A friend has asked me where I find my vegetarian recipes, and as I thought about it, I realized that I have found them from many different sources. I don't have one go-to cookbook for the meatless meals that I make. But after a solid three years of eating very little meat, we have amassed a very good collection of main dishes that our family really enjoys. Here are some ideas for finding vegetarian recipes that your family will like:
Family and friends - Some of our favorite recipes have come from other people who are also trying to find vegetarian meals for their families. My mom and sister are good about passing along recipes they've tried and like, and I have a few friends who have also shared their favorite vegetarian recipes with our family. Whatever your reason for wanting to cut back on meat, it's much easier to do when you have some support from other people, whether that's in real life, or even through blogs or forums.
Online - I find plenty of ideas and recipes online. One of my favorites is FatFree Vegan Kitchen. She has a wide variety of vegan meals, including ones that are kid-friendly, and the food photos are just gorgeous. Some of the recipes can be a bit involved, but I've found several keepers there.
Another source for ideas can be CSA websites, like this one. Though the recipes aren't exclusively vegetarian, the focus is usually on vegetables. I love that the recipes are categorized according to what vegetable you want to use. And for those who garden, this will give you some ideas for what to do with your bumper crop of beets or swiss chard.
Finally, don't shun the mainstream recipe sites like allrecipes. These sites usually have a vegetarian category, and there are some great recipes to be found in those places. The Addictive Sweet Potato Burritos on allrecipes have gained a place on our roster of regular meals.
Cookbooks - I don't have a specific cookbook that I would recommend you need to own. Instead, just check a couple out from the library from time to time. It's great to start with either a vegetarian cookbook, or at least one that focuses on whole foods.
Finding meatless meals your family will enjoy is often an ongoing process of trial and error. It has required a fair amount of persistence on my part, but the reward has been having a collection of recipes that are frugal and healthy. For more ideas on meatless meals, check out this post I wrote a few months ago.
Do you have a favorite cookbook or some other source for meatless recipes?
For more frugal tips, go check out the other links at Biblical Womanhood. Have a great weekend!
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Swag Bucks
Have you heard of SwagBucks? If you are like me, and you do a lot of research online, then you probably wouldn't mind getting a little something for all that searching you do. With SwagBucks, you earn points when you search, and after you've earned enough points you can redeem them for things like Amazon gift cards, Starbucks gift cards, and other fun stuff.
I've been using SwagBucks for a few weeks now, and I nearly have enough to get a book I've been wanting from Amazon. Yay!
Just click here to sign up!
I've been using SwagBucks for a few weeks now, and I nearly have enough to get a book I've been wanting from Amazon. Yay!
Just click here to sign up!
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Composting
It's hard to think too much about gardening without also thinking about composting. There's nothing terribly difficult or complex about composting, though you may feel a bit unsure about getting started.
You may even share the sentiment of my daughter Millie, who at the age of three looked at the orange peels in the compost bucket in our kitchen and asked doubtfully, "Are those orange peels really going to turn into dirt?"
Incredibly, they do. All those kitchen scraps can be combined with the debris from your lawn and garden, and in time you'll have rich composted material to add to your garden.
When we decided to start composting, my husband contributed his skills by building this bin for me:
After a bit of searching he was able to find old pallets to use. So we have the bonus of using recycled materials for our bin to recycle all our kitchen and yard waste! It has two separate sides so that we can have an "old" pile that is decomposing, and a "new" pile that we can add to. We are lazy composters in that we really don't put a lot of effort into turning the piles. With enough time things seem to break down well enough to be put to use in the garden.
By composting we are able to reduce the amount of waste that leaves our household. All the things that go into the compost pile are being re-used to benefit the soil in our garden. Not only do we save money by putting out less garbage on our curb each week, but our backyard compost is essentially a free way to provide nutrients to our garden.
I'm still learning about this whole composting business, so I just checked out The Complete Compost Gardening Guide
from the library, and I'm finding it to be very helpful. Thanks to my sister for recommending it a while back.
This book goes far beyond the basics, and gives a whole variety of composting strategies. So if you are feeling challenged about where you might put a compost pile, or maybe you just don't have much space, the book will help you think outside the "pile" and find a solution that works for your situation.
Composting works for me!
You may even share the sentiment of my daughter Millie, who at the age of three looked at the orange peels in the compost bucket in our kitchen and asked doubtfully, "Are those orange peels really going to turn into dirt?"
Incredibly, they do. All those kitchen scraps can be combined with the debris from your lawn and garden, and in time you'll have rich composted material to add to your garden.
When we decided to start composting, my husband contributed his skills by building this bin for me:
After a bit of searching he was able to find old pallets to use. So we have the bonus of using recycled materials for our bin to recycle all our kitchen and yard waste! It has two separate sides so that we can have an "old" pile that is decomposing, and a "new" pile that we can add to. We are lazy composters in that we really don't put a lot of effort into turning the piles. With enough time things seem to break down well enough to be put to use in the garden.
By composting we are able to reduce the amount of waste that leaves our household. All the things that go into the compost pile are being re-used to benefit the soil in our garden. Not only do we save money by putting out less garbage on our curb each week, but our backyard compost is essentially a free way to provide nutrients to our garden.
I'm still learning about this whole composting business, so I just checked out The Complete Compost Gardening Guide
from the library, and I'm finding it to be very helpful. Thanks to my sister for recommending it a while back.This book goes far beyond the basics, and gives a whole variety of composting strategies. So if you are feeling challenged about where you might put a compost pile, or maybe you just don't have much space, the book will help you think outside the "pile" and find a solution that works for your situation.
Composting works for me!
Monday, February 23, 2009
Filling the Cracks
The Son of God comes knocking. In every event He seeks an entrance to my heart, yes, even in my most helpless, futile, fruitless moments. The very cracks and empty crannies of my life, my perplexities and hurts and botched-up jobs, He wants to fill with Himself, His joy, His life.
--Elisabeth Elliot
None of us are exempt from the hurts that life brings. Most painful sometimes are our own shortcomings and failures. How thankful I am for a God who meets us in those very places with a love that knows no bounds.
--Elisabeth Elliot
None of us are exempt from the hurts that life brings. Most painful sometimes are our own shortcomings and failures. How thankful I am for a God who meets us in those very places with a love that knows no bounds.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Menu Plan - Week of February 23
Last week I tried making lasagna in the slow cooker, and it turned out great! I just love finding a new recipe that's a keeper. I'm not really trying anything new this week, other than attempting risotto with brown rice. I'm not necessarily going to expect it to be as good as when it's made with arborio rice, but you never know unless you try. So we'll see what happens, and I'll be sure to let you know how it goes! Here's what else I've got planned:
Monday - Oatburgers, broccoli with garlic
Tuesday - Hearty supper salad
Wednesday - Roasted beet risotto (trying it with brown rice)
Thursday - Curried lentils and cauliflower
Friday - Pasta with tomato sauce
Saturday - Zucchini and Chile Corn Bake
To see some other menu plans, head over to Organizing Junkie. Hope your week is off to a great start!
Monday - Oatburgers, broccoli with garlic
Tuesday - Hearty supper salad
Wednesday - Roasted beet risotto (trying it with brown rice)
Thursday - Curried lentils and cauliflower
Friday - Pasta with tomato sauce
Saturday - Zucchini and Chile Corn Bake
To see some other menu plans, head over to Organizing Junkie. Hope your week is off to a great start!
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Slow Cooker Spinach Lasagna
Be sure to check out my recipe index for more great, healthy recipes!
We really love spinach lasagna once in a great while. Because with all that cheese it's really wonderful but something we choose to limit. I have a recipe for normal ol' spinach lasagna made in the oven, and it's a good one. But recently I saw a recipe for spinach lasagna made in a slow cooker, and I immediately knew I had to try it. So I did. But I changed just a few things to suit our taste, decreasing the cheese just slightly, and increasing the spinach from 10 ounces to 16 ounces. So if you prefer more cheese and less spinach, you could certainly change it up. The other change was that I used Newman's Own Pesto and Tomato sauce, simply because I saw it and it sounded good. You could absolutely substitute your own favorite sauce, but I do think you want something with a lot of flavor, since there aren't any other seasonings added.
Slow Cooker Spinach Lasagna
2 containers (16 ounces each) cottage cheese (or ricotta)
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 eggs
16 ounces frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
2 jars (24 ounces each) Newman's Own Pesto and Tomato Sauce
12 large lasagna noodles, uncooked
--In medium bowl, combine cottage cheese, 1 cup mozzarella, Parmesan cheese, eggs, and spinach.
--In slow cooker, spread 1 cup tomato sauce. Layer 4 lasagna noodles, broken to fit, then 1 cup pasta sauce and 1/2 of the spinach/cheese mixture; repeat. Top with remaining 4 lasagna noodles and 2 cups tomato sauce. Cook covered on LOW 5 to 6 hours.
--Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese. Cover and cook an additional 10 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
Now, if you're serving this to company the day that you make it, don't count on it looking pretty.
But the next day when you have the leftovers for lunch? Look how lovely!
My only other thought is that for lasagna, this came together very quickly and easily. Definitely a keeper!
We really love spinach lasagna once in a great while. Because with all that cheese it's really wonderful but something we choose to limit. I have a recipe for normal ol' spinach lasagna made in the oven, and it's a good one. But recently I saw a recipe for spinach lasagna made in a slow cooker, and I immediately knew I had to try it. So I did. But I changed just a few things to suit our taste, decreasing the cheese just slightly, and increasing the spinach from 10 ounces to 16 ounces. So if you prefer more cheese and less spinach, you could certainly change it up. The other change was that I used Newman's Own Pesto and Tomato sauce, simply because I saw it and it sounded good. You could absolutely substitute your own favorite sauce, but I do think you want something with a lot of flavor, since there aren't any other seasonings added.
Slow Cooker Spinach Lasagna
2 containers (16 ounces each) cottage cheese (or ricotta)
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 eggs
16 ounces frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
2 jars (24 ounces each) Newman's Own Pesto and Tomato Sauce
12 large lasagna noodles, uncooked
--In medium bowl, combine cottage cheese, 1 cup mozzarella, Parmesan cheese, eggs, and spinach.
--In slow cooker, spread 1 cup tomato sauce. Layer 4 lasagna noodles, broken to fit, then 1 cup pasta sauce and 1/2 of the spinach/cheese mixture; repeat. Top with remaining 4 lasagna noodles and 2 cups tomato sauce. Cook covered on LOW 5 to 6 hours.
--Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese. Cover and cook an additional 10 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
Now, if you're serving this to company the day that you make it, don't count on it looking pretty.
But the next day when you have the leftovers for lunch? Look how lovely!
My only other thought is that for lasagna, this came together very quickly and easily. Definitely a keeper!
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Frozen (Just) In Time
It seems that lately everyone is trying to reduce their grocery bill. One way to do that is to simply eat what you buy. Sounds obvious, but apparently it's not quite so easy.
A study from several years back indicates that the average U.S. household throws away 14 percent of their food purchases. Even if the percentage has changed slightly since the study, over the course of a year this would still add up to hundreds of dollars.
I'd like to think that we would be careful not to waste food, but I know we encounter some problems with this in our household. I cook from scratch, and we also eat a lot of produce. These are two things I really believe strongly in, but they come with a couple of problems:
1) All those fruits and veggies have to be eaten in a timely manner. That broccoli needs to get cooked this week, otherwise it will go into the compost pile, which is not the wisest use of our money.
2) Cooking from scratch means that sometimes there are bits and pieces leftover that need to be repurposed. I found that too often those bits and pieces added up. And then my fridge simply became a container for forgotten fruits and veggies: the moldy lemon lurking in the back, the forgotten half of an onion wrapped in plastic, the storage container with a few tablespoons of tomato paste from who-knows-when.
And then I became friends with my freezer. Now the freezer is my go-to place for the extra bits and pieces, and I'm able to plan to use those things, rather than let them languish away until they can't be eaten.
For example, if you cook from scratch you will from time to time come across a recipe that requires a couple of tablespoons of tomato paste. Not even half of the can. So then is the rest of the can worth keeping? And if you do keep it, will you even remember to use it before it becomes questionable? I found a great tip over here that has solved my tomato paste issue. Simply spoon out tablespoonfuls of tomato paste onto wax paper, then freeze until solid and store in a labeled ziploc bag. I anticipate buying far fewer cans of tomato paste in the future.
And then lemons. Fresh lemon juice is far superior to what you can buy in a bottle. And it seems like where I shop it's usually cheaper per lemon to buy a bag. But what if you don't need all those lemons? Or if you don't really want to make a couple of quarts of lemonade and drink it all within a day? Ahem.
Go ahead and juice all those lemons, then pour the juice into an ice cube tray and freeze.
You're all set. No more moldy lemons hanging around.
And this works great for lime juice too. A certain someone I know loves to toss a lime juice cube into a glass of Coca-cola. Very occasionally.
Here's a tip for those who like to blend up some leafy greens into smoothies. If you don't grow your own kale, then making up some "kale cubes" is a good way to make sure you don't waste any of the greens you buy. Simply remove the center rib from your kale, then run the raw leaves through a food processor with a little bit of water and freeze the pureed kale in ice cube trays.
Some other things I like to freeze:
chopped onions - just be sure to spread the pieces out and let them freeze individually so that you don't have a big frozen onion block.
chopped bell peppers - treat the same as onions
bananas - simply unpeel then wrap in plastic wrap. Frozen banana is one of our regular smoothie additions
cooked beans - I usually measure out two cups into a ziploc bag
cookie dough - this is more so that the waste doesn't end up on my hips
What about you? How do you make sure your leftovers don't go to waste? Do you use your freezer? Or do you usually plan to cook something using those extras?
If you're looking for some more frugal ideas, head over to Biblical Womanhood for Frugal Friday. Have a great weekend!
A study from several years back indicates that the average U.S. household throws away 14 percent of their food purchases. Even if the percentage has changed slightly since the study, over the course of a year this would still add up to hundreds of dollars.
I'd like to think that we would be careful not to waste food, but I know we encounter some problems with this in our household. I cook from scratch, and we also eat a lot of produce. These are two things I really believe strongly in, but they come with a couple of problems:
1) All those fruits and veggies have to be eaten in a timely manner. That broccoli needs to get cooked this week, otherwise it will go into the compost pile, which is not the wisest use of our money.
2) Cooking from scratch means that sometimes there are bits and pieces leftover that need to be repurposed. I found that too often those bits and pieces added up. And then my fridge simply became a container for forgotten fruits and veggies: the moldy lemon lurking in the back, the forgotten half of an onion wrapped in plastic, the storage container with a few tablespoons of tomato paste from who-knows-when.
And then I became friends with my freezer. Now the freezer is my go-to place for the extra bits and pieces, and I'm able to plan to use those things, rather than let them languish away until they can't be eaten.
For example, if you cook from scratch you will from time to time come across a recipe that requires a couple of tablespoons of tomato paste. Not even half of the can. So then is the rest of the can worth keeping? And if you do keep it, will you even remember to use it before it becomes questionable? I found a great tip over here that has solved my tomato paste issue. Simply spoon out tablespoonfuls of tomato paste onto wax paper, then freeze until solid and store in a labeled ziploc bag. I anticipate buying far fewer cans of tomato paste in the future.
And then lemons. Fresh lemon juice is far superior to what you can buy in a bottle. And it seems like where I shop it's usually cheaper per lemon to buy a bag. But what if you don't need all those lemons? Or if you don't really want to make a couple of quarts of lemonade and drink it all within a day? Ahem.
Go ahead and juice all those lemons, then pour the juice into an ice cube tray and freeze.
You're all set. No more moldy lemons hanging around.
And this works great for lime juice too. A certain someone I know loves to toss a lime juice cube into a glass of Coca-cola. Very occasionally.
Here's a tip for those who like to blend up some leafy greens into smoothies. If you don't grow your own kale, then making up some "kale cubes" is a good way to make sure you don't waste any of the greens you buy. Simply remove the center rib from your kale, then run the raw leaves through a food processor with a little bit of water and freeze the pureed kale in ice cube trays.
Some other things I like to freeze:
chopped onions - just be sure to spread the pieces out and let them freeze individually so that you don't have a big frozen onion block.
chopped bell peppers - treat the same as onions
bananas - simply unpeel then wrap in plastic wrap. Frozen banana is one of our regular smoothie additions
cooked beans - I usually measure out two cups into a ziploc bag
cookie dough - this is more so that the waste doesn't end up on my hips
What about you? How do you make sure your leftovers don't go to waste? Do you use your freezer? Or do you usually plan to cook something using those extras?
If you're looking for some more frugal ideas, head over to Biblical Womanhood for Frugal Friday. Have a great weekend!
Spring is in Your Eyes
I've got gardening on the brain, but what did we get here last night? Why, a dusting of snow, of course! A little song Millie learned when we lived in China has been bouncing around in my head (translated):
Where is the spring? Oh, where is the spring?
Springtime is in my little friend's eyes.
Springtime in my children's eyes. I think that's going to be all the spring I can expect for quite a while still.
I'll take it.
Where is the spring? Oh, where is the spring?
Springtime is in my little friend's eyes.
Springtime in my children's eyes. I think that's going to be all the spring I can expect for quite a while still.
I'll take it.
Monday, February 16, 2009
Menu Plan - Week of February 16
Is it still Monday? After a long weekend away everything is still feeling a bit mixed-up. We had a very fun, very full weekend, but it's always so good to be home after some time away. Our family collectively breathes a happy sigh when we are back in the familiar surroundings of home.
Our weekend was very junky, as far as food is concerned. So I'm looking forward to eating some good veggies this week. And I need to get groceries, which I will probably do tomorrow night. So, the menu plan:
Tuesday - Rice and Beans (this is one of my standard still-need-to-go-grocery-shopping meals)
Wednesday - Quinoa Salad
Thursday - Chili, Baked Potatoes
Friday - Spinach Lasagna (I have a recipe I like for this, but I recently saw a recipe for spinach lasagna made in a slow cooker, so I may try that)
Saturday - Sweet Potato Burritos
Also in the plans for this week: unpacking, laundry, and more laundry. And hopefully a little blogging!
For more Menu Plan Monday, visit Organizing Junkie.
Our weekend was very junky, as far as food is concerned. So I'm looking forward to eating some good veggies this week. And I need to get groceries, which I will probably do tomorrow night. So, the menu plan:
Tuesday - Rice and Beans (this is one of my standard still-need-to-go-grocery-shopping meals)
Wednesday - Quinoa Salad
Thursday - Chili, Baked Potatoes
Friday - Spinach Lasagna (I have a recipe I like for this, but I recently saw a recipe for spinach lasagna made in a slow cooker, so I may try that)
Saturday - Sweet Potato Burritos
Also in the plans for this week: unpacking, laundry, and more laundry. And hopefully a little blogging!
For more Menu Plan Monday, visit Organizing Junkie.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Lentils and Naan
Our whole family really enjoys this frugal, filling meal. The main ingredient is red lentils:
All lentils are not created equal. I am actually not a fan of green or brown lentils; something about the texture, I think. Too chewy. But red lentils? Oh, that is a whole different story. Red lentils cook into creamy goodness. This particular dish is so yummy, and incredibly quick and simple with no soaking required. And then if you add some homemade naan, what's not to like there?
I got both of the following recipes from Simply In Season
, which was one of the best books I discovered last year. It's a cookbook that focuses on eating local food in season. Great recipes and great thoughts and encouragement regarding eating more seasonally.
So, this first recipe is basically dahl (also spelled dal, dhal, or daal). And since the kids absolutely do not eat spicy food, we liked this a lot because it's very flavorful, but without any heat.
Ethiopian Lentil Bowl
2 cups dried red lentils, sorted and rinsed
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 head garlic, peeled and mashed
In a soup pot saute onion and garlic in a little oil, or just a little bit of water.
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3 cups water
Mix in tomato paste and paprika with the onions and garlic. Add remaining seasonings and half the water. Stir well and then add the rest of the water. Stir again, cover, and bring to a boil. When the water boils, add the lentils, lower the heat, and cook until lentils have softened, 25-30 minutes.
Then to accompany the dahl, I decided to try out making our own naan. It turned out delicious, but I probably won't go to the trouble very often. I don't usually keep yogurt or yeast on hand, and you could certainly substitute pita bread.
Homemade Naan
Mix in a small bowl until dissolved:
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
Mix in a separate bowl:
1 cup lukewarm water
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1 beaten egg
2 tablespoons oil
2 teaspoons salt
Stir in yeast mixture. Stir in 4 to 5 cups flour (up to half whole wheat) to make a soft dough. Knead 5-10 minutes. Place in greased bowl. Turn to grease both sides. Cover with damp cloth and let rise 1 hour. Separate dough into golf ball-size balls. Roll each to 1/16-inch thickness (they cook best when thin). Preheat skillet to medium-high heat and brush with butter or oil. Place 1 round of dough at a time in skillet. Cook on each side until lightly browned and puffy (approx. 2-3 minutes per side). Wrap in a towel to keep warm while cooking the remaining dough.
This was a fun meal for the kids since there was no silverware needed. Just tear off small pieces of bread to scoop up the lentils. Yum!
This post is linked to:
All lentils are not created equal. I am actually not a fan of green or brown lentils; something about the texture, I think. Too chewy. But red lentils? Oh, that is a whole different story. Red lentils cook into creamy goodness. This particular dish is so yummy, and incredibly quick and simple with no soaking required. And then if you add some homemade naan, what's not to like there?
I got both of the following recipes from Simply In Season
, which was one of the best books I discovered last year. It's a cookbook that focuses on eating local food in season. Great recipes and great thoughts and encouragement regarding eating more seasonally.So, this first recipe is basically dahl (also spelled dal, dhal, or daal). And since the kids absolutely do not eat spicy food, we liked this a lot because it's very flavorful, but without any heat.
Ethiopian Lentil Bowl
2 cups dried red lentils, sorted and rinsed
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 head garlic, peeled and mashed
In a soup pot saute onion and garlic in a little oil, or just a little bit of water.
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3 cups water
Mix in tomato paste and paprika with the onions and garlic. Add remaining seasonings and half the water. Stir well and then add the rest of the water. Stir again, cover, and bring to a boil. When the water boils, add the lentils, lower the heat, and cook until lentils have softened, 25-30 minutes.
Then to accompany the dahl, I decided to try out making our own naan. It turned out delicious, but I probably won't go to the trouble very often. I don't usually keep yogurt or yeast on hand, and you could certainly substitute pita bread.
Homemade Naan
Mix in a small bowl until dissolved:
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
Mix in a separate bowl:
1 cup lukewarm water
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1 beaten egg
2 tablespoons oil
2 teaspoons salt
Stir in yeast mixture. Stir in 4 to 5 cups flour (up to half whole wheat) to make a soft dough. Knead 5-10 minutes. Place in greased bowl. Turn to grease both sides. Cover with damp cloth and let rise 1 hour. Separate dough into golf ball-size balls. Roll each to 1/16-inch thickness (they cook best when thin). Preheat skillet to medium-high heat and brush with butter or oil. Place 1 round of dough at a time in skillet. Cook on each side until lightly browned and puffy (approx. 2-3 minutes per side). Wrap in a towel to keep warm while cooking the remaining dough.
This was a fun meal for the kids since there was no silverware needed. Just tear off small pieces of bread to scoop up the lentils. Yum!
This post is linked to:
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Coconut Oil
A while back my mom introduced me to a really lovely all-natural option for a skin-care moisturizer. She gave me a little jar of coconut oil, and I have been hooked ever since.
Coconut oil is excellent for the skin; it has antioxidants that fight off the damages from sun-exposure, but it doesn't leave a greasy or oily feeling on the skin. And it's a frugal option too since a little goes a long way. I was also just reading that coconut oil can be a great diaper ointment because it is antifungal and antibacterial.
But besides all the beneficial things about coconut oil, I think my favorite part is the smell. Sort of like rubbing coconut cream pie on your face, only not really.
Coconut oil is definitely a thing I love.
Coconut oil is excellent for the skin; it has antioxidants that fight off the damages from sun-exposure, but it doesn't leave a greasy or oily feeling on the skin. And it's a frugal option too since a little goes a long way. I was also just reading that coconut oil can be a great diaper ointment because it is antifungal and antibacterial.
But besides all the beneficial things about coconut oil, I think my favorite part is the smell. Sort of like rubbing coconut cream pie on your face, only not really.
Coconut oil is definitely a thing I love.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Seedy Information
Since several people wanted to know exactly how I plan to get all those seeds going, I thought I'd go ahead and answer with a post. We do start some of our seeds indoors. We're far enough north that it's really nice to get a jump on the growing season, and it's a necessity with things like tomatoes and bell peppers. I am planning to take pictures of our little indoor set-up, so when we start that in a few weeks I'll be sure to share them with you all! Then of course we also direct-seed quite a few things as well, and we'll begin that just as soon as things start to thaw out a bit.
Now, my ever so talented friend Sara asked a great question: "I am wondering why you order seeds and don't buy them from the store." My short answer is biodiversity. But the longer answer has something to do with embracing our amazing garden heritage by purchasing heirloom seeds that might otherwise face extinction, and something else to do with rebelling against the mega-corporations that control nearly the entire U.S. seed supply. And if you'd like to know more, this article gives a very good explanation of some of those issues.
I'll admit that I've bought my fair share of seeds from retails stores. Either because I forgot to order some oregano or because my word who wouldn't want to pay just 10 cents for a packet of radish seeds?! Of course it's great to use heirloom seeds, but just getting out there and planting something is a great thing too!
Now, my ever so talented friend Sara asked a great question: "I am wondering why you order seeds and don't buy them from the store." My short answer is biodiversity. But the longer answer has something to do with embracing our amazing garden heritage by purchasing heirloom seeds that might otherwise face extinction, and something else to do with rebelling against the mega-corporations that control nearly the entire U.S. seed supply. And if you'd like to know more, this article gives a very good explanation of some of those issues.
I'll admit that I've bought my fair share of seeds from retails stores. Either because I forgot to order some oregano or because my word who wouldn't want to pay just 10 cents for a packet of radish seeds?! Of course it's great to use heirloom seeds, but just getting out there and planting something is a great thing too!
Organizing and Ordering Seeds
For weeks now I have been saying that I need to order seeds for the garden. And putting it off is a bad thing because all the seeds you want will surely be sold out if you wait too long. I know this from experience. So I don't know why I've been procrastinating.
But I'm finally getting it done, thanks in part to some motivation from Tackle it Tuesday. The first step was to sort through the seeds from the past three years.
I threw away any seeds that were too old or basically gone. The kids had fun looking through the discarded seeds, then using them for a little art project.
Here are the seed packets to keep, and plans for the garden. I can't take credit for the super-organized garden plans - my husband put those together.
Here's what I kept for this year's garden:
Okra - Clemson Spineless
Green onion - white lisbon bunching
Lettuce - Summerlong gourmet mix, lollo rossa
Watermelon - Bush sugar baby
Summer squash - early prolific straightneck
Cherry tomato - Super sweet 100 hybrid
Bell pepper - California wonder
Cabbage - Ferry's round dutch
Cucumber - Tasty green hybrid
Onion - walla walla
Kohlrabi - early white vienna
Carrot - Little finger
Swiss Chard - Neon lights mix
Kale - white russian
Spinach - Teton
Beet - Detroit dark red
Sweet pepper - italian relleno
This year I'm ordering the other seeds that I need from Seed Savers Exchange, a supplier of heirloom seeds. Here's what I'm getting:
Green beans - lazy housewife (love that name!)
Beet - Burpee's golden (I really wanted to try gold beets)
Bell pepper - King of the North
Broccoli - De Cicco
Carrots - Dragon (a purple variety; I think the kids will love them!)
Cauliflower - Early snowball
Cucumbers - Japanese climbing
Eggplant - Florida high bush
Lettuce - Slobolt, Bronze Arrowhead
Pea - Blue podded shelling (I'm looking forward to some colorful blossoms with these)
Radish - french breakfast
Tomato - Brandywine, Moonglow
Zucchini - Black beauty
That should keep us busy planting, I'd say! Not to mention figuring out exactly where to put everything. Oh, and I almost forgot, we are going to get some blueberry bushes, too! We haven't decided exactly what yet. Also in the plans are some raspberries and asparagus, but we're not sure if we'll get those this year or next.
So, there you have it. Another step in planning for the garden. Bring on Spring!
But I'm finally getting it done, thanks in part to some motivation from Tackle it Tuesday. The first step was to sort through the seeds from the past three years.
I threw away any seeds that were too old or basically gone. The kids had fun looking through the discarded seeds, then using them for a little art project.
Here are the seed packets to keep, and plans for the garden. I can't take credit for the super-organized garden plans - my husband put those together.
Here's what I kept for this year's garden:
Okra - Clemson Spineless
Green onion - white lisbon bunching
Lettuce - Summerlong gourmet mix, lollo rossa
Watermelon - Bush sugar baby
Summer squash - early prolific straightneck
Cherry tomato - Super sweet 100 hybrid
Bell pepper - California wonder
Cabbage - Ferry's round dutch
Cucumber - Tasty green hybrid
Onion - walla walla
Kohlrabi - early white vienna
Carrot - Little finger
Swiss Chard - Neon lights mix
Kale - white russian
Spinach - Teton
Beet - Detroit dark red
Sweet pepper - italian relleno
This year I'm ordering the other seeds that I need from Seed Savers Exchange, a supplier of heirloom seeds. Here's what I'm getting:
Green beans - lazy housewife (love that name!)
Beet - Burpee's golden (I really wanted to try gold beets)
Bell pepper - King of the North
Broccoli - De Cicco
Carrots - Dragon (a purple variety; I think the kids will love them!)
Cauliflower - Early snowball
Cucumbers - Japanese climbing
Eggplant - Florida high bush
Lettuce - Slobolt, Bronze Arrowhead
Pea - Blue podded shelling (I'm looking forward to some colorful blossoms with these)
Radish - french breakfast
Tomato - Brandywine, Moonglow
Zucchini - Black beauty
That should keep us busy planting, I'd say! Not to mention figuring out exactly where to put everything. Oh, and I almost forgot, we are going to get some blueberry bushes, too! We haven't decided exactly what yet. Also in the plans are some raspberries and asparagus, but we're not sure if we'll get those this year or next.
So, there you have it. Another step in planning for the garden. Bring on Spring!
Monday, February 9, 2009
Menu Plan - Week of February 9
I think the big winner from last week's menu was the Ethiopian Lentil Bowl and homemade naan. The lentils turned out exactly as I had in mind. And the naan was equally wonderful. I'll plan to post recipes with pictures later on, but right now our internet connection is patchy at best, so if I even get this post up, I'll consider myself lucky.
For this week's menu, I've got bean burgers here again, since I had to switch things around just a bit last week and the burgers didn't get made. Then on Friday we are headed out of town for a part-work, part-play weekend. Tom will be video-taping some sessions at our church's student conference, and the kids and I are tagging along, since it happens to be at an indoor water park! But until then, here's the plan for suppers:
Monday - Bean burgers, roasted potato wedges, cole slaw
Tuesday - Roasted ratatouille, spinach pie
Wednesday - Coconut curry tofu
Thursday - Pasta with tomato sauce
Friday - Heading out of town!
If you're looking for more supper inspiration, check out the posts at Organizing Junkie. Have a happy monday!
For this week's menu, I've got bean burgers here again, since I had to switch things around just a bit last week and the burgers didn't get made. Then on Friday we are headed out of town for a part-work, part-play weekend. Tom will be video-taping some sessions at our church's student conference, and the kids and I are tagging along, since it happens to be at an indoor water park! But until then, here's the plan for suppers:
Monday - Bean burgers, roasted potato wedges, cole slaw
Tuesday - Roasted ratatouille, spinach pie
Wednesday - Coconut curry tofu
Thursday - Pasta with tomato sauce
Friday - Heading out of town!
If you're looking for more supper inspiration, check out the posts at Organizing Junkie. Have a happy monday!
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Starting Small with Gardening
There are so many thing to love about gardening: getting back in touch with the earth, knowing where your food comes from, being able to step outside to pick your ingredients, and frugally feeding your family the freshest organic produce.
But if you've never done any gardening, getting started can be a little overwhelming. I think the typical advice to start small is certainly a good plan for most people. We started very small our first year. Our second baby was born that spring, so I knew that I wouldn't be devoting much time to watering or pulling weeds. But even a small garden allowed me to start learning and gaining some experience with growing our own food.
This was our very first attempt, in a little corner of our yard. Just a couple of tomato plants, some basil, and also some zinnias and marigolds. Oh, and I can't forget the sunflower. Those two tomato plants yielded as many tomatoes as we wanted for over a month, so I considered it a success.
The next summer we expanded and put three 4x4 foot garden boxes out to the side of our house. This photo was taken in early spring, when we mostly just had lettuce, and the other vegetables were just getting started.
Then the third year we expanded those three boxes. We added an additional 8 feet to each one, so that we had three 4x12 foot boxes, and room to grow all sorts of things!
So that's just a peek at our gardening adventures the past 3 years. I need to buckle down and get my seeds ordered for this coming spring. And I hope to start posting some more about gardening since all the thinking and planning will soon be reality!
But if you've never done any gardening, getting started can be a little overwhelming. I think the typical advice to start small is certainly a good plan for most people. We started very small our first year. Our second baby was born that spring, so I knew that I wouldn't be devoting much time to watering or pulling weeds. But even a small garden allowed me to start learning and gaining some experience with growing our own food.
This was our very first attempt, in a little corner of our yard. Just a couple of tomato plants, some basil, and also some zinnias and marigolds. Oh, and I can't forget the sunflower. Those two tomato plants yielded as many tomatoes as we wanted for over a month, so I considered it a success.
The next summer we expanded and put three 4x4 foot garden boxes out to the side of our house. This photo was taken in early spring, when we mostly just had lettuce, and the other vegetables were just getting started.
Then the third year we expanded those three boxes. We added an additional 8 feet to each one, so that we had three 4x12 foot boxes, and room to grow all sorts of things!
So that's just a peek at our gardening adventures the past 3 years. I need to buckle down and get my seeds ordered for this coming spring. And I hope to start posting some more about gardening since all the thinking and planning will soon be reality!
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Cloth Diaper Show-and-Tell
I've used cloth diapers with all three of my kids, starting when my oldest was about a year old. Though it can be a little confusing at first, using cloth diapers is not difficult! And I love the benefits of saving money and keeping my baby's bottom out of the chemicals present in disposable diapers.
I thought I'd show you some of the diapers that have worked for us, modeled by my sweet baby Isaac. He is almost 5 months old and probably weighs at least 17 pounds. Ready, Isaac?
But first, let me show you the three types of diapers we're using right now. Pictured here is a fitted diaper and a cover, an all-in-one diaper, and a pocket diaper:
We'll start with the fitted diaper as that's what we use most of the time. The best thing about these fitted diapers is that they absolutely contain messes. No blow outs, ever. This particular brand is called Blue Dog, and it's quite inexpensive, but also hard to find. The site I bought mine at no longer sells them, but I did a quick search and found them here. These have a velcro closure which makes putting them on very easy.
Then the waterproof cover just fits right over. You just have to make sure the diaper doesn't peek out anywhere so that you don't have any leaks.
This particular cover is a Bummis Super Whisper wrap, which I really like.
As you can see, this diaper and cover are a bit bulky. I know a lot of people going from disposables to cloth don't like the extra bulk, but you do get used to it.
Next up , here's a Bumkins all-in-one diaper, which has the diaper piece attached to the cover.
This is probably the easiest, quickest option available. This diaper also uses a velcro closure. Very daddy-friendly.
They do have a slightly trimmer fit. And they're cute.
Finally, the pocket diaper. I mainly use these at night, though I know some people use them exclusively. This is a FuzziBunz, which I've found is a great, durable diaper. The snaps hold up really well, unlike velcro closures which can wear out after a while. The great thing about pocket diapers is that the part next to baby's skin is a "stay-dry" material, so they keep baby dry. And you can stuff more than one insert inside for extra absorbency, which makes them excellent for nighttime use.
Here's the extra-absorbent microfiber insert that you put inside.
You just slip it into the pocket here.
The snaps may look a little confusing at first, but the benefit is that they hold up really well over the life of the diaper.
Right now these are a little bulky on Isaac. But this particular size and brand will fit him until he's two.
Okay, that's all for us. Looks like Isaac is ready to go play!
These diapers have worked out well for us, but there are many, many other brands and styles of diapers out there. And every baby is different, so sometimes it takes some trial and error to find a good fit. If you want to take the plunge into cloth diapering, a site like Diaper Pin has lots of reviews, so it's a good place to do a little research.
Cloth diapering works great for us! For more Works for Me Wednesday, visit Rocks in My Dryer. Have a fabulous day!
I thought I'd show you some of the diapers that have worked for us, modeled by my sweet baby Isaac. He is almost 5 months old and probably weighs at least 17 pounds. Ready, Isaac?
But first, let me show you the three types of diapers we're using right now. Pictured here is a fitted diaper and a cover, an all-in-one diaper, and a pocket diaper:
We'll start with the fitted diaper as that's what we use most of the time. The best thing about these fitted diapers is that they absolutely contain messes. No blow outs, ever. This particular brand is called Blue Dog, and it's quite inexpensive, but also hard to find. The site I bought mine at no longer sells them, but I did a quick search and found them here. These have a velcro closure which makes putting them on very easy.
Then the waterproof cover just fits right over. You just have to make sure the diaper doesn't peek out anywhere so that you don't have any leaks.
This particular cover is a Bummis Super Whisper wrap, which I really like.
As you can see, this diaper and cover are a bit bulky. I know a lot of people going from disposables to cloth don't like the extra bulk, but you do get used to it.
Next up , here's a Bumkins all-in-one diaper, which has the diaper piece attached to the cover.
This is probably the easiest, quickest option available. This diaper also uses a velcro closure. Very daddy-friendly.
They do have a slightly trimmer fit. And they're cute.
Finally, the pocket diaper. I mainly use these at night, though I know some people use them exclusively. This is a FuzziBunz, which I've found is a great, durable diaper. The snaps hold up really well, unlike velcro closures which can wear out after a while. The great thing about pocket diapers is that the part next to baby's skin is a "stay-dry" material, so they keep baby dry. And you can stuff more than one insert inside for extra absorbency, which makes them excellent for nighttime use.
Here's the extra-absorbent microfiber insert that you put inside.
You just slip it into the pocket here.
The snaps may look a little confusing at first, but the benefit is that they hold up really well over the life of the diaper.
Right now these are a little bulky on Isaac. But this particular size and brand will fit him until he's two.
Okay, that's all for us. Looks like Isaac is ready to go play!
These diapers have worked out well for us, but there are many, many other brands and styles of diapers out there. And every baby is different, so sometimes it takes some trial and error to find a good fit. If you want to take the plunge into cloth diapering, a site like Diaper Pin has lots of reviews, so it's a good place to do a little research.
Cloth diapering works great for us! For more Works for Me Wednesday, visit Rocks in My Dryer. Have a fabulous day!
Monday, February 2, 2009
Organizing Recipes
For a while now I've kept my recipes inside plastic page protectors in a three-ring binder. I usually like to take the recipe I'm using out of the binder and put it up on the fridge while I'm cooking. That way I don't have my recipe binder taking up any precious counter top space. The only problem with doing things this way is that I get lazy and I don't like to put my recipe page back where it belongs. And when it goes on this way for 6 months, you end up with a big stack of pages of recipes, and a big headache anytime you need to find a particular one:
So. It was high time to get things in order. I decided to expand my system to two binders: one for the recipes I use on a consistent basis, and one for those recipes I only use occasionally. I also pulled out some colorful dividers so that I could better organize my everyday recipes.
For meal planning purposes, I have a list of all my main dishes. Then on the clipboard I have my menu plan for the week, and I put my recipes for the week with the plan. My intention is to start putting back the previous week's recipe pages at the time when I plan meals for the coming week. Here's hoping!
Check out Organizing Junkie for other ideas on getting your recipes in order.
So. It was high time to get things in order. I decided to expand my system to two binders: one for the recipes I use on a consistent basis, and one for those recipes I only use occasionally. I also pulled out some colorful dividers so that I could better organize my everyday recipes.
For meal planning purposes, I have a list of all my main dishes. Then on the clipboard I have my menu plan for the week, and I put my recipes for the week with the plan. My intention is to start putting back the previous week's recipe pages at the time when I plan meals for the coming week. Here's hoping!
Check out Organizing Junkie for other ideas on getting your recipes in order.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Menu Plan - Week of February 2
I'm looking forward to making a couple of new recipes this week, including trying my hand at making some homemade naan. Here's the plan:
Monday - Ethiopian lentil bowl with naan
Tuesday - Vegetable stir-fry with peanut butter sauce
Wednesday - Chickpeas with cabbage and couscous
Thursday - Baked orzo casserole
Friday - Super stuffed tortillas
Saturday - Bean burgers and roasted potato wedges
Sunday - Leftovers
For more Menu Plan Monday, visit Organizing Junkie.
Monday - Ethiopian lentil bowl with naan
Tuesday - Vegetable stir-fry with peanut butter sauce
Wednesday - Chickpeas with cabbage and couscous
Thursday - Baked orzo casserole
Friday - Super stuffed tortillas
Saturday - Bean burgers and roasted potato wedges
Sunday - Leftovers
For more Menu Plan Monday, visit Organizing Junkie.
Some Housekeeping
Well, blog housekeeping that is. Thanks to my sweet husband I've got a fresh look going on here. I like it. I think I miss the blue a little bit, but I'm going with this for a while. And if you're on Facebook and you'd like some humorous reading, Tom wrote his own funny take on the "25 Things" that has been going around. Check it out here.
Over on the right I've also added the option that you can follow my blog, if you'd like. And I've signed up for Twitter, but I'm not too sure about it at this point. I'm surprised that I'm not feeling the Twitter love, since I really like Facebook updates, but maybe it will just take some time.
Okay, I think that's it! Time to sort of watch some football but mostly eat some snacks.
Over on the right I've also added the option that you can follow my blog, if you'd like. And I've signed up for Twitter, but I'm not too sure about it at this point. I'm surprised that I'm not feeling the Twitter love, since I really like Facebook updates, but maybe it will just take some time.
Okay, I think that's it! Time to sort of watch some football but mostly eat some snacks.
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