Plastic-free

After watching Buy Now! on Netflix in December 2024, we got serious about going plastic-free. 

Right now we list the products we use in Germany. We will add the US versions during the next field season.

Food

• Margarine - Veganer block at Locker & Lose
• Flohsamen / psylium husks - Hit in glass
• Rice paper - Hit
• Fruit and veg from the Farmer's Market
• Noodles - Barilla has lots that are packed only in paper (and is now LGBTQIA+ supportive)
• Chili powder - Unverpackt, Locker & Lose
• Cinnamon - Unverpackt, Locker & Lose
• Coriander powder - Unverpackt, Locker & Lose
• Vanilla extract - Unverpackt
• Black pepper corns - Unverpackt, Locker & Lose
• Smoked paprika - Unverpackt, Locker & Lose
• Baking powder - Unverpackt, Locker & Lose
• Yeast - Unverpackt, Locker & Lose
• Nutritional yeast - Unverpackt, Hit
• Sesame seeds - Unverpackt, Locker & Lose
• Pumpkin seeds - Unverpackt, Locker & Lose
• Dried fruit - Unverpackt, Locker & Lose
• Kaffir lime leaves - Hit glass
• Tofu - in bulk at China Markt
• Veganaise - Dieter's version is better than the store-bought in a glass (most of which have plastic lids)
• Miso  - Unverpackt
• Curry Paste - Bamboo Garden yellow oder massaman at Rewe, Hit
• Fava beans - Chiemgaukorn (the 5kg bag has no plastic, but the 1kg bag does)
• Hemp protein powder - Naduria at DM
• Milk - Dieter's recipe is super easy and fast and tastes better than store bought. Also, it can be as high protein as you want
• Yogurt - Dieter's recipe is great (uses a store-bought yogurt as the starter)

Supplements

• B12 - in a glass eye dropper (the lid has some plastic), lasts 1-2 years, Shopapotheke, Rossman (Altapharma)
• D3 - in a glass eye dropper (the lid has some plastic), Shopapotheke, Rossman (Altapharma)
• Omega 3 - leinöl / linseed oil used for cooking. 2t has 100% of the RDA of omega 3

Household

• Cleaners for the toilet, general cleaner - Unverpackt, Locker & Lose
• Vinegar for cleaning - Unverpackt, DM
• Dish sponge - crochet one out of a scratchy 100% cotton material at the art from scrap store
• Toilet paper - Oecolife
• Hand sanitizer - Hofmann’s isopropyl alcohol 70% Löwen apotheke (plastic lid)
• Night guard deep cleaner - soak in salt water for at least 30 min

Pets

• Dog poo bags - PooPick
• Dog collars and leashes - MakeEco

Body care

• Sunscreen - Villa Lavanda SPF 50 at Locker & Lose. I'm trying it out, not sure if it will hold up in the field or whether it is waterproof
• Hand soap bar - dm balea sensitiv aloe. D mag besser: ross isana sensitiv kamillien
• Shampoo / body wash / hand soap bar with 5% urea - buy the Alverde Repair shampoo bar and urea crystals (there is some plastic in the urea package, but the bag should last like 20 years, not sure if this source is plastic free)
• Deodorant - add a few drops of water to baking soda, mix, apply to skin, let dry
• Toothpaste tabs sensitive with fluoride - Smyle (lathers great, gets teeth cleaner than toothpaste, good flavor). FYI: Potassium nitrate (Kaliumnitrat ) / Zink-Karbonat-Hydroxylapatit (Hydroxylapatit) / Strontium-Salze (Strontium Chloride, Strontium Acetate) is for sensitive, sodium fluoride is fluoride
• Dental floss - Tio at Locker & Lose, Humble, EcoYou
• Interdental sticks - Hydrophil at Locker & Lose, size 3 (0.5mm C), 2 (0.6mm D)
• Mouthwash - salt water wash
• Sonicare head - bamboo by Hydrophil at Locker & Lose
• Razors - list of 7

How to make 5% urea shampoo/soap

• 60-62g Alverde repair shampoo bar, 3g=5% harnstoff (urea crystals). Cut the shampoo bar into crumbs
• Tare a stainless steel bowl and add 3g (5%) urea crystals
• Put the bowl in a pot with boiling water and keep it boiling
• Add 2 teaspoons boiling water to the urea crystals and stir with a fork until crystals dissolve
• Add the shampoo crumbs to the bowl and stir until they melt. Mash the crumbs into the liquid to make sure everything gets coated
• Remove from heat, wait for it to solidify a bit, then take the mixture out of the bowl and shape it into a ball with your hands (a spoon can help)
• Let sit for 3 days to solidify

Recycled plastic 

• Dog collars and leashes (and when you are done with them, send them back to the company and they will recycle them) - Siccaro Sealines
• Razors (are also vegan!) - Preserve 

Fachos (fava nachos)

by Dieter and Corina

• Put a thick layer of cooked fava beans (with salt and oil) in a baking pan
• Place fun things on top like jalapeños and olives (things you would put on nachos)
• Put cheese on the very top
• Bake for 15 min or until the cheese is melted and the exposed fava are starting to turn brown

Add salsa, guacamole, and fresh chopped lettuce and serve!

Müsli mix / overnight oats

by Dieter and Corina

4C oats

2C protein powder mix (2/5 pea, 2/5 rice, 1/5 hemp)

1C almonds

1/2C sesame seeds

Dried fruit (or fresh fruit in your bowl)

Optional: cinnamon, hemp seeds, 

Put all in a large tupperware and shake. Store in the cupboard.

A few variations...

• Quick: dish some out, add milk, enjoy :-)
• Overnight oats: dish some out, add milk, put in fridge overnight
• Oatmeal: put some in a pot, add water and cinnamon, bring to a boil until it is the preferred consistency. Add maple syrup

Note: 60 g protein in the following version: 80g oats, 3T soy flakes, 1T hemp seeds, 2T almonds, 2T protein powder mix, 200ml high protein soy milk

Potato chips / Kartoffelchips

3 potatoes / festkochende Kartoffeln
2 table spoons sunflower oil / Esslöffel Sonnenblumenöl
2 tea spoons salt / 2 Teelöffel Salz
4 tea spoons black pepper / 4 Teelöffel schwarzer Pfeffer

Slice 3 medium sized potatoes with a slicer into a bowl. Fill cold water into the bowl to cover the slices, wash the potatoes (the water will get cloudy from the starch), and rinse. Repeat the washing until the water doesn't get as cloudy anymore. Drip off any excess water. Pour in 4T of sunflower oil, plus 2t of salt and 4t of black pepper. Mix everything, so that all slices are coated in oil and spices. Spread out evenly on a large oven pan, ideally without slices being on top of it each. Bake at 200C/425F for 12 mins, turn over the slices, and bake for another 12 mins or until the chips have turned crispy.

Drei mittelgroße Kartoffeln mit einer Reibe in eine Schüssel schneiden. altes Wasser in die Schüssel hinzugeben, bis die Scheiben bedeckt sind. Dann die Kartoffeln waschen (das Wasser wird durch die Stärke trüb) und das Wasser abgiessen Den Waschvorgang wiederholen, bis das Wasser nicht mehr so trüb ist. Überschüssiges Wasser abtropfen lassen. 4 EL Sonnenblumenöl, 2 TL Salz und 4 TL schwarzen Pfeffer hinzugeben. Alles mischen, so dass alle Scheiben mit Öl und Gewürzen bedeckt sind. Gleichmäßig auf einem großen Backblech verteilen, am besten so dass keine Scheiben aufeinander liegen. Bei 200C/425F für 12 Min. backen, die Scheiben wenden und wieder für 12 Min. backen oder bis die Chips knusprig sind.

Snack bars

from ROAR by Stacy Sims and modified by Corina

1/4C Brown rice syrup
1/4C / 100g Almond butter (27g protein) or 150g whole almonds (roasted, 25.6g protein)

2C / 400g Chocochips (a corn flake type of high protein cereal in Germany) (50g protein)

1t Vanilla

1/4C Cranberries

1/2C / 50g Pretzels (hand crushed) (6.5g protein)

Mix well together in tupperware, pat down, apply lid, put in fridge, eat with a spoon.

83.5g protein / 15 bars = 5.6g protein/bar

Buttery spread

 By Dieter

Version 1: Coconut base

50 ml plant-based milk (can use your own) / Milchalternative

2t lemon juice / Zitronensaft

200ml coconut butter / Kokosöl

100ml other oils (e.g. mix of sunflower and olive) / andere Öle (z.b. Sonnenblumen / Oliven)

salt to flavour / Salz je nach Geschmack

1t nutritional yeast / Hefeflocken

Combine and mix the plant-based milk and the lemon juice, and let it sit to curdle (though not much might happen). Melt the coconut butter until it is soft (not boiling), and mix in the other oils you are using. Combine the liquid oils with the curdled milk, and mix well. Stir in the salt and the nutritional yeast. Pour mixture into a glass container, and let it sit in the fridge until it is firm.

Die pflanzliche Milch und den Zitronensaft verrühren und zum Gerinnen stehen lassen (wobei manchmal nicht viel passiert). Schmelzen Sie die Kokosnussbutter, bis sie weich ist (nicht kochen), und mischen Sie die anderen Öle hinzu. Kombinieren Sie die flüssigen Öle mit der geronnenen Milch, und vermischen Sie sie gut. Das Salz und die Nährhefe einrühren. Gießen Sie die Mischung in ein Glasgefäß und lassen Sie sie im Kühlschrank stehen, bis sie fest ist.

Version 2: Cauliflower base

1/2 cauliflower / Blumenkohl

2T olive oil / Olivenöl

1T coconut butter / Kokosöl

4T water / Wasser

2T rice vinegar / Reisweinessig

2T oats / Haferflocken

1T nutritional yeast / Hefeflocken

1t salt / Salz

1/2t sugar / Zucker

Boil the cauliflower until it is soft. Add all ingredients into a blender and mix until creamy. Let it set in the fridge.

Den Blumenkohl kochen bis er fest ist. Dann alle Zutaten in den Mixer geben, und pürieren bis es cremig ist. Die Butter im Kühlschrank fest werden lassen.

Cinnamon crunch cereal

Recipe from Nourishing Joy and modified by Corina

1C protein powder (4 parts rice, 4 parts pea, 1 part hemp)

1/2C corn starch

3/4C sugar

1t salt

1t baking powder

4T flour

1/4C cinnamon

3/4C boiling water

Optional: powdered sugar to sprinkle on top

• Mix dry ingredients, then add the water and knead into a dough ball that sticks together
• Oil a large baking pan and press the dough onto it until it is a very thin
• Sprinkle powdered sugar or extra cinnamon on top
• Cut the dough into small squares
• Bake at 180C / 350F for 20 min or until it starts to brown (less time for thinner dough, like 10 min)
• Break apart the squares and put back into the oven at 150C / 300F for 10 min (more time for thicker dough, stirring every 10 min). They are done when they just start to taste like they are caramelizing

Makes 4 cups of dense cereal and has 192g protein (48g protein per cup). Compare with Three Wishes high protein cereal that has 8g protein per cup.