As the winter months approach the air is getting drier AND if you add heat and living in the desert to everything well the elements become VERY DRY! Case in point, my skin needs nourishing. Most of the conventional products on the market are actually quite drying and filled with nasty chemicals. In trying to keep my toxic exposure low I like to make my own oils, lotions, and potions!

Besides, it’s cheaper & cleaner to put together my own concoction together to spend loads of money on products that are only doing the opposite of what you want them to do! Plus, when I make my own I know exactly what’ s in it and I like having that peace of mind. I don’t like trying to read ingredients that I can’t pronounce or that sound way to involved for me it’s a chemical alert!

Recently, I put together a body oil that consists of  extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil and cocoa butter. I suppose you could add an essential oil- but it smells pretty yummy the way it is. I use olive oil because it’s high in vitamin E and antioxidants. You can use evoo plain but I like the creamy effect you get when  you mix the cocoa butter in. It also feels like it glides farther and covers more distance than when you use EVOO plain. Besides, cocoa butter and coconut oil are also great for the skin.

Coconut oil is good for healing and repairing skin and can help kill disease-causing bacteria, viruses, and fungi. When used on the skin it can help heal rashes, eczema and diaper rash to name a few (all fungus related). If any sort of redness flares or rashy bumps I always apply coconut oil to the boys bum’s and the difference is so much better in hours. When Mr. Tristar was about a month old I started applying pure coconut oil to his skin. He had really dry skin for the first couple months that might have been infant eczema but after applying pure coconut oil twice a day for a couple months it relaxed and since then we haven’t had a problem.

I used both coconut oil and olive oil exclusively by themselves but I like the benefits all three provide. It wasn’t until recently that I decided to start adding cocoa butter. After my second pregnancy my stretch marks worsened therefore, I want to do whatever I can to minimize their ugliness and heal my skin. I’m hoping they’ll fade out with time but who knows.  It can’t hurt right? When I was in massage school I learned the many benefits of cocoa butter and it’s healing potential. Cocoa butter is also known to relieve stress and is good for the immune system.

All three combined feel absolutely amazing when applied to the skin. I’m really digging my three way of EVOO, coconut, and cocoa oil! I love rubbing down my little “hubba bubba” and the eco tot with it. Smells sooo delish! My sons always licks his lips afterward (I go across his lips after I rub down his face for a little natural chapstick action .

Here’s what you do…

Combine  1/4 cup of each- extra virgin olive oil & coconut oil

add in

3 tbsp of melted cocoa butter

You can find pure cocoa butter at your local health food store and you’ll want to melt it down a bit. To do this I created a double boiler on stove and melted it down on very low heat. Coconut oil will melt at room temp so if it’s solid, when you get it out of your pantry, set it out in the sun to get it melted. It won’t take long- promise. You could even cook a meal and set it up on the stove to melt.Whatever the case, all three need to be in liquid form before you mix them.

You can make more than 1/4 cup of each it’s really about whatever amount your heart desires. Less is more in my world and I don’t want to waste any or let it spoil. I pour the melted mixture into the 6oz bottle and it fills it to the top.  Winter is such a tough time to keep the skin supple and soft. Using an all natural- simple and green body oil can really help nourish the skin during the drier months. The final result of this three way body oil feels smooth and soft. It’s actually quite warming too. I think I may even make up a bigger batch to giveaway as Christmas gifts!

Ever heard of eco-artware.com? Me neither. Not until I stumbled upon their unique online shop the other day then realized I’d been following them on twitter for some time  LOL! 

eco-artware carries gifts that have been recycled, reused or made with natural materials. A perfect feature for the {upcycled and recycled} series this week. I say, get an early start this year and take advantage of stay at home shopping.

There’s so much to highlight at eco-artware.com that I don’t even know where to begin. So many great gift ideas and stocking stuffer’s.  Affordable too!

The first item that caught my attention after perusing the site was this PopVase (featured above). The PopVase is  made  from non-toxic, recyclable synthetic paper. It folds flat so that you can easily take it anywhere with you and quickly display flowers. It holds water just like a regular vase except that  it’s lightweight and easy for travel. The PopVase can be reused and recycled with your plastics!  It would be perfect for a  picnic lunch or even as a centerpiece for a holiday dinner. You can get a package of 3 for $21!

UPDATE: I know that PopVase’s are disposable and that ideally a glass vase would be planet friendly…but I want to clarify that the {upcycled & recycled} series is about highlighting products that are just that! Their should be products on the market being made from recycled materials. Would I buy it for myself? Probably not. More than likely, I’d buy it as a gift to support the message and a lot of times the cause! {a friend and I had a discussion about this last night- hence the explanation!!}

In checking out all the gifts at eco-artware Christmas was definitely on the brain! Gifts that are made from recycled goods are amazing. Sometime they’re so unique that you won’t find a duplicate! That’s what makes recycled and upcycled products so special.

In this case,  an old retired aluminum signs are transformed to make an ever GREEN lasting wreath. Who wouldn’t want a wreath that will withstand all the weather elements? It’s a heavy price to pay up front but think of the savings in the overall picture.

I can totally see this eco snazzy wreath on our door this year …

{swoon}

I love the message (Christmas can be frugal & eco friendly;) and I love the idea. Simple and effective. Worried about it being a hunk of junk on your door- don’t! It’s under 2lbs in weight! There’s so much at Eco Art-Ware that I could go on about but all I have time for are these awesome babies. Get your recycle & upcycle on from a company that offers environmentally friendly products!

Have a wonderful weekend, folks!!

Just a quick check in to let you know things are still in place as far as a cleanup around here. You’re about to witness a new face here at RYD and other changes. Basically, it will be a bit more organized and focused…not so scattered like my brain these days!!! At least that’s the plan anyway- LOL!

I’m pretty pumped about the change and hope you will help me embrace it. I hope to bring you more surprises as we revamp…stay tuned!

Aside from the new look- I have a question for you…

Do you recycle your ziploc bags?

I try to reuse ziploc baggies a few times before I toss them out. I make sure to clean them using vinegar, cold water (chemicals to leach out when heated) and a little bit of Dr. Bronner’s soap.

I don’t save the ones which had meat stored in them. I hate the feeling I get inside when tossing out plastic – knowing that it’s going to sit and rot in a landfill makes me sad. What makes me happy is being able to reuse them!

BUT- We’re completely out of freezer bags and still have two Costco boxes of sandwich bags! We try to mainly store our food in food safe containers such as glass or stainless steel. Keeping away from plastic if at all possible. It’s ideal that way but sometimes plastic baggies and containers are handy to have.

There is so much waste created from ziploc bags that I’ve been trying to do whatever I can to minimize my impact when it comes to that PESKY plastic. I reuse my produce bags for storage but sometimes those aren’t enough. I need a seal at times for snacks or anything that can spill.

I’ve found an alternative on Etsy that think is groovy, hip and green. I keep forgetting to save a bit o’ green to get these.

You can score these biodegradable bags for $20 and ban the plastic baggies forever. These reusable bags have many uses and are made from preshrunk cotton muslin with an organic cotton drawstring. Drawn and screen-printed with water-based ink on preshrunk and recycled cotton muslin.I don’t know about you, but I think these eco-friendly bags are perfect especially since you can store your produce in them while they sit in the fridge.  Great for bulk items such as flour, rice and many other bulk bin necessities.

AND- apparently the largest bag only tips the scale by a cent! Woohoo!

Part of my eco resolution next year is to ban Ziploc bags for good! They’re expensive, they don’t decompose and they’re a huge contributor of litter on this planet. It’s no secret- the facts are out there AND I’d rather not be part of the process. Instead; I’m going to do something about it and save my pennies and do away with all the conveniences that are supposed to make our lives easier. I’m not so sure about that and disposable products anymore. Think about all the waste…and think about all the money you could save. Before we had all this plastic pollution (aka Ziploc bags/plastic bags) what were we doing?

You can bet your bottom dollar these handmade resuable bags from wonderthunder are on my Christmas list this year!

Blue is my favorite choice, what’s yours?

I’m always amazed how the raw food diet can mimic much of what an unraw diet consists of.

Like ice-cream or soft serve for instance! You know; that soft, creamy, and sweet texture that seems to get anyone to smile.

You must believe me when I tell you bananas as ice cream is DA-BANANA-BOMB! It’ll have you buying up all the ripe banana’s at your grocery store. I swear. It’s the truth.

Don’t believe?! Try it!

So simple. So sweet and so, so, versatile- which is why the base of this recipe is delectable on it’s own or when made into your own lovely creation.

Healthy for ya & dairy free! No added sugars or perservatives. Homemade goodness that’s sure to save you a couple dollars since you won’t be buying gallon jugs of ice cream as often.

Raw Food Nation tweeted this recipe and the tagline had the words Raw Banana Soft Serve…

umm! that’s all I needed to know-  so I clicked on the link.. and fell in raw dessert LOVE!

Yay, for clicking on that link because it lead me to Gena’s site- Choosing Raw.

I’ve been finding all kinds of wonderful raw recipes on her site.

Her Red Pepper Hemp Soup is a yummy must. We made this last week but sipped and slurped this up SO fast that I forgot to take pics!

I know. I’m a dork. Such is baby life-mama brain- whatever you want to call it- I just forgot. Soup was on and we will be making it again this winter!

My first time having hemp seeds in a soup and it was creamy, curry, red pepper yum!

OKAY, I digress… sorry!

I wish I would’ve known about  “fro-yo” in the raw world much sooner. Move over banana bread- cuz I’m going banana’s for this recipe.

Here’s what you’ll need!

2-3 ripe organic banana’s

cut banana’s into chunks and place in freezer until frozen. 2-3 hrs.

Place frozen banana chunks into food processor and begin to run. Allow bananas to become a creamy texture. It will sound like your food processor is going to break at first but once it breaks up the banana and runs for about 5-7 minutes or so… you’ll get the creamy texture you’re looking for.

Yes! It’s that easy! I scraped in half of a fresh vanilla bean and made the raw chocolate syrup my first time. You can add in different fruits and even add in leafy greens. I’ve been playing around with this recipe and am wondering what this would taste like with the best, sweetest banana’s on the planet! Mmmmm! Heaven.

Next time your at your local grocery store…think like a monkey &

Go Banana’s!

]]> http://recycleyourday.com/go-bananas-raw-fro-yo/feed/ 8 http://recycleyourday.com/go-bananas-raw-fro-yo/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RecycleYourDay/~3/1mf_B5bX-lk/ http://recycleyourday.com/thrifty-halloween-night-2009/#comments Mon, 02 Nov 2009 18:02:29 +0000 La Mama Naturale' http://recycleyourday.com/?p=3503 The day was mostly quiet while the eco tot made memories with his grandparents.

When he arrived the Halloween festivities began & this message was waiting for him.

Our pumpkins that helped light up the bright full moon night – (perfect fon Halloween)

& a tribute to WWF  (World Wildlife Fund)! The talented hub carved these “free hand”.

Baby C and I celebrated his last day as a 6 month old!

I can’t believe it’s been that long since I gave birth to this plumpy pumpkin!

{psst! notice the egg carton bat we made in the background? The ghost mobile & skeleton are from the little ole lady from Pasadena!}

I was channeling Nicole from Napolean Dynamite!

Big T and I were planning to go as Popeye and Olive Oil but  the homemade outfits weren’t really selling the characters-

maybe next year we’ll be more prepared. Instead we went just put on some 80’s inspired clothing because we’re the “kids from America” & that’s how we roll!

At the almond shop for special goodies!

{ the hub is missing his 80’s imitation Ray Ban’s that had neon green sides!}

With the cousins…

Group shot of the trick or treaters!

Wild, wild WEST! His cowboy boots lit up…(grandma & grandpa contributed them)

couldn’t get him stopped long enough to get the shot!

The Sweet Pea or Pea in a Pod- either one worked for us- fell asleep after the 3rd house!
We walked 2 blocks with the cousins – T’s bucket had treats and his face was lit up the entire night like our Jack o laterns!

Reverse trick or treating didn’t go as planned – I didn’t really get a GREAT response but I did my part and left a few cards. It was a bit chaotic- baby, tot, kids, family- so I’m going to the local green coffee shop who sells fair trade coffee and teas and plan to leave the remaining cards there. It’s the best I can do.

Both of their costumes were thrift shop finds! Techinically, Baby C’s was from the consignment shop up the street! I found it on the Friday before Halloween for $2!

My mom bought the eco tot’s costume at a thrift store and I never did find out how much she payed for it. Everything but the boots were new for his costume.

T begins junior rodeo in January so he’s been practicing his role as a cowboy or “bullrider” – depending on his mood! LOL!

The hub and I were exhausted and did NOT make it to any haunted houses but we were tempted. When we arrive we separated all the Nestle candy and luckily and thankfully there wasn’t much. A lot of Hershey & Mars! Woohoo!

How was your Halloween?

This is T dressed up for Barnes & Noble storytime on Tuesday morning!

He’s dressed up as a cowboy but he’ll tell you he’s a “Bullrider”- LOL!

We carved pumpkins last night, baking the seeds today- our chickens at the guts out of it…we will compost it when Halloween is over!

Our decorations are from a little old lady in Pasadena who cleaned out her garage and probably swallowed a spider while doing so! They’re old 80’s decorations but they are like new and still intact. I love the skeleton one the best- reminds me of the good ole’ elementary days!

We have hanging ghosts and a bat- they’re actually pretty cool- the eco tot loves them!

We will reuse them until they shred and are no longer…

We plan to BOONESTLE and have a SPOOKTACULAR night!

We are actually going to be Reverse Trick-Or-Treating for the first time—wish us luck!

The hub and I may even get the privilege of going to a Haunted House!

HAVE A SAFE HALLOWEEN!

(You’ll get to see the finished product tomorrow!)

Okay, so it’s been a month since I’ve discussed my experience about the Ditch the Disposables challenge. Just a reminder in case some of you are new… I challenged myself to do away with disposable razors. I’ve found the perfect solution too! My goal was to try and find an eco friendly wax of some sort…which I did come across at the Whole Foods Market.

It sounded like a great solution until I realized that it too was disposable in some way. After a few uses I’d have to buy a brand new box again. Plus, I’m still leaving trash behind (if not more)…wax paper- the tin the wax came in, the paper box etc. (all recyclable -but still!)  One method came with a plastic applicator just depending on how you wanted to apply it.

On top of the waste and cost- it was not a product made in the U.S.A.  I like to support products from the US before an oversees product or from somewhere else. It’s  how I roll! So, I settled with a Preserve razor instead which happened to be  less in price at $7.99 than the wax kit which was double.  The Preserve razors are recyclable including contents(cartridge) and packing.  I’d settled with the razor with the intentions of looking into an eco friendly version at my local health food store (Whole Foods is approx. 35 minutes away!).

I didn’t use the razor right away- not because I using something else  but honestly and truly it was lack of time. My situation did get hairy afterall! LOL!  A week and a half later, I finally took the razor out of it’s package and used it. I’m actually quite impressed at how well the razor works. I have to admit that when I first took it out of the package just based on looks and first impression I didn’t think I made the right choice. I was wrong. It’s lightweight, easy to use and shaves like any other disposable razor. The blades have stayed sharp and the gooey pads at the top haven’ t worn too badly. I’m nearing a switch out though (package came with one extra blade).

Yesterday, I was at the local health food store and did not find any greener shaving options. I was bummed. I thought for sure they’d have something. I know I can probably find an electric razor or even better a wind up one but I’m looking for the solution that reduces my carbon footprint significantly. My husband and I discussed this topic in length and brought up the simple fact of how things were done before disposables. What did our grandparents do? What did their grandparents do to get the job done?

Then one day while perusing Natural Papa’s site I learned that he also writes for Shaving Stuff.  Anyway, after reading through a few old posts I found out about RetroRazor.

“A Greener, Cheaper, Closer Way To Shave… And With Moxy!”

Take me back in time, I’m sold! I’m so going to try out one of their RetroRazors and I’m even considering a Merker as a X-Mas present for the hubby! I want to get rid of disposable razors for good and start saving money and the planet by investing in a RetroRazor. I can totally see myself getting my retro on! I’d be able to rest peacefully at night knowing I spared the landfills.

I’m super jazzed about this company and can’t wait to start saving and shaving! Not only am I super jazzed  but these razors reduce razor burn and are touted- ladies- to leave your legs feeling like they’ve been waxed.  It’s all about going back to the old skool shave, people! Let’s stop putting money the pockets of these big corporations and start supporting the little guys and our planet. I’m all about ridding the marketing malarky!

Read some of their Frequently Asked Questions… (and remember to read the rest by clicking here!)

How close of a shave and is it safe?

Safety Razors give an amazing shave. Better than disposables.  The risk of nicks and cuts are the same as with a disposable razor. It takes a bit of time to get used to shaving: angle and pressure are critical, and you make multiple passes. But amazing results!

How Eco Friendly are Safety Razors?

Safety Razor blades reduce waste by up to 97% vs. plastic and cartridge razors. There is minimal packaging for replacements, and the blade itself is only a single strip of metal.

Reduce Waste by 97% with the RetroRazor

According to the EPA, two billion disposable razors are landfilled annually. 2,000,000,000.

Double edge blades are incredibly resource efficient it is just a single strip of metal!

Safety Razor razor blades have minimal packaging and plastic waste. Double Edge blades are wrapped in a small piece of waxed paper, and in a small container the size of a matchbox. Even with the packaging, they have 97% less material than disposables.

Can blades be recycled?

No. Most recyclers hand sort, and blades are sharp. Collect used blades in a tin can, and after a decade dispose of them. Sleep well knowing you reduced your shaving footprint magnitudes!

Safety Razors are not just for men they are for women too! So, c’mon ladies let’s change the way we shave. I’ve given a few good reasons too- help save the planet, save cash, and no more razor burn! That’s a biggie for some women- especially in the err, em- bikini zone!

Okay, so you know about a way, way,  eco-cool option  to shave with versus the pesky, plastic(y), landfill litter yuck…

And now to find out whether I like shaving soap or creams- doesn’t that sound like fun?!?!

The journey begins…c’mon ladies & gent’s let’s get a greener, sexier, and vintage way to shave…

Do you have the moxy to try out one of these?

Have you tried out a Safety Razor? Tell us your experience!

Hey guys! It’s me again!

Time for another round of Meatless Monday- ding, ding!!

With Halloween on Saturday how about a ghoulish dish for those goblins or guests you may be having over. The dish I’m going to share with you happens to be another eggplant dish because the plant is still flourishing in my mother in law’s garden and giving us beautiful eggplants to nourish ourselves with. Oh, and my love for eggplants may have something to do with it too.

PLUS- after finding the Faken’ Bacon recipe I also found this recipe…

Eggplant Caponata

This recipe comes from the archives of The Happy Raw Kitchen. Evergreen (aka Nevergreen for Halloween) has been putting a spooky spin on raw recipes this month! In fact, she’s outdone herself with the  Caponata recipe- dubbing it as Creepy Caponata! I’m absolutely amazed by some of the unique treats and dishes she’s come up with in spirit of the ghosts and goblins. Head over there fast you don’t want to miss her healthy raw Halloween party recipes!!  Nevergreen’s watermelon brain is a must!

We made this healthy dish for the in-laws. They gave it a two thumbs up and had no idea it was eggplant. They thought it was cucumber. LOL! I definitely crackled wth delight when they told me it was a great dish especially since they are not keen on eggplant. We equated it to a raw ratatouille or a raw spaghetti salad hold the noodles. The fresh taste in this dish is dynamite…it’s definitely a keeper recipe. Mmm! Oh, and we served freshly cut baquette slices with it since we did not have the mini tartlets or crisps available.

Halloween is Saturday are YOU ready for all the candy your child will be receiving on Halloween? All the nasty artificial flavoring, high fructose corn syrup and what have ya…gick! I love the idea of dressing up but all the candy crud I can live without. What happened to the good ole fashioned days? What did they pass out? I’m sure it was homemade goods. Not processed yuck.  I know a few pieces here and there aren’t going to hurt- but still!!! Candy isn’t what is used to be. It’s full of fillers and additives that can be damaging.  Call me a conscience freak or whatever- I’m trying to build healthy teeth and healthy bones for my boys here.  : )

As I’m typing away at this I hear the signal for a new email that’s arrived… It’s a post from In the Raw about the 10 -Day Green Smoothie Halloween Challenge the Green Smoothie Queen has planned. What caught my attention in her post was this startling fact!

Here’s what Earth Mother from In The Raw says:

“Did you know that just two teaspoons of sugar will suppress a child’s immune system by 50% for up to four hours? Yikes! Laying off sugar sure beats getting a flu vaccine. Just sayin’.”

Thanks for “Just sayin” Earth Mother!

Oviously, avoiding sugar is best for optimal health. When you’re dealing with a sugar laden holiday such as Halloween try not to think of it as taking out all the fun. There are so many ways to still have FUN. Which is where the alternatives come in!

My top 5 picks for healthier GREEN treats this Halloween are:

Reverse Trick-Or Treat with Coco-Zen

Halloween Chocolate

Homemade Vegan Candy Corn;

Homemade Peanut Butter Cups

Surf Sweets Candy

Have spooktacular Halloween night this Saturday!

Boo!

Coordinator- Leah L.  and Jenaelha, Mama Knome

Gotta luv the eco tot’s taking action too!

350! 350! 350!

There weren’t many of us but we still united!

My sis came with her daughter and she looked so adorable.

You can’t see the 350’s on her cheeks or arms but she was proud!!

My We Add Up tee- cuz WE DO ADD UP!!!

I’m so glad I made it to this event. I met a few new people and left feeling  inspired and uplifted. I live in a small community so the turn out was as to be expected. I was very proud to be amongst other individuals who care about our planet too.

The original plan was to parade around the park with our pets but that did not happen. It was a very busy morning at the park and it was decided that we would stay put and hold our event where we were.  So, we gathered around to ring the bells we brought 350x!

During the ringing the coordinator Leah, discussed facts about climate change and what 350 meant. Even though we were a small group we shared a message and our time together and for me that was moving! I definitely need to be part of these kind of events more often. Having my niece and sister there made the event even more special!  350! 350! 350!