MakingMine
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First 30 Days: My P90X Journey
I started my 3rd attempt of P90X on March 29th, 2012 (read here about my last attempts).
30 days into it, I already... -
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Summer Lime Salad
(I don’t care if it’s not summer yet, this salad tastes like it!)
- 1 can black beans, rinsed
- 1 cup shelled edamame
- 1 1/2 cups...
You know how I’ve been on the hunt for some high-quality, food SAFE, reusable storage bags? Well the search is over - AND you’ll get $22 worth of goods for only $10! Click the link above to get your deal!
Carrots, apples and lettuce straight from the winter market!
J and I tried a new vegan recipe tonight that I found on Pinterest - Spinach Linguine with Edamame Pesto. I pretty much followed the recipe as is except for a slight variation on the fresh herbs I used. The recipe was quick, easy and DELICIOUS! And guessing by the two big bowls that J ate, he agreed :)
We’ll definitely be making this again! Love finding new recipes on great blogs. If you’ve never checked out Post Punk Kitchen, I’d highly recommend it! Happy cooking - and eating ;)
How perfect would this meal have been for St. Patty’s day?! Ah well, there’s always next year!
I went shopping today with the best intentions. And we all know how that turns out… here’s what went down:
I mentioned awhile ago that I wanted to find an alternative to plastic baggies for food storage. Since then, I’ve pinned all sorts of goodies that I *thought* would be the perfect solution. I narrowed it down to one particular craft template that used oil cloth to create sandwich bags. I made my list, printed my coupons and headed out to purchase the supplies I needed. All the while thinking, “Wow, I’m so smart, savvy and eco-conscious. This is going to save us so much money in the long run. Why don’t more people do this?” Ha.
I get to the section of the store with the oil cloth and see a warning listed on a nearby bolt of material: “The state of California recognizes this product as hazardous and may cause birth defects.”
Wait, what? I thought I was being a genius and duping what modern convenience had convinced me to believe. It was on Martha Stewart for goodness sakes! I decided to use my phone to do a quick google search on the safety of using oil cloth for food storage. It took all of 5 seconds to get a firm answer on that question: NO! It is NOT safe for food storage.
Cool. Needless to say I scared myself into leaving the store empty-handed. Since then I’ve done a more extensive search on what options truly exist for the everyday consumer to make their own leakproof food storage. There doesn’t seem to be one, general consensus on a truly perfect product on the market. I did, however, find a couple of vendors who sell pre-made reusable bags. I’ll probably end up purchasing from LunchSkins or snackTAXI.
It wasn’t a total loss - I ended up learning a lot from this experience and will never leave the house without doing my research again!
Am I over thinking this? Do you have any suggestions on materials that I can use to create a comparable item myself?
So now that my plastic free kitchen is in full swing, I decided to take the next step and revamp my cleaning routine. I’m astonished by how many chemicals I’ve gotten used to using in my daily life - dusting spray, bleach, shower cleaner, swiffer floor cleaner, fabreeze, disinfecting wipes, the list goes on and on…
I took all of the old offenders, put them in a box and vowed to never let them back into the house.
So, now what? My cupboard was empty and I still had a house to clean. I mean people must have done something in the “old days” to get the job done, right?! Here entered my green cleaning plan. After visiting a number of websites and reading up on the old standbys for cleaning your home naturally, I began assembling my arsenal. Here’s what I came up with:
Clean Green Toolbox:
- Distilled white vinegar
- Washing soda
- Baking soda
- Lemon Oil (used fresh lemon as well)
- Tea Tree Oil
- Lavender Oil
I also bought these awesome mixing/juicing/spraying containers from Amazon. They’re made by Full Circle, and I highly recommend them!
So now you must be wondering how exactly all of this works. I know you’re probably not convinced, because to be honest, I wasn’t sure this was going to work either. Well I can tell you that after mixing up just 2 different natural concoctions, my entire house was fresh and clean. From dusting our wood furniture to scrubbing the stovetop, just two different sprays handled the job!
To give you one example, I’ve been battling to keep my shower clean for months. I had run the gamut with all sorts of other cleaning products and eventually resorted to bleach for some particularly tough stains - ugh, it still didn’t come clean. This time I mixed together 1 part vinegar, 1 part water and 10 drops of lavender, sprayed it in our shower and wiped with a damp cloth. It worked wonders! 100% clean. Naturally! I seriously couldn’t believe it.
The Full Circle containers came with a booklet of “recipes” for cleaning naturally, but you can find great resources online as well. One area I haven’t made the switch is laundry detergent. Does anybody have any foolproof methods they’d like to share? What changes are you making to clean your home more naturally?
Remember how I mentioned getting rid of ALL plastic in my kitchen, well spring break offered the perfect opportunity to make this goal a reality. I went through every drawer, cabinet and shelf pitching all plastics into a box. I haven’t quite decided what to do with all my old plastics. Some will be kept as storage containers for small household items but everything else will probably go to Good Will or be recycled. In place of those pesky plastics, I’ve opted to stock my shelves with gently used CorningWare courtesy of my parents (yes, they scream 1980 and I love them!).
I’m not 100% plastic free, but I’m getting there. We live in such a disposable society. Nothing is meant to last and we (myself included) throw things away without a second thought. I want to create a different, more mindful lifestyle for J and I as a family. It’s been an adjustment already, but it’s all about establishing a new “normal.” What steps have you taken to be more eco-conscious?
I told you about our trip out to Chuck’s Bargain Barn earlier this week, so now it’s time to show you all what $26, 2 boxes, and a little imagination got me…
4 strawberry glasses
2 blue ball jars
5 white vases
1 glass fish plate
1 milk jug
2 cake plates
1 glass juicer
Not pictured: 1 large glass serving tray
I’ve decided that I want to eliminate (yep- ELIMINATE) plastic from my kitchen. It’s going to be a work in progress, but I took the first step by purchasing some good ol’ Ball jars.
Seriously, these little guys can do anything.
You are all well aware of my obsession with simplifying my life and making easy to grab snacks for heading out the door in a hurry, sooooooo…. here enters some handy dandy 1/2 pint mason jars. With 3 oz of yummy yogurt in each, they are a perfect size for mixing in some granola or fruit. I can now buy the bulk containers from the grocery store and no longer need to rely on Ziplock to portion out my servings.
I still have a LONG way to go to end my relationship with plastic (ziplock baggies, plastic wrap and tupperware- just to name a few), but it’s a step in the right direction. I’ve got my sights set on some great glass storage containers that just might do the trick.
Do you have any eco-friendly kitchen tips to share?
Some days I leave the house so early and get home so late that I have to pack breakfast, lunch, AND dinner. I like measuring out my servings the night before and putting everything in ziplocks to make getting out of the house easy.
However, this seems incredibly wasteful. Between J and I, we are just flying through plastic baggies. We’re talking granola, egg muffins, fruit, etc… I don’t like the idea of using plastic storage containers either (too bulky). Anybody have a suggestion for an alternative?
I really want to start focusing on preparing healthier meals for J and I. I found this great site that has a plan for introducing organics into your diet! Another goal of mine is to start adding more vegetarian recipes to my repertoire. Does anybody have any favorites that they’d like to share?
