Encourage activity and movement with the Gorilla Gym! This hanging "gym" can be used in many different ways inside the home. Enter below for a chance to win!
Prize:
ARV $160
Showing posts with label inside activities. Show all posts
Showing posts with label inside activities. Show all posts
Friday, November 27, 2015
Wednesday, March 25, 2015
LED Headlamp For Handsfree Lighting [Review]
One of my goals for 2015 is to build emergency preparedness supplies and a short term food storage. Although we live in the part of the country that does not experience too many natural disaster, we never know what will happen. Weather patterns change. Electricity can go out at any point in time. Or maybe we just need to have some basic tools on hand. Flashlights are great for providing portable hand-held electric light, but sometimes you need hands-free lighting. Aennon multi-function LED headlamp is perfect for everyday practical purposes and also provides safety and security hands-free!
Aennon multi-function LED headlamp is a necessary tool for any tool kit and emergency kit. At such as affordable price ($17.95), the ability to use it for so many different purposes is well worth the investment. The headlamp can be used indoors and outdoors. It has a strap that wraps around the head and one that goes over the top of the head for a secure fit; no bobbing around. The headband is easy to adjust. The headlamp has one button on it to control the 4 light modes (2 LED, 4 LED, 8 LED, 2 Red LED) and tilts 90 degrees to adjust where the light shines.
I love that the headlamp has so many different uses, from using while doing house maintenance and projects, to running/walking outside in the dark, to emergency. I also really like the ability to turn on how many lights you really need. If I want to check on my sleeping toddler, I can use 2 LEDs or the Red LED.
Usage: I used the head lamp while cleaning out a deep, dark laundry room closet. Since the shelves are very deep, I needed more light to see what boxes and items were in the back. I adjusted the headlamp to fit my head and went about my cleaning. I used the full 8 LED lights and found the brightness to be plenty for what I needed to see.
Results: The headlamp fit snug around my head. I like that the lamp itself is mostly in the front so that I avoid hitting it on the shelf as I reach toward the back of the shelf. I had no issues with the head lamp bobbing around. Less LEDs would have completely sufficed for seeing in the back of the dark closet.
The hands-free head lamp can also be used during exercise, like running or biking in the dark. While I could see myself using the head lamp if I took a bike ride in the dark, I probably would not use it while running. The fit of the straps can be tightened, but I fear that the lamp would start to shift during the repetitive up and down motion. I did find that while walking around the house, the head lamp stayed on without budgeting.
Aennon hands-free LED headlamp is a great addition to your toolbox or emergency kit. It's lightweight and compact. I would recommend this product.
Multi-Function LED Headlamp 
Rating: total green check marks out of 5.
Rating: total green check marks out of 5.
The Good
|
The Not So Good
|
4 light modes, including red LED light
| |
Portable and lightweight
| |
Headlamp body tilts
| |
I love that the headlamp has so many different uses, from using while doing house maintenance and projects, to running/walking outside in the dark, to emergency. I also really like the ability to turn on how many lights you really need. If I want to check on my sleeping toddler, I can use 2 LEDs or the Red LED.
Usage: I used the head lamp while cleaning out a deep, dark laundry room closet. Since the shelves are very deep, I needed more light to see what boxes and items were in the back. I adjusted the headlamp to fit my head and went about my cleaning. I used the full 8 LED lights and found the brightness to be plenty for what I needed to see.
Results: The headlamp fit snug around my head. I like that the lamp itself is mostly in the front so that I avoid hitting it on the shelf as I reach toward the back of the shelf. I had no issues with the head lamp bobbing around. Less LEDs would have completely sufficed for seeing in the back of the dark closet.
The hands-free head lamp can also be used during exercise, like running or biking in the dark. While I could see myself using the head lamp if I took a bike ride in the dark, I probably would not use it while running. The fit of the straps can be tightened, but I fear that the lamp would start to shift during the repetitive up and down motion. I did find that while walking around the house, the head lamp stayed on without budgeting.
Aennon hands-free LED headlamp is a great addition to your toolbox or emergency kit. It's lightweight and compact. I would recommend this product.
Disclosure: I received the product to facilitate this review. No other compensation was received. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.
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Tuesday, March 18, 2014
Beyond the Seam $50 GC [Giveaway]
Welcome to the Beyond the Seam Giveaway!
Hosted By: Mami's 3 Little Monkeys
Sponsored By: Beyond the Seam
One lucky reader will win a $50 GC to Beyond the Seam!
I am in love with the collection of handmade magnetic fabric alphabets and math sets that are bright and colorful. The perfect sensory toys for your babies, toddlers, and kids. Beyond the Seam also creates other fun toys for any child. If you would like to learn more about Beyond the Seam, read Mami's 3 Little Monkeys' review.
Discount Code
Use code 3LITTLEMONKEYS to receive FREE SHIPPING on your order from Beyond the Seam!
Giveaway!
Simply complete entries through the Giveaway Tools entry form below for your chance to win, the more entries you complete, the better your odds of winning will be. Giveaway is open Worldwide (void where prohibited) to those whom are at least 18 years of age and it will end on April 1st at 11:59pm CST. One winner will be chosen at random through the Giveaway Tools entry form, winners entries will be verified and winner will be notified via email. Winner will have 48 hours in which to respond or a new winner will be chosen.
Disclosure: All Natural Katie and all other participating bloggers are not responsible for the fulfillment of the prize, nor have they been compensated for this publication. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Sarh at mamis3littlemonkeys@yahoo.com
Tuesday, December 3, 2013
A Vegetarian Thanksgiving 2013
I have upheld my tradition of a vegetarian Thanksgiving meal! You can read about my first vegetarian Thanksgiving and the vegetarian Thanksgiving recipes I made last year. This year's vegetarian Thanksgiving recipes included an Easy Cranberry Sauce, a smooth and fluffy Carrot Souffle (inspired by The Fresh Market), and Pumpkin Spice Scones (recipe to come).
My vegetarian Thanksgiving plate: roll, broccoli casserole, stuffing, Easy Cranberry Sauce, green beans, and Carrot Souffle.
>> What was your favorite dish at Thanksgiving??
My vegetarian Thanksgiving plate: roll, broccoli casserole, stuffing, Easy Cranberry Sauce, green beans, and Carrot Souffle.
The smooth and fluffy Carrot Souffle (before it settled)
Pumpkin Spice Scones
>> What was your favorite dish at Thanksgiving??
Tuesday, December 25, 2012
Eco-Friendly Guide to 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:
- Spend time in the kitchen while food is being prepared to see the ingredients used.
- Compliment a dish and ask what ingredients were used in it to decide whether to eat it or not.
- Read the ingredients list on anything that is put out in a bag/package/container.
- Bring my own organic, natural snacks and organic, grass-fed dairy items.
- 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?
Saturday, December 22, 2012
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?
>> What are some of your eco-friendly tips for reducing impact on the environment?
Sunday, December 2, 2012
Greener, Cleaner, Non-Toxic Laundry with Soap Nuts [Review]
(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.
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Thursday, November 22, 2012
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!
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.
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!
Sunday, November 4, 2012
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?
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?
Saturday, November 3, 2012
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?
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?
Friday, November 2, 2012
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?
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?
Thursday, November 1, 2012
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?
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?
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
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?
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?
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
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?
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?
Monday, October 29, 2012
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?
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?
Sunday, October 28, 2012
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?
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?
Friday, September 28, 2012
From Farm to Jar [Canning]
I completed my second canning endeavor. The first time I canned (last year), I canned one jar using the water bath canning method. It is not recommended to can only one jar (you should have the recommended minimum number of jars in the water bath to safely can). This time, I had a bigger and better pot and more produce to can. As you read in my post on Final Thoughts About This Year's CSA, I had almost a full bag of peppers. Since the majority of the peppers were hot peppers (chili, banana, jalapeno), I decided to can those instead of freezing them since my freezer is already stuffed full.
My initial plan was to water bath can with the EcoZoom Zoom Versa Stove, but the rain prompted for Plan B. Plan B included canning inside on the glass top electric range with a porcelain enameled pot. The pot I used had a flat bottom and did not exceed more than 1 inch in diameter over the burner area. The water took about 30 minutes to come to 180 degrees, which is what is required for what I was canning. I placed the jars inside and waited for the water to come to a rolling boil, which only took about 10 more minutes. I had no issues canning on the glass top electrical range with a flat bottom porcelain enameled pot using the water bath canning method.
The prep work took a little bit of time. I chopped the chili peppers and put them in the smaller jars. The banana and jalapenos went into the big jars as whole peppers. I did stuff one jar prior to cleaning to figure out how many peppers would fit. For quart jars, I estimated about 26 jalapeno peppers. I want to say it was around the same number for the banana peppers.
Recipe used for hot peppers: http://www.simplycanning.com/pickled-peppers-rings.html
Recipe to try next time: http://www.simplycanning.com/pickled-green-tomatoes.html
Water bath canning method: http://www.simplycanning.com/water-bath-canning.html
There are many great resources for canning available through the Ball Blue Canning Books as well as online resources. Do your research before your start canning so that you can safely can and safely enjoy your efforts for years to come.
>> Did you can anything this year??
My initial plan was to water bath can with the EcoZoom Zoom Versa Stove, but the rain prompted for Plan B. Plan B included canning inside on the glass top electric range with a porcelain enameled pot. The pot I used had a flat bottom and did not exceed more than 1 inch in diameter over the burner area. The water took about 30 minutes to come to 180 degrees, which is what is required for what I was canning. I placed the jars inside and waited for the water to come to a rolling boil, which only took about 10 more minutes. I had no issues canning on the glass top electrical range with a flat bottom porcelain enameled pot using the water bath canning method.
The prep work took a little bit of time. I chopped the chili peppers and put them in the smaller jars. The banana and jalapenos went into the big jars as whole peppers. I did stuff one jar prior to cleaning to figure out how many peppers would fit. For quart jars, I estimated about 26 jalapeno peppers. I want to say it was around the same number for the banana peppers.
Recipe used for hot peppers: http://www.simplycanning.com/pickled-peppers-rings.html
Recipe to try next time: http://www.simplycanning.com/pickled-green-tomatoes.html
Water bath canning method: http://www.simplycanning.com/water-bath-canning.html
There are many great resources for canning available through the Ball Blue Canning Books as well as online resources. Do your research before your start canning so that you can safely can and safely enjoy your efforts for years to come.
>> Did you can anything this year??
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Eco-Friendly Workout or Not?
As I am working out in 87 degree weather (no fans, no breeze, no water with me), I start to think about the convenience, but also the environmental impact, of air conditioning. Yes, I love being able to go into a cool gym to work out. The air conditioning gives just a little motivation to work out. Would you want to work out if it was 87 degrees? I think not! However, cooling a huge facility also has tremendous impact on the environment.
As I finished powering through the 30 minute workout, I was a little bit glad that the air conditioning was out. I was not using any electricity to power air conditioning. Despite the feeling that I was going to pass out, I was glad to had this small win for the environment.
Disclaimer: I am not promoting working out inside a gym that it is 87 degrees. If you find yourself in a similar situation and you decide to continue with your workout, please drink lots and lots of water.
Saturday, May 12, 2012
I Found My Library Card!
I was looking for paper to write a Thank You note and I found my library card! I do not know why I am so excited about finding my library card. The last time I used the library was in middle school, in a different state. I recall several years ago, I ordered the library card online. The card arrived in the mail, but I have never used it. I am sure that the library has tons of books on eco-friendly and green living, so I will have to pay a visit this summer.The library is an eco-friendly, reusable, and frugal resource. When you are finished reading a book, you return it to the library, and let someone else read the book. Using the library is free! Additionally, you are saving the cost of the book and reducing clutter in your home. You will also help to reduce the amount of paper needed to create new books. Public libraries are a great way for your family to live an eco-friendly lifestyle.
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
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