Same Difference

Check out the sweet ass nursing gear!

2010-09-30T07:38:00.008-04:00

Four years ago I bought a Medela Pump in Style Advanced Breast Pump ($280) and used the hell out of it. I'm using it again with my second baby and it is still going strong. My current job is merely a mile away but when I first bought this pump I took it on the metro with me every day. Let's just say it's been around. Alas, it was my only breastfeeding-related gadget. I'm convinced that all of this awesome gear wasn't around then. I'd like to think that I was just as tenacious as I am now, but who knows. Either way, I seriously missed out. So let me spread the wealth so that my fellow nursing mums can take advantage!

#1: LilyPadz Silicone Nursing Pads

Spending money on single-use merchandise is not my cup of tea. So disposable pads never entered my house. Instead, I use cotton pads that are washable. I bought them from SweetJane, an Etsy.com store. These are contoured and waterproof. But, I go through them quickly and every drop that soaks these pads is a drop wasted.

LilyPadz PREVENT leakage. Say what?? That's right, the idea is that you don't leak at all. Refreshing indeed. I bought a pair. They are small, thin, flexible silicone disks. You press them into your nipple and then smooth them onto the areola. They aren't perfect but its wonderful to ditch the bra at bedtime. The downside is that it takes some skill to get them on right. If you aren't successful, milk will pool around the nipple and possibly end in waterfall-esque theatrics. Learn more on the LilyPadz site or buy them on Amazon for $20.

Freemie - Hands Free, Concealable Breast Pump Collection System
These are so hot of the press that they still smack of prototype. That doesn't make it any less cool! Here's the thing about nursing - working mom's have to pump. We have to play cow on a daily basis. Which is fine. It's for the good of the baby. But it still makes me feel absurd and vulnerable. That's probably more a problem of perspective than anything else, though. The Freemie storage system tosses out the idea of a "horn" and instead, goes the route of a breast shell. Your bra keeps it in place and you can pump with clothes on, hands free. How sweet is that? It's wicked expensive though, considering that traditional horns run about $20 for a set. They retail for $70 but can be found for $50 on Amazon.

Mom's have expressed concerns about suction and the amount of "fiddling" that you need to get these right. They just came out last year so we can expect new and improved versions. They still present a situational advantage for mom's pumping at work. I love this review on Babble. The author writes,

But where this type of innovation is huge for women – even huger than the first hands-free systems – is the fact that it takes pumping out of the dank supply closet and puts it into the boardroom, cubicle or front desk.

Learn more on the Freemie site or buy them at Amazon for $50.

#3: Milkies Milk Saver
As if the name wasn't awesome enough, this gadget actually allows milk to collect into a storage space under your clothing instead of absorbing into a nursing pad. You've got baby nursing on one side and a Milk Saver on the other. Baby triggers the let down and you get to store the milk from the other breast that lets down. No more waste! These require that you sit up while nursing and have the ability to remove the device before you stand up. But its easier then breaking out the pump and it's discrete! Learn more on the Milkies site (don't miss the ridiculously tacky promotional video) or buy one at Amazon for just under $24.

#4: Simple Wishes Hands Free Breast Pump Bustier
I'm giving this some limelight because its the best rated of its kind. I know these have been around, but their coolness factor must be mentioned for moms who are unaware. When I pumped for my first babe I had to hold both horns for 15-20 minutes while staring off into space. Not fun. I didn't get to pump in my cubicle (where was Freemie then?!) so each 20 minute pumping session was time lost at work. I had to make up that time every day, which is more time at work, less time at home with the baby! With this, I can pump and do other stationary things - like work or read or make elaborate hand gestures. Learn more on the Simple Wishes site or snag one now on Amazon for $28.

If you've got another sweet piece of breastfeeding gear, please share!

"Overdue" and doing just fine, thanks.

2010-07-21T14:00:00.006-04:00

Sometimes it's tough to keep my lifestyle in perspective. Caring for the earth, prioritizing wellness, questioning our socialized patterns. There are so many reasons why people buy into the system so easily. We are marketed! Everywhere we turn we are told what to think and why to think it. We are made to fear natural processes. Where is the room for your own thoughts? If I weren't so persistent with researching, reading, questioning, looking for answers, where would I find the strength to resist the status quo? Shear stubbornness? Stubbornness without reason is stupidity. So there's that.

This morning I laid in bed thinking about this cesarean thing and I've decided that, unless there is an emergency, I am not having a cesarean. I have been under tons of pressure to have a planned cesarean because "that's what we do". Everyone wants to manage my pregnancy. They want to plan it out and avoid all risk. I have been made to feel like my child and I will most likely die horrible deaths if I don't have a planned cesarean. If I wait too long to have the baby removed it could suffocate! It finally clicked that the risk of uterine rupture associated with VBACs is a general risk during labor and does not change as time progresses. My doctors and midwives have been blending that risk with the risk of degraded placental performance after 42 weeks which is associated with normal pregnancies. The two aren't related and aren't enough to dissuade me from waiting it out. The baby will come when she is ready and I'll get myself to the hospital in a reasonable amount of time so that we can be monitored in case the worst happens (which it won't, but Chris will feel much better).

Then, I started getting angry with the last doctor I spoke with and the nurses and everyone. They keep saying "all that matters is a healthy baby and a healthy mom." Ya think? What they mean is "If you don't follow our guidance, you don't love yourself or your baby or your family." The audacity of the assumption hit me like a brick. It's my body and my baby! Of course I want us both to be healthy! But, I want to give birth, not have a tumor removed. What is so wrong with that?? In what other aspect of our lives do we walk around cringing at 1.5% risks? No where! We see the 98.5% chance of success and take those odds with confidence. Doctors give out prescriptions like candy knowing that there are risks of heart attacks, strokes, cancer, etc. and believing that those risks are acceptable. I guess I don't get it. They want me to believe that there is something wrong with my body and I just can't. I am in better health than most people I know. If they can do it, I can do it. Our grandmothers did it and so did theirs. So F em. Our bodies were designed to do this. I don't need to be induced or sliced open just because a timetable hasn't been met. My pregnancy does not need to be "managed". Surgically removing my child from my body because it is better for doctors is insanity. No thanks.

If it happens that I end up with an emergency cesarean, at least I will have undergone major surgery because of a tangible, immediate condition. I'll know it wasn't avoidable, protocol, or for the sake of convenience or paranoia.

Thinking Outside the Box with the Gesundheit! Institute

2010-04-01T07:21:00.004-04:00

The Gesundheit! Institute is a not-for-profit health care organization practicing holistic medicine with focused attention on individuals and their connections to family, community, world, and the health care system. They offer innovative learning experiences and create sister organizations. From their page:

Gesundheit’s model is designed to protect care as the core of the medical interaction. Our model is organized around these principles:
Care is free.
Patients are treated as friends.
Ample time is given to the care interaction (e.g. initial interviews with patients are 3 hours long).
All complementary medicine is welcomed.
The health of the staff is as important as the health of the patients.
Care is infused with fun and play.
Members of the Institute are health practitioners and health educators. Gesundheit’s intention is to model creative problem solving and to spark each medical facility to design their own ideal - to deliver health care in a context that is our ideal design and educate other health care practitioners to design their ideal models for care.
In its 37-year history, Gesundheit has offered care to tens of thousands, given workshops and lectures in over 65 countries, built and supported clinics, schools, and orphanages from El Salvador to Cambodia, and brought the joy of clowning to parts of the world damaged by violence and injustice.

It's really amazing stuff. As everyone discusses/debates/fumes over health care reform, I've been thinking about this place. I don't know if its the right model for every community but it serves a higher purpose for me. It represents a way of thinking that is deeply compassionate and hopeful. Susan Parenti characterizes the Gesundheit! approach as:

"Do it local, do it now, do it small, link with all. "

She calls this "whole system design" - think universally, design locally - and argues that it pairs well with the single-payer/universal coverage efforts. I have to agree with her when she says that the laws we're enacting right now are not perfect, not even close, but they are a step in the right direction. A single payer system levels the playing field and takes power from big business. What I love about the Gesundheit! model is its focus on locality. What I can't stand about health care reform is the top-down approach that assumes that what's right for all is right for one. America is huge and a blanket approach will ultimately disappoint.

Humanizing health care is another aspect of the Gesundheit! Institute that I love. It values patients, providers, and families equally. It's hospitals must be creative, comfortable, and communal. It embraces innovation and actively invites people to support it in their own capacities (e.g. provides beds for service-oriented vacations, like plumbers!). It's tools are sterile but its attitude is not.

So when it comes to health care reform, I'm not super happy but I'm not complaining much either. I'm taking it for what it is - an step in the right direction. I recognize the need for change but know we are a long way from something satisfactory. So be it.

If I were closer to Washington state or had 3 weeks to dedicate to passionate learning, I'd be at these:

Thinking Outside the Box: Re-Design our Health Care System
May 27-30, 2010 at the Olympia Community Center in Olympia, WA

Okay, we've got health insurance legislation. On to health care system reform! Patch Adams MD and the School for Designing a Society invite you to a 3-day conference on health care system design, "Thinking from Inside Out of the Box: Re-Design our Health Care System!" The aim of this working conference is to seed designs of a variety of local projects that move the health care system away from the corporate-business context into models of compassion and service. Speaker's presentations, breakout groups, design groups, informational tutorials on 'What's Goin' On??", skit-and-song-writing---all will focus on a DIY approach (Do It Yourself!) to changing health care system contexts on the local level. All stakeholders in health care systems are welcome: doctors and nurses, med and nursing students, health care support staff, patients and families, dreamers and organizers. We are offering an earlybird discount for applications accepted before April 15th. Learn more now.

Composing Community
June 23-July 16, 2010 at the Gesundheit! Institute (Hillsboro, West Virginia)

When is community? What makes an intentional community intended? What would your ideal community look like? Composing Community, a three-week design intensive and living lab at the Gesundheit! Institute, is an opportunity to explore alternative models of cooperation, leadership, decision making, labor distribution, and organizational structure. Gesundheit's philosophy will be a starting point; in the course of eating, working, studying together, participants will reflect upon their experiences and collaboratively design a new community model. In the second half, we will try out our designs as supporting hosts for the 10-day "Composing Music, Composing Activism" session. Students receive a tuition waiver to Music and Activism classes. Within their community design, students face the challenge of determining a desired way of participating in Music and Activism classes that does not conflict with completing work tasks. For more information and to apply, send an email to tim@patchadams.org.

Reduce Blood Pressure, Normalize Blood Sugar with Cinnamon

2010-03-24T10:35:00.006-04:00

I know several people who struggle with hypertension and diabetes. This might be one way to reduce your reliance on pharmaceuticals.

"Finally, in 2003, Anderson and coworkers published their results from a double-blind controlled trial using cinnamon and placebo with 60 adult type 2 diabetic patients.
Ten patients received one gram cinnamon daily for 40 days; 10 received three grams daily; and 10 received six grams daily after meals. Thirty placebo patients received capsules of one, three, or six grams of placebo after meals for 40 days.
Blood measurements were taken at 0, 20, 40 and 60 days (20 days after last capsules). There was no significant change in blood glucose, triglycerides, total cholesterol, or LDL cholesterol among the placebo patients over the 60 days. The cinnamon patients had blood-glucose decreases of 18 to 29 percent and triglyceride decreases of 23 to 30 percent. Total cholesterol went down 13 to 26 percent, while LDL cholesterol dropped 10 to 24 percent. There was overall no significant change in HDL cholesterol levels. Ironically, some parameters were lower at day 60 than day 40, showing a deep-seated improvement in metabolic status. None of the measurements at day 60 went back up to the high levels at day 0. No side effects were observed. Thus, cinnamon has now shown excellent activity to normalize blood insulin/glucose/ lipid metabolism in people where it was impaired."

Read More

Take Action

I'd recommend New Chapter Cinnamon Force if you want to try it out. Give it a try for two months to see if its helpful (per study results in the more technical article). New Chapter has a really good reputation for quality. I'm a big fan.

Cultivating Peace

2010-03-10T14:59:00.000-05:00

Driving from the store this morning, jamming out to my new Sam Grow Live CD, I had a centering moment. Thanks to yoga last night, perhaps. Yoga and coffee?

I have lived through plenty of difficult situations. Much of my childhood was consumed by fear and uncertainty. Over the years, I have come to terms with my unpleasant experiences and I've found that peace and happiness are not something you can simply ask of life. They are things that you cultivate with intention. Nothing in life is a given. The choices we make and the people we surround ourselves with will make or break our contentment. Each decision we make, each relationship we enter into are active choices, they aren't haphazard conditions that happen to us. It is your responsibility to be happy, to make decisions that make you happy, to cultivate peace in your own life. No one will do this for you.

There are aspects of my personality that I have pointedly and painstakingly let go of or quieted simply because they produce anxiety in other people. It's something I will work on for the rest of my life. What comes around goes around, as they say, and if I do not care about the effect I have on others, I can not expect the same from them. I can only hope that people will accept who I am in this moment and help me to more fully develop the best person I can be.

Life choices have always been easy for me - I've changed jobs, changed locations, taken a different path because that is what was necessary for me to relax, to find contentment. But people have always been harder. I'm a sucker for people who need a little love in their lives. When I was in school I befriended the most unassuming people and became for them whatever they needed me to be. We all do this in one way or another and I'm sure if I hadn't had people doing this for me, I would not have changed so much. The hardest thing that I have had to learn is when to draw the line. When does their pain become my pain? Does it make me a bad person to draw away, to stop supporting them, because they are impacting my ability to be happy? I guess you could call it relational self-preservation. What it comes down to, perhaps, is that I have other relationships where the give and take is mutual. These are the people that help to cultivate my happiness and they are the people I have the greatest impact on. If my happiness is compromised, so will their's. I have to honor them first.

A productive, healthy garden takes a mindful gardener. Adding new people into your life is like adding a new plant into your garden. Plants in your garden will get sick, but as long as they are given attention and care they will become well enough to lend strength to the plants around them. When a new plant is introduced, it doesn't always work out. If you introduce an infected plant (as I am wont to do with people), even with the greatest care, the infection could spread to other plants, affecting the overall health of the garden. If this begins to happen, you must toss the plant into the compost pile and let it serve the garden as nutrients later on. By giving the plant a try you have created an investment in compost or a bounty of veggies at the end of season. Either way, it was worth a try.

Now, this metaphor only goes so far, but you get the point. I like gardens and I like helping people. I try to get the most out of, and give the most I can, to every relationship I enter into. Just as we have perrenials, biannuals, and annuals in the plant world, so to are our relationships good for "the right" amount of time. But with people, you can never tell how long that is. You have to know when to draw the line. And that's a hard thing to learn.

Moving away from home, chancing upon amazing friends, becoming a partner, becoming a mother - these are all experiences that have been transformational to my character and my happiness. Each failure I've experienced is also transformative but it is up to me to find the lesson in the unpleasantness. Finding the lesson and making decisions that cultivate peace and happiness is my responsibility to myself.

Random Recipes that Look Delish (Thanks, Martha.)

2010-01-08T10:09:00.007-05:00

Cranberry-Grapefruit Sparkler: Cranberries, citrus, and pomegranates all harbor antioxidants such as vitamin C that will boost your immunity as cold and flu season rolls around. Create sparklers using fresh, organic 100% fruit juices and sparkling mineral water.

Red Pepper Triangles with Italian Relish: These would make a GREAT finger food. Unless, of course, you have a room full of red pepper haters.

Cucumber Cups: Another great finger food, this one with refreshing, light ingredients. You might try ricotta or a fattier cheese if cottage cheese seems to blah.

Vegetable Salsa: This looks really interesting, perhaps too interesting for most of the people I know. I do like hiding veggies though ...

Lemon Cream with Blackberries: Ummm hello? Lemon. Cream. Fruit. What's not to love? It's quick and easy to boot. Truthfully, I love the flavor of blackberries but don't like crunching down on their super tough seeds. What's a girl to do?

Pumpkin Thyme Rigatoni and Sautéed Rhubarb Chard: Tis the season! Pumpkins and leafy greens. This is actually two items off of a menu but I say MIX EM! Leave them separate to accommodate the finicky.

Grilled Burger with Garden Veggies: So this is obviously a summer craving but the recipe is from scratch and that's why I like it. They throw some basil in the patty mix. Don't some of those veggies need to be diced and added to the patty mix too? I think so.

Hearty Fall Soup in the Slow Cooker

2009-11-03T09:10:00.004-05:00

This makes 8 2-cup servings and is really nutritious. There is a lot of waiting involved. The beans need to soaked, it cooks for 10 hours on low. But it's warm, healthy, filling and there is very little hands-on time. The servings are huge and there is room for crusty bread or meat. Add whatever spices you prefer but keep in mind that the base of the soup is butternut squash. Enjoy!

Ingredients

Butternut Squash, 2-3 lbs, skin & seeds removed, cut into 2-in cubes
Chicken Broth, 4 cup
Thyme, ground, 2 tbsp
Garlic, 3 cloves, halved
Onions, raw, 1 cup, chopped
Turkey Bacon, 2 slices, chopped
Kale, 2.5 cup, chopped
Red kidney beans, dry, 2 cup, soaked overnight
Baby Carrots, raw, 8 large, chopped
Green Bell Pepper, 1 medium, chopped
Yellow Sweet Corn, Frozen, 1 cup kernels
Pepper, black, 1 tbsp

Directions

Soak kidney beans overnight in water (1 part bean, 2 parts water).

Pour broth into slow cooker.

Mix everything else in a bowl to distribute the flavors and then transfer to slow cooker

Cook on low for about 10 hours.

Use a potato masher to "mash" large chunks of butternut squash.

Serve hot.

Nutrition Info - Per Serving
Calories: 188.6 Total Fat: 1.7 g Cholesterol: 0.0 mg Sodium: 528.1 mg Total Carbs: 40.2 g Dietary Fiber: 11.7 g Protein: 8.0 g Potassium 909.3 mg Sugars 2.4 gVitamin A 396.6 % Vitamin B-6 20.1 % Vitamin C 100.2 % Vitamin D 0.0 % Vitamin E 2.7 % Calcium 14.8 % Copper 16.3 % Folate 22.7 % Iron 22.9 % Magnesium 22.5 % Manganese 42.1 % Niacin 13.9 % Pantothenic Acid 8.5 % Phosphorus 15.2 % Riboflavin 9.0 % Selenium 3.8 % Thiamin 17.3 % Zinc 6.5 %

Pink Panther Lasagna

2009-10-21T14:57:00.003-04:00

This lasagna is craziness! It's got ground turkey, silken tofu, and veggies! It's "Pink Panther" because that's what it will look like before you put it in the oven. My husband doesn't like tofu and he said he couldn't taste it in this recipe. We had a friend over for dinner and he asked for seconds. Most importantly, my son nearly cleared his plate which, I must say, has been challenging lately. So, even if you aren't a tofu-lover or have never used it, don't shy away from this recipe!

Pink Panther Lasagna

95 Minutes to Prepare and Cook

Serves 10

Ingredients

Veggie Mix

Zucchini, 1 medium, sliced
Carrots, .5 cup, grated
Spinach, fresh, 3 cup
Tomato, 1 large, chopped
Bell Pepper, 1 large, chopped

Turkey Saute

Ground Turkey, 1 lb
Onion, 1 large yellow, chopped
Tomato Sauce, 1.5 cup

Pink Panther Sauce

Tomato sauce, 2 cup
Silken Tofu, 16 oz.
Part-Skim Ricotta Cheese, 7.5 oz.

Layers

Cheese, Mozarella, shredded low moisture part-skim, 2 cup
Lasagna Noodles, 8 oz

Directions

In a bowl, mix Veggie Mix well.
Saute onions and garlic over medium heat using nonstick spray for about 5 minutes or until onions are soft and beginning to brown. Add turkey and sauce, mix well, and saute until turkey is browned and cooked through (about 10 minutes). Mix often and break it into small chunks.
Add Veggie Mix into pan, mix well, cover, and simmer for about 5 minutes. Mix well and turn off heat, leaving it covered until you're ready to layer the lasagna.
Blend tofu, ricotta, and sauce until smooth to make the Pink Panther Sauce.
In a baking dish (mine was 8 x 11) layer the lasagna like so: Layer #1: Two ladles of sauce, a layer of noodles, spread on half the veggie/meat mixture, 1/3 of the remaining sauce, mozzarella cheese. Layer #2: A layer of noodles, the remaining veggie/meat mix, 1/2 the remaining sauce, mozzarella cheese. Layer #3: One last layer of noodles and then the rest of the sauce.
Cover tightly with aluminum foil and cook at 350 for 50 minutes. Remove foil, sprinkle with the rest of the cheese, and then bake for another 15 minutes. Let stand for 15 minutes.

Nutritional Info
Servings Per Recipe: 10 Amount Per Serving: Calories: 344.4; Total Fat: 13.0 g; Cholesterol: 59.2 mg; Sodium: 706.8 mg; Total Carbs: 32.6 g; Dietary Fiber: 4.4 g; Protein: 23.5 g

Muffin Recipe - Quinoa, Pear, Banana, Pumpkin Seed

2009-10-20T08:40:00.007-04:00

Last week my husband and I set off on a journey to lose about 25 pounds each. My ideal weight for my height is 120 pounds (I'm 145) and his is 160 (He's 187). I have never been at my ideal weight. For someone who is such a health food nut, that is a bit appalling. So when I broke the news to Chris that I was on a mission, he joined me. That makes my challenge infintely easier since we'll be on the same dietary page and all. It means no squabs over the reduction in noodles and easy acceptance of new recipes. For instance, Chris hates all things whole grain but has been eating one of my muffins every morning for the good of the diet. He says "just tell me what to eat, Linsey, if it's small enough I can shove it down." Now that's the spirit! Every night after we put Aiden to bed we sit next to each other, laptops in hand, and enter our food journals into SparkPeople.com to track our progress. It shows us our daily calorie, fat, carb, and protein breakdown and I've added trackers for iron and fiber. I have been anemic (iron-deficiency) ever since I was pregnant with my little man and have recently broken my vegetarianism in an effort to avoid sleepwalking through life.

We are after energy, vitality, and health!

I created this recipe as a way to ease Chris into whole grains. Quinoa flour is much lighter than whole wheat flour. I love these muffins and Chris thinks they are tolerable, so that's a start. It's a long way from the refined sugars and flours he normally eats and he was never big on baked goods anyway. He doesn't like cinnamon, nuts, or apples, so the obvious fall theme was off the table. I found my way back to a seasonal approach with pears and pumpkin seeds. If you'll notice, I snuck in some applesauce (shh!) to eliminate oil. Any suggestions for a milk substitute would be welcome! As far as muffins go, these are low calorie, low fat, low carb, and have a decent amount of fiber and protein. They freeze well. Give them a try and let me know what you think. How can we up the fiber and protein without making them icky? Perhaps egg whites, soy milk, less wheat and more quinoa? Maybe some oat bran? I was out of carrots at the time. Fold in 1.5 cups of shredded carrots if you prefer.

Fall Muffins - Quinoa, Pear, Banana, Pumpkin Seed

Makes 20 Muffins using 12-muffin pans
Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Cook Time: 20 Minutes

Ingredients

Wet

1 cup milk

.5 cup applesauce, unsweetened

2 Eggs

1 Tbsp Blackstrap Molasses

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

Dry

.5 cup brown sugar, unpacked

.75 cup quinoa flour

.25 cup Wheat Germ

1 cup whole wheat flour

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

.5 tsp salt

Extras

1 cup oats

1 banana, chopped

1 pear, chopped

.33 cup pumpkin seeds, toasted

Directions

Blend wet ingredients

Gradually blend in dry ingredients

Fold in extras

Divide into 20 muffins pans and bake for 20 minutes at 350.

Nutrition Facts

Amount Per Serving: Calories 103.6; Total Fat 1.8 g; Total Carbohydrate 19.7 g; Dietary Fiber 2.4 g; Sugars 2.4 g; Protein 3.2 g; Iron 6.4%

Quiche Muffins - Spinach, Bell Pepper, Tomato, Feta, Turkey Bacon

2009-10-20T08:16:00.005-04:00

Makes 18 Muffins

Prep Time: 15ish Minutes

Cook Time: 20 Minutes

Eat two or three of these in the morning and a high fiber muffin and you're good to go! Low calorie, high protein. I would have used fresh chopped onion if I had it on hand at the time. These freeze well. To reheat, pop in the microwave for 30 seconds.

Ingredients

Veggie Saute
Onion powder, 1 tsp
Turmeric, ground, 1 tsp
Garlic, 3 clove, chopped
Green & Red Bell Peppers, 1.75 cup, chopped
Tomatoes, 1.50 cup, chopped
Spinach, fresh, 3 cup

Bacon Topper
Bacon, Oscar Mayer Turkey, 4 pieces

Egg Mix
All Whites 100% Liquid Egg Whites, 2 cup
Feta, Reduced Fat Feta Cheese Crumbled, 0.75 cup
Pepper, black, 1 tspHot Pepper Sauce, 2 tsp

Directions

Spray a pan with nonstick spray and saute garlic for 30 seconds on medium heat, then add in bell peppers and cook for another 4 min, then add the tomatoes, spinach, onion and tumeric powders. Cover and cook for another 3-5 minutes. Mix well and let cool.

Meanwhile, cook bacon until crispy. I used my toaster oven (lined the pan with foil) and broiled it for 7 minutes or so. Let it cool and then chop it.

Mix together Egg Mix ingredients, add cooled veggies, and distribute into 18 nonstick-sprayed muffin cups. I used the silicon muffin liners in 12 cups and they worked really well. The quiches in other 8 unlined cups were tough to get out. Either spray them REALLY well or line your muffin cups.

Top each cup with a sprinkle of bacon bits and then cook at 350 for 20 minutes or until the edges start to brown.

Nutritional Info

Amount Per Muffin: Calories: 39.0; Total Fat: 1.2 g; Cholesterol: 4.7 mg; Sodium: 153.7 mg; Total Carbs: 2.8 g; Dietary Fiber: 0.6 g; Protein: 4.4 g

Parenting Technique for Limiting TV

2009-09-25T07:57:00.004-04:00

If television time has gotten out of hand, here's a technique to get you and the chillins back on track:

Issue the kids screen time vouchers totaling two hours a week in 30 minute increments. If they have vouchers left over at the end of the week, give them a dollar for every voucher toward a future book purchase (Reference: Sept 2009 Parents mag, reader contribution). That's the basic tenchnique. Some tips:

1. If you are afraid a half hour voucher will turn into an hour or more of television,

Use On Demand, DVR, or DVDs to limit the time. We have a couple of series on DVD that Aiden can choose from. You could also let them watch an episode (free!) of their favorite show on the computer using sites like Hulu.com.

Use a kitchen timer (or buy an animal version and name it the TV Timer) and set it on top of the TV. This is useful for watching a show or a whole movie in pieces.

2. Expand the book credit reward into a system that teaches kids about money and saving. This is one way to create a foundation of good money management skills early.

Give each child an envelope for stashing money and a sheet of paper to keep track of it all. Create a table with four columns: date, description, amount (have them add + and - to each entry), and balance. Fill it in with them each time or, if the child is old enough, let them do it themselves. They can double check their work by counting the money in the envelope.

My Last Paper In College

2009-09-21T14:31:00.007-04:00

It is so interesting to read this. I feel like much of it is the same. Except, of course, that I am letting myself down. Or maybe I'm just taking a detour. Who knows. Enjoy!

To: Dr. Gary Olson
From: Linsey
Re: My Very Personal Reaction to your selections from Letters from Young Activists, which you assigned in our Politics of Personal Identity class.
Date: 25 April 2006

Dear Gary,

I want to thank you for introducing me to these writings. I found the introduction of this book to be inspiring and grounding. Bernadine Dohrn’s preface was a call to action. For activists, the action she demands is our continued struggle. She reminds us that young people have always worked to change the world and have succeeded in doing so. The problems that we see now are just as valid as the ones addressed by our predecessors.

I find that the rest of the world wants to make me feel like I am crazy when I talk about things I think need to change in our cultural outlook, in our government’s policies, or elsewhere. Is change really that terrifying? I am labeled a liberal and banished to the outskirts of the norm. My thoughts and actions are seen as rocking the boat, yet, I see them as attempts to know the boat, the water, the air, and the sun a little better then it is generally known. I want to ask questions about what influences the boat and how that influence manifests. I want to make sure the boat is moving closer to a destination that we are sure we want to be.

More and more I believe that the political labels available to us do not truly describe what we intend. For instance, I would like to call myself a conservative when it comes to issues dealing with the natural world. Since the natural world provides the very foundation of human survival, wouldn’t it be wise to conserve it? The Native American concern for the next seven generations is a beautiful and worthy rule of thumb. We should all be so conservative. If I believe in conservation, shouldn’t I be called a conservative? If not, how does conservation make me liberal?

Yet, in other ways, perhaps more socially oriented ways, I can claim to be a liberal. When I am asked about gay marriage my gut reacts to change, not tradition. I want respect for others in the same way I want respect for myself. Traditionally, we do not respect others in the same way that we respect ourselves. In the true sense of the word, ‘liberal’ is synonymous with generosity. I am liberal in that I believe that we should all be so generous as to wish good life experiences for others. We should all be so liberal. So, maybe conserving the environment means being generous to future generations and that’s why I am called a liberal when I talk about recycling.

How constructive are the political labels that we place upon each other? Politically speaking, when I think ‘conservative’ I think ‘greedy asshole’ and when I think ‘liberal’ I think ‘gracious thinker’. Typically, these words are spoken without the speaker knowing how to define them, which is inevitably not constructive. Political labels are a method of polarizing people, of making them seem more different then is probably true, and of inhibiting connections that would otherwise allow us to evolve as a culture. From television shows like Crossfire, one can see that instead of constructive dialogue we choose to engage a political enemy, proving that they are definitely wrong and we are definitely right. This type of dialogue isolates us from one another and benefits no one.

To be an activist is a choice. Dohrn says, “It is a choice to be vibrant dissenters, to question, to engage in what Foucault calls ‘a relentless erudition,’ to remain insurgent, independent of the powerful to try to ‘speak truth to power’” (xv). She calls it activism, I call it democratic citizenship. It is another instance where mainstream America has forgotten the meaning of the word, or at least, allowed it to be maimed. As democratic citizens our role is to rule ourselves, to think, to find meaning, and to defend the results of this seeking process. Our role is to be actively engaged in ruling ourselves, not in allowing ourselves to be ruled. Just as we have chosen to fear connection with our political other, be it conservative or liberal, we also have chosen to fear the power inherent in democratic citizenship. Or, as Susan Sontag explains, a more constructive approach to these conversations means each of us must first “train, and exercise, our ability to weep for those who are not us or ours” (xxiii).

While I am still working on how to communicate with people whose beliefs are antithetical to my own, I have become quite good at being a democratic citizen. I am trying to always remain critical while simultaneously remaining open to difference. It requires the kind of fluidity that Dohrn attributes to Letters:

Letters is an unreconciled book, filled with contradictions and uncertainties, unfinished, in motion, still becoming. It involves choices, blind spots, and problematic absences. It is not complete, nor regimented, but can be tasted as fragments, revelations, a view of the landscapes and habits of some young activists (xvii).

So too is democratic citizenship. It is an imperfect role, requiring the actor to be as aware of her faults as she is of strengths. We are so quick to find the faults of others and to forget our own. This gives conversations about change a business-like quality that stomps on creativity and imagination. Dohrn says that an empire, which to her symbolizes stagnation, requires that its citizens lack the ability to imagine another way of life and so, even when the flaws become obvious, they are powerless because they cannot imagine alternatives (xxii). Our aggression and refusal to understand ‘the other’ is what strips of us of our agency – not the government, not The Man.

Dorhn also says that, “New thinking is required: revolutionary democracy, reinvented socialism, transformed relationships and economic structures” (xxii). These words resonate with my own beliefs about what Western culture needs. Revolutionary, reinvented, transformed – grounded in the wellbeing of the next seven generations and newly imagined like nothing of old. Fresh, like newly ripened fruit or morning dew. We need meticulous creativity. We need to stop acting out of fear, to dialogue with the past, and to engage the present so that we might imagine the best possible future.

The introduction to Letters ends by saying that “Our challenge, and yours, is to live our lives in a way that does not make a mockery of our values” (xxxii). It is a challenge, but, I can see no other way to live my life. I want to buy local and organic. I want to choose my tempo giusto, to have access to healthcare, to respect my government, and to have my “work” be my passion. I want to live in a way that I find meaningful and I want the same for everyone I meet. My generation has a huge job to do, one that my life will be consumed by.

With hope and determination,

Linsey

On Changing Habits

2009-09-21T13:47:00.003-04:00

Quotes from If the Buddha Came to Dinner: How to Nourish Your Body to Awaken Your Spirit By Halé Sofia Schatz, Shira Shaiman

"The only way to cross from one form of our life to the next is by taking the steps: We can't just talk the talk, we have to walk our walk. Maybe you test the ground a little before you're sure it is solid. Once you know it's okay, you take another step. It takes a great deal of courage to act on what you know to be true. If you want to begin gradually by feeding yourself two meals a week that you've cooked from scratch, that's a step. If you do a three-day cleanse, that's also a step. If you decide that it's important to feed yourself and your family organic meats and dairy, that's another step. Usually one step leads to another because each step proves to be beneficial in your life. You don't cross the bridge in a single bound. You do it by starting where you are and taking small steps. And if you need to rest along the way, then you rest." (177)

"Once you've crossed one bridge, you can always visit the place you came from, but you can't live there again. If you grew up eating hamburgers, french fries, and milkshakes, you can have these foods when you're an adult, but only occasionally. Once we experience a deeper level of nourisment, we are more willing to change our patterns. Bridge crossings require us to leave parts of ourselves behind. In this way, each life transformation represents a loss as well as a birth. But you lose only what no longer serves your life's journey. What you gain is what's in your heart of hearts." (178)

"Is this bare plant with its potential for growing roses any less beautiful, any less miraculous, than the actual rose?" (182)

"Spiritual growth isn't linear. We can't rush it or control it. What we can do is love and nourish ourselves to our utmost capabilities each day. And, perhaps most difficult of all in our culture, we can practice patience." (182)

"I have to learn to be patient with myself, to accept myself with strengths together with my flaws. I have to accept and celebrate myself, regardless of where I am in my life." (183)

Tasty Tastes - Recipes to inspire!

2009-09-11T07:59:00.003-04:00

Healthy and Tasty!

Black Quinoa Salad - Quinoa has a lot of protein for something so small. It is low-carb. In this salad it is paired with grapefruit, ricotta, avocado, parmesan, two kinds of tomatos, beans, parsley, coriander, and grapes. Sounds creamy and fresh. I would be tempted to add walnuts or pecans for bite.

Easy Sage Flavored Vegetable Soup - This soup is intended for the winter when root veggies prosper but it would be nice when the weather turns in early fall (like now!). It is heavy on the root veggies, featuring sweet potato, turnip, parsnip, and potatoes, among leeks and various herbs and flavor enhancers. Looks DELICIOUS.

A Rustic Soup - Add a hunk of crusty bread and you've got a meal. This soup has onions, leeks, celery, parsnip, fennel, pasta, tomatoes, chickpeas, escarole, spinach, and zucchini. It's got eggs, herbs, spices, and cheese. What more do you need? A good, healing soup.

Corn and Celery Soup - This soup is beautiful and creamy. It's got corn, milk, olive oil, thyme, bay leaf, yellow onion, garlic, carrots, celery, parsley, paprika, cherry tomatoes, and basil. Mmmm mm!

Dare I say HEALTHY Indulgence?

Chocolate, Nuts, and Banana Bread - This looks healthy to the point of guilt free (my perception of healthy does not mean low fat or low carb, but nutrient and vitamin rich). It is low or no gluten. Ingredients include quinoa flour, white rice flour, eggs, bananas, tapioca starch, blonde cane sugar, almond butter, olive oil, sea salt, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, dark chocolate, baking soda, baking powder, and vanilla extract.

Dark Chocolate Chip and Nut Cookies - These, too, look healthy to the point of guilt free. Grains include rice flour, quinoa flour, millet flour, quinoa flakes, and amaranth flour. The nuts and bolts of these cookies: blonde cane sugar, eggs, butter, maple extract, chocolate, toasted slivered almonds, and pecans.

Try not to salivate too much! If you try one, let me know. I'm eyeing the cookies and the soups. If nothing else, check out the blog from which all of these recipes are derived: La Tartine Gourmande. I dig her writing, her beautiful pictures, and the passionate food creations. Recipes are often at the bottom of lengthy posts.

Dish Detergent Update

2009-09-10T12:27:00.002-04:00

This is a follow up to a previous post on homemade cleaning supplies. I just finished my first batch of dishwasher detergent and we like it a lot. My only change would be to add a 1/2 tablespoon into the prewash. With vinegar in the rinse compartment and Passionatehomemaking Dishwasher Detergent & Dish Soap my dishes are coming out clean and shiny!

12 Do-It-Yourself Projects

2009-09-10T10:08:00.010-04:00

These projects are compliments of Design Sponge. Most of them are for the home and most of them I would like to try.

Create reusable envelopes from left over fabric scraps.

Reuse drawer fronts from a broken dresser to hang stuff up! Usually the drawers break, not the dresser structure or drawer fronts. So use the fronts and re-purpose the dresser as a shelf. The remaining drawer wood could be used to finish off the more visible parts of the drawer cavities.

Who needs a white board when you've got old windows to serve as message boards?

Got lumber? Make a coffee table.

Bandaid and Altoid Tins Reused as First Aid, Sewing, and Dental Kits.

Ditch Store Bought Scrubbers for these Crocheted Dish Scrubbers. Toss them in the wash and reuse. You can also buy these from Etsy.com. I like to use Loofah slices in place of SOS pads.

Give Hand-printed Fleece Scarves as Christmas presents this year. I know I'm not the only one with a crowd phobia.

Maybe I'm a gigantic hippie, but I think bebes would love this Leaf Mobile, especially if you added in additional colors and a cross section. Or better yet, combine it with the Bird Mobile or the Origami Mobile or even these Modern Paper Ornaments.

If you've come into more mason jars than you can handle (Personally, I don't think this is possible) you can make an interesting light fixture with Whitney's Mason Jar Lights.

Stop talking about having a big, awesome, welcoming dining room table and make one!

Get organized with a Peg Board Project. I'm thinking my laundry room could use this.

Add some pizazz to your file cabinet with Casey's Wallpaper File Cabinet.

Alcoholic Beverage of the Week: The Dark & Stormy

2009-08-20T09:24:00.006-04:00

Chris got this from Casey Jones a couple of weeks ago. He said that it was the best drink he's ever had. And he's a picky one! I thought it was DELICIOUS! I don't play favorites, though. After a little research, I think this will be the closest to what we had. I bought the Ginger Brew last night and will get the rum soon. I think the Ginger Brew may be available at Bloom or the Safeway in La Plata. Without further ado, I give you,

The Dark and Stormy

1/2 lime - fresh and juicy
Dark Rum - originally Goslings , Whalers or Myers are OK to use . Cruzan Black Strap Rum has a lovely molasses flavor that goes well [yum, yum and yum!] in this drink.
Reed's Extra Ginger Brew - with the red bottlecap, NOT green, available at Trader Joe's, Whole Foods. GOYA Ginger Beer is an acceptable substitute for those of you with good GOYA sections in your supermarket. Yes, ginger "beer" isnon-alcoholic.

Fill a pint glass 3/4 full with ice, squeeze in all the juice from the 1/2 of a lime and then drop the lime in the glass. Pour in two shots of dark rum and fill with spicy ginger beer. Drink. Repeat.

NOTE: If you can't obtain Reed's Extra or GOYA, then you can make a very poor substitute with any brand of ginger beer plus 1/2 tsp. dry ground ginger. If you cannot find ginger beer at all, then a really terribly bad substitute in a pinch would be ginger ale plus 1 tsp. dry ground ginger.

On the Cheap - Cleaning Laundry & Dishes, Homemade & Natural

2009-08-19T13:54:00.007-04:00

My latest project is homemade detergents and soaps on the cheap. I have found a number of recipes that add up to around 1 cent per load. That's pretty awesome. These recipes are good for people with sensitive skin or allergies. They are free of most of the chemicals found in their commercial compadres. I will be trying these out in the next two weeks and will let you know how they turn out. Before I get to the recipes, let me give you two laundering tips that will let you ditch the fabric softener and the dryer sheets, both of which are scary in their chemical make up and expensive to boot.

#1 - Dryer Balls - These bad boys are super cool! They soften clothes by aerating during the drying cycle. Throw two in with every load. I have used these for over a year. Under $3 at Amazon. I believe I have also seen them at Bed, Bath, and Beyond. Beware of flimsy versions that are too light. I bought some extras that are yellow and they have cracked.

#2 - Scent Clothes with Essential Oils - Put some essential oils on a rag and throw it in the dryer with the wet clothes. The possibilities are endless with essential oils. You can make scents that are soothing, invigorating, energizing, and clarifying just to name a few! Whip up a blend that works for you, store it in a dropper container and keep it with your laundry supplies! Better yet, support a local business and have Holly Dunbar, owner of New Moon in La Plata, whip you up something fresh!

OK! Now for some recipes on dish and laundry soaps!

Tip Nut Recipe #10 for Laundry Detergent – (Powdered)
Makes 3.25 cups (About 6 loads)

1 cup Vinegar (white)
1 cup Baking Soda
1 cup Washing Soda
1/4 cup liquid castile soap

Mix well and store in sealed container. I find it easiest to pour the liquid soap into the bowl first, stirred in the washing soda, then baking soda, then added the vinegar in small batches at a time (the recipe foams up at first). The mixture is a thick paste at first that will break down into a heavy powdered detergent, just keep stirring. There may be some hard lumps, try to break them down when stirring (it really helps to make sure the baking soda isn’t clumpy when first adding). I used 1/2 cup per full load with great results.

You can add between 10 to 15 drops of essential oil (per 2 gallons) to your homemade laundry detergent. Add once the soap has cooled to room temperature. Stir well and cover. Essential oil ideas: lavender, rosemary, tea tree oil.

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Passionatehomemaking Dishwasher Detergent & Dish Soap
Makes 1.5 Cups / Use 1 Tbsp per load

1/2 cup Dr Bronner’s Sal Suds (a balanced biodegradable formulation of natural derived surfactants with natural fir pine needle oil)
1/2 cup water
1 tsp lemon juice
3 drops tea tree oil
1/2 cup white vinegar

Combine all ingredients and store in a covered container. A glass quart jar with lid works perfectly. Use approximately 1 Tbsp per load. Try experimenting with the quantities of soap depending upon the hardness of your water. In the NW, the water is very hard, so the 1/2 cup Sal Suds works for me.

You can also use this recipe for dishwashing soap as well – simply dilute it with additional water. 3-4 cups of additional water should be about right. I add enough water to fill up a large 32 oz spray bottle and use that to spray down my dishes. You conserve a lot more soap by using a spray bottle!

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Passionatehomemaking Homemade Laundry Detergent
Recipe adapted from Green Clean by Linda Hunter

1 cup castile liquid soap (Dr. Bronner’s or Mountain Rose Herbs are good choices as they are organic and main ingredients are coconut oil & olive oil) OR Dr. Bronner’s Sal Suds
2 cups water
1/3 cup salt
1 cup baking soda or washing soda
vinegar

Warm the salt and baking soda in water until mostly dissolved. Transfer to a one gallon container. Add your soap fill the rest of the jar with water, this giving you 1 gallon of detergent. Use 1/4 -1/2 cup per load, depending upon how dirty the load is. Add a tablespoon or two of vinegar to your wash during the rinse cycle. This works as an effective fabric softener and disinfectant. Depending upon the hardness of your water, you may want to decrease the water quantity or increase the soap quantity.

Please note: do not add essential oils to your detergent. These oils will break down the fiber in your clothing. If you want a particular fragrance, try putting a few drops of essential oils on a rag and throwing it in the dryer. This will add fragrance but not transfer to your clothing.

Review: This recipe does clean very well, although I was not impressed by the cleaning job it did on my cloth diapers. Hard to give an exact price calculation on this one, but I figured this recipe makes enough detergent for 64 loads (at 1/4 cup per load) and with the ingredients costing no more than $4.00 (on the generous side), your total cost is most likely less than $0.06 per load.

DIY Animal Tack Game

2009-08-12T13:41:00.016-04:00

Ingredients:

Cork Board, $2.99 at Ikea

Mallet, $3.00 at Amazon

Nails/Tacks, $3.00/60 nails at Ace Hardware (Mine were 1/2")

Animal Figurines, $7.80 (20 pieces at $0.39/piece) at AC Moore(Mine were painted)

Containers, $4.99 for 3 at IKEA

Total Cost: $21.78

The more you repurpose, the more you save. Assembly is really easy. Just drill holes in the wooden animal figurines. Make sure to match the size of the nails to the drill bit. I drilled the holes first and bought the nails second, but it really doesn't matter which order you go in. After that, you "package" everything. The animals and tacks go into containers and you can put the whole lot into its own box or bag.

This was a great project because it took me a couple of days to get everything together and my son participated in the making. He got to pick the pieces and helped me (a teeny bit) with the drilling. This worked in my favor because we had made a deal - he would get a cool toy if he followed our bedtime rules for 5 nights (no yelling, you go back to sleep in your bed). So as he fulfilled his part of the bargain he could see me fulfilling my end.

If this is too much work (you're really lazy) you can buy the Haba Figure Tack Set, $30.59 at Amazon.com.

Lovely Printable Lists

2009-08-11T14:53:00.002-04:00

I'm loving The Freakin Never Ending To Do List and The Pain in the Groceries To Buy List. Functional and funky. I dig em!

Blogging on the fly!

Stop using paper towels and napkins!

2009-08-06T07:37:00.003-04:00

It is the single most disconcerting yet ridiculously simple and cost effective waste reduction effort you can make in your home. Picture this: you invite a couple of friends over to cook out and chill out. If you don't use paper napkins or towels, undoubtedly, these three things will happen:

A mess! Oh my! "Where are your paper towels?" they say. "We don't use them," you say. A look of utter confusion strikes them. "What do you want me to use?!" they blurt. "There are some small towels for clean ups in that drawer, just toss it in the washer." Amazingly, one towel does the trick.
Your guest(s) run around with dirty fingers looking for paper napkins, they pass the cloth ones on the dining table several times but will still ask where the paper napkins are. You direct them to the cloth ones and they respond with "oh I don't want to mess up your good napkins." You must tell them that they are your only napkins and it is absolutely no problem to wash napkins along with everything else. A look of confusion comes over their features. They use the cloth napkins. You suspect they like them and feel special because they used them.
Someone asks for napkins, you direct them to the cloth napkins, they follow up with "oh, well where are your paper towels?" You tell them you don't have any. Perhaps they would like a small towel? A look of confusion briefly passes over their features. They go for the cloth napkins.

Growing up, I associated cloth napkins with fancy restaurants. We owned a lot of fancy diningware but I can't recall any cloth napkins. We bought thicker paper napkins for dining affairs. We used several napkins at a meal. Napkins, napkins everywhere. Messes required numerous paper towels. I've noticed recently that, often times, you'll be in someone's kitchen, hands dripping, turning round and round, looking for a towel and your host points you to the paper towels. That's when I wipe my hands on my pants and concentrate on not making rebellious comments or how to tone them down so I don't come off rude.

Why are we so compelled to use paper products for every day living? You have to take out the trash more often and you have another regular expense to add to your list. Using cloth has a tiny impact on your laundry, works better, and feels more luxurient. Disturb your guests and start using cloth! You might even consider buying cloth napkins for gifts ...

Dreaming about food self-sufficiency ...

2009-08-04T10:11:00.004-04:00

Here's the dream: Eating food that I have grown all year round. Maybe this means a winter garden. Maybe it means a vicious summer garden, learning to can and store in a root cellar.

It is a dream, as opposed to a lofty goal, because I seem to be terrible at gardening, don't know how to can a damn thing, and don't own my own house. I rent one in a co-op neighborhood (no structures without approval) which means no green house, tunnels, or root cellars. I work full time and while my husband is supportive of my obsessive green impulses, he by no means suffers from the same affliction and I need to work up the motivation to do most of these things on my own. Not to mention my obsessive motherhood impulses. I'm strapped for time and money.

I'm not going to beat myself up though because I do a lot more than most people (what a standard!). I try to start something new every month or so. I would love to have a year round garden and store my food or, at least, I would take pride in doing those things. I'm going to say that it's in my five year plan. A big obstacle in my mind is owning a house. I use that excuse a lot because we were so close to buying one that I am unable to let it go. So, for now, I will do what I do best - look into things. Starting with:

Four Season Harvest will be the information and Ladle, Leaf, & Loaf will be the motivation. I just bought the second book for under $2 from Amazon. It is a beautiful book with unsual recipes. The first is on hold at the library. It gets great reviews.

Solar Still: 3 Gallons Clean Water Daily

2009-07-28T08:25:00.005-04:00

The El Paso Solar Energy Association (EPSEA) developed a still design in 1995 that is both efficient and cost effective. They have been using it in rural Mexican villages to provide residents with clean water. In Mexico the still produces 3 gallons of water a day. I think it would be different here because of the cooler climate and reduced number of sunny days. But on a sunny day you could store up water for cloudy days.

EPSEA sells both construction plans ($27) and construction kits ($245, incl shipping). The kit seems to be a great deal since new materials are estimated at $300 unless you buy bulk. However, you could probably find some important reuse items (patio doors for glass, wood, etc.) to hack down costs. There might even be some design changes for our climate and I am sure it could be jazzed up so that it was more aesthetically pleasing. You never know until you have plans in hand. Buy them here.

Solar Cookers: Refined and Classy?

2009-07-28T07:35:00.008-04:00

I am VERY excited about The Cob Solar Oven built by Oriol Balliu.

How gorgeous is THAT?! Very! It's beautiful. My experience with solar cookers is that they are hideous looking satellite things that can be very functional. Alas, I was shocked to come across this one. It reaches 100 degrees Celsius. By adding an attachment piece you can get it up to 120C. Now, there are other solar cookers that reach a higher temperature. I know this. But, I think this design could be tweaked to achieve higher temperatures with integrated attachments. The one he uses seems to be an afterthought.

My only complaint is that he used recycled press plates to line the inside of the oven. I am all for reusing but I've used a printing press and I know how many chemicals go onto them constantly. I would never be satisfied that they were all removed. It would forever give me the ick feeling and I'd worry constantly that I was killing people with my food. But that's me. Regardless, this thing probably costs very little to make and is extremely cool. Check out more info on it here.

In Your Mouth! Brushes and Pastes on the Cheap

2009-07-21T09:22:00.006-04:00

My favorite tooth brush and paste! I have uncovered two oral hygiene products that I really like.

Fuchs Ecotec Toothbrush - $3.35

I used to use Preserve Toothbrushes because they were recycled and come with a bag to send used brushes back to the company. But even then you're wasting a perfectly good handle and transporting it over a long distance twice. Now I'm using Fuchs Ecotec brushes. You keep the handle and replace the brush head. The brush head is atypically small but after using it for a while I don't consider this a fault because you get a more detailed brushing. Also, prior to using them I worried that the brush head would fall out while brushing but this has never happened. Note: Vitacost only sells these in one color which sucks for family use. We use colored rubber bands to differentiate.

PROS: Replaceable Brush Heads; super cheap at Vitacost ($3.35 for a brush and two additional replacement heads; $3.32 for a pack of 4 brush heads); less materials wasted to brush your teeth; recycled packaging; hilarious brand name.

CONS: Packaging is still excessive

Auromere Herbal Toothpaste with Cardamom-Fennel - $3.34

This toothpaste is like a Chai tea party in your mouth. I. Love. It. I love the taste, I love the after taste. My mouth feels squeaky clean. I've stopped using mouthwash because I don't feel like I need it (or the expense). I can't do the product description justice so here it is:

Auromere's non-foaming Ayurvedic formula contains no Sodium Lauryl Sulfate. It combines the natural tooth whitening fiber Peelu with the astringent and invigorating properties of Neem and 21 other barks, roots, plants and flowers that have been esteemed for centuries by Ayurvedic specialists for their separate and combined efficacy in maintaining superior dental hygiene.

Regular use gently and naturally cleans and polishes teeth to their whitest, invigorates and soothes sensitive gums, and purifies the mouth and breath.

Ingredients: Fine chalk (a gentle cleanser), glycerine (from vegetable oil), purified water, herbal extract blend: [Neem (azadirachta), peelu (salvadora persica), Indian licorice root, pomegranate rind, common jujube, rose apple, clove, Persian walnut, barleria prinoitis bark (vajradanti), Indian almond, bedda nut, Asian holly oak, prickly ash, zanthoxylum alatum (tejbal), sappan wood, catechu, Bengal madder, acacia arabica bark (babul), sarsaparilla, cinnamon, medlar, mayweed and bishop's weed (flower extract)], silica, carrageenan (from seaweed), cellulose gum (from plants), fennel oil, cardamom oil. Not tested on animals.

You can buy this DAMN GOOD toothpaste for $3.34 at Vitacost.

Compost in a Brown Paper Bag

2009-07-17T13:02:00.007-04:00

So, I have issues remembering cloth bags when I go to the store. It's ridiculous. I have at least 15 reusable bags. I end up getting paper bags and use them to put our recycling in because OF COURSE the service isn't offered in my neighborhood and every Tuesday our recycling must go to my mother-in-law's.

Up until about a week ago I didn't have a compost pile. I've been beating myself up for the last two years for not having one and recently Angel has been beating me up about it too. So I had to think long and hard about why I wasn't composting (don't have the materials, am afraid I will do something wrong, am unsure whether I'm allowed to in my neighborhood) and then went looking around the house for something I could use.

"It doesn't have to be perfect!" I said as I threw my hands up in exasperation. "It just needs to happen!" After twenty minutes of looking and thinking I was nearly ready to give up. It was getting late and I'm deathly afraid of mosquito bites, I needed to make dinner, Aiden needed a bath.

And then I decided that a paper bag would do. It would be my temporary fix and my first brave attempt at composting. It would biodegrade, its a "brown". So I threw some veggie scraps in the bag and put a couple of handfuls of dried leaves on top, shook it, and put it out back. If the rabbits eat the scraps, good for them. If there are flys and it smells, oh well. (I'M not going to smell it because it sits near a window that we don't open because my husband is terrified that at any moment the weather and send buckets of rain sloshing onto his recording equipment.) And if it takes twice the amount of time to resemble soil, so be it. It's not in my trash. I won't suspect my veggies are giving me graven accusatory glances for wasting their fruit and depriving them of natural sustenance. I'm trying. I don't have to feel guilty anymore!

HOORAY FOR IMPERFECT ACTION!

Ok, so all I did was put food scraps in a paper bag. It makes me feel like a revolutionary. Ok?

Guerrilla Greening #2

2009-07-17T12:28:00.006-04:00

#1 DO NOT wash your hands every time you use the bathroom.
"OMG!", "WTF?!", you say. Watch your mouth! This will offend your sense of morality in modern times. I realize this. However, I highly doubt you will die or become gravely ill if you miss a hand-washing. Especially if you sit at a computer (like mio) all day. Your hands will thank you! They are not fans of constant exposure to soaps. Unless you are sick or happened to touch something you didn't mean to whilst using the toilet, you can wash every other visit (or more) if you dare ...

#2 Turn off lights in uninhabited rooms.
We have motion sensors in our kitchen and mail room yet the lights in those rooms are always on. At least, this was the case during my first month of employment. Then, I started turning them off every time I passed those rooms. Sometimes I even turn the lights off in our empty bathroom (shhh don't tell anyone ... it annoys people!). I have noticed that these lights are less frequently on then they used to be. It is as if my ninja light switch skills are spreading to the hands of others.

Happy Guerrilla Greening!

Guerrilla Greening #1

2009-07-08T10:17:00.004-04:00

#1 When your office mates leave, turn off their computers and monitors.
IBM estimates it saved $17.8 million worldwide in 1991 alone by encouraging employees to turn off equipment and lights when not needed.

#2 Sneakily sneak into bathrooms and install $1.95 aerators on sink faucets. Buy them at Greenfeet

Perennials Database: Find the right plant

2009-06-24T14:36:00.002-04:00

This site is fantastic! You can search for all kinds of plant characteristics to find the right perennial for your needs. There is even a dealer locator. Though, I would recommend finding a good online source (to be continued?) if you have very specific needs and have called around to local garden centers. Check out the site:

Heritage Perennials

DIY Bubble Bath - Thanks RealSimple

2009-06-23T11:54:00.002-04:00

Yes, you can easily whip up your own with a few household ingredients, starting with liquid soap. “One of the perks of making it yourself is that you can mix a unique bubble bath based on what your body needs,” says Janice Cox, author of Natural Beauty at Home (Henry Holt and Company, $20, amazon.com). Sore muscles? Add a bit of sea salt or Epsom salts. Dry skin? Add natural oil. Stressed out? Try a calming scent, such as vanilla or lavender.

Here are two of Cox’s favorite recipes.

Old-Fashioned Bubble Bath
In a clean container, mix together ½ cup mild liquid hand or body soap, 1 tablespoon sugar or honey, and 1 egg white. Pour the entire mixture under the running water as you draw your bath. Honey is a natural humectant, which will attract and retain moisture in your skin. The egg white helps create stronger, longer-lasting bubbles, for a nice, fluffy bath. For extra-dry skin, consider adding a tablespoon of light oil, such as almond or light sesame.

Foaming Vanilla-Honey Bath
In a clean container, mix together 1 cup light oil (almond, sunflower, or canola), ½ cup honey, ½ cup mild liquid hand or body soap, and 1 tablespoon vanilla extract. To use, shake gently to remix and pour ¼ cup under the running water as you fill the tub. This recipe yields about 16 ounces, or enough for 8 baths. ―Nykia Spradley

Angel's Simple Kitchen Activities

2009-05-28T13:55:00.003-04:00

Angel says its simple. Do you believe her?! Here they are ...

Homemade Yogurt - Simple to make, and if you keep the starter healthy it will last you forever.
Sourdough bread
30 minute Mozzarella - Ok, so I have yet to try this one but it looks very easy. I have bought rennet and cheese cloth but that's about as far as I have gotten. It is an experiment to get into in the near future.
Sauerkraut

Save money and have some fun! Let me know how that goes ...

Improve Indoor Air Quality with Houseplants

2009-04-13T10:44:00.009-04:00

This one is for Angel.

A lot of "being green" is really expensive. This is one of those tips for making due with what you have. Most of the materials we traditionally use to build our homes are toxic to humans. Paint, carpet, many hardwood floors, furniture, cabinets, etc. These products use chemicals to look nice and to stay looking nice. From day one they emit these chemicals into the air. You breathe them, your children breathe them, your pets breath them. Many of these chemicals are known carcinogens. They can lead to respiratory diseases, heart disease, and cancer, can be severely debilitating or fatal. For more information on indoor air pollution and its effects on our bodies check out this EPA resource:

http://www.epa.gov/iaq/ia-intro.html

While the EPA has yet to recognize the benefits of houseplants in reducing indoor air pollutants, NASA has. The NASA studies generated the recommendation that you use 15 to 18 good-sized houseplants in 6 to 8-inch diameter containers to improve air quality in an average 1,800 square foot house. The more vigorously they grow, the better job they'll do for you. See more about that here:

http://www.extension.umn.edu/yardandgarden/ygbriefs/h110Indoorair.html

But hey, even if you don't think they'll help you breathe, they are bound to make you feel more at ease in your home and they are often excellent design elements. Read more about the benefits of houseplants:

http://www.squidoo.com/healthy-houseplants

Below are the top ten plants that combat indoor air pollutants, their benefits, and the pollutants they find tasty. Most of these are easy to care for, regardless of whether or not you tend to kill things. Happy indoor gardening!

Areca Palm (Chrysalidocarpus Lutescens)
Removes: All tested indoor air toxins
Benefits: Beautiful, very popular and easy to care plant that works well with any decor. Easy to grow and maintain, its leaves have a gentle, gracious flow that will soften and revive any environment, be it home or office.

Lady Palm (Rhapis Excelsa)
Removes: most pollutants.
Benefits: One of the best plants to improve the indoor air quality. Very popular and easy to care for.

Bamboo Palm (Chamaedorea Seifrizii)
Removes: benzene, trichloroethylene, formaldehyde.
Benefits: The Bamboo palm adds a very peaceful, tropical feeling to any environment. Is most resistant to insect infestation.

Rubber Plant (Ficus Robusta)
Removes: most pollutants, especially formaldehyde.
Benefits: A favorite plant of the Victorians. Will survive in dim light and tolerate cool temperatures. Excellent ability to remove toxins from any indoor environment.

Dracaena "Janet Craig" (Dracaena Deremensis "Janet Craig")
Removes: most pollutants, especially trichloroethylene.
Benefits: Very attractive plant, easy to grow in very little light. Strong plant that can tolerate a bit more neglect (i.e. if you forget to water them regularly). Among many varieties of dracaenas, the "Janet Craig" is the best one for removing chemical toxins from your environment.

English Ivy (Hedera Helix)
Removes: most pollutants, especially formaldehyde.
Benefits: Another hardy, very popular plant, often used in public spaces. Very easy to grow and very adaptable, except for high temperatures.

Dwarf Date Palm (Phoenix Roebelenii)
Removes: most pollutants, especially xylene.
Benefits: A slow grower that can reach a height of about 5 to 6 feet. Can tolerate low levels of light, but needs a lot of "breathing room." If happy in any given environment, can thrive for many years.

Ficus Alii (Ficus Macleilandii "Alii")
Removes: most pollutants, especially formaldehyde.
Benefits: Easier to care for than the Ficus Benjamina, but still can loose some leaves while adjusting to a new environment. There are three types of Ficus alii: the standard tree, the bush and the braids (several entwined trunks). Beautiful large plant that can be used for a myriad of decor purposes.

Boston Fern (Nephrolepis Exaltata "Bostoniensis")
Removes:most pollutants, especially formaldehyde.
Benefits: Very popular and probably one of the oldest groups of plants. Beautiful and lush, it is a favorite for any indoor environment, but it does require attention in order to thrive.

Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum sp.)
Removes: alcohols, acetone, trichloroethylene, benzene, formaldehyde.
Benefits: Lush, strong, beautiful plant with gentle white flowers and peaceful energy. Easy to care for and a treat for the eye, introduce it to your home and it will be a keeper!

Easter - A Time of Renewal and Rebirth

2009-04-10T10:50:00.001-04:00

Read a great article by Peg Aloi called "You Call It Easter, We Call It Ostara" here. It discusses the connections between Christian rituals and Pagan rituals and how they have influenced each other. Happy Easter!

Relevant Snippets From the Web:

The name of Ostara's (Eostra's) festival was transferred to the celebration of Christ's resurrection when Anglo-Saxon and German heathens converted to Christianity. Thus, unlike other European cultures, English and German Christians still attach the name of a heathen goddess to their most sacred holiday: Easter or Ostern. In other European languages the holiday's name is based on the Hebrew word "pasah," to pass over, thus reflecting the Christian holiday's Biblical connection with the Jewish Passover. [Link]

According to the Venerable Bede, Eostre was the Saxon version of the Germanic goddess Ostara. Her feast day was held on the full moon following the vernal equinox -- almost the identical calculation as for the Christian Easter in the west. One delightful legend associated with Eostre was that she found an injured bird on the ground one winter. To save its life, she transformed it into a hare. But "the transformation was not a complete one. The bird took the appearance of a hare but retained the ability to lay eggs...the hare would decorate these eggs and leave them as gifts to Eostre." [Full article]

OSTARA - Goddess of Spring

Ostara is the Anglo-Saxon Goddess of Spring. Her other name is "Eostre" - meaning "movement towards the rising sun." She is celebrated on March 21st at the Spring Equinox, when days are brighter and growing longer. She points the way to Beltane, the great and joyous festival of coming Summer.

Ostara is a fertility Goddess, the northern counterpart of Astarte and Ishtar. She is associated with the Moon Hare or rabbit, with eggs, Dawn, and the East - all symbolizing her primary qualities of bringing birth, rebirth and renewal to a winter-weary world.

In modern times, we have transformed Ostara's sacred rabbits and eggs into the secular Easter bunny, and colored and chocolate Easter eggs that delight children and grownups alike. Ostara's deep femininity is reflected in the fact that our word for the female hormone, estrogen, is derived from her name. [Link]

10 New Uses for Baking Soda (RealSimple)

2009-04-09T13:37:00.000-04:00

“Not only does baking soda neutralize odiferous fatty acids but it also attacks grease by turning it into―believe it or not―soap,” says the University of Pittsburgh’s Wolke. Fact: More than 100 tons of the refrigerator staple were used to clean the Statue of Liberty’s inner copper walls during its 1986 restoration.

Use Baking Soda to:

Exfoliate skin. Wash your face, then apply a soft paste made of three parts baking soda and one part water. Massage gently with a circular motion, avoiding the eye area; rinse clean.
Erase crayon, pencil, ink, and furniture scuffs from painted surfaces. Sprinkle soda on a damp sponge, rub clean, and rinse.
Unclog a drain. Pour 1/2 to 1 cup of baking soda down the drain, then slowly pour 1/2 to 1 cup of white vinegar after it. Let sit for five minutes (covered, if possible). Follow with a gallon of boiling water.
Remove tough stains from enameled cast iron and stainless steel. Scrub enameled cast iron with a soft nylon brush and a thick paste of baking soda and water. Clean stainless steel with a soft cloth and 4 tablespoons of baking soda dissolved in 1 quart of water. Wipe dry with a clean cloth.
Scrub pans. Sprinkle soda on crusted casseroles and roasting pans and let sit for five minutes. Lightly scrub and rinse.
Brush teeth. Use a paste of baking soda and water.
Fight class-B fires (flammable liquids, such as gasoline, oil, and grease). Baking soda can be used to smother only a small flame.
Deodorize. Dust baking soda under your arms to absorb body odor.
Clean up minor oil and grease spills on a garage floor or driveway. Sprinkle baking soda on the spot and scrub with a wet brush.
Settle a stomach during occasional indigestion. Stir 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda into 1/2 cup of water and drink for a safe and effective antacid.

10 Uses for a Coffee Filter (RealSimple article)

2009-04-09T12:52:00.000-04:00

About 100 years ago, a German housewife named Melitta Bentz punctured the bottom of a brass pot, lined it with blotting paper, and―voilà!―made the first coffee filter. Almost a century later, a perfected version of Bentz’s design is still used. “Coffee filters aren’t as likely to crumple or dissolve in water as typical paper because they have better ‘wet strength,’ thanks to longer fibers,” says Melinda McDonald, communications manager for Bunn, a beverage-equipment manufacturer. “Additionally, the fluted sides and cupcake shape allow substances to flow through the filter freely and prevent grains from flowing over the sides.”

Use Coffee Filters to:

Diffuse the flash on a camera. When you’re taking a close-up, soften the brightness by placing a coffee filter over the flash.
Strain wine from a bottle with a broken cork. Place the filter over a pitcher or a carafe and slowly pour the wine into it.
Serve popcorn or other snacks. The filters act as disposable bowls, so there’s no dishwashing.
Make yogurt dip. Use a rubber band to secure a paper coffee filter over the mouth of a deep cup or jar. Slowly pour 8 ounces of plain yogurt onto the filter. Let drain for one hour. In a bowl, mix the thickened yogurt with 1 small minced garlic clove, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, and salt and pepper to taste. Serve with crackers.
Heat up leftovers in the microwave. Use a filter as the protective covering over a bowl or a plate.
Prevent soil from draining out of flowerpots. When repotting, place a filter at the bottom, over the drainage hole, then add the soil.
Prevent scuffs and scratches on fine china. Use flattened coffee filters as spacers when you stack your dishes.
Protect hands from Popsicle drippage. Slide the wooden stick of an ice pop through a coffee filter so your hands stay mess-free.
Serve pita sandwiches. A circular filter is the perfect size for carrying a sandwich on the go.
Clean windows and glass when you’re out of paper towels. Coffee filters leave no lint or other residue.

It's about that time: Sign up for a CSA before the season starts

2009-04-06T08:52:00.000-04:00

CSA = Community Shared Agriculture. Members purchase a share of farm production for a season (e.g. May-November). They pick up there share of each weeks harvest farm a farm or drop off point once a week. Some farms offer delivery at an extra cost. One full share feeds a family of four.

CSAs Serving Charles County, MD
(in no particular order)

Tripple Springs Farm (Baden, MD) $550 full share / $450 half share
Our 8 acre family farm located in Southern Maryland produces vegetables, fruits, cut flowers, and herbs. Additionally, we make homemade from-scratch baked and canned goods. We view the county fairs as credible judges, and because of our tasty efforts, have brought home over 20 Grand Champion ribbons in canning and baking. We believe in sustainably grown foods, and because we eat this way, we want our customers to do also. We take special orders for different canned and baked good products. (more...)

Ecosystem Farm (Accokeek, MD) $650 full share
The Robert Ware Straus Ecosystem Farm is the Accokeek Foundation's USDA-certified organic vegetable farm. Located on an eight-acre field along the Potomac River, the farm is a model for farming for the future. The field of the Ecosystem Farm is not ideally suited for growing high quality and fresh market produce. Yet, that is exactly what we do. The historical and archaeological record indicates agricultural activity on the field by Native Americans dating to at least 800 years ago. (more...)

Good Fortune Farm (Brandywine, MD) $484 full share picked up at farm
By February 2009 we should have a good estimate of the number of shares available for 2009. I am checking with last year's members to assess how many will be joining this season. Please check back Starting February 1, 2009, most shares were sold by mid-March in 2008. We do not maintain a waiting list. We are a small diversified organic farm located just 20 miles south of Washington DC near Waldorf, MD. (more...)

Karl's Farm (Pisgah, MD) $560 full share / $336 half share
Karl's Farm is a small, family run farm. We grow a wide variety of vegetables and herbs using no synthetic fertilizers. pesticides, herbicides or fungicides. We also keep free range chickens and have farm fresh eggs for sale to our CSA supporters. more...)

Farmstead of Charlotte Hall (Charlotte Hall,MD) $600 full share
Our weekly box includes a seasonal mix of at least 6-7 vegetables, herbs and a newsletter. Our season runs for 21 weeks from June 2 until Oct 20. Please email if you want to be placed on our waiting list and to receive our announcement for the 2009 season. (more...)

Jug Bay Market Garden (Upper Marlboro,MD) $600 full share (accepts work exchange)
The mission of the CSA is to support our family farm and similar farms that are still in operation in fastly suburbanizing southern Maryland. Many of the vegetables in the CSA are grown organically on Jug Bay Market Garden in Prince George's County. Jug Bay Market Garden and the CSA is run by my wife and I, Tanya and Scott Hertzberg. (more...)

The Lamb's Quarter (Owings,MD) $600 full share / $638 full share with eggs
Our weekly share is designed to feed 2 adults and 2 children. We supply at least 5-6 different varieties of vegetables each week (sometimes more). An egg share may be purchased as well. Pastured poultry and beef will be available for sale also. We follow organic practices. (more...)