Crunchy Goodness

The Miraculous, Solar Powered, Laundry Drying Apparatus!

2013-06-28T16:33:00.000-05:00

When I first married my husband, we lived in an apartment. When we moved overseas, still, apartment living. While I have always used a clothes horse for my clothing as an adult, we didn't have a clothes line until we bought this house and installed one. I grew up however, with all of our clothes being dried on a line, and remember the smell of freshly dried sheets. You can see our umbrella line to the left there surrounded by our container potatoes. I am able to dry all of our clothing for a family of six on this. Cost me $30 for the stand and $5 for some concrete mix to sink it into.

As I've gotten older, our country has moved from things like line drying, all in the name of convenience. I mean, you can even get your liquor through a drive thru. Really? So things like line drying are becoming obsolete cause apparently ain't nobody got time for dat. Really though let me tell you what's so awesome about drying your clothing without a dryer. I do realize that not everyone has their own property, but you can even dry on a balcony or patio if you buy a $20 clothing horse or two. We use them in the winter to dry things that I don't want to put in the dryer.

The bennies:

1) Your clothes will last longer. seriously. This isn't just a ploy. They really will. Every time I dry something, I have to clean out the lint trap. Know why? That damned dryer is slowly breaking down my clothes. When your clothing doesn't break down like that, producing lint, it not only lasts longer (which saves you money) but will look better for longer too.

2) Your clothes don't shrink. Cause don't tell me you haven't smalled up your clothes in the dryer. We've all done it. You have that great shirt. Perfect color, perfect fit, you put it in the dryer and suddenly the tunic that hit you perfectly at your hips is now making you look like you're trying to bring the 80's cropped shirts back. And somehow that mother got four inches wider to boot. It defies science for real.

3) No wrinkles. I love when I make my bed and there's no wrinkles. And I'm telling you I am NOT about to iron my damned sheets. I'm just not that OCD. But I love it when I crawl into bed, the sheets are nice and crisp, they have that great sun dried smell and there are NO wrinkles. I sleep so much better! The rest of your clothes won't' need ironing either. And I know what you're thinking. "Yeah, but my towels are all crunchy, and scratchy and who wants to be lacerated by their laundry after a shower?" Well throw them in the dryer with a wet washcloth for 10 minutes and they'll be fine. I promise. :) Still cheaper than using your dryer all the time.

4) Your socks won't stick to the back of your pants making you look like a fool. Ok, so maybe I've not had that happen in real life, at least, I've caught the sock before putting on the pants, but I have had my skirts stick with static to my pantyhose. Thankfully these days, I'm lucky if I put on shoes and socks and not just my hippy sandals, but for real, for those of you that still wear real people clothing and not stay at home mom clothing, this will work much better than smelly ass hairspray. Cause only the cheap stuff works on static cling and it stinks.

5). Free bleach. Dood, your whites will never be whiter. I can bleach our cloth nappies in just one day in the sun. Socks? White as can be. Some things like the washcloths my hubby uses after spending 12 hours climbing around and in those big ass locomotives he fixes at work, yeah, those might take a few times in the sun, but you can even get those white again (or at least a dull gray).

6). Its free. And we all love free right? I mean, if there's a free sample at the store, it doesn't matter if it's something you won't use, people still take them. This is a gift that just keeps on giving. According to science, most of us use about 10% of the electric we use just on our clothes dryer.

7) You're loving on Mother Nature more, and really we need more love on this planet don't we? So cuddle right up to Mother Nature and line dry your clothing.

Raising Healthy Children

2013-06-19T19:22:00.002-05:00

Raising Healthy Children

The number one mistake we're making as parents is to let the food industry tell us we're doing a Job Well Done when we feed our kids crap. They tell us it's Whole Grain! or that something is "baked not fried" or my favorite "all natural". Lead is all natural too, but you don't want to eat it do you? Do not let the food industry tell you that you're doing a great job with feeding your children. They are in it to make money! This problem goes so far beyond the "obesity epidemic" we're hearing so much about.

When I turned 26, I had my first child. From that day on, things changed for me. I spent my early 20's like most college students do. Cheap food, fast food, and fattening and unhealthy foods. My concern was simple sustenance and how cheaply I could achieve that. Having children made me realize that what you put into your body is so much more important than simply not starving. For the first time, I was actually caring about what I ate, and what my children ate. So much so, that I lost over 100lbs. But even then, I didn't realize I still wasn't eating healthy enough.

I think one mistake too many parents are making, is that they think there is a difference in "adult food" vs. "children's food". As adults our palates have taken on a more cultured taste, and we expect that children are only going to want chicken nuggets, french fries, soda, and sugary snacks like cakes and cookies. When feeding them a snack we don't reach for apples, but instead reach for something boxed, promising "goodness" within it's cardboard flaps. Features like "whole grain", "all natural" and "good for you!" abound down the center aisles of the grocery store.

I come across daily, so many blogs of "real moms" making claims of "eating healthy on a budget" and "quick and healthy" meals, and yet they contain high sugar, high sodium and high crap. So here's some rules to live by with regards to raising healthy children.

1. Don't reward with food. Likewise don't punish with food. No telling your child to "eat everything and then you'll get a dessert". Also, do not take away your child's food or dessert as punishment. In our house, I serve dinner. Then I serve dessert. The children can eat what they like, or not eat what they don't like. Some nights, my 4yo might only get the dessert. Other nights, he doesn't like the dessert and eats double portions of my famous vegetarian lasagna. I know that both my dinners and the desserts are going to be the best possible food I can make for them, and therefore don't worry about if they finish their plates. Over time, they have shifted to having a more "adult" palate than their peers, so I know this method is working.

2. Feeding each of your children different depending on their ages. Aside from infants and toddlers that need their foods chopped or pureed, there is absolutely no reason your 2 yo and your 8 yo cannot have the same baby carrots for a snack. Do not fall prey to the infant food aisle that's chock full of gmo crap that you wouldn't want to eat yourself, let alone feed to your children. No one needs to eat "snack puffs". Just....no. Walk away from the special foods aisle and back to the produce section. Even cubed cheese or a hardboiled egg (my 2yo and my 4yo love these) is a good snack. Start literally thinking outside the box when you feed your children.

3. Thinking that all sugary goodies are "bad for you". I fix a dessert about two times a week. It might be a cake, or brownies, or strawberry shortcake. The difference is that I know where our food comes from, and we use dairy that is organic/no hormones/no antibiotics and we use non-gmo foods for things like wheat flour etc. Instead of buying a box of cookies at the store which contain ingredients you cannot even pronounce, let alone want to eat, make your own, and source your ingredients! They are more satisfying and it's a great way to get your children involved in their foods.

4. Raise a garden. It doesn't even have to be fancy. Just a small kitchen garden on your backyard patio would be enough to get the children involved in their foods. Children are fascinated by growing food. My 2 yo actually picks off shell peas and eats them by opening the pod with his teeth and then taking out the peas inside. I know what you're thinking. "My children won't eat that.....they just....won't." I promise you, they will. Maybe not right at first. If they're used to boxed foods, they're going to balk, because they don't have the knowledge you and I have with regards to health. They also have little self control. But slowly, and surely, just cut out the crap and add in the goodies, they will eat, they will not starve. I promise.

5. Don't let them drink their food. Most parents, myself included at one time, thought juice was a perfectly healthy solution to soda and other bad for you drinks. However, we're finding out, that juices can raise your blood sugar the same way a Coke can, and they just aren't as good for you as water, or eating the actual fruit. Try to avoid juices altogether, and if your child needs some flavoring, add in some natural lemon, lime or other fruit juices.

Just by making some changes, a little at a time, we can begin feeding our children what their bodies actually crave, instead of what their minds crave.

FREE BOOKS!

2013-06-12T14:39:00.001-05:00

Free books again this Wednesday! At the time I posted, all four books are free. I am so looking forward to reading Grow Your Own Food!

Container Gardening Season by Season

Secrets to Fertilizing your Garden

Grow your Own Food

Growing Vegetables like a Pro

Posted with Blogsy

Processed Meat too dangerous for human consumption?

2013-06-06T14:25:00.001-05:00

In my quest to turn our typical suburban lot into a productive, high yielding urban homestead, I come across a lot of information. Some of it is sound, scientific research and some of it, fear mongering and unscientific. Today I came across an article merging these two regarding cancer risks and processed meats. The problem is, that the research it's using doesn't actually say that "processed meats are too dangerous for human consumption" and when people use fear mongering to promote an idea or way of life, it's human nature to disregard everything else they say as well. So in the interest of promoting a lifestyle that will lower your risk for cancer, I went straight to the source, the WCRF.

"Eat less red meat (such as beef, pork and lamb) and avoid processed meat. To reduce your cancer risk, eat no more than 500g (cooked weight) per week of red meat, like beef, pork and lamb, and avoid processed meats such as ham, bacon, salami, hot dogs and some sausages."

Now, while this is absolutely not the same as "processed meats not fit for human consumption" there DOES seem to be an increased risk for certain cancers from those that consume more than the above recommended meats, and from those that do not avoid processed meats. So what are processed meats?

"Processed meats are meats which have been preserved by smoking, curing or salting, or by the addition of preservatives. Examples include ham, bacon, pastrami and salami, as well as hot dogs and some sausages. Hamburgers and minced meats only count as processed meat if they have been preserved with salt or chemical additives."
"Research has show that eating processed meat can increase cancer risk. If you eat meat, then it is best to choose unprocessed meat."

The idea here is that if you choose to eat meat, and really humans are omnivores, then choose those meats that are not processed. Choose meats that do not have chemical additives. The best way to ensure this is to buy local and buy straight from the source. You want bacon? Find a local pig farmer that sells his pigs by the whole or half pig and will slaughter it for you. More and more of these local farms are springing up around the country, and the more we support them, the faster they'll grow and the more options we will have, and we won't have to turn to processed meats laden with chemicals for our meat sources.

Posted with Blogsy

Free Books! June 4, 2013

2013-06-04T09:32:00.001-05:00

Here are some more free kindle books for you to enjoy!

Remember, you don't need a Kindle you can download the app to your mobile device or you can always use the Kindle Cloud Reader on your PC/Mac.

Green Thumb in a Box

Get Paid to Live Rent Free

Raised Bed Gardening

Companion Planting

Gardening Tips and Tricks

Posted with Blogsy

March Against Monsanto

2013-05-25T18:43:00.003-05:00

May 25, 2013. March Against Monsanto Day. If you're on social media and you follow blogs and pages like Crunchy Goodness you cannot help miss all the people taking part. The action of the many will hopefully resound with a great clarity. Not just for companies like Monsanto, but for people who think GMO's "aren't a big deal". Or even people that don't realize how many of the foods they consume are littered with GMO's.

In light of this, I have come across this video. Now, it was uploaded about 4 years ago, and it's about some reporters at a Fox Network affiliate in FL that decided to do a story on Monsanto, and specifically on rBGH or the Bovine Growth Hormone and how almost all the milk available in the country has this hormone. How almost all of the dairy manufacturers use this growth hormone to up the supply of milk their dairy cows production. These reporters were fired. Please, view the video for yourself, it's a must watch.

FREE books!

2013-05-23T07:54:00.000-05:00

Who doesn't love free? Especially information. While I understand why people sell information, I prefer to get it free when I can. This includes, the library, or even yard sales (cause 25¢ might as well be free these days), but I especially love getting Kindle books free. It's a win win. No shipping, no waste of paper or trees, yet I get all the info at a great price point.

So, lets get to it shall we? Now get on these deals quick like, because they usually don't last long. At the time of this post, they were all FREE!

Real Homestead Survivalist

DIY Greenhouse

Patio Planters

Fall and Winter Gardening

Tomato Container Gardening

How to Plant your First Tomato Garden

Survival Seeds for Life

Culinary Herbs

Growing Tomato Plants

You say you want to start a revolution?

2013-05-09T18:13:00.000-05:00

Revolution comes in many forms. Revolution quite simply put means "a sudden and complete marked changed in something". Many times, revolution comes from a simple idea, taking root, developing and blossoming. In my quest for more self-sustaining knowledge (how ironic, I know), I come across many many "prepper" sites. Sites dedicated to guns, God and some growing of food. It's not really about taking what you have, and making something from it, more about Extreme Couponing 10 years worth of can goods and toilet paper, and shooting anyone that asks you for any.

Prepping shouldn't be about bunkers, stockpiles of ammo, and canned good. Prepping should be about preparing for the future.What's better? To have things? Or to know how to make those things? If I have knowledge of gardening, then when the zombies arrive, not only will I be able to survive on my stores from my garden that we preserve, but I will be able to grow more, and then preserve more. Not only will I be able to take care of my family, I'll know the best way to collect rainwater and make it drinkable. I will know that my sewing machine and some extra fabric lying around can make blankets for when it gets really cold.

There is more to survival than killing. This is what the revolution is about. But who are we revolting against you ask? Well, though it's not a revolution in the sense we're used to, as we're a bloody violent species, it's a revolution nonetheless. We are saying to Big Ag, and Big Corporations "NO!" We will not take it sitting down. We will not stand for it, while Big Ag turns our great land into a monoculture that's spreading like wildfire. We grow more soybeans, corn and wheat than anything else in the country, and most of it is GMO bullshit. We have two main types of cows we breed, one for food, one for dairy. Chicken farms are a disgrace to the name of farming. (If you dont know what a chicken or beef/dairy farm look like for real, go watch some free documentaries on Netflix, I'll give links below) We give them hormones, antibiotics and stick them in horrid conditions not fit for any living thing, and then consume those "products", all while being told its safe.

This is the kicker. That we listen when they speak. Why? Because it stands to reason, that they're the big whigs right? They know more than we do, right? Well, usually I would agree. However, in this case, they've destroyed the way we eat, the way we grow food and the way we slaughter food. We no longer eat real food, we're told to eat "food products" that might have 40% or less of actual food in the ingredients list. Why you ask? All in the name of a flipping dollar. To make more money.

So what do we do about it? Well that's where the revolution comes in. If no one is buying the products, then the businesses will fail. And who will be selling foods? Your local farmers. You neighbors. Perhaps even you. You would be amazed what you could do if you turned your lawn into a garden. I don't mean a measly little 10x10 plot with some tomatoes. I mean a diverse ecosystem filled with fruits, veggies, legumes, and all grown with your own two hands. Just think, if everyone that could, grew food, how many people wouldn't go hungry? How many more would learn the long lost art of farming?

So what do you do to keep the revolution going?

Plant your land. If you live in the burbs like most of us, plant every square inch of space. We live on a corner lot and cannot obstruct traffic, so we haven't planted there yet, but every year we expand our garden, and I will keep expanding until we have no lawn left. Use cold frame and greenhouses, or even mini-greenhouses to extend the growing season well into the winter, and get a head start on summer. People further south could even grow tomatoes year round in a cheap greenhouse. Compost your kitchen scraps, and if you have farm animals, their bedding makes for good compost too. Use it in your gardens so nothing has to lay fallow.
For the urbanites, look to your windows and balconies to help you grow food. Hanging baskets, container gardening on a balcony/porch or even window boxes are all great options and with the right soil you can grow just about anything.
For those in the country with some land, by all means, set your acres to wheat if you like :) The country folk are the ones I encourage to plant everything they can and then take what they have to the market for sale.
For what you cannot grow yourself (like I do not have the room yet to grow winter wheat like I would like to), buy locally if you can find it. The more you ask for it locally, the more people will plant and the more you can buy. It's a nice cycle that begins with you.
Save your seeds. This part is important. By growing heirloom varieties you will be able to not only save your seeds for following years, but we will keep varieties going that would otherwise die off.
Garden organically This helps on many levels. Number one, the food is better for you. Number two you don't have to worry about ruining the land for future use. Number three, it's completely sustainable. If you till your garden by hand, then use your own homemade compost to amend the soil, plant companion crops along with pollinator attracting plants and practice crop rotation, then you will be on your way, well on your way to food sustainability.
Raise some chickens. Or rabbits. Or a goat. Or hell, all three. Rabbits provide meat and manure and if you get angora, you can even spin your own yarn from the fur. Goats will provide milk and manure. and chickens can provide meat, eggs, manure. Having these things in your farm can help complete the ecosystem thats needed for sustainability. If you have a good amount of land, I would suggest getting a rooster too, and selling some of your chicks to local suburbanites that would love the meat and egg portion of having chickens.
Know your laws. Here's the thing. When you outright, knowingly break the laws regarding say, zoning in your town, you're not going to get anyway, and you're likely to make it worse for everyone else. Your town won't allow chickens in backyards? WORK to change it. Don't just get chickens anyway. Go to town meetings, get petitions signed, get it on the voting ballot for town meetings. Do everything you can, and when laws say you can't, work to change those laws.
Last but not least, learn how to dehydrate, preserve and can your foods. I really like freezing my foods, but I know that should there be a reason to not have the freezer space (either lack of actual freezer space, or lack of electricity to run that freezer, or even lack of money to run the electricity to run the freezer), then canning and dehydrating are going to be primary. If you can dehydrate, root cellar and can your foods, they can last all year through the winter. Don't forget, you dont have to can just your own foods. Every September I drive 60 miles to a great apple orchard and buy dozens of bags each weighing at least 8lbs, of apples. I then make apple butter, apple sauce and canned apples. You ca really widen your eating patterns if you can preserve not only food you grow, but food you find locally.

Every time I look around, I see more and more documentaries about Big Ag, or Big Corporations, or Big Pharm and what they're doing to our health. I refuse to let me and my family fall prey to these companies that are only out to make a few bucks, even if it kills species of plants and animals and makes us humans sick and dying as well. We will not tolerate this. We will stand up to this. We will say NO! We will learn the old ways, and teach them to others. We will plants seeds of both foods and knowledge that will fuel the revolution of change.

All of the following films are available on Netflix instant streaming:

Strawberry fields forever....

2013-05-01T17:59:00.001-05:00

One of my favorite Beatles songs is Strawberry Fields. It brings to mind vast acres of strawberries, bursting with juicy ripe red fruits just waiting to be picked and eaten. Then there's the strawberry shortcakes, the strawberry jams and the strawberries we can and freeze for later use as well. When I was younger, my mother would take us to a pick your own place in town and we'd spend a couple of hours there picking our strawberries, looking for the biggest and reddest ones. We'd leave a short time later with red stained hands and mouths, and quarts and quarts of strawberries. I'm not sure how big that field was, but as a child, it seemed to stretch on forever, and the strawberries seemed never ending.

I would absolutely love to have acres of strawberry plants. I would love, in the middle of town to have a pick -your-own where kids and their parents could visit and leave with yummy ripe organic strawberries that I've grown, but alas, I don't have that option, at least not until Hubby lets me dig up the entire side yard. For now,I have to settle for the 50 strawberry plants that I purchased from a nursery.

There are two types of strawberries. Everbearing (like Fort Laramies and Ozark Beauties) and then Junebearers (like Chandler and Honeoye). The difference between the two is simple. The everbearing start producing fruit on 10 hours of light a day and the Junebearers produce fruit only when there is 14+ hours of sunlight a day. With everbearing, you'll get a slow steady crop of fruit, and with Junebearers you'll get a large harvest all at once. I chose the everbearing for two reasons. Number one, I have four kids. Finding time to harvest and then process all those strawberries within a couple of weeks during the summer is going to be tough. With everbearing I can pick as they come ripe, and what we don't eat can be jammed and canned a couple of jars at a time. Secondly, my children, save the oldest, absolutely love strawberries and the idea of having strawberries in their own yard all summer long has them more excited than I've seen in a long time.

Strawberries will come as dormant roots from the nursery, if you order online, or you can pick up some plants at your local nursery that you'll need to plant quite soon unless you have a green house or a growlight set up in your house or another place that doesn't get too cold. I ordered dormant plants because our weather has been insane lately (its May 1, and it's snowing and 32º. REALLY). And because I could get a bundle of 25 a bit cheaper than in my local nursery.

If you do order online, you'll want to make sure to keep the roots in a place that doesn't get too warm, but that doesn't get too cold either. A garage ( that doesn't get below freezing) or a basement are two great places.

When you bring the roots out to plant, you'll need to prepare the soil accordingly. Having a slightly acidic pH is essential (about 6.0 - 6.2) and make sure the site is free of weed and that veggies and fruits like eggplant tomatoes and peppers and the like or raspberries have grown before. These veggies/fruits could have contaminated the soil with verticillium wilt. The Hill System is the most common system used for everbearing plants and is what we will be using in our garden. You'll start with a hill of soil about 8 inches high off the ground and about 24 inches across. We have our hills to be about 20-25 feet long in our garden. You can set two rows of plants per hill and have each plant about 12 inches from other plants. Rows are around 4 ft apart usually but we practice intense gardening therefore, we will have a 2 ft walkway between each row. You'll also need to make sure you pay attention to your weather pattern, as you don't want freezing weather with your roots, but you want your plants well established in the garden before it gets too hot.

Using the picture above as a guide, you can simply place your roots in the ground making sure to create a small hill of soil in the hole you dig for the roots to spread out on. Fill the hole with dirt ensuring proper root placement and then press firmly on the soil and water thoroughly.

Now, strawberry plants will produce runners just like blackberries and the like. You can train the runners where you like or let them have free reign, but no more than 5 plants per square foot is essential for the healthiest plants. With everbearing plants, you should remove all runners and blossoms until July 1 to ensure healthy plants.

The great thing about strawberries? You plant once and enjoy them year after year. However, this means when winter comes, you'll need to ensure proper care of the plants so they don't die. In colder climates, you'll need to wait until the plants go dormant, which is usually around December when the temps drop into the teens or twenties and then mulch the plants with 2-3 inches of organic material like straw (not hay!) or pine needles. When spring comes, you simply need to make sure you cover the plants if a frost or freeze is expected. That second spring you should have great yields, which I hope you will enjoy!

Weekend Projects: Seed Tape

2013-04-06T08:09:00.001-05:00

As I browse the few catalogues I buy from each Spring, I am always looking to see what seeds come in a tape and can I use them. Lets face it. I love to garden. I love to do stuff from scratch. But I've got four kids and sometimes (read most) I'm lazy. I like the easy way out. I like to have a shortcut.

I always go back to buying the seeds by the ounce, because it's cheaper and we all know, we like our gardens to be as cheap as possible. I mean, if a packet of carrots cost me $2 and has 1500 seeds, thats less than $.0001 per carrot. You can't beat that with a stick. So then I had the bright idea, why not make my own seed tape?

Carrot seeds, radishes, lettuces. They are so tiny, and even those seed dispensers can be a pain to use when the seeds you're using are the same color or close to the same color as the dirt. And I hate thinning. It makes me sad to uproot little veggies that haven't had time to grow. I feel like I'm killing something. Plus, thinning takes work, and it's wasteful.

So I sat down and consulted the ultimate authority. Google. I found 100's of sites telling me how to make seed tape. Some said newspaper. Some paper towels. Some said elmers glue, some said a homemade paste of either cornstarch or flour and water. Well, I didn't have paper towels we got rid of those years ago. I don't get a newspaper to the house either. But I did have toilet tissue, and it's thinner than either newspaper or paper towels meaning it would break down faster allowing the germinated seed to grow better.

So I sat down with a roll of TP, some scissors a glue stick and my packet of 1500 Scarlet Nantes Carrot seeds. I tried the cornstarch and water/ flour and water paste. Let me tell you, if you have a glue stick, go with it. The cornstarch method was great if you made it thick (1:1), but it dried very very quick, and very thick. The thinner it was, the more mess it made. Lets face it, with four kids, I just don't need more mess, I have enough. So after wiping down my entire dining room table, I scoured the house and found a non-toxic glue stick. But the glue stick was too thick and was ripping the paper. For the love of Pete I just wanted some seed tape. So I consulted the second best authority. My best friend. I hope on the net and shoot her a message. She responds. "Use a toothpick to get some glue, and pick up the seed and then smoosh it on the toilet paper". GENIUS.

Now *this* method. Works. I just took TP squares, put three carrots per square across, three carrots down, nine carrots total. Then I took another square and covered it. This maximized the TP usage. I cut the TP squares into three strips, three carrot seeds per strip. I can then plant the strips, with the carrots about 1.5 inches apart and then do rows about four inches apart. (If you practice SQ FT gardening and really amend your soil well, this should be plenty of room for intensive growing.) If you don't practice SQ FT gardening, you can always just plant your rows 12 inches apart.

Weekend Projects: Composting

2013-03-08T23:47:00.002-06:00

Our weekend project this week is Composting. Now there are two different types of compost. You can buy it, or you can make it. I of course, prefer the homemade variety, for a few reasons. One, you're getting your compost from several sources. What you put into your compost, will determine what sort of nutrients and minerals it is composed of. We throw kitchen scraps, grass clippings, newspaper, old twigs and dry leaves and even my daily coffee grounds complete with the unbleached filters.

If you buy your compost, you'll need to visit your local home improvement store and while it's decent compost, it's likely to come from just one source like chicken, rabbit or horse manure.

Another benefit of making it at home is that you have it ready all the time. You get to control what goes into it, therefore if you only eat organic produce, and you don't use chemicals or pesticides on your lawn, you can guarantee it will be organic compost. It's also so easy that even if you only have half a green thumb, you can compost.

The first item on the list is to find a spot to compost. I have ours near our garden, behind a shed. Sometimes, I'd like to have ti closer to the door, because I'm lazy, but most days I'm in the garden anyway, I just truck out the compost daily, in the morning.

Next, you need to decide if you want to keep your compost in a container, or in just a pile in the yard. Ours is in a pile. There's nothing surrounding it, other than the fence on one side, and the shed on the other. If you choose a container, there are many fancy ones out there, but really, some 2x4's are all you really need to simply build out a square and toss the scraps in the middle.

Next start turning your trash into brown gold. You can toss in food scraps (plant waste only, no animal waste like meat and dairy), coffee grounds, plain office paper, newspaper, cardboard animal manure (no cat, dog or human waste), I even toss in my daily tea bags. When you put in paper, remember, no magazine papers (the thick glossy kind) and nothing with colored inks. Only black ink. We take our scraps out daily, because there are six of us and we collect a lot of scraps. However, for a smaller family you can take out a couple times as week, or you can even freeze your scraps in the freezer so they don't get yucky, then when your bucket fills, dump it.

You can also turn the compost pile to speed up the composting process. To compost you need your scraps, water and air. Left long enough, a pile will compost on it's own with minimal watering. However, if you choose to go with a container, this is where having one becomes beneficial. You'll have to add in your water, but you can turn containers with some ease. There are special composting containers that have handles that you just crank it and the barrel turns. Or you can use a trash can with locking lids and just roll them around every once in a while. But, either way, if you turn the compost you'll get faster profits.

So this weekend, find a spot, and start composting! Your garden and taste buds will thank you :)

Chicken Stock

2012-12-04T21:49:00.001-06:00

Have you ever wondered what makes soups so delicious? Well, it's all in the broth baby

And that broth is comprised mainly of chicken stock. (Or vegetable or beef stock).

So what is chicken stock exactly? Chicken stock is a great way to make use of the whole chicken. When you go to the grocery and get bone in chicken or a whole chicken, don't toss the remaining portions once you've removed the meat! Instead, use up every little bit you can, and make stock for soups and stews.

You start with the ingredients for a good stock:

Chicken leftovers (bones, fat, etc)
1 coarsely chopped carrot
1 rib of celery
1 coarsely chopped onion
1 bay leaf
Fresh thyme
Fresh parsley
Salt to taste (I do not salt my stock. I in turn, salt the soup when making it).

The rest? Simple. You put it all in the crock pot, add water till its about an inch from the top and set your timer for 10 hours on low. The great part? It can be done overnight or all day long.

When it's done simply run it through a sieve, and freeze the stock. I use plastic freezer jars that hold 16 ounces of liquid. This way, I simply grab a couple when I'm making soup, and the rest stays frozen until next time. I am able to get about 10 pints of stock. That's several batches of homemade soup! And the best part is you can then preserve your soups by canning them if you wish.

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Bento Days: March 26 - March 30

2012-03-25T09:25:00.001-05:00

This week, we'll be getting in to my all time favorite season, Spring! When the flowers are blooming, the grass gets greener, the days warmer and the veggies seem fresher. At this point I've pretty much had enough of the root and winter veggies and am craving some fresh spring veggies and fruits!

What's in season right now: we're on the tail end of the winter root veggies, like parsnips, winter squash, potatoes, turnips, carrots, leeks, and onions, and we're adding in asparagus, radishes, and greens like lettuce/spinach, and some of you might even be getting your first of the season peas and beans!

The menu for this week is as follows:

Monday:

Falafel balls
Pita chips
Greens
Hummus

Tuesday

Blueberry pancakes
Yogurt with granola
Orange slices

Wednesday

Spinach and mushroom quiche
Fried potatoes
Sugar snap peas
Grapes

Thursday

Veggie sandwich on whole wheat
Apple sticks
Homemade cookies

Friday

Potato pancakes
Applesauce
Salad greens
Chocolate squares

Finally have a computer again!

2012-03-17T14:51:00.001-05:00

After spending more than a week with no computer, and only able to access certain things from my phone, I finally have my new iPad! I bought it for my shoppe, but had to wait until it was released to get it, but finally, I can get back to blogging about all our favorite things.

I've got a post coming up with another week of bento meals for lunch, one about the excellent bread machine I bought, and one coming up with regards to getting our organic garden going for this year.

Here's a sneak peek at the loaf of bread I baked just this morning with my new bread machine....

You guys have been so great hanging with me through this year, thanks for reading!
Beth

Location:North Platte,United States

Days 40-44 Bento Days

2012-03-04T19:45:00.001-06:00

Here’s your menu and shopping list for the week of March 5 – 9 for Bento Days:

Monday:

Rice Cakes with Peanut Butter
Kiwis
sugar snap peas with ranch

Tuesday:

grilled cheese sandwiches
cantaloupe
yogurt

Wednesday:

Ratatouille with pasta
tangerine or orange slices
Chocolate chip cookies

Thursday:

Spinach, mushroom and cheese calzones
salad with ranch
pizza sauce for dipping

Friday:

Tuna Fish Sandwiches
green beans
apples
carrot cake

Shopping List:

This list assumes you will have most “pantry and fridge staples” on hand, like eggs, flour, sugar, butter, salt, cocoa, etc. Please be sure to check the corresponding recipes for spices and pantry items to double check you have everything you’ll need. Bon appétit!

Produce

kiwi
sugar snap peas
cantaloupe
eggplant
zucchini, onions, mushrooms, bell pepper, tomatoes (For ratatouille)
tangerines or Clementines or oranges
green beans
apples
salad lettuce

Canned Goods and Boxed Goods

Rice cakes
Pasta
Pizza sauce

Breads

whole wheat bread

Meats and Fish

tuna fish

Dairy

cheddar cheese
ricotta cheese
yogurt

Spinach Mushroom Calzones

2012-03-04T19:44:00.001-06:00

Ingredients

1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
1 cup warm water
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar/Mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1 tablespoon dried basil leaves
1 egg, beaten

Directions

To Make Dough: In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in water. Add the oil, sugar and salt; mix in 1 cup of the flour until smooth. Gradually stir in the rest of the flour, until dough is smooth and workable. Knead dough on a lightly floured surface for about 5 minutes, or until it is elastic. Lay dough in a bowl containing 1 teaspoon olive oil, then flip the dough, cover and let rise for 40 minutes, or until almost doubled.
To Make Filling: While dough is rising, combine the ricotta cheese, Cheddar cheese, pepperoni, mushrooms and basil leaves in a large bowl. Mix well, cover bowl and refrigerate to chill.
Preheat oven to 375º.
When dough is ready, punch it down and separate it into 2 equal parts. Roll parts out into thin circles on a lightly floured surface. Fill each circle with 1/2 of the cheese/meat filling and fold over, securing edges by folding in and pressing with a fork. Brush the top of each calzone with egg and place on a lightly greased cookie sheet.
Bake at 375º for 30 minutes. Serve hot.

Serving size is 2 calzones.

Prep Time	Cook Time	Ready In
50 min (including rise)	30 min	80 min

Servings	Calories	Fat	Carbs	Protein
1	350	18	33	16

Ratatouille

2012-03-04T19:39:00.001-06:00

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons dried parsley
1 eggplant, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
salt to taste
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 zucchini, sliced
1 large onion, sliced into rings
2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
1 green bell pepper, sliced
2 large tomatoes, chopped

Directions

Preheat oven to 350º .Coat bottom and sides of a 1 1/2 quart casserole dish with 1 tablespoon olive oil.
Heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Sauté garlic until lightly browned. Mix in parsley and eggplant. Sauté until eggplant is soft, about 10 minutes. Season with salt to taste.
Spread eggplant mixture evenly across bottom of prepared casserole dish. Sprinkle with a few tablespoons of Parmesan cheese. Spread zucchini in an even layer over top. Lightly salt and sprinkle with a little more cheese. Continue layering in this fashion, with onion, mushrooms, bell pepper, and tomatoes, covering each layer with a sprinkling of salt and cheese.
Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes.

Prep Time	Cook Time	Ready In
10 min	45 min	55 min

Servings	Calories	Fat	Carbs	Protein
1	278	15	25	15

Day 35 Bento Days: Egg Salad with Pita Chips

2012-02-21T19:32:00.001-06:00

Sorry you guys for the small picture! I normally use my macro setting on my camera and take close ups, but couldn’t find the camera this morning and we were running late. Well, the kids weren’t too keen on the egg salad today. My son doesn’t like mayo, and my daughter doesn’t like mustard. And egg salad has both. But! They actually tried it this time, so we’re making progress!

Most of the cook time on today menu is for the boiling of the eggs. You know, they have to boil for 10 min, and then sit for another 10 turned off, but still in the hot water. So that’s where that comes from. While you’re boiling the eggs, throw some brown sugar in a pot with apple slices and let them stew over low heat for about 10 minutes. I used a veggie cutter to cut the cheese into long flower shapes and then just used a small knife to make them small coin like shapes.

The pita chips, you simply take a pita pocket, cut it into 8ths, and toast under your broiler for a few minutes until it’s crispy and warm.

Today's Menu:

Egg salad
cheese flowers
pita chips
stewed apples

Cost per lunch: 67¢

Prep Time	Cook Time	Ready In
4 min	20 min	24 min

Servings	Calories	Fat	Carbs	Protein
1	377	13	55	14

Day 34 Bento Days: English Muffin Pizzas

2012-02-20T08:34:00.001-06:00

Today, we get to have pizza! Something my kids love and I do what I can to try to find many ways to make, so it’s not boring. One English muffin becomes 2 small mini pizzas, perfect size for school lunch.

We added in carrot slices (or coins to make them fun!) and about a quarter cup of both blueberries and red seedless grapes. We’ve also started using soy milk in our house, hormone filled cows milk is out. The kids just love soy milk, they actually prefer it over the cows milk. I haven’t included (ever actually) the milk or any drink in with the lunch cost or nutritional content.

My only suggestion is that if you use soy milk, please, spend the extra few cents to get organic. Soybeans are one of the most heavily planted crops, and most people use heavy amounts of pesticides on them.

Today's Menu:

English muffin Pizza with pepperonis
grapes and blueberries
carrot coins

Cost per lunch: $1.14

Kid Rating:

Prep Time	Cook Time	Ready In
3 min	7 min	10 min

Servings	Calories	Fat	Carbs	Protein
1	334	11	41	22

Day 34 – Day 38 Bento Days Menu

2012-02-18T23:07:00.001-06:00

Here’s your menu and shopping list for the week of Feb 19 – 25 for Bento Days:

Monday:

English Muffin Pizza
Cheddar Flowers
Grapes and Blueberries (or whatever berries you can find on sale)

Tuesday:

Egg Salad with Pita Chips
Stewed apples
Carrot coins

Wednesday:

Thursday:

Grilled Panini (veggie)
cantaloupe
Yogurt

Friday:

Shopping List:

Produce

Cucumber
cantaloupe
eggplant (small one for the panini)
small zucchini (for shredding into the lasagna)
Tangerine or oranges
Apples (soft ones like red delicious)
Carrots
Grapes
Blueberries (or whatever berries you can find on sale).
Crushed jarred garlic, or garlic cloves

Canned Goods and Boxed Goods

Can of chickpeas (garbanzo beans, 1 can makes four falafels).
Pasta sauce
Pizza sauce
lasagna noodles (preferably whole wheat).
Raisins
Whole grain quick oats

Breads

small loaf of Italian bread (found in your bakery)
1 pack of Pita Pockets (whole wheat).
Whole wheat English Muffins

Meats and Fish

1 small package of nitrite and nitrate free turkey pepperoni

Dairy

eggs for egg salad
cheddar cheese (block, not sliced)
swiss cheese (block not sliced)
shredded or block mozzarella

Eggplant and Mozzarella Panini

2012-02-18T23:06:00.001-06:00

Ingredients

4 (1/2 inch thick) slices eggplant, peeled
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
8 slices Italian bread
4 thin slices Swiss cheese

Directions

Brush the outside of the sliced Italian bread with olive oil
Fill with 1 slice each mozzarella (one half slice on each side) and eggplant.
Using a Panini or sandwich press, press and cook until golden.

If you don’t have a sandwich press, you can simply do it the old fashioned way by using a griddle or skillet and placing a small but heavy plate (or a plate with a heavy cup on top!) on the sandwich. then remove, flip and press again until golden.)

English Muffin Pizzas

2012-02-18T23:00:00.001-06:00

Ingredients

4 English muffins, split
1/2 cup canned pizza sauce
1 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
16 slices pepperoni sausage

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
Place the English muffin halves cut side up onto a baking sheet. Spoon some of the pizza sauce onto each one. Top with mozzarella cheese and pepperoni slices.
Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the cheese is melted and browned on the edges.

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 257
Total Fat: 8.5g
Total Carbs: 30.2g
Protein: 15.5g

Simple Egg Salad

2012-02-18T22:57:00.001-06:00

Ingredients

8 eggs
4 tablespoon mayonnaise
1 tablespoons prepared Dijon-style mustard
1 teaspoon dried dill weed
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 red onion, minced
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Place eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring water to a boil; cover, remove from heat, and let eggs stand in hot water for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from hot water, cool, peel and chop.
In a large bowl, combine the egg, mayonnaise, mustard, dill, paprika, onion and salt and pepper. Mash well with a fork or wooden spoon.
Serve on bread as a sandwich or over crisp lettuce as a salad.

Servings Per Recipe: 4

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 183
Total Fat: 12.8g
Total Carbs: 4.2g
Protein: 12.9g

Vegetarian Lasagna

2012-02-18T22:51:00.001-06:00

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 (10 ounce) packages frozen chopped spinach
1 small zucchini peeled and shredded
1/2 onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 (32 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce
1 1/2 cups water
1 16 oz container of part skim ricotta cheese
1 (4 ounce) package part skim mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 egg
8 ounces lasagna noodles

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In a large pot over medium heat sauté spinach, onion, oregano, basil and garlic, and zucchini in the olive oil. Pour in spaghetti sauce and water; simmer 20 minutes. In a large bowl mix ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, parsley, salt, pepper and egg.
Place a small amount of sauce in the bottom of a lasagna pan. Place 3 uncooked noodles on top of sauce and top with layer of sauce and veggies. Add 3 more noodles and layer with 1/2 sauce and 1/2 cheese mixture, noodles and repeat until all is layered, finishing with sauce.
Add a layer of shredded mozzarella cheese on top.
Cover with foil and bake in a preheated oven for 45 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 15 minutes. Let sit 10 minutes before serving.

Servings Per Recipe: 12

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 241
Total Fat: 7.8g
Total Carbs: 27.7g
Protein: 15.6g

Baked Falafel

2012-02-18T22:43:00.001-06:00

Ingredients – Falafel Pockets

Whole-wheat or high-fiber pitas
One 15-oz. can chickpeas, well drained
1 onion, very finely chopped (I used red onion because I like the color/flavor better)
1/4 cup whole-wheat flour
3 tbsp. finely chopped fresh parsley
1 1/2 tbsp. chopped garlic
1 tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 tbsp. ground cumin
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. lemon juice
1/8 tsp. paprika, or more to taste
black pepper, to taste
Two 2-second sprays olive oil nonstick spray
Baby spinach
Diced tomatoes

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Place all ingredients for falafel (except for the pitas, baking powder, and nonstick spray) in a food processor, and give them a good chop. Transfer into a bowl, add the baking powder and stir together. Using a potato masher, mash any big chunks that remain – Mixture should remain slightly chunky, not smooth.
Spray a baking sheet thoroughly with a 2-second spray of olive oil nonstick spray.
One at a time, take spoonfuls of mixture in your hands and form 15 balls, each about the size of a ping pong ball, and gently place them on the baking sheet. Spray the top of each ball with olive oil nonstick spray, for a total of about a 2-second spray.
Bake in the oven for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, combine 2 parts hummus to 1 part water, and stir until blended (add more water to taste depending on how watery you like your sauce). Season to taste with salt / black pepper and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Remove baking sheet from the oven, and carefully turn each ball over, gently reshaping if the bottoms have flattened. Return to the oven and bake for an additional 10 – 15 minutes, until golden brown and slightly crispy. Allow to cool and set for at least 5 minutes.
Cut the whole pitas into halves, toast or warm all pita halves slightly, fill with spinach, 3 falafel balls, diced tomato, and top with spinach and sauce. Enjoy!

Nutritional Information

Serving size: 1 pita half with 3 falafel balls and 1-3 tbsp dip
Calories: 200
Fat: 2.25g
Fiber: 8.5g
Protein: 10g