Tuesday, October 21, 2014
The Semi Clean Pantry: Natural Ways to Scent Your Home
The Semi Clean Pantry: Natural Ways to Scent Your Home: I love fall. I love the colors, I love the smells, I love everything pumpkin....I love it all! And one of my most favorite things is that I ...
Natural Ways to Scent Your Home
I love fall. I love the colors, I love the smells, I love everything pumpkin....I love it all! And one of my most favorite things is that I finally get to bring back the apple, cranberry, cinnamon, pumpkin scents in my home. Mmmm.
In the years past, bringing those spectacular falls scents into my house typically involved a plug in air freshener from a large chain store, that had interchangeable refills. I would have one or two of these things going in my house almost all the time. Never did I think to check what's actually in them, and it never occurred to me that it could be bad for us and our pets.
Well, the truth is, those air fresheners can be nasty little things, along with most plug-in air fresheners, sprays, etc. Most of these contain phthalates which are hazardous chemicals that can cause a variety of health issues. Definitely not something that you want floating around your home.
Here are some natural, safe, and effective alternatives to make your home smell absolutely amazing!
1. Essential Oil Diffusers
I actually purchased my very first oil diffuser a few weeks ago. I had previously purchased one that plugged into an outlet and had a pad that you applied oil to, and when it heated it was supposed to emit the scent. Well that didn't work so well.
So, I ordered myself an actual diffuser. Now, there are practically billions of different diffusers to choose from out there. Do a little research, determine the size of the space you want to use it in, and find the best product for you. Typically, you just add a little water, and a few drops of your favorite oil. Within seconds there is a yummy smelling vapor pouring out and it will run for hours.
I made sure to get one that has an automatic shut off, just to be extra safe.
2. Simmer Fruits, Spices & Herbs
I can vouch for this firsthand! Each year for Thanksgiving, I make my homemade cranberry sauce. Throughout the process I'm simmering cranberries, oranges, cinnamon, and cloves and let me telllllll you, the house smells absolutely incredible while this magic is going on!
To do this yourself, add some cut fruit into boiling water: you can use oranges, grapefruit, lemons, cranberries, etc. Then, add some spices like cloves, cinnamon sticks, nutmeg, ginger or even vanilla bean and simmer on your stove. You can simmer this same mixture on and off for a few days, then toss it and start over. The best thing about this, is that you can even use scraps like orange peels or fruit that's gone a little bit south on you.
3. Warm Essential Oils, Extracts, or Wax on an Oil Burner
There are a few ways you can go about this one. There are oil burners that have a tea light or candle for warming, and there are those that are electric and use a lightbulb. Of course, be careful using either one of these and they will become hot.
When using an oil burner with essential oils, you'll need to refill it often as the oils & water will evaporate. Just add a little water with a few drops of oil, and start the warmer. Some people have also said vanilla extract works wonderfully.
You can also use unscented wax and add your own scents, and use in a wax warmer.
4. Make a Homemade Reed Diffuser
As I'm sure you know, a lot of stores offer reed diffusers in decorative vases, and some even with fancy flowers and things sticking in with the reeds. These can sell for a pretty penny at times, and you can't be totally sure what's actually in them.
Instead, get yourself a small vase or decorative pot of the likes, some reed diffuser sticks, distilled water, and essential oils and make your own!
5. Make Your Own Essential Oil Air Freshener
Fill a spray bottle about half way with distilled water. Then, add some of your favorite essential oils and shake well. Use this as an air freshener in your bathroom, laundry room, etc. I would avoid wood surfaces and be careful with some materials as well to avoid staining.
6. Make a Homemade Gel Room Freshener
Here is a great link on making your own gel room fresheners with essential oils: http://homespunwithlove.blogspot.com/2012/05/homemade-gel-home-air-fresheners.html
I can't wait to make my own reed diffusers! Which one will you try?
In the years past, bringing those spectacular falls scents into my house typically involved a plug in air freshener from a large chain store, that had interchangeable refills. I would have one or two of these things going in my house almost all the time. Never did I think to check what's actually in them, and it never occurred to me that it could be bad for us and our pets.
Well, the truth is, those air fresheners can be nasty little things, along with most plug-in air fresheners, sprays, etc. Most of these contain phthalates which are hazardous chemicals that can cause a variety of health issues. Definitely not something that you want floating around your home.
Here are some natural, safe, and effective alternatives to make your home smell absolutely amazing!
1. Essential Oil Diffusers
I actually purchased my very first oil diffuser a few weeks ago. I had previously purchased one that plugged into an outlet and had a pad that you applied oil to, and when it heated it was supposed to emit the scent. Well that didn't work so well.
So, I ordered myself an actual diffuser. Now, there are practically billions of different diffusers to choose from out there. Do a little research, determine the size of the space you want to use it in, and find the best product for you. Typically, you just add a little water, and a few drops of your favorite oil. Within seconds there is a yummy smelling vapor pouring out and it will run for hours.
I made sure to get one that has an automatic shut off, just to be extra safe.
2. Simmer Fruits, Spices & Herbs
I can vouch for this firsthand! Each year for Thanksgiving, I make my homemade cranberry sauce. Throughout the process I'm simmering cranberries, oranges, cinnamon, and cloves and let me telllllll you, the house smells absolutely incredible while this magic is going on!
To do this yourself, add some cut fruit into boiling water: you can use oranges, grapefruit, lemons, cranberries, etc. Then, add some spices like cloves, cinnamon sticks, nutmeg, ginger or even vanilla bean and simmer on your stove. You can simmer this same mixture on and off for a few days, then toss it and start over. The best thing about this, is that you can even use scraps like orange peels or fruit that's gone a little bit south on you.
3. Warm Essential Oils, Extracts, or Wax on an Oil Burner
There are a few ways you can go about this one. There are oil burners that have a tea light or candle for warming, and there are those that are electric and use a lightbulb. Of course, be careful using either one of these and they will become hot.
When using an oil burner with essential oils, you'll need to refill it often as the oils & water will evaporate. Just add a little water with a few drops of oil, and start the warmer. Some people have also said vanilla extract works wonderfully.
You can also use unscented wax and add your own scents, and use in a wax warmer.
4. Make a Homemade Reed Diffuser
As I'm sure you know, a lot of stores offer reed diffusers in decorative vases, and some even with fancy flowers and things sticking in with the reeds. These can sell for a pretty penny at times, and you can't be totally sure what's actually in them.
Instead, get yourself a small vase or decorative pot of the likes, some reed diffuser sticks, distilled water, and essential oils and make your own!
5. Make Your Own Essential Oil Air Freshener
Fill a spray bottle about half way with distilled water. Then, add some of your favorite essential oils and shake well. Use this as an air freshener in your bathroom, laundry room, etc. I would avoid wood surfaces and be careful with some materials as well to avoid staining.
6. Make a Homemade Gel Room Freshener
Here is a great link on making your own gel room fresheners with essential oils: http://homespunwithlove.blogspot.com/2012/05/homemade-gel-home-air-fresheners.html
I can't wait to make my own reed diffusers! Which one will you try?
Monday, July 14, 2014
The Semi Clean Pantry: 5 Ways to a Healthy Summer
The Semi Clean Pantry: 5 Ways to a Healthy Summer: It's summer time. The weather is gorgeous, the kids are home from school, and your schedule seems to become fuller and fuller by the wee...
5 Ways to a Healthy Summer
It's summer time. The weather is gorgeous, the kids are home from school, and your schedule seems to become fuller and fuller by the week. Between traveling, vacations, yard work, summer projects, bbq's, concerts, events, gardening, parties, and other summer events, it can get pretty hectic!
Here are 5 major ways to work on improving your health this summer with EASY steps:
1.) PREPARATION: Do you realize what else can happen in that busy schedule? Your diet can tank. Miserably. Being on the go all the time opens a huge door to making poor eating choices and, well, slacking in the health department. Especially at parties, bbq's and other functions. Hey, I'm not judging, it's happening to me too! By the time I'm done with work I'm running here and there, making dinner, tending to the garden and the flowers, and next thing I know it's 10 pm. Sure, not every day is like that, but I know that if I were to just carve out an hour or two a week, I could really improve our menu and food choices for the week.
Solution~ Plan your weekly meals out ahead of time, before going to the grocery store. This way, you'll be less likely to make quick stops there after work, when you're hungry and grabbing everything in site. (Like the taco dip that sits shamefully half eaten in my fridge right now). Ideally, do all of your grocery shopping on the same day each week (I go on Sundays). When you get home with your groceries, wash, cut and prep all of your fruits and veggies before putting them away. Portioning out snacks into containers or bags ahead of time makes them that much more available, and increases your likelihood of grabbing a quick bag of carrots instead of those naughty chips. Take this time to prepare any lunches that can be made ahead of time too, like healthy snacks & homemade goodies, salads, and quick breakfast options. **My favorite quick breakfast are "egg muffins": Scramble 10 eggs, add a little milk and baking powder, as well as salt & pepper. Fill a each slot of a muffin tin about 2/3 full. Add diced veggies, ham, cheese, etc, and bake at 350 until done. So quick, so easy, and SO good!**
2.) SLEEP: Speaking of being on the go all the time, another way we can sabotage ourselves is with a lack of sleep. Sometimes when we're always running around we end up not having any time to ourselves until the end of the day, which is sometimes late at night. Or maybe you're not even getting home until late. When I work in the garden during the week after work, I'm usually not home anytime before 8:30 pm or later and still have to come up with something for dinner. By the time we're done with that, plus cleaning up the kitchen, and the rest of the daily tasks, it's typically after 10:00 and I still need to unwind. Sleep is so crucial in so many aspects of our health, and can have a domino type effect on lots of different health issues.
Solution~ Did you know that each hour of sleep you get before midnight, is the equivalent to two hours of sleep after midnight? Of course you've always heard it, but try to get at least 8 hours of sleep each and every night. Even if it's not possible to actually fall asleep by that 8 hour deadline, try to be in your bed and relaxing by that time. If you have trouble falling asleep quickly, try natural teas, pink noise on your phone, or lavender essential oil on your pillow case.
3.) ELIMINATE TOXINS: Until recently, I failed to realize just how many products we put on our bodies on a regular basis, let alone during the summer months. Sunscreen, tanning lotion, and bug spray can all be major, major sources of toxic chemicals that can be absorbed by our skin.
Solution~ Check out the EWG's safe sunscreen guide to look up your go-to sunscreen. You may be surprised at what's in it. Oxybenzone is a majorly used chemical in sunscreens that can cause estrogen related problems, allergic reactions, or skin disorders. Retinyl palmitate and super high SPF's are another thing to watch out for. The EWG also has a list of the best and safest sunscreens you can use, or check out recipes like this for homemade sunscreen.
When it comes to repelling bugs, avoid DEET products at all costs, and try making your own bug sprays, buy pre-made sprays from trusted natural sources, or use essential oils. I tried my hand at my own spray for our last camping trip and though it wasn't 100% effective at keeping them off me completely, it definitely helped. I used witch hazel (available at most pharmacies) combined with about 10-15 drops each of Citronella, Lavender, Eucalyptus, and Peppermint essential oils. Plus I smelled great all night!
4.) EAT HEALHTY: Summer is prime time for fruits and veggies. If you're not growing your own, local farmers markets are starting to over flow with fresh, locally grown produce. This is the perfect time to start incorporating more fruits and veggies into your daily routine! Snag some lettuce and cucumbers for a fresh salad, grab strawberries & raspberries for a sweet snack or smoothie, and try things like broccoli, cauliflower and beans in all different ways for dinner. Farmers markets are also a great place to try something new, as many vendors will provide samples of their products.
My absolute favorite way to incorporate veggies into our dinners is by grilling them. I'm telling ya, there is nothing quite like grilled zucchini, yellow squash, broccoli and carrots with a little grape seed oil, garlic, and pink Himalayan salt! Try grilling your veggies this way from time to time to change things up, or even try grilling your fruit like pineapple or peaches! Smoothies are another great summer snack, or should I say treat? Blend up your favorite fruits with some spinach, kale or even cucumbers or avocado. You can add flavored greek yogurt or honey to sweeten things up a little.
5.) DETOX: Being outside most of the time, sometimes even barefoot, means you're going to be absorbing a higher level of toxins from the air, chlorinated pools, or the ground you walk on. Naturally sweating out the toxins helps to rid a lot of it, as well as drinking plenty of water, and drinking warm lemon water each morning. Another method to try that's really quite awesome, is an Epsom salt bath or foot soak. Epsom salts naturally help to draw toxins through a reverse osmosis process, while nourishing the body with magnesium. This helps to flush toxins from the body, reduces inflammation, and improves blood flow and oxygenation.
Solution~ Draw your bath and add 1 1/2 - 2 cups of Epsom salt. Soak in the salt water for at least 40 minutes, do not use soap.
For a foot soak, fill your tub or container of your choice with warm water, then add 1/2 cup of Epsom Salt. Soak for a minimum of 20 minutes, longer if you can. The foot soak will help to relieve those tired foot muscles, removes toxins from your feet, and helps to soften dry, hard skin. I'll gently scrub with a wash cloth, then apply coconut oil once they dry and put on a fresh pair of socks for a while. There's nothing better!
Here are 5 major ways to work on improving your health this summer with EASY steps:
1.) PREPARATION: Do you realize what else can happen in that busy schedule? Your diet can tank. Miserably. Being on the go all the time opens a huge door to making poor eating choices and, well, slacking in the health department. Especially at parties, bbq's and other functions. Hey, I'm not judging, it's happening to me too! By the time I'm done with work I'm running here and there, making dinner, tending to the garden and the flowers, and next thing I know it's 10 pm. Sure, not every day is like that, but I know that if I were to just carve out an hour or two a week, I could really improve our menu and food choices for the week.
Solution~ Plan your weekly meals out ahead of time, before going to the grocery store. This way, you'll be less likely to make quick stops there after work, when you're hungry and grabbing everything in site. (Like the taco dip that sits shamefully half eaten in my fridge right now). Ideally, do all of your grocery shopping on the same day each week (I go on Sundays). When you get home with your groceries, wash, cut and prep all of your fruits and veggies before putting them away. Portioning out snacks into containers or bags ahead of time makes them that much more available, and increases your likelihood of grabbing a quick bag of carrots instead of those naughty chips. Take this time to prepare any lunches that can be made ahead of time too, like healthy snacks & homemade goodies, salads, and quick breakfast options. **My favorite quick breakfast are "egg muffins": Scramble 10 eggs, add a little milk and baking powder, as well as salt & pepper. Fill a each slot of a muffin tin about 2/3 full. Add diced veggies, ham, cheese, etc, and bake at 350 until done. So quick, so easy, and SO good!**
2.) SLEEP: Speaking of being on the go all the time, another way we can sabotage ourselves is with a lack of sleep. Sometimes when we're always running around we end up not having any time to ourselves until the end of the day, which is sometimes late at night. Or maybe you're not even getting home until late. When I work in the garden during the week after work, I'm usually not home anytime before 8:30 pm or later and still have to come up with something for dinner. By the time we're done with that, plus cleaning up the kitchen, and the rest of the daily tasks, it's typically after 10:00 and I still need to unwind. Sleep is so crucial in so many aspects of our health, and can have a domino type effect on lots of different health issues.
Solution~ Did you know that each hour of sleep you get before midnight, is the equivalent to two hours of sleep after midnight? Of course you've always heard it, but try to get at least 8 hours of sleep each and every night. Even if it's not possible to actually fall asleep by that 8 hour deadline, try to be in your bed and relaxing by that time. If you have trouble falling asleep quickly, try natural teas, pink noise on your phone, or lavender essential oil on your pillow case.
3.) ELIMINATE TOXINS: Until recently, I failed to realize just how many products we put on our bodies on a regular basis, let alone during the summer months. Sunscreen, tanning lotion, and bug spray can all be major, major sources of toxic chemicals that can be absorbed by our skin.
Solution~ Check out the EWG's safe sunscreen guide to look up your go-to sunscreen. You may be surprised at what's in it. Oxybenzone is a majorly used chemical in sunscreens that can cause estrogen related problems, allergic reactions, or skin disorders. Retinyl palmitate and super high SPF's are another thing to watch out for. The EWG also has a list of the best and safest sunscreens you can use, or check out recipes like this for homemade sunscreen.
When it comes to repelling bugs, avoid DEET products at all costs, and try making your own bug sprays, buy pre-made sprays from trusted natural sources, or use essential oils. I tried my hand at my own spray for our last camping trip and though it wasn't 100% effective at keeping them off me completely, it definitely helped. I used witch hazel (available at most pharmacies) combined with about 10-15 drops each of Citronella, Lavender, Eucalyptus, and Peppermint essential oils. Plus I smelled great all night!
4.) EAT HEALHTY: Summer is prime time for fruits and veggies. If you're not growing your own, local farmers markets are starting to over flow with fresh, locally grown produce. This is the perfect time to start incorporating more fruits and veggies into your daily routine! Snag some lettuce and cucumbers for a fresh salad, grab strawberries & raspberries for a sweet snack or smoothie, and try things like broccoli, cauliflower and beans in all different ways for dinner. Farmers markets are also a great place to try something new, as many vendors will provide samples of their products.
My absolute favorite way to incorporate veggies into our dinners is by grilling them. I'm telling ya, there is nothing quite like grilled zucchini, yellow squash, broccoli and carrots with a little grape seed oil, garlic, and pink Himalayan salt! Try grilling your veggies this way from time to time to change things up, or even try grilling your fruit like pineapple or peaches! Smoothies are another great summer snack, or should I say treat? Blend up your favorite fruits with some spinach, kale or even cucumbers or avocado. You can add flavored greek yogurt or honey to sweeten things up a little.
5.) DETOX: Being outside most of the time, sometimes even barefoot, means you're going to be absorbing a higher level of toxins from the air, chlorinated pools, or the ground you walk on. Naturally sweating out the toxins helps to rid a lot of it, as well as drinking plenty of water, and drinking warm lemon water each morning. Another method to try that's really quite awesome, is an Epsom salt bath or foot soak. Epsom salts naturally help to draw toxins through a reverse osmosis process, while nourishing the body with magnesium. This helps to flush toxins from the body, reduces inflammation, and improves blood flow and oxygenation.
Solution~ Draw your bath and add 1 1/2 - 2 cups of Epsom salt. Soak in the salt water for at least 40 minutes, do not use soap.
For a foot soak, fill your tub or container of your choice with warm water, then add 1/2 cup of Epsom Salt. Soak for a minimum of 20 minutes, longer if you can. The foot soak will help to relieve those tired foot muscles, removes toxins from your feet, and helps to soften dry, hard skin. I'll gently scrub with a wash cloth, then apply coconut oil once they dry and put on a fresh pair of socks for a while. There's nothing better!
Tuesday, July 1, 2014
Steps in the Right Direction
Changing your diet, or even your life, to a cleaner, greener way of living can be hard. It often seems like the more I learn or find out about every day products or things I eat, the more work I have to do. Seriously. Now I know it's totally worth it and I am all for it. But at the same time it can be a lot of work, time, and devotion. The key to success? Baby steps.
Let's start out with a few basics that you can apply to your every day life to get started on a path to cleaner eating and living.
First, start buying organic. Years ago, I'd laugh at those "quacks" thinking there's no difference but price. Boy was I wrong. Sure, not all conventional produce is bad, there are a few things that are still "clean". But how do you tell? The Dirty Dozen. There is a naughty list for produce out there called the Dirty Dozen. Each year that list is updated with the most chemical, pesticide, and fertilizer laden produce that should be avoided at all costs unless it's organically grown. At the same time, there is also a Clean Fifteen list of conventionally grown produce that is typically much ower in chemical residue or those practices aren't normally used.
If you're not buying or using a lot of produce so that really doesn't apply to you, then start eating your damn veggies!!
Second, make switches with your dairy and meat products to organic and grass fed. Most "regular" grocery stores will have these products, however they'll be insanely expensive. Instead, opt for a local co-op grocery store, or even better, a local farm. Many times just by asking around with friends or at the co-op, you can find a local beef cattle farmer that will sell you a quarter or even half of beef. Same thing with chickens, pork, etc. With dairy products, almost every grocery store and co-op will have a full variety of cheeses, milk, yogurt, butter, cream, anything you need from a grass fed source. The reason in a nut shell? So many conventional, large scale dairy farm operations are consistently using hormones and antibiotics to keep their cows producing large quantities of milk for a higher profit. Where do you think those drugs end up? In the milk.
Don't keep all your eggs in a conventional basket. Organic, free range eggs are actually healthier for you than regular, cage raised, factory eggs. Free range eggs are lower in cholesterol and sodium, and tend to have higher levels of Vit A, Vit D, and omega-3 fatty acids. Did I mention that they're fresher, too? Ordinarily, the eggs at the store are up to two weeks old before you even purchase them. By the time they're collected, cleaned, inspected, packaged, shipped to, and unloaded in the grocery store, they're no longer fresh. Ideally, you should be able to find them from a local farm for anywhere from $3-$5 and even better, they could be as fresh as that morning.
Speaking of mornings, are you a coffee drinker? If you are, then you're going to want to switch to organically grown coffee ASAP. Did you know that coffee is one of the most chemically treated crops in the world? Up to 250 lbs of chemical fertilizers are sprayed on each acre of non-organic coffee. (Think of it this way: that's FIVE fifty pound bags of chemicals spread on land the size of an average house lot!). That is unbelievable! Those chemicals leave a reside in the beans that cannot be removed, and that gets brewed into your daily cup or two. Decaf is just as bad, or worse, as the decaffeination process usually uses chemicals that are known to be carcinogenic. Just like produce, organic coffee is more expensive, but it's definitely worth it when you think of the amount of chemicals that are sprayed on each single acre of those fields. Organic coffee can be found at almost every grocery store and co-op.
Already have these changes under your belt? Good! You are definitely on the right track to eating cleaner. Just getting started or still have a few things to work on? Start with one thing at a time. It's hard to change your lifestyle and it takes time. Don't overwhelm yourself and start with simple changes, I know that helps me to stick with it and it makes it much easier to make changes.
Stay tuned for my next set of steps to further your clean living.
That's all for now,
Katie
Let's start out with a few basics that you can apply to your every day life to get started on a path to cleaner eating and living.
First, start buying organic. Years ago, I'd laugh at those "quacks" thinking there's no difference but price. Boy was I wrong. Sure, not all conventional produce is bad, there are a few things that are still "clean". But how do you tell? The Dirty Dozen. There is a naughty list for produce out there called the Dirty Dozen. Each year that list is updated with the most chemical, pesticide, and fertilizer laden produce that should be avoided at all costs unless it's organically grown. At the same time, there is also a Clean Fifteen list of conventionally grown produce that is typically much ower in chemical residue or those practices aren't normally used.
If you're not buying or using a lot of produce so that really doesn't apply to you, then start eating your damn veggies!!
Second, make switches with your dairy and meat products to organic and grass fed. Most "regular" grocery stores will have these products, however they'll be insanely expensive. Instead, opt for a local co-op grocery store, or even better, a local farm. Many times just by asking around with friends or at the co-op, you can find a local beef cattle farmer that will sell you a quarter or even half of beef. Same thing with chickens, pork, etc. With dairy products, almost every grocery store and co-op will have a full variety of cheeses, milk, yogurt, butter, cream, anything you need from a grass fed source. The reason in a nut shell? So many conventional, large scale dairy farm operations are consistently using hormones and antibiotics to keep their cows producing large quantities of milk for a higher profit. Where do you think those drugs end up? In the milk.
Don't keep all your eggs in a conventional basket. Organic, free range eggs are actually healthier for you than regular, cage raised, factory eggs. Free range eggs are lower in cholesterol and sodium, and tend to have higher levels of Vit A, Vit D, and omega-3 fatty acids. Did I mention that they're fresher, too? Ordinarily, the eggs at the store are up to two weeks old before you even purchase them. By the time they're collected, cleaned, inspected, packaged, shipped to, and unloaded in the grocery store, they're no longer fresh. Ideally, you should be able to find them from a local farm for anywhere from $3-$5 and even better, they could be as fresh as that morning.
Speaking of mornings, are you a coffee drinker? If you are, then you're going to want to switch to organically grown coffee ASAP. Did you know that coffee is one of the most chemically treated crops in the world? Up to 250 lbs of chemical fertilizers are sprayed on each acre of non-organic coffee. (Think of it this way: that's FIVE fifty pound bags of chemicals spread on land the size of an average house lot!). That is unbelievable! Those chemicals leave a reside in the beans that cannot be removed, and that gets brewed into your daily cup or two. Decaf is just as bad, or worse, as the decaffeination process usually uses chemicals that are known to be carcinogenic. Just like produce, organic coffee is more expensive, but it's definitely worth it when you think of the amount of chemicals that are sprayed on each single acre of those fields. Organic coffee can be found at almost every grocery store and co-op.
Already have these changes under your belt? Good! You are definitely on the right track to eating cleaner. Just getting started or still have a few things to work on? Start with one thing at a time. It's hard to change your lifestyle and it takes time. Don't overwhelm yourself and start with simple changes, I know that helps me to stick with it and it makes it much easier to make changes.
Stay tuned for my next set of steps to further your clean living.
That's all for now,
Katie
The Semi Clean Pantry: How to Get the Most From Your Greens
The Semi Clean Pantry: How to Get the Most From Your Greens: Hello all! Summer if officially here in WI, and our garden is loving it! That also means that it's harvest time for the Spring crops lik...
How to Get the Most From Your Greens
Hello all! Summer if officially here in WI, and our garden is loving it! That also means that it's harvest time for the Spring crops likes spinach, lettuce, and kale. With this being my first year of growing a garden, I wasn't sure how much of everything to plant this Spring. Apparently, I was a little overzealous...and I have a leafy green takeover going down in our refrigerator. Not to mention all those seeds that I planted again a few weeks ago that will be ready for picking in another 2 weeks or so....yikes!
But, not to worry. With a few simple steps and tools, I managed to save every last leaf without any of it going bad, even the stuff that was picked over a week ago! And this doesn't just go for gardeners either. Maybe there's a good deal at your local super market on spinach or kale, or maybe you stocked up at the local farmer's market, or an awesome friend or neighbor gave you their overflow. No matter how you acquired this tonnage of greens, we're not going to let any of it go to waste.
First off, the lettuce isn't really going to keep well any other way but fresh storage in the fridge. However, I will say that there's a key to making it last for weeks. Yeah, I said it, WEEKS! First, you're going to want to get yourself a salad spinner. As a Tupperware lady myself, I'm biased, but ours is the best! The other thing you're going to want to get is a good container. Oh look, Tupperware has those too! The FridgeSmart containers for fruits & veggies from Tupperware are nothing but amazing. They have a patented circulation system that keeps produce fresher for much, much longer. Just wash your lettuce, spin it out really well in the spinner, then store it in the fridge in the produce container and you're set with salads for weeks to come. Here's my arsenal for lettuce:
The spinach and kale can be preserved, per say, several different ways.
~First you can store the spinach or kale just like we did with the lettuce. What's even better is this way, it's all washed and ready to eat for a quick salad on the go or to pop in your morning smoothie.
~If you are a smoothie head like me, then you can simply freeze the leaves. They won't be pretty when they come out, but they'll keep this way and if you're just going to blend them to bits anyways, then it doesn't matter what they look like, right?
~The other way is my new personal favorite: kale or spinach cubes! I found these nifty herb cube trays at the store that also work great for this as well. Just add a little water to your leaves and blend together. Then keep adding more leaves until you have a nice green paste. Spoon or pour the green goop into these trays like this:
Then, just pop those trays into the freezer over night and they'll form these perfect little green kale cubes:
I just pushed them all out of the trays and put them into a freezer bag for easy storage. Now if I'm in a hurry, don't have fresh greens on hand, or just want my smoothie a little colder, I can just throw in a cube or two! These would also be a great way to sneak veggies into soups, chili, spaghetti sauce etc for picky men or kids.
That's a giant bowl of kale condensed down into a freezer bag of cubes, a major space saver. Kale yeah!
But, not to worry. With a few simple steps and tools, I managed to save every last leaf without any of it going bad, even the stuff that was picked over a week ago! And this doesn't just go for gardeners either. Maybe there's a good deal at your local super market on spinach or kale, or maybe you stocked up at the local farmer's market, or an awesome friend or neighbor gave you their overflow. No matter how you acquired this tonnage of greens, we're not going to let any of it go to waste.
First off, the lettuce isn't really going to keep well any other way but fresh storage in the fridge. However, I will say that there's a key to making it last for weeks. Yeah, I said it, WEEKS! First, you're going to want to get yourself a salad spinner. As a Tupperware lady myself, I'm biased, but ours is the best! The other thing you're going to want to get is a good container. Oh look, Tupperware has those too! The FridgeSmart containers for fruits & veggies from Tupperware are nothing but amazing. They have a patented circulation system that keeps produce fresher for much, much longer. Just wash your lettuce, spin it out really well in the spinner, then store it in the fridge in the produce container and you're set with salads for weeks to come. Here's my arsenal for lettuce:
The spinach and kale can be preserved, per say, several different ways.
~First you can store the spinach or kale just like we did with the lettuce. What's even better is this way, it's all washed and ready to eat for a quick salad on the go or to pop in your morning smoothie.
~If you are a smoothie head like me, then you can simply freeze the leaves. They won't be pretty when they come out, but they'll keep this way and if you're just going to blend them to bits anyways, then it doesn't matter what they look like, right?
~The other way is my new personal favorite: kale or spinach cubes! I found these nifty herb cube trays at the store that also work great for this as well. Just add a little water to your leaves and blend together. Then keep adding more leaves until you have a nice green paste. Spoon or pour the green goop into these trays like this:
Then, just pop those trays into the freezer over night and they'll form these perfect little green kale cubes:
I just pushed them all out of the trays and put them into a freezer bag for easy storage. Now if I'm in a hurry, don't have fresh greens on hand, or just want my smoothie a little colder, I can just throw in a cube or two! These would also be a great way to sneak veggies into soups, chili, spaghetti sauce etc for picky men or kids.
That's a giant bowl of kale condensed down into a freezer bag of cubes, a major space saver. Kale yeah!
Friday, May 30, 2014
The Semi Clean Pantry: Breaking Ground....My First Attempt at Gardening
The Semi Clean Pantry: Breaking Ground....My First Attempt at Gardening: Spring is finally here in WI! Although with these temps, I do believe we skipped right into summer. Along with these warmer temps comes pl...
Breaking Ground....My First Attempt at Gardening
That's right, I'm trying out my green thumb. After switching to all organic produce over the last year or two, and especially after I started drinking green smoothies every day, I began to feel the sting of the higher prices. No, you can't put a price on good health, I know that. However, you can certainly grow your own produce for a heck of a lot cheaper yourself! 72 tomato plants for $3.50? I'm in! I wonder how many fractions of a penny that equals out to per tomato or per pound....not many I'm sure. And yes, I actually do have 72 tomato plants. Actually, I have a couple hundred right now. But I digress.
Last fall after purchasing over 6 bushels of tomatoes for our freezer salsa & spaghetti sauce, my parents and the boyfriend and I all decided to start our own garden this year. We had an idea of what we wanted to plant and how we were going to do it, and luckily my parents had gardened for years when I was younger. We attended a large garden show in February and the gardening bug bit me!
Come a few weeks later, I had a grow house set up in our basement and I was starting some seeds. Having never gardened before, seeing those sprouts pop up a few days later was so rewarding! In total, the seeds I started ahead of time were tomatoes, bell peppers, cauliflower, broccoli, celery, kale, spinach, basil, thyme, oregano, chives, cucumbers and some catnip for our furbaby. I've been taking notes all along, with the brand of seeds, when they were started, how they did, etc. and let me tell you, those notes will come in super handy next year.
Finally, a few weeks ago, we were able to start putting some of those bad boys in the ground. A friend of ours owns a farm where we keep our horses, and they were generous enough to let us use a corner of their hay field for our garden. After a few long nights of pounding posts, hanging fence, and prepping the dirt, it was ready to plant. So far, we only have the "cold weather" plants done. I needed to harden off my tomato and pepper plants a little longer before we put those in the ground. Which just means I started introducing them to the real sun and being outdoors a few hours at a time, and now they're outside 24/7 (so they don't go into shock once planted!).
Over the next few days we'll finish planting the rest of our plants and starting some bean and pea seeds. It's actually pretty exciting! Every time I put a plant in the ground I feel like I'm putting money in my pocket. I day dream about my grocery cart not consisting of 60% expensive organic produce, at least for a few months...
We also met up with a great lady that owns an organic farm that sells produce, CSA's and plants. We bough 75 strawberry plants and 5 raspberry plants from her and I am super excited about those! The strawberry plants are second year, which means that they will produce fruit that we can pick this year, however next year they'll be yielding a lot higher volume of berries. Still, we're really excited for fresh strawberries and hopefully a small batch of freezer jam! The raspberries are brand new to us, so that will be a little thing I call trial and error, but hopefully not the latter.
All in all, the plants we are starting out with are:
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Celery
Tomatoes
Peppers
Radishes
Carrots
Onions
Potatoes
Lettuce mix
Spinach
Kale
Green Beans
Yellow Beans
Peas
Cucumber
Zucchini
Summer Squash
Spaghetti Squash
Eggplant
Popcorn-I know, right?!
Basil
Thyme
Chives
Oregano
Cilantro
Parsley
Strawberries
Raspberries
Rhubarb
Pumpkins (Including Fairytale pumpkins, they're so adorable!)
I know, I know, we'll have our work cut out for us. But, I know it will all be worth it once we pick our first basket of home grown goodness! What are we going to do with ALL that produce, you ask? Eat it, freeze it, can it, of course! Last year was our first time making and freezing salsa and spaghetti sauce, and we found out it's actually quite simple! For both of them, it's basically just cutting up your tomatoes and peppers and onion, then adding your spices, boiling, cooling, then portioning and freezing! I've never in my life had a better salsa, and yeah, I'm bragging a little. And the feeling of knowing exactly what's in your food and knowing it's all organic, GMO free, sodium free and who knows what else they normally put in that stuff free, is priceless.
I was also able to blanch and freeze a bunch of carrots my parents gave me last year too. I have a vacuum sealer so I simply portioned them out for what I'd need for a casserole, soup, meal, etc, blanched them, sealed them, and froze them. Anytime I make chicken pot pie or some other meal that calls for or deserves carrots, I just thaw them out and they have the best, freshest taste.
We'll also be freezing any leftover fruit, peas, beans, and broccoli. The tomatoes and peppers and onions will all be used for fresh eating as well as the salsa and spaghetti sauce, and we'll be canning our own diced tomatoes as well. The herbs will be hung to dry so we can use them year round as spices. The kale and spinach, if we actually have any fresh stuff leftover, can be blended with a dab of water, and frozen in ice cube trays to use in our smoothies later on. I could eat grilled squash and zucchini for every single meal so I doubt we'll have a problem using up any fresh stuff, but just in case, I might get a little crazy and try freezing that too. And popcorn, hello! I can't wait to try that!!
Sure, I feel like a little bit of a hippy. But I love it! And now that we've got a garden, I'm starting to notice more and more gardens every where I look. Sure, I think I'm just noticing them more now. But I also really think a lot more people are growing their own food again. It's a great experience for young and old alike, plus you know where your food came from, and it's cheaper than buying it. And it's not just big garden plots in yards. I'm noticing a lot of raised beds and container planting, which are both awesome techniques of their own, let alone if you don't have yard space for a regular garden. We're actually using both of those techniques this year too. My lettuce and herbs are in a raised bed of their own, and so are the strawberries. You can purchase a raised bed kit from Menards, Farm & Fleet, or make your own from untreated cedar. I've also started potatoes in a Smart Pot, which is a cloth planter that can sit just about anywhere. You can use something like the Smart Pot or any kind of planter, pot, basket or hanger for growing veggies of your own. Smart Pots or larger planters can house anything from tomatoes to peppers to potatoes and more. You can even grow herbs in window boxes or railing planters on your patio or deck!
I almost forgot to mention community gardens! So many places are offering small garden plots that they rent out for a small fee. They will typically till it for you and provide a water source. Then you can plant whatever you want in your space all summer long. You'd be amazed at how much produce you can get from a 15x15 square! Especially with companion planting. I strongly encourage you to try your hand at growing a little bit of your own food this summer. I guarantee you'll be hooked!
I'll keep you posted on how our garden does, and once we have our first harvest!
Until Next Time,
Katie
Thursday, May 15, 2014
The Semi Clean Pantry: Is Your Sunscreen Safe?
The Semi Clean Pantry: Is Your Sunscreen Safe?: Recently I've been learning a little more about sunscreen, and sun protection in general. My mother has recently undergone her second ro...
Is Your Sunscreen Safe?
Recently I've been learning a little more about sunscreen, and sun protection in general. My mother has recently undergone her second round of "chemo cream" for "pre-cancerous" cells on her face. I couldn't help but wonder how in 3 years, her face had gotten so much worse during this round of treatment, and had so, so many more spots compared to last time. Especially since she's been so good about using sunscreen any and every time she's outside. Then the light bulb came on! Maybe the reason wasn't from the sun, maybe it was from something, or things she's putting ON her face. (I also believe it's caused internally as well, but that's another topic).
I had heard about sunscreen and the fact that all of the ingredients might not be safe here and there but hadn't put a whole lot of thought into it. I don't use it often myself, unless I know I'll be at the beach, or in direct sun for a long time. I prefer to absorb the Vitamin D and I don't burn easily, but I'll get to that later.
It wasn't until a recent post from The Food Babe for a deal on natural sunscreen that I really started to look into it and find out what the fuss was about. Then I was shocked. I could not, and still can't, wrap my head around the fact that this stuff can contain so much garbage! And to think that a lot of doctors, especially derms, push this stuff to no end! My mom's derm told her to wear sunscreen every day. EVERY DAY! So since her first treatment, which was pretty mild compared to this last one, she's been very diligent about applying and re-applying her sunscreen whenever we're outside, camping, strolling through the flea market, or gardening. No wonder. No wonder the skin cancer came back, and no wonder it was SO, so much worse than last time. And what's the number 1 factor that had changed.....
Up until the first time, sure she wore sunscreen here and there, but she wasn't slathering it on and re-applying like crazy. But this time, she was. Sure there's no guarantees or way of knowing that yes, 100% the nasty sunscreen caused her skin problems, but it was more than enough to scare me away from it and want to share it with everyone I know! Who wants to take that risk?
And it honestly pisses me off to no end that the manufacturers can actually put those chemicals into products like this that we use on a regular or daily basis. Over the years the sun has been given such a bad wrap, so doctors and derms are pushing to always use sunscreen or else, so moms are loading it onto their kids, fair skinned people are using even more, and that skin cancer or "pre-cancer" patients are using more and more of it, thinking they're doing good by protecting themselves from the sun.
The Food Babe has an excellent investigative report here where she discusses the ingredients of most conventional sunscreens, and why they are potentially dangerous to us. Skin cancer, toxins in the organs, hormone disruption, allergies, and more. It only takes less than 30 seconds for what you put on your skin to be absorbed into your system. 30 seconds. I have never been more conscious of what I'm putting on my body, as well as into my body, as I am now. On a daily basis, just in a normal routine, there's shampoo, conditioner, body wash, face wash, lotion, perfumes/sprays, hand lotion, chapstick, makeup, and even more. All of those things could very possibly contain harmful ingredients.
Now when it comes to sunscreen, there are options. There are several safe brands of sunscreen that have been tested and approved by the Environmental Working Group (see their Sunscreen Guide to check on your brand, or find a new brand to use). They're not as expensive as I thought they would be either. There's even a brand that's available at my local Walgreens for less than $9 per bottle, which is the Yes To brand. Local and cheap? That's my kind of safe sunscreen.
Check out the EWG's site and change your sunscreen today, for a healthier tomorrow.
Thanks all for now,
Katie
I had heard about sunscreen and the fact that all of the ingredients might not be safe here and there but hadn't put a whole lot of thought into it. I don't use it often myself, unless I know I'll be at the beach, or in direct sun for a long time. I prefer to absorb the Vitamin D and I don't burn easily, but I'll get to that later.
It wasn't until a recent post from The Food Babe for a deal on natural sunscreen that I really started to look into it and find out what the fuss was about. Then I was shocked. I could not, and still can't, wrap my head around the fact that this stuff can contain so much garbage! And to think that a lot of doctors, especially derms, push this stuff to no end! My mom's derm told her to wear sunscreen every day. EVERY DAY! So since her first treatment, which was pretty mild compared to this last one, she's been very diligent about applying and re-applying her sunscreen whenever we're outside, camping, strolling through the flea market, or gardening. No wonder. No wonder the skin cancer came back, and no wonder it was SO, so much worse than last time. And what's the number 1 factor that had changed.....
Up until the first time, sure she wore sunscreen here and there, but she wasn't slathering it on and re-applying like crazy. But this time, she was. Sure there's no guarantees or way of knowing that yes, 100% the nasty sunscreen caused her skin problems, but it was more than enough to scare me away from it and want to share it with everyone I know! Who wants to take that risk?
And it honestly pisses me off to no end that the manufacturers can actually put those chemicals into products like this that we use on a regular or daily basis. Over the years the sun has been given such a bad wrap, so doctors and derms are pushing to always use sunscreen or else, so moms are loading it onto their kids, fair skinned people are using even more, and that skin cancer or "pre-cancer" patients are using more and more of it, thinking they're doing good by protecting themselves from the sun.
The Food Babe has an excellent investigative report here where she discusses the ingredients of most conventional sunscreens, and why they are potentially dangerous to us. Skin cancer, toxins in the organs, hormone disruption, allergies, and more. It only takes less than 30 seconds for what you put on your skin to be absorbed into your system. 30 seconds. I have never been more conscious of what I'm putting on my body, as well as into my body, as I am now. On a daily basis, just in a normal routine, there's shampoo, conditioner, body wash, face wash, lotion, perfumes/sprays, hand lotion, chapstick, makeup, and even more. All of those things could very possibly contain harmful ingredients.
Now when it comes to sunscreen, there are options. There are several safe brands of sunscreen that have been tested and approved by the Environmental Working Group (see their Sunscreen Guide to check on your brand, or find a new brand to use). They're not as expensive as I thought they would be either. There's even a brand that's available at my local Walgreens for less than $9 per bottle, which is the Yes To brand. Local and cheap? That's my kind of safe sunscreen.
Check out the EWG's site and change your sunscreen today, for a healthier tomorrow.
Thanks all for now,
Katie
Tuesday, April 22, 2014
The Semi Clean Pantry: 5 Must Have Foods
The Semi Clean Pantry: 5 Must Have Foods: Here's a great list of 5 foods you should always keep on hand. Not only are these great snack foods, but they're also very benefic...
5 Must Have Foods
Here's a great list of 5 foods you should always keep on hand.
Not only are these great snack foods, but they're also very beneficial and can really help curb that urge to grab something not so great for you.
Check out the slideshow from MindBodyGreen here
Not only are these great snack foods, but they're also very beneficial and can really help curb that urge to grab something not so great for you.
Check out the slideshow from MindBodyGreen here
The Semi Clean Pantry: Salad Dressing Dangers?
The Semi Clean Pantry: Salad Dressing Dangers?: Ever read the back of your salad dressing bottle? Yeah, me neither. Not until I read this post! There can really be some down right nast...
Salad Dressing Dangers?
Ever read the back of your salad dressing bottle?
Yeah, me neither. Not until I read this post!
There can really be some down right nasty ingredients in our salad dressings! Talk about feeling duped...here we are thinking we're eating something really great for us and we're on a healthy roll, only to find out the dressing we put on that green bundle of goodness may be super nasty.
Don't worry, I'm on a mission to find tasty, healthy, homemade recipes for us all now!
Here's the article from Mommypotamus
Yeah, me neither. Not until I read this post!
There can really be some down right nasty ingredients in our salad dressings! Talk about feeling duped...here we are thinking we're eating something really great for us and we're on a healthy roll, only to find out the dressing we put on that green bundle of goodness may be super nasty.
Don't worry, I'm on a mission to find tasty, healthy, homemade recipes for us all now!
Here's the article from Mommypotamus
Friday, April 18, 2014
The Semi Clean Pantry: Guiltless Get Togethers
The Semi Clean Pantry: Guiltless Get Togethers: Many of us will be celebrating Easter this weekend with our families. For a lot of us, that will include an Easter dinner, baskets, candy, a...
Guiltless Get Togethers
Many of us will be celebrating Easter this weekend with our families. For a lot of us, that will include an Easter dinner, baskets, candy, appetizers, dessert, candy, maybe wine, and candy. And you might have access to a lot of candy.
I'm not going to sugar coat this..ha...as bad as that all sounds, and is, let's be real: we all look forward to this!
It's great getting together with everyone and snacking on yummy appetizers and over filling on homemade dishes, dinner rolls, and dessert. Not to mention the leftovers for the next few days!
But it doesn't all have to be that bad. There are so many tweaks that you can make that people may not even notice, and will help to cut back sugar, fat, and calories.
~Try the deviled eggs; use 100 Days' Of Real Food's mayo free recipe, or try it with greek yogurt or avocado instead.
~Make sure you're using cage free, organic eggs too, or some from your local supplier.
~Make whole wheat dinner rolls as an option, or in place of regular rolls all together.
~Make sure to have a large salad available for everyone.
~Try to include veggies as your side options instead of all starches. (Mashed cauliflower just so happens to be pretty amazing in place of mashed taters!)
~Have fresh veggies available as an appetizer option, along with a greek yogurt (plain greek yogurt with ranch dressing dry mix) or homemade dip
~Homemade salsas or guacamole also make a great appetizer since you can use all fresh, organic ingredients and make them fresh on the spot!
~Use nature's candy aka fruit! Baskets don't have to all be loaded with candy and chocolate bunnies. Try using bags of Annie's fruit snacks or make your own fruit leather or dehydrated snacks. You can also use fresh fruit in your baskets, or make super cute bunnies from Babybel cheese and carrot sticks! Fruit kabobs would be adorable as well!
~Desserts don't have to be huge and fancy and as sweet as possible. Make something a little lighter, like an angel food cake recipe or muffins or cupcakes they can take home if they're too full to eat right now.
~Most importantly, make sure you only use food grade dye if you plan to eat the eggs you are coloring! Many coloring kits are not food safe, and you do not want to eat those eggs! There are also quite a few natural coloring options as well.
Just remember to keep things simple, and healthy, and to enjoy the time with your family and loved ones, and most importantly, remember why we're celebrating.
Happy Easter!!
Katie
I'm not going to sugar coat this..ha...as bad as that all sounds, and is, let's be real: we all look forward to this!
It's great getting together with everyone and snacking on yummy appetizers and over filling on homemade dishes, dinner rolls, and dessert. Not to mention the leftovers for the next few days!
But it doesn't all have to be that bad. There are so many tweaks that you can make that people may not even notice, and will help to cut back sugar, fat, and calories.
~Try the deviled eggs; use 100 Days' Of Real Food's mayo free recipe, or try it with greek yogurt or avocado instead.
~Make sure you're using cage free, organic eggs too, or some from your local supplier.
~Make whole wheat dinner rolls as an option, or in place of regular rolls all together.
~Make sure to have a large salad available for everyone.
~Try to include veggies as your side options instead of all starches. (Mashed cauliflower just so happens to be pretty amazing in place of mashed taters!)
~Have fresh veggies available as an appetizer option, along with a greek yogurt (plain greek yogurt with ranch dressing dry mix) or homemade dip
~Homemade salsas or guacamole also make a great appetizer since you can use all fresh, organic ingredients and make them fresh on the spot!
~Use nature's candy aka fruit! Baskets don't have to all be loaded with candy and chocolate bunnies. Try using bags of Annie's fruit snacks or make your own fruit leather or dehydrated snacks. You can also use fresh fruit in your baskets, or make super cute bunnies from Babybel cheese and carrot sticks! Fruit kabobs would be adorable as well!
~Desserts don't have to be huge and fancy and as sweet as possible. Make something a little lighter, like an angel food cake recipe or muffins or cupcakes they can take home if they're too full to eat right now.
~Most importantly, make sure you only use food grade dye if you plan to eat the eggs you are coloring! Many coloring kits are not food safe, and you do not want to eat those eggs! There are also quite a few natural coloring options as well.
Just remember to keep things simple, and healthy, and to enjoy the time with your family and loved ones, and most importantly, remember why we're celebrating.
Happy Easter!!
Katie
Tuesday, April 15, 2014
The Semi Clean Pantry: Make It or Buy It?
The Semi Clean Pantry: Make It or Buy It?: This is a great, awesome, fabulous post from 100 Days of Real Food. She basically breaks down a few basic food items and tells you which one...
Make It or Buy It?
This is a great, awesome, fabulous post from 100 Days of Real Food. She basically breaks down a few basic food items and tells you which ones you should focus on making at home, and which ones actually offer ok varieties to buy from a store.
It can be overwhelming at times to feel like you have to hand make everything in order to trust eating it or feeding it to your family, and you can even start to feel guilty for cutting corners and just buying it. Now you don't need to worry so much about that, but there are still a few things you should make at home.
Here's a great, quick breakdown:
100 Days of Real Food: Make vs Buy
It can be overwhelming at times to feel like you have to hand make everything in order to trust eating it or feeding it to your family, and you can even start to feel guilty for cutting corners and just buying it. Now you don't need to worry so much about that, but there are still a few things you should make at home.
Here's a great, quick breakdown:
100 Days of Real Food: Make vs Buy
The Semi Clean Pantry: Confessional: DIY Fail
The Semi Clean Pantry: Confessional: DIY Fail: Alright, so a few weeks back I had shared some homemade DIY recipes with you for making things like dishwasher tabs, all purpose orange clea...
Confessional: DIY Fail
Alright, so a few weeks back I had shared some homemade DIY recipes with you for making things like dishwasher tabs, all purpose orange cleaner, and wool dryer balls.
I must say that I LOVE the dryer balls and can notice that they really do cut down on drying time.
Same with the orange cleaner, love that stuff too!
The dishwasher tabs however, not so much. Ugh. It all seemed like a great idea, and they were super easy to make. I had good intentions, alright? But man did I miss my sparkling, perfectly clean dishes! The homemade tabs lasted all of two or three weeks and then I caved and bought the old faithfuls.
The homemade tabs just left this horrible white residue all over everything! I couldn't handle it. We do have hard water, but I tried everything every blog every suggested without success. I tried adding a few drops of Dawn to the tab, I tried putting a cup of vinegar on the top shelf as a rinse aid, I tried it all. Not matter what my dishes just looked awful. Yes, I'm being over dramatic but I'm one that just loves pulling out that glass, holding it up to the light, and seeing clear, sparkly perfection. Ahh. Ok maybe not that extreme, but close.
I was seriously annoyed. The plates had a residue on the back, the silverware handles looked like crap, the glasses were cloudy, and even the Tupperware felt chalky. Some of the stuff I even had to hand wash in order to get it all off and looking normal again.
Once I switched back to my regular tabs, everything was coming out perfect again. Sure, it's probably full of nasty chemicals and I'm definitely going to keep my eye open for a better version now.
But I feel there are some things you just can't give up. Me, I cannot give up clean dishes. Nope. For you it might be your laundry not having that amazing smell from your detergent or not getting the same effects from a cleaning product. You don't have to give them up all together. Just look for a better version, or cut back or change how you're using it.
Long story short, I know my homemade dishwasher tabs were probably 500 times safer than what I'm addicted to, but it's just not worth the compromise to me right now. But like I said, I'm definitely going to shop for other options now and it won't keep me from trying other recipes either.
So don't beat yourself up, you tried, you ARE trying, and you're taking other steps to improve your house, health, and living left and right. Did I just make that into a pep talk for myself? Wow, I feel so much better now. Dang, I'm good!
That's it for now,
Katie
I must say that I LOVE the dryer balls and can notice that they really do cut down on drying time.
Same with the orange cleaner, love that stuff too!
The dishwasher tabs however, not so much. Ugh. It all seemed like a great idea, and they were super easy to make. I had good intentions, alright? But man did I miss my sparkling, perfectly clean dishes! The homemade tabs lasted all of two or three weeks and then I caved and bought the old faithfuls.
The homemade tabs just left this horrible white residue all over everything! I couldn't handle it. We do have hard water, but I tried everything every blog every suggested without success. I tried adding a few drops of Dawn to the tab, I tried putting a cup of vinegar on the top shelf as a rinse aid, I tried it all. Not matter what my dishes just looked awful. Yes, I'm being over dramatic but I'm one that just loves pulling out that glass, holding it up to the light, and seeing clear, sparkly perfection. Ahh. Ok maybe not that extreme, but close.
I was seriously annoyed. The plates had a residue on the back, the silverware handles looked like crap, the glasses were cloudy, and even the Tupperware felt chalky. Some of the stuff I even had to hand wash in order to get it all off and looking normal again.
Once I switched back to my regular tabs, everything was coming out perfect again. Sure, it's probably full of nasty chemicals and I'm definitely going to keep my eye open for a better version now.
But I feel there are some things you just can't give up. Me, I cannot give up clean dishes. Nope. For you it might be your laundry not having that amazing smell from your detergent or not getting the same effects from a cleaning product. You don't have to give them up all together. Just look for a better version, or cut back or change how you're using it.
Long story short, I know my homemade dishwasher tabs were probably 500 times safer than what I'm addicted to, but it's just not worth the compromise to me right now. But like I said, I'm definitely going to shop for other options now and it won't keep me from trying other recipes either.
So don't beat yourself up, you tried, you ARE trying, and you're taking other steps to improve your house, health, and living left and right. Did I just make that into a pep talk for myself? Wow, I feel so much better now. Dang, I'm good!
That's it for now,
Katie
Tuesday, April 8, 2014
The Semi Clean Pantry: Extreme Makeover: Grocery Cart Edition
The Semi Clean Pantry: Extreme Makeover: Grocery Cart Edition: Two years ago you could find me in the grocery store loading up on hamburger helper, pre-made hamburger patties, sweet cereal, soda, and I w...
Extreme Makeover: Grocery Cart Edition
Two years ago you could find me in the grocery store loading up on hamburger helper, pre-made hamburger patties, sweet cereal, soda, and I won't even mention what else. As for produce, there were usually bananas. And that was it.
My, oh my, has my grocery list changed! Nowadays, the majority of my time is spent in the produce section picking out fresh fruits and veggies for my daily smoothies, healthy snacks, and as part of our weekly meal plan. Most of my entire grocery trip now involves the outer horseshoe shaped pattern of the store, and rarely ventures down a center aisle. Have you ever noticed that? That most of your fresh stuff is on the outside walls of the store? Ever notice how all of the boxed, processed, dead food is mainly in the middle?
Now, now, don't get me wrong, I DO go down those aisles sometimes and I am by no means some perfectly healthy eater, and I definitely don't judge anyone that does buy those items! I think we all know about my obsession with peanut M&M's and I'm a sucker for cookies & milk just like the next girl. Dang, I just had to bring that up right around lunch time, didn't I?
My point, is that I didn't arrive to my new method of grocery shopping over night. It has taken me a while to get here, and I did it one step at a time.
For starters, take a look at your normal staples. What kind of bread are you getting? How about pasta or rice? Do you usually buy pre-made box mixes for meals? How many servings of fruits & veggies are you currently getting, and how would it best suit you to add them?
First and foremost, start buying more fresh produce. Fresh, ripe, delicious fruits and veggies are the absolute best thing for you in the world. You just can't buy too much of this natural goodness. Start thinking of ways to incorporate more fresh produce into your daily diet. Get some bananas for a morning snack, carrots and celery for the afternoon, grapes, peas, apples, all of which are perfect snacks that you can prep ahead of time and grab on the go or to keep on hand at work. Also think about ways to incorporate veggies into your dinners. Try steamed veggies, mashed cauliflower instead of potatoes (yummm!!), grilled veggies, or a small salad before each dinner. Try new meatless recipes, and even try going meatless on Mondays.
Let's now try buying whole grain bread instead of white. Now, don't be fooled, some brands advertise that they're "wheat", but a quick look at the ingredients may tell you otherwise. You want WHOLE wheat flour, not just wheat flour. Flour is derived from wheat, so this is how they get away with saying "wheat flour", even when it's just plain white flour. You want to make sure it says whole wheat.
Now for rice & pasta. Try substituting with whole wheat pasta, and brown rice. Honestly, there's hardly a difference at all, don't be a wimp. And if you're feeling adventurous, try using quinoa instead of rice for an even healthier substitute. Here again, check your label and make sure the pasta is truly whole wheat.
Next, and my favorite, instead of buying things like hamburger helper or meal starters, make your own! I know it sounds a little intimidating, but you'd be amazed at just how easy it is to throw together your own seasonings and make your own variations of hamburger meals. My favorite is the cheeseburger hamburger helper DIY version, but you can also make a skillet lasagna, a taco version, stroganoff, and more. What's even better, is you can use wheat pasta instead, plus you're avoiding all those nasty additives. You can even toss in some fresh onion or pepper, or fresh herbs. Yum. You can't get that kind of flavor from a box mix! Another mind blowing fact about doing this, it takes the same amount of time as the box mix. I know, it's hard to believe, but you're still cooking your meat, still dumping in the pasta, water, milk and seasonings, and bringing to a boil then letting simmer, and the best part of all....you're still only using one pot for all of this! Woohoo!
After that, switch your dairy to organic milk, full fat butter, sour cream, cream cheese, etc. Those low fat versions may seem healthier on the outside, but ever think of what they put in there to replace the fat? Yick. One of the biggest things I changed, and struggled with a little, was changing my yogurt. I'm a spaz about textures, so for years I only ever at the whipped yogurt. Hello, have you ever looked at the sugar in those buggers? Wow. I started by switching to Oikos, which has a little more sugar in it than other greek yogurts. I've now completely converted to Chobani which is almost all fat free, and lower in sugar. Also, Chobani yogurts do not contain carrageenan, a nasty little carcinogen used in a lot of dairy. Watch out for that stuff too.
Recently, I've also switched from buying shredded cheese, to buying blocks and shredding it myself. I thought it was crazy at first too, but it's so much easier than you think it would be. I invested in a good grater from Tupperware, that actually traps the cheese you're grating and allows you to even measure it. Why do this, you ask? Because store bought shredded cheese usually contains some form of wood pulp or cellulose to keep all those shreds from sticking into one big glob again. I realized most of my recipes do not call for wood shavings, nor do I really wish to eat them, so I stopped adding them and switched to the real shredded deal instead.
Naturally, I don't expect you to try all of these at once nor would I expect that you never slip up and buy an old faithful. I just ask that you give it a whirl. Start switching out items in the cart here and there for healthier options, and see what happens. I bet you won't even notice the changes in bread, pasta or rice, and as for everything else, it just tastes better! You may notice a difference in how you feel though. Especially if you begin to add more fruits & veggies and start eliminating more processed foods from your diet, you're going to notice that you have more energy, feel lighter, and you may even shed some pounds!
Again, I can't tell you enough how important it is to start these changes one at a time, so you don't get overwhelmed, discouraged, or give up. Also, if you have a pretty hard core meat n potatoes kinda man like I do, then you have no choice but to gradually ease into these things. He fights me tooth and nail on some things, but little does he know how many things I've changed without him even noticing it. I'm still working on getting him to eat mashed cauliflower, though I did mix it with potatoes 50/50 once and he had no idea (cue evil laugh while tapping fingers together). I know, I'm such a rebel.
That's all for now,
Katie
My, oh my, has my grocery list changed! Nowadays, the majority of my time is spent in the produce section picking out fresh fruits and veggies for my daily smoothies, healthy snacks, and as part of our weekly meal plan. Most of my entire grocery trip now involves the outer horseshoe shaped pattern of the store, and rarely ventures down a center aisle. Have you ever noticed that? That most of your fresh stuff is on the outside walls of the store? Ever notice how all of the boxed, processed, dead food is mainly in the middle?
Now, now, don't get me wrong, I DO go down those aisles sometimes and I am by no means some perfectly healthy eater, and I definitely don't judge anyone that does buy those items! I think we all know about my obsession with peanut M&M's and I'm a sucker for cookies & milk just like the next girl. Dang, I just had to bring that up right around lunch time, didn't I?
My point, is that I didn't arrive to my new method of grocery shopping over night. It has taken me a while to get here, and I did it one step at a time.
For starters, take a look at your normal staples. What kind of bread are you getting? How about pasta or rice? Do you usually buy pre-made box mixes for meals? How many servings of fruits & veggies are you currently getting, and how would it best suit you to add them?
First and foremost, start buying more fresh produce. Fresh, ripe, delicious fruits and veggies are the absolute best thing for you in the world. You just can't buy too much of this natural goodness. Start thinking of ways to incorporate more fresh produce into your daily diet. Get some bananas for a morning snack, carrots and celery for the afternoon, grapes, peas, apples, all of which are perfect snacks that you can prep ahead of time and grab on the go or to keep on hand at work. Also think about ways to incorporate veggies into your dinners. Try steamed veggies, mashed cauliflower instead of potatoes (yummm!!), grilled veggies, or a small salad before each dinner. Try new meatless recipes, and even try going meatless on Mondays.
Let's now try buying whole grain bread instead of white. Now, don't be fooled, some brands advertise that they're "wheat", but a quick look at the ingredients may tell you otherwise. You want WHOLE wheat flour, not just wheat flour. Flour is derived from wheat, so this is how they get away with saying "wheat flour", even when it's just plain white flour. You want to make sure it says whole wheat.
Now for rice & pasta. Try substituting with whole wheat pasta, and brown rice. Honestly, there's hardly a difference at all, don't be a wimp. And if you're feeling adventurous, try using quinoa instead of rice for an even healthier substitute. Here again, check your label and make sure the pasta is truly whole wheat.
Next, and my favorite, instead of buying things like hamburger helper or meal starters, make your own! I know it sounds a little intimidating, but you'd be amazed at just how easy it is to throw together your own seasonings and make your own variations of hamburger meals. My favorite is the cheeseburger hamburger helper DIY version, but you can also make a skillet lasagna, a taco version, stroganoff, and more. What's even better, is you can use wheat pasta instead, plus you're avoiding all those nasty additives. You can even toss in some fresh onion or pepper, or fresh herbs. Yum. You can't get that kind of flavor from a box mix! Another mind blowing fact about doing this, it takes the same amount of time as the box mix. I know, it's hard to believe, but you're still cooking your meat, still dumping in the pasta, water, milk and seasonings, and bringing to a boil then letting simmer, and the best part of all....you're still only using one pot for all of this! Woohoo!
After that, switch your dairy to organic milk, full fat butter, sour cream, cream cheese, etc. Those low fat versions may seem healthier on the outside, but ever think of what they put in there to replace the fat? Yick. One of the biggest things I changed, and struggled with a little, was changing my yogurt. I'm a spaz about textures, so for years I only ever at the whipped yogurt. Hello, have you ever looked at the sugar in those buggers? Wow. I started by switching to Oikos, which has a little more sugar in it than other greek yogurts. I've now completely converted to Chobani which is almost all fat free, and lower in sugar. Also, Chobani yogurts do not contain carrageenan, a nasty little carcinogen used in a lot of dairy. Watch out for that stuff too.
Recently, I've also switched from buying shredded cheese, to buying blocks and shredding it myself. I thought it was crazy at first too, but it's so much easier than you think it would be. I invested in a good grater from Tupperware, that actually traps the cheese you're grating and allows you to even measure it. Why do this, you ask? Because store bought shredded cheese usually contains some form of wood pulp or cellulose to keep all those shreds from sticking into one big glob again. I realized most of my recipes do not call for wood shavings, nor do I really wish to eat them, so I stopped adding them and switched to the real shredded deal instead.
Naturally, I don't expect you to try all of these at once nor would I expect that you never slip up and buy an old faithful. I just ask that you give it a whirl. Start switching out items in the cart here and there for healthier options, and see what happens. I bet you won't even notice the changes in bread, pasta or rice, and as for everything else, it just tastes better! You may notice a difference in how you feel though. Especially if you begin to add more fruits & veggies and start eliminating more processed foods from your diet, you're going to notice that you have more energy, feel lighter, and you may even shed some pounds!
Again, I can't tell you enough how important it is to start these changes one at a time, so you don't get overwhelmed, discouraged, or give up. Also, if you have a pretty hard core meat n potatoes kinda man like I do, then you have no choice but to gradually ease into these things. He fights me tooth and nail on some things, but little does he know how many things I've changed without him even noticing it. I'm still working on getting him to eat mashed cauliflower, though I did mix it with potatoes 50/50 once and he had no idea (cue evil laugh while tapping fingers together). I know, I'm such a rebel.
That's all for now,
Katie
Thursday, April 3, 2014
The Semi Clean Pantry: Your New Morning Smoothie
The Semi Clean Pantry: Your New Morning Smoothie: Here's a great new smoothie recipe from MindBodyGreen with a little caffeine for a healthy morning boost. Your usual morning jo or fro...
Your New Morning Smoothie
Here's a great new smoothie recipe from MindBodyGreen with a little caffeine for a healthy morning boost.
Your usual morning jo or frozen whatchyamacallit from Starbucks not only costs you hundreds of dollars per year, but it's also loaded with sugar, caramel coloring, artificial flavors, and GMO's. And did you know that most coffee is treated with pesticides, unless it's organic?
Now I know some of you MUST. Have. Coffee. On a daily basis. Hey, I'm not saying to quit cold turkey, just entertain the idea of switching to organic coffee and save yourself from unnecessary pesticide or chemical exposure.
Or, you could start enjoying a yummy, healthy, good for you, energizing smoothie each morning instead! Not only do they boost your energy and get your day started right, they're also extremely healthy and give you a jump start on your daily fruit & veggie intake.
Here's a fantastic looking recipe for a ginger mango chai smoothie...yes, it has chai tea with caffeine! See, all is not lost ;)
http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-13204/youll-love-this-energizing-ginger-mango-chai-smoothie.html
Ginger Mango Chai Smoothie (vegan)
1 cup frozen mango
1/2 cup freshly brewed chai tea
1 tsp fresh grated ginger
1/2 frozen banana
1/4 cup coconut milk
1 tsp cinnamon
Blend and enjoy!
Your usual morning jo or frozen whatchyamacallit from Starbucks not only costs you hundreds of dollars per year, but it's also loaded with sugar, caramel coloring, artificial flavors, and GMO's. And did you know that most coffee is treated with pesticides, unless it's organic?
Now I know some of you MUST. Have. Coffee. On a daily basis. Hey, I'm not saying to quit cold turkey, just entertain the idea of switching to organic coffee and save yourself from unnecessary pesticide or chemical exposure.
Or, you could start enjoying a yummy, healthy, good for you, energizing smoothie each morning instead! Not only do they boost your energy and get your day started right, they're also extremely healthy and give you a jump start on your daily fruit & veggie intake.
Here's a fantastic looking recipe for a ginger mango chai smoothie...yes, it has chai tea with caffeine! See, all is not lost ;)
http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-13204/youll-love-this-energizing-ginger-mango-chai-smoothie.html
Ginger Mango Chai Smoothie (vegan)
1 cup frozen mango
1/2 cup freshly brewed chai tea
1 tsp fresh grated ginger
1/2 frozen banana
1/4 cup coconut milk
1 tsp cinnamon
Blend and enjoy!
Monday, March 31, 2014
The Semi Clean Pantry: Stomp The Monday Blues
The Semi Clean Pantry: Stomp The Monday Blues: It's Monday again. That inevitable day that rolls around every single week. Somehow though, every Sunday night I find myself suddenly ...
Stomp The Monday Blues
It's Monday again.
That inevitable day that rolls around every single week. Somehow though, every Sunday night I find myself suddenly realizing that I have a full week ahead of me, and somehow, I feel totally unprepared every Monday morning.
Whether I wake up on time, 10 minutes early, or 10 minutes late, I feel like I'm always scrambling. I skimp or cut my morning routine in half, jump in the shower, and run out the door. Days like today, I somehow managed to make it out the door with a bowl of oatmeal, but I had no clean water bottles, my banana is still half green, I had no lunch planned ahead, and my smoothie blender cup was sitting dirty in the dishwasher. Plus I forgot to lint roll so I'm covered in pet hair.Good grief, get it together Katie!
Ugh, no more of this Monday madness! From now on I swear I'm going to prepare better on Sunday night and ensure that I have a good Monday and a good start to my week.
How am I going to do this, you ask? Here's my game plan:
~Prep my fruits & veggies for the week: this means both for snacks as well as for smoothies. Wash everything in a vinegar soak, and peel and cut what will keep.
~Make sure my water bottles & smoothie cups are clean and ready to rock n roll. I'll fill a few water bottles and keep them in the fridge so they're ready to grab & go. This also makes it that much more convenient to grab a water instead of turning to a soda or coffee later at the office.
~Make healthy snacks. Whether it's healthy breakfast muffins, hard boiled eggs, or cookies, etc.
~Menu plan. This one is huge. Plus it's one that I've managed to stick to almost every single week for a while now. Since I do my grocery shopping on the weekend, because let's face it, it's madness there during the week after work, I'll sit down and plan my dinner menu for the week ahead and shop accordingly. Not only does this enable me to get all of my necessary ingredients so I'm not running to the store 2-3 times per week, but it also allows me to take meat out of the freezer to prepare ahead of time, and lets me take advantage of weekly store sales by basing my menu on what's on hand and what's on sale.
~Prep for your morning routine: Don't have a morning routine? Start one! It seems impossible to think about getting up a second earlier than necessary, but if I can do it, anyone can. Try getting up a few minutes early and try oil pulling, drink a warm cup of lemon water, and/or chug a big glass of water. To ensure that you do this, and have time for it, wash your lemon the night before, and set it out next to your coffee mug, a knife, and citrus press. Get your coconut oil out too so you can do that first thing. By forcing myself to see that stuff right away when I get up, I feel obligated to do it since there's no excuse.
~It may sound miniscule, but get your things together for the morning. Starting Monday off right can totally help the rest of your week to go by smoothly, plus it will inspire you to eat right, keep on track, and be more productive. So set out your towel and hang your bathrobe in the bathroom, pick out what you're going to wear, get your shoes ready, make sure your keys are somewhere, charge your cell, etc.
~The last two things that as of late, I just started believing, are to
-Eat your breakfast! Not eating within an hour or so of waking actually sends your body into starvation mode, which means it's going to hold onto your excess fat cells with all it's might. Eew. Also, it gives you energy to power through your day, and curbs that hankering for a doughnut from the break room.
-Get enough shut eye! Seriously, I know sometimes it's easy to roll your eyes at that one or think yeah, who has time for that? But sleep is so, so very critical to our bodies and when you don't have enough sleep, it's literally like a domino effect on your body, and tends to lead you away from your daily exercise routine and towards sugar or extra carbs. Save yourself the drama and just go to bed on time!
So, even thought we're a day late at this point, who else is with me to pull a mulligan tonight and prep myself for the week?! I know what I'll be doing tonight....and I know I'll have a better day tomorrow because of it!
That's all for now...
~Katie
That inevitable day that rolls around every single week. Somehow though, every Sunday night I find myself suddenly realizing that I have a full week ahead of me, and somehow, I feel totally unprepared every Monday morning.
Whether I wake up on time, 10 minutes early, or 10 minutes late, I feel like I'm always scrambling. I skimp or cut my morning routine in half, jump in the shower, and run out the door. Days like today, I somehow managed to make it out the door with a bowl of oatmeal, but I had no clean water bottles, my banana is still half green, I had no lunch planned ahead, and my smoothie blender cup was sitting dirty in the dishwasher. Plus I forgot to lint roll so I'm covered in pet hair.Good grief, get it together Katie!
Ugh, no more of this Monday madness! From now on I swear I'm going to prepare better on Sunday night and ensure that I have a good Monday and a good start to my week.
How am I going to do this, you ask? Here's my game plan:
~Prep my fruits & veggies for the week: this means both for snacks as well as for smoothies. Wash everything in a vinegar soak, and peel and cut what will keep.
~Make sure my water bottles & smoothie cups are clean and ready to rock n roll. I'll fill a few water bottles and keep them in the fridge so they're ready to grab & go. This also makes it that much more convenient to grab a water instead of turning to a soda or coffee later at the office.
~Make healthy snacks. Whether it's healthy breakfast muffins, hard boiled eggs, or cookies, etc.
~Menu plan. This one is huge. Plus it's one that I've managed to stick to almost every single week for a while now. Since I do my grocery shopping on the weekend, because let's face it, it's madness there during the week after work, I'll sit down and plan my dinner menu for the week ahead and shop accordingly. Not only does this enable me to get all of my necessary ingredients so I'm not running to the store 2-3 times per week, but it also allows me to take meat out of the freezer to prepare ahead of time, and lets me take advantage of weekly store sales by basing my menu on what's on hand and what's on sale.
~Prep for your morning routine: Don't have a morning routine? Start one! It seems impossible to think about getting up a second earlier than necessary, but if I can do it, anyone can. Try getting up a few minutes early and try oil pulling, drink a warm cup of lemon water, and/or chug a big glass of water. To ensure that you do this, and have time for it, wash your lemon the night before, and set it out next to your coffee mug, a knife, and citrus press. Get your coconut oil out too so you can do that first thing. By forcing myself to see that stuff right away when I get up, I feel obligated to do it since there's no excuse.
~It may sound miniscule, but get your things together for the morning. Starting Monday off right can totally help the rest of your week to go by smoothly, plus it will inspire you to eat right, keep on track, and be more productive. So set out your towel and hang your bathrobe in the bathroom, pick out what you're going to wear, get your shoes ready, make sure your keys are somewhere, charge your cell, etc.
~The last two things that as of late, I just started believing, are to
-Eat your breakfast! Not eating within an hour or so of waking actually sends your body into starvation mode, which means it's going to hold onto your excess fat cells with all it's might. Eew. Also, it gives you energy to power through your day, and curbs that hankering for a doughnut from the break room.
-Get enough shut eye! Seriously, I know sometimes it's easy to roll your eyes at that one or think yeah, who has time for that? But sleep is so, so very critical to our bodies and when you don't have enough sleep, it's literally like a domino effect on your body, and tends to lead you away from your daily exercise routine and towards sugar or extra carbs. Save yourself the drama and just go to bed on time!
So, even thought we're a day late at this point, who else is with me to pull a mulligan tonight and prep myself for the week?! I know what I'll be doing tonight....and I know I'll have a better day tomorrow because of it!
That's all for now...
~Katie
Friday, March 28, 2014
The Semi Clean Pantry: Cha Cha Cha Chia
The Semi Clean Pantry: Cha Cha Cha Chia: Every time I think of chia seeds I just can't help but sing the Chia Pet song. Cha Cha Cha Chia. Who knew you could eat them? Ok, so t...
Cha Cha Cha Chia
Every time I think of chia seeds I just can't help but sing the Chia Pet song. Cha Cha Cha Chia. Who knew you could eat them?
Ok, so they're in a different form and I wouldn't suggest eating the packets...buy the real thing from the store please. But seriously, those tiny little seeds are jam packed with good for you's. We're talking fiber, protein, calcium, and omega-3.
The other great thing about chia is the versatility. I personally use them in my smoothies, but you can add them to water for a quick power drink, add them to yogurt, make pudding, and much more. I also use them in my homemade freezer spaghetti sauce as a thickener, and I found a neat strawberry rhubarb jam recipe that I'm excited to try, which uses chia as the thickener.
They tend to have a different texture to them, and as they soak they expand and form a gel like coating. I highly recommend trying them, especially as a boost in your smoothie. Not only are you getting all the extras from it, but the high protein helps to curb your appetite and makes your smoothie last longer.
Here's a great site about Chia:
MindBodyGreen:The Amazing Health Benefits of Chia Seeds
Ok, so they're in a different form and I wouldn't suggest eating the packets...buy the real thing from the store please. But seriously, those tiny little seeds are jam packed with good for you's. We're talking fiber, protein, calcium, and omega-3.
The other great thing about chia is the versatility. I personally use them in my smoothies, but you can add them to water for a quick power drink, add them to yogurt, make pudding, and much more. I also use them in my homemade freezer spaghetti sauce as a thickener, and I found a neat strawberry rhubarb jam recipe that I'm excited to try, which uses chia as the thickener.
They tend to have a different texture to them, and as they soak they expand and form a gel like coating. I highly recommend trying them, especially as a boost in your smoothie. Not only are you getting all the extras from it, but the high protein helps to curb your appetite and makes your smoothie last longer.
Here's a great site about Chia:
MindBodyGreen:The Amazing Health Benefits of Chia Seeds
Tuesday, March 25, 2014
Deceiving Packaged Foods
This is an excellent, excellent video for anyone that is just beginning their clean eating journey, from 100 Days of Real Food. A lot of foods can be very misleading, especially with many food companies trying to jump on the healthy, clean eating bandwagon. Be sure to read your labels!
Here she offers super simple alternatives that won't break the bank or take up too much of your time. You may be shocked about a few seemingly healthy foods.
The paper bag trick is mind blowing!
Video: Don't fall for these deceiving packaged foods!
Here she offers super simple alternatives that won't break the bank or take up too much of your time. You may be shocked about a few seemingly healthy foods.
The paper bag trick is mind blowing!
Video: Don't fall for these deceiving packaged foods!
Monday, March 24, 2014
The Semi Clean Pantry: 15 Ways to Reduce Toxins Now
The Semi Clean Pantry: 15 Ways to Reduce Toxins Now: Reducing toxins from your life may sound like something that involves a full medical team or a hazmat suit. Not quite...it's actually mu...
15 Ways to Reduce Toxins Now
Reducing toxins from your life may sound like something that involves a full medical team or a hazmat suit. Not quite...it's actually much, much simpler than that.
MindBodyGreen offers 15 simple ways to start reducing toxins from your life starting right now. Things that are as easy as not eating canned food, drinking water in your own containers, not the cheap water bottles, just getting more sleep.
One of my favorites is #3, reading your makeup ingredients. It wasn't until a couple of months ago that I even thought to pay attention to what was in my makeup, or any of my facial or cosmetic supplies for that matter. How could that have gotten past me? I try to be so careful about what I eat, yet I was slathering talc and parabens and other chemicals & toxins on my face on a daily basis? After that I stopped using all of my old makeup and found a natural line that I really like so far.
Other simple ways she suggests is eliminating mercury fillings with a biological dentist, eating more living, fresh food, and a few others.
Check out her full list with tips here:
15 Simple Ways to Reduce Toxins-From MindBodyGreen
MindBodyGreen offers 15 simple ways to start reducing toxins from your life starting right now. Things that are as easy as not eating canned food, drinking water in your own containers, not the cheap water bottles, just getting more sleep.
One of my favorites is #3, reading your makeup ingredients. It wasn't until a couple of months ago that I even thought to pay attention to what was in my makeup, or any of my facial or cosmetic supplies for that matter. How could that have gotten past me? I try to be so careful about what I eat, yet I was slathering talc and parabens and other chemicals & toxins on my face on a daily basis? After that I stopped using all of my old makeup and found a natural line that I really like so far.
Other simple ways she suggests is eliminating mercury fillings with a biological dentist, eating more living, fresh food, and a few others.
Check out her full list with tips here:
15 Simple Ways to Reduce Toxins-From MindBodyGreen
Friday, March 21, 2014
The Semi Clean Pantry: Getting Back on the Wagon
The Semi Clean Pantry: Getting Back on the Wagon: Yeah, I fell off the wagon. But with good reason. For years I was really good about exercising on a regular basis. Whether it was walking, ...
Getting Back on the Wagon
Yeah, I fell off the wagon. But with good reason.
For years I was really good about exercising on a regular basis. Whether it was walking, riding my horses, or zumba, I was always doing something on the regular. Well, then I met the man of my dreams and kind of started slacking a little. First it was not going to zumba on a regular basis, then I ended up selling my show horse so I was no longer riding, then it kind of just turned into nothing much at all. Ahh sweet, comfortable love ;)
After a year or so I had snapped out of it and began zumba classes once again, with my favorite instructor. I was finally back into the swing of things, taking classes 2-3 times per week, and walking here and there in between. I began noticing awesome changes, sure on the scale, but more so with my body. I suddenly had a flat back without any roll definition, my poochy area was shrinking, and dang, I was getting some guns for arms!
Then my injury happened. It was a Saturday morning in April, almost 2 years ago now, and my sister pulled in the driveway to pick me up for our Saturday morning zumba class. I ran out the door, slipped on ice on our concrete stairs, and down I went. I landed on my hip on the exact corner of the concrete step and felt immediate pain. I had also rolled my ankle and obtained a few bruises, but my hip was the worst. I stayed home that day and iced it, and took the week off. I tried resuming classes which seemed fine for a week or two. Then I began having nasty pain in my hip. And I mean, nasty, sharp shooting, stabbing pain inside my hip joint. I visit my chiropractor on a regular basis, but I made an extra appointment with her to see if she could help. She initially thought I may have been a labral tear, or Bursitis. We tried treating it for a few weeks, with no luck. So I reluctantly made an appointment with my Dr, who referred me to 6 weeks of physical therapy. Well, 6 weeks turned into 12 weeks, before I finally got a referral to an ortho. Three lengthy appointments, a set of hip x-rays, and an MRI later, we found out the cause of my horrible, now alternating between hips, pain, which were multiple synovial cysts on my spine. Long story short, I have a hyper curve in my lower back and over time (and I'm guessing with years of riding, falling off, getting tossed around by 1200 lb animals), it has pissed off my spine which then create these little cysts with synovial fluid, which sometimes pinch my nerves. And they never go away. The doc's answer? Lose weight. Um, right. I'll just get right on that. Lose weight without the ability to vacuum my own floors, shop for groceries for more than 15 minutes, or walk more than a block, let alone get in good exercise? No problem! The other option was to try injections, which to me, sounds a little scary and invasive for a first round of treatment.
So, though somewhat defeated, and I don't even know how many pounds heavier, I tried to do as much as I could. I started yoga classes, and a water exercise class. Keep in mind this is coming from the girl that rocked it at zumba for years for exercise and was used to riding horses, so this was different for me. Yoga was ok, but I don't think I'm cut out to be a yogi. I will say, however, that it is very relaxing and a great time to zone out and re-focus and ahhhhh, breathe. Water exercise was great too, it was actually a sort of challenge with those dang foam dumbbells your swim with, and I love being in the water. But then I had gotten a new tattoo and couldn't swim for a period of time, and by the time I checked back into classes, they had cancelled them indefinitely. :(
So, 6 months and more pounds later here I am, still no regular exercise regime. BUT, that is all going to change, starting yesterday! Well actually, I need to rewind a few weeks. I had missed a chiro appointment, and ended up being scheduled out almost a month since my last adjustment. The night before my appointment, I noticed something crazy. I had no pain. I had swept the floors in the house, did some cooking, did some picking up, got groceries, and I had no stabbing pains. What the....well, by some fluke, I figured out that by not adjusting my hips, my pain was kept at bay. Woohoo!! I tested my theory that time, and the next, and now a third time and I'm still good to go! Every once in a while I'll find something I should definitely not be doing and it will remind me that I need to slow it down, but for the most part it has been incredibly better.
So, yesterday was a gorgeous day and I decided to take our dogs for a short walk. Everything went pretty well actually, and apart from being a hair sore at the end of the small walk, and a Charlie horse in my leg in the middle of the night, I'm good to go! So, my plan is to continue walking a few times per week, lengthening my walk every 2-3 times. Then, I'll try my hand at zumba again. Because let's face it, there is no way in high hell that I can just launch myself back into zumba with my favorite teacher and live to talk about it the next day. She's crazy, and I love it. I should mention, it's not your ordinary zumba, and it contains a lot of high cardio, high impact, kick your ass to the curb, burns 700 + calories per hour, go throw up in the bathroom and come back for more kind of stuff. I can't wait!!!
And please don't get me wrong or take this the wrong way, I am very comfortable in my skin. I am confident no matter what size I am, and I am happy with myself no matter what. Yes, I'd like to lose weight, but more so I'd like to be fit, I'd like to be stronger, and I'd like to be healthier. And getting regular exercise is part of all of that. I will never be a size 5 and that's completely, totally ok by me, because as long as I am healthy, eating well, and exercising a few times per week, then I'm healthy and I'll feel good and that's what matters most!
For years I was really good about exercising on a regular basis. Whether it was walking, riding my horses, or zumba, I was always doing something on the regular. Well, then I met the man of my dreams and kind of started slacking a little. First it was not going to zumba on a regular basis, then I ended up selling my show horse so I was no longer riding, then it kind of just turned into nothing much at all. Ahh sweet, comfortable love ;)
After a year or so I had snapped out of it and began zumba classes once again, with my favorite instructor. I was finally back into the swing of things, taking classes 2-3 times per week, and walking here and there in between. I began noticing awesome changes, sure on the scale, but more so with my body. I suddenly had a flat back without any roll definition, my poochy area was shrinking, and dang, I was getting some guns for arms!
Then my injury happened. It was a Saturday morning in April, almost 2 years ago now, and my sister pulled in the driveway to pick me up for our Saturday morning zumba class. I ran out the door, slipped on ice on our concrete stairs, and down I went. I landed on my hip on the exact corner of the concrete step and felt immediate pain. I had also rolled my ankle and obtained a few bruises, but my hip was the worst. I stayed home that day and iced it, and took the week off. I tried resuming classes which seemed fine for a week or two. Then I began having nasty pain in my hip. And I mean, nasty, sharp shooting, stabbing pain inside my hip joint. I visit my chiropractor on a regular basis, but I made an extra appointment with her to see if she could help. She initially thought I may have been a labral tear, or Bursitis. We tried treating it for a few weeks, with no luck. So I reluctantly made an appointment with my Dr, who referred me to 6 weeks of physical therapy. Well, 6 weeks turned into 12 weeks, before I finally got a referral to an ortho. Three lengthy appointments, a set of hip x-rays, and an MRI later, we found out the cause of my horrible, now alternating between hips, pain, which were multiple synovial cysts on my spine. Long story short, I have a hyper curve in my lower back and over time (and I'm guessing with years of riding, falling off, getting tossed around by 1200 lb animals), it has pissed off my spine which then create these little cysts with synovial fluid, which sometimes pinch my nerves. And they never go away. The doc's answer? Lose weight. Um, right. I'll just get right on that. Lose weight without the ability to vacuum my own floors, shop for groceries for more than 15 minutes, or walk more than a block, let alone get in good exercise? No problem! The other option was to try injections, which to me, sounds a little scary and invasive for a first round of treatment.
So, though somewhat defeated, and I don't even know how many pounds heavier, I tried to do as much as I could. I started yoga classes, and a water exercise class. Keep in mind this is coming from the girl that rocked it at zumba for years for exercise and was used to riding horses, so this was different for me. Yoga was ok, but I don't think I'm cut out to be a yogi. I will say, however, that it is very relaxing and a great time to zone out and re-focus and ahhhhh, breathe. Water exercise was great too, it was actually a sort of challenge with those dang foam dumbbells your swim with, and I love being in the water. But then I had gotten a new tattoo and couldn't swim for a period of time, and by the time I checked back into classes, they had cancelled them indefinitely. :(
So, 6 months and more pounds later here I am, still no regular exercise regime. BUT, that is all going to change, starting yesterday! Well actually, I need to rewind a few weeks. I had missed a chiro appointment, and ended up being scheduled out almost a month since my last adjustment. The night before my appointment, I noticed something crazy. I had no pain. I had swept the floors in the house, did some cooking, did some picking up, got groceries, and I had no stabbing pains. What the....well, by some fluke, I figured out that by not adjusting my hips, my pain was kept at bay. Woohoo!! I tested my theory that time, and the next, and now a third time and I'm still good to go! Every once in a while I'll find something I should definitely not be doing and it will remind me that I need to slow it down, but for the most part it has been incredibly better.
So, yesterday was a gorgeous day and I decided to take our dogs for a short walk. Everything went pretty well actually, and apart from being a hair sore at the end of the small walk, and a Charlie horse in my leg in the middle of the night, I'm good to go! So, my plan is to continue walking a few times per week, lengthening my walk every 2-3 times. Then, I'll try my hand at zumba again. Because let's face it, there is no way in high hell that I can just launch myself back into zumba with my favorite teacher and live to talk about it the next day. She's crazy, and I love it. I should mention, it's not your ordinary zumba, and it contains a lot of high cardio, high impact, kick your ass to the curb, burns 700 + calories per hour, go throw up in the bathroom and come back for more kind of stuff. I can't wait!!!
And please don't get me wrong or take this the wrong way, I am very comfortable in my skin. I am confident no matter what size I am, and I am happy with myself no matter what. Yes, I'd like to lose weight, but more so I'd like to be fit, I'd like to be stronger, and I'd like to be healthier. And getting regular exercise is part of all of that. I will never be a size 5 and that's completely, totally ok by me, because as long as I am healthy, eating well, and exercising a few times per week, then I'm healthy and I'll feel good and that's what matters most!
The Semi Clean Pantry: Non-Toxic Daily Shower & Tub Spray
The Semi Clean Pantry: Non-Toxic Daily Shower & Tub Spray: Here is a great recipe for making a daily shower spray. Because let's face it, none of us scour & scrub our entire tubs & shower...
Non-Toxic Daily Shower & Tub Spray
Here is a great recipe for making a daily shower spray. Because let's face it, none of us scour & scrub our entire tubs & showers on a regular basis and things tend to build up. For a long time I used the daily shower spray from the store, not even thinking twice about what it contains. Yikes!
With this recipe, you'll know exactly what you're putting in the shower, and you'll know exactly what's NOT being absorbed into your body.
http://www.theprairiehomestead.com/2014/03/diy-daily-shower-cleaner.html
With this recipe, you'll know exactly what you're putting in the shower, and you'll know exactly what's NOT being absorbed into your body.
http://www.theprairiehomestead.com/2014/03/diy-daily-shower-cleaner.html
Thursday, March 20, 2014
The Semi Clean Pantry: Baking Soda: It's Not Your Ordinary BS
The Semi Clean Pantry: Baking Soda: It's Not Your Ordinary BS: Baking Soda. It's in all of our homes. But are we using it to it's full potential? Probably not! I'll admit I haven't trie...
Baking Soda: It's Not Your Ordinary BS
Baking Soda. It's in all of our homes. But are we using it to it's full potential? Probably not!
I'll admit I haven't tried everything with baking soda. I mean, come on, I do have a life. Hey now...no comments from the peanut gallery! But I have tried a few new things with it. Baking Soda aka BS to me (giggles), is a major staple in natural cleaning if you're goal is to go chemical free. One of my favorites is it's scrubbing & scouring power. Our glass stove top tends to get pretty yucky looking pretty darn easy. All it takes is a pot of water to boil over and I'm stuck with some nasty brown rings. Don't even get me started on burnt on food. Or melted plastic from when the boyfriend tried helping me out and left the spoon too close to the burner :/ Bless his heart.
To clean the glass stove top, I'll simply run a warm rag over it, mainly to get any crumbs off. Then sprinkle baking soda over the surface, use more on the tough spots. Let it sit for a few minutes. If it's a really tough looking spot, let a hot rag sit over the baking soda for a few minutes. Now get out your elbow grease and apply liberally. Ha that's my way of saying scrub it sista. Most of it will come out clean without even having to scrub, but if you have any spots you'll need to go over them a few times. If you have a hard time with just a was cloth, try a non-abrasive green scrubby. Then wipe over the whole area again with a warm rag and presto! Shiny glass stove top once again.
I've also used BS as a tub & shower scrub and it works like MAGIC! I simply take about a tsp of liquid soap (Dawn), 1 cup of baking soda, a few drops of essential oil (optional), then enough water to make a paste. I apply with a green pad and scrub the area, then rinse. Works like a charm!
Use BS on your carpet. That's right, BS can be used to make your own carpet fresh! I've been using this for a couple of years now and I love it. For starters, I saved an empty parm cheese shaker-I know, so genius. Simply dump in some BS (1-2 cups) then however many drops of essential oil, depending on desired strength. Use as a regular carper deodorizer before vacuuming and never worry what your pets, babies, toddlers, or even you are absorbing from your carpet.
In the bathroom. BS can be used as a wonderful detox bath when mixed with Epsom salt, apple cider vinegar and essential oil. Just add 1/2 cup Epsom, 1/4 cup BS, 1/3 cup ACV and a few drops of EO. This bath will help to draw toxins from your system and will aid with any skin issues, plus it's a great way to relax with a few minutes to yourself.
While you're in the bathroom, slather some on your face and teeth. Here's a great recipe from WellnessMama for homemade natural toothpaste: http://wellnessmama.com/2500/homemade-remineralizing-toothpaste-recipe/. For your face, use BS as a natural exfoliator. Mix the baking soda with a little water, or for even better results, use coconut oil, then massage into the face for a good 20 seconds. Make sure to be gentle, we're not scrubbing stovetops anymore. Rinse your face with warm water and enjoy that silky skin.
Last but not least, you can cure BO with BS. That's right, use BS to make your own homemade deodorant! Most commercial deodorants contain nasty chemicals and additives and those can be absorbed right into our system through our pits. Try this recipe instead: http://wellnessmama.com/1523/how-to-make-natural-deodorant/
These aren't the only uses for BS, but they're my personal faves. I love cleaning with baking soda and with spring cleaning right around the corner, lots of us will begin our annual rituals of organizing, dusting, and scrubbing. I urge you to try a few homemade cleaners instead of those chemical & toxin laden products. Even if we can't smell them, those fumes are spread throughout our home and can be very harmful, especially over time. And don't think they're gone when you can't smell them anymore! Those fumes can be transferred throughout your house through your air ducts and continue to recirculate. Not to mention, BS and natural products are much, much easier on the wallet than store bought versions!
Rock on BS'ers.
I'll admit I haven't tried everything with baking soda. I mean, come on, I do have a life. Hey now...no comments from the peanut gallery! But I have tried a few new things with it. Baking Soda aka BS to me (giggles), is a major staple in natural cleaning if you're goal is to go chemical free. One of my favorites is it's scrubbing & scouring power. Our glass stove top tends to get pretty yucky looking pretty darn easy. All it takes is a pot of water to boil over and I'm stuck with some nasty brown rings. Don't even get me started on burnt on food. Or melted plastic from when the boyfriend tried helping me out and left the spoon too close to the burner :/ Bless his heart.
To clean the glass stove top, I'll simply run a warm rag over it, mainly to get any crumbs off. Then sprinkle baking soda over the surface, use more on the tough spots. Let it sit for a few minutes. If it's a really tough looking spot, let a hot rag sit over the baking soda for a few minutes. Now get out your elbow grease and apply liberally. Ha that's my way of saying scrub it sista. Most of it will come out clean without even having to scrub, but if you have any spots you'll need to go over them a few times. If you have a hard time with just a was cloth, try a non-abrasive green scrubby. Then wipe over the whole area again with a warm rag and presto! Shiny glass stove top once again.
I've also used BS as a tub & shower scrub and it works like MAGIC! I simply take about a tsp of liquid soap (Dawn), 1 cup of baking soda, a few drops of essential oil (optional), then enough water to make a paste. I apply with a green pad and scrub the area, then rinse. Works like a charm!
Use BS on your carpet. That's right, BS can be used to make your own carpet fresh! I've been using this for a couple of years now and I love it. For starters, I saved an empty parm cheese shaker-I know, so genius. Simply dump in some BS (1-2 cups) then however many drops of essential oil, depending on desired strength. Use as a regular carper deodorizer before vacuuming and never worry what your pets, babies, toddlers, or even you are absorbing from your carpet.
In the bathroom. BS can be used as a wonderful detox bath when mixed with Epsom salt, apple cider vinegar and essential oil. Just add 1/2 cup Epsom, 1/4 cup BS, 1/3 cup ACV and a few drops of EO. This bath will help to draw toxins from your system and will aid with any skin issues, plus it's a great way to relax with a few minutes to yourself.
While you're in the bathroom, slather some on your face and teeth. Here's a great recipe from WellnessMama for homemade natural toothpaste: http://wellnessmama.com/2500/homemade-remineralizing-toothpaste-recipe/. For your face, use BS as a natural exfoliator. Mix the baking soda with a little water, or for even better results, use coconut oil, then massage into the face for a good 20 seconds. Make sure to be gentle, we're not scrubbing stovetops anymore. Rinse your face with warm water and enjoy that silky skin.
Last but not least, you can cure BO with BS. That's right, use BS to make your own homemade deodorant! Most commercial deodorants contain nasty chemicals and additives and those can be absorbed right into our system through our pits. Try this recipe instead: http://wellnessmama.com/1523/how-to-make-natural-deodorant/
These aren't the only uses for BS, but they're my personal faves. I love cleaning with baking soda and with spring cleaning right around the corner, lots of us will begin our annual rituals of organizing, dusting, and scrubbing. I urge you to try a few homemade cleaners instead of those chemical & toxin laden products. Even if we can't smell them, those fumes are spread throughout our home and can be very harmful, especially over time. And don't think they're gone when you can't smell them anymore! Those fumes can be transferred throughout your house through your air ducts and continue to recirculate. Not to mention, BS and natural products are much, much easier on the wallet than store bought versions!
Rock on BS'ers.
Monday, March 17, 2014
St. Paddy's Shamrock Smoothie
Alright let's just put all our cards out there on the table. I like, no liked, those stupid green shamrock shakes from a certain fast food place. Ugh, I know, so not good for you and loaded with food dye and I don't even want to know what else. But they're so good!
Those are now a thing of the past. I have discovered a make it yourself version that is not only tasty, but also healthy. By using the super fruit avocado as your base, you're gaining the smooth, creamy texture of ice cream, as well as all of the green machine's health benefits.
Avocados are often called super fruits, or super foods. This is for their many properties that help with everything from cardiovascular health, healthy skin, weight loss, diabetes, arthritis, nutrient absorption, and so much more. Sometimes they're given a bad rep for being high in fat, however it's the good kind of fat, the kind your body needs and craves. Avocados are high in monounsaturated fat which is the easy to burn, healthy fat. They're also high in fiber, potassium, Vitamin E, B-vitamins, and folic acid.
So, without further ado, here is the recipe for the healthy version of a shamrock shake that you can enjoy without all of the guilt:
(Recipe from primallyinspired.com)
Copycat Shamrock Shake:
1 can coconut milk (or 1 3/4 cups any other milk)
1 avocado, peeled and pitted
2 1/2-3 tbs pure, raw honey (to taste for sweetness)
1 cup ice
1 tbs pure vanilla extract
1 tsp pure peppermint extract (you could even throw in fresh mint leaves!)
Blend and enjoy!
Those are now a thing of the past. I have discovered a make it yourself version that is not only tasty, but also healthy. By using the super fruit avocado as your base, you're gaining the smooth, creamy texture of ice cream, as well as all of the green machine's health benefits.
Avocados are often called super fruits, or super foods. This is for their many properties that help with everything from cardiovascular health, healthy skin, weight loss, diabetes, arthritis, nutrient absorption, and so much more. Sometimes they're given a bad rep for being high in fat, however it's the good kind of fat, the kind your body needs and craves. Avocados are high in monounsaturated fat which is the easy to burn, healthy fat. They're also high in fiber, potassium, Vitamin E, B-vitamins, and folic acid.
So, without further ado, here is the recipe for the healthy version of a shamrock shake that you can enjoy without all of the guilt:
(Recipe from primallyinspired.com)
Copycat Shamrock Shake:
1 can coconut milk (or 1 3/4 cups any other milk)
1 avocado, peeled and pitted
2 1/2-3 tbs pure, raw honey (to taste for sweetness)
1 cup ice
1 tbs pure vanilla extract
1 tsp pure peppermint extract (you could even throw in fresh mint leaves!)
Blend and enjoy!
The Semi Clean Pantry: Apple Cider Vinegar Elixir
The Semi Clean Pantry: Apple Cider Vinegar Elixir: So you want to reap the endless benefits of drinking apple cider vinegar, but can't stomach the taste. Not a problem! Here are two great...
Apple Cider Vinegar Elixir
So you want to reap the endless benefits of drinking apple cider vinegar, but can't stomach the taste. Not a problem! Here are two great ways to prepare your ACV so that not only is the sour vinegar taste eliminated, but it actually tastes good!
Let me rewind a sec and remind you that you want to purchase raw, organic, unfiltered apple cider vinegar that contains "the mother". Bragg's is a great brand.
Now, my preferred way of drinking ACV, is to drink it warm. I'll warm the water, then mix the AVC, honey, and sometimes cinnamon together. I also love this method since local, raw honey has many of it's own health benefits, as does cinnamon. So it's a win win!
Warm ACV:
8 oz water (warmed)
1-2 TBS ACV
1 TBS honey (local, raw)
1 tsp cinnamon
The other way you can down your daily dose of good for you ACV, is to drink it cold by way of this recipe from delightedmomma.com:
Sweetened Raw Apple Cider Vinegar Elixir:
1 1/2 cup of cold filtered water
2 tbs of apple or grape juice
2 tbs of raw apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp of cinnamon
1/2 tsp of stevia (powdered) if using liquid you only need a few drops.
Mix all ingredients together and stir until well combined. You can also serve over ice as a refreshing summer drink.
Now, back when I first began drinking ACV, I had done quite a bit of research on it. The one thing that sticks with me, aside from all of the awesome health benefits, is that it can be a little hard on your tooth enamel. Because of this, I follow the suggestion of drinking it with a straw, and I always take a few sips of plain water after to sort of rinse my mouth and teeth off. Just in case.
I've also read not to drink it straight without diluting, due to the fact that it can be a little harsh on your innards on the way down. Who the heck could tolerate it straight anyways? Yikes!
Let me rewind a sec and remind you that you want to purchase raw, organic, unfiltered apple cider vinegar that contains "the mother". Bragg's is a great brand.
Now, my preferred way of drinking ACV, is to drink it warm. I'll warm the water, then mix the AVC, honey, and sometimes cinnamon together. I also love this method since local, raw honey has many of it's own health benefits, as does cinnamon. So it's a win win!
Warm ACV:
8 oz water (warmed)
1-2 TBS ACV
1 TBS honey (local, raw)
1 tsp cinnamon
The other way you can down your daily dose of good for you ACV, is to drink it cold by way of this recipe from delightedmomma.com:
Sweetened Raw Apple Cider Vinegar Elixir:
Mix all ingredients together and stir until well combined. You can also serve over ice as a refreshing summer drink.
Now, back when I first began drinking ACV, I had done quite a bit of research on it. The one thing that sticks with me, aside from all of the awesome health benefits, is that it can be a little hard on your tooth enamel. Because of this, I follow the suggestion of drinking it with a straw, and I always take a few sips of plain water after to sort of rinse my mouth and teeth off. Just in case.
I've also read not to drink it straight without diluting, due to the fact that it can be a little harsh on your innards on the way down. Who the heck could tolerate it straight anyways? Yikes!
Tuesday, March 11, 2014
The Semi Clean Pantry: Don't Get Discouraged...You're on the Right Track
The Semi Clean Pantry: Don't Get Discouraged...You're on the Right Track: About a year and a half ago, I began learning more and more about eating healthier, choosing organic produce over conventionally grown, redu...
Don't Get Discouraged...You're on the Right Track
About a year and a half ago, I began learning more and more about eating healthier, choosing organic produce over conventionally grown, reducing processed foods, and just plain trying to eat and live cleaner. To say that was frustrating is the understatement of the year.
I know that it should be a good experience and it should feel super awesome that you're making changes and getting healthier. And it did, and still does, trust me. The part that was so frustrating to me was the fact that there is so much, and I mean SO MUCH contradictory information and ideas out there. By this I mean things like those that are trying to lose weight eating all non-fat or low-fat products, but then finding out that all of those products are loaded with chemicals and all sorts of crap to take the fats place. Then there's those who are trying to lose weight by cutting out carbs, but then they're not allowed to eat fruits and are extremely limited on veggies. (In what world would that EVER be healthy?!). Or switching to agave nectar instead of sugar, only to find out that agave is actually really nasty stuff. Or how about butter lovers switching to olive oil for cooking, only to find out that it forms a type of carcinogen at high heat. Then there's the McDonald's, fast food, or frozen food lover that starts cooking more homemade meals instead, only to find out that the meat she's using could be loaded with hormones, antibiotics and who knows what, and that the grass fed, certified organic meat that costs 3 times as much would be so much better for her and her family.
It. Gets. Frustrating.
I have been there, I'm still there on some things, and I thought I'd never figure out what's best or what my game plan is. Starting from basically ground zero and never having bought organic produce, never having paid attention to what's in my food, I figured any step forward was a step in the right direction. And that's your key.
You may not be able to switch everything all at once, you may not be able to afford all organic, and you may have super picky meat-n-potatoes only kind of boyfriends. Oh wait, that one's mine. The point is, you have to start somewhere, and one change at a time is better than no change at all.
Start with your produce for instance: learn the dirty dozen and the clean 15 and buy accordingly. When you're ready, start making the change to buying all organic. Maybe next, switch to organic, grass fed butter and milk. Next switch your eggs, then your cheese. Next, stop buying canned tomatoes and use fresh instead, then start making your own stocks instead of buying processed versions, and making your own spice mixes, and so on.
Do your research. If you're one to purchase low-fat or non-fat versions of dairy, look at the ingredients list and look up anything you're not sure of. Compare your labels. Don't think there's much of a difference between non-fat and full fat, or conventional vs organic? Compare regular, conventional eggs to organic, cage free eggs once. There is a drastic difference in cholesterol & sodium. Same thing with sugar-free foods. They make you think it's a healthier option because there's no sugar, but in the place of sugar there are nasty, and I mean nasty, chemicals masked as artificial sweeteners that can cause a whole slew of health problems and even cancer.
So even though the stuff still may not be good for you, the regular versions are typically not as dangerous as the low-fat, non-fat, non-sugar versions. So is switching back to regular, full fat, good enough instead of switching to all organic? Not quite. But it's your first step.
Back then I knew with the more I learned and the more I realized things need to change, that I wasn't going to be able to do it all at once. I couldn't afford to buy all organic, or throw everything out and get healthier versions. I had a hard time wrapping my head around my vegetable intake consisting of more than a can of beans at dinner or a salad at lunch for pete's sake. Seriously. Not to mention that picky meat-n-potatoes boyfriend that thought I fell off my rocker and came back to as a hippy! I knew he'd be my biggest obstacle with switching how we were eating, and he still is. I've been trying different things and I must say that he's adapted quite well, but he still raises an eyebrow to a few things and even flat out refused others. I'll get him there eventually.
And I am still working on things and switching, eliminating, or adding things one by one even now, and I'm sure I will be for a long time. It's pretty neat to look back at all of the changes I've made over the last year or so though, and knowing that we've made leaps and bounds towards healthier lives. We didn't get here by drastically changing it all at once and we didn't notice instant results or changes in us by making the changes. We did it one or two changes at a time, at our own pace.
It's also important to remember that it's not only about taking things one at a time, but it's also about doing your own research. There are contradictory opinions out there on just about every topic. Don't believe everything you hear, and don't follow new trends. Instead, hop on Google and do some digging yourself, or ask someone that's knowledgeable about natural health. It's really easy to get confused as to what's healthy and what's not, or what claims to be but isn't. Find out for yourself. That is my best advice. I can't tell you what you should or shouldn't do, or how you should eat, or what not to buy, and I am not a health expert or medical professional. But I can tell you to start doing your homework and start making decisions on how you're going to improve your health starting today.
I know that it should be a good experience and it should feel super awesome that you're making changes and getting healthier. And it did, and still does, trust me. The part that was so frustrating to me was the fact that there is so much, and I mean SO MUCH contradictory information and ideas out there. By this I mean things like those that are trying to lose weight eating all non-fat or low-fat products, but then finding out that all of those products are loaded with chemicals and all sorts of crap to take the fats place. Then there's those who are trying to lose weight by cutting out carbs, but then they're not allowed to eat fruits and are extremely limited on veggies. (In what world would that EVER be healthy?!). Or switching to agave nectar instead of sugar, only to find out that agave is actually really nasty stuff. Or how about butter lovers switching to olive oil for cooking, only to find out that it forms a type of carcinogen at high heat. Then there's the McDonald's, fast food, or frozen food lover that starts cooking more homemade meals instead, only to find out that the meat she's using could be loaded with hormones, antibiotics and who knows what, and that the grass fed, certified organic meat that costs 3 times as much would be so much better for her and her family.
It. Gets. Frustrating.
I have been there, I'm still there on some things, and I thought I'd never figure out what's best or what my game plan is. Starting from basically ground zero and never having bought organic produce, never having paid attention to what's in my food, I figured any step forward was a step in the right direction. And that's your key.
You may not be able to switch everything all at once, you may not be able to afford all organic, and you may have super picky meat-n-potatoes only kind of boyfriends. Oh wait, that one's mine. The point is, you have to start somewhere, and one change at a time is better than no change at all.
Start with your produce for instance: learn the dirty dozen and the clean 15 and buy accordingly. When you're ready, start making the change to buying all organic. Maybe next, switch to organic, grass fed butter and milk. Next switch your eggs, then your cheese. Next, stop buying canned tomatoes and use fresh instead, then start making your own stocks instead of buying processed versions, and making your own spice mixes, and so on.
Do your research. If you're one to purchase low-fat or non-fat versions of dairy, look at the ingredients list and look up anything you're not sure of. Compare your labels. Don't think there's much of a difference between non-fat and full fat, or conventional vs organic? Compare regular, conventional eggs to organic, cage free eggs once. There is a drastic difference in cholesterol & sodium. Same thing with sugar-free foods. They make you think it's a healthier option because there's no sugar, but in the place of sugar there are nasty, and I mean nasty, chemicals masked as artificial sweeteners that can cause a whole slew of health problems and even cancer.
So even though the stuff still may not be good for you, the regular versions are typically not as dangerous as the low-fat, non-fat, non-sugar versions. So is switching back to regular, full fat, good enough instead of switching to all organic? Not quite. But it's your first step.
Back then I knew with the more I learned and the more I realized things need to change, that I wasn't going to be able to do it all at once. I couldn't afford to buy all organic, or throw everything out and get healthier versions. I had a hard time wrapping my head around my vegetable intake consisting of more than a can of beans at dinner or a salad at lunch for pete's sake. Seriously. Not to mention that picky meat-n-potatoes boyfriend that thought I fell off my rocker and came back to as a hippy! I knew he'd be my biggest obstacle with switching how we were eating, and he still is. I've been trying different things and I must say that he's adapted quite well, but he still raises an eyebrow to a few things and even flat out refused others. I'll get him there eventually.
And I am still working on things and switching, eliminating, or adding things one by one even now, and I'm sure I will be for a long time. It's pretty neat to look back at all of the changes I've made over the last year or so though, and knowing that we've made leaps and bounds towards healthier lives. We didn't get here by drastically changing it all at once and we didn't notice instant results or changes in us by making the changes. We did it one or two changes at a time, at our own pace.
It's also important to remember that it's not only about taking things one at a time, but it's also about doing your own research. There are contradictory opinions out there on just about every topic. Don't believe everything you hear, and don't follow new trends. Instead, hop on Google and do some digging yourself, or ask someone that's knowledgeable about natural health. It's really easy to get confused as to what's healthy and what's not, or what claims to be but isn't. Find out for yourself. That is my best advice. I can't tell you what you should or shouldn't do, or how you should eat, or what not to buy, and I am not a health expert or medical professional. But I can tell you to start doing your homework and start making decisions on how you're going to improve your health starting today.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)