Shampoo Free. Seriously.

If you follow me on Twitter or read my blog, you may think that I am consumed by my pregnancy. Not so. (Okay, mostly so. Let’s not address my complete and utter inability to focus on anything work-related. Ask me my opinion about a project that’s happening in September and I’ll probably stare at you with glazed over eyes. I’m busy Googling birth stories, thinking about maternity leave, and wondering what taking care of a newborn will be like. Sorry, boss.)

I’ve done lots of non-baby or pregnancy related things this summer. I had a tire blow out on the highway. We went camping. I worked a lot. We redecorated our apartment and I love it. We went across the state to visit with Mike’s niece and nephews. I created a new budgeting system. We saw my extended family a lot. My commute became really freaking long. My sister moved back across the country and asked me to be her maid of honor (yay!). I continued to take on blog design work and have new hopes and ideas for how to grow my little business. And I stopped using shampoo nearly four weeks ago.

Let’s talk for a minute about that last one. First, I promise you I’m not a scuzzball. See?

So maybe I haven’t used shampoo or conditioner from a bottle, but I have used baking soda, apple cider vinegar, and water to keep my hair clean.

Why?

I ran out of conditioner and was trying to figure out if there was a plastic-free option for conditioner when I stumbled across this great post (the whole website is fabulous, by the way). Intrigued by the idea that baking soda and apple cider vinegar could get my hair clean, I figured I’d give it a shot. If it worked, I’d be saving tons of money, not using any chemicals, and reducing my waste. If my hair became greasy, tangled, or dirty – I’d just wash it. No commitment, nothing to lose.

That was on July 22nd. I haven’t touched my (giant!) bottle of shampoo since.

How?

Tsh recommends a mixing a tablespoon of baking soda per cup of water for the shampoo part. (I have thicker, wavy hair, so I increased the baking soda.) I keep the mixture in a plastic squeeze bottle that used to hold chocolate syrup. Just squirt and rub into your scalp, massaging as you go. The baking soda acts as a clarifier on your scalp and removes dirt and oil.

For the conditioner, mix a tablespoon or so of apple cider vinegar per cup of water. I keep this mixture in an old conditioner bottle and apply mostly to ends of my hair. I have even stored it in a cup and dipped the ends of my hair in the cup to really make sure they get good and conditioned. I have pretty dry hair, so I make sure and apply lots of it and leave it in for a few minutes while I finish showering.

Since my hair is typically pretty dry, I sometimes use a teensy bit of coconut oil (we’re talking a dab on my finger) and rub it through my hair to get rid of flyaways and such. It’s sort of like this stuff, minus the cost.

What are the results?

My hair is soft, clean, and manageable. I don’t have to choose between chemically-laden, but cheap or expensive, natural shampoo. My new ‘shampoo’ and ‘conditioner’ cost me very little and create hardly any waste.

I am going to continue on my happy shampoo-less existence until a problem arises.

Wanna try?

I've told a few friends what I've been doing, and one of them tried it out as well. Here's what she said:  "Also, Teej and I have been 'poo free for a week now! Just baking soda and apple cider vinegar! I LOVE the vinegar as conditioner... I think it works WAY better than store bought conditioner."


Check out this post for more details, ideas, and links to other blogs. And let me know how it goes!

A Gift Guide with Heart.

The holidays are rapidly approaching (hurrah!) and I put together a few ideas for those who haven’t finished their gift shopping. This time of year can be a lot of fun, but can get out of hand when we think about how much stuff is consumed. From the gifts no one really needs to the insane amount of wrapping and cards to the numerous big family dinners, there is a mass consumption of stuff.

I think a bit of indulgence is allowed, and I certainly don’t want to be Scrooge. But instead of feeling like we need to get bigger and better presents to express our love, we can still buy gifts, but ones that are more thoughtful and in line with our values. Sprinkle this season with a few gifts and lots of family time.

And copious amounts of hot chocolate and cookies, of course.

Fair Trade

Last year, along with making most of my presents, I got lots of Fair Trade goodies to give to my family – chocolates, teas, and coffees. It was my little way of supporting Fair Trade with my money and introducing family members to Fair Trade goodies. If you’ve been trying to convince your dad for-ev-er to drink Fair Trade coffee, this might be your chance to introduce him to it! Equal Exchange has put together some baskets – some fabulous, last minute deals! (Although, they expire TOMORROW, December 15th, so you’d better order fast!)

Eco-Friendly

Think reusable. Reusable shopping bags, reusable water bottles, reusable travel coffee mugs (or, if they shun drinking from reusable coffee mugs, get them one of these), and reusable towels (boo to paper towels!). Break your brother's disposable habit by filling a (reusable!) bag with lots of these goodies.

Local

Got a friend who's addicted to big box stores, chain restaurants, and corporate coffee shops? Introduce her to what your town or city has to offer with some gift cards to a local business or two. Soon she’ll see how much more fun shopping local can be!

Healthy

Maybe your mom keeps talking about going on some crazy fad diet (as she does every year) – encourage her to eat healthy (and eat, period! Crazy diets…bleh) by purchasing a share of a CSA. Depending on the CSA, she’ll get some form of delicious, local fruits and vegetables every week or month. Check out Local Harvest for more information or to find a CSA near you.

Clean & Green

Is your sister a tad OCD? As in, you’d rather eat off her bathroom floor than your kitchen table? If she’s using lots of bleach and other nasty chemicals, help her break the habit and keep a healthier home by giving her a basket full of fabulous cleaning supplies without all the nasties. Some of my favorite are this, this, this, and this. She will appreciate it, I promise.

Et Cetera

A few more ideas that may be a bit more sustainable than the average gift :

• A donation to charity
• Soy candles
• An experience – a concert, dinner at a nice restaurant, or a play.
• A microloan on Kiva.org.
  
• Essential oils
• An iTunes gift card – digital music is less waste than a hard copy.
• Shop around on Etsy and support handmade!
• Paraben-free make up or nail polish without formaldehyde (um, ew)
• Anything from Heifer International.
  
• Homemade anything – from food to pampering kits.
• Wood toys are much better than plastic ones for the kiddos in your life – they last longer and are more durable. (Bonus points if it’s sustainably forested!)

A note on waste

During the weeks from Thanksgiving to New Years, about 1 million additional tons of garbage to our landfills each week in the US. EACH week. As in, in ADDITION to the waste we already create. That is just crazy ridiculous. To help reduce this waste, give your gifts in reusable gift sacks or wrap your gifts in newspaper or other reused material. I promise, with a little creativity, they will look even nicer than those glossy wrapping papers!

Brown Paper Packages Tied Up With Love.

I've decided to almost not shop at all for presents this year.

Which means, I had to take today and tomorrow off work to actually MAKE all these presents, since I was busy starting an Etsy shop this past month.

{If you are a sister of mine, and want to be surprised when we do our gift exchange, stop reading this now....}


...


{Really! I mean it!}


....


Okay, so as I was going to say - I am busy pretending to be a stay-at-home wife and making lots and lots of gifts.

Want to see?

I made several sets for my gift bags which will include the rice heat therapy bag, cold therapy headache pillow, candy cane sugar scrub (made by me), a box of Trader Joe's Candy Cane Joe Joes (better than Thin Mints, if I may say so.), and some fair trade hot cocoa, coffee, and tea. Relaxation gift bags. Woohoo.

You can also see some personalized makeup pouches that I'm creating for mes soeurs.
.
I bought Mike's presents, but added my own touch to them:

The sewing is a little embarrassing, but the important part is: Look! I got him an iPod! I rock!

It's a Simpsons reference - this episode about M[apple], with myPhones and myPods. Anyway. Carry on.

I also got him this cup he's been bugging me about FOREVER. It's called, "I'm not a paper cup" and it made of ceramic with a silicone lid. I made him a little argyle cuff to keep his hands from get burnt.

By the way, since I'm throwing pictures around like a madwoman, I've added a few things to my shoppe over the last few weeks -

1. flowery delight tote 2. black and green flowers boxy zipper pouch. 3. purple love felt pouch 4. pretty zipper pouch

Whew! My sewing machine and I are like BFF now, you guys. Oh, and can't forget Seinfeld DVDs, where would I be without them?

Hope your Christmas/Hanukkah/last-full-week-of-December week is going well!

A Rainy DIY Day.

It's been super rainy and snowy up here in Ohio, and nothing says cozy like some serious DIY-ness. After a family cookie baking day last Saturday, I decided to clean up, organize, and store my craft supplies - as an alternative to the gigantic mess in our TV room.

I took two shoe boxes, one box from my digital camera, and a fabric container - added some felt, newspaper, embroidery floss, and stamps. It was very easy and so effective.

Ta-da!

The happy craft corner.


Labels rule.


Why is this picture so fuzzy? Guess I need one of these, babe.

I also recently created a custom order for the wonderful Tipp:

And I'm starting another for the lovely Angela today (go over and send her good wishes, okay?)

I'll be lucky if I get a chance to get gifts for my family at this rate. Hey, at least my crafts are organized, right?

{I'm out of the office for the rest of the week - a work retreat full of "vocation" activities and getting to see my old work and these amazing kids. I'm so excited I'm getting teary-eyed. Oy. We're also having a party Saturday, and I'm not organized enough to post ahead of time - so this blog will be quiet for a while!}

{FAQ 3} On food, homemade gifts, and black sheepdom.

Stephanie wonders:
(1) What's your favorite Thanksgiving food? (I'm also a vegetarian and everyone always asks me what I eat on Thanksgiving... hello?! Have they not seen all the side dishes?)

I love to eat. I mean, I know people say that - but I ate more at Thanksgiving this year than my husband did. I'm serious about eating. But I get fully really quickly, so I annoy my family and friends by complaining every five seconds about being full. My sister and I contemplated the benefits of having four stomachs like cows do. It could be great for me. (Not the vomiting part. That would be awful.)

Also, I completely agree with you - being a vegetarian is no punishment on Thanksgiving! Fifty bajillion wonderful side dishes means I don't have to eat any of that gross bird. {I don't even eat Tofurkey, because I don't like the taste. But that's another story.}

Back to your question, I'd say my favorite side dish is sweet potatoes if they're done right. Mashed potatoes (I eat them with homemade cranberry-citrus sauce) are delicious, too!

(2) Are you planning on making Christmas gifts again and, if so, what do you plan on making?

Yes! I'm all about handmade - less packaging, less expensive, less commercial Christmas stress, and more personalized! Since my sisters usually read this blog (hi guys!), all I'll say is I'll be making things similar to what is in my Etsy store, food and bath salts in jars like last year, and even trying to make soap! (The internet has so many resources. It makes me happy.)

Steph (Corwin) asks: When was your first break-away-from-the-pack moment? You know since you're such a crazy compared to your family ;) Is there some defining moment in your life when you realized you were different from your family, or were you always that way?

My parents always really supported me when I was growing up. I was very much their "golden child," {I'm not just saying this, it's true. Very silly, but true.} because I was into my faith and did well in school. They'd tell my siblings to be more like me. {Weird, right?}

A few distinct moments stand out when I thought, "I...don't...agree...with my parents?!" Slightly panicked, to be honest. As a people-pleasing, teacher's pet kind of girl, not agreeing with your parents is really, insanely difficult.

Once when I was in middle school, my dad and I were discussing the Nike brand. I expressed concern over sweatshops, to which my dad explained that their wages weren't that bad for that area of the world, and that "at least Nike is creating work there".

"But...just because it's somewhere else doesn't mean they deserve to live like that," I said, surprising even myself for disagreeing with Dad. Intelligent, knows-everything, always-right Dad. We talked about it for a while longer. It was an odd feeling, coming away realizing that, for once, my dad didn't convince me.

My senior year of high school, The War started, and I was honestly confused as to why we were fighting. I asked my dad to explain it to me.

And, again, I came away from the conversation genuinely surprised to find that I still thought it was...not right. I wasn't convinced.

Then I went off to college, where I learned a lot. A lot. I was pushed, challenged, and confronted. I questioned my beliefs and values. I came to conclusions. I grew so much. I did what you're supposed to do in college.

I got to meet crazy, liberal hippies who were religious and so cool and not at all as evil as I had heard. I did a ton of service and then learned about the root causes behind injustices. I tutored immigrants for their citizenship test and wrote letters to my legislators about immigration reform. I went to an immigration rally and was confronted by neo-Nazis. A crazy, radical Christian came on campus and I read his book about Jesus' message of justice, not judgment. I wrote a letter to the Pope about fostering a consistent ethic of life (for a class, I'm not that much of a weirdo!), I led a small group about faith and justice - I was fiercely and wholly passionate.

I took one class called History of Catholicism in the US, and learned that liberalism has always been a plague on the church. It has always been feared. It has always been loathed. And...it lead great things. (The priest faces us and we can understand what he's saying!) I stopped thinking of "liberal" as a bad word because of that class.

I still feel a twinge of guilt when I come to conclusions that are different than my parents, but honestly - I am also very thankful to have such a different view in my own family. It makes me less likely to make sweeping generalizations about people I disagree with, it makes me more willing to find common ground, and it makes me appreciate agreeing with my husband. :)

I'm also proud of myself for staying true to who I am and not burying my real thoughts and feelings in order to stay the golden child. It's hard stuff. And most people will never experience what it's like to firmly disagree with their parents. I don't recommend it, but I do recommend being who you are!

We all want a better world, we just have different ideas of how to get there.

Do You See What Etsy?

Okay, so maybe that's a bit of a stretch for a pun, but I have some news I've been hiding from you for ONE WHOLE WEEK.

(I'm terrible at keeping quiet, so I'm surprised that only Mike and my sister have known about this at until now.)

I want to humbly introduce my blog to Joyful Star.



Say hello.

I call my little friend Joyful Star because stars are my favorite shape ever. Once I learned to draw them, I've never stopped doodling them all over everything. And joyful because we could all use a little more joy in our life. And I truly feel joyful when creating these things. (Except when they frustrate the bejesus out of me and I throw my bobbin at the wall. But, that never happens, right?)

When I first heard of Etsy, I wanted one. I felt like I had no skill or talent compared to the amazing work on Etsy, but by golly I wanted one.

I forgot about it until Renee left me a comment, "Etsy that shit, Ashley!"

And so, I did.

I decided on a name last Monday, scoured dozens of Etsy newbie guides, and have been working insanely to get some things in my shop.

Here are a few of my offerings (and all very reasonably priced, if I might say so)


The best part? Before I've even posted about it, before even a week had passed after I started putting items up....I SOLD SOMETHING (that little blue star pouch, if you're curious).

I grinned for a good twenty minutes after I saw that little email in my inbox.

[Many thanks to my adorable husband, who has been ignoring the mess that is building up, the thread strands everywhere, and the fact that I haven't taken a breath away from my Etsy stuff. Also, thanks for getting that beard trimmer. Very cute. Too bad you are a hippie and don't want to have a trimmed beard.]

[Also many thanks to Jamie, for hosting yet another awesome giveaway on her blog. I actually won her last giveaway for an adorable soy candle from this Etsy shop. I'm beyond excited. Plus, I got my free Starbucks Gold Card in the mail Saturday. Even though the whole election/family thing is getting a little much, life is really going swell.]

When Life Hands You Lemons...Make Hummus.

I drove through the snow this morning, listening to NPR as usual. I stop at a traffic light and cradle my warm hazelnut latte in my hands, taking a sip of sweet happiness. Maya Angelou is on the Diane Rehm show and is a beautiful, positive spirit. She’s just so full of joy and peace. She tells us young people do never get disheartened, because that is when we’re susceptible to negativity. Listening to her lifts my spirits, the flurries are soothing, the coffee is delicious…everything is perfect.

A few moments to myself and out of the office. Sigh.

The show ends and the news begins. Dire reports of the state of the economy, GM desperately begging for help, and jobless claims at a 14-year high fill the car. I’m still admittedly fuzzy on this whole economy thing and how it affects someone like me – I have no retirement or investments to speak of and live a modest, simple life. Like those attacks seven years ago, I’m not sure what this all means but I am aware that it is Bad News.

After listening to Maya Angelou’s infectious, unfailing positivity, I attempt to look on the bright side – how can I spend even less money? It will be like a fun challenge! We’re not in great financial shape anyway, what with my paltry stipend and Mike’s going to graduate school – so the fact that we have to worry about the job market means we have even more reason to scale our spending back.

So, I thought I’d share with you one of my favorite ways to cut the food bill: make my own hummus! Hummus can be steeply priced for the ingredients that are in it, plus it invariably comes in small amounts in plastic containers, many times in unrecyclable plastic containers. No good!

Making your own hummus is incredibly easy (I promise!) and you can make it in bigger batches than those little “eight” (more like two!) serving containers.

Ashley’s Hummus

Ingredients:

2-3 cups Chickpeas

2-3 tablespoons Olive oil

2-3 cloves Garlic

Salt

Pepper

Cumin (optional)

1 tablespoon Lemon juice

½ cup or so Tahini (likely the only thing not found in your pantry – it’s sesame seed paste. Look in the health or ethnic food section.)

Water, as needed.

Oh-so-Simple Directions:

Add chickpeas garlic (minced or cut in a few pieces), and tahini to a food processor (ETA: Or blender). Add a little water and olive oil to help it blend. Stop when it gets to a regular hummus consistency. Add lemon juice, salt, pepper, and cumin. Blend more. Ta-da! Delicious and nutritious. Cheap, too!

Please Don't Tease Me for This, Okay?

In my pursuit of becoming a true domestic goddess, I've been hoping to plan my meals for a while now. This week, I finally got it together and took inventory of food in my fridge and pantry and used that as my starting point for meals. It means less food will go to waste, since I'm not just flying by the seat of my pants. (Ideally. We'll see how this actually goes.)

Ta-da, here's this week's dinner menu:

Monday: Whole wheat spaghetti with homemade pesto and salad.

Tuesday: Acorn squash soup (will make Monday night) and corn bread.

Wednesday: Vegetarian sloppy joes or chili (depending on my mood).

Thursday: Stir fry with veggies, tofu, and rice noodles. (I stir fry in olive oil, low sodium soy sauce, and a little toasted sesame oil.)

Friday: Out to eat or grilled cheese.

I'll have enough left over each night to bring as leftovers for lunch. Score.

PS: Check out this website for links to hundreds of other weekly meal menus.

DIY Gift on a Rainy Saturday.

Creating is so much fun for me. When I came across a felt how-to book on sale at the bookstore, I snatched it up. Who can resist adorable crafts!? Plus, felt comes in such fun colors, it makes me happy.

Last year, I gave homemade candles, brownie mixes, white hot cocoa and cappuccino mixes, soup mixes, and homemade bath salts as gifts. (I recycled old jars and saved tons of money. And my family LOVED the gifts!) Plus, I got to decorate them all cute-like and that makes me happy. See?

This year, I planning to do mostly homemade gifts again, as well sew some cloth tote/shopping bags with adorable material (maybe even made from thrifted sheets? who knows how resourceful I'll get!), make some note card sets, and some felted goodness.

I'm going to show how I made an adorable bird makeup pouch! (from Felt Underground.)

Note: You can make it big or small, wide or narrow. A pencil case, makeup pouch, toiletry bag, whatever! Also, you can put whatever shape you'd like on it - maybe not birds, but flowers for a little girl, or stars. I love star shapes.

Materials:
Enough felt to make pouch
Scraps/small pieces for birds
Embroidery thread
Sewing thread
Needle
Pins
Zipper
(Sewing machine optional.)

Steps*:
1. Cut felt to size you desire - mine was about 6x3 inches. Small enough to fit a bit of makeup for the weekend. You should have two pieces the same size and shape.

2. Trace bird shapes (look for patterns online) on top paper, cut out paper and pin to extra, different colored felt. Cut a few bird shapes out from extra felt.

3. Pin birds onto one piece of the felt for the pouch and sew on with embroidery thread:

4. Lay the pieces out so the long edges line up - pin the zipper in between the pieces. Hand or machine sew each side of the zipper to the felt. Try to keep the felt as close to the zipper as possible:

My sewing was rough at first. I was a bit rusty. :)

5. Cut the any overhanging the zipper off and fold the pouch so the birds are on the inside. Make sure the zipper is open. Pin the felt together along the three edges.

6. Sew the felt sides together, staying about 1/8 inch away from edges:

Sew extra over the zipper to reinforce it:

7. Remove pins and turn right-side-out. Fill with things that make you happy and zip closed. Ta-da!

Now, please excuse me while I go buy more felt, thread, and cloth to start my Christmas gifts. Budget-style.

*I apologize for the embarrassingly shoddy photo quality. My camera isn't so great in dim light.

From Scratch. Hardcore.

I never do things the easy way.

My senior year of college, I made a pledge to stop buying bread. I thought, Why buy when you can make it? Plus, I have a bread maker! Homemade bread is so delicious.

I ended up just never eating bread. (Due to a combination of aversion to lugging huge machines and pure, unadulterated laziness and naps. Lots and lots of naps.)

My little "pledge" didn't stop there- I can count the number of times during our marriage Mike and I have bought bread from the grocery store on one hand.

I confess - I'm, uh, sort of addicted to making things from scratch.

I've made everything from scratch - from ketchup to crackers to hummus.

It started out as avoiding excess packaging and convenience food preservatives. Buying blocks of cheese instead of shredded cheese, avoiding plastic tubs of butter and getting olive oil instead, or never, ever buying brownie mixes.

Then, it became an addiction. I couldn't get enough of it - I wanted to see how much I could make from scratch. I made tons of homemade spaghetti sauce and raspberry jelly last year and froze jars in our freezer. I started buying dried beans instead of canned beans. We ran out of ketchup one day, so I made some. Yep - you can make ketchup (and it's sans high fructose corn syrup. Score!)

I never keep breadcrumbs, eggs, or those frozen veggie bags on hand - I make them all from scratch.

Why am I telling you all of this?

Because I feel the need to justify the 25 pounds of apples currently sitting on my counter.

I'm making applesauce. Jars and jars of applesauce tonight.

I've gotten a lot of questions from people about how affordable it is or isn't to buy local, organic, fair trade, and so on.

The thing is, I've come to realize, is that most people buy frozen dinners, canned beans, canned frosting, canned soup, bagged salad mix, pre-made, pre-mixed, pre-done-for-you convenience food.

And that, my friends, is what racks up the grocery bill.

You might say, "But, Ashleeeey, I have no timmeee! Can't I just buy my Healthy Choice chicken dinner and some Hamburger Helper?"

Sure! But, also - you could save some money and be a little healthier. :) Try cooking in huge batches on the weekend and store the leftovers for later in the week. (For lots of wonderful cooking ideas, check out Eileen. My real-life wonderful friend and also a chef extraordinaire!)

Maybe you're thinking, "Ugh! I'm awful at cooking. And this doesn't seem very 'simple,' Ashley!"

(Apparently, I think you guys are really whiny.)

(No, actually, I'm really whiny and I'm channeling myself here.)

Anyway, man up, Non-cooker! Just follow the recipe. Then, experiment with new recipes and flavors. Give it a shot. You cannot go wrong with allrecipes.com - you simply cannot. They have reviews and you can search by ingredients in your pantry.

Maybe it's not so "simple" to cook more. But for me? It's a hobby. It's relaxing and it makes me feel productive. Chopping vegetables, baking bread, and doing it all myself is surprisingly empowered. And utterly enjoyable.

Give it a try. And check out this awesome article on whether it's cheaper to buy sustainably or conventionally.

[My locally-grown apples, by the way? Cost 90 cents a pound. And it was a fun date with my husband, to boot!]

Exposed: The True Story of Yogurt

Let's talk about yogurt.

Yes, yogurt. (Do I have the most random blog ever or what?)

Yogurt is good for you. There are all kinds of probiotic, enzyme-y thingamabobs. It tastes delicious, too.

BUT! Two big problems, guys. 1) What the heck is IN most yogurt? and 2) The plastic. OH! The plastic.

First, let's check out what's in a typical cup of, say Strawberry Light N' Fit Yogurt:

Nonfat Yogurt, (Cultured Grade A Non Fat Milk, Modified Corn Starch, Kosher Gelatin, Vitamin A Palmitate, Vitamin D3), Strawberries and Water, less than 1% of Modified Corn Starch, Natural and Artificial Flavors, Sucralose, Sodium Citrate, Malic Acid, Potassium Sorbate (to maintain freshness) and Red 4.

I used to eat a cup or two of delicious, sugary (or, Splenda-y, I guess) yogurt a day in college. I never once noticed it had all these ingredients. I stopped eating yogurt for a long time because I felt so guilty about all the plastic (non recyclable plastic!) single-use cups left over.

Then I read French Women Don't Get Fat this year (yeah, like, waaay behind the craze. It was actually a good book, surprisingly. I don't do the diet thing.) The author raved about plain yogurt with a sprinkle of wheat germ and a dribble of honey as a an alternative to our chemical-and-sugar-laced stuff. It took a few days to get used to - but OH MY LORD! It was amazing. I would add some frozen peaches and take it to lunch. The other yogurt paled in comparison.

Plain yogurt has two ingredients: Milk and active cultures {I still don't really get what those are, but apparently they're good stuff}. Seems a little less sketchy than fake colors, malic acid, and gelatin.

So, any of you who are yogurt lovers like myself but haven't spun the container around to see the 5 inch list of ingredients - you've been warned! There's so strange stuff in there.

Now, onto the domestic-y part of the problems of yogurt: the plastic. Buying a bigger, resealable container is a short term solution, but we still quickly accumulated TONS of plastic containers. And there's only so many of those you can reuse, ya know?

Enter: YOGURT MAKING.

Yes, that's right: People make their OWN YOGURT. How cool is that?! I desperately want to try, but I haven't found the time. (I did try once, but didn't read the directions and ended up with buttermilk. Which meant we had pancakes and muffins. Equally nutritious as yogurt, right?) All you need is milk, a thermometer, a pot, and some glass jars. It seems pretty simple...You save money and avoid those darn plastic cups from accumulating. And homemade is always (always!) more delicious.

(Sometimes I really wish I was a housewife and just got to sit around making food and cleaning the apartment. Then I remember I'd probably just end up on the computer or watching Friends reruns in my PJs...)

Preach It, Sista! Meatless Eating

You know I'm a vegetarian and proud of it. So I want to take a moment to share with you WHY and HOW to eat a little less meat...

10 Reasons to Eat Less Meat!

1. Skinny Girl: It's easier to lose weight and stay thin when you're eating beans, whole grains, and produce instead of filling up that plate with meat! {If, however, you eat cheese fries daily - you will NOT enjoy these benefits. FYI.} (source)
2. Bonus! Vegetarians enjoy lower rates of heart disease, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, prostate and colon cancer; and lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels than our carnivore counterparts. Heck yes. (source)
   
3. Money: It's always in short supply in our little apartment (and our little pocketbooks. ha.) Buying beans, rice, and pasta in bulk is cheap. Get some fresh produce from the farmer's market and VOILA! Several meals on the cheap. Meat? It's expensive stuff. Unless you get meat in a can. (Which? Eww. Don't.)
   
4. Animals have rights, too! I don't want to get into this too much, since I'm oh-so-not PETA. But, seriously, why treat a dog with dignity but shove cows, chickens, and pigs into pens where they get less than a square foot of space? I don't want to gross you out, but there's some insane things that happen on factory farms (debeaking, killing conscious animals...okay, I'll stop.) I don't want to be a sensationalist, but something we'd rather not know. And it's my job to force you to know. :) Haha. (source)
   
5. Variety is the Spice of A Veggie Meal: If you're creative in the kitchen, you'll enjoy the variety of creating a meatless meal. No more daily turkey sandwiches or settling for a meat-and-potatoes dinner.
   
6. Feed people not [just] animals!: Most of the world's grain goes to feed animals, not people. There would be plenty of grain for everyone if we actually ate it as food and didn't use it to make meat. (source)
7. Heal the World: (Does everyone else think of Free Willy? I start to sway and imagine MJ singing...) Factory farms and meat-rearing are bad for the environment. Plain and simple. Manure, hormones, and antibiotics seep into our drinking water, which is just completely nasty. Plus, the expanding market for meat (i.e. China and India becoming more wealthy, and the US's insatiable appetite for all things meaty...) means more forest is being cut down to allow for cattle grazing. (source)
   
8. Number Two: Worldwide agriculture, especially livestock production, accounts for a fifth of greenhouse gas emissions. The farts and poop our meat emits is a HUGE source of methane in the environment. How gross is that?? (source) {Also check out Callina's post about it.)
   
9. Stop Whining About "Getting Enough Protein": This is probably the number one question I get about my meatless-ness. I want to take this moment to scream from rooftops: "YOU DON'T NEED ALL THAT PROTEEEEEIIN!" There, I feel much better. Honestly, though, I need 36 grams a day: That's a bowl of oatmeal, some peanut butter, and a cup of beans. Most Americans get far more protein than they need. The cattle industry has created this vague fear in people of "Protein Deficiency." Resist! Don't believe it! (And do NOT ask your friendly, neighborhood veg*n about their protein habits. Seriously, now.) {Check out Crystal's hilarious, insightful post on the matter.}
   
10. All the cool people are doing (or...did) it: You'll be in good company with these amazing individuals: Susan B. Anthony, Bob Barker, Stan & Jan Beranstien (!!), David Bowie, Tracy Chapman, Chelsea Clinton, Ellen DeGeneras, Anne Hathaway, Bob Dylan, Louis May Alcott, Dennis Kucinich (bwhahaha... I love that little adorable elfin man!)
    

Whew! I'm feeling kind of feisty now - talking about factory farming does that to me. Let's switch gears and talk about something that's totally awesome instead of something that totally sucks: Yummy, delicious, wonderful FOOOOOD. I love to eat. Love it. I would eat 24/7 if I could.

10 Meal Ideas to Eat Less Meat!

1. Ole! Substitute beans for meat in any Mexican dish. My personal favorite: Slather a tortilla with refried beans, sprinkle on some cheese and corn. Cook like a quesadilla and serve with salsa. Yum.
   
2. Pasta: Add tomato sauce, pesto, beans, sauteed veggies, or meatless meatballs (oxymoron, what?) to pasta.
   
3. Stir fry: Stir fry veggies (tofu optional) in olive oil and soy sauce, then serve over cooked rice. So fast. Amazing.
   
4. Comfort Food with a Twist: Macaroni and cheese + salsa + beans = quick and easy, heavenly dinner. Amazing. (I try to avoid prepackaged food, but sometimes, you're just in a rush!)
   
5. Pizza - A Tummy's Best Friend: Get a loaded-veggie pizza - either homemade, frozen, or at a restaurant.
   
6. New Foodie Blog! My best friend Eileen just (as in...today) started a blog about veg*n cooking - check it out! And leave her some comment love :)
7. Get Yer Greens: The possibilities are endless with salad. Start with a basic salad and add some yummy veggies, a little shredded cheese, some sliced almonds, dried cranberries, homemade salad dressing and in no time, you have a filling, healthy meal! {Bonus! Trader Joe's masala burgers are divine on top of a good salad.}
8. Cafeteria Memories: I love eating grilled cheese and soup, dipping the crispy, melty sandwich into a cup of soup reminds me of being a kid. Mmmm.
   
9. You Say Potato: Baked with beans, salsa, and cheese on top, mashed, or broiled into healthy fries - this is a great addition to any meal. If a salad for dinner doesn't quite satisfy you, try adding some homemade baked potato chips. Easy and delicious!
   
10. When All Else Fails: Peanut butter and jelly. If you want to pretend like it's a gourmet meal, pop it in the oven under the broiler for a few minutes on each side. Toasted pb&j! (My dad is SOOO not a cook - this was his go-to meal for when my mom wasn't home. It makes me smile how excited we got about toasted pb&j.)
    

Any favorite meat-free meals or foods you enjoy? I love talking about food!

DIY Friday - Lez Get Crafty!

My earrings have been all in a tangle, and I needed a way to organize them - so why not make my own earring holder?!

I used part of a bag from oranges (reduce, REUSE, recycle, right?), a picture frame (very old and unsightly, but it got the job done), a hot glue gun, and scissors.



1. Stretch the mesh plastic to fit the inside of the frame.
2. Hot glue into place.
3. Trim the edge of the mesh.
4. Hook earrings on like so!
5. I just covered a piece of cardboard with newspaper clippings and drew a star.
6. Note along left side - I will have the FLDS scandal forever live in my earring organizer. Oh, yes.

Hope your Friday's grand!

Beans, Beans the Musical Fruit.

I don't eat meat, so to get protein I consume lots of beans. We use beans for hummus, quesadillas and to add to mac and cheese, salads, stir fries and sooo much more. (FYI: The average American consumes 50% MORE protein than the RDA. So eating beans, grains, and veggies gets us enough protein without needing supplements.) Beans are a fantastic nutritional source - there's more calcium, less fat, and more potassium in black beans than in 95% fat free beef. As an added bonus, they are more affordable in comparison. Especially if you’re like me and decide to buy dried beans. It always seemed like such a pain to worry about rinsing, sorting, soaking, and cooking beans that you could just as easily pop open a can and dump into a bowl.

Then, as always, Crunchy mentioned something about beans and I gave it a try. I had never even so much as looked at the dried beans at the grocery store, but when I did. WOAH. Less than a dollar for THAT much beans!? Being Young, Fabulous, and Broke, I decided to quickly snatch up half a dozen bags of beans. What a steal! I could figure out how to cook them later.

I am lazy and therefore half read the instructions on the back of the package. Three cups water, one cup beans – boil until they’re soft. That’s my Cliff Notes version. There are all kinds of options like quick soaking and overnight and blah blah blah. My lazy girl method seems to work so far*. But if you’re cooking chickpeas (for yummy hummus; which is consequently the cornerstone of my husband’s diet. I swear that if I didn’t cook he’d eat cereal for every meal of the day. Not that I have anything against cereal. Mmm. Cereal.) you need to add fresh water a couple of times because it boils down. I learned the hard way last week when I set off the smoke detector and found a saucepan of blackened chickpeas. (Yes. I used them still. Blackened chickpea hummus is a delicacy in some places.)

So bottom line. Beans are delicious and nutritious. They’re REALLY cheap if you can handle a little more work and get some dried beans. Throw them in anything for a great meal. Uh, except for waffles. Or oatmeal. That could be weird. (Although authentic Chinese food does involve some interesting sweets with red beans.) Get creative though!


*If you prefer, you can be a lazy girl (or boy) with your slow cooker as well. I fully support that.

I Come Bearing Gifts

I LOVE Christmas!

I do, I really really do. My extended family gets together and is disgustingly happy - playing games, sledding, and doing things like exchanging sappy letters instead of useless gifts. We even have a caroling party. (It seems like no one carols anymore. People don't know what to do when we come to their front door. Not like I'd have any clue, either: "Crap! It's cold and I'm wearing pajamas and I can't leave or I'll look rude! Smile and endure the singing.")

I usually spend lots of time the month before Christmas trying to find exciting, personal, unique gifts for everyone. No cheap, plastic, battery operated toys for my godson (or new nieces and nephews)! Wooden personalized name puzzles or photo books or wooden sushi sets, like I'm giving this year. I love the personalized gifts for EVERYONE - Snapfish has been my best friend for the past few years. There aren't a TON of people we get gifts for - immediate family, grandparents, and my godson. Maybe some friends? That's over 20 people right there.

This year, newly married, trying to save money, and enjoying the added bonus of not doing too much of the commercial Christmas thing, (I did go Black Friday shopping. It's FUN! I like buying stuff. Retail therapy and all that, I believe in it. :) But I definitely keep it to a minimum. Because not being able to pay my bills would cause way more stress.) we decided to make our own gifts. We have been saving our glass jars from salsa, applesauce, and jelly. Plus, we have lots of mason jars lying around -- so we decided to do gifts in a jar! Sand Art Brownie Mix, Cappuccino Mix, Friendship Soup Mix, French Vanilla Hot Chocolate, Candy Cane Bath Salts, and the most endeavorous of them all - Homemade Candles.

I'm not sure how well received they will be, but they were so much fun to make together. I got to be crafty, have an excuse to watch more TV, and test the mixes, of course. :) Yum! I went the grocery store to buy all the food mix ingredients - it was less than $50. Add to that the craft store materials (wax crystals, wicks, salts, fabric, ribbon, etc) and we made 25 jars for less than $100. That's less than $4 a gift. Shhh, don't tell. We'll probably give one or two to everyone on our list (except the little kids - they get sushi), plus a small gift that is more personal. It's really hard for me to restrain from not spending more on everyone -- I just want them to know how much I love them. :)

Here's the finished product of the cappuccino, hot chocolate, and brownie mixes:

After I made the mixes and put them in jars I decorated some of the jars with green and red fabric cut into stars or trees, a la this salsa jar turned cappuccino mix:

I also cut squares out of the fabric and hot glued them to the lid, then used some hemp string to tie the fabric around the jar. For most of them, the lid can easily be unscrewed with the fabric and string still in place. I cut the labels out of card stock, decorated them and put instructions on the back. This project is pretty darn environmentally friendly PLUS it's super affordable. Score. You're reusing old jars, buying some simple food and craft items, and spending a little time to create some really special gifts.

As far as wrapping goes, it would be most eco-savvy to not wrap the gifts at all. However, seeing as how we have a bazillion bags left over from our wedding, we'll be using those some some reused tissue paper to give most of these gifts. They are sort of wrapped already, but I really love the prolonged suspense of giving and getting gifts. Kids don't love gift bags so much, since they just want to tear through the paper. So I wrapped those in classifieds and added some cloth ribbon:

it's da sushi!

The ribbon, hemp string, and fabric really made a few simple gifts look nice. I'm really excited to give these out!

Here are a few more pictures of our hard work::

First time making candles -- they smell like lilac!

Yum. Chocolate chips.

(Recipes are from allrecipes.com, razzledazzlerecipes, and organizedchristmas.com.)

Leggo My Pesto

We got a basil plant as one of our wedding gifts. It's great! It naturally repels insects, smells yummy, and tastes delicious. Since we live in an apartment, sans balcony or courtyard or any greenery, we adore houseplants. We have quite a few. Don't ask me what they are or you'll hear descriptions like "it's a potted plants that's green with long leaves. or maybe they're called strands? there are little sprout thingys off some of the strands." Wow, I'm making myself sound ditzy. I'm not. Promise.

Where was I again? Oh yeah, making your own food in your own jars is cheaper and creates less waste and more fun (cheesy much?). You can reuse the same jars over and over, and you don't have to drive to the store, so you save some CO2 as well. It's a win-win-win-win situation.

Here are some pictures of what I did:

I picked ALL of the leaves off the basil plant (which, by the way, is pretty much a fool proof plant if you give it enough sunlight.) Notice the sewn-by-Mike curtain and chives to the left and the Ikea bamboo-esque plant to the right. :)

I put the basil along with olive oil, garlic, and walnuts in the food processor. It was soooo easy and the best pesto ever. The mess left a little to be desired. (Notice our teeny tiny sink. At least there's a garbage disposal. But nope, no dishwasher. That would be Mike.)

We got really pretty antique jars at one of our wedding showers:

Ta-da! (That whole basil plant made this little jar. But a little pesto tossed with spaghetti goes a long way.) Looks yummy. You can either stick it in the fridge and eat it in 2-3 days, or freeze it.

Yay! I did it! 30 days!! It's only the beginning, though. :)

Over or Under is No Longer a Debate: More Toilet Talk

A bit TMI, perhaps...but I just gotta tell you about our toilet paper habits.













As a part of our get-rid-of-paper-products kick, and inspired by Crunchy's challenge, I took the plunge and decided to try using cloth wipes instead of recycled TP. (Don't say I didn't I warn you it was TMI!)

Now, before you get totally grossed out, let me explain that 1) I just tried it with #1 at first; 2) If you've used cloth diapers, it's really not a big leap; and 3) It's perfectly possible to do this for even the most squeamish among us.

With virtually every drastic change I've made, I've completely balked at the idea at first, then slowly but surely accepted the idea (usually falling in love with it after a few weeks). I've been using cloth TP for about two months now. Here are some of the benefits:

• It's waaay cheaper to cut up an old t-shirt than to spring for the comfy (or recycled) stuff
• The comfort factor -- imagine a soft flannel cloth or t-shirt instead of scratchy paper...you cannot even imagine!
  
• Reducing waste and paper usage -- there's no packaging, there's no waste (minus a small amount of detergent and water to wash the cloths)
  
• Less chemicals -- making toilet paper is a chemical, water, and energy intensive process, so cloth saves on all of that!

Here's how I do it:

- Cut up old t-shirts into squares about 4" by 4"
- Put stack of cloths on back of toilet and use as needed :)
- Use a mesh lingerie bag to put the used cloths in
- Throw the bag in the laundry when I do a load
- Ta-da! It's super easy, makes you feel good, saves some money, and is good for the planet (kinda our theme 'round here)

Give it a try!

PS: Is anyone else looking forward to Thanksgiving and a few days off as much as I am!?

If It Ain’t Broke Don’t Fix It

But do if it is.

We live in a disposable society. Consider the sheer amount of stuff we throw away daily. From our dishes to our toilet scrubber, we are used to having disposable conveniences. Constantly. It’s easier. It’s more sanitary. It’s faster.

But it’s also wasteful! And expensive!

By choosing to fix (or mend or alter) an item instead of tossing it for something new, you reduce your waste. For example, instead of throwing away some shoes, try getting them resoled. Instead of throwing away an old t-shirt, repurpose it as dusting rags. Or you can be classy like us and take someone else’s trash and fix it. A few months ago, I went running and saw a broken futon sitting on the curb of our neighbor’s house. Mike and I rescued it from the trash and hauled it up to our apartment (sans mattress…we ended up getting a fresh one via craigslist). Mike worked his magic and put it all together. Now we have a fantastic, nearly free futon in our living room. And we feel resourceful. Score!

At Least You Burn 200 Calories An Hour

Like Maggie mentioned, many common household cleaners have really gross toxic problems. We don’t want to have those kind of chemicals in our apartment, nor do we want to put those chemicals in our environment. You can go out and buy new, safe alternatives - or if you’re broke like us – learn how to make cleaning products with kitchen supplies like white vinegar, lemon juice, and baking soda! It’s super cheap and creates less waste (especially if you buy a HUGE jug of vinegar).

The internet is FULL of ideas*. We use mostly white vinegar and/or baking soda to clean our counters, shower, toilet, mirrors, and floors (all 3 square feet of them). A spray bottle with half vinegar and half water and a rag or sponge is all you need! As well as some baking soda, which acts as a natural scrub on the stove or counter top. For the toilet, we pour some vinegar in, sprinkle a little baking soda and let it effervesce (remember making volcanoes with this stuff? It makes cleaning the toilet more fun!) for a few minutes before scrubbing it clean. Baking soda can also be used as a deodorant in smelly places (like most people use it for in their fridge or freezer.) Lemon juice is also helpful, especially for its yummy smell. It's actually kind of fun to create your our cleaning products. :)

Speaking of smells, we use Method aroma spray, mostly because we seem to have an ever-present stench of something in our apartment. We bought some Glade glass air fresheners, but they are kind of overpowering for our small space. They do smell fantastic though (and we're psyched about the use of recyclable glass instead of plastic). The Method air freshener is much lighter and helps eliminate the Smell. We have also tried boiling vinegar on the stove and putting a cotton ball with vanilla extract in the fridge to get rid of mysterious smells. Both worked pretty well. Oh! I just thought of another trick – pour some vinegar and water in your reusable coffee mug and let it sit for a few hours to get rid of that nasty stale coffee smell. Just don’t forget to wash it afterwards or your coffee will taste funky…I still cringe when I remember thinking the coffee pot was filled with hot water and using it to brew some tea…Yeah, that was nasty.

Time to get our apartment presentable for my sister’s visit this weekend. Happy cleaning!


*Seriously, best website EVER for this kind of stuff. It's not frilly at all, not actually as much a website as a very long list of cleaning ideas. It's really great though, honestly!