping landscapes of Michigan reward you when you go in

search of what moves you. Take a moment to soak in the scenery,
recharge and find what’s fresh in Pure Michigan.

michigan.org
 ID E A S, D IYS &
RE ALLY G O O D TIPS
F O O D S T Y L I N G B Y E M I LY N A B O R S H A L L ; P R O P S T Y L I N G B Y C L A I R E S P O L L E N

DRINKING WITH JENNA

A F E W WO RDS
ABOUT WINE
Study up on this vino vocab list.
There won’t be a test later, but you’ll crush
your next trip to the liquor store.
BY J E N N A H E LW I G

Photographs by Victor Protasio APRIL 2024 RE AL SIMPLE 31

HOW TO D O THINGS
Biodynamic
This official certification comes with
a complicated list of requirements,
based on principles developed by an
Austrian philosopher in the early 20th
century (not joking). Namely, no pesti-
cides can be used, planting and har-
vesting need to follow astronomical
cycles (including moon phases), and
soil often has to be specially treated
with things like manure and herbs.
Also, burying cow horns with compost
to encourage soil health is part of it,
says Charlie Gaeta, director of private
client sales and market cultivation
for the award-winning wine shop
Dedalus in Burlington, Vermont.
“What it boils down to is complying
with a very strict and uniform stan-
dard of holistic farming methods.”
Biodynamic farming has parallels
with regenerative agriculture, another
term sometimes used in connection
with wine (but not often seen on
the label). “There are no strict guide-
lines for regenerative agriculture per
se,” says Lindsay Hoopes, second-
generation owner of Hoopes Vineyard
in Napa, California. “But the idea is
that farming should be looked at as a
connected web of plants and animals,
so biodiversity, no chemicals, minimal
mechanized intrusions, and a focus on
soil health are critical.”
Natural
This term isn’t legally defined, and
there’s no certification for it, Gaeta says.
“It’s more a set of standards. In the
vineyard, farming is done organically
and/or biodynamically. In the winery,
low intervention is key—removing the
human element as much as possible.”
Natural wines can be off-putting to
some drinkers, says Tanisha Townsend,
a certified wine specialist and the
founder of Girl Meets Glass, a Paris-
based wine education company.
32 RE AL SIMPLE APRIL 2024
“Not using certain types of additives
can result in less predictable wines,
where the flavors vary from year to
year,” she explains. “The look of the wine
may also be cloudy because fining and
filtering, ways to remove impurities,
aren’t allowed.” Even though the word
“funky” is often used to describe natu-
ral wines, many drinkers feel they
capture terroir—a distinct sense of the
place where the grapes were grown—
better than conventional wine.
Organic
The requirements for this certification
depend on where the wine is pro-
duced, says Natascha Patterer, wine
director at the Bowery Group restau-
rants in New York City. “But it often
involves stringent limitations on pesti-
cides, herbicides, and fungicides.”
The USDA Organic seal on a bottle
means the grapes and any additives
are organic. It also means no sulfites
were added (some may occur naturally).
Or you might see the phrase “made with
certified organically grown grapes.”
In this case, the grapes and additives
are organic, but some sulfites, which
help preserve freshness and prevent
oxidation, may have been added.
Skin-Contact
The color of wine generally comes
from contact with grape skins,
Hoopes says. “Grape juice is clear.
Wine that has any color—be it pink,
orange, golden, or red—obtains its
hue from leaving the skins in contact
with the juice during fermentation.”
This means you can make white
wine from any grape, even red ones,
if you don’t use the skins.
Thus, all red wines are skin-
contact wines, Townsend says. “But
we usually see that term to describe
rosé and orange wines. Most rosés
are made with red grapes, where the
juice and skins macerate together
for a shorter period of time than
red wines.” The length of time helps
determine the color of the wine.
As for orange wine, a relatively
new (and quite trendy) category in
the United States, no oranges are
used. Rather, it’s made with white
grapes in the style of red wine; i.e.,
the skins and juice hang out together
for up to weeks at a time, Patterer
says. “Macerating the juice on the
white grape skins for a longer
period yields tannin and textural
elements that are similar to red
wine, but the color is more orange
since the grape skins are light.”
And now you know! ■
About Jenna
I L L U S T R AT I O N B Y B A B E T H L A F O N
REAL SIMPLE’s food
director and the author
of five cookbooks,
Jenna is an enthusiastic
eater, drinker, and
home cook. Her go-to
cocktail is a Negroni,
and her wine of choice
is anything bubbly.
Cheers!
 SWEET THING

ST R AW B E RRY CH E E S E CA K E BA RS
With a pretzel crust, they’re salty, sweet, and a pretty Easter treat!
BY T R I C I A M A N Z A N E RO ST U E D E M A N

34 RE AL SIMPLE APRIL 2024 Photographs by Victor Protasio


ACTIVE TIME 40 MINUTES
TOTAL TIME 6 HOURS
MAKES 15 BARS
1 lb. fresh strawberries, hulled
and halved (about 3 cups)
Cooking spray
12∕3 cups (about 8 oz.) packed finely
ground pretzels (from 5 to 6 cups
mini pretzel twists)
2 Tbsp. light brown sugar
10 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
3 8-oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
11∕2 cups granulated sugar
3 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1∕2 tsp. kosher salt
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup freeze-dried strawberries,
finely crushed and sifted
1 or 2 drops super-red food
coloring gel (optional)
PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Place strawber-
ries in an 8-inch square baking dish.
Roast, stirring occasionally, until syrupy
and very soft, 35 to 45 minutes. (Do not
turn off oven.)
PROCESS strawberries in baking dish
with an immersion blender until smooth
(or blend in an upright blender), about
1 minute. Pour strawberry puree through
a fine-mesh strainer into a medium bowl,
pressing down with a spatula to extract
F O O D S T Y L I N G B Y E M I LY N A B O R S H A L L ; P R O P S T Y L I N G B Y C L A I R E S P O L L E N
as much liquid as possible; discard any
solids. Refrigerate puree until slightly
cooled, about 20 minutes.
WHILE puree cools, coat a 13-by-9-inch
metal baking pan with cooking spray.
Line with parchment paper, leaving a
2-inch overhang on all sides. Stir together
ground pretzels and brown sugar in a
medium bowl; stir in butter. Press mixture
evenly into bottom of prepared pan.
BAKE until lightly golden and dry to the
touch, about 10 minutes. Let cool slightly
on a wire rack, about 15 minutes. Reduce
oven temperature to 300°F.
BEAT cream cheese in a large bowl with
an electric mixer on medium speed until
smooth, about 2 minutes. Add granulated
sugar and beat until well mixed, about
HOW TO D O THINGS
1 minute. Add cornstarch, vanilla, and
salt; beat until just combined, about 15
seconds. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating on
low speed after each addition until just
combined, 1 to 2 minutes total.
TRANSFER 1∕2 cup cream cheese mixture
to a small bowl; set aside. Add strawberry
puree, freeze-dried strawberry powder,
and food coloring (if desired) to cream
cheese mixture in large bowl; beat on low
INGREDIENT
speed, stopping to scrape down sides
SP OTLIGHT
of bowl as needed, until well combined,
about 45 seconds. Freeze-dried fruits are
POUR strawberry mixture into cooled oddly fun to eat (they
crust. Dollop reserved 1∕2 cup cream melt in your mouth!).
cheese mixture over top; swirl into straw- They’re also a handy tool
berry mixture with a wooden pick. Gently for bakers. When ground
tap pan on counter to release any large
to a powder and sifted,
air bubbles. Bake at 300°F until cheese-
they add concentrated
cake is set around edges but still slightly
jiggly in center, 35 to 40 minutes. flavor and subtle color to
TURN off oven and let cheesecake cool
whipped cream, frosting,
inside for 30 minutes with door ajar. pudding, and baked
Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cool goods. Look for them
to room temperature, about 1 hour. Cover in the snack aisle at the
and refrigerate until chilled, at least grocery store.
3 hours and up to 12 hours.
USING parchment paper as handles,
transfer cheesecake to a cutting board.
Cut into 15 bars. Serve chilled.
APRIL 2024 RE AL SIMPLE 35
 PROMOTION

simple extras
A L I T T L E S O M E T H I N G E X T R A J U S T F O R YO U

U R SU L A C A R M O N A OUT WEST WHERE YOUR

@homemadebycarmona ADVENTURE BEGINS

Discover the incomparable experiences,

beauty, and unmatched service that sets
Let’s create an enchanting outdoor living
The Broadmoor apart from all others.
space with simple spring planting tips from
A cherished locale in Colorado Springs for
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it sprawls across 5,000 acres beneath
SHOW STOPPER!
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Start with a plant that makes a statement
Rocky Mountain experience.
but stays compact, like the Seaside
Serenade® Newport Hydrangea, grown Broadmoor.com
exclusively by Monrovia. Its stunning
long-lasting blue-violet mophead blooms
and bright green, thick foliage add vibrant
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through summer!

SEASON-LONG BLOOMS
Stagger flowers by their bloom time like
the Evolution™ Colorific™ Coneflower that
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RAMBLERS
Embrace your romantic side with flowering
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FUN & UNIQUE

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@homemadebycarmona on Instagram.
Monrovia.com
POUR YOUR HEART INTO
EVERY MORNING
With a touch of real honey and whole grain
oats, Honey Nut Cheerios™ is a delicious
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Cheerios.com
 HOW TO D O THINGS

CLEAN THIS

Your Entire Home

For detailed
Why wait for spring? Here’s how to keep everything instructions and
neat and tidy the whole year through. tips, head to
realsimple.com/
BY T E D DY W I L L S O N
cleaningschedule.

At Least Weekly
No surprise: High-traffic
areas of your home need
the most attention.

Wipe down and sanitize

the counters in the
kitchen, bathroom(s),
and laundry room.

Sweep or vacuum and

mop the floors.

Launder your linens:

sheets, all towels (the
bath, hand, and dish vari-
eties), and bath mats.

Wipe down all sinks

and the stove.

Sanitize high-touch
points: doorknobs, fau-
cets, light switches, pulls
and handles, keyboards,
and remote controls.

Clean up any spatters

or grease along the
kitchen backsplash and
inside the microwave.

Disinfect the toilets.

SPRING CLEANING is a dusty, outdated concept. The term itself was popularized Hit the bowl, seat, sides,
in the 19th century, when people had to wait for warm weather to open their tank, and flusher.
windows and sweep out layers of soot left by their coal furnaces. It made sense
at the time, but today most of us have snazzy HVAC systems to keep us warm Scrub the entire bathtub
in winter. And vacuums! So there’s no reason to spend the start of a season and/or shower.
scrubbing our hearts out. Instead, follow this plan to keep up with your home bit
by bit throughout the year, and take it a little easier come March and April.

Illustrations by Boyoun Kim APRIL 2024 RE AL SIMPLE 37

HOW TO D O THINGS
At Least Monthly
Some spots take a little longer to get dirty.
Tackle these every four weeks or less.
E V E RY W H E R E
Dust all surfaces: side
tables, your TV and con-
sole, bookshelves, picture
frames, etc. You may need
to do this biweekly.
Spritz and wipe the inside
of the windows with glass
cleaner and a clean rag.
Dust the baseboards with
a microfiber cloth.
Dust blinds with the brush
attachment on your vac-
uum, or wipe each slat
with a microfiber cloth.
If you can, rinse your
vacuum’s filter. (Deep-
clean the entire machine
once a year.)
B AT H RO O M
Clean mirrors and fix-
tures. Spray solution onto
your microfiber cloth
instead of the mirror to
keep spots from forming.
Launder your shower
curtain and liner if they
can go into the washing
machine. (Most can!)
38 RE AL SIMPLE APRIL 2024
KITCHEN
Disinfect the trash cans.
Scrub the cabinet doors
and appliance fronts with
a microfiber cloth and
warm, soapy water.
Toss expired items and
deep-clean the fridge.
De-stink the dishwasher
by running a cycle with
just a bowl of distilled
white vinegar on the top
rack. And clean the filter.
Dust and clean the top of
the fridge if it’s exposed.
L I V I N G RO O M
Vacuum the couch and
other upholstered furni-
ture. Use the appropriate
attachment and remove
the cushions to get every
last crumb. Be on the look-
out for loose change.
L AU N D RY RO O M
Deep-clean your washing
machine. Don’t forget
the gasket. Tip: Leave the
door open between cycles
to help prevent mildew.
At Least Seasonally
It helps to mark the tasks on your calendar.
Or just save these pages until you’re in the groove.
ONCE A SEASON
Vacuum the fridge’s
condenser coils with the
brush attachment.
Deep-clean your
carpets and rugs.
Dust ceiling fans and
wipe light fixtures.
Launder throw pillow
covers and fluff inserts.
TWICE A YEAR
Deep-clean your oven.
Clean the range hood
too—and the toaster while
you’re at it.
Clear out the gutters
and downspouts, or hire
a pro to clean them every
spring and fall.
Vacuum your mattresses
with the upholstery
attachment.
Shake out and vacuum
dusty curtains.
SPRING
Disconnect the dryer and
use the hose attachment
on your vacuum to remove
lint from the vent.
Clean the windows—this
time, the outside! Hire
someone to do the second
story (or the entire task).
SUMMER
Deep-clean your grill.
Sweep and power-wash
the deck, patio, and drive-
way. Scrub mold off of
unpainted siding with
bleach and water and a
stiff-bristle brush.
Clean outdoor furniture
and wipe down the cush-
ions. (Stash the cushions
inside when not in use.)
FA L L
Give your HVAC system a
checkup. Schedule a tech
visit to make sure every-
thing is in working order
before the weather turns.
Note: Filters should be
changed every season.
Do a yard cleanup and
pick up errant sticks.
Reset the garage. Dust,
sweep, vacuum, and orga-
nize all that equipment.
Clean out your medicine
stockpile. Cold and flu
season is approaching,
and you don’t want
expired stuff taking up
space in there.
WINTER
Remove ash from the
fireplace regularly.
A yearly inspection by
a chimney sweep will
help keep the flue clear.
Shake out and wipe down
boot trays or shoe racks.
HOW TO D O THINGS

SUSTAINABLE S OLUTIONS

I T’S N OT E ASY B E I N G G RE E N
But we can help! If real-life barriers are holding you back from
living your eco-friendliest life, read on.
BY H A N N A H BA K E R

You go through paper

P RO B L E M :
towels like it’s your job.
According to the EPA,
S O LU T I O N :
Americans generate about 3.8 million
tons of paper towel and facial tissue
trash a year (whoa). Not only can
paper towels be wasteful, but they’re
often bleached with chemicals, says
Heather White, founder of OneGreen-
Thing, a nonprofit focused on the
mental health impacts of the climate
crisis. “Switching to cloth towels
reduces landfill mass and toxic chemi-
cals in our environment,” she says.
White suggests reusable towels from
The Useless Brand ($20 for 12; amazon
.com) or ZeroWastely ($36 for 24;
amazon.com). The trick is to make
them convenient to use, she says. “If
your washing machine is far from the
kitchen, put the dirty towels in a bowl
or bin and drop them off in the laun-
dry room each night.” Keep a stack of
clean ones at the ready, and tuck the
paper towels, which you’ll want for
certain jobs, in a harder-to-reach spot.

P RO B L E M : Your reusable water

bottle gets kinda gross.
To prevent yuckiness,
S O LU T I O N :
White says you’ve gotta wash it out
every other day. If it’s already nasty,
Danny Seo, a sustainability expert,
author, and TV personality, has a sug-
gestion: “Load it up with ice and add
equal parts white vinegar and water—
enough so the bottle is half full—and a
tiny squeeze of dish soap.” Put the lid
G A L L E RY STO C K

on and shake away. “The vinegar acts

as a disinfectant, the ice helps break

40 RE AL SIMPLE APRIL 2024 Photographs by Jens Mor tensen

Roast Veggies. Not the Planet.

With IF YOU CARE Sustainable

Parchment Baking Paper.
HOW TO D O THINGS
up the grime, and the soap does the
rest.” Finish with a rinse. You can also
try the cleaning tablets from Bottle
Bright ($8 for 12; bottlebright.com).
They dissolve in water to create a nice
soaking bath for bottles and all those
smaller pieces.
You have a thing
P RO B L E M :
for dryer sheets.
Across the board, our
S O LU T I O N :
experts suggest wool dryer balls, like
Lamby Wool Dryerballs ($38 for 4;
nelliesclean.com). They’re reusable,
they cut down on static, they help
keep clothes from balling up, and they
reduce drying time, saving energy.
You can also add a dryer sachet to give
your laundry a light scent. We like the
Le Blanc Dryer Sachet ($28; linenwash
.com). It comes in a few scents and
can be used for at least 25 cycles.
Countertop
P RO B L E M :
composting gives you the ick.
“The best thing you can
S O LU T I O N :
do is empty the bin routinely and
rinse it with warm water,” White says.
“And you can limit your composting
to plant-based food scraps, avoiding
meat and dairy, to keep bugs at bay.”
Alternatively, skip the counter and
stash your scraps in an airtight con-
tainer in the freezer, which will pre-
vent bad smells and mold.
The scraps eventually have to go
somewhere, of course. If you don’t
have a compost pile in your yard or
access to a community program, Seo
recommends the FoodCycler ($400;
vitamix.com), a countertop appliance
that turns your scraps into fertilizer
in just hours. Or check out the larger
option on page 92.
42 RE AL SIMPLE APRIL 2024
You can’t seem to
P RO B L E M :
quit plastic in the kitchen.
Let’s start with trash bags.
S O LU T I O N :
Compostable ones will only break
down if you actually compost them.
If your trash is headed to a landfill,
Seo has a surprising suggestion: “Use
durable bags that won’t rip or be torn
open by animals. At the very least,
this keeps litter from being scattered
on the streets.”
Next up: plastic wrap and zip-top
storage bags. Mary Meade, editor and
digital content manager at the non-
profit Green America, jokes that she
could marry her Bee’s Wrap ($25 for
5; beeswrap.com)—organic cotton
sheets coated with beeswax, plant oil,
and tree resin. “I use them for wrap-
ping produce and covering plates and
bowls.” The compostable Parchment
Baking Paper from If You Care ($8;
ifyoucare.com) is another great alter-
native to plastic wrap. And instead
of plastic baggies, our experts recom-
mend reusable, food-grade silicone
bags, like the ones made by Stasher
(from $8; stasherbag.com).
You aren’t convinced
P RO B L E M :
cleaning concentrates work.
Just because you’re adding
S O LU T I O N :
water doesn’t make concentrates less
powerful! “Most cleaning products are
nearly all water anyway,” Seo says.
Because of this, nonconcentrates are
much heavier to transport, which can
waste energy. With concentrates, you
refill a bottle you already have, cutting
down on plastic too. Tip: Use filtered
water, or boil tap water and let it cool.
Seo says the minerals in unfiltered
water can get stinky if the solution sits
around between scrubbing sessions.
When choosing new concentrates,
do a little research, White says. “Check
the Environmental Working Group’s
Guide to Healthy Cleaning to make
sure the products are sustainable and
nontoxic.” She likes Sal Suds Biode-
gradeable Cleaner ($10 for 16 oz.;
drbronner.com) and Multi-Purpose
Cleaner Concentrate ($8 for 2 oz.;
grove.co), both of which are gentle
and incredibly effective.
You feel compelled to
P RO B L E M :
wash your laundry in hot water.
“Hot water should only
S O LU T I O N :
be used to disinfect things like bed-
ding and towels when people are sick,”
Seo says. Aside from hogging more
energy, he explains, hot water can
fade colors and shrink fabrics. Instead,
he suggests choosing cold water as
your default, noting that most deter-
gents are designed to work best in
cold water. If you’ve got stinky items,
like workout clothes, he says to soak
them in a cup of white vinegar to neu-
tralize odor-causing bacteria before
you wash them. Easy peasy, right?! ■
 The beauty of wood without the upkeep

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HOW TO D O THINGS

SIMPLE TWISTS

5 Smart Uses for

Rubber Bands
Wrap your head around these snappy, editor-approved ideas.
BY T E D DY W I L L S O N

Keep Clothes on Open Remove Prevent Stop Wasting

a Hanger Stubborn Jars Stripped Spoons from Soap
Why are your most Raise your hand if Screws Slipping One pump tends to
precious pieces you’ve ever waged Even the handiest Licking the spoon dish out more soap
(that stunning chiffon (and lost) a battle among us can after whipping up than you need.
blouse, that silk dress with a pickle jar. accidentally strip brownie mix is And a squirt here and
that makes you feel Yep, thought so. a screw, making a universally loved a squirt there empties
amazing) always the Skip the struggle and it impossible to experience. But you a bottle fairly quickly.
ones to fall to the wrap a wide rubber remove. The fix: don’t want the entire Limit how much each
closet floor? Because band around the lid. Place a rubber band spoon to take a dip in pump dispenses by
there’s not enough The elastic will help on the screwhead, the batter. To keep a using—you guessed
friction between you get a good grip covering the stripped too-small spoon from it—a rubber band!
the hangers and and provide a bit area. Position your falling into a large Wrap it around the
the buttery-smooth more cushioning for screwdriver over mixing bowl, wrap a neck of the tube,
fabrics. Rubber bands your hands. Twist the the elastic and twist, rubber band around right where the pump
to the rescue! Wrap lid and prepare to be applying pressure. the top of the handle. meets the bottle. Press
one around each side wowed by your own The squishy rubber When you need to down and about half
of a hanger, looping strength. Then crush band will fill any step away to grab as much soap will
until the elastic is that kosher dill. gaps and give the your next ingredient spurt out. Once again,
tightly secured. Then screwdriver some (more chocolate a junk drawer castoff
hang those pesky extra hold. Not chips!), rest the spoon saves the day!
garments as normal. working? Fold the against the side
The fabric will catch on rubber band in half to of the bowl—the
the rubber, so no double the grip. rubber band will hold
more sliding down. it in place.

44 RE AL SIMPLE APRIL 2024 Illustrations by Sunny Eckerle

A S we a t
et Tr e
Sample all five brilliant varieties at ButterflyCandy.com
HOW TO D O THINGS
TAKING C ARE
WATCH YO U R TO N GU E
W H E N YO U O P E N YO U R M O U T H and say
“aah,” you tell your doctor all sorts of things
even though you can’t form an actual word.
The tongue, one of the body’s few organs
that’s visible without a scalpel, can be a key
diagnostic tool, according to Michelle Loy,
MD, assistant professor of clinical medicine
at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York City.
“We can infer a lot about a patient by examin-
ing their tongue—hydration level, coffee
or tobacco use, immune health, and vitamin
deficiencies,” she says. Practitioners of
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), a
3,000-year-old discipline incorporating
ancient healing practices, also pay close
attention to the tongue, noting its size, shape,
color, coating, and texture. “In TCM, the
tongue is considered the gateway to our bod-
ies,” adds Loy, who’s also a medical acupunc-
turist. From its position at the top of the
46 RE AL SIMPLE APRIL 2024
digestive tract, “it reflects what’s going on
inside and gives us a snapshot of the diges-
tive process,” she explains.
And now futuristic medicine is getting in on
the tongue action, joining mainstream West-
ern practices and ancient ones. In a recent
small study, Iraqi and Australian researchers
used artificial intelligence to analyze tongue
images from patients with diabetes, renal fail-
ure, and anemia, resulting in correct diagno-
ses in 94% of the cases.
Take a look at your own tongue. A healthy
one is usually pink, with no swollen veins on
the underside (which can mean high blood
pressure) or scalloplike indentations (which
can indicate thyroid problems, anxiety, or
other issues). If your tongue is swollen, red,
painful, or fuzzy, mention it to your health-
care provider so you can nip potential prob-
lems in the (taste) bud. —Amy Maclin
GOOD NEWS
Exporting Joy
Want to get a little happier?
Look no further than Finland.
The Nordic country has
repeatedly clinched the very
top spot in the World
Happiness Report, and its
tourism board is spreading
the joy with an online class in
happiness—or onnellisuus,
in Finnish. The program covers
four areas key to Finns’
positive mindsets: nature and
lifestyle, health and balance,
design and everyday, and
food and well-being. Each
lesson includes a short video
or two, plus homework (like
spend some phone-free time
in nature, tell someone you’re
sorry, upcycle an item in your
home, or cook a new recipe).
Upon completion, you’ll get
C O U R T E S Y O F V I S I T F I N L A N D A N D E L I N A S I R PA R A N TA
a certificate you can hang as
a reminder to nurture the
things that keep you fulfilled.
The best part: The course is
free! You can’t put a price on
happiness, after all. Learn
more at visitfinland.com.
—Melissa Matthews
Illustration by Abbey Lossing
 Tails of Togetherness
This dog mom uses damage-free Command™ Products to make her pup feel at home.

IOWA-BASED DIGITAL CREATOR Niña Williams Caddy, which can hold up to 10 pounds.
has four kids—or five, if you count her four- “Since it’s a plain white caddy, you could add a
year-old French Bulldog, Rosie (and you should, pop of color with a chalk pen or vinyl lettering,”
because she’s part of the family). There’s Williams suggests.
even a portrait of the Frenchie in their house, If she isn’t in her mom’s office, Rosie’s outside.
Command™ Command™ Command™
which Williams hung with Command™ Picture “When the kids are playing in the front yard, Large Organizing Medium Picture X-Large Triple
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a picture of Rosie up on the wall in their room
than a family photo,” she admits.
Rosie gets a treat after she goes to the
bathroom, so Williams keeps bones in the foyer.
She fills jars with the goodies before setting
them inside a Command™ Large Organizing
the pool, she wants to be there.” Command™
X-Large Triple Hooks keep Rosie’s leash and
collar at-the-ready for these adventures. Scan the code
Williams also uses them for her human kids’ with your phone or
visit Command.com
sports gear. “That stuff gets heavy, so it’s great for more ways to
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that these hooks can hold up to 10 pounds.” Command™ Products.

PETS
Ticked Off!
Ah, spring. The flowers are blooming, the birds
B O R I S J O VA N O V I C / S T O C K S Y
are chirping, and some of nature’s thirstiest critters are
coming out in full force. Let’s keep everyone safe!
BY J U N O DEM E LO
HOW TO D O THINGS
IT’S TICK SEASON, when warmer
temperatures prompt the little buggers
to emerge in a big way—and we do
mean big. “One female tick can lay
thousands of eggs,” says Ruth Scimeca,
VMD, PhD, a clinical parasitologist in
the department of veterinary pathology
at Oklahoma State University. Their
season is getting longer than ever,
thanks mostly to the shorter winters
ushered in by climate change, and
in some areas of the U.S. they’re
active year-round. Unfortunately, they
score meals by chomping not only
onto humans but also onto our furry
friends, putting our dogs and cats at
risk of Lyme and other tick-borne
diseases, which can lead to kidney
failure, anemia, and more. Here’s how
to help protect our four-legged pals
from those eight-legged nemeses.
Pick Your Poison
You have three main options in this
bloody battle: collars, which repel
ticks by releasing low concentrations
of insecticide over your pet’s skin;
oral medications, which get absorbed
into your pet’s bloodstream or tissues
and kill the tick after it bites; and topi-
cals, which can either repel or kill,
depending on the active ingredient.
The choice is up to you and your
pet, Scimeca says. Just keep the fol-
lowing in mind: Collars are easy (put
one on and you’re set—for up to eight
months, with some versions), but they
aren’t ideal for dogs who swim a lot,
because water can compromise their
APRIL 2024 RE AL SIMPLE 49
 HOW TO D O THINGS
effectiveness. Oral medications can
protect against fleas and heartworm
too, but they have to be administered
regularly (typically monthly), and
your pet has to be willing to take
them. Topicals also need to be dosed
out on a schedule and can be messy.
Feed as a Whichever one you use, get a pre-
scription from your vet for maximum
protection, because over-the-counter
Snack, formulas are hit or miss in terms of
effectiveness. Your vet will also know
Topper, or
which option is best for your animal
(some tick options for dogs contain
ingredients that are toxic to cats).
Treat With tick protection, you can’t really
be too cautious. Say your dog already
takes an oral or topical medication—
you may want to supplement that with
Made to please, a repellent spray or collar before you
go on a hike, Scimeca says.
no matter how
you squeeze. Perform Regular Checks
Ticks love to hide in tall vegetation,
so check your pup as soon as you’re
back from a romp in grass that
W ! hits above your ankles. Even if you
NE stick to pavement or freshly mowed
lawns, it’s still a good idea to do
checks daily this time of year, says
Gene Pavlovsky, DVM, medical
director of the Veterinary Medicine
South Clinic at the University of
Illinois Urbana–Champaign. “Run
your fingers through their fur from
back to front to expose their skin,
feeling for any tiny lumps or bumps,”
he says. Check around your dog’s
eyes and tail, in and around his ears,
under his collar, in the armpits of his
front legs, and between his back legs
and all his toes. Ticks range in size
and color (they can be brown, reddish
brown, or black) and usually look like
50 RE AL SIMPLE APRIL 2024
One Taste Is All It Takes™
an unassuming dot; you can find lots
of photos at cdc.gov/ticks. Outdoor
cats should also get a daily once-
over. If your kitty only ventures out-
side occasionally, you can probably
limit checks to weekly brushing
sessions, which (bonus!) also help
remove skin flakes and loose hair.
Tweeze with Precision
If you find a tick, don’t panic. It’s
unlikely a tick will transfer from your
pet to you. (For one, they don’t jump.
For another, they’ve found a host.
No need to look for a new one!) Of
course, it’s always wise to check
yourself too. Now for removal: Put on
disposable medical gloves and use
fine-tip tweezers to grasp the tick as
close to the skin as possible without
pinching your pet. “Push the skin
down with the tweezers and pull the
tick straight out slowly,” Scimeca
says. This will keep any parts of the
tick embedded in your pet’s skin
from breaking off. If you can’t get the
entire thing, don’t worry: The rest
will eventually dry up and fall out.
Afterward, wash your hands and
the site of the bite with soap and
water, then flush the tick down the
toilet. Watch your pet for loss of
appetite, fatigue, or difficulty walk-
ing, all of which can indicate tick-
borne illness. (The symptoms may
not develop until weeks or even
months later.) If you notice anything
unusual, call your vet, who can run
tests and discuss whether antibiotics
or other treatments are warranted.
Be careful out there, and remember:
Tick season doesn’t have to suck! ■
 So tasty, we could
only call it one thing.
Feed the real meat and
natural ingredients cats love.

Wet and dry recipes with real meat first

Natural cat food enhanced with

vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients

A wide variety of flavors and textures

Formulas for specific life stages

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W !
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 ADVI CE, INSPIR ATI O N &
A LIT TLE PE ACE O F MIND

H E A LT H

ACE YO U R R ACE
Whether it’s a charity walk, 5K, or full-on marathon,
experts and avid runners share their best advice for feeling
confident, comfortable, and proud on the big day.
BY C A I T L I N C A R L S O N

Illustrations by Sara Andreasson REAL SIMPLE 53

HOW WE LIVE

you’ve
I F YO U ’ R E R E A D I N G T H I S ,
likely been training for some sort of
race. Congrats! That’s the hard part!
A mentor once told me that the race
itself is simply a parade in honor of all
the work you put in to get there. I’ve
run more 5Ks, half marathons, and
marathons than I can count, and I can
attest that this is a good mindset. Of
course, things will still be challenging
when it’s go time. To help make them
a little less so, I spoke with coaches,
psychologists, and experienced run-
ners to gather their top tips for new-
bies and seasoned racers. Run through
their advice—you’re almost there!

The race itself is simply a

Set More Than One Goal
Runners often go into a race with a
target finish time, and if they don’t hit
it, they consider the whole endeavor
a failure, says Carla Meijen, PhD, a
sports psychologist and the author of
Endurance Performance in Sport.
Avoid putting this pressure on yourself
by having a few goals instead of just
one. “You can set a dream goal, for
when the conditions on race day are
ideal; a happy goal, for when the con-
ditions are less than perfect; and an
OK goal, which would be the bare
minimum if things don’t go to plan,”
she explains. For example, your dream
goal could be to run a 5K in under
25 minutes, your happy goal could be
to complete the race in less than 30
minutes, and your OK goal could be
to simply cross the finish line.
parade in honor of all the work
you put in to get there.
Stack Your Playlist
Raise your hand if there’s one song
that always gets you moving a little
faster. This is your power-up song,
according to Emily Abbate, a certified
running coach in New York City and
the host of the wellness podcast
Hurdle. Hers is “Nice for What” by
Drake, and she has it on her playlist
four times. “When it comes on, it’s a
reminder that I’m in control, and I get
a boost of energy,” she says. The songs
on your playlist don’t need to be in a
particular order, but if your power-up
song is on there multiple times, it’s
more likely to come up.
Bring Donatable Layers
Comfort is key on race mornings, says
Gemma Ward, a group training coach
for New York Road Runners in New
York City. “I like to bring sheddable
clothes that help me stay warm while
I’m waiting,” she adds, explaining that
most races collect and donate runners’
discarded clothing.
Go with What You Know
Repeat after me: Nothing new on race
day. Avoid the temptation to experi-
ment with something you think will
help, says Heather A. Milton, an exer-
cise physiologist supervisor at the

54 RE AL SIMPLE APRIL 2024

HOW WE LIVE
Sports Performance Center at NYU
Langone Health in New York City. “It’s
the first tip I give—especially to any-
one who is either trying to break a
personal record or new to doing a race.”
If you’ve never had an energy drink
before a run, race morning is not the
time to chug one! The same can be
said for gear—you don’t want anything
to (literally) rub you the wrong way.
Many experienced runners follow
what they do in training: coffee, break-
fast, hot shower, and then mental
prep for the miles ahead. Speaking of
breakfast, consider a mix of carbs and
protein with minimal fat, Milton says.
(Fat takes longer to digest and can
slow you down.) Just make sure you
practice with those exact foods during
your training runs.
Pad Your Arrival Time
Many runners underestimate how
long it will take to get to the starting
line, because roads and routes are
often blocked off. “Every race is going
to be different, but always check the
race page for the suggested amount of
time to arrive,” Ward says. She recom-
mends getting to a local race at least
60 minutes early.
Hydrate Often
“A lot of times, we have runners who
will run with a water bottle when
they’re training and then, on race day,
forget to hydrate,” Milton says. There
will be water stations along the way
(look at the course map ahead of time
to know where they are), so listen to
your body and grab those cups. When
you feel thirsty, you’re already mildly
dehydrated, which is no good; you
need water because it replaces fluids
lost when you sweat. Hydration is
especially important if you have cer-
tain health conditions, like asthma.
56 RE AL SIMPLE APRIL 2024
Visualize the Hardest Part
“No matter how much you’ve trained,
there’s going to be a moment during Practice Mile-by-Mile Gratitude
your race when it feels tough,” Abbate “There’s loads of research backing
says. She recommends imagining the benefits of a gratitude practice,”
yourself in this moment in advance. Abbate says. (For example, a 2021
Think about how you’ll respond— study found that gratitude can help
maybe with a mantra or your power- athletes avoid emotional and physical
up song. Milton suggests clearly pic- burnout.) “Make your run really
turing yourself running the entire special by dedicating each mile to a
course: Where will you encounter different thing you’re thankful for,
hills? Where are the water stations? whether it’s your go-to sports bra, best
Research shows that visualization friend, dog, or body. This also breaks
enhances confidence in all sorts of up the run and helps you find the fun.”
activities, including finishing a race.
Shrug Off Certain Things
Run Your Own Race “Don’t stress about what you can’t
It’s easy to get caught up in the excite- control, like the weather, the bath-
ment of the first few miles. You might room line, the person complaining
be inspired to come out of the gate next to you in the corral,” Abbate says.
strong, trying to keep up with friends Instead, put your energy into the stuff
and even strangers. Do not. “You want you can control, like leaving your
to preserve this energy for later miles,” house with plenty of time to arrive
says Mark Coogan, a running coach early. “This is a celebration of all your
with New Balance. Remind yourself hard work, and you deserve to be
that you are your only competition, present without anyone or anything
and you can set your own pace. ruining your vibe.” ■
S AY H I TO T H E R E A L S I M P L E
W O M E N ’ S H A L F M A R AT H O N H O S T
On April 28, thousands of women are expected to run around
New York City’s Central Park—twice!—in REAL SIMPLE’s first
half marathon. And Sheinelle Jones, cohost of the third hour
of the Today show, will be there. An accomplished runner (you
may have seen her very personal segments on the show about
running last year’s New York City Marathon), Jones has some
advice: Don’t underestimate the reward of the training. “I
C O U R T E S Y O F N B C / N AT H A N C O N G L E T O N
surprised myself with my persistence and determination,” she
says. She’d run as soon as she finished the show in the morn-
ings and after she dropped her daughter off at class. Even
when her family took vacations, Jones trained. “I found trails
all over the country in beautiful places,” she says. Jones signed
up for the marathon to prove she could do hard things. But
she found that running served as a form of self-care. “I didn’t
prove I could do something miserable. I proved to myself I
could find new ways of therapy and meditation,” she says.
Learn more about our race and sign up at realsimplehalf.com.
GET CRACKIN’ WITH PROTEIN POWER.
 Modern Manners for Your Social Dilemmas
BY H O DA KOT B & J E N N A B U S H H AG E R
C I N DY AS KS …
A pet peeve of mine is when I’m saying
something to a friend, and the friend takes out
their phone and begins scrolling or typing.
I’m more of a listener than a talker, so it especially
hurts when I’ve fully listened to a friend, then I
start to speak and they turn their attention
to their phone. I’m tempted to say, “Oh, am
I boring you?” or “Would you and your phone
prefer to be alone?” or just plain “It hurts my
feelings when I talk and you take out your phone.
Is it an emergency?” Advice needed.
58 RE AL SIMPLE APRIL 2024
J E N N A B U S H H AG E R : I would go with
option C. Maybe say, “I love these catch-
ups with you, but it hurts my feelings
when you take out your phone. It makes
me feel like I’m not important, and I
really want to connect with you.”
H O DA KOT B : I was recently in this situa-
tion. It was a very intimate moment,
and I tried to tee up the thing I wanted to
say because my friend was on her phone.
I finally put my hand on her leg and
said, “Listen, I’m trying to tell you some-
thing that’s very meaningful to me, and
you may be looking up something we
were talking about, but I need you to be
here with me for this.” Just don’t be snarky
about it. Really, though, pulling out a
phone is pretty much the equivalent of
reading a magazine while someone is
trying to talk to you.
J B H : It’s become a habit for a lot of people.
I find that when I’m out with friends and
wanting to connect, if somebody is on
their phone, it just changes the entire vibe.
And you can say that.
H K : It’s good to be honest. Clear is kind.
C O U RT ESY O F P E T E R K R A M E R
H AV E A N E T I Q U E T T E Q U E S T I O N ?
Hover your phone’s camera here to submit
your question for Hoda and Jenna, or email
them at modernmanners@realsimple.com.
 HOW WE LIVE

“Pulling out a phone is

pretty much the equivalent
while someone is trying to
L I SA AS KS …
I have a neighbor who loves to feed
the local wildlife. It makes a huge
mess, and we’ve suffered property
damage from the squirrels on
our roof and the geese that leave
droppings on our driveway. We’ve
asked her not to feed them, but she
doesn’t seem to get the message,
or even understand that it’s not
actually good for them. I’d hate to
involve the homeowners associa-
tion, and I love animals, but this has
gone too far!
JBH: I think you write a letter. Writ-
ing is a form of communication
that allows you to really get to the
root of a lot of different things.
Maybe explain that it’s not great for
the wildlife, because she obviously
loves the animals. Write a nice
letter and leave it on her doorstep.
It doesn’t need to be mean. Just
write a compassionate letter that
explains exactly this to her.
HK: I think this is a tough one
because you have to live next door
to her. I’d start the letter with “I
think it’s lovely how much you care.
You’re such a compassionate person,
and”—don’t ever use the word “but”—
“we’re just a little concerned about
our family’s health.”
of reading a magazine
talk to you.”
CO R I N N E AS KS …
About 23 years ago, my father-in-
law generously helped my husband
and me with a down payment so we
could buy our first condo. Recently
he asked us to return the money so
he could help his daughter pay for
the wedding of his granddaughter.
He never indicated that it was a loan,
and I was quite taken aback by this
request. Help!
HK: I think you have to pay back the
money. I know you were surprised
by the request, but he’s not asking
for himself. He’s asking so he can
pay for his granddaughter’s wedding,
which is really sweet. He gave it to
you, and now he wants to help
someone else.
JBH: Think about what that first
apartment gave you—the freedom
to save for other things. You can
help give that same freedom to the
newlyweds. If you don’t have all
the money right now, maybe you
can return it in installments.
C A RO L AS KS …
I love golf but find the constant
talking annoying. I don’t know how
to bring it up without sounding
rude. One of my fellow golfers says
I’m “passive aggressive.” Please
help me find some neutral way of
addressing this irritation. Or else I’m
going to try earplugs.
HK: If you want to golf silently or
with no communication, then
maybe you should pick a group of
people you’re not close to. When
you go with friends, part of the out-
ing is the social aspect, and the
other part is the golf. If your friends
are talking and it’s bugging you,
you’re clearly about the golf, and
they’re more about the fun.
JBH: I think putting in earplugs is
definitely passive aggressive. You
could golf by yourself if what you
really want is just the golf with no
community, because part of playing
a sport with other people is talking.
HK:If this group isn’t for you, that’s
OK. Maybe just find another group.
A quieter group.

JBH: You can follow up if she doesn’t

write back or bring it up. Ask her
if she got your letter—that opens the
door for a discussion in person. A B O U T H O DA & J E N N A
The hosts of Today with Hoda & Jenna, these two have been dishing
out honest, heartfelt advice on air for years. They also
interview celebrities, pass along feel-good stories, and have a ridiculous
amount of fun. Watch them live on weekdays at 10 a.m. ET.

APRIL 2024 RE AL SIMPLE 59

 REL ATING

A Natural Connection
The key to good health—for us and
the planet—lies in rekindling our relationship
to the dirt and the trees.
BY E L I S A B E T H K WA K- H E F F E R A N

60 RE AL SIMPLE APRIL 2024


QUICK QUESTION: When was the last
time you sat—like, really sat—in a park?
There’s a good chance it’s been a while.
Only 22% of Americans spend time in
nature at least once a week, according
to a 2019 survey conducted by APM
Research Lab.
Not awesome. Decades of robust
studies have shown that fresh air and
greenery and the great outdoors pro-
foundly benefit pretty much every
measure of our well-being. Nature is
so good for us, it’s actually crucial,
says Peter James, ScD, associate pro-
fessor of environmental health at
Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public
Health and associate professor of pop-
ulation medicine at Harvard Medical
School. “We have to think about
nature as an essential need for us as
human beings,” he adds. The reason
has to do with our hardwiring, says
Kim Meidenbauer, PhD, assistant pro-
fessor of psychology at Washington
State University. “A lot of theories say
that most of our evolutionary history
took place in natural environments,”
she explains. “These spaces fulfill a
fundamental need.”
How does the earth do our bodies
good? Let us count the ways. In the
short term, walking in a green space
can turn your mood around. A 2022
review and meta-analysis of seven
studies from seven countries in the
PA U L W A K E F I E L D/G A L L E R Y S T O C K
Journal of Clinical Medicine found
that people with depression or anxiety
always experienced fewer symptoms
after a walk in nature—even if their
stroll was as short as 15 minutes. In
the longer term, living in an area with
more green space is linked to a lower
risk of cardiovascular disease and a
longer life span, according to a 2021
paper published in the International
Journal of Environmental Research
and Public Health.
But wait, there’s more! Being out-
doors sharpens working memory,
which we rely on to remember things
like our bank password and where
we parked. Our executive function—
which helps us plan, think critically,
focus, and control emotions—improves
as well. An often cited study from
2008 included an experiment in
which 38 people took a cognitive test
before and after a 50-to-55-minute
walk in an arboretum. Sure enough,
test scores were higher after the stroll.
Mother Nature can also help lower
stress levels. Think about the last time
you got a massage or facial. “When
you go to a spa, you hear nature sounds.
They’re calming for us,” James says.
Rigorous studies show that measures
of stress, like blood pressure and
heart rate variability, go down after
exposure to nature. That’s important
because chronic stress is linked to
heart attacks, strokes, depression,
and other serious conditions.
Even our social lives benefit from
vitamin N (see what we did there?).
People spend more time connecting
with one another after their neighbor-
hoods receive more trees or better
parks, according to Michelle Kondo,
PhD, research social scientist for the
USDA Forest Service. “Trees and parks
encourage us to get together and help
us build positive relationships with
our neighbors,” she explains. Reducing
isolation is a proven way to boost
mental and physical health.
“Humans need to recognize our
place in the world as not separate and
distinct from nature, but a part of it.”
HOW WE LIVE
And because relationships go both
ways, a true connection to nature
includes giving back to it, which in
turn helps you (the most beneficial
feedback loop of all time!). “Humans
need to recognize our place in the
world as not separate and distinct
from nature, but a part of it,” says José
González, founder of Latino Outdoors
and cofounder of the Outdoorist Oath,
two nonprofits dedicated to inclusiv-
ity in outdoor recreation. The more
we recognize how much we rely on
nature, the more motivated we may be
to protect it—to everyone’s benefit.
How We Can
Get More from Nature
Experts say thinking small can
deliver big-time. A few ideas:
S N E A K I T I N DA I LY
Make nature a regular part of your
life, Meidenbauer says. “The more,
the better.” Look for ways to incorpo-
rate the outdoors into every day. That
could mean going for a walk around
the block, serving dinner in the back-
yard, or reading a book on the porch
instead of your couch.
FA K E A N E S C A P E
On days when you barely have the
energy to wash your face, or when the
weather is less than ideal, take a few
minutes to look at photos of mountains,
lush green forests, or any landscape
APRIL 2024 RE AL SIMPLE 61
HOW WE LIVE

that speaks to you. People said they

felt happier, more content, and more
enthusiastic right after looking at
nature photos for only three minutes,
according to a 2014 study in the Jour-
nal of Environmental Psychology.
(This may motivate you to meditate,
exercise, or do something else that
lifts your mood.) Before bed, fire up
some nature sounds on an app. Listen-
ing to ocean waves or chirping birds
helps reduce heart rate, according to
2023 research in the journal Urban
Forestry & Urban Greening.

PICK UP A PL ANT OR T WO
Brightening up your home or office
with a few leafy friends may help
increase your attention and lower
blood pressure. Even just one indoor
plant can aid in relaxation and cogni-
tion, according to a 2022 analysis of 16
studies published in the International
Journal of Environmental Research
and Public Health. Consider something
fragrant—like geraniums, lavender, or
rosemary—if you aren’t sensitive to
scents. The aromas could help you feel
even more connected to nature, found
one 2023 study. Oh, and look outside
your window too: “There’s research
that recovery times for hospital patients
were shorter when they had a window
box or view of nature in their rooms,
compared with patients who had a
view of a brick wall,” Kondo says.
D I T C H YO U R P H O N E F O R A B I T
You’ll get more out of any experience
if you make an effort to, well, experi-
ence it, says Ellen Horowitz, a certified
nature and forest therapy guide who
leads custom forest-bathing walks
in northwestern Montana. “Our ner-
vous systems were never designed for
constant bombardment,” she says.
One study showed that using a laptop
in green spaces counteracted any
executive function benefits, so when
you’re taking in some green, put your
phone away! Find a comfortable spot
to sit—it can be in your backyard, a
city park, or a wilder setting—and
intentionally observe your surround-
ings for as long as you can. Try to use
all your senses: Hold some dirt in your
hands. Listen to the leaves fluttering in
the breeze. Watch a beetle crawl along
a stick. “As silly as it might sound, I
invite people to taste the air as if they
were sipping it through a little straw,”
Horowitz says.
How Nature Can Get
More from Us
When we help Mother Nature,
we help ourselves in the immediate
term and the long run. Here, some
ways to give back.
TEND A GARDEN
Planting your own patch of greenery
and flowers helps reduce carbon emis-
sions in our atmosphere, provides
homes for countless critters, and pays
off in delicious produce or beautiful
F L O R I A N S T E R N /G A L L E R Y S T O C K
blooms. (Plus, studies show that
touching soil may keep your gut bac-
teria diverse, which helps improve
health and increase serotonin produc-
tion.) Choose what you grow thought-
fully, González advises. “Think about
using native plants,” he suggests.

62 RE AL SIMPLE APRIL 2024

HOW WE LIVE
“They aren’t just ornamental but help
the ecological community thrive.”
Among their many benefits, native
plants are adapted to your local climate
and rainfall patterns, meaning they
often require less supplemental water-
ing. And they’re ideal food for neigh-
borhood bees and butterflies, which
support our food supply through polli-
nation. Local nurseries and native
plant societies (find your state’s soci-
ety at ahsgardening.org) are excellent
resources for learning which species
“Volunteer efforts make up a majority
of day-to-day maintenance and projects that
may not get done otherwise.”
64 RE AL SIMPLE APRIL 2024
are best in your neck of the woods.
(Get even more gardening tips on
page 78.) No garden space at home?
Join a community plot. Find options
near you at communitygarden.org.
D O N AT E YO U R T I M E
Public lands like national parks and
neighborhood recreation centers are
vital for human health, yet they’re
chronically underfunded, says Kelly
Burnett, program director of conserva-
tion for the National Environmental
Education Foundation, an organiza-
tion advocating to make nature acces-
sible to all. You can help preserve our
earth by rolling up your sleeves and
lending your green thumb. “Volunteer
efforts make up a majority of day-to-
day maintenance and projects that
may not get done otherwise,” Burnett
says, “like habitat restoration, invasive
species removal, and tree planting.”
Such projects clean the air, help sus-
tain local agriculture, and provide
homes for wildlife. In return, you’ll
get your fill of nature and connect
with others in your community, which
can help foster a sense of belonging.
Visit volunteer.gov for opportunities
with federal agencies like national
parks, or check in with your town’s
parks and recreation department for
close-to-home projects.
BECOME A CHAMPION
F O R G R E E N S PA C E
Not everyone has equal access to
parks and other green spaces in their
neighborhoods. We can help nature
(and people!) by making more of them:
“Advocate for your community, and
every community, to have access to
nature in everyday life,” James says.
Showing support can be as simple as
donating to an organization like the
Trust for Public Land (tpl.org), a non-
profit that works with cities to create
parks and protect public lands. If you
have the time and desire to do more,
learn how to improve park access in
your city by visiting 10minutewalk.org.
Operated by the Trust for Public Land,
the website outlines the organiza-
tion’s goal of creating a park within
a 10-minute walk of every home,
along with information on how any-
one can further the cause. For other
advocacy opportunities, contact your
K E L LY K N O X / S T O C K S Y
local parks and recreation department,
which should have info on your com-
munity’s specific needs. When the call
is finished, you know what to do: Put
your phone down and go for a walk. ■
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HOW WE LIVE

“I spent money on myself

to land a better job and
the big raise I deserved.”
L’ O R E A L T H O M P S O N PAY T O N , 3 6
E VA N ST O N , I L L I N O I S

I was working in external affairs for a

nonprofit, and I learned from some
peers in similar roles in the same sec-
tor that I was underpaid by nearly
$30,000. I tried to negotiate a raise,
but I was told, in so many words,
“Sorry, we’re a nonprofit. There’s noth-
ing we can do.”

The job description even stated that
SMART MONE Y
with coffee—something I still do to
T H E F I N A N CI A L D E CI S I O N
T H AT CH A N G E D E V E RYT H I N G
Sometimes, one thoughtful
shake-up can make a big difference.
A S T O L D T O L I N D S E Y S TA N B E R RY
H E A D S H O T S F R O M L E F T: C O U R T E S Y O F C H U C K O L U - A L A B I ; C O U R T E S Y O F S I A N N A S I M M O N S A FA R I ; C O U R T E S Y O F C H E R I A YO U N G
Determined to find a job that would
pay me what I’m worth, I decided to
hire a career coach, which—at $100 an
hour—was a hefty investment for me
on my salary. She helped me update
my résumé, make a five-year plan, and
come up with a list of nonnegotiables
for my next job.
One day while scrolling LinkedIn,
I found a listing for a director of
communications role at a nonprofit
that felt like it was created for me.
the ideal candidate should scroll X
(Twitter at the time) every morning
this day. Plus, when I visited the com-
pany’s website, I was thrilled to see
that the staff was diverse (one of my
nonnegotiables!). After a few rounds
of great interviews, I got the job and
increased my salary by $30,000.
Receiving the offer and then quit-
ting my job came with a surprising
range of emotions. I was pissed that I
had been underpaid for so long. That’s
never a good feeling! But I was proud
that I advocated for myself and didn’t
settle for just any job.

66 RE AL SIMPLE APRIL 2024 Illustration by Carole Hénaff


“I diversified my investments
to make progress toward
my financial goals.”
S I A N N A S I M M O N S A FA R I , 3 3
P E AC H T R E E C I T Y, G E O RG I A
While my husband and I had been
diligently saving for retirement,
we also had big goals we wanted to
achieve sooner. We knew investing
could help us get there faster, so we
started working with a financial firm
recommended by my brother-in-law,
who is also a client. We gave the firm
some money (in the low five figures)
to invest and put a chunk into a
high-yield savings account. Next, we
invested in real estate, putting a down
payment on a house as well as two
other properties.
The firm emphasizes goal-based
investing, which means we tell our
adviser what we want to do with our
money, both today and in the future.
Then they put together a personalized
plan to achieve those goals through
smart, diversified investments. We
meet with our adviser annually to
review our portfolio (a mix of low-cost
exchange-traded funds and bonds),
make sure we’re on track to hit our
goals, and decide if we want to add or
adjust anything. Since we started
investing, in 2020, we’ve seen around
a 30% return. We know there are ups
and downs in the market, and we’re
playing the long game.
“I moved to a cheaper city
to get out of debt and rethink
my spending and saving.”
C H E R I A YO U N G, 4 0
SAN FR ANCISCO
I’m a California girl, through and
through. But living in San Francisco
with a mound of student loan and
credit card debt was keeping me in a
financial rut. Then, in 2017, I was in
Memphis for a conference at my com-
pany’s headquarters when one of the
speakers started talking about the
power of the Mississippi Delta: “You’re
sitting in this room because things
grow here,” he said. And while he
wasn’t specifically talking to me, I felt
On our list of short-term goals, we
have some home improvement proj-
ects and continuing education classes
we want to pay for. Long-term, my
husband and I want to buy several
acres of land and open a bed-and-
breakfast. Last year, we crossed a
major medium-term goal off our list:
We bought a new-to-us SUV shortly
before our second child was born.
Because of our careful planning, we
didn’t have to cash out any of our
investments. We used money from our
high-yield savings account (it has a
4.35% APY right now!) to make a down
payment and took out a small car loan,
which had a lower interest rate than
what we make on our investments
annually. Though I was somewhat
nervous about the process, I felt really
secure knowing we had the funds and
our purchase wasn’t stopping us from
achieving our other goals.
in my gut that I needed to move to
Memphis to see how I could grow
there. A few months later, my dream
job opened up within the company,
and I made the move to Tennessee. It
seemed like fate pushed me to leave
California so I could grow in the Delta.
I knew I had to make other big
changes in my life. Before I moved, I
sat down and looked at my finances
and saw a clear path forward to free
myself from debt. It was a little intimi-
dating and empowering at the same
time. My fresh start was a good excuse
to get my money in order.
The new job didn’t include a sub-
stantial salary bump, but the cost of
living is so much lower in Memphis
that it allowed me to make big lifestyle
changes. I moved into a less expensive
apartment and downloaded an app
called YNAB, which stands for “You
need a budget.” It encourages users to
think about every dollar they spend.
Through the app, I started assigning
each dollar a purpose. My dining-out
budget was called “community build-
ing” because I knew that when I did
eat out, I should make the time count.
And I started carpooling with my
work bestie. Being so mindful of my
money let me pay off my student
loans and all my credit card debt—
close to $20,000 total—in the two
years I lived in Memphis. I did move
back to San Francisco (I told you I’m a
California girl), but this time without
any debt and with a better relation-
ship with money. Also, I was able to
keep my job, and I got a raise to
account for the cost of living in my
new (old) city! ■
APRIL 2024 RE AL SIMPLE 67
HOW WE LIVE
NERDING OUT
B I RDSO N G
How the twittering set learns to speak
BY C H R I STO P H E R BA L A K R I S H N A N, PHD
BIRDSONG HAS DELIGHTED humans
and inspired musicians throughout
history, and with about 10,000 avian
species, we’re treated to a great deal
of variation. Many birds (like ducks
and ostriches) are stuck with the
relatively simple sounds they’re born
with. But the so-called songbirds
(robins, cardinals, blue jays, etc.)
learn sophisticated vocal skills—in
ways that show surprising similari-
ties to our own species. Read on!
68 RE AL SIMPLE APRIL 2024
T H E Y S TA RT W I T H B A B B L I N G
Though songbirds’ brains are an
awful lot smaller than human brains,
we have something special in com-
mon. We learn to vocalize by copy-
ing our parents, a rarity in nature—
not even chimpanzees, some of our
closest relatives, do that. Baby song-
birds can make basic noises at birth,
mainly begging for food (sound
familiar?), but to master their song,
it takes months or years of practice.
FEMALE BIRDS SING TO O
Until very recently, scientists
thought that song was a primarily
male behavior. But now it’s clear
that female songbirds also sing,
and for the same reasons—mostly
to defend territories and attract
mates. (This revelation largely came
about through work from women
researchers, another argument for
having diverse scientists doing sci-
ence, but we digress.)
THE Y DEVELOP DIALECTS
Even though species share a general
repertoire, there’s geographic varia-
tion in exactly how the songs sound.
That’s because some songbirds con-
tinue to learn throughout their lives,
picking up notes they hear from
friends and neighbors. Sometimes
they just make up new notes them-
selves! This process, the same one
that occurs in humans, causes song
sparrows in New England to sound
just a bit different from their coun-
terparts in the Southeast—like dia-
lects. Insert joke about parking the
car in Harvard Yard here!
THEY COPY A BUNCH OF NOISES
Many birds will also mimic the songs
of other bird species…and even ran-
dom sounds they hear. (This may
be a way to attract mates.) In North
America, the most famous example
is the appropriately named mocking-
bird, which may have woken you
up once or twice as it imitated a car
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the sounds of a camera shutter,
chainsaw, and more. ■
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Christopher Balakrishnan,
PhD, is the founder of the
Nerd Nite event series
and coauthor of the new
book How to Win Friends
and Influence Fungi.
Illustration by Brett Ryder

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Clear out what’s
taking up space
in your home—
and your mind.
BY ERICA FINAMORE / ILLUSTRATIONS BY ROSE WONG

APRIL 2024 RE AL SIMPLE 71


Clutter tends to sneak up on you.
One minute, you have a coat closet full
(but not too full) of coats. The next,
it’s bursting at the hinges with sports
equipment, pet supplies, broken
appliances, and, yeah, way too many
puffers. How does it happen? Pretty
easily! First, blame the gazillions of items
available for two-day shipping. (Need
a bathrobe for your dog? A pack of
artificial lemons? Six dozen pink taper
candles? They’re all just a few clicks
away!) Then there’s the human instinct
to feel attached to your things, which
makes it harder to part with them—
especially if you’re the nostalgic type,
says Carolyn Caldwell, a certified
72 RE AL SIMPLE APRIL 2024
professional organizer based in Toronto who specializes
in chronic disorganization. “People who are sentimental
tend to assign equal importance to many, many things,
and that makes it difficult for them to prioritize.” Even
if you’re not emotionally invested in that ice cream
machine, maybe you keep it around on the off chance
you’ll need it someday, or because you like the idea
of being someone who makes their own ice cream.
Finally, it takes more effort to combat clutter than to
accumulate it. Do nothing and things just pile up.
If you’re a woman and you’re feeling seen, know this:
Women are more likely than men to be told their
excess stuff is clutter, says Joseph Ferrari, PhD, a deacon
and a professor of psychology at DePaul University. “In
our culture, women are instructed to declutter. Men are
told, ‘That must be your hobby’ or ‘Those are your toys.’”
In short, we’re trained to be a bit hard on ourselves.
Whether it’s clutter or not, if we think of it as such, there
can be real side effects, Ferrari adds. “What we’ve
found is that the more clutter there is, the less sense of
home you have—the less satisfaction and the more
indecision.” We’re not just talking about an icky feeling
but a concrete effect on your life, he says. “When the
living space is impacted, it causes people stress and
impairs their functioning.”
Ask yourself the following questions, Ferrari says:
Does my clutter make my space less comfortable to
live in? Does it cause me emotional distress? Does it
affect my relationships with other people? Answering
yes to any of these doesn’t mean you’re a hoarder
(that’s very different, and a serious mental health
condition). But it does mean you could probably get
rid of some things. Maybe you have an unruly spice
rack, a closet you’re scared to open, or too many piles.
Whatever your issue, keep reading. We spoke with
organizing and decluttering pros and gathered the
best tips to get you started, keep you focused, and
help you conquer Stuff Mountain for good.
 STATE YOUR GOAL
It’s tough to motivate yourself if you
can’t pinpoint why you’re doing something, says
Amy Tokos, a certified professional organizer
based in Kansas City, Missouri. So identify
the reason you’re clearing out space—you need
a spot to practice yoga, for example.
“If you’re struggling to decide whether to get rid
of an item, ask, Is it more important than my
goal?” Tokos says. Set a deadline for achieving
your aim; that should keep you on task.
 DON’T BUY ORGANIZERS
Not at first, anyway. “You won’t really
know what you need until you
dwindle down what you have,” Tokos
says. Toss or donate your unwanted
items, then see if you can repurpose
some of your baskets and bins to
corral your smaller stash. If your current
collection of organizers isn’t working
for you, then you can consider doing
some shopping. Tip: Measure the
shelves and drawers in question and
bring those numbers with you.

PICK LOW-
HANGING FRUIT
Different items
come with different
amounts of emotional
baggage. Start with
what’s easy (your
abundance of muffin
tins) and work
your way toward the
heavier stuff (your
late dad’s old ties)
as you get into
the swing of things.
GIVE ITEMS AN
EXPIRATION DATE
Scared to part with
something in case
you’ll need it later? Put it
aside in a cardboard box
labeled with a future
date—two weeks from
now, three months, a year,
whenever. If you haven’t
used the item by that time,
it’s got to go, says Anita
Yakota, a therapist turned
interior designer. “If you
decide to save it, there has
to be a purpose for it.”
PUT A NUMBER TO IT
How many is too many pairs of earrings?
Count out your collection to gain perspective.
Let’s say you have more than 150 pairs of
earrings—that means you could go almost half
the year before rewearing a pair. And like
TAKE BABY all of us, you probably wear your favorites
STEPS again and again. So if you donated 10% of your
collection, you likely wouldn’t even feel it!
Set a Timer for
15 Minutes
Spend just 900 seconds
each day clearing stuff
out. “It will give you
confidence in your ability
to shed and strengthen
your decision-making
muscles,” Caldwell says.
The more often you make
the call to toss or donate
something, the easier it
will get. Promise.
Pick Out Five Things
Every day, look around
your house and move five
items to the donate pile
or the trash. At the end of
the month, that’ll be 150
things! If you don’t have
a ton to declutter, make it
one item per day; you’ll
still get rid of 30-ish
items a month.
Focus on a Invite a Friend to Hang Out
Single Spot Having company over to support you while you
Target one tiny area you complete a task can be super motivating.
can finish in one little “Whether it’s the accountability factor or the
chunk of time. Tokos energy of another person, it can help,” Caldwell
suggests something like says. While they’re there, ask them to hold the
a kitchen drawer. You stuff for you, rather than touching it yourself:
might be inspired by the Ferrari says making physical contact with an
momentum and move item can intensify your emotional connection to
on to tackle a second it. Your BFF can lift up one thing at a time, and
(and third!) small area. you can make a more objective ruling about
keeping it or donating it. It might just be easier
than expected to choose the latter.
APRIL 2024 RE AL SIMPLE 75

REMEMBER
TWO PHRASES
1 “If everything’s a
treasure, nothing’s
a treasure.”
It’s hard to let go of
sentimental items, like
your kid’s first report card,
their baby shoes, their
14 soccer trophies. But!
If you keep all the things
that have ever meant
something to you, then
which ones are truly
special? “When you
downsize, you’re saying,
Here are the real treasures
that represent who I
am and what I want to
share with people,”
Tokos explains.
2 “What’s the
cost of keeping it?”
Many of us fear we’ll
toss something only to
have to buy it again later,
when we realize we
actually need it. That
said, holding on to things
comes at a price too.
How much do you spend
on maintenance? Does
the item take up valuable
space in your home?
Tokos reminds us that
there’s also an emotional
weight—we can feel
heavier when we have
stuff we don’t need.
76 R E A L S I M P L E A P R I L 2 0 24
MAKE IT
MORE FUN
To quote a famous
GIVE YOURSELF PERMISSION nanny with a magical
TO BREAK UP A SET handbag, a spoonful
of sugar helps the
Just because you inherited three medicine go down.
cabinets’ worth of your grandma’s Chores are more fun
when they’re paired
dishes doesn’t mean you have to with something less
keep all of them. “Select key pieces taxing. Listen to your
and let the rest go,” Caldwell says. favorite playlist or pick
up your go-to coffee
It’s not an all-or-nothing situation. shop drink to sip on
while you sort. “Match
up decluttering with
something you love,
and then you can
associate it with good
times and good things,”
Caldwell says.
Actually Donate
Your Donations
It seems like every
home in America has
one: a bag of stuff for
Goodwill, sitting and
waiting for drop-off.
The trick is to put
that bag somewhere
annoying, like in the
entryway, so you nearly
trip over it every time
you leave. Or in the
passenger seat of your
car, so you have to
IDENTIFY TRIGGER ITEMS stare at it when you
drive to work. “If you
Lots of emotions are tied up in our things—love, pride,
make it a little painful,
grief, anger, etc. If, while you’re decluttering, you come
you won’t forget to deal
across something that makes you extra emotional,
with it,” Tokos says.
put it in a box, label it, and move on to something else.
You don’t have to deal with it right now. Come back
to it in an hour, a month, or when you feel ready.
 HOLD ON TO MEMORIES,
NOT STUFF
You can keep moments alive without stockpiling
bulky mementos. Take a photo of an item or, better
yet, a pic of yourself with the item! And save that
(uploaded to your computer or the cloud) instead.
“Keep the memory, keep the sentiment, but don’t
necessarily keep the object,” Caldwell says.
 GARDEN GOALS
Get a landscape that everyone—
Mother Nature included!—will love.
BY LUCY MERCER

T H I S PA G E : C A R S O N D O W N I N G . O P P O S I T E PA G E : J U S T I N C O I T

78 RE AL SIMPLE APRIL 2024


A
s a gardening expert
with more than a decade
of experience, I field
a lot of questions. Like “How do
I get mums to flower again?”
and “Why does my houseplant
look like this?” Lately, interest has
skewed toward adding native
plants, welcoming pollinators,
growing vegetables, and making
lawns more eco-friendly. These
admirable ideas are all good
for the planet and its creatures,
and they’re fairly easy to pull off,
so I dug up tips that shed some
sunflowers and coneflowers. Tubular flowers,
(sun)light on them. Let’s grow!
80 RE AL SIMPLE APRIL 2024
I F YO U WA N T TO
help the pollinators
The bees (and the butterflies, moths, wasps, and
hummingbirds) need you! Make smart planting choices
now to get your yard buzzworthy.
Go for Diversity
To attract lots of different insects and birds,
you need plants with a variety of colors and
shapes, says Katie Tamony, chief marketing
officer at Monrovia, which sells 22 million
plants every year. Bees and butterflies
tend to dig plants in the aster family, like
zinnias. Bees seem to especially love
flowers with a large surface to land on, like
like those in the salvia family, are a respite
for hummingbirds because of their shape.
Plant in Three Stages
Very few plants flower for months on end,
so stagger the bloom times in your garden.
That way, your winged friends will have soft
places to land on through the fall. Tamony
says to head to your local garden center,
check tags, and buy some plants that are
early blooming (meaning early spring),
some that are long blooming (from around
May through summer), and some that are
late blooming (peaking in late summer
and fall, with some lasting until frost).
“This will likely include a mix of perennials,
flowering shrubs, and wildflowers,” says
Allison McManus, coauthor of The First Time
Gardener: Growing Plants and Flowers.
Resist the Urge to Clear Things Out
Pollinator gardens can get messy, and that’s
more than OK, says Tess Kuracina, director
of living collections and horticulture at the
New York Botanical Garden in New York City.
In fact, it’s ideal. “Pollinators need the nectar
and pollen from flowers, but they also need
a place to hunker down for the winter,” she
says. In late fall, leave beds alone (don’t even
trim stems!) to create a winter habitat.
Just Add Rosemary
Kathy Jentz, author of the book Groundcover
Revolution, recommends growing creeping
T H I S PA G E : K I N D R A C L I N E F F. O P P O S I T E PA G E : J U S T I N C O I T
rosemary, which can have a long blooming
season and be put to good use in your
kitchen. “It attracts various pollinators, such
as hummingbirds and butterflies, and
is not palatable to deer and rabbits due to
its fragrant oils,” she says.
Give Trees a Chance
Look beyond flowers (and rosemary) and
consider trees. Go for an oak variety that
thrives in your region—there are more
than 600 species worldwide, and they can
support pollinators and other wildlife.
 Investigate Your Yard
Not sure what’s currently
growing out there? There’s
an app for that! And it’s
free! With Seek (iOS and
Android), just take a photo
of a plant and the app
will ID it for you. You may
already be growing an
abundance of natives that
you can propagate and
make the stars of your yard.
Some nonnatives are fine
to keep; contact your local
cooperative extension
service (search those three
words and your town)
to learn about invasive
species to weed out.

Meet the Locals

To discover more options
for your area, ask the
pros at your local nursery.
And arm yourself with extra
knowledge by pulling up
the Native Plant Finder
from the National Wildlife
Federation (nwf.org/
nativeplantfinder). Input
your zip code to see
flowers, grasses, trees, and
shrubs that are local to you.

Search & Rescue

Some local native plant
societies (find them on
the American Horticultural
Society website at
ahsgardening.org) sponsor
plant rescues, where
people are invited to dig
I F YO U WA N T TO up desirable plants
from land slated for
lean into native plants development and take
them home. Just BYOS:
“Natives” is an umbrella term for plants that are indigenous Bring your own shovel.
to your area. That means they’re already adapted to your climate,
may require less tending, and are amenable to your pollinators.

APRIL 2024 RE AL SIMPLE 81


I F YO U WA N T TO
use less water
Spare yourself the irritation of irrigation! Plan for a lawn
and garden that thrive with little supplemental water—
great for the environment and your utility bill.
Adjust Your Mower Sow Something
The super-popular New & Different
No Mow May was Forget about the iconic
created with pollina- green lawn. A lot of
tors in mind. The idea groundcover options
is to let your lawn grow can thrive under drier
wild all month, allowing conditions. “Select
flowers to bloom in a species that will go
the grass. When you do dormant, then recover
decide to mow, cut when the rain returns,”
it short to save water. says Craig McManus,
Adjust the blade height who hosts The Garden
to somewhere between Question podcast.
2½ and 4 inches. Bermuda and buffalo
This gives water easier grasses can do well
access to the grass’s in places like Arizona
root system for a more because they tolerate
drought-tolerant lawn. drier climates.
82 RE AL SIMPLE APRIL 2024
I F YO U WA N T TO
grow your
own veggies
Homegrown produce just tastes
better than the grocery store stuff.
Try these tips to turn any plot
into an ultra-local farm.
Test Your Soil
Veggies are picky about their nutrients, so get a
soil test kit from your local cooperative extension
service to ensure your dirt has enough potassium,
nitrogen, and phosphorus. A kit can cost as little
as $10, and the results will tell you which nutrients
are in your soil and what you need to add in terms
of fertilizer. If you’re an urban dweller, your test
might alert you to the presence of heavy metals
or other contaminants, Kuracina says. “In this
case, you would want to grow in raised beds or
containers so you can bring in fresh soil.”
Start with Seedlings
What’s easier than growing a plant from seed?
Buying one that’s already got some leaf to it.
Tomatoes take time to get going—so the shortcut
may be what you need to succeed. Other
nightshades, like bell peppers and eggplants, grow
well from seedlings too (find them at your local
T H I S PA G E : D O R E E N W Y N J A / E Y E O F T H E L A DY. C O M . O P P O S I T E PA G E : D A N A G A L L A G H E R
garden center). Root vegetables, however—
Lessen the Lawn like carrots, radishes, parsnips, and beets—tend
Grass lawns are time- to do best when started from seed, as they
consuming water hogs don’t like their roots disturbed.
(they can require about
an inch of H2O a week). Find Thyme
Turn some of your Most of the veggies you know and love need at
grassy plot into one of least six hours of sunlight. If you have limited
the gardens mentioned space and limited sun (or just want to start
in this story. “Any lawn with an easy win to get your confidence up),
space you can convert herbs are a good bet, Tamony says. They can be
into garden space grown in beds or containers, and they’re great
is going to be much companion plants because most of them are
better in terms of your respectful of one another’s space. Thyme,
water use and your oregano, and rosemary are all perennials, so they
resources in general,” should come back for at least a few seasons.
Kuracina says. And
yay! Less mowing on
your chore list!
 16 Ways to Use Up

Every Last Bit

Not only is reducing food waste good for the planet (discarded food is the biggest
contributor to landfills), it can also save you serious cash. Which brings us to
these tips and clean-out-the-fridge recipes from pro cooks and REAL SIMPLE staffers.
B Y J E N N A H E LW I G • P H O T O G R A P H S B Y V I C T O R P R O TA S I O
F O O D S T Y L I N G B Y C H E L S E A Z I M M E R • P R O P S T Y L I N G B Y C L A I R E S P O L L E N & J U L I A B AY L E S S

APRIL 2024 RE AL SIMPLE 85

 T I P N O. 1

Turn Your Scraps into

Liquid Gold

Vegetable
Stock
As the creator of the popular
Substack newsletter The Depart-
ment of Salad, Emily Nunn basically
has a nonstop conveyer belt of
fresh produce coming into her
house for recipe development. That
means copious amounts of peels,
stems, and unchoppable nubs.
But she doesn’t trash those bits.
“I keep a large zip-top bag in the
freezer, and anytime I make a dish
with veggies, herbs, or garlic, I toss
the scraps into the bag.” (This also
works with veggies that are on
their way to Spoil Town—add ’em to
the scrap bag!) Then, when she
has time, she’ll make stock.

W H AT T O I N C LU D E
Carrots, celery, and onions or
shallots, for sure. Also anything from
this list: beets (in small quantities),
beet greens, corn cobs, fennel,
garlic, sliced ginger, green beans,
herbs, mushrooms, Parmesan rinds,
parsnips, peppercorns, squash,
tomatoes, and turnips.

HOW TO MAKE IT
Add the contents of your bag to a
pot and cover with water by an inch.
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and
simmer, stirring occasionally, for
15 minutes. Taste; any bitterness is a
sign to stop cooking. Otherwise,
keep cooking until vegetables are
soft, about 15 minutes. Strain stock
through a fine-mesh strainer; discard
solids. Let cool for 30 minutes.

HOW TO STORE & USE IT

Cooled stock can hang in the
fridge in airtight containers for up to
seven days or in the freezer for
months. Use it to make soups, add
flavor to rice, and more.
 T IP NO. 2

Don’t Be So Quick to Rinse

Out Those “Empty” Jars

Pickled Vegetables
T I P N O. 3
Use extra brine to marinate pork or chicken.
You can shake martinis in the empty jar for added
bite, says Roya Shariat, coauthor of Maman
Know That Everything’s Better Baked in a Crust
and Me, a cookbook of Iranian American recipes.

Peanut Butter
Use-It-Up Quiche
Make overnight oats in the jar. Or layer in yogurt, ACTIVE TIME 20 MINUTES TOTAL TIME 1 HOUR SERVES 6

granola, and fruit for a parfait. You can also go

savory and shake up soy sauce, sesame oil, vinegar, 1 Tbsp. finely shredded hard
and a bit of sugar, then top noodles or salads. cheese (such as Parmesan
or pecorino)
Sun-Dried Tomatoes & Artichokes 1 9-in. frozen deep-dish
Make salad dressing with the leftover oil, pie shell, thawed according
suggests Natalie Guisinger, REAL SIMPLE’s to pkg. directions
assistant designer. Combine it all right in the jar. 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1∕2 cup chopped onion
Mayonnaise
2 cups chopped raw and/or
Add a squeeze of lemon or lime, a dash of cooked vegetables (such
hot sauce, and salt and pepper. Shake and drizzle as cooked broccoli and raw
on tacos or roasted veggies. kale or spinach)
1∕2 tsp. kosher salt, divided
1∕4 to 1∕2 cup chopped leftover
cooked meat or seafood
(such as chicken, bacon,
shrimp, salmon, steak,
or sausage)(optional)
T IP NO. 4 5 large eggs
1∕2 cup milk (dairy or unsweetened
Empty That Doggy Bag plain nondairy)
“You can put a fried egg on 1∕2 cup shredded cheese (such
anything and make it breakfast, as cheddar, Gruyère, Monterey
and that’s especially true with Jack, mozzarella, etc.)
restaurant leftovers,” notes
1∕4 tsp. freshly ground
Tara Cox, our managing editor.
black pepper
1∕8 tsp. ground nutmeg (optional)
PREHEAT oven to 375°F with a rack
in lower third position. Sprinkle hard
cheese over bottom of pie shell.
HEAT oil in a large skillet over
medium. Add onion; cook, stirring
occasionally, until softened, 4 to
5 minutes. Add vegetables; cook,
stirring occasionally, until raw
vegetables are wilted, 4 to 5 min-
utes. Stir in 1∕4 teaspoon salt and
(if desired) meat or seafood.
WHILE vegetables cook, whisk eggs,
milk, shredded cheese, pepper,
remaining 1∕4 teaspoon salt, and (if
desired) nutmeg in a medium bowl.
ARRANGE cooked vegetable mixture
over hard cheese in pie shell. Pour
egg mixture over vegetables.
PLACE pie shell on a large rimmed
baking sheet. Bake until set and top
is slightly golden, 30 to 35 minutes.
Let stand for 10 minutes.
FROM FR ANCE S L ARGEMAN-ROTH,
RDN, AUTHOR OF EVERYDAY
SNACK TR AY

I l l u s t r a t i o n s b y A n a Z a j a Pe t r a k APRIL 2024 RE AL SIMPLE 87


T IP NO. 5
Freeze More Things
Cold stops spoilage in its tracks.
Store these foods on ice preemptively
and they won’t go to waste.
F RU I T
Berries, bananas, and
avocados are smoothie
stars. Chop larger fruit
(so it doesn’t jam your
blender) and freeze in
a single layer on a
parchment-lined baking
sheet before packing
in containers.
V E G E TA B L E S
If you know you won’t
get around to eating
veggies, quickly blanch,
dry, and freeze them.
Blanching helps maintain
their color, texture,
and flavor. (Skip that step
for chopped onions
and peppers.)
CO OKED RICE
& GR AINS
Store them in a flat layer
in a zip-top bag. Break
off what you need
and either defrost it in
the microwave or toss it
directly into a hot pan.
88 RE AL SIMPLE APRIL 2024
LEMONS
Olga Massov and
Sanaë Lemoine, authors
of the cookbook
Hot Sheet, suggest
zesting lemons before
squeezing them. “Freeze
the zest in one-teaspoon
amounts to use later.”
You can also freeze
21/2 tsp. kosher salt
juiced lemons. When
1/2 tsp. freshly ground
you get a critical mass,
toss them with sugar to
make a lemony simple 1/2 cup frozen sweet peas
syrup to add to drinks,
Massov says.
BREAD
A good loaf can get stale
or moldy all too quickly.
Editor in Chief Lauren
Iannotti extends its life
by slicing and freezing it
all wrapped up. “Take
out as many slices as
you need and pop them
right into the toaster.”
T I P N O. 6
Use Rice & Beans as a Blank Canvas
Khichdi
ACTIVE TIME 20 MINUTES TOTAL TIME 1 HOUR SERVES 6 TO 8
1 cup white rice (such as RINSE rice and mung beans in a
basmati) fine-mesh strainer. Once water
1 cup dried yellow split runs clear, add to a medium bowl
mung beans (moong dal) and cover with water. Let soak for
or red lentils 15 minutes. Drain and set aside.
3 Tbsp. butter, ghee, extra-virgin MEANWHILE, heat butter in a large
olive oil, or other fat saucepan over medium. Add cumin
seeds; stir until fragrant, about
2 tsp. cumin seeds
30 seconds. Add onion, ginger,
1 large onion or 3 medium
turmeric, and chile; cook, stirring
shallots, diced (about
often, until softened, 5 to 6 minutes.
11/2 to 2 cups)
STIR in rice and mung beans.
2 tsp. grated fresh ginger or
Stir in 5 cups water, vegetables,
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
leafy greens (but not spinach yet,
1 tsp. ground turmeric if using), salt, and pepper. Bring
1 fresh Thai chile, jalapeño, or to a boil. Cover and reduce heat
serrano, halved lengthwise, to a simmer.
or 1 dried red chile, or COOK, stirring occasionally, until
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper water is absorbed, rice and mung
2 cups chopped mixed beans are extra tender, and khichdi
vegetables (such as resembles thick porridge, about
cauliflower, carrots, potatoes, 25 minutes. (Add more water
and tomatoes) as needed to keep mixture from
1 cup chopped leafy greens becoming too dry and sticking to
(such as kale, Swiss chard, bottom of pan.)
or spinach) ADD peas and spinach (if using);
cook, stirring often, until warmed
through and spinach is wilted, 1 to 2
black pepper minutes. Top with cilantro and/or
yogurt, if desired.
(optional) FROM A SHLE Y LONSDALE,
Chopped cilantro and/or CHEF IN RE SIDENCE AT
plain whole-milk yogurt, BUTCHERBOX, AN ONLINE ME AT
for topping (optional) AND SE AFOOD COMPANY
T I P N O. 7
Pretend You’re a Chef
In the restaurant biz, food waste really cuts into profit, so
chefs are always looking for ways to repurpose leftovers, says
Kimbal Musk, chef and founder of The Kitchen Restaurant
Group and author of The Kitchen Cookbook. Try to have that
mentality at home. “Pickle extra vegetables, turn salmon scraps
into a spread, and mix leftover sauces like chimichurri into
mayo to punch up sandwiches.” Remember: You own the joint!
 T I P N O. 8

Get Out Your Grater

& Prepare for
Some Frying Action

Veggie Patties
ACTIVE TIME 20 MINUTES
TOTAL TIME 35 MINUTES
MAKES ABOUT 16 PATTIES

2 Tbsp. flaxseed meal

2 cups shredded zucchini or summer
squash (from 1 zucchini or squash)
1/2 cup grated onion (from 1 onion)
1 tsp. kosher salt, divided
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 cup grated broccoli or cauliflower
1 cup chickpea or all-purpose flour
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
6 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
Dip (such as ranch), for serving

STIR together flaxseed meal and 1/4 cup

water in a large bowl. Let stand until it
reaches a jellylike consistency, about
15 minutes.
MEANWHILE, place zucchini and onion in
a colander and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon
salt. Let stand for 10 minutes. Transfer
to a clean cloth and wring out as much
liquid as possible.
ADD zucchini mixture, garlic, broccoli,
flour, parsley, 2 tablespoons oil, and
remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt to flaxseed
meal; stir until fully combined. Scoop
mixture into 16 balls (about 2 table-
spoons each) and place on a sheet of
waxed paper or parchment paper. Flatten
each ball to about 1/4-inch thickness.
HEAT 2 tablespoons oil in a large nonstick
skillet over medium-high. Place half of
patties in hot oil; cook until browned and
crisp on both sides, 2 to 3 minutes per
side. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with
remaining 2 tablespoons oil and patties.
(Alternatively, bake patties at 400°F until
crisp, 12 to 15 minutes.) Serve with dip.

FROM C ARLEIGH BODRUG, AUTHOR

OF PL ANT YOU SCR APPY CO OKING:
140+ PL ANT-BA SED ZERO-WA STE RECIPES
THAT ARE GO OD FOR YO U, YOUR WALLET,
AND THE PL ANET
 T IP NO. 9

Have a Plan
REAL SIMPLE Executive Editor Lisa Freedman is a
firm believer in meal planning so she doesn’t
overshop. “I also keep an ‘emergency baked ziti’
in the freezer at all times so I never have
to buy anything extra just in case I miscalculated.”

T IP NO. 10 T I P N O. 11

Practice Smart Storage Be Like the French & Turn Bits

These products will help food stay good longer. of Cheese into a Delicious Spread

Iannotti has her own system. “When

I cut into an avocado, onion, or apple,
I use what I need and then cover
the rest in reusable Bee’s Wrap,
which helps keep it fresh for a couple
like Parmesan and pecorino.) Place in a food processor.
of days.” $25 for 5; beeswrap.com
Rubbermaid FreshWorks Produce
Saver Containers are a must-have for
Guisinger. “Berries stay good for at
least a week in these things.” $40 for
a 4-piece set; amazon.com
Fromage Fort
Chop or grate 8 oz. semifirm or firm cheese,
preferably a combo of 3 or more. (Skip hard cheeses,
Grate in 1 garlic clove with a Microplane. Add 1 Tbsp.
white wine. Process until smooth and spreadable,
adding more wine, 1 Tbsp. at a time, if needed. Taste;
add salt and pepper, if desired. Process until
combined, about 10 seconds. Add 2 Tbsp. coarsely
chopped fresh tender herbs, such as parsley,
tarragon, or chives. Pulse until incorporated. Serve
with baguette or crackers. (Makes 1 cup.)

Shariat relies on food-grade silicone

Stasher Bags in the fridge and
freezer. “They come in different sizes,
P R O D U C T I M A G E S C O U R T E S Y O F M A N U FA C T U R E R S

shapes, and colors and fold down

flat, so I can keep a few in my tiny T I P N O. 12
kitchen and pull them out for
anything.” From $8; stasherbag.com Make Croutons
If your bread gets stale before you
can freeze it, cut it into pieces,
Nik Sharma, author of the cookbook
suggests Creative Director Phoebe
Veg-Table, recommends the Zwilling
Flynn Rich. “Toss with olive oil
Fresh & Save Handheld Vacuum
and garlic salt and bake at 350°F
Sealer. “It extends the shelf life of
until crisp.” Serve with salads,
fresh, cooked, and dried foods. Cut
on soup, or as a crunchy snack.
apples won’t brown for days.” $99 for
7-piece starter set; zwilling.com

APRIL 2024 RE AL SIMPLE 91

 T IP N O. 13

Look Before You Shop T I P N O. 14

Always take inventory of your fridge Whip Up a Batch of Soup

and cabinets before going to the
grocery store, suggests REAL SIMPLE
Senior Home Editor Leslie Corona.
“Otherwise, it’s too easy to end up
with doubles or even triples of
certain ingredients.”
Minestrone
ACTIVE TIME 30 MINUTES TOTAL TIME 1 HOUR, 15 MINUTES SERVES 6
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, HEAT oil in a large pot over medium.
plus more for serving Add mirepoix and salt; cook, stirring
1 cup chopped mirepoix (such occasionally, until tender, about
as onion, carrot, celery, leek, 6 minutes. Add garlic, crushed red
or fennel) pepper, and (if desired) meat; cook,
3/4 tsp. kosher salt, plus more stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
if desired ADD tomatoes, beans, hearty

3 large cloves garlic, sliced
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
1 to 2 oz. sliced or chopped
cured meat (such as salami)
(optional)
1 cup chopped fresh or
canned tomatoes
3 cups cooked beans or 2 (15-oz.)
cans beans, rinsed and drained
2 to 3 cups coarsely chopped raw
hearty greens (such as collard
greens, escarole, or cabbage)
or tender greens (such as kale,
spinach, or broccoli rabe)
1/2 to 1 cup chopped root
T IP NO. 15 vegetables or winter squash
(optional)
Just Cook It Parmesan rind (optional)
6 cups liquid (such as broth from
Nunn explains: “If I’m roasting veggies for four
homemade beans, stock, or
people but I have enough vegetables for five or
liquid from cans of tomatoes)
six, I roast it all. You’re not going to eat a cup of raw
butternut squash cubes.” Adler agrees: “When 1 cup small pasta (optional)
greens of any kind threaten to go bad, I cook them. 1 cup loosely packed fresh herbs
greens (if using), and (if desired)
root vegetables and Parmesan rind.
Add liquid and bring to a boil over
high. Reduce heat to medium;
simmer until root vegetables are
tender, about 40 minutes. Remove
and discard Parmesan rind.
WHILE soup simmers, cook pasta
(if using) according to package
directions. Drain. Spread in an even
layer on a baking sheet.
IFusing tender greens, add to soup;
cook, stirring, until wilted, about 2
minutes. Stir in herbs. Taste and add
more salt, if desired.
LADLE soup into bowls; add 1/3 cup
pasta per bowl. (Pasta stored in
soup will become bloated and
soggy.) Top each bowl with pesto,
ricotta, and/or Parmesan, if desired.
Drizzle with oil.
FROM TAMAR ADLER, AUTHOR OF
THE EVERL A STING ME AL CO OKBO OK
AND ADV ICE COLUMNIST AT

For example, I add wilting lettuce to sautéeing kale, (such as parsley, thyme, THE KITCHEN SHRINK, A SUBSTACK
oregano, or basil), chopped NE W SLE T TER
or broccoli leaves to a pan of cooking collards.”
Pesto, ricotta, and/or grated
Parmesan cheese, for topping
(optional)

TIP NO. 16

As a Last Resort, Compost

Save scraps to compost in your backyard or send to a community composting
program. Another option is the Mill, beloved by both Adler and Largeman-Roth.
It’s an electric compost bin the size of a trash can. Food scraps go in and
are ground up overnight. Once you have a box full, mail them to the company,
where they can be used as chicken feed. Hooray! $360 a year; mill.com

92 RE AL SIMPLE APRIL 2024

 RECIPES FO R
RE AL LIFE

Costa Rica
(not Hawaii!)
produces most of
the pineapples
we eat in the U.S.

IN SEASON

PINEAPPLE
Tropical fruits are having a
moment. Actually, they do every
year, after winter citrus has moved
on and before berries hit the
scene. Pineapple is the headliner,
available everywhere and reaching
FO O D ST Y L I N G BY J U L I A N H E N SA R L I N G ; P R O P ST Y L I N G BY C H R I ST I N A DA L E Y

peak sweetness right now.

S H O P Look for one that gives a
little when squeezed and shows
no bruises or browning.
S TO R E A whole pineapple will
keep on the counter for a few days.
Refrigerate cut fruit in an airtight
container for up to three days.
E N J OY To prep, use a chef’s knife.
Chop off the top and bottom, then
stand the fruit upright and slice off
the bumpy skin. Cut into fourths
lengthwise, remove the core from
each quarter, and slice the flesh
into chunks. Eat as is, blend into
smoothies, or add to fried rice or
stir-fries. It’s also delicious grilled,
or on pizza if that’s your thing.
—Jenna Helwig

Photograph by Jennifer Causey APRIL 2024 RE AL SIMPLE 95

W H AT TO C O O K

5
Easy Dinners 1 2-oz. chunk Pecorino Romano
or Parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1 / Chicken Orzo Skillet with

1 lb. boneless, skinless
# chicken breasts
11/2 tsp. kosher salt, divided

Sun-Dried Tomatoes 11/2 cups orzo

1/2 cup dry white wine
ACTIVE TIME 40 MINUTES TOTAL TIME 40 MINUTES SERVES 4 3 cups unsalted chicken stock,
✓ One Pot plus more if needed
3/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
3 cups fresh baby spinach
1/2 cup half-and-half
Freshly ground black pepper
and fresh basil leaves (optional),
for topping

GRATE half of cheese on medium holes

of a box grater; set aside.
HEAT oil in a large skillet over medium-
high. Sprinkle chicken with 1/2 teaspoon
salt and place in skillet. Cook until
golden brown on bottom, 4 to 5 minutes.
Flip; cook until golden brown on other
side, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
(Chicken will not be cooked through.)
ADD orzo to skillet; stir until toasted,
about 1 minute. Add wine, stirring to
loosen any browned bits. Stir in stock,
tomatoes, and remaining 1 teaspoon
salt; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to
medium and nestle chicken into orzo.

FO O D ST Y L I N G BY J U L I A N H E N SA R L I N G ; P R O P ST Y L I N G BY C H R I ST I N A DA L E Y
COOK, uncovered, stirring occasionally
and flipping chicken 2 or 3 times, until
orzo has absorbed most of liquid and
chicken is cooked to 160°F, 12 to 15
minutes. If orzo starts to stick, stir in
up to 1 cup more stock, 1/4 cup at a time.
Transfer chicken to a cutting board
and tent loosely with foil to keep warm.
ADD spinach to skillet; stir until just
wilted, about 1 minute. Remove skillet
from heat and stir in half-and-half and
grated cheese. Slice chicken and return
to skillet. Shave remaining cheese over
chicken and orzo. Top with pepper and,
if desired, basil.

PER SERVING: 786 Calories, 34g Fat

(7g Saturated), 108mg Cholesterol, 3g Fiber,
48g Protein, 70g Carbs, 1,246mg Sodium,
0g Added Sugar

Recipes by Marianne Williams

Photographs by Jennifer Causey
 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
2 small Persian cucumbers, thinly
sliced (about 1 cup)
1/2 cup halved pitted mixed olives
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
(from 1 onion)
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
(from 1 lemon)
4 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
11/4 tsp. kosher salt, divided
1 14-oz. pkg. extra-firm tofu,
drained and cut into 3/4-in. cubes
3 tsp. za’atar, divided
3/4 cup hummus
Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley,
for topping (optional)
Pita bread, for serving (optional)

COMBINE tomatoes, cucumbers,

olives, onion, lemon juice, 1 tablespoon
oil, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a medium
bowl. Toss to coat.
PRESS and pat tofu cubes dry with
kitchen towels. Thread 4 pieces tofu onto
each of 8 (10-inch) skewers. Place on a
plate. Sprinkle with 2 teaspoons za’atar
and 1/2 teaspoon salt, turning and roll-
ing skewers to evenly coat in seasoning.
PREHEAT a grill pan or grill to high (450°
to 500°F). Carefully brush pan or grates
with 2 tablespoons oil. Drizzle tofu
with remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Grill
skewers, turning occasionally, until grill
marks appear on all sides, about 8 min-
utes. Transfer to a large plate. Sprinkle
tofu with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt.
SPOON 3 tablespoons hummus onto
each of 4 plates. Add tomato-olive
#
2 / Za’atar Tofu Skewers with
salad and tofu skewers. Sprinkle
remaining 1 teaspoon za’atar over tofu.
Top with parsley and serve with pita
bread, if desired.

PER SERVING: 392 Calories, 31g Fat

Tomato Salad & Hummus
(3g Saturated), 0mg Cholesterol, 5g Fiber, ACTIVE TIME 25 MINUTES TOTAL TIME 25 MINUTES SERVES 4
15g Protein, 16g Carbs, 1,239mg Sodium,
0g Added Sugar ✓ Quick Cooking ✓ Vegan

APRIL 2024 RE AL SIMPLE 97

 #
3 / Sesame-Scallion Steak
Lettuce Wraps 1 1-lb. boneless ribeye steak
1/2 cup white rice
ACTIVE TIME 30 MINUTES TOTAL TIME 30 MINUTES SERVES 4
2 Tbsp. sherry vinegar
✓ Quick Cooking ✓ Dairy-Free ✓ Gluten-Free 1 Tbsp. light brown sugar
1 Tbsp. fish sauce
11/2 tsp. kosher salt, divided
1/4 cup plus 1 Tbsp. neutral oil
(such as grapeseed), divided
2 scallions, thinly sliced, dark
green parts separated
2 Tbsp. toasted sesame seeds,
divided
12 large leaves green leaf lettuce
Fresh mint leaves and/or fresh
cilantro leaves, for serving
(optional)

PLACE steak in freezer for 15 min-

utes. Cook rice according to pack-
age directions.
MEANWHILE, whisk vinegar, sugar,
fish sauce, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in
a large bowl. Slowly whisk in 1/4 cup
oil. Whisk in white and light green
scallion parts and 1 tablespoon
sesame seeds.
THINLY slice steak against the grain
into 1/8-inch-thick strips. Heat a
large, heavy skillet over high. Pat
steak dry with paper towels and
sprinkle with remaining 1 teaspoon
salt. Add remaining 1 tablespoon
oil to hot skillet. Add half of steak;
cook, undisturbed, until browned
on bottom, about 2 minutes. Stir
and cook until steak is just cooked
through, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer
steak to a plate. Repeat with remain-
ing steak. Transfer steak and any
juices from plate to bowl with vinai-
grette. Toss to coat; remove steak.
TOP steak and rice with dark green
scallion parts and remaining 1 table-
spoon sesame seeds. Wrap steak,
rice, and (if desired) herbs in lettuce
leaves. Drizzle with vinaigrette or
use for dipping.

PER SERVING: 606 Calories, 44g Fat

(12g Saturated), 77mg Cholesterol, 1g Fiber,
23g Protein, 26g Carbs, 1,159mg Sodium,
3g Added Sugar

98 RE AL SIMPLE APRIL 2024

 W H AT TO C O O K

7 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil,

divided
8 oz. stemmed assorted fresh
mushrooms, torn or halved
1 cup chopped yellow onion
(from 1 onion)
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
3/4 tsp. kosher salt, divided
1 13-oz. pkg. kielbasa sausage,
sliced into 1/2-in.-thick rounds
2 15-oz. cans no-salt-added
cannellini beans, drained
and rinsed
4 sprigs thyme plus 2 tsp.
fresh thyme leaves
1/3 cup panko
2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese

PREHEAT oven to 375°F with rack in

center position. Heat 2 tablespoons
oil in a large broiler-safe pan over
medium-high. Add mushrooms;
cook, stirring occasionally, until
golden and most of liquid has
released, about 6 minutes. Add
onion, carrots, and 1/4 teaspoon salt;
cook, stirring occasionally, until
carrots begin to soften, about 4
minutes. Add sausage and 2 table-
spoons oil; cook, stirring occasion-
ally, until sausage is browned in
spots, about 3 minutes.
ADD 1½ cups water, beans, thyme
sprigs, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon
salt; bring to a simmer. Transfer to
oven. Bake, stirring once halfway
through, until liquid is thickened
and reduced by about half, about 20
minutes. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons
oil and bake until surface is lightly
browned, about 5 minutes.
REMOVE cassoulet from oven and
increase oven temperature to broil.
Stir together panko, cheese, thyme
#
4 / Sausage & Mushroom
leaves, and remaining 1 tablespoon
oil; sprinkle over cassoulet. Broil
until golden brown and crispy, about
5 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes.

PER SERVING: 737 Calories, 52g Fat

Cassoulet
(12g Saturated), 67mg Cholesterol, 11g Fiber, ACTIVE TIME 40 MINUTES TOTAL TIME 1 HOUR SERVES 4
25g Protein, 43g Carbs, 1,259mg Sodium,
0g Added Sugar ✓ Freezable ✓ Make Ahead ✓ One Pot

APRIL 2024 RE AL SIMPLE 99

W H AT TO C O O K

1/2 cup mayonnaise, divided

3 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh cilantro,
divided
#
5 / Chili-Lime Salmon
21/2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
(from 2 limes), divided, plus
wedges for serving
Cakes with Arugula Salad
1 clove garlic, grated (about 1/2 tsp.) ACTIVE TIME 30 MINUTES TOTAL TIME 30 MINUTES SERVES 4

4 6-oz. cans cooked salmon, drained ✓ Quick Cooking ✓ One Pot ✓ Dairy-Free
1/3 cup dry bread crumbs
11/2 Tbsp. chili-garlic sauce
(such as Huy Fong)
1 large egg
1 tsp. kosher salt, divided
4 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
4 oz. arugula (about 4 cups packed)

STIR together 1/4 cup mayonnaise, 1

tablespoon cilantro, 1 tablespoon lime
juice, and garlic in a small bowl. Stir in
1 to 2 tablespoons water as needed to
reach drizzling consistency. Refrigerate
until ready to use.
COMBINE salmon, bread crumbs,
chili-garlic sauce, egg, 3/4 teaspoon salt,
1 tablespoon lime juice, remaining 1/4
cup mayonnaise, and remaining 2 table-
spoons cilantro in a large bowl. Flake
salmon into chunks with a fork. Fold
gently to combine all ingredients.
FORM salmon mixture into 8 patties.
Heat 11/2 tablespoons oil in a large non-
stick skillet over medium. Add 4 patties;
cook until golden brown on both sides,
2 to 3 minutes per side. Place patties on
a plate and cover loosely with foil to keep
warm. Repeat with 11/2 tablespoons oil
and remaining patties.
PLACE arugula in a large bowl. Add
remaining 1 tablespoon oil, 1/2 table-
spoon lime juice, and 1/4 teaspoon salt;
toss to coat. Serve salad with salmon
patties, lime wedges, and mayonnaise
mixture for drizzling.
AIR-FRY IT! Preheat air fryer to 400°F for
5 minutes. Spray 4 patties with cooking
spray; place in basket. Cook until golden
brown on both sides, 4 to 5 minutes per
side. Repeat with remaining patties.

PER SERVING: 549 Calories, 40g Fat

(6g Saturated), 118mg Cholesterol, 1g Fiber,
40g Protein, 9g Carbs, 1,208mg Sodium,
1g Added Sugar

100 RE AL SIMPLE APRIL 2024

 i n f r o z e n

With a little help from Alexia®, finding harmony between sweet

and savory has never been more effortless. Just twenty minutes
and a hint of sea salt are all these sweet potatoes need to bring
a fresh, distinctive variation of flavor to the classic French fry.
All without any GMOs or superfluous additives.

AlexiaFoods.com
W H AT TO C O O K

BET TER FOR YOU

S H AV E D CA RROT SA L A D
ACTIVE TIME 15 MINUTES
TOTAL TIME 15 MINUTES
SERVES 6

Anytime you need some zippy, colorful crunch 3 Tbsp. tahini

in your life, this dish is there for you.
BY L I D E Y H E U C K
3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
3 Tbsp. seasoned rice vinegar
2 tsp. grated fresh ginger
(from a 3-in. piece)

F O O D S T Y L I N G B Y J U L I A N H E N S A R L I N G ; P R O P S T Y L I N G B Y C H R I S T I N A D A L E Y. E X C E R P T E D F R O M C O O K I N G I N R E A L L I F E : D E L I C I O U S & D O A B L E R E C I P E S F O R E V E R Y D AY. C O P Y R I G H T © 2 0 2 4
B Y L I D E Y H E U C K . P H O T O G R A P H Y C O P Y R I G H T © 2 0 2 4 B Y D A N E TA S H I M A . R E P R O D U C E D B Y P E R M I S S I O N O F S I M O N E L E M E N T, A N I M P R I N T O F S I M O N & S C H U S T E R . A L L R I G H T S R E S E R V E D
1 tsp. soy sauce or tamari
1 small clove garlic,
grated (about 1/2 tsp.)
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
6 medium carrots,
trimmed and peeled
1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions
(from 2 or 3 scallions)
1 tsp. sesame seeds,
toasted (optional)

WHISK tahini, oil, vinegar,

ginger, soy sauce, garlic, and
salt in a medium bowl until just
combined. Add 1 tablespoon
cold water and whisk until
smooth and creamy.
SHAVE carrots into long ribbons
with a mandoline or vegetable
peeler and place in a large bowl.
(If you’re using a vegetable
peeler, hold each carrot flat
against the cutting board with
your hand and peel with the
other hand.) Chop any leftover
carrot pieces into matchsticks;
add carrot matchsticks and
scallions to carrot ribbons.
POUR dressing over carrots;
use tongs to toss until evenly
coated. Sprinkle with sesame
seeds, if desired. Serve chilled
or at room temperature.

KEEP
READING
Find more fresh,
veggie-forward
recipes in Lidey’s
new cookbook!
$35; amazon.com

102 RE AL SIMPLE APRIL 2024 Photograph by Jennifer Causey

 A DV ERTIS EMEN T

S I M P LY S H O P P I N G

THE NEXT-GEN BLENDER

50+
COLORS!

To advertise: Contact Devin at devin@mi-ms.com

 MINOR ISSUES, MAJOR OPINIONS

Does Recycling at
Home Actually Make
a Difference?
Everyone’s got thoughts! We collected
yours, then called on the experts 44% of
Instagram
to settle the debate once and for all.
commenters say
BY N AO M I BA R R yes—and it’s really
important!

Readers say…
Yes, every little bit helps! Nope, doesn’t matter!
“Individually, maybe not. Collectively, “I’m becoming convinced that most of what
I’m sure it does. At the very least, we are we recycle does not actually get recycled.”
making a huge problem a bit smaller.” @WENDIMUELLER

@LMDEA60
“When you factor in the water we use to wash
“It makes me feel less futile in the face of our recycling and the separate trucks, any
climate change if I can at least recycle.” resource savings is probably canceled out.”
@ROBINSTEFFLER @OURLUNARECLIPSE

“I’d rather keep recycling and believing I’m “From years of reading the news, I do not
doing my small part to make things better.” believe most plastics are recycled.”
@CINDICRONK @PEKNPAW

The experts Yes! You may have read articles
say… questioning the effectiveness of
recycling, and it’s true the prolifera-
tion of plastic is creating challenges.
Still, experts say recycling works.
And if you care about the planet,
it’s a must. According to the non-
profit The Recycling Partnership,
if all recyclable items in the U.S.
were diverted from landfills, it
would cut more than 107 million
metric tons of carbon emissions
a year—equal to taking almost
23 million cars off the road.
Things can go awry when people
don’t follow their municipality’s
rules, says Nilda Mesa, director of
the Urban Sustainability and Equity
Planning Program at Columbia Uni-
versity. Nena Shaw, director of the
resource conservation and sustain-
ability division at the EPA, agrees:
“Recycling centers can only do so
much, and putting nonrecyclable or
food-laden items in a bin can mean
the whole batch ends up in a landfill.”
So follow guidelines for each
material. In some towns, glass has to
be dropped off at a collection point.
Keep grease-coated pizza boxes out
of the cardboard pile (a few specks
is fine). Rinse out your plastics, and
check the number: “Plastic contain-
ers are stamped 1 through 7. While 1
and 2 are usually recyclable, the rest
depends on your area,” Shaw says.
When we get it right, we make a
difference. Recycled aluminum com-
prises 80% of aluminum production
in the U.S., and according to the
most recent EPA data (from 2018), we
recycle 68% of paper and cardboard
and 31% of glass containers. (The
plastic stats aren’t as great; your best
bet there is to consume less, espe-
cially—say it with us now—single-use
plastic.) So please reduce, reuse, and
recycle as much as possible.

104 RE AL SIMPLE APRIL 2024 Illustration by Joel Holland

Y O U R P E R I O D PA D S C A L L E D

THEY SAID
THEY’RE LEAKING

FOR BLADDER LEAKS

POISE KEEPS YOU
10X DRIER
†

T H A N P E R I O D PA D S
†
vs. national brand daytime pads ® Registered trademark of
‡
vs. leading 4 Drop Pad Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc. © KCWW
 19,000 matches is a lot.

That’s also the number of tests we do

every month to ensure you get the
highest quality supplements available,
at the best prices possible.