Being plant-based (vegan), I don’t fry many foods. Very rarely at all.
But there’s one dish that requires us to fry up a whole bunch of green onions and make them extra crispy. They taste so good on top of our noodle dish …
We don’t eat it all the time. But it has become a favorite, and we’ve eaten it four or five times a year for years. Why not more? It’s mainly the smell.
Quite honestly, a whole bunch of foods we once ate, smell bad now that we’re plant-based. (Fried foods being one of them.)
I remember knowing when the holidays arrived as a kid. I’d step into my grandma’s house and smell the Christmas smells - cider, citrus, and spices would waft from the kitchen, and mmm … it smelled so good.
That’s the concept of a simmer pot
I don’t recall the first time I heard the term, but I do remember reading it in an article sent over by a realtor as we were getting ready to sell our first home. “Bake cookies or start a simmer pot to make your home smell good and eliminate any leftover smells from dinner.”
What!?
Me being the to-do checklist queen, I jumped on it, and added a simmer pot to my list.
Think of simmer pots as homemade air fresheners. Place a pot on the stove, add fruits, herbs, and other spices to water, then let it simmer away.
They are very easy to make, inexpensive (forage for your materials and they can even be free,) and they make your home smell wonderful! There’s nothing better than a simmer pot in the wintertime, curled up with a mug of tea and a good book.
And when you're through, compost it! No mess. Nothing to throw away. Easy peasy.
Why simmer pots are better than air fresheners
Yes, I’m all about education. And if you’ve never thought much about air quality before, here’s a tip on why you should.
Right now, Americans spend about 90 percent of their time indoors. Unfortunately, concentrations of some pollutants are anywhere from 2 to 5 times higher than the great outdoors. We use heating and air conditioning year-round, rarely throwing open the windows and doors for streams of fresh air. And it’s causing problems.
You might notice it in headaches, eye irritations, or fatigue. Live that way too long, and it can show up as respiratory diseases, heart diseases, and cancer.
What causes indoor air pollution? A whole host of sources.
Cleaning products
Perfume and deodorants
Candles and fireplaces
Burnt food
Cooking and non-stick cookware
Tobacco products
Chemicals in building materials
Bacteria and mold
And yes, that includes air fresheners.
Air fresheners can impact indoor air quality by adding hazardous pollutants to the air supply. Check your favorite. They can include:
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
Benzene
Formaldehyde
Toluene
M,p-xylene
Phthalates
It can stick to and be absorbed by furniture, walls, carpets, and other surfaces, depending on how it's delivered. That means it can linger long after it’s used. And keep impacting your indoor air quality.
Nope - Not when there’s a better way
Plant-based living means falling down a rabbit hole for the rest of your life. Because once you learn something, you can’t unlearn it. So it impacts you, for life.
Knowing what I know, air fresheners can no longer be a part of my life, not once I learned how bad they can be. But do I want an alternative? You bet. Enter simmer pots.
Think about what scents you love.
Citrus - lemons, limes, oranges, grapefruits. Just slice them up. Or use the fruit and simmer the peels.
Other fruit - yes, you can experiment here. Apples and cranberries can be welcome additions.
Extracts - just a touch of vanilla extract, almond extract, peppermint extract - play around and see what suits your moods.
Essential oils - use similar to extracts, and choose your favorites.
Whole spices - try cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, cardamom pods, bay leaves, and peppercorns. Star anise and ginger root work well too. You can use ground spices, but they will blend in more and won’t give off the same odor.
Herbs - here’s another reason for your window herb garden. Rosemary, basil, thyme, sage - cut a little off and throw it into your simmer pot. You can also head out into the woods for pine cuttings, cedar, and even pine cones to add a woodsy scent.
Water - the perfect base for everything. Of course, you can go back to good old-fashioned apple cider to bring the holidays into your home.
Want some ideas?
Soothing Simmer Pot
A few tablespoons of dried lavender
A few sprigs of rosemary
A branch of eucalyptus
Harvest Simmer Pot
Apple slices
Orange slices
2-3 cinnamon sticks
A few cloves
Springtime Simmer Pot
Lime slices
3 sprigs of thyme
Mint leaves
A little vanilla extract
Fall Simmer Pot
Pumpkin spice seasoning
Cinnamon sticks
Ground nutmeg
Whole cloves
A drop of vanilla extract
Apple cider
Focus Simmer Pot
Orange slices
2 fresh rosemary sprigs
A drop of vanilla extract or vanilla bean
Cozy Simmer Pot
Fresh cranberries
Orange slices
2-3 cinnamon sticks
Snipped pine pieces
Mood Buster Simmer Pot
Orange slices
Lemon balm
Lemongrass
Tips and Tricks
Play around with the ingredients to suit your flavors and desires.
Simmer on the stove on low; you don’t want it to boil. Check regularly and add water to keep from burning down.
Worried about your stove operating all day? You can invest in a small crockpot with the same effect.
Realistically, it should last for several days. Check the ingredients to ensure they’re in good shape.
These make great gifts! You can get cute cellophane bags at your local craft store. Fill them up, tie them up with a pretty bow, and add a note on how to use it.
I love simmer pots, and use them all the time. They stimulate your senses, and trigger memories of a particular place or event. You can use that to your advantage, calming your space if you’re feeling stressed, or making it cozy if you’re ready to settle in and spend time with family.
I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.
Celebrating your Gorgeous Wellth!
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