Green for Nothing

Homemade Lotion

2010-06-28T15:30:00.000-07:00

So, I made lotion. And it was so easy that you could do it too. Really. Seriously, if you have basic cooking skills, you could also make your own lotion. The best part is, that it is eco-friendly, cheap, petroleum free, paraben free, and phthalate free.

First, I found this super easy recipe on The Green Phonebooth . Then, I got some beeswax from the Downtown Farmer's Market. The beeswax I got was in brick form, not the handy little pastilles. So I had to grate it.

For those who don't want to click on the link, here is the recipe:

1 cup distilled water
5-20 drops of essential oils ( I used lavender).
3/4 cup oil (I used light olive oil because it is what I have at home. You can also use grapeseed oil, apricot oil, coconut oil, coco butter, or shea butter).
1/4 cup beeswax pastilles or grated beeswax.

First, I placed the water and essential oils is a blender. Then, I mixed the beeswax and olive oil in a Pyrex measuring cup and put it in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time (stirring in between) until the beeswax was completely melted. The beeswax can be melted into the oil over a double boiler, but I thought the microwave method would be faster and more energy efficient.

Then, I turned on the blender to the fastest speed and slowly poured in the oil/wax mixture. The mixture immediately started to emulsify. I continued blending the lotion for a several more minutes, stopping the blender several times to stir an scrape the sides.

The lotion turned out to be thick, creamy and very moisturizing.

GIVEAWAY!!!!

2010-06-20T15:11:00.000-07:00

So, I am giving away a pair of Golden Fingerless gloves from my etsy shop: Beatknits. These are a great, eco friendly glove for indoor or outdoor wear.

For a chance to win, follow this link.

What is made from Oil

2010-01-24T10:36:00.001-08:00

In the quest to reduce our dependence on oil, many people think only of conserving gasoline. When people discuss the threat of an oil crisis; transportation, and the impact of the of inhibited transportation on our society, are discussed as the primary impact. However, there are many other products we use in our daily life that would be scarce if our oil supply dwindled. Also, the consumption of these products increases each of our carbon footprints. Here are a few:

1. Plastics

2. Synthetic Fabrics: rayon, polyester, acrylic, nylon, etc.

3. Laundry Detergent

4. Soap

5. Cosmetics

6. Hand and Body Lotion

7. Candles

8. Carpet and Linoleum flooring

9. Ink

10. Crayons

11. Chewing gum

12. Deodorant

13. Glue and adhesives of all types.

14. Tape

15. House Paint

16. Building Materials

17. Insulation

18. Tires

19. Shoes
20. Auto parts
21. Nail polish
22. Medications - Aspirin, Antihistamines, Cortisone and the capsules containing medication
23. Food preservatives
24. Shaving cream
25. Toothpaste
26. Eyeglasses
27. Solvents
28. Roofing materials
29. Balloons
30. Umbrellas

Recycling petroleum products is, at best, a partial solution. Plastics can only be recycled a limited number of times. Soap, shampoo, laundry detergent, health and beauty products and many other products can not be recycled.

Corn or plant based plastics are also only a partial solution. Not all of the products named can be made from plant plastics. The environmental impact of growing enough crops to replace all of these products would be enormous.

The bottom line is that the environmental problems of our time are complex and the solutions imperfect. The best solution is to reduce consumption these products, reuse and repurpose what we can, and hope for the best.

Recycling Plastic Bags to Reusable Bags

2010-01-20T16:32:00.000-08:00

Check out this video I found showing how to make reusable shopping bags, hand bags, and book bags from disposable plastic sacks. I love this idea and want to try it out sometime soon.

Zero Waste Challenge: The Paper Coffee Cup

2010-01-15T11:00:00.000-08:00

I have a paper coffee shop coffee cup to dispose off. Now, if I frequented coffee shops, or if I had planned ahead, the obvious alternative would be to bring a reusable travel mug with me to the shop. It is not like I don't already have several of these at home. But, I hadn't been planning to go, and I didn't take a mug, so it just happened. Now I have a travel mug to dispose of.

Of course, since these paper cups are made for hot beverages, it could be reused several times before disposal. A quick rinse would have cleaned it sufficiently for a second use. But, not seeing the need to transport hot beverages anytime soon, I didn't opt for saving the cup.

This is what I did with my cup. First, I removed the plastic lid and tossed it in the recycle bin. Maybe I could have found a reuse for it, but, my creativity had not kicked in that day, so I had no ideas.

Second, I removed the paper sleeve from the cup and put them in my compost bin. Since it is paper, the cup should fully compost. I am not certain whether the cup contains a plastic lining or not. I will have to see if a have one left once the cup breaks down.

Since it is the dead of winter here in Utah, my compost has been accumulating in 5 gallon buckets outside by back door. Once we get a spring thaw, the cup will go into my new compost pile. Check back next summer to see what is left of my cup.

Zero Waste Challenge

2010-01-09T13:08:00.001-08:00

So, for 2010, I will be devoting the year to eliminating waste that goes to the landfill, and reducing the amount of waste that goes in the recycle bin. I think a full year will be sufficient time to find alternatives for both the things I throw away all the time and that infrequent items. I will be evaluating both my the waste I throw away at home and away from home.

Of course, with my greener lifestyle, I have already been taking steps to reduce the amount of waste I generate that ends up in the landfill. These are some of steps I have already taken.

Recycling: of course, recycling is a great way to keep waste out of the landfill. However, the process is still uses a lot of energy and produces pollution. Reducing waste is a better option.

Compost: I have been diligently composting kitchen and yard waste that can be composted including biocompostable paper and plastic items. I have even saved compostables during the winter to start a fresh pile in the spring. I have even brought home biocompostable food containers from eating out to add to my pile. For more information about composting, check out this article.

Using cloths for cleaning instead of paper towels.

Reusable Shopping Bags: I have been diligent about using reusable shopping bags at the grocery store. I will commit to use reusable bags for more of my shopping.

Water Bottles: I carry a water bottle and avoid purchasing bottled water.

Saving and reusing my glass jars, tin cans, metal pie plates, plastic food containers, boxes, bags, and any other containers I can find a use for.

Repurposing: I have been repurposing may items from denim to thrift store yarn and wire hangers to make useful household items.

Donating to Thrift Stores: Usable items that I no longer have a use for, and can not repurpose, are donated to my local thrift store so they can find a second life in another home.

Eliminated the use of paper and plastic plates, cups, and utensils by using real glasses, plates, and utensils at home; even for outdoor parties.

Home canning fruits and vegetables that I grow in my yard in reusable canning jars.

Using reusable holiday wrapping.

Packing waste-free lunches.

For all of these efforts, I still have some items going in the garbage can. Although my can is never full, and rarely even half full, I feel like I could be doing better. Continue reading this year to see more posts on my Zero Waste Challenge.

No More Wire Hangers

2009-11-24T21:20:00.000-08:00

Finding myself with an abundance of wire hangers that really aren't all that useful, I decided to turn them into something I can actually use by pairing them up and covering them with yarn. This is a craft project that I have used since I was a kid. In fact, it is a great project for kids.

With the wire hangers I found in our closets, I was able to make seven cute new hangers. This is how to do it:

1. Select two wire hangers that are the same size and shape. Match the hangers up and tape them together in 5 or 6 places. Match the size and shape of the hangers is a little harder then it sounds. From the wire hangers I found in our closets, I have as many hangers that do not match each other as hangers that do. (If you don't have any wire hangers, your friends and family probably do).

2. Select one or two yarn colors that you want to use. This is a great way to use up remnant yarn from other projects. I purchased a bunch of yarn form a thrift store for this project (25 cents a piece; yeah!). Roll a yarn ball about the size of a golf ball.

3. Secure the yarn to the hanger by tying it on in a double knot at the top of the hanger. If you are using two colors, tie the other color of yarn on just below the first.

4. Take the first ball of yarn and pull out about six inches of yarn and make a loop over the top of the hangers. Pass the yarn ball under the opposite side of the hanger and up through the loop. Then pull the yarn tight to make a knot. Pull the knot snug up against the yarn that is already tied on the hanger.

5. If you are using two colors of yarn, make a loop on the other side of the hangers, pass your yarn ball under the hanger and through the loop, and pull tight.

6. Repeat steps 4 and 5 to tie yarn knots all the way around the hanger. Once you have reached the end, tie off the yarn in a knot and cut.

7. If you want, decorate your new hanger with a bow or pompom.

Your new wire hangers are now sturdy enough to hang a heavy coat. Not only that, but these hangers should last for a long time. My mom has some of these that she made more then 30 years ago that are in great condition.

If you don't need any more hangers, consider donating some to your local homeless or women's shelter. I know that mine are always asking for hanger donations.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

2009-11-22T08:08:00.000-08:00

For the last two years, I have made this pumpkin cheesecake for Thanksgiving. It is a great alternative to the traditional pumpkin pie and a fun way to use up fall pumpkins. Not only is this cheesecake super easy, but it makes a stunning presentation that is sure to impress your Thanksgiving guests.

Crust:

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup butter, melted

Cheesecake:

3 packages cream cheese (three 8 oz. packages)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 cups pumpkin puree (or one 16 oz. can)
2 eggs
2/3 cup undiluted evaporated milk ( one 5 oz. can)
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Topping:

2 cups sour cream (one 16 oz. carton)
1 /4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For Crust: Combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and butter in medium bowl. Press into the bottom and sides of a 10-inch spring form pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 6-8 minutes. Do not allow to brown.

For Cheesecake: Beat cream cheese, granulated sugar, and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl until fluffy. Beat in pumpkin, eggs and evaporated milk. Add cornstarch, cinnamon, and nutmeg and beat until well combined. Pour into the crust and bake for 55 - 60 minutes at 350 degrees.

For Topping: While the cheesecake is baking, combine sour cream, sugar, and vanilla. Once the cheesecake is done, pull it out of the oven and spread the topping evenly over the hot cheesecake. Return it to the oven and allow it to bake for another 10 minutes. I usually turn the oven off when there is about 3 minutes of bake time remaining. Remove from the oven and allow the cake to cool completely before removing the sides of the springform pan. Garnish with graham cracker crumbs and orange zest if desired.

Gleaming Silver

2009-11-18T17:38:00.000-08:00

With Thanksgiving coming, I have been looking for non-toxic ways to clean my sterling and silverplate for the holiday. To me, Thanksgiving is about family and traditions. I love being able to pull out heirloom silver pieces to use for the holiday. Since, silver polish is one of the most toxic household cleaners, and it is used to clean items that we eat off of, non-toxic alternatives were necessary.

I started by browsing the internet and found several ideas to try. The first method is to use toothpaste as silver polish. The second method is to make a paste out of baking soda and water to polish the silver with. I decided to try out both methods and see which worked best.

First, I gathered up some tarnished silver and silver plate items. I grabbed a sterling ring, a couple of knives from the sterling silver service, and a silver plated tray my sister reciently found at a thrift store.

I also grabbed a punch ladle with a blackened sterling handle and began the experiment.

On the back of the silver plate tray, I used toothpaste on the right side and baking soda on the left. I employed an old toothbrush to polish with.

Both the baking soda and the toothpaste acceptably cleaned the tarnish from the tray. However, the toothpaste left a brighter shine. Since the baking soda also worked well, and is both a cheaper and greener option, I used baking soda to polish the rest of my silver; with gleaming results.

Although these methods were effective, silver tarnish can be prevented by frequent use. Since silver doesn't break or wear out, it can be used everyday. The frequent wash and wear will keep the silver bright. If you don't want to use your silver everyday, consider making special family dinners once a week or month were you can set a formal table.

In the alternative, when storing silver, it's polish can be maintained by storing the items in plastic bags. Some of my sterling servewear came with plastic sleaves that I kept to store them in when not in use. Otherwise, plastic shopping bags or produce bags can be reused to

Note: I also found that several posts where people have used a method where they use tin foil, boiling water, baking soda, and salt to instantly remove tarnish. However, this method does
strip a layer of silver from the items and can destroy silverplate and untimely wear sterling. Since destroying perfectly good items is neither green nor frugal, I can't recommend this method.

Tried and True Green Cleaning Recipes

2009-11-13T12:41:00.000-08:00

Conventional cleaning products are some of the most toxic items in your home. Not only do they effect the health of you and your family, but they cause environmental damage when we wash them down the drain. There is an increasing number of green cleaners available on the market, but, they can cost up to four times as much as their conventional counterparts.

But, there are alternatives to both of these options that are non-toxic, healthy, eco-friendly, and low cost. You can make them at home with items you probably already have.

Your Green Cleaning Arsenal:

Baking Soda: Sodium Bicarbonate -A natural anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and deodorizer. You have never seen anything that cuts soap scum and leaves a sparkle like this. Bonus: using baking soda regularly to clean will help keep your pipes clear as well.

White Vinegar: This acid is excellent for dissolving mineral deposits and removing gummy substances.

Castile Soap: A mild plant based soap with some super cleaning power. I use Dr. Bronner's Magic Soap, a hemp oil based organic soap.

Borax: Sodium Borate - this is a base stronger then baking soda, but with the same cleaning properties. Use when baking soda just won't cut it. Find it with the laundry detergent in your local grocery store.

Washing Soda: Sodium Carbonate - a stronger base the baking soda and borax. Use to get stubborn stains out of your laundry and to make home made laundry detergent. Find it with the laundry detergent in your local grocery store. (sometimes called soda ash). Wear gloves when handling this product.

Hydrogen Peroxide: This weak acid has strong oxidizing properties and is a powerful bleaching agent.

Lemon Juice: Filled with citric acid, this juice can do more then make your home smell good.

Olive Oil: Penetrates and conditions wood surfaces.

Rubbing Alcohol: Great for cleaning glass surfaces, cds and dvds.

My Favorite All Purpose Cleaner:

My favorite all purpose cleaner recipe comes from Squeeky Green. I actually purchased a bottle of the cleaner at the Downtown Farmer's Market several years ago and have been reusing the bottle and the included recipe to mix up batches ever since. I use this cleaner to clean just about everything.

3 1/2 cups hot water
10 -20 drops essential oil (it came with peppermint and lemon and smells amazing)
2 to 3 oz. castile soap (I use Dr. Bronner's Magic Soap)

Combine ingredients and mix by gently shaking bottle.

I use this cleaner for counter tops, sinks, bathtubs, and cleaning wood, tile and linoleum floors. I have even used it to clean a glass top patio table , clean car interiors, and to scrub out litter boxes.

In The Kitchen:

Sink: - Scrub your sink with baking soda to make it shine.
- Use hydrogen peroxide to remove stubborn stains.

Counter tops: - Use squeeky green all purpose cleaner for general cleanup.
- To disinfect, put white vinegar in a spray bottle, spray on counters and wipe down. Some people use a mix of 50 percent water and 50 percent vinegar. I just use straight vinegar.
- Use hydrogen peroxide to remove stains. Spray on a little peroxide and let it sit for about 30 minutes. If the stains are still there, repeat.

Dishwasher:
- Make your own dishwasher detergent using one tablespoon of baking soda and one tablespoon of borax. Add white vinegar as a rinse aid. The vinegar is necessary to prevent the detergent from leaving a film on the dishes.

Stove and Oven: - Use squeeky green all purpose cleaner for general clean-up.
- Use baking soda to clean the oven. Sprinkle heavily on the bottom of the oven. Using a wet sponge, scrub the oven until clean. Rinse to remove all baking soda and soil.
- Make a paste from baking soda and water to scrub out the oven. For really tough clean-up, use borax in the place of baking soda. Be sure to use gloves when using borax, because it can strip the moisture from your skin.
Floors: -Use 1 cup vinegar to one gallon hot water to mop tile and linolium floors. Baked on Grease: Make a paste from baking soda and water and use to scrub off baked on grease from appliances and cookware.

In the Bathroom:

Sink and Bathtub: I like to sprinkle my tub and sink with baking soda and spray with squeeky green and scrub. Either one will get the job done, but nothing cleans soap scum like baking soda. It will make your porcelain sparkle.

Counter Tops: Use Squeeky Green to for general counter top clean up. To disinfect, spray down the counter top with vinegar and wipe clean. Some people use a mixture of 50 percent vinegar and 50 percent water. I just use straight vinegar.

Mirror: Use white vinegar and spray on the mirror. Use a clean cloth to wipe clean. Some people use some mixture of vinegar and water to clean glass, but I found that it leaves streaks. Using straight vinegar leaves a streak free shine.

Floor: Add one cup vinegar to one gallon of hot water. Use to mop floor. It will clean and disinfect at the same time. Toilet: Spray the top, sides, and seat with vinegar and wipe clean. This will clean and disinfect the surfaces. For the bowl, sprinkle some baking soda on the sides of the bowl, then scrub with a toilet brush.

Mineral Buildup: Use straight vinegar to remove mineral buildup. Spray on vinegar and mineral deposits usually wipe clean. For more stubborn mineral deposits, soak in vinegar until the deposits dissolve.

Mold and Mildew: Baking Soda is naturally anti-fungal. Use baking soda to scrub away mold and mildew and prevent it from coming back.

Furniture:

Add several squirts of castile soap in hot water and use to wash away dirt and grime.

Dust and polish wood furniture using a mixture of 50 percent lemon juice and 50 percent olive oil. The lemon juice will clean dirt and grime away while the olive oil with polish and condition the wood. I like to put this mixture in a spray bottle

Flooring:

Carpet:
To deodorize, kill mold spores, and get a better clean: Sprinkle baking soda liberally on the carpet. Allow to stand for about 30 minutes and vacuum.
Note: I discovered this trick when my parents had black mold in their basement. After removing the effected materials, the black mold spores still gave us headaches and made us sick. I looked at the EPA website to find what will kill black mold, and found that baking soda had natural anti-fungal properties that would kill the mold. I sprinkled baking soda on the remaining carpets throughout the basement and let it sit for 30 minutes. I then vacuumed and was amazed. Not only were we no longer getting sick from the mold spores, but the carpets were deodorized and the cleanest we had seen in years. I discovered that the baking soda was also binding to the dirt in the carpet and allowing more of it to be picked up by the vacuum. I also used this trick to get the smell out of the carpets when my cat brought a bird in the house which died under the sofa.
Spots and Stains: Sprinkle borax on the spot and scrub the carpet with a dry scrubbing brush. Let stand 30 minutes and vacuum. Repeat if necessary. If the stain still remains, use a mixture of water and borax then rinse with water.

Wood Flooring: Sweep with a broom to remove loose dirt. Use several squirts of castile soap in warm water to mop. Rinse with warm water.

Tile and Linoleum: Sweep with a broom to remove loose dirt. Add one cup vinegar to a gallon of hot water to mop.

In the Laundry Room:

Conventional laundry detergents offer a myriad of environmental and health concerns. To start with, the cleansing soaps are petroleum based (ew!). Not using them can reduce our use of oil. Also, laundry detergents are full of phosphates. They are of concern after use when they enter waterways and prompt water plants and algae to overgrow choking out other aquatic life.

A couple of eco-friendly laundry detergents that we have found that are price competitively with conventional brands are:

Arm & Hammer Essentials Liquid Laundry Detergent - uses baking soda and plant based soaps. Phosphate free.

Kirkland Signature Laundry Detergent - Available at Costco this detergent is made without phosphates, dyes, or bleaches. Uses plant based soaps.

Laundry Enhancer - add 1/2 cup of Borax to your laundry loads for boosted performance

Rust Stains - use lemon juice to remove rust stains from fabric. Soak the stained areas in lemon juice and allow to sit until the stain disappears. When I tried this, it took about an hour for the stains to be fully removed.

Blood Stains - use hydrogen peroxide to remove fresh blood stains from clothing. Pour hydrogen peroxide on the stained area and let it bubble. When the bubbling stops, wash out the clothing with hand soap and cold water. Repeat if necessary.

Sugar Scrubs - From the Kitchen to the Bath

2009-11-13T12:29:00.000-08:00

So, lately I have been looking for safer and cheaper alternatives to the health and beauty products I use every day.

I started using the Basic Sugar Scrub recipe I found on Condo Blues. To that recipe I added a few drops of lavender essential oils and some dried lavender blossoms. Simple enough? Then I packed the scrub into reused glass jars and gave it to family members for birthday gifts.

I also tried some out. Now, I have purchased a lot of different scrubs of various sorts over the years and have used them all. None of them compared to this one. The felt nice to use, not to scratchy for my skin. It rinsed off easily and left my skin silky smooth and very soft. I usually use lotion on my legs after a bath to restore moisture, but after using this sugar scrub, my skin was moist enough that I didn't need any.

The best part is that I exfoliated and moisturized my skin without exposure to parabens, phthalates, or other toxic chemicals and without the use of any petroleum products.

I Quit Shampooing My Hair - Update

2009-11-13T11:45:00.000-08:00

It has now been 12, almost 13, weeks since I quit shampooing my hair. Until I quit using shampoo, I didn't realize how much damage it was doing to my hair and how many other products I was purchasing and using to correct the damage. Seriously. I used to think that my hair was naturally very dry and needed a lot of moisture added in order to tame the frizzies and bring out my natural curl. I used to shampoo daily, then condition with a conditioner for dry hair. After my shower, I would use a daily leave in conditioner, an oil based hair serum and another hair serum to tame the frizz. Now, I no longer consider my hair to be dry.

What's Changed:

Everything has changed. Since I last posted about my no 'poo choice, I have started using a vinegar rinse on my hair. I use about 10 parts water to 1 part apple cider vinegar and pour it over my hair right before I get out of the shower. It leaves my hair sleek, shiny, and as detangled as a conditioner. Because of this, I have been able to ditch my daily conditioner and all of my styling products. That is something I never expected to happen. Not only that, but my hair looks and feels better then I ever did with the shampoo, conditioner, and styling products. It is moist enough on its own to not need daily moisture therapy. Instead, I have been using a hot olive oil treatment on my hair about once a month to keep the moisture.

My hair had also gotten less greasy. Now my hair is to the point that I only need to use the baking soda scrub on my scalp once per week. The rest of the time, I will rinse my hair in the shower and scrub my scalp with my fingers to get it clean. This leaves my hair looking freshly washed.

What I am Saving:

I calculate that I am saving about $25 per every six weeks or so on hair products. I calculated this using the cheaper grocery store brands of shampoo and conditioner. I am probably saving much more money than that because, in recent years, I have been purchasing increasingly expensive hair products to try to get my hair to look the way it does now.

I am also saving about 4 plastic bottles from the waste stream every six weeks. A few more because I am reusing some of my old plastic conditioner bottles for my vinegar rinse.

I am also saving my health from exposure to the toxic ingredients that were in my shampoo, conditioner, and styling products.

I am also saving the water ways from dangerous toxins from my products as well.

Since going no 'poo is better for my hair, better for my health, and better for the environment, I see no reason to go back.

Applesauce

2009-11-08T17:49:00.001-08:00

This applesauce is our preferred method for preserving apples. It is a great way to use up fallen or wormy apples. It is an excellent anytime treat and can be substituted for oil in cookies and cakes to make a yummy lowfat treat without altering the texture or flavor. I also love serving applesauce with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

This is how you make it:

Wash and quarter your apples. Remove stem and any bad spots. Core any wormy apples. Fill the biggest pot you can find with apples. When we are canning applesauce, we fill four big pots to make enough sauce for a batch.

Add about an inch of water to the bottom of the pot. Bring the water to a boil over high heat then reduce to medium and allow the apples to steam for about 45 minutes or until very soft. The apples with give off a lot of juice while they are steaming, so your pot will be about half full of liquid. Process the apples and liquid through a food mill. The food mill will remove the peels, seeds, and cores. Discard these on your compost pile.

Bring the applesauce to a boil and fill sterilized canning jars and seal with canning lids. Process in a water bath for 15 minutes.

Tips: The color of your applesauce will depend on the type of apple you use. The pink color of the applesauce pictured comes from our beautiful black baccara red delicious apples. Golden Delicious apples make a pretty bright yellow sauce. Our other red delicious apples with a much lighter peel make a tan sauce.

Hot Olive Oil Deep Conditioning Treatment

2009-11-08T15:09:00.000-08:00

Stop paying outrageous prices for deep conditioning treatments at the salon or for high prices deep conditioning products. You can deep condition your hair at home for pennies by using a hot olive oil treatment. Not only that, but olive oil is a completely non-toxic, eco-friendly, and good for your hair.

How to do it:

I take about 2 tablespoons of olive oil (you only need one for shorter hair; mine is really long) and heat it until it is warm to the touch. It can be heated in the microwave or by putting it in a small glass jar and setting it in a pan of hot water.

Once the oil is hot, I apply it to my hair and work it through. Then, I will twist up my hair and secure it with a monster clip and leave it for about 10 minutes. Deep conditioner should only be applied to the same parts of your hair that you apply a daily conditioner to; anything you can gather into a ponytail.

After 10 minutes, I wash out the excess oil. Since I stopped using shampoo on my hair, I use a mild baking soda mixture to remove the excess oil. I use about a teaspoon of baking soda about 1/3 cup water. I then follow up with a vinegar rinse.

Since I have very dry natural curls, I have been applying a hot olive oil treatment to my hair about once per month. I has left my hair moisturized and shiny. I don't think I will every pay for another deep conditioning product again.

Apfelkuchen (German Apple Cake)

2009-11-08T11:38:00.000-08:00

I discovered this recipe years ago in an apple feature in Country Living magazine. It has quickly become a family tradition and a well loved treat during apple season.

4-6 medium sized apples
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 eggs
1 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
Fresh or dried cranberries (optional)

Select apples without bad spots. Peel apples, then slice in half and remove the core (I like to use a melon baller for this). Score the each apple half several times. Sprinkle apples with the lemon juice and set aside.

In a large bowl, beat butter, sugar and vanilla until it is light and fluffy. Add eggs and beat. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together. Gently fold fold flour into the batter. Spread batter into a greased 10-inch round cake pan or similar sized pan. Arrange apples decoratively on top of the batter and sprinkle with cranberries. Bake for one hour at 325 degrees. Enjoy.
1/4 teaspoon salt
Dried or fresh cranberries

Apple Cake

2009-11-08T10:56:00.000-08:00

This recipe is a family favorite during apple season. It pairs excellently with tea and can be frosted with cream cheese frosting if desired.

3 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground allspice
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 large egg, beaten
2 cup chopped, unpeeled apples
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Combine flour, sugar, soda, salt, cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg. Stir in buttermilk, butter and egg just until combined. Fold in apples and walnuts. Spoon into a greased tube pan or Bundt pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 50-60 minutes. Cool cake in pan for 10 minutes until turning out onto a serving plate. Can be eaten plain or frosted. Enjoy!

Apple Crisp

2009-11-08T10:45:00.000-08:00

This super easy recipe originally came from a children's cookbook and is simple enough that anyone can make it.

4-5 large apples - Red Delicious or Golden Delicious work well
1/2 cup packed Brown Sugar
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons margarine
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Peel apples and remove cores and any bad spots. Thinly slice them and spread evenly into a greased 8x8 (or similar sized) baking dish. In a separate bowl, mix brown sugar, flour, butter, and cinnamon with a pastry blender until crumbly. Stir in the oats and nuts and sprinkle the mixture over the apples. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes or until the apples are tender.

Stress Free and Waste Free Holiday Wrapping

2009-11-05T16:59:00.000-08:00

About 12 years ago, my mom and I were discussing the hassle and waste of holiday gift wrap. My mom wanted pretty presents under her tree that matched her color scheme, but, she hated the stress of gift wrapping. We also lamented the waste and the difficulty in reusing wrapping paper and finding boxes from year to year. In addition, we were looking for a way to store blown glass Christmas ornaments that I had recently brought from Germany.

Thinking about these issues, I came up with an idea. That year, I took the boxes we had and wrapped the top and bottom separately in silver and white paper to match my mom's Christmas tree. I then attached wired ribbon to the box lids with staples. This way, the box lids could be removed without undoing the gift wrapping. We wrapped our Christmas presents in the boxes and stored our ornaments in them, ready to pull out the next year.

For the last 12 years, we have reused these boxes; adding a few every year. I love to bring them out and see my favorites. Most of my family brings their unwrapped gifts to my parent's home to wrap in our Christmas boxes. Eventually, I added some homemade gift tags I made from reused card stock and gift wrap scraps. Since the family exchanges gifts with each other every year, we can reuse the same gift tags. We attach the tags to the gifts by tapping them to the ribbons. That way, the wrapping paper doesn't get damaged.

Although the Winter Holiday season is not here yet, I thought I would share this idea with enough time to plan your own stress free and waste free Holiday wrapping.

Bavarian Apple Torte

2009-11-03T17:44:00.002-08:00

This super easy torte is quickly becoming a family favorite.

Crust:
1/2 cup butter
1/4 tsp. vanilla
1/3 cup sugar
1 cup flour

Combine and press into the bottom and about 1 1/2 inches up the sides of an ungreased springform pan. ( My springform is MIA, so my photo shows this torte in a 10 inch, extra deep, pie dish).

Filing:

1 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg, beaten
1/2 tsp vanilla

Mix all ingredients together and beat until smooth. Spread over the crust.

Topping:

4 cups peeled, cored, and thinly sliced apples
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup almonds

Combine apples, cinnamon, and sugar. Layer over cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle almonds over top. Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes. Lower the heat to 400 degrees and bake for an additional 25 minutes. Cool before removing the sides of the springform pan. Serve at room temperature.

Even More Denium Recycling

2009-10-25T18:24:00.001-07:00

Previously, I wrote about my quest to find reuses for denim jeans that have gotten to worn to wear. These are some of my latest creations.

First, I cut to legs off of a pair of jeans and used the top to stitch this fun and funky handbag for my sister, Andrea, for her birthday. I pinned the legs and sewed them together. I then added a magnetic snap for a closure. I used a piece of the inseam from the jeans leg to create a drawstring to gather the top of the bag.

I used a pretty red and white fabric that I found at a thrift store to make a liner for the purse. The red is the perfect complement to the blue of the denim.

I found a chain that we were not using that happened to be the right length for a shoulder strap. I then found a piece of bias tape that had been in my mom's sewing chest unused for at least 20 years. The tape with the right width and length to wind through the chain and make a sash belt.

I also used the cuff of the same pair of jeans to make a fun purse for my niece's 3rd birthday. I cut off the leg about 9 inches above the hem and stitched the cut end closed. I turned over the end to form a cuff. I used scraps of green felt and a scrap for pretty floral fabric to make a flower embellishment for the bag to which I added an old blue button. Lastly, I used a piece of cording that came from a shopping bag to create a handle. I proved the perfect gift for a girly three-year-old.

Chunky Apple Sauce

2009-10-24T18:15:00.001-07:00

As I said earlier, our apples are ready and we have picked most of them. We estimated that we have about 10 bushels of apples to use. Hench, I have been looking for ways to use and preserve all of them.

I got a great idea from my neighbor for making chunky apple sauce. First; wash, peal, quarter, core, and remove any bad spots from the apples. Prepare enough to fill the biggest pot you can find; or two, or three. Add about a cup of water to the apples and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until apples are very soft; about 45 minutes. The apples will give off a lot of liquid during the cooking process. Mash the apples with a potato masher until chunky. If you like a sweet apple sauce, add sugar to taste. I have found that these apples really don't need sweetening. The apples will reduce to about half of their former volume.

Bring the apple sauce to a boil and place in clean, sterilized jars. Process in a hot water bath for 15 minutes.

Halloween Sock Cat

2009-10-24T17:43:00.000-07:00

So, this year, finding myself with a pair of Halloween socks that were too holey to wear, and needing a birthday present for my soon to be 3 year old niece, I decided that I would try to make a sock animal for her. First, I searched for some instructions online, and came across these instructions for making a sock monkey.

I quickly realized, that with a few modifications, and some patches over the holes, I could make a sock Halloween cat for my niece. I added pointed ears to the top of the kitty's head and a pointy tail instead of a rounded one. I used yellow buttons for the eyes with a vertical stitch for detail. I used stiff black thread for whiskers and scraps of yellow-orange felt to make a nose and patches to cover the holes.

Since my sewing machine is broken, and my hand sewing skills are a little shabby, my Halloween cat turned out to be more of a Frankenkitty. It's still a little adorable though.

Easy as Apple Pie

2009-10-19T13:00:00.000-07:00

This crustless apple pie is a family favorite favorite during apple season. Use the DIY Bisquick mix to make this pie trans-fat free.

Easy Bake Apple Pie:

Filling:
6 cups sliced apples (about 8 medium sized apples)
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg

3/4 cup milk
2 tbsp. salted butter, softened
2 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup DIY Bisquick baking mix

Streusel Topping:
1 cup DIY Bisquick baking mix
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
4 tbsp firm salted butter

Core and peel apples. Cut into very thin slices. The slices should be as thin as you can get them. Toss the apples with the cinnamon and nutmeg to coat. Grease a 10- inch pie tin. (If you are using an 8-inch pie tin, use 1/2 of the recipe) Spread the apples in the pie tin. Mix together the remaining filing ingredients and pour over the sliced apples.

Place all of the topping ingredients in a large bowl. Using a pastry blender, cut butter into the rest of the ingredients until it forms a crumb mixture. Spread streusel of the top of the apple slices.

Bake the pie in a 325 degree oven for 55-65 min.

Do-It-Yourself Bisquick Baking Mix:

1/2 cup baking powder
1/4 cup sugar
9 cups flour
1 1/4 cup canola oil
1 tbsp. salt

Mix dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl. Slowly add oil and cut into flour mixture with a pastry blender until the mix is the consistency of corn meal. Store in a tightly covered container at room temperature.

Apple Picking Time

2009-10-05T14:49:00.000-07:00

Our apples are ready. Two trees full with limbs bending to the ground. This time of year inevitably; with apples on the tree, morning frost, and a crispness in the air, reminds me of Robert Frost's famous poem.

Apple picking season also means finding ways to use all of our apples. One of my favorite apple treats is Homemade Carmel Sauce with apple slices.

Homemade Caramel Sauce:

CAUTION: This recipe involves very high temperatures. The melted sugar in this recipe will reach over 360 degrees and will stick to skin if spilled or splashed and will cause severe burns. The contents will foam up when butter and cream are added and will boil over if a deep pot is not used. Although this recipe is rather simple, it should not be attempted by children without adult supervision.

1 cup sugar
6 tablespoons salted butter
1/2 cup cream

Get all of your ingredients ready. This recipe requires you to move fast to prevent burning. There will be no time to scramble for ingredients. Place sugar in a large sauce pan; at least 6 quarts (if doubling the recipe, us a 12 quart pan with a bottom of, at least, 12 inches in diameter. This will help prevent your sugar from burning). Break up any lumps in the sugar. Over medium heat, heat sugar until it is about half melted. Stir rapidly until all the sugar has melted. Break up any sugar lumps that appear. The sugar should be a medium amber color. Do not allow it to get darker, because it will burn the sugar. Do not let the sugar boil.

Add the butter and stir rapidly until the butter is melted and fully incorporated into the sugar. When you add the butter and stir, the mixture will foam up and give off some very hot steam. I like to us a spoon with a very long handle so my hands don't get steam burns.

Add the cream to the mixture and stir rapidly until the cream is fully incorporated into the mixture. Watch out, the mixture will foam up again. Immediately remove the caramel sauce from the pan and pour into a heat proof container. I like to use a Pyrex measuring cup. Allow caramel sauce to cool before eating.

Compost Suprise: A Cautionary Tale

2009-10-04T10:21:00.001-07:00

Previously, I cautioned about putting seeds in your compost pile. The reason seeds in the compost can be a bad idea is that home compost piles don't always get hot enough to kill the seeds. So, the risk is spreading seeds throughout your gardens. Although this is can increase a weed problem, not that compost volunteers are all bad. If you don't mind plants coming up where they will, watching things grow and discovering what they are can be fun.

Last fall, I didn't follow my own advice. We put a bunch of bad vegetables, squashes, and pumpkins on our compost pile. As you can see, these were the results.

Reusing, Recycling, and Re-purposing Your Way to an Over-the-top Pirate Party

2009-10-01T16:08:00.001-07:00

With the heightened popularity of pirates, pirate parties are all the rage; whether for kids birthday parties, Halloween fests, or as a get together for family and friends. The good news is that you don't have to spend a bundle on disposable decorations to create an amazing party scene. By reusing, recycling and re-purposing stuff you already have, and adding in a generous amount of creativity, you can have a green Pirate Party that won't leave you feeling raided.

This is What We Did:

Below, a narrow deck off to the side of the house became the infamous pirate ship, the Robber's Revenge, piloted by Captain Billy Bones. A market street umbrella forms the ships mast while broom sticks, an old white sheet, and Halloween rags create her spooky sails.

On the ship deck, an old table base forms the stand for the ships wheel. A barrel, hammock, crate, bushel baskets, metal bucket, and telescope case compose the ships cargo. Captain Billy Bones, a Halloween skeleton, is dressed up in a hand-me-down puff vest, thrift store velvet jacket, 20 year old scarf, and one of my necklaces. Some Halloween rats, old chains, lanterns, and pirate maps from previous parties finish the scene.

Off of the ship deck, pirate guests row into Pirate Cove where a treasure chest (cedar chest still half full of pillows) is laden with treasure comprised of old costume jewelry, Christmas tree garlands, colorful cookie tins, various brass home decor items, colored glass bottles, and much more.

Pirate guests also found a table laden with treasure for Captain Billy Bones' guests of honor (adult table). Halloween skeletons and skulls, old crystal bowls, mismatched fine china, candles and lots of treasure complete the scene.

More candles, skeletons, and a fish net complete the scene.

Old metal hanging baskets and paper Halloween skeletons strike fear into pirate guests while old brocade and beaded pillows offer lavish comfort while lounging in the cove. House and outdoor plants lend a tropical island feel to the cove.

After waking the plank off of the back of the Robbers Revenge, the crew (kids) found themselves in Kids Cove where a table was set up for the crew. The table was dressed with a piece of old burlap and a square of red fabric. The crew dined off of reused pie tins for a rustic feel. Prior to dinner, the crew found pirate coloring pages (printed from here on the backs of previously used paper) as well as crayons, colored pencils, glitter glue, and jewel stickers for their use.

Putting Together Your Party:

1. Look online and in pirate books (from the library) for inspiration - there are endless ideas for your party.

2. Look around and see what you have - pirates stole cargo from ships the world round. So, bright colored and glitter items you have that would work in a pirate scene.
- Moroccan, Indian, and Asian home decor items work particularly well.
- Pull out silver and silver plate bowls, trays, and silverware to use as serve ware or treasure. If they are a bit tarnished, it only adds to the appeal.
- Look around for a treasure chest. Any size wooden chest will do from a cedar chest to an old jewelry box. Drape the inside with brightly colored fabric and fill with costume jewelry and anything that looks rich or sparkly.
- Raid the Halloween decorations - Pull out the skeletons, skulls, chains, anything pirate, as well as spooky warning signs.
- Look through Christmas decorations. Many garlands and ornaments also work for pirate treasure.
- Be sure to pull out lots of candles and candle holders. Candelabras and candlesticks in black, silver, gold, or bronze, pewter, or with wood accents work well. Colored glass or crystal also work. Look for beads, bobbles or metallic fringe.
- Make your own decorations using items you have around the house.
- Look for more decorations at thrift stores.

3. See what you can barrow from family and friends - what you don't have, they probably will.

Happy Pirate Partying!

2009-09-30T14:34:00.000-07:00

Check out this fun article form Real Simple on reuses for ordinary things. Although they are not all green reuses, I thought the article had a lot of good ideas.

More Denim Recycling

2009-09-27T12:14:00.000-07:00

Using additional material from my worn out jeans, I created a Paris themed purse for my niece, Rebecca, for her birthday. This is how I did it:

First, I took the bottom of a leg of my jeans and folded over a cuff. I then cut the bottom of the leg of jeans off about six inches up from the folded bottom. I turned the leg inside out and sewed the leg closed on the non-cuffed side.

I then decorated the purse with Paris themed iron-ons I found at the craft store for a couple of dollars. I added a fluer-de-lis on the back for an extra decorative touch.

I then took a piece of 3 foot piece of chain and wove a yard of ribbon through it to create the strap for the purse. I sewed the strap onto the side seams of the jeans inside the top. Altogether, these items created a fun little girl purse from discarded items, took very little time, and almost no money at all!

Amazing Thrift Store Finds

2009-09-27T11:22:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite places to shop is thrift stores. Purchasing second hand keeps usable cast offs out of the landfill, prevents more resources from being used to make new stuff, and offers fabulous saving on almost anything you might want to buy. I regularly find name brand clothing in current styles at deep discounts (usually $4-$6 per piece), I often find vintage items, valuables, and antiques. This week I hit up three thrift stores and found some amazing stuff.

Anyone who knows me well knows that I have a passion for fine china. Not only that, but I have had a fantasy for many years of owning autumn china. On Saturday, I went to Savers and, tada:

I found this stunting set of vintage fall formal china right out of my dreams. For only $16, I acquired this amazing teapot, sugar, and creamer. I can't tell you how excited I am to have this set.

On Friday, I found this little jewel of a cheeseboard at Deseret Industries. The most amazing part is that I comes from the Blue Danube collection, which I already have. Although this item as some minor wear and tear, it is still a steal at $2.

On the same trip, I also found two more gems. One thing I love as much as fine china are good books. I found this 1944, leather bound, gilded, copy of Dickens, The Pickwick Papers, complete with rough-cut pages and old book smell all for $2.

I also picked up this vintage chocolate brown, classic cable knit, wool cardigan for only $4. This will be a great addition to my fall wardrobe.

Pflaumen Kuchen (German Plum Cake)

2009-09-25T10:03:00.000-07:00

This traditional German cake made with Italian Blue Plums is a fabulous treat and a family favorite. Thanks to my aunt, Ilse Ehlert, for bringing us a basket of these beautiful plums from her tree.

1/4 cup butter

2 eggs

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. vanilla

3/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 cup flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/4 cup milk

2 1/2 to 3 pounds sm. Italian Blue Plums, depending on size of the pan

About 1 cup chopped nuts

Cream butter and sugar. Mix in eggs, flour, salt, baking powder, vanilla, and milk. Grease a 9x13 or jelly roll pan and spread dough in the pan. Wash the plums, cut them in half, and remove the pits. Lay plums on top of the dough, cut side up. Sprinkle nuts over plums. Place cake in a 375 degree oven and bake for 30 minutes.

Creamy Asparagus Soup

2009-09-25T09:55:00.000-07:00

This soup is great to make when asparagus is in season.

2 lbs asparagus

1 large yellow onion, chopped

3 tbsp unsalted butter

5 cups chicken broth

Leaves of 2 sprigs of fresh thyme

1/3 cup heavy cream

A squeeze of fresh lemon juice

Salt and pepper

Cut tips from 12 asparagus 1 1/2 inches from the top and halve tips if they are thick. Reserve for garnish. Cut stalks and all remaining asparagus into 1/2 inch pieces.

Cook onion in butter in a 6 quart saucepan over medium heat until softened. Add asparagus pieces and salt and pepper to taste, then cook, stirring, 5 minutes. Add broth and thyme and simmer, covered, until asparagus is tender, 15 to 20 minutes.

While soup simmers, cook reserved asparagus tips in boiling salt water until just tender then drain.

Puree soup in blender until smooth and return to pan Stir in cream and a squeeze of lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Curried Zucchini Soup

2009-09-25T09:45:00.000-07:00

This delicious soup is the perfect flavor for autumn when the apples are ripe, the carrots are ready, and the zucchini is still on the vine.

1 medium onion chopped (about 1/2 cup)

1 small clove garlic, minced

1 small carrot, shredded

1 tablespoon butter

2 medium zucchini, sliced or chopped (about 2 pounds)

2 apples - peeled and diced

4 cups chicken broth (4 cups water and 5 chicken bouillon cubes)

2 1/2 teaspoons curry powder

salt to taste

In a large saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Add the onion, garlic, and carrot and saute until the onion begins to yellow. Add zucchini, diced apples, chicken broth, and curry powder. Bring to a boil and boil for 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes. Puree in blender.

I Quit Shampooing My Hair

2009-09-20T12:17:00.000-07:00

It's true. I have not used shampoo on my hair for about 5 weeks. I have joined the no 'poo movement, shampoo free, in order to protect and improve my health, save the earth, and have really great hair.

Honestly, when I first heard about the no 'poo movement (shampoo free), I was horrified (which might by your reaction right now). I don't believe that going green means forgoing personal hygiene and turning into a smelly, greasy, hippie. Besides, I can't toss personal hygiene. I'm an attorney; I need to be presentable. Normally, I haven't been able to go more then two days without shampooing before my hair turned into a greasy mess. I try to work out 5 days a week, so I thought it was necessary to shampoo my hair after every workout.

But, I was intrigued by the idea of reducing the amount of shampoo I was using. So, I started to experiment. First, I tried rinsing my hair instead of shampooing and found that my hair was just as clean and grease free as when I shampoo. I started going three or four days without shampooing my hair with good results.

I then decided to see if I could go an entire week without shampooing. On day 4, my hair started to feel a little greasy. So, I tried a baking soda rinse. It left my hair clean, greasy free, and very, very soft. So, when Sunday came around again, I used baking soda instead of shampoo. I have not gone back to shampoo since.

My hair is dry, dry, dry, natural curl which is disastrous without conditioner. So, I still condition my hair; but I am looking for natural alternatives. Many people who go no 'poo also use an apple cider vinegar rinse to condition hair after the baking soda rinse. I haven't tried this method yet, but plan to sometime soon.

Why Would Anyone Want to Ditch Shampoo:

In addition to being one less thing to buy and fewer plastic bottles, shampoo really isn't that good for you or for your hair. Shampooing strips the natural oils from your hair leaving it dry which you then need conditioner to replace. However, when the oil is stripped from your hair, your body over produces oil to compensate which makes your hair oily and you shampoo again. Thus, your shampoo is causing your dirty, greasy, hair.

On a far scarier note, most shampoos contain ingredients that believed to be endocrine disruptors, cause cancer, and a variety of other health problems. Since I already have endometriosis (believed to be caused by endocrine disruptors) and fibromyalgia ( of which endometriosis is a precursor and may be caused by environmental toxins and causes a hypersensitivity to chemicals), reducing my exposure to these harmful chemicals sounds like a good idea. Here are some common ingredients found in shampoo and their health and environmental effects:

Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate - (used to make shampoo foamy) not only is this ingredient linked to cancer and organ system toxicity, but it is bioaccumulative, does not break down normally in your system and can remain for decades after exposure. This ingredient is also linked to wildlife toxicity including fish.

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate - (cleansing agent and used to make shampoo foamy) - linked to cancer; developmental and reproductive toxicity causing things like infertility, reproductive cancers, birth defects, developmental delays; organ system toxicity; neurotoxicity; endocrine disruption, biochemical or cellular level changes.

Ammonium Laureth Sulfate - (cleansing agent and foaming) - linked to organ system toxicity

Cocamidopropyl Betaine - (hair conditioning agent) - linked to allergies and immunotoxicity and ecotoxicity

Methoxydibenzoylmethane - (sunscreen agent) - linked to cancer, allergies and immunotoxicity.

Superoxide Dismutase - (skin conditioning agent) - linked to cancer

Methylparaben - (fragrance ingredient, preservative) - linked to cancer; allergies and immunotoxicity; organ system toxicity; biochemical or cellular level changes; neurotoxicity; endocrine disruption.

Fragrance - many artifical fragrances contain phthalates which are linked to cancer; developmental and reproductive toxicity including cancer of reproductive organs, infertility, birth defects, and developmental delays; allergies and immunotoxicity; organ system toxicity; biochemical and cellular level changes, neurotoxicity, endocrine disruption, persistence and bioaccumulation. In this category are chemicals including: Dibutyl Phthalate, Diethyl Phthalate, Cetyl Triethylammonium copolyol Phthalate, Benzoate/Sucrose Acetate Isobutyrate Butyl Benzyl Phthalate Copolymer, Diethylhexyl Phthalate, and many others. Look for Phthalate as part of the name in the ingredient list.

Check out the Skin Deep Cosmetic Safety Database to find out what is in your shampoo and other personal care and beauty products.

What I lost in the process:

1. Bad hair days. I haven't had one since I quit using shampoo. Instead, my hair is softer, smoother, and has more body. I have also found that I need to use less styling products to style my hair.

2. Dry, itchy scalp.

Shampoo Free Might Not be For Everyone:

In researching internet posts, I found that people tend to have mixed results. It appears that people with dry hair and natural curl have the best results with going shampoo free. People with straight, normal hair have a harder time with no 'poo. My sister has also tried baking soda rinses and found that they left her hair dry and wiry. So, for those of you who have poor results with no 'poo, natural shampoos may be the answer.

My sister's friend, Crystal Ross, gave me this recipe for all natural, chemical free, shampoo.

Natural Shampoo

4 oz of castile soap with any scent is that available – plain, peppermint, eucalyptus.
½ oz of rosemary - stimulates the hair follicles and helps to prevent premature baldness
½ oz of sage – has antioxidants and keeps things from spoiling and is antibacterial
½ oz of nettles – acts as a blood purifier, blood stimulator, contains a large source of nutrients for hair growth
½ of lavender – controls the production of sebaceous gland oil and reduces itchy and flaky scalp conditions
2000 mg of MSM (Organic Sulpher) – provides organic sulfur to your scalp, which improves the health and strength of your hair. It also helps to drive herbal nutrient into the skin and follicles where they can do the most good.
One empty 8 oz plastic bottle, or any other empty shampoo or soap bottle.

Mix the herbs in a mason jar, which has a lid. Boil 2 cups of distilled water. Add 3 heaping tablespoons of the mixed herbs into the boiling water. Pull the boiling water and herbs off the stove. Let the herb mixture sit for 30 – 40 minutes. Put the 2000mg of MSM into the herb mixture after 30 minutes of cooling. After 40 minutes and the MSM is melted, strain the herbal mixture into a bowl.

Pour 2 to 2 1/2 oz of strained herbal tea into the 8 oz plastic bottle. Now, pour the 4 oz ofcastile soap into the 8 oz plastic bottle. Cap the bottle and shake to mix the ingredients.

The shampoo is now finished and ready for use. Use this as a base for all of the shampoos you make. You can add different herbs as you learn what these herbs do and how they help your hair. You can vary the ingredients according to your taste.

Or, make your own organic hair care products.

Sun Dried Tomatoes

2009-09-03T08:51:00.001-07:00

I have a bumper crop of tomatoes this year; especially Roma tomatoes. So, I made some delicious Sun Dried Tomatoes. Roma tomatoes work the best because they have the lowest water content. These tomatoes are bursting with flavor and a great way to save some summer time for the long winter. This is how I did it:

First, I cut the Roma tomatoes into spears. I used about 20 tomatoes for this. Then I arranged them on the trays of my food dehydrator and sprinkled generously with salt. (Ok, they are not really sun dried, but the name is catchy). Tomatoes can also be put out in the sun to dry or, a put them on a cookie sheet and place they on the dash board of your car until they are dry.

Then, I packed away the dried tomatoes in reused glass jars for winter.

Creamy Cheddar Zucchini Soup

2009-09-02T15:11:00.000-07:00

This delicious soup tastes far more decadent then it really is. A healthy indulgence.

8 cups chopped zucchini

1 medium yellow onion

1 tbs. canola or olive oil

2 cups water

4 chicken or vegetable bouillon cubes

1/2 tsp. black pepper

3/4 cup sharp cheddar cheese

Chop onion into large pieces. Saute onion and oil in the bottom of a large stockpot (at least 6 quarts) over medium heat until the onion is translucent and slightly brown around the edges. Add chopped zucchini, water, bouillon, and black pepper. The zucchini will not be fully covered with water. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until zucchini is very soft (about 30 minutes). Remove from heat and puree in a blender until very smooth. Return to pot and add the sharp cheddar cheese. Stir until the cheese is melted and fully incorporated into the soup. Serve.

Tomato Basil Bruschetta

2009-08-31T19:03:00.001-07:00

8 ripe plum tomatoes

1 clove garlic

1 tbs. olive oil

1 tbs. balsamic vinegar

8 basil leaves

salt and pepper to taste

Seed and chop tomatoes into small pieces. Plum tomatoes work best because they have fewer seeds and juice. Crush garlic in a garlic press or mince and add to tomatoes and stir. Remove stems from basil and chop. Add to tomatoes. Add olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. Stir and let sit for about 15 minutes to let the flavor develop. Serve on slices of toasted baguette.

Summer Marinara Sauce

2009-08-26T17:17:00.001-07:00

This is a deliciously simple summer pasta sauce. Make this with your fresh garden tomatoes as a great way to go green while going Italian. This is a great sauce to serve with Caprese.

4 Cups seeded and pureed tomatoes (overripe and slightly mushy tomatoes work best).

1 small onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, crushed.

1-2 tbs. Olive oil

1/2 bunch fresh basil

1 tsp. salt

Chop onion finely and set aside. Seed tomatoes and process them in a food processor. Saute onions and garlic in olive oil over medium heat in the bottom of a 6 quart sauce pan until onions are translucent and slightly browned. Add tomatoes, basil and salt. Increase heat to high and bring the sauce to a boil. Reduce to medium-low heat and simmer for about 30 minutes. Serve over your favorite hot pasta.

Caprese

2009-08-26T12:04:00.000-07:00

This traditional Italian appetizer is easy to prepare and makes an impression at parties. It is also delicious served with a pasta meal. Make it with fresh homegrown tomatoes and basil.

2-3 large vine ripened tomatoes

4 oz. Fresh Mozzarella

Handful of fresh basil

Olive oil

Balsamic vinegar (optional)

Salt

Pepper

Slice the tomatoes into thin slices and arrange on a platter. Slice the mozzarella into thin slices and place one slice on each slice of tomato. Roughly chop basil and sprinkle it over the tomatoes and basil. Salt and pepper the tomatoes and drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Enjoy.

Why We Garden

2009-08-26T12:01:00.000-07:00

The following Time article serves as a reminder of why it is so important to home grow our own produce and seek out locally grown food.

http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1917458-1,00.html

Summer Sandwiches

2009-08-23T09:30:00.000-07:00

These European style open faced sandwiches are delicious for breakfast, lunch, or as an afternoon snack. Each sandwich starts using a single slice of European style artisan breads. I prefer to use Crumb Brothers, but and artisan bread will do. If you don't have access to artisan breads, try toasting slices of whole grain breads to use.

Tomato Sandwich:

Spread bread with a thick layer of cream cheese. Layer on slices of tomato. Dress with salt, pepper, and fresh chives. When my chives are blooming, it is beautiful and delicious to sprinkle some of the blossoms on as well.

Cucumber Sandwich:

Spread bread with a thick layer of cream cheese. Layer on slices of cucumber. Dress with a sprinkle of salt.

Tomato Pesto Sandwich:

Spread bread with a layer of home made basil Pesto. Layer on tomato slices. Dress with a sprinkle of salt and pepper.

Summer Squash Pesto Sandwich:

Grate your favorite summer squash. I like to use a green and a yellow variety to make these sandwiches. Spread bread with a layer of Pesto. Top with a generous amount of grated squash. Dress with salt and pepper.

Tomato Avocado Sandwich:

Using about 1/8 of a ripe avocado, spread a layer over bread. Salt lightly. Layer tomatoes on top. Dress with salt, pepper, and fresh chives.

Double Cheese Zucchini Pancakes

2009-08-23T08:57:00.000-07:00

I created these as a variation from the Zucchini Pancakes with Mint and Feta cheese. They were delicious served with home canned apple sauce and tomato wedges.

1 medium zucchini, grated

1 egg

1/4 cup flour

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

1/2 tsp. salt

Dash of pepper

3 tbs. canola oil

Grate zucchini into a large bowl and add salt. Set aside. In a separate bowl, whip egg until it is thoroughly blended. Add egg into the zucchini mixture and mix to blend. Add flour and pepper. Mix again until blended. Add cheeses and mix to blend.

Pour canola oil into a large skillet and heat over medium heat until oil is hot. Drop tablespoons of the zucchini mixture into the pan and flatten with the back of the spoon to make small round pancakes. Fry the pancakes for about 10 minutes and turn. Fry for about seven minutes more or until browned on the bottom. Remove and serve.

Summer Squash Soup

2009-08-18T17:59:00.000-07:00

This is a simple soup recipe that can be made by anyone and a favorite at my house.

6 cups chopped squash: zucchini, crook neck, patty pan, or a combination of your favorite summer squashes

1 medium onion, chopped

1 tablespoon olive or canola oil

5 cups of water

6 chicken or vegetable bullion cubes

Pepper to taste.

Chop squash into pieces about one inch in diameter. Saute the onions in the bottom of a stock pot over medium heat with the oil until translucent and slightly brown. Add the squash, water, pepper, and bullion. The water should just cover the squash. If the squash is not fully covered, add a little more water. Stir the soup and bring it a boil over high heat. Cover and reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer the soup for about 30 minutes or until the squash is tender. Puree in a blender or whip with a hand mixer or egg beater. Serve with shredded cheddar cheese or sour cream.

Variations:

1. After pureeing the soup, add about 1/3 cup cream to the soup for a creamy texture.

2. Add a tablespoon of pesto to each bowl for extra flavor.

Stuffed Patty Pan Squash

2009-08-18T17:11:00.000-07:00

Yesterday morning I ventured into the garden and peeked under the leaves of my two patty pan squash bushes. I nearly screamed out loud. I had not looked there for a couple of days. But, nothing could have prepared me for the sight staring back. Twelve! Count them, TWELVE, full sized patty pans waiting to be picked. If I were a farmer, this would have been a joyful sight.

But, I live in a household where there are two people who will eat these. How am I going to use all of these before the onslaught of bitty patty pans reach full size? I tried to avert this situation this year by planting one patty pan. The second was the result of compost surprise. So, I hit the Internet and the kitchen to concoct a new recipe. Here are the results:

Stuffed Patty Pan Squash:

2 Patty Pan Squash - each about 5"-6" in diameter

1 medium onion, chopped

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 cup bread crumbs

1 1/2 cups shredded swiss cheese (I used Old World Swiss from Gossner's Foods)

1/4 cup Pesto

1 tsp. Salt

Dash Pepper

After washing the Patty Pans, cut a lid into the top by inserting a knife at a 45 degree angle about 1" from the stem and cutting around the stem in a circle (the same way you cut open a Halloween pumpkin). Remove the lid and cut off about 1/2 inch from the top reserving the squash. Using a melon baller, scoop out the insides of the squash leaving a shell about 1/2 inches thick. Reserve the insides. Repeat with the other squash.

Saute the chopped onion in the olive oil until it is translucent and slightly brown around the edges. In the mean time, finely chop the remaining squash or process it in a food processor. When the onions are ready, add the squash, salt, and pepper to the pan. Cook for an additional 10 min. until squash is cooked through. Add bread crumbs and pesto, stirring to fully incorporate. Add swiss cheese and stir until melted reserving a little to sprinkle on top.

Lightly coat the bottom of a 9x13 pan with olive oil. Stuff the filling mixture into the squash shells and top with the reserved cheese. Place upright in the pan and place lids off to the side. Place in an oven turned on to 350 degrees (you don't need to preheat) and bake for 30 minutes until the squash is tender when pricked with a fork. Remove from pan, place lids on top of the squash, and serve!

Side note: I looked at various other recipes for stuffed patty pan squash online. Most of them called for steaming the squash first then baking it. I found this to be a totally unnecessary step and a waste of energy. Also, other recipes called for discarding the squash insides and top. If found these to be a waste of good food and serious cuteness, so I incorporated them into my recipe.

Tomato Basil Salad

2009-08-17T11:02:00.001-07:00

A delicious way to use up come fresh, hot tomatoes from the garden and a little basil. I made this dish with dinner yesterday along with the Pesto Risotto and Grilled Baby Patty Pans.

5-6 medium ripe tomatoes

1/3 cup basil leaves - firmly packed

3 tablespoons minced onion

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar (optional)

Drizzle of olive oil

salt and pepper

Slice the tomatoes as thin as possible. Roughly chop the basil. Toss basil, tomatoes, and onion. Generously drizzle olive oil over the salad. Add salt and pepper and vinegar if desired. Toss. Set aside for at least 15 minutes for the flavor to develop.

Pesto Risotto and Grilled Baby Patty Pans

2009-08-17T10:58:00.000-07:00

For dinner yesterday, I tried out something new: Pesto Risotto and Grilled Baby Patty Pans. The baby patty pans are about 1 to 2 inches in diameter and can be grilled or baked whole. The Pesto Risotto does not use up a lot of garden produce itself, but it is a very complementary side dish to grilled or roasted veggies.

Pesto Risotto:

1 medium onion, finely chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 1/2 cups rice (risotto is traditionally made with Arborio rice, but regular long grain white rice also works)

6 cups chicken or vegetable broth

1/3 cup Pesto

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Fresh ground black pepper

Saute the chopped onion in the olive oil in a 6 quart sauce pan until translucent and slightly brown. In the mean time heat the broth in the microwave or in a separate sauce pan. Add rice and one cup broth to the onions. Stir. When the liquid is bubbly and nearly absorbed, add another 1/2 cup broth and stir. Repeat, stirring frequently, until all of the broth has been incorporated into the rice (about 20 minutes). The rice should be tender and the mixture creamy. Stir in the Parmesan Cheese, Pesto, and black pepper, serve.

Baby Patty Pans:

12 Baby Patty Pan squash

1 tablespoon olive oil

salt and pepper

Wash and trim the squash. Toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Grill on the top rack of a hot grill for about 20 minutes, turning once, until the squash are tender. Serve with Pesto Risotto.

Grilled Green Beans

2009-08-11T12:18:00.001-07:00

Last week, I came across a recipe for grilled green beans in a magazine. On Sunday, I decided to try it out; only simplified. I started out with a large handful of green beans; enough for two servings. I trimmed the beans and drizzled garlic infused olive oil over them. I then added about 1 tablespoon lemon juice and a couple of dashes of kosher salt and tossed the beans to throughly coat them. I let them sit and marinate for about 10 minutes. I them put them on the grill in a pan I made from a piece of reused tin foil. The original recipe called for a grill basket, but mine was full of grilled potato wedges. I grilled the green beans on the top rack of my barbecue for about 20 minutes, until lightly browned. They were wonderful!

Cool Summer Cucumber Salad

2009-08-11T11:26:00.001-07:00

Ingredients:

1 large cucumber

1/4 large red onion

2/3 cup white wine or champagne vinegar

1/2 bunch fresh dill or 1 tablespoon dry

2 tbls oil

2 tbls. sugar

1 tsp salt

Slice the cucumber and onion paper thin and toss. I like to use a mandolin for this. Add the remaining ingredients and toss until well combined. Let stand 15 minutes until flavors are well combined. If you prefer a milder dressing, reduce the vinegar and add more sugar.

Easy Cucumber Salad:

1 large cucumber

Your favorite Italian salad dressing

Slice the cucumber paper thin. Toss with dressing until well coated. Serve.

Pico de Gallo - Fresh Salsa

2009-08-08T15:41:00.000-07:00

This is one of my favorite ways to make a lot of tomatoes and peppers disappear fast. Since salsa is thought of as more of a snack food instead of a health food, just about anyone will eat it; including kids. I also love taking a big bowl of this to parties or to work for a treat.

Approximately 20 medium tomatoes - under ripe orange tomatoes that are still firm taste the best

1 large onion

3-4 cloves garlic, crushed

2 large bell peppers or the equivalent in whatever mild peppers you have. I also like to use Sweet Banana Peppers

2 large Anaheim peppers or the equivalent in medium peppers

2-3 jalapeno peppers, seeded and deveined and minced (optional)

Juice from 2 limes

1 bunch cilantro

Salt to taste

Finely chop tomatoes, peppers, onion, and cilantro. Crush garlic. Juice limes. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl with salt. Mix thoroughly and allow to sit for at least 15 min. for the flavors to develop. Serve with tortilla chips or as a topping for burritos, tacos, or chili.

Zucchini Pancakes with Mint and Feta Cheese

2009-08-08T15:16:00.000-07:00

I sampled these today at the Downtown Farmers Market complements of Viking Cooking School. They were delicious and reminded me that I made zucchini pancakes before. Mine weren't quite as delicious as these.

2 1/2 pounds green or golden zucchini

2 large eggs

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

1/2 coup dry, unseasoned, breadcrumbs

1/4 cup all purpose flour

1 bunch scallions (white part and 2 inches of greens), slivered

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint or 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh marjoram

salt and ground black pepper to taste

Shred the zucchini using a grater or food processor. Sprinkle with salt and let sit for 5 min. Rinse the squash and squeeze out the excess liquid. Combine the remaining ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Add the squash to the batter and combine. In a large skillet heat 2 tablespoons olive oil. Drop in the batter using 1/4 cup for a four inch cake. Fry over medium heat until golden brown on the bottom (about 4 minutes). Turn and brown the second side. Then, Enjoy!

Variation: Use Parmesan cheese or Cheddar cheese instead of feta and omit the mint.

Garden Vegetable Soups

2009-08-07T20:08:00.000-07:00

Summer garden vegetables lend themselves well to fresh soups that can be eaten right away, sent to work as lunches, or frozen for later. I like to make big batches of soup so I can have leftovers. Most of these soups taste better the next day.

Taco Soup: This is a family favorite that is requested by my nieces and nephew every time they visit. I love that the vegetables and spices alone give this soup it's wonderful flavor. It is especially good when served with hot corn bread or quesadillas.

Ingredients:

1 large yellow onion chopped

2-3 cloves garlic

1 tablespoon canola oil

6 cups pureed tomatoes - overripe, slightly mushy, tomatoes provide the best flavor. (If you like, you can also add some chopped tomatoes). Or 2 cans crushed tomatoes plus water to make 6 cups

1 large bell pepper cut into long strips (or the equivalent in other mild peppers that you have on hand).

1 cup fresh chopped green beans or one can green beans

1 crook neck or yellow paddy pan squash, chopped

1 can black beans or 2 cups cooked black beans

2-3 tablespoons dried oregano or one bunch fresh oregano chopped

2-3 tablespoons cumin

1 tablespoon salt

1 cup fresh corn kernels or one can corn

Saute the onions and garlic with the canola oil in the bottom of a 6 quart sauce pan over medium heat until the onions are translucent and slightly brown around the edges. Add the rest of the ingredients. Stir thoroughly. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer for about 30 min or until the green beans are tender. Serve topped with cheddar cheese or sour cream.

Tip: Garden tomatoes can be more acidic then canned. If the soup turns out to acidic, add 1-2 tablespoons of sugar to tame.

Tip 2: Sometimes pureed garden tomatoes can be a little short on flavor when cooked into a soup. If your soup doesn't have a strong tomato base, add one can tomato sauce.

Fresh Garden Chili:

1 large yellow onion, chopped

5-6 cloves garlic, crushed

1-2 tablespoons canola oil

6 cups pureed tomatoes - overripe, slightly mushy, tomatoes provide the best flavor. (If you like, you can also add some chopped tomatoes). Or 2 cans crushed tomatoes plus water to make 3 cups dry pinto beans, rinsed

2 large bell peppers, seeded, deveined, and chopped

2 anaheim peppers, seeded, deveined, and chopped

2 jalapeno peppers; seeded, deveined, and chopped

1 bunch fresh oregano, finely chopped, or 4-5 tablespoons dried oregano

2 bunches fresh cilantro, finely chopped, or 4-5 tablespoons cumin

2 tablespoons salt

2 cups corn kernals or one can corn

Saute the onions, garlic, and canola oil in the bottom of a large stock pot over medium heat until the onion are translucent and slightly brown around the edges. Add the tomato puree, peppers, oregano, salt, and cilantro. Bring to a boil over high heat, then cover and reduce to medium low heat and simmer for approximately 4 hours until the pinto beans are done. Add corn and simmer for 10 minutes more until corn is done. At this stage, taste the chili and add more spices if necessary.

Serve the chili topped with cheddar cheese, sour cream, shredded chicken, chopped tomatoes, chopped peppers, chopped avacados, pico de gallo, lime slices, or hot sauce. Serve with tortilla chips, tortillas or fresh corn bread.

Tip: Garden tomatoes can be more acidic then canned. If the soup turns out to acidic, add 1-2 tablespoons of sugar to tame.

Tip 2: Sometimes pureed garden tomatoes can be a little short on flavor when cooked into a soup. If your soup doesn't have a strong tomato base, add one can tomato sauce.

Summer Garden Veggie Pastas

2009-08-06T18:29:00.000-07:00

There is one dish that my family can't get enough of: Pasta. Over the years, I have come up with some fun and delicious pasta recipes using fresh produce from my garden.

Pomodoro: This fresh and fun pasta sauce is one of my favorites to eat in the summer, especially when I can get fresh tomatoes from the garden still hot from the summer sun.

5-6 medium ripe tomatoes

1 Handful of fresh basil

1-2 cloves of garlic, crushed

salt

olive oil

Finely chop the tomatoes and basil. Mix together with crushed garlic, salt, and a drizzle of olive oil. Allow to sit for 10-15 minutes for the flavors to blend. Serve over hot pasta topped with parmesan cheese.

Pesto:

My basil plants always get out of control this time of year. The answer? Pesto. This fun sauce can be served at room temperature over hot pasta, as a zesty sandwich spread, or as a pizza sauce. I have also added a tablespoon to tomato soup to liven it up. I like to make my pesto with walnuts instead of the traditional pine nut. But, you can use pine nuts if you prefer.

2 cups fresh basil firmly packed

2-4 cloves garlic

1/2 cup walnuts

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

1/4-1/3 cup olive oil

salt to taste

Remove large stems from basil and make sure you have a full two cups without stems. Pack basil, garlic, Parmesan cheese and salt in a food processor. Turn on the food processor on high and blend while drizzling in the olive oil. Allow food processor to run until the pesto reaches a smooth consistency. Enjoy!

Tip: I have found that my pesto will stay good in the refrigerator for months. Just allow to come to room temperature before using.

Fired Pasta: This is a family favorite dish inspired by Noodles and Company pasta dishes. This fun pasta works best when fired in a wok, but a large frying pan will do as well.

1/2 medium yellow onion

1-2 cloves garlic, crushed

2 tbls. olive oil

6 cups fresh cooked pasta. I have found that penne pasta works best for this.

2-3 cups fresh garden veggies and herds: fresh tomato, fresh basil, fresh oregano, summer squash, eggplant, green beans, peppers, broccoli, mushrooms, olives, or whatever sounds good to you.

1/2 to 1 cup marinara sauce

Heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and onion and saute until they are translucent and slightly brown. Add the veggies according to cooking time. Add fresh pasta to the pan with veggies that take about ten minutes to cook. Toss pasta frequently, but allowing the noodles to toast a little. When the vegetables are fully cooked, add some of your favorite marinara sauce and toss to just coat the noodles. Enjoy.

Variations: Instead of adding marinara sauce, try roasted red pepper sauce, red wine vinegar, white wine or champagne vinegar, balsamic vinegar, or cream. Cream is a good complement to marinara sauce. But, don't use cream with vinegar.

Grilling with Fresh Garden Vegetables

2009-08-06T17:10:00.001-07:00

Anyone who knows me knows that I love to grill. I have tried to cook just about anything that I can on my backyard barbecue. I love grilling in the summer, not only because it makes my food delicious, but it keeps my house cooler. But, one of my favorites is grilling fresh garden veggies. Here are some recipes:

Grilled Corn on the Cob: Alright, so I didn't grow my own corn. I bought it at the Downtown Farmer's Market. But, here is how I grill it: 1) Pull back the corn husks and remove the corn silk. Do NOT remove the husks. Instead, pull them back up. 2) Soak the husks fully immersed in water for at least 20 minutes. I find that I get the best results if I soak the corn for about 1 hour. 3) Remove the husks from the water and place on the grill without letting the excess water run out of the husks. Turn the corn about every five minutes. The husks will dry out, turn brown, and then start to burn. That is when they are done. 4) Carefully pull of the husks and enjoy.

Grilled Veggies: There are a wide variety of veggies that you can grill. I love to grill zucchini, crook neck squash, patty pan squash, mushrooms, peppers, onions, and eggplant. Here is how I do it: 1) Cut veggies into pieces that are large enough not to fall through the grill. For smaller veggies, it helps to kabob them or use a grill basket. 2) Brush veggies with italian salad dressing (Wishbone Italian Salad Dressing is my favorite) on both sides and place on the grill. 3) Grill for approximately 20 minutes or until done brushing occasionally with more salad dressing. 4) Remove from grill and enjoy.

Grilled Potato Wedges: I also got the beautiful potatoes pictured above from a little kid and his grandpa at the Downtown Farmer's Market. But, potato wedges on the grill can round out your grill cooked meal. Here is how I made them. 1) Wash and quarter potatoes. 2) Drizzle enough olive oil over them to coat. 3) Add salt, garlic powder, and paprika and stir to completely coat. 4) Place in grill basket on barbecue and stir frequently until potatoes are fully cooked (about 1 hour). 5) Remove and enjoy.

Happy Grilling!

Using your fresh garden produce.

2009-08-06T16:51:00.000-07:00

Like many of you this August, my garden is running over with fresh produce. I have zucchinis, eggplant, basil, dill, carrots, about 10 types of peppers, green beans, chives, cucumbers, mint, peppermint, crook neck squash, and tomatoes, tomatoes and tomatoes. And that is just in the vegetable garden. I also have two red currant bushes and an apricot tree full of fruit. I have been pulling out old recipes and coming up with new ones to use my garden produce. So, I have decided to tell you what I am cooking to give you ideas on how to use summer's bounty.

Red Currant Jam

2009-08-06T16:30:00.000-07:00

My family has two large red currant bushes that were filled with fruit this year. So, I decided to make one of our favorite, old world, delicacies: Red Currant Jam. This is how I made it:

First, I sorted the currants and removed leaves, stems, and icky currants. I then washed them throughly. I then had about 4 cups of fruit for my jam.

Next, I placed the currants in a pan and added 1/2 cup water and about 2 tbls. lemon juice. I add lemon juice to all of my jams, whether the recipe calls for it or not, because it is a natural flavor enhancer, preservative, and prevents botulism from forming.

I then brought the fruit mixture to a boil and then reduced it to simmer for 15 min. The fruit mixture had formed mostly a juice. I crushed some of the currants with a potato masher, added 2 1/4 cups sugar, and simmered for another 20 min. until set. I then filled my jars and topped with my heated lids. I processed the jars in a boiling water bath for 15 min.

When I was done, I had five half pints of amazing Red Currant Jam. Time to bake some biscuits!

Apricots in Abundance

2009-08-05T20:21:00.000-07:00

This year we have apricots in abundance. However, we have enough canned apricots and apricot jam to last for years. Trying to be eco and budget conscious, I have been trying to use up them up rather then letting them go to waste. Last sunday, I made frozen yogurt pie with some of them. This recipe is originally from my aunt, Ilse Ehlert. It is excellent with any type of stone fruit or berry.

Frozen Yogurt Pie

Filling:

2 small yogurts; either plain or the flavor of the fruit you are using.

1/2 cup mashed fruit

8 oz. cool whip

Graham Cracker Crust:

3 small pkg graham crackers

4 tbls. butter or margarine melted

2 tbls. sugar (optional)

Crush graham crackers until they are fine crumbs and pour them into a 12" pie plate. Mix sugar with the graham cracker crumbs. Pour in the melted butter or margarine and mix with crumbs until thoroughly coated. Gently press the graham cracker mixture onto the pie plate to for a crust.

Mix all of the filing ingredients together and pour into the graham cracker crust. If you are using store purchased graham cracker crusts, you will have enough filling for two pies. Freeze the pies for 45 min to 1 hour before serving.

I think that next time I use this recipe, I will try substituting whip cream for the cool whip. It should turn out and cut out all the corn syrup, hydrogenated oils, and preservatives.

Fresh Apricot Jam:

This morning I made some fresh apricot jam to eat on our toast. This would also be an excellent topping for pancakes, waffles, or ice cream. What I did was fill my food processor with pitted apricots (about 4 cups). I then added a few squeezes of lemon juice (2-3 tbls) and about 1/2 cup sugar. I blended the mixture until it was a smooth consistence. It was fabulous!

Apricot Pork Chop Glaze:

Last Sunday, I made a fabulous, asian inspired, apricot pork chop glaze. I started with about 1 cup of pureed apricots. To that, I added about 1 tbls. ground ginger, 1/8 cup chopped fresh chives from my garden, 1-2 tbls. soy sauce, 1 clove crushed garlic, and a bunch of brown sugar. I brushed it over pork chops while I was grilling them. They turned out really yummy.

Go Green By Buying Second Hand

2009-07-12T09:47:00.000-07:00

One of the easiest and least expensive ways to go green is to buy second hand. This not only keeps discarded, but usable, items out of landfills, it conserves the resources needed to make and transport new items. Second hand items are usually offered at deeply discounted from their original prices. Try purchasing at least some of the items you need and use second hand.

Thrift Stores: Offer a variety of clothing and household items at deeply discounted prices. It is unusual to find an item over $10. Most price points are $6 or less. I have found a variety of valuable, vintage, and antique items at thrift stores in the past. I also regularly find name brand clothing in current styles. In the Salt Lake City area, try these stores: Deseret Industries, Savers, Thrift Town, and Salvation Army.

For Teen Fashion: For the more discriminating teen tastes, try stores that specialize in current teen fashion. I have found that these stores accept items that have been in the mall within the last two years. The prefer items that are less then a year old. You are sure to find something to suit your teen at these locations: Pib's Exchange, Plato's Closet, and

Fashion Addiction. Also, these shops will buy items that your teen has outgrown or will no longer wear and exchange them for cash or store credit.

For Women's and Men's Name Brand and Designer Fashion: For higher price point items, try Name Droppers.

For Furniture and Home Decor: The Finer Consigner features gently used furniture and home decor in all styles. They offer some great buys.

Also, be sure to donate, consign, or sell your discarded useable items. Someone else out there will probably want them.

My Eco Pet Pevee

2009-07-10T10:11:00.000-07:00

Now that we are in the middle of the summer and the temperatures are soaring into the 90's, I want to be able to wear my summer fashions without needing to find a coordinating sweater and jacket. But, when I go to stores, restaurants, and other public places, the air conditioning is turned up so high that I can't be comfortable without one. That is not the mention the inconvenience of needing to tote along a jacket or sweater when it is 90 degrees. Is it really necessary to use all that excess energy to freeze your customers?

Advanced Electricity Savings

2009-07-09T20:21:00.000-07:00

Alright, so you have changed your light bulbs, you turn off your lights and unplug your appliances when you are not using them, and you purchase energy star appliances. But, you still want to save more electricity. Here are some additional energy saving tips that can help you stash your bill and environmental impact even further.

In The Kitchen:

Refrigerator: Your refrigerator likely uses the most electricity of any appliance in your home. But, there are many things you can do to help your refrigerator run more efficiently.

-Set your temperature control to 36 to 40 degrees.

- Keep your refrigerator full. A full fridge uses less energy because new items placed in the fridge are also cooled by surrounding items. If you don't have enough food and beverages to fill the fridge, place bottles of water in to fill up the space. The same goes for the freezer. If you can't fill it with food, keep it filled with ice cubes.

-Unthaw frozen foods in the fridge. The escaping cold will help cool the refrigerator.

- Let hot items cool to room temperature before placing in the fridge.

- If you have a freezer that requires defrosting, do so regularly.

- Keep the coils on your fridge clean. Pull out the fridge and dust them regularly.

- Keep food and beverages covered in the refrigerator.

-Don't open the door more than is necessary. Close it right away.

-Place your refrigerator out of direct sunlight and away from heat sources like stoves and heat registers. Also, place your fridge along an external wall so the heat it generates can easily disapate.

-Make sure the gasket (rubber edging on your door) on your fridge is in good shape. If it is coming off, reattach it.

-Make sure the door is tightly closed.

Stove:

- Chose a burner that correlates to the size of the pan you are using. This prevents excess heat from escaping or from using excess electricity;

-When boiling water, draw the hottest tap water. Your water heater has already used energy to heat it, why use more?

-Turn on the burner when you are about to use it. There is no need to preheat a burner.

-You can usually turn your burner down or off a few minutes before your food is done cooking. The retained heat will finish the cooking process.

- Use the microwave or crock pot instead of the stove whenever possible.

Oven:

-Unless you are baking bread or pastries, you don't need to preheat your oven. Turn on the oven as you are placing your food in.

- When you are baking, try to bake more then one item at a time. Plan meals for maximum oven usage.

- Don't open the door to the oven while you are baking.

- You can usually switch off your oven a few minutes before your items are done baking.

- When it is cold outside, open the oven door after baking to let the heat escape and help heat the house.

-Use glass or ceramic pans when baking. They retain heat better then metal ones and allow you to lower your baking temperature by 25 degrees or shorten your baking time.

- Use the microwave or crock pot instead of the oven whenever possible.

-Build a solar oven. They can be used year round as long as the sun is out and can reach temperatures of up to 400 degrees.

Small Appliances:

- Do as much chopping and mixing as possible by hand instead of using food processors and hand mixers. Just about anything that is whipped or mixed by a hand mixer can be done on with an eggbeater. Eggbeaters usually cost less then the hand mixer anyway. Also chop your vegetables and fruit by hand.

- Don't use an electric bread knife. Anything and electric knife can cut, you can cut with a regular knife.

-Don't use an electric can opener. Cans can be opened easily with a hand held can opener which generally cost less then an electric one.

Dishwasher:

- Make sure you only wash when you have a full load of dishes.

Laundry Room:

Washing Machine:

- Wash your clothes using cold water. Many eco-friendly laundry detergents are formulated to work well in cold water.

- Always run your washer with a full load of laundry.

- Don't wash clean clothes. Make sure you get a maximum number of wearings out of your clothes before washing. As a general guideline, consider the following:

Jeans and Pants - wear 5 times before washing

Shirts- wear twice before washing

Underwear and Socks - wear once before washing

Jackets and Heavy Sweaters - wear 10 times or more before washing

Light Sweaters and Sweats - wear 3-4 times before washing

Towels - use 5 or more times before washing

Sheets - use for a month before washing

Tablecloths and cloth napkins - use for a week before washing

Dishtowels - Use twice to dry dishes or for a week to dry hands before washing

Clothes Dryer:

- Whenever possible, dry your clothes on a clothesline. Drying clothes outside on the line makes them smell great. I have found that on hot days, putting my clothes on the line actually dries them faster then putting them in the drier. Clothes that get stiff with line drying can be put in the dryer on air fluff for 5-10 minutes to restore their softness.

-When using the dryer, make sure the lint trap is cleaned with each use. A clean lint trap will allow your clothes dryer to operate more efficiently.

- Avoid overloading your dryer. You will only use more energy to get your clothes dry.

- Leave some dry items in the dryer from one load to the next. This will help your clothes dry faster.

- If you have a few items that are not completely dry, run them with the next load or hang them to dry instead of letting the entire load run until everything is dry.

Lighting:

- If you haven't changed your light bulbs to compact florescent bulbs (CFL), do so. They will immediately save 70% of the energy used to light your room. Although they cost more then traditional light bulbs, they pay for themselves many times over in energy savings. Also, there are a variety of shapes and sizes available if you don't like the look of the swirly bulbs.

-If you can not afford to replace all of your light bulbs with CFLs, start with the rooms in your home where you have the lights on the most often: Kitchen, living room, family or TV room, bedroom, bathroom. Finish with the areas where the lights are switched on for only a short amount of time like hallways and closets.

- Turn off the lights when you are watching TV or doing computer work that does not require to you look away from the computer screen.

-During the daytime, open drapes and blinds to use natural light instead of turning on the lights (unless your are letting in excess heat in the summer time).

-Install skylights where it is feasible.

Heating:

-Set your thermostat no higher then 68 degrees and wear a sweater or jacket.

-Avoid opening windows and minimize opening doors.

-Close registers in rooms you are not using. You don't have to heat those to.

-If possible, turn down the thermostat in bedrooms.

-Turn the heat down or off during the night and when you are away from home.

Cooling: Air conditioning accounts for a substantial amount of home electricity use.

-Set the thermostat to 78 degrees in the summer and wear your light summer clothing. Is there really a need to wear a sweater in the house when it is 100 degrees outside?

-During the summer, open windows and doors at night to fill the house with cool air and close them before sunrise. This will trap the cool air in the house and keep the house cooler during the day. My family has done this for years and has hardly needed to use the air conditioner this summer. We sometimes need to turn on the air conditioner in the late afternoon while our neighbors have their air conditioners running all day.

-Close drapes and blinds on windows that receive direct sunlight in order to avoid letting excess heat in.

-Use fans and ceiling fans to keep you cool.

-Avoid opening windows and minimize opening doors while you have your air conditioner running. You don't have to pay to cool the outside.

-If you have central air, close the registers in rooms you are not using.

-Avoid using the oven during the hottest months of the year. When you do, allow the oven to cool with the door closed.

Bathroom:

- Learn to style your hair without the aid of a blow dryer, curling iron, or other small appliances. Talk to your hairstylist about styles and products that will allow you to air dry and go.

Computer:

- Turn it off when you are not using it.

- Set your computer to go to sleep or standby when it is not being used.

Yard and Garden:

- Use solar yard and garden lights. I have found that these lights are almost always less expensive then conventional lights and have the added bonus of using solar energy. Plus, you don't have the hassle and expense of wiring in the light. That way, the lights can be moved at will.

-Decorate with tin can luminaries and use candles instead of electricity.

-Trim hedges, trees and bushes by hand instead of using electric hedge trimmers.

-Rake leaves and grass clippings by hand instead of using a leaf blower. Not only will you save electricity, you will get a bonus calorie burn.

-Don't use patio heaters. They use as much electricity as space heaters and refrigerators while all of the heat escapes into the outdoors. Instead wear a sweater or jacket.

Home Composting

2009-07-09T09:09:00.000-07:00

Home composting is one of the easiest and cheapest ways to go green and produce valuable fertilizer for your garden. Composting is taking plant material in the form of kitchen and yard scraps and decomposing it into fertile soil for your garden. It is beneficial to the environment because it keeps plant material out of the landfills and reduces the methane (a greenhouse gas) produced by landfills while producing nontoxic fertilizer.

Compost Containers: You have probably seen the compost tumblers and other bins that are commercially available and usually cost several hundred dollars. The truth is that you don't need one. In fact, you don't need a container at all. All you need is a corner of your yard were you can form a pile and a pitchfork or shovel to stir it up with. If you don't have a yard, or you prefer to have your compost in a container, you can make a cheap container using old garbage cans. These can be stored inside, outside, or in a garage. When composting is done correctly, it will not smell.

What to put on your compost pile: Leaves, grass clippings, fruit and vegetable trimmings and peels, fruits and vegetables that have gone bad, egg shells, dead house plants, dropped leaves or flowers from house plants, coffee grounds, tea bags, saw dust, weeds(without seed heads), fire place ashes, manure, water, leftover coffee and tea, fruit juice that has gone bad, biocompostable paper and plastic goods.

You should avoid using: Anything containing meat or dairy, dead animals, human waste, animal waste (except for manure), yard clippings containing thorns, tree or bush branches (unless you have a chipper that can chip them fine).

What your compost pile needs: I have read in various compost books that a compost pile needs to be a minimum of three feet by three feet and comprised of a 50/50 mixture of green and brown material. The compost books also advise that a compost pile needs to be built all at once and if you don't have enough material to build the pile, then you shouldn't bother. I have found, through my personal experience with home composting, that none of the above is true. You can toss your kitchen and yard waste onto the pile as you accumulate them and they will compost just fine. There are, however, two things that your compost pile will need: oxygen and water. Without these, your compost will either dry out or turn putrid. Either way, it won't break down.

In order to keep your compost pile hydrated, and save water, you should strive to pour liquids on your pile that would otherwise go down the drain. Try using water that has been sitting in the bottom of a water bottle or pitcher to long, leftover tea or coffee, water used to boil vegetables, fruit juice that has gone bad, rainwater, etc. Also, when you run the tap waiting for the water to heat or cool, you can place a pitcher under the tap and capture the water for use on your compost.

To make sure your compost has sufficient oxygen, make sure to thoroughly turn over your pile once a week. If you turn it over more often, you will keep your compost from properly heating. If you turn it over less often, the pile will start producing methane and other undesirable gases.

Compost Heat: If your compost pile is properly decomposing, it will produce heat. Don't be alarmed when you notice this. It is a good thing.

When Compost is Done: Once you have accumulated a sizable compost pile, stop adding new material to allow it to decompose. Start a new pile for the rest of your scraps. Eventually your compost pile will lose heat. That is okay. Your compost is done and ready for use in the garden when it looks like rich, dark garden soil and the original contents are mostly indistinguishable. Below is a photo of one of my compost piles that is almost done.

Insects: Your compost pile will probably attract some insects and possibly rodents. Some insects are beneficial to your pile and should not concern you. If you build a pile on the ground, it will eventually fill with worms. Worms are beneficial because they will accelerate the decomposition and their castings are excellent fertilizer. You may also notice some ants, flies and other insects attracted by the decomposition. If the pile is properly tended, there won't be many of them. There may also be a few mice and other small rodents attracted to your pile. A few mice sampling usually is not a problem. However, if rodents become a problem, you may need to move your pile into a bin.

Denim Recycling

2009-06-13T20:13:00.001-07:00

What do you do with jeans that are too worn to wear? Faced with a couple pairs of jeans that were unwearable, but unwilling to just throw them away, I created a few fun new items. First, I used the top of a pair of my jeans, paired with a broken leather belt, to make a hobo style handbag for myself. I cut off the jeans just above the leg and sewed the bottom closed. I then cut off the bottom hem of the jeans and sewed them together to create a drawstring. I gathered the sides to shape the bag and added my belt that the buckle had broken off of for a strap. The front and back pockets have come in handy for my cell phone, car keys, and lipsticks.

I then used fabric from the leg of my jeans to create a handbag for my 12-year-old niece for her birthday. I selected a strait piece of fabric from the leg of my jeans and stitched the bottom closed. I then stitched around the top opening of the bag leaving room for a frayed edge. I then added the cute Fleur-de-lis iron-on that I had on hand and sewed in a section from a broken belt for a shoulder strap.

I also created a small play purse for my five-year-old niece for her birthday. Wanting something little girly, I selected a smaller segment of fabric from the leg of my jeans. I stitched the bottom closed and hemmed around the top of the bag. I then used a section from the inseam from my jeans to create a strap for the bag. I selected a cute red vintage button and used a fabric scrap to create a button a loop closure. I then hot-glued on a silk flower and leaf as decoration.

Still having a lot of fabric still available from my jeans, I created a book cover for an old poetry book using denim from the leg of my jeans and an old button.

Using the leg from a second pair of jeans, I created a wine bottle gift bag. I cut of the bottom of a leg from the jeans and stitched the top closed. I them folded over a cuff from the bottom of the jeans and had a great gift bag.

I still have a considerable amount for material left over from my old pairs of jeans. So, there will be more fun craft projects to come.

Green your Kitty

2009-06-07T10:35:00.000-07:00

Cats are notorious for snubbing the toys you purchase for them and finding something else to play with. Why not make your cat's toys from items around the house that would otherwise be thrown away? For awhile, my cat's favorite toy was tin foil balls made from candy wrappers. She would bat them around for hours. She isn't really into that anymore, but, I don't think she will ever get over her stretchy string. Her stretchy string is made from metallic elastic ribbon like these that we received on a Christmas gift years ago.

Since cats are rather fickle by nature, you will likely need to try out a lot of ideas to find toys your cat will like. Try some of these:

1. Many cats prefer milk lids or the pull tabs off of milk lids to play with. You could also try other types of lids like soda bottle lids or bottle caps.

2. Draw strings from old clothing or old shoe laces make good cat toys. If your cat doesn't love the string alone, try tying a piece of fan-folded paper (reused of course) to the end to mimic a butterfly or try tying on an old bead or jingle bell.

3. Try making the previously mentioned tinfoil balls. If your cat doesn't like a small ball, try adding tin foil on to make a larger one.

4. See if your kitty likes bat around old buttons or pom-poms.

5. Try sewing toy mice using old socks or fabric scraps. Add some cat nip to the stuffing for some extra play-time fun.

6. Kitties love to hide and to den in confined spaces. Keep a cardboard box or paper bag that is big enough for your cat to curl up in. You kitty will have a safe place to sleep and a place to hide and jump out of.

20 Reuses for Tin Cans

2009-06-07T09:17:00.000-07:00

We all have them in our cupboard; the tin can. This innovation in food preservation not only allows a quick and easy food resources, but produces a lot of waste. With the amount of resources used to make a single tin can, why not give some of the cans you use an extended life before tossing them in the recycle bin.

1. Garage Organizer:

Tin cans can be used to organize your workbench. Sort nail, screws, and other hardware by size and type and size into tin cans. Also use tin cans to store tool like wrenches and screwdrivers.

2. Bathroom Organizer:

Use tin cans in the bathroom to as toothbrush holders or to hold makeup brushes and eyeliners. Tin cans can be wrapped in paper, wallpaper, or fabric or painted to match your decor.

3. Utensil Crock:

A large soup can or coffee can can be used in the kitchen as a utensil crock next to the stove. You can wrap the can in paper, wallpaper, or fabric or use it bare to match your decor. Try filling the can part way with beans, rice, or sand to prevent tipping.

4. Pen and Pencil Holder:

Use a soup sized can as a pen and pencil holder either at home or at the office. Tin cans can be used either bare; wrapped in decorative paper, wallpaper, or fabric; or painted. For the office, try wrapping the can with a paper featuring your company logo. At home, reuse paint or wallpaper to match your decor. Tin cans can also be filled with rice, beans, or sand to prevent tipping.

5. Vase:

Tin cans can be used as vases either at home or for special occasions like weddings. A decorated tin can filled with flowers can also make a special gift.

6. Flower Pot:

You can use any size can for a flower pot depending on the plant you are growing. Soup size cans are appropriate for small flowers, herbs, or cactus. For anything else select a medium size can or larger. Punch at least 3 holes in the bottom for drainage using a hammer and nail. Fill with potting soil and plant. If you like you can decorate your flower pot by painting it, covering it in fabric, glitter, ribbons, seashells or whatever you desire.

7. Drawer Organizer: Use small tin cans like tuna and cat food cans to organize an office drawer. Separate paper clips, rubber bands, thumb tacks, binder clips, and other office necessities into individual cans. Cans can secured to a reused piece of cardboard cut to fit the drawer.

8. Luminary:

Use tin cans as pretty luminaries for summer or for fall and winter holidays. Tin cans can be punched with nails to form whatever pattern you desire. Create flowers or geometric designs for a summer patio. Try stars and fireworks for a Fourth of July fest. Make jack-o-lanterns or spooky scenes for Halloween. Use snowflakes, stars, or messages of peace and joy for the Holiday season. Make a few luminaries to decorate or enough to line a driveway or walk. Find instructions for making your own luminaries here.

9. Organize Paint Brushes: Use a large soup can to store paint brushes in the art studio.

10. Ice Bucket: A coffee sized can makes an excellent ice bucket. Simply cut off the top and fill with ice. Your ice bucket can be decorated to match your decor.

11. Buddy Burner:

Buddy Burners are an emergency preparedness essential or a fun method to heat food while camping. Reuse a tuna or cat food can, cardboard, and old candle stubs to make this fun craft. Reuse a coffee size can to make a stove. Find instructions for making your own buddy burners here.

12. Remote Control Holder: Are you tired of always looking for the remote? Tin cans, in a soup can size or larger, can be used to hold the remote controls on your coffee table. Find a can that all of your remotes will fit in, decorate to match your decor, and leave it on the coffee table. Place the remote controls in the can and you will find them when you return.

13. Penny Bank: An excellent craft project for kids. Find instructions here.

14. Umbrella Stand: Take four #10 cans (coffee can size) and cut the ends off of three of them. Cut the top off of the fourth can. Hot glue the cans together end to end placing the fourth can on the bottom so the unopened end serves as a base. Cover the cans with fabric or paint them to match your decor. You may want to place a rock or other weight in the bottom to prevent tipping.

15. Bread Pan:

Cut both ends from a #10 can (coffee can size). Use your favorite bread dough recipe to make enough dough for one loaf of bread. Make sure the can is clean inside. Grease the inside of the can and place your bread dough it it for its second raising. Allow the dough to raise until double in size and then bake according to your recipe instructions. The can will create a round bread loaf. Or, for a tin can cake, click here.

16. First Aid/Emergency Kit:

Use an old Altoids or other small tin box and fill with band aids, small bottle of rubbing alcohol, cotton balls or swabs, matches, water purification tablets, or other items for an easily portable first aid/emergency kit. The tin box will keep the items inside dry and protected. Keep your first aid/emergency kit in your purse, glove box, or desk drawer.

17. Sewing Kit: Also using an Altoids or similar kit, fill with sewing needles, thread in various colors, pins, extra buttons, and safety pins for a purse, glove box, or travel sewing kit.

18. Slug and Snail traps:

Use a soup sized tin can to make slug and snail traps for your garden. Bury all but the top inch of the can in areas of your garden frequented by slugs and snails. Fill the can half full with beer. The slugs and snails will be attracted to the scent of the beer and crawl in and not be able to get out again. Once they are stuck, they will drown.

19. Christmas Ornaments: Using the lids from juice concentrate cans and biscuit cans; punch a design into the lid with a nail and hammer. Try stars, snowflakes, wreaths or Christmas's messages. Use different size nails for more intricate designs. You can also paint the lid for a fun, festive pop of color. Punch a large hole into the top and string a ribbon through for a hanger. Once the ornament is hung on the tree, the Christmas lights will shine through.

20. Tin Can Games: Tin can bowling, kick the can, tin can telephone,or whatever else you can dream up.

Don't Litter

2009-05-23T20:07:00.000-07:00

I don't think this requires an explanation. Also, pick up trash that others leave behind and recycle what can be recycled.

Green your Wedding

2009-05-21T17:39:00.000-07:00

With wedding season rapidly approaching and brides-to-be planning their nuptials, I decided that it would be timely to post suggestions on greening you wedding while saving money. Here are my tips:

Engagement and Wedding Rings:

Previously worn engagement and wedding are widely available for a fraction of the cost of new. A wide variety of previously worn rings are available on websites like Craigslist or E-Bay or in local consignment stores. Or, check out vintage and antique rings like these. By choosing previously worn rings, you are not only saving money, but also resources by reusing rings that

Or, consider having rings made from recycled gold. GreenKarat, will make wedding rings from gold submitted by you and your family. They offer a registry which allows family to send in old, unwanted, gold jewelry for use in your rings. If enough gold is send, then your rings are free.

E-invites: Although e-invites are generally considered tacky for wedding invitations, consider them for bridal showers, bachelor and bachelorette parties, and any other pre-wedding events. As and added advantage, e-invites can include a link to your wedding site, blog, or registry information. E-invites save money and are eco-friendly simply because they skip the paper and the delivery miles.

Invitations: Invitations and envelopes without metallic printing and lining are more easily recycled. Also, skip the double envelop. The inner envelop really serves no purpose other then wasting paper and increasing the weight of your invitations

Or, make your own paper by recycling newspapers or used office paper. Flower petals, seeds, tinfoil or bits of ribbon can be added to homemade paper to create a unique look. Homemade paper can then be printed on a home printer.

Location: Plan locations for your ceremony and reception as close to home as possible. That way, you will minimize the travel time and expenses for your guests.

Limit your Guest List: The fewer people you invite, the fewer invitations you send out thus saving paper, envelopes, and postage. You will also have fewer people attending the ceremony and reception. That means that you will be using less food and fewer drinks for your reception.

Use Bridal Registries: You have heard the horror stories. Newlyweds receiving four toasters, six hand mixers, and no blender only to search the state for a store that will return the excess gifts. Many stores offer free bridal registry services. Using a bridal registry not only saves your guests the time and energy of shopping around, it reduces duplicate gifts and helps insure that you only receive the items you really need. With a registry, you can chose not to register for the items you already own. Already have a great set of cookware? Then don’t register for another. There is no need to waste energy and resources replacing perfectly good items.

Rewearable attire for the wedding party: It was a running gag in 27 dresses that the main character could rewear all 27 of her hideous bridesmaid dresses. And, lets face it, most bridesmaids dresses really aren’t rewearable unless we start throwing grown-up proms. Purchasing special occasion wear for weddings that will hang unworn in a closet is a waste of energy and resources; not to mention money. When deciding on what the bridesmaids, groom, mothers, fathers, groomsmen, flowergirls, and other members of the wedding party will wear,consider whether the items you chose are really re-wearable. When doing so, consider the individuals lifestyle and style of dress. Does the person go to church? Then look for something that can also be worn on Sunday. Can a mothers outfit convert to a business suit for a working mom? Can items be dresses down for a more casual look? Can they be paired with other accessories to be worn to the office?

Previously Worn Wedding Dress: Wedding dresses use a tremendous amount of fabric, resources, and energy to produce. They are also very expensive for a one-time wear item. However, there are an abundance of adds on classified sites like Ebay, Craigslist and KSL.com advertising previously worn wedding dresses for sale in current or vintage styles. Most are at steeply discounted rates and have only been worn once or twice. Deseret Industries usually has a selection of current and older style gowns, often for under $50. Or, consider wearing your mothers or other family members wedding dress. Not only will you save money and resources, but you will add to the sentimental value of the dress.

Reception Décor: There are many things that can be repurposed or borrowed for your reception décor both helping the environment and saving money. Consider the following for your floral centerpieces:

Tin cans, either bare or covered in a decorative paper, can create an urban contemporary look.

Use tin cans with pretty or interesting labels.

Or, consider covering tin cans with fabric, birch bark, or anything else you can think of to create a unique look.

Canning jars or brown glass bottles filled with wildflowers are excellent for a country or english garden theme.

Or, consider using canning jars for tea lights.

Terra Cotta pots filled with flowers can create a fun garden look or add a touch of rustic charm:

San Pelagrino, Izze Soda, or Coca Cola bottles used as flower vases, create a fun retro feel and a casual party atmosphere. These bottles are fun displayed in rows or clusters with single floral stems (also saves flowers).

Cut crystal vases that your mother or grandmother already have create a classic look. They don’t all have to be the same shape or size for your table. Consider borrowing vases from friends and relatives if your family doesn’t have enough.

Or borrow simple glass vases from family and friends.

Reusable grocery bags

2009-05-19T20:42:00.000-07:00

Reusable grocery bags are a great way to reduce your environmental impact while saving money. According to this article from Treehugger.com, either paper or plastic bags are detrimental to the environment and to human life and health. The answer is to take reusable bags with you shopping. You probably do not have to go out and purchase bags to take. Before you purchase bags, go shopping in your closet. You may find canvas tote bags or beach bags that you have not been using that would be suitable to take shopping. Otherwise, thrift stores often have a variety of tote bags available.

Reusable grocery bags that have been offered by grocery stores over the past couple of years, although they cost a nominal amount of money (often a dollar or two), meet the criteria for saving money because many grocery stores will give a 5¢ or 10¢ credit every time the bag is used. Therefore, the bags will pay for themselves in as little as ten uses. Since these bags are designed to be used hundreds of times, the savings will gradually add up. If you are purchasing bags, look for ones that are designed for 500 uses per lifetime.

If you don't want to purchase reusable shopping bags, you can reuse the paper and plastic bags from the grocery store. You will still be saving resources by giving these bags an extended life. Grocery stores typically will still give you the bag credit for reusing these bags. If you chose this option, I suggest using paper bags and ask the bagger to make them full. Paper bags are designed to hold much more then plastic bags and you can usually get many more uses out of them. When the bag rips, recycle it.

Happy shopping.

Green for Nothing

2009-05-19T14:54:00.000-07:00

Awhile back, I read a comments post from someone lamenting that she could not go green because she was a poor college student. She discussed how she could not be eco-friendly because she could not afford a hybrid car or solar panels. She commented on the multi-million dollar eco-friendly homes that some celebrities and politicians are building. She concluded that, because she lives in an apartment, can only afford her old gas-guzzling truck, and she can't afford organic foods, that she can not do anything for the environment.

It is not hard to imagine where she got this impression. I have found many green products are more expensive then their conventional counterparts. All we have to do is stroll through the local Whole Foods store. I looked at www.treehugger.com and found jeans made from designer organic cotton starting at $270 a pair and a designer reusable shopping bag for $80. They feature many more sustainable and eco-friendly products that, while fabulous, are unaffordable for most people.

Her post bothered me. I began thinking of many, many ways that a person can live a more eco-friendly lifestyle without spending money. I decided to create this blog in order to highlight these ways. Every post on this blog will feature green tips that either cost nothing or save money.