Hempseed Apricot Chews [Recipe]

I found this recipe when doing the 21 Day Vegan Kickstart in January. I searched Whole Foods recipes for vegan recipes and decided to try making these Hempseed Apricot Chews. I have made them several times since January and each time, I fall more in love with them. The flavors meld together after one or two days, and the chews become even tastier. The best thing about the recipe is that you can add/remove the spices to your liking.

For a healthy, satisfying treat, try a bite of the Hempseed Apricot Chews. And if you do not like at first bite, put them in fridge, and try them tomorrow.

Hempseed Apricot Chews
Adapted from a Whole Foods recipe

Dairy free
Gluten free
High protein
No added sugar
Raw
Vegan
Vegetarian
Wheat free

Yields: 16 squares

Ingredients
3 cups (about 1 pound) dried apricots, roughly chopped
1 cup pitted dates, chopped
1 cup shelled hempseeds
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp gluten-free vanilla extract (I used regular organic vanilla extract)
2 tbsp protein powder (I used Tropical Traditions hempseed protein powder)

Optional: other spices like cinnamon, cloves, or cayenne for a spicy kick.

*Katie's adaptations/notes in blue

Directions

1. Line an 8x8 inch pan with parchment paper and set aside.
2. Pulse all ingredients in a food processor until mixture forms a chunky paste (this takes a little while, be patient).  Make sure that the total amount fits into your food processor before you begin.
3. Transfer to lined pan and press with spatula to create even thickness.
4. Cover and chill until firm, at least 1-2 hours, and then cut into squares for serving.
5. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Nutrition Info
Total servings: 16 squares
Per serving (1 square), based on my calculations of above ingredients

130 calories
2.7g total fat
0g saturated fat
0mg cholesterol
15mg sodium
18.5g carbohydrate (2.4g dietary fiber, 13g sugar)
4.3g protein

Hempseed Apricot Chews are a great source of energy and omega-3 fatty acids, as well as protein. These tasty little squares are a perfect on-the-go snack. They will even satisfy your sweet tooth!



This recipe was adapted by All Natural Katie based on another recipe. If you post the recipe on a blog/website, please link back to the original post or cite the original post. If you see this Hempseed Apricot Chews recipe anywhere else, please email me.

Eco-Friendly Guide to Surviving Conventional Holidays

Although I enjoy spending time with the extended family, the holidays are a tough time for me. This Christmas, we are away from home for 5 days. There is no composting, no recycling, and no idea what ingredients were used in dishes or what dishes will be served. Add the fact that I am vegetarian and I am currently eating a high-protein diet to the mix and things start to get really crazy. What is a greenie to do when spending the holidays with her "conventional" relatives? Here is my eco-friendly guide for surviving "conventional" holidays.

First and foremost, put aside some of your eco-friendly philosophies just for a few days. Doing this presents the biggest challenge for me as my eco-friendly philosophies are a big part of my values and beliefs. Over the past couple of years, I have slowly been able to relax a few rules here and there. I can control some things (like bringing a couple vegetarian and organic side dishes), but I cannot control other things (whether scraps are composted or not). I also cannot control or judge other people's food choices. Going in with this mindset helps me to be at ease with practices and mindsets that I might disagree with.

Second, offer to bring one or two dishes or desserts. I can control what ingredients I use and I know there will be something I feel 100% comfortable eating. I always bring Cranberry Sauce, which I make with all organic ingredients and honey, and another dish or dessert. Check out what I brought for our Thanksgiving meal.

Third, use eco-friendly packaging for food storage/transportation, gifts, etc. Use glass or ceramic dishes, which are more decorate and festive than disposable containers. Gifts bags are most likely to be reused by the recipient, so if you buy an eco-friendly gift bag, you are paying forward and helping reduce the amount of waste that results from holiday gift giving. I also save boxes from packages I receive in the mail and reuse them for gifts.

Now, for some of the other informal things I do to deal with "conventional" holidays:

1. Spend time in the kitchen while food is being prepared to see the ingredients used.
2. Compliment a dish and ask what ingredients were used in it to decide whether to eat it or not.
3. Read the ingredients list on anything that is put out in a bag/package/container.
4. Bring my own organic, natural snacks and organic, grass-fed dairy items.
5. Say "no" to certain items; just because there are 10 dishes does not mean you have try all of them.

>> What are your eco-friendly ways for getting through conventional holidays?

    

Eco Lips Care Kit [Giveaway]

If you have been looking for organic and natural lip balm, look no further! Eco Lips is the answer to lips that are dry, chapped, or just need some moisture. All natural and even organic ingredients. I am very impressed and pleased with the 4 Eco Lips balms that I reviewed.

Please use the Rafflecopter entry form below. All entries will be verified. Duplicate and invalid entries will be deleted.

   
Giveaway

Eco Lips Care Kit (7 lip balms + carabiner, $25 value)

a Rafflecopter giveaway
  

Challenge: Cooking Without Small Appliances [#CTWW]

Some might call me crazy, some might appreciate, but only a few will understand. When cooking side items for the holidays, I decided not to use any powered small appliances, only the stove and oven. It's just me, the cutting board, the knife, and the mortar and pestle. Who needs a food processor?!?! Chop the almonds, toast, then grind them up with the mortar and pestle. No annoying sounds of small appliances and no need to clean them. Yes, it takes a little elbow grease, but I can enjoy the relaxing music playing through the iPod speakers.

>> What are some of your eco-friendly tips for reducing impact on the environment?
  

Wordless Wednesday - Quote [#CTWW]

“ . . . the idea of the future being different from the present
is so repugnant to our conventional modes of thought and
behavior that we, most of us, offer a great resistance to acting
on it in practice.”

John Maynard Keynes, 1937

Eco Lips Natural and Organic Lip Balm [Review]

Over two years ago, when I cleaned out all toxic body products, a variety of lip balms were thrown away also. I have not really searched for all natural, organic lip balms as I substituted other natural moisturizers like coconut oil, shea butter, etc. However, I have missed lip balm. When I received the Eco Lips package in the mail last week, I was excited to once again have a little tube of lip balm in my purse for quick and easy application. Eco Lips natural and organic lip balms are the perfect solution to dry and cracked winter lips. Not only do you get organic and all natural ingredients (including scents!), but at a very affordable price.

ONE WORLD Lip Balm              ($5.99, 0.25oz)

Eco Lips Gold Lip Balm            ($3.49, 0.15 oz)

Dagoba Roseberry Lip Balm    ($3.49, 0.15 oz)

Eco Tints Tinted Lip Balm                 ($4.49, 0.15 oz)
Source: Eco Lips Store
Rating: total green check marks out of 5.

The Good	The Not So Good
USDA organic and all natural	Ingredients: iron oxides, mica, and titanium dioxide
Light and moisturizing
Variety of flavors and scents
Reasonably priced

After I opened the package, I took some time reading each of the lip balms and ingredients. I finally decided on the ONE WORLD Lip Balm, Orange Spice Flavor. This lip balm comes in a bigger size than the rest. I love that this lip balm contains Argan Oil, which revitalizes skin and neutralizes free radicals. I have been using this lip balm for a week. I love the way it makes my lips feels. The balm goes on very light, but just enough moisture (no one likes greasy lips!).

I would equate the Eco Lips Gold Lip Balm, unscented, to your every day, winter lip balm. It is the all-around lip balm for soothing healed and chapped lips quickly. This lip balm contains certified organic Baobab Oil. I love that this lip balm is unscented for those who do not want to smell their lip balm all day long or for those who prefer unscented lip balms.

I was most intrigued by the Dagoba Roseberry Lip Balm. Chocolate lip balm! How can you not love that?!? This lip balm contains Dagoba organic cocoa powder, organic raspberry flavor, and organic rosehip oil. Rosehip oil is loaded with omega fatty acids and is great for damaged skin. I would save this lip balm for special occasions because of the chocolate roseberry flavor. The experience is like eating dessert!

Last, but certainly not least, the Eco Tints Tinted Lip Balm is a perfect combination of lip balm and lipstick. I love that the color is enough to tint my lips, but not too much where I feel like I'm wearing lipstick. Conventional lipstick has so many toxic and synthetic chemicals. Eco Tins mostly contains organic ingredients, in addition to iron oxides, mica, and titanium dioxide (all three rate 2-3 on Skin Deep Cosmetics Database) to provide the color. I like that I can use Eco Tins Lip Balm when going on a date night or out with my girlfriends as a safer, natural lip tint.

On my last grocery trip at Whole Foods, I looked around the Beauty section to see where I can find Eco Lips lip balms. I love that Eco Lips offers so many USDA Organic lip balms in delicious flavors. I highly recommend these lip balms to any lip balm lover and would purchase these myself in the future. The flavors are just enough to please the senses, but not overpowering if you regularly apply lip balm. Eco Lips lip balms are a great green gift and stocking stuffer! Find Eco Lips at your local retailer or buy online.

Disclosure: I received the sample from the company in order to facilitate my review. No other compensation was received. I am under no pressure to return the product to the company or to write this review. This product review is based on my personal experiences. This review is objective and completely honest.

Cleaner Planet Soap Nuts [Giveaway]

If you have never heard of Soap Nuts, I encourage you to read my review post. I am hooked on these little laundry cleaning powerhouses. I have never felt my laundry be so soft. Plus, they are as green and as eco-friendly as can be. Use them, then compost them. No additives. No fillers. No perfume. All natural. Hypo-allergenic. For sensitive-skin. You can win a bag that will last through at least 80-100 loads below.

Please use the Rafflecopter entry form below. All entries will be verified. Duplicate and invalid entries will be deleted.

   
Giveaway

Soap Nuts, 80-100 load bag, 250g ($10.00 value)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Greener, Cleaner, Non-Toxic Laundry with Soap Nuts [Review]

As I have mentioned in previous posts, one of the hardest transitions to green living has been replacing cleaning products with ones that are non-toxic and actually work. I usually go through several, if not more, brands of eco-friendly and green products before I find one that even compares to the toxic brands. I have been eyeing soap nuts for quite some time. I have read many reviews on their effectiveness and have always wanted to try them. If you are looking to remove toxic chemicals from your house, Cleaner Planet Soap Nuts will leave you with greener and cleaner laundry!

Cleaner Planet Soap Nuts    (80-100 load bag, $10.00)

Rating: total green check marks out of 5.

The Good	The Not So Good
Cleans and soften clothes (no dryer sheets needed)	Bag with soap nuts can get "lost" among the clothes
Natural, non-toxic, green
No additives, no perfumes, no fillers
Compostable

What is a soap nut?
A soap nut is the shell of a berry that is dried in the sun and resembles a nut. Soap nuts have some of the highest concentration of saponin, which breaks the water surface tension and lifts the dirt of the fabric. Soap nuts also soften your fabric, so there is no need for dryer sheets.

Instructions:
Place 4-6 whole shells (8-10 halves) in the muslin drawstring bag, close the bag securely, and toss the bag in the drum of the washing machine as the water is filling, before your clothes, just as you would add any other laundry detergent. The same 4-6 shells can be used up to 8 times in cold water washes and up to 4 times in hot water washes. For cold water washes, it is recommended to soak the shells in water for 5-10 minutes.

My Experience:
Now that you know a little bit about soap nuts and how to use them, let me tell you about my experience. My husband does the laundry 95% of the time. He was a little skeptical that these little "nuts" would clean our dirty clothes, sheets, towels, etc. I promised him that they would work. I brought the muslin bag and he tossed it into the washes reluctantly. I will be honest that we did not quite know how to tell if the clothes were clean or not (not that we know with other detergents either), but we have been wearing the clothes for one week and I have not heard of any complaints of being stinky. We realized that when transferring clothes from the washes to the dryer, you have to hunt for the soap nuts bag to make sure you take it out. After using the soap nuts, I hug the bag up to dry. The biggest surprise came when my husband took the clothes out of the dryer.  He said that they felt very soft. Unbelievably soft! I do not think that our towels have ever been so soft!

When comparing using Soap Nuts with using powder/liquid laundry detergent, they are just as easy to use. Yes, you have to hunt for the bag when you transfer the laundry to the dryer, but the fact that the soap nuts leave your clothes softer makes them a winner in my book. I would highly recommend Cleaner Planet Soap Nuts to anyone. My laundry feels clean, smells clean, and is softer. And when I'm all done, I can throw the used soap nuts in the compost. Zero waste!

Disclosure: I received the sample from the company in order to facilitate my review. No other compensation was received. I am under no pressure to return the product to the company or to write this review. This product review is based on my personal experiences. This review is objective and completely honest.

Looking For a New CSA Farm

Since our last CSA Farm no longer offers the CSA option, I am on the hunt for a new CSA Farm for 2013 and beyond. Local Harvest is a great resource for farms and CSAs. I love that I can search for a CSA by zip code. I started with Local Harvest and came up with a list of 5 potential CSA farms.

As I was looking at the listed farms, I was surprised by how many of them offered meat. There were even a couple of local farms that were mostly devoted to meat, including chicken, poultry, grass-fed beef, sheep, and goats (all natural, antibiotic-free, hormone-free, pasture fed animals). I strive to buy grass-fed beef, organic chicken, and anything else local, but I never quite known how local the meats are at Whole Foods (yes, I know I could ask the employees, but I haven't). I feel somewhat satisfied and relieved to find out that there are a number of local farms that offer high quality meat. I feel like I am reaching a new level in my eco-friendly living. Eating local, pasture-raised meat is like music to my ears.

Currently, only my husband eats meat in this house. I have started slowly incorporating fish back into my diet because of specific dietary needs in the current chapter of my life, but no meat for me yet. I do eat a local, organic, pasture-raised egg every morning and consume whole fat dairy (milk, cheese, yogurt, etc.), which is either local, grass-fed, and/or made from raw milk. I like staying as close to the natural source as possible. The less processing there is, the more nutrients my body gets from the foods I eat. Of course, serving high quality, local, organic, pasture-raised, grass-fed meat to my husband, my family, and my friends is very important to me. I am currently reading a book that talks about the amazing health benefits of eating real meat, real dairy, and real fats (more to come on that in another post).

My goal for 2013 is continue to transition to locally sourced produce, meats, and dairy. Tonight, I felt like I took another baby step in this direction. I am very excited about all of the CSA opportunities.

>> What are your food goals for 2013?
 

A Vegetarian Thanksgiving

If you have been reading my blog for some time, you might remember that last year, I decided on not eating turkey on Thanksgiving. After watching Food, Inc., I swore off industrial farming and went down the local path for meat. And then, I went vegetarian. This year, I enjoyed all of the delicious side dishes and did not miss the turkey at all. Here are the three vegetarian items that I prepared for the Thanksgiving meal with my husband's family.

Easy Cranberry Sauce
I absolutely love homemade cranberry sauce, more on the tart side. This recipe comes from Savory Sweet Life. I adapted it by using turbinado raw sugar instead of the brown sugar and honey instead of the white sugar.

Toasted Almond Butternut Squash Tart
This recipe from Whole Living magazine was a huge hit last year, so I made it again. I used an all-natural pre-made pie crust and rolled it out to an oval right on the Silpat liner. My favorite part is the toasted almond layer under the butternut squash.

 

Pumpkin Peanut Butter Cups
Kiersten from Oh My Veggies inspired me to make these scrumptious little pieces of heaven (recipe from Domestic Fits). Roasting a pie pumpkin was super easy. I might have used just a little too much of the organic, fair-trade semi-sweet dark chocolate I bought, but I decided that you can never have enough chocolate. The tip to filling the bottom of the cups is to put about half of a teaspoon of chocolate in the bottom. With the back of the spoon, move the chocolate to the edge, hold the spoon, and move the muffin cup around with your finger. (note: this photo is from a previous batch when I used regular sized muffin tins)

>> What are your favorite holiday side dishes and/or desserts? Bonus points if they are vegetarian!
  

Wordless Wednesday - Final Harvest

Besides the carrots, the rest of the harvest from the final clean-out of the garden was beets and herbs. Well, more like lots of beet greens and one little beet. The carrots were absolutely delicious! They reminded me of childhood visits to my grandma's sisters' farm.

  

Toxic Body Product Clean-Out [#CTWW]

I did a toxic product clean out over two years ago when I started down the path of all natural and organic body products. However, I still had a few items left. Not sure why I was still holding on to them because today, I would not touch them with a ten 10 foot pole! I spent about 3 hours cleaning out the cabinet under the bathroom vanity. The recycle bin was overflowing and the trash can was full. My cabinet was non-toxic and happy!

If you look closely at the photo, you can see some of the toxic body products I was still holding on to. I took the new, unused products to work for the other ladies in the office to take them if they wanted. I thought this would be better than throwing the new, unused products in the trash can. For the old and used products, I recycled what I could and threw the rest in the trash can. It broke my heart to fill the trash can, but I did not know what else to do with them.

>> How could I have safely disposed of these toxic body products?
  

Tropical Traditions FREE SHIPPING - Today Only

I wanted to share with my dear readers that today (Monday, November 12, 2012) Tropical Traditions is offer a discount up to 50% off on some items and FREE SHIPPING! Go to Tropical Traditions and click on "Current Sales at Tropical Traditions" to get the Free Shipping Coupon Code. I just placed my order!

I discovered Tropical Traditions when I won a giveaway for Tropical Traditions Gold Label Organic Coconut Oil. Ever since then, I have been hooked on their products. I wait for emails for discounts and free shipping and I stock up. If you haven't discovered coconut oil, I would highly recommend it. I have always cooked with extra virgin olive oil, but after reading a journal article that talked about olive oil become toxic when heated too high, I switched to cooking with coconut oil. Coconut oil is a great alternative because it can withstand high heat without becoming toxic and is so healthy for your body. (Although, I have to confess that my #1 use for coconut oil is moisturizer for my face and my body!)

If you order by clicking on any of my links and have never ordered from Tropical Traditions in the past, you will receive a free book on Virgin Coconut Oil, and I will receive a discount coupon for referring you.

Weekly Challenge: Eating Out of the Freezer - Day 7 [#CTWW]

The challenge for this week is to not buy food at the grocery store. You can read about this week's challenge here: Eating Out of the Freezer, Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, Day 5, and Day 6.

Day 7 (Sunday)

Breakfast
Fage Yogurt (fridge, bought last week) with the following:
   Organic trail mix (pantry, home made)
   Organic hemp seeds (fridge, previously bought)
   Organic rolled oats (pantry)

Snacks
Organic banana (fridge, bought last week)
Almonds (pantry)

Lunch
N/A - went to lunch with my parents

Snacks
Organic apple (fridge, bought last week)

Dinner
Creamy Avocado Pasta with the following:
   Pasta (home made by my dad)
   Organic peas (freezer)
   Organic lentils (left over from previous meal)
   Organic avocado (fridge, previously bought)
   Organic garlic (pantry, from CSA Farm)
   Extra Virgin Olive Oil (pantry)
   Organic lemon juice (fridge) - N/A since I bought the lemons today

Thoughts: Aside from my dad bringing his home made pasta and buying lemons today, I could have done this meals with what I had on hand. I have several bags of pasta in the pantry. I could have used pasta I already had, but my dad really wanted me to try his (first time) home made pasta tonight. I also could have made the creamy avocado sauce without the lemon juice. I do have lime juice in the fridge, but it probably would not taste the same. I still consider tonight's meal as successfully eating from the freezer, fridge, and/or pantry.

I found it quite interesting not being able to stop at the store to pick up an ingredient that I need. However, I am being more mindful of what I am buying and freezing. I like having items on hand in the freezer and pantry that can be made into a meal in case I cannot go to the grocery store. Although I know for the most part what I have on hand, making an inventory and keeping it up to date would help with meal planning in the future.

>> What tips do you have for eating out of the freezer and/or pantry?
  

Weekly Challenge: Eating Out of the Freezer - Day 6 [#CTWW]

The challenge for this week is to not buy food at the grocery store. You can read about this week's challenge here: Eating Out of the Freezer, Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, and Day 5.

Day 6 (Saturday)

Breakfast
Omelet, made with:
   Snowville Creamery grass-fed milk (fridge, new container bought last week)
   Organic fried egg (fridge, picked up from CSA farm last week)
   Organic cheddar cheese (fridge, previously bought)
   Organic bell peppers (left over from Thursday's dinner)
   Organic lentils (left over from Thursday's dinner)
Faye yogurt (fridge, bought last week)

Snacks
Organic banana (fridge, bought last week)
Trail mix (pantry)

Lunch
Bhindi Masala (left overs from last night's dinner out)

Snacks
Organic apple (fridge, bought last week)
Granola bar (home made)

Dinner
N/A - went to friend's birthday party

Thoughts: Apples are the only remaining fresh fruit. Carrots are the only fresh produce. I still have some milk, eggs, and yogurt left, but I do not think I would be able to pull of a complete dinner, unless we do breakfast for dinner. I still plan on coming up with something for Sunday night's dinner. I feel like pasta, frozen veggies, and pasta sauce are an easy meal, but I cannot serve that every day. Either way, this has been a great lesson for emergency preparedness to know what types of meals I can make from what I have on hand.

>> What tips do you have for eating out of the freezer and/or pantry?
  

Weekly Challenge: Eating Out of the Freezer - Day 5 [#CTWW]

The challenge for this week is to not buy food at the grocery store. You can read about this week's challenge here: Eating Out of the Freezer, Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, and Day 4.

Day 5 (Friday)

Breakfast
Snowville Creamery grass-fed milk (fridge, new container bought last week)
Organic fried egg with organic coconut oil (fridge, picked up from CSA farm last week)
Organic cheddar cheese (fridge, previously bought)
Organic Ezekiel bread (freezer, I usually freeze 1/2 of the bread)

Snacks
Organic pear (fridge, bought last week)
Granola bar (homemade)

Lunch
Enchilada (left over from last night)

Snacks
Organic apple (fridge, bought last week)
Organic Stonyfield yogurt (fridge, bought last week)

Dinner
Ate out

Thoughts: Today was easy since we went out with family to dinner. I am moving tonight's dinner to Sunday night so that I can complete all 5 weeknight dinners. I am sure I have something left I can through together. LOL

Aside from tonight's dinner and a birthday party we are attending tomorrow night, the rest of the breakfasts and lunches will be out of the freezer, fridge, and pantry. I will end this week's challenge with another post summarizing what I learned (and did not learn) during this week. Although the break from grocery shopping was very nice, I did miss going to Whole Foods. I kept trying to find a reason to go there, but kept telling myself to wait until my planned trip on Sunday.

>> What tips do you have for eating out of the freezer and/or pantry?
  

Weekly Challenge: Eating Out of the Freezer - Day 4 [#CTWW]

The challenge for this week is to not buy food at the grocery store. You can read about this week's challenge here: Eating Out of the Freezer, Day 1, Day 2, Day 3.

Day 4 (Thursday)

Breakfast
Snowville Creamery grass-fed milk (fridge, new container bought last week)
Organic fried egg with organic coconut oil (fridge, picked up from CSA farm last week)
Organic cheddar cheese (fridge, previously bought)
Organic Ezekiel bread (freezer, I usually freeze 1/2 of the bread)

Snacks
Organic banana (fridge, bought last week)
Almonds (freezer)
Organic coconut date roll (pantry, previously bought)

Lunch
Pasta with veggies (left over from last night)
Organic green figs (fridge, bought last week)

Snacks
Organic apple (fridge, bought last week)
Fage yogurt (fridge, bought last week)

Dinner
Enchiladas, made with:
   Organic bell peppers (freezer, from our CSA farm)
   Organic onion (left over from last week)
   Organic lentils (pantry, previously bought)
   Organic sour cream (fridge, left over from last week)
   Organic cheese (fridge)
   Organic salsa (pantry, previously bought)
   Sweet corn salad (pantry, canned by dad's friend)
   Organic whole wheat tortillas (freezer)

Thoughts: My original plan for tonight's dinner was some type of casserole. However, I was really struggling with what type of casserole to make. I was thinking something like Veggie Divan (a vegetarian take on Chicken Divan), but it did not sound appealing. I was really struggling all day trying to think of what to cook with the ingredients I had on hand. While driving home in traffic and listening to Classical music to relax, vegetarian enchiladas popped into my mind (thank you Tchaikovsky). I remembered that I had a package of frozen tortillas. A cup of peppers, some onion, sour cream, cheese, and salad and I have enchiladas. They were delicious!

My advice is to think of what you have on hand and get creative. Take a previous meal or meal idea and see how you can recreate it. If all else fails, just type your ingredients into Google and see what recipes come up.

>> What tips do you have for eating out of the freezer and/or pantry?
  

Weekly Challenge: Eating Out of the Freezer - Day 3 [#CTWW]

The challenge for this week is to not buy food at the grocery store. You can read about this week's challenge here: Eating Out of the Freezer, Day 1, Day 2.

Day 3 (Wednesday)

Breakfast
Snowville Creamery grass-fed milk (fridge, new container bought last week)
Organic fried egg with organic coconut oil (fridge, picked up from CSA farm last week)
Organic cheddar cheese (fridge, previously bought)
Organic Ezekiel bread (freezer, I usually freeze 1/2 of the bread)

Snacks
Mostly organic granola bar (pantry, home made)

Lunch
Organic pear (fridge, bought last week)
Pizza (homemade, left over from last night)

Snacks
Organic apple (fridge, bought last week)
Stonyfield organic yogurt (fridge, case of yogurt bought last week)

Dinner
Pasta with veggies and salami, including:
   Organic whole wheat pasta (pantry)
   Eggplant (freezer, left overs previously frozen, home grown)
   Roasted peppers (freezer, left overs previously frozen)
   Kale (freezer, previously frozen fresh)
   Organic balsamic vinegar (pantry)
   Uncured Sopresata salami (pantry, previously bought)
   Whole grain bread (freezer, previously bought)

Thoughts: Breakfasts and snacks have been pretty easy because they are standard for us. For lunch, we are eating left overs from the night before (another standard practice in our household). Dinners are proving to be the most challenging meal. I was thinking that if I just buy tons of meat/fish and freeze it, I could do this challenge all the time. However, my freezer would be stuffed full (of meat) and nothing else. Then again, I do not eat meat, so maybe 50% meat, 50% veggies. LOL

I decided to do the challenge through Saturday since I will be going to the grocery store on Sunday. Saturday night, we are going to a birthday party, so that meal is out. I am left to plan meals for two more nights, and breakfast and lunch on Saturday. I am not going to cook with any more meat, so it will be vegetarian from now on. I do not think that my husband would like to eat pasta with veggies for two more nights, so I might have to bake some type of casserole. I have some sour cream and milk left over from last week. Surely I can come up with something!

>> What tips do you have for eating out of the freezer and/or pantry?
  

Weekly Challenge: Eating Out of the Freezer - Day 2 [#CTWW]

The challenge for this week is to not buy food at the grocery store. You can read about this week's challenge here: Eating Out of the Freezer, Day 1.

Day 2 (Tuesday)

Breakfast
Snowville Creamery grass-fed milk (fridge, new container bought last week)
Organic fried egg with organic coconut oil (fridge, picked up from CSA farm last week)
Organic Ezekiel bread (freezer, I usually freeze 1/2 of the bread)

Snacks
Honey (pantry, local)
Organic pear (fridge, bought last week)
Almonds (freezer)

Lunch
Sauteed fermented cabbage (left-over from last night, previously fermented with my dad)
Organic quinoa with dried herbs (left-over from last night)
Coconut date roll (pantry)

Snacks
Stonyfield organic yogurt (fridge, case of yogurt bought last week)
Organic banana (fridge, bought last week)
Organic apple (fridge, bought last week)

Dinner
Pizza, made with:
   Trader Joe's pizza dough (freezer)
   Organic chicken, left-over from Monday's meal
   Za'atar seasoning (pantry)
   Organic onion (fridge, left over from last week's meal)
   Organic tomato (grown in our garden)
   Organic Serrano peppers (grown in our garden)
   Organic cheddar cheese (fridge, previously bought)

Thoughts: The second day was not too bad. Now the challenging part comes. In terms of vegetarian eating (me), I have enough grains/rices, frozen veggies, and cheese to make some good meals. The challenge really begins with cooking meals with meat (for my husband).

The two remaining meat items in the freezer are a whole chicken (you can see it in the photo above, top middle) and bacon. Defrosting the chicken will take at least 2 days and I am saving it for a big meal with our friends. I usually have bacon on hand for some rare reason that I need or we have guests for weekend breakfast. I buy bacon very rarely, so I do not see myself cooking with the bacon just because I want to create a meal with meat (my husband will just have to eat one or two vegetarian meals this week).

I did discover uncured sopresata salami in the pantry (and it is nearing expiration), so I will look up some recipes tomorrow. I am thinking pasta with veggies and chunks of sopresata. (Yea, my husband was not really sold on this idea either, but I promised him I would find a delicious recipe.)

>> What tips do you have for eating out of the freezer and/or pantry?
  

Weekly Challenge: Eating Out of the Freezer - Day 1 [#CTWW]

The challenge for this week is to not buy food at the grocery store. You can read about this week's challenge here: Eating Out of the Freezer.

Day 1 (Monday)

Breakfast
Snowville Creamery grass-fed milk (fridge, new container bought last week)
Organic fried egg with organic coconut oil (fridge, picked up from CSA farm last week)
Organic Ezekiel bread (freezer, I usually freeze 1/2 of the bread)

Snacks
Organic banana (fridge, bought last week)
Mostly organic granola bar (pantry, home made)

Lunch
Organic oatmeal (pantry)
Organic fresh green figs (fridge, bought last week)
Almonds (freezer)

Snacks
Stonyfield organic yogurt (fridge, case of yogurt bought last week)
Organic banana (fridge, bought last week)

Dinner
Organic chicken, baked (freezer)
Sauteed fermented cabbage (fridge, previously fermented with my dad)
Organic quinoa with dried herbs (pantry)

Thoughts: So far, so good, but I am only one day in. I am grateful that I bought extra bananas and apples last week, a new container of milk, a case of yogurt on sale (Whole Foods gives a discount on cases), and had my husband pick up a dozen eggs from the CSA farm. When these items were purchased/picked up, I was not planning on not grocery shopping this week. However, because I have these items on hand, this week's breakfasts, lunches, and snacks will be easier to put together.

>> What tips do you have for eating out of the freezer and/or pantry?
  

Weekly Challenge: Eating Out of the Freezer [#CTWW]

I am NOT going to the grocery store this week. WHAT?!?!? Can I really go a week without grocery shopping?!?!? Yes, I can! I decided that I am going to eat out of the freezer, fridge, and pantry this week. My freezer and my pantry are full. I buy stuff when it is on sale and "store for later." Then, I do not really go through it and some of it is nearing expiration/best buy dates. Plus, I thought it would be kind of fun to see what kinds of meals I can come up with. I remember there was a Change the World Wednesday challenge just like this, so I will have to read up on the participants' experiences.

The challenge for this week is to not buy food at the grocery store. I am stocked up on dairy products and fruits, so I should be able to last this week with no additional produce. My freezer is also full of frozen veggies, from the store and from our SCA farm. Yes, this is going to take more planning ahead of time, but not too much.

I have the next couple of dinners planned out below based on what is in the freezer and fridge. I also want to incorporate pantry items like grains, beans, and pasta sauces into some of the meals this week.

Monday's Menu:
Organic chicken, grilled or baked depending on weather (frozen)
Cabbage, sauteed, from CSA farm (previously blanched and frozen)
Quinoa (pantry)

Tuesday's Menu:
Pizza made with Trader Joe's pizza dough (frozen), chicken from Monday's dinner, onion left over from last Thursday's dinner, peppers from SCA farm (frozen), oven made sun-dried tomatoes from SCA farm (frozen), and chives from our garden (frozen).

>> What tips do you have for eating out of the freezer and/or pantry?
  

Squeaky Clean Revolution with Green Mission Wipes

One of the hardest transitions to green living has been replacing cleaning products with ones that are non-toxic and actually work. After trying a few different brands of natural and eco-friendly cleaners, I was not very impressed. Now that I have tried a few more brands, I do have some favorites. I usually try new brands whenever they go on sale at Whole Foods. One of my favorite Whole Foods cleaning products is the automatic dishwashing powder. This is no wonder that I wanted to learn about the Green Mission brand from Whole Foods. Not only does Whole Foods disclose the ingredient list on Green Mission products, but the wipes work pretty well! Let me tell you about the Surface Cleaning Wipes in Minty Fresh.

Green Mission Surface Cleaning Wipes         

Rating: total green check marks out of 5.

The Good	The Not So Good
No chlorine, phosphates, or petrochemicals	Does not clean really greasy surfaces well
Multi-surface use (except unfinished wood)	Not biodegradable/compostable
Full ingredient disclosure

Let's start of with the ingredients list for Green Mission Surface Cleaning Wipes: filtered water, organic citric acid, organic acetic acid, mentha piperita oil (peppermint essential oil), malic acid, organic glycerin, organic soybeal oil. I love that a cleaning product actually has some organic ingredients. This is important if you are worried about the types of products that touch you hands since most of us probably use our bare hands for quick kitchen cleanups. I like that the ingredients list is disclosed and that the product does not contain chrlorine, phosphates, or petrochemicals.

I used the first wipe on my glass top range. The range was disgusting. Oil, pasta sauce, and food particles crusted to the top; I started wiping. The cleaning wipe did not fall apart and had some scrubbing power to get the pasta sauce off. The food particles also came off pretty well. I was able to get about 60% of the oil off. Maybe if I used a second wipe, I could have removed more of the oil. I moved onto the granite counter top, which was lightly soiled. The wipe worked well to get it squeaky clean.T he size of the wipes was just right. I like that the wipes were not too dry, but also were not dripping all over the place.

Overall, Green Mission Surface Cleaning Wipes in Minty Fresh took care of light to medium soiled surfaces. If you have not cleaned for a long time (aka, lots of food crusted to your surface) or if you have a really greasy mess on your hands, you would have to use multiple wipes or switch to another product. I would also love to see an improvement of biodegradable and/or compostable wipes. That would make the product truly green in my book!

How do Green Mission Surface Cleaning Wipes rate? (EWG's Cleaning Products Guide)

Disclosure: I received the sample from the company in order to facilitate my review. No other compensation was received. I am under no pressure to return the product to the company or to write this review. This product review is based on my personal experiences. This review is objective and completely honest.