Hey random readers!

My dear friend Joyce is an expert filmmaker, and she's been making some great productions both for TVM (McGill's video outlet) and for her own channel. I told Joyce about The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up, by Marie Kondo, a professional in the field. My mom got it for me over the holidays as a joke, but I actually read it as I was very curious to see what more a neat-freak like me had left to learn. And I learned a lot.

Joyce and I spent an entire afternoon in my room - she filming, I discarding and decluttering. You can watch the final outcome below.

And remember to subscribe to Joyce's channel here!

Ingredients:

• quart-size mason jar
• 1.5 pounds of fresh carrots, trimmed and peeled
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled
• 2 cups of water, or more as needed
• 2 tbs salt

1. Dissolve the salt in water.
2. Place garlic cloves at the bottom of the jar.
3. Cut carrots to the height of the jar.
4. Place carrot sticks vertically in jar on top of the garlic cloves. Pack them in so they are snug.
5. Pour the brine over the carrot sticks so that they are completely covered. Add more water, if needed.
6. Place the lid on the jar and close tightly.
7. Place at a cool room temperature and allow to culture for 7-10 days or longer, as desired. Once the carrots are fermented to your taste, you can either consume them or store the jar in the refrigerator (this stops the fermentation process).

Note: During the first few days you have to “burp” your jar (barely unscrew the lid until you hear a small amount of the gas escaping and then screw it back on quickly). This lets out the carbon dioxide so the jar doesn't explode.

S A U E R K R A U T 

Instructions:

1. Slice the cabbage: Discard the wilted, limp outer leaves of the cabbage. Cut the cabbage into quarters and trim out the core. Slice each quarter down its length, making 8 wedges. Slice each wedge crosswise into very thin ribbons.
2. Combine the cabbage and salt: Transfer the cabbage to a big mixing bowl and sprinkle the salt over top. Begin working the salt into the cabbage by massaging and squeezing the cabbage with your hands for 5-10 minutes. If you'd like to flavor your sauerkraut with caraway seeds, mix them in now.
3. Pack the cabbage into the jar: Grab handfuls of the cabbage and pack them into the canning jar.
4. Pour any liquid released by the cabbage while you were massaging it into the jar.
5. If after 24 hours, the liquid has not risen above the cabbage, dissolve 1 teaspoon of salt in 1 cup of water and add enough to submerge the cabbage.
6. Ferment the cabbage for 3-10 days (or even longer!). Check daily and if the cabbage is floating above the liquid, press down with your fist.
7. Once the sauerkraut is to your taste, you can either consume it or store the jar in the refrigerator (this stops the fermentation process).