Tree-Hugging Change

I don't know about you all, but one of my family's biggest problems is the number of paper towels we go through.  With two young children, we are always in need of a towel to quickly mop up spills or wipe sticky mouths and hands.  And it doesn't help that Doug grabs one to wipe off the smallest of water messes on the counter tops.  I use them frequently to cover food that's put in the microwave, two every night to dry off fruit for lunches, and multiple a day to wipe up spills on the floor.  On average, we use at least one roll of paper towels per week--and that's usually using the smaller "select-a-size" towel.  I have tried to cut down the use of these convenient, disposable towels but let's face it...they are a pretty great invention!  However, after thinking about the number of towels we throw into the landfill every year (6,496!), I decided it was time to make a change.  I picked up three different types of towels and some Command adhesive hooks and began my tree-saving journey.  The white ones pictured are flour sacks (not really sacks at all) that I use to lay my fruit on to dry.  Yes, the berries stain them, but who cares?  The plaid washcloths are used for floor spills and the colorful ones are for, you guessed it, sticky, munchkin mouths and hands (of course the girls love them!)  

I placed the hooks on the inside of the cabinet door, under the sink.  The ones I use for the floor are placed inside the cabinet away from the other two.  I also keep a dishrag draped over the sink to wipe down countertops.  Is this adding to my laundry load?  Nope.  We never have a maxed out load of towels, so they just join the rest of their linty friends. 

I have to say that I don't miss the paper towels at all!  We still have some, because let's face it, why would I use my towels to pat chicken or fish dry? Yuck!  But, I do find myself reaching for one quite often--creature of habit.  I ended up placing a clean dishrag over the paper towel holder as a reminder to reach for a real towel first.  In the last week we have used roughly one small sheet a day! That's is big news in our house.  Do I dare switch over to cloth napkins??

Anyone else up for banishing their paper towel addiction?

Going Organic..How to Do It

Well, it is now May and my budget app just reset itself... with $2.00 left to spare from April!  Once again, I broke down my spending and over 66% of it was spent on groceries (just over $550), which is much better than the $700 I was spending!  What really helped me was planning out our menu every week and only buying what we needed.  Before, I was just going up and down isles and picking up things that we typically use and coming up with meals as I shopped.  This clearly was not not working; I ended up buying way more than I ever needed and it began to pile up in my pantry.  As I stated in a previous post, I go to Whole Foods once a month to stock up on organic/non-GMO items I cannot get at Giant Eagle.  Even though I just went to Whole Foods the middle of April, I decided to go again today to get my monthly trip there and to Target back to the first of the month.  This time, I only spent $267.00 (as compared to almost $400 last trip!).  I took a look at last month's receipt and figured out where I could cut back.  My most expensive purchase last month was Spectrum Organic Mayonnaise at $11.99 a jar!  Today, I picked up their non-organic mayonnaise and read that it was third party certified GMO free, so that was a savings right there (still $6.99 a jar, but worth it to me).  By reading labels closely you can sometimes find non-organic items that are still non-GMO certified.

I was having a discussion with my uncle about organic living, and he stated that it's good for those who have the wealth to afford it.  I got to thinking about this, and I believe it is not so much about wealth, but rather on smart spending.  My husband and I are both teachers, so by no means are we "wealthy."  So how do we do it?   I have decided to dedicate some of my upcoming blog posts to giving tips on how to  shift to a more organic lifestyle in baby steps, without breaking the bank.   First, before I give my first bit of advise, I should explain that one of the primary reasons we can afford a 90% organic diet is the fact that we do not spend money on sodas, snack cakes, cookies, sugary cereals, chips, and other unhealthy snack options.  90% of my cart is filled with foods from the stores perimeter (think fresh, raw foods). Neither one of us drinks, smokes or partakes in any other unhealthy habit that sucks money from our budgets.  I highly recommend looking at your pantry and taking note of what is filling your cabinets, (and eventually your family's bellies).  Where can you cut back?  The sugary soda filled with high-fructose corn syrup or artificial chemical sweeteners?  The greasy or sugary snacks that zap our children's energy?  If you permanently cross those things off your list, you have extra money to put towards healthy organic fruits, vegetables, dairy and meat.

Which brings me to my main point for today.  If I were to only be able to afford to switch to one organic food category, I would definitely go with meats, dairy and eggs.  These days animals are fed horrible combinations of food that aren't part of their natural diet and are often filed with GMO corn.  Cows are injected with growth hormones and antibiotics which then turn up in milk and muscle tissue.  Look for beef that comes from pasture-raised cows that have not been treated with rBGH (read more about this here in a previous post) and hormones. If you have to drink milk, I would highly recommend one that is not ultra-pasteurized nor homogenized.  The more treatments milk goes through the more unhealthy it becomes. We love Snowville Creamery--it's as close to raw as you can get here in Ohio, and even better the creamery is located here in Ohio along the Ohio River ($3.39 for a half gallon).  Another common brand here in Ohio is Hartzler Family Dairy (located in Wooster, Ohio).  This dairy bottles their milk in glass jars, which you can return for cash back or credit towards your next bottle. This milk tastes so fresh and natural! Another milk tip: go for the whole milk.  Skimming milk is another process that destroys more nutrients.  As for eggs, have you even been to a chicken/egg farm?  Talk about gross!  I was appalled by the living conditions these hens were facing...not to mention the filth!  Always look for free-range, vegetarian-fed, organic eggs.  They really do taste better and you will be amazed at the orange, not yellow, yolks! Yes, I know you can get a whole gallon of milk for less than $3.39 and a pound of cheap ground beef for $1.99 per pound, but if you give up that 12 pack of soda, those 3 boxes of snack cakes or a bag of Oreos, switching to organic can be manageable!

Anyone up for this challenge?  Make this change for your health and the health of your family, while standing up to unhealthy practices the FDA has allowed to enter the food industry.

Bread!

Ahhh...there is nothing like the smell of fresh bread baking in your own oven!  If only you could smell the aroma filling my house right now.  Based on smell alone, I would say my first attempt at making bread was a success.  It is cooling right now, and before I finish writing this post, I am sure I will have an update on the taste.  I'm not sure I can wait until tomorrow.  I did the math and my organic bread cost around $2.30.  I pay $2.98 for Whole Foods Organic Bread and the brand names are close to $4.00!  If this bread tastes as good as it smells, I'd say I am sold.  A bonus?  It was super easy!  I mixed up the dough in about 3 minutes and let my Kitchen Aid dough hook knead it for a bit, then finished it off by hand in about 10.  Of course I had to let it rise, knead it again and let it rise again, but that was effortless.  Enjoy!


Honey Wheat Bread (taken from www.tammysrecipes.com)

Ingredients:
1 cup warm water (110-115 º F)
1 tablespoon milk
2 tablespoons oil
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons instant active dry yeast (active dry yeast will work also, just make sure your water is around 130º F)

Instructions: 

1. *Combine first 6 ingredients in a large mixing bowl; stir.

2. Add flours and yeast, and knead until dough is smooth and elastic, about 10-15 minutes. Place dough in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover with a clean towel and let rise until doubled, about 40 minutes.

Teaching the fine art of kneading...

...or pounding

3. Punch dough down; knead for a few minutes until smooth and then form into a loaf. Place in greased loaf pan and cover. Let rise in a warm place until almost doubled in size, about 30 minutes.

            

4. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes. If loaf starts browning too soon, lightly lay a piece of foil on top.

5. Remove bread from oven and allow to rest in pan for a few minutes. Remove to a wire rack and cover with a cloth. Slice and enjoy while still warm!  Leftover bread can be stored in an airtight bag or frozen until needed.

Update on flavor:  I pulled a smidge off the end and it is yummy, but could use a bit more sweetness.  Next time I am going to try another tablespoon of honey and maybe a bit more sugar.  :) 

Happy Pinning!

Last night I figured out how to add a Pin-It  button to my blog, so feel free to pin a recipe or idea that you wish to hang on to.  If you click on the blog post that you want to pin, it will link directly to that one post.  Otherwise the button will link you to the entire blog and will eventually get lost in all the posts.  

While getting out ingredients for tonight's dinner, I realized that amount of processed foods in our pantry was really dwindling.  I stopped buying fruit snacks (we have one box of Annie's organic gummy bunnies left), the girls ate the last of the Bunny cracker mix for snack tonight, and there are a few other snack items left, so I've decided to stop buying it all together.  Lately the Monkeys have been asking for fruit, cheese or (the latest) pickles to snack on.  We do have one last bag of Goldfish left, but after hearing they use ingredients from Monsanto, Pepperidge Farm has been crossed off my list.  My alternative has been Whole Foods organic cheddar ducks, but they are still processed and contain unnecessary ingredients.  My latest idea?  Make my own!  I found several recipes for homemade cheese crackers and I can't wait to try them.  I searched for a tiny fish cookie cutter but at $8 + shipping, I decided I could probably make my own. The other night I drank a Cherry Vanilla Cream Soda (from Whole Foods and sooo yummy!) so I grabbed the can out of the recycling and cut it into strips.  I then began forming it into a fish shape and taped the edges together.  I was worried about the sharp edges on top, so I covered those in tape as well.  It isn't as sturdy as a copper cookie cutter, but it will work.  It would be fun to create different shapes for parties or special holidays.  I'll let you know how they turn out once I try them.

As for dinner tonight...another fantastic meal.  The original recipe called for bass, but I always use cod because it is mild, less expensive and the girls love it!  This would also be great with chicken.  I listed the ingredients as I used them, but obviously they do not need to be organic.  (Beware..this is NOT a low-fat recipe!)

Cod with Mushroom Sauce

3 Tbs. unsalted organic butter

2 shallots, chopped

1/2 Tbs. dried Thyme (or 2 sprigs fresh)

Fresh ground pepper

8 oz mushrooms quartered or sliced

1 # wild cod fillets

1 Tbs. olive oil

1 Tbs. organic vegetable oil

3/4 cup organic chicken broth (or use dry white wine if you prefer)

3/4 cup organic heavy cream

Heat butter in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add shallots, thyme and pepper and cook for 2-3 minutes.  Add mushrooms and saute until browned, about 8 minutes. While the mushrooms are cooking, heat the oils in another skillet over medium heat.  Add the fish and cook for a few minutes on each side, just until browned; transfer to a plate.  Add the broth to the skillet and scrape up any bits.  Boil over high heat until reduced, about 3 minutes.  Add the cream and simmer another 3 minutes.  Add the mushrooms to the cream sauce then add the fish back to the skillet.  Simmer until the fish is cooked through, 5-7 minutes.  

I served this with mashed potatoes (organic instant...I was lazy) and a salad.  

Budget Update:  $12.50 remaining, 6 days left

Has to be a First!

Happy Earth Day!!

I am rather proud of myself as I start this week off.  I had fifty dollars in Gymbucks (reward money at Gymboree if you aren't familiar) that expired yesterday and I actually let it expire without using it!  We went to the mall on Saturday and I stopped in with every intention of using them...I had my hands full of stuff the girls didn't really need. As I looked down at the armload of clothes, my mind wandered to the piles of clothes they already had at home; I reluctantly put down the colorful summer pieces and walked out.  It might sound crazy, but it was hard to do.  I love shopping for new clothes for my kids.  When I got into the car I very proudly showed Doug my empty hands; he gave me an impressed, "Congratulations."  I had done it...for the first time I walked out of Gymboree with Gymbucks still in hand, knowing they would be worthless the following day.  Not because I couldn't find anything cute, but because I for once had self-control.

Last month we were at our friends' house in Pittsburgh celebrating their daughter's birthday.  As food was being set out I noticed that Jen had put ranch dressing into a wonderful class jar.  It was the perfect size and shape to put dips, candy, olives, etc. into for parties. When I asked her where she got it, I was shocked by her response: it was the container from a Bath & Body Works candle.

After the candle burns all the way down, simply peel off the label, put it into the freezer overnight and the remaining wax will pop right out.  Rinse with warm water to clear out any residue and toss it in the dishwasher.  Who knew??  I usually throw stuff like this in the recycling, but repurposing is even better!  You've already bought the container, so why throw it away?  I could also see them being used for mini parfait or truffle dishes.  Here it is all cleaned up:

Thank you for the tip Jen!  (Now everyone needs to pass me their empty candle jars!)

Last night I posted about my attempt at pita pockets, so here is a photo of tonight's dinner. I used left-over chicken from last night, mixed it with lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber and homemade poppy seed dressing (recipe below) and stuffed it into a pita.  They were delicious!  I highly recommend them over store bought pitas any day.  I plan on freezing the rest to use another night.

Poppy Seed Dressing

Heaping 1/2 c. mayonnaise
1/4 c. milk (use less if you want it more creamy)
2 Tbs. cider vinegar
1 Tbs. lemon juice
1 Tbs. poppy seeds
2 Tbs. sugar (add more if you like it sweeter)

Mix together.  It is hard to mess this up.  Adjust ingredients to your taste.

Enjoy!

What's Gotten Into Me?

I'm beginning to wonder what has gotten into me.  I mean, I have, for the past 15 years, been on the organic side of living, but I think I have reached a crazy high...chickens in my backyard? Really??  Hopefully that is the craziest idea that slips through my mind!  Today I roasted a chicken in the slow cooker, and the plan is to use the leftover chicken for chicken salad pitas tomorrow.  After looking at the ingredient list on packaged pitas, I decided to try making my own. (I can't believe the stuff they put in bread!) I hate the idea of making bread though because of the time involved, but I have to say these were super easy and super delicious!  (Recipe is below.)  I then began to think that maybe homemade bread wasn't really all that tedious.  I found a recipe that I hope to try next weekend.

As I was making the dough for the pitas, my mind began to wander as I pictured myself in an old farmhouse kitchen making bread, looking out the window at my free-range chickens roaming around the yard and the Monkeys sitting at the table doing their school work.  Doug then came into the kitchen and woke me up out of my daydream and asked what I was doing.  I told him I was making pitas and then asked him once again if we could move out in the country to a farm, where I don't have to work, can make homemade bread every week and can homeschool our girls.  I got the look again.  His reply: "I'm not a farmer."  Yea, no kidding.  Anyone who knows my husband knows how true this is....he refuses to eat outside because of the bugs, if that tells you anything.  **Sigh**  I guess I'll have to make the most of my suburban palace.

Budget Update:  After a quick trip to Giant Eagle today, I only have $22.50 left in my monthly budget. The challenge is on!

Pita Pocket Bread

Makes 8 whole pitas

Ingredients:

1 c. warm water (110º-115º)

1 Tbsp. oil

1 tsp. salt

2 tsp. sugar (or honey)

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp. dry yeast

Instructions:

In a large bowl, combine the first 4 ingredients.  Add 1/2 cup of each of the flours, along with the yeast and stir to mix.  Add remaining flour gradually and knead until it comes together in a soft dough.  Put the dough back into the bowl and lightly oil the top and cover.  Set in a warm place to rise until doubled, about an hour.

Punch the dough down and turn onto a lightly floured surface.  Cut the dough into 8 equal pieces and form each into a ball.  Roll each ball into a 6 to 7 inch circle on a lightly floured surface.  Set each round aside on a floured surface and cover with a towel.  Allow it to rise for about 30 minutes.  The rounds will still be flat but should be slightly puffy.  

Preheat oven to 500º.  Place two rounds on a baking stone and bake for 4-5 minutes until puffed up and slightly golden.  (Do not brown too much or they won't flex for filling.)  Remove them from the oven and immediately wrap and layer pitas in a damp towel.  Continue baking all of the rounds, layering them in the towel as soon as they are done baking.  Allow them to cool in the towel.

          

        

Cut pitas in half and fill as desired.

Let me know if you try these out!  Enjoy!

Frugal in an Organic World

Before I get on topic, I am going to get off-topic..."Blogger" has a way of tracking the countries my "audience" comes from.  Most recently, I discovered that several people who have read my posts live in France, Germany, Russia and Great Britain.  Pretty neat that people all over the world have access to my worthless knowledge!  I'd love for people to start leaving comments so I know who you all are :)

Now on to my topic.  I may have scared a few away by my last post.  Hopefully you don't think I am some nut-job, but I am truly concerned about Monsanto's power.  Anyway, I have found a few resources that I plan to refer to as I continue to do my shopping.  I have discovered that as long as I stick with Whole Foods store brand organic foods (labeled as 365), I am avoiding GMO's the best that I can.  By sticking with store brand, I am technically saving...typically paying the same price as I would for a conventional name brand.  If Whole Foods brand isn't an option, there are shopper's guides out there that can help you choose non-GMO brands.  (Most grocers have their own brand of organic foods now.)  Here are links to a few if you are interested:

                                            

                                                     

                                            

                                                           (NonGMO Project's website)

As well as eating organically, I also make sure that my cosmetics, soaps and shampoos (especially for the girls) are free of yucky stuff.  If you are interested in getting rid of the toxins lingering in your make-up bag and shower, there is a website for that too!  The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics is a database that rates the safety of thousands of beauty/cleansing products for adults and children.  It has an easy search option, so plug in your favorites and see how safe they are.  As for me, my morning make-up routine involves six things:  BASIC mild cleanser, giovanni Organics moisturizer and foundation, mineral veil, blush and mascara all from bare minerals.  In the shower, I use Whole Foods brand body wash (grapefruit citrus) and a variety of shampoos and conditioners.  The photo below shows the selections I currently have in my closet (do I have a problem or what?)  Oh, and not to forget the most important part of my morning routine, my deodorant.  I haven't used an aluminum-containing brand in years, and this is by far the best one I have found.  The only down-side is I can only find it at Wal-Mart. 

     

Are these more expensive that conventional brands?  A bit, but not necessarily.  As for my cosmetics, the moisturizer is around $5.50 and I always make it last twice as long by wetting my fingers a bit before applying it.  It stretches the cream quite a bit further.  I use it full strength when my skin is super dry.  My make-up is $25 a pop...YIKES!  But, again, I use it sparingly.  It is all powder form, so I find I don't need nearly as much as I was using other products.  Also, I use more on special occasions and less on an every day basis.  I buy it once a year because my parents always stock me up at Christmas time!  My shampoo and conditioner costs around $6 each but again, I try to use less and went back to washing my hair every other day.  The deodorant isn't quite $3. 

As for my girls,  I use BabyGanics Moisturizing Therapy baby wash (it's super creamy and makes their skin so soft!) and they are now using the same shampoo and conditioner I use.  When they were babies, I used Burt's Bees wash and shampoo which smells heavenly!  Here is the link to the Campaign for Safer Cosmetics database:

Questions, comments or suggestions?  I'd love to hear them!

Monthly expenses thus far: $162.66...feeling success!

Extreme Couponing?

Have you ever tried being a coupon clipper?  I mean, a real coupon clipper?  You know, like the women who spend hours going though multiple Sunday papers, organizing them in binders, searching endlessly online for more to clip and then comparing grocery fliers to match what's on sale with the coupons they have to basically get stuff for free?  Whew!  God Bless 'em for having the patience and the time, but that is NOT for me.  I am a full-time working mom (a teacher, non-the-less) so if I am not working, I am cooking, bathing kids, packing lunches, grading papers/lesson planning or cuddling with my Monkeys. Time to clip coupons?  PLEASE!  Part of me loves the idea of getting food for free, but I value my time with my family a lot more than a few saved bucks.

So, what do I do to save money on groceries? Not a lot, but I partially let the coupons come to me.  I shop at Giant Eagle, except for my monthly trip to Whole Foods.  Giant Eagle has recently replaced their "food perks" program with another one, which I kinda like.  Every so often they will send me "Golden Rewards" based on my spending.  In the last 2 months, I have received 3- $10 cards along with several other coupons for free drinks, flowers and a deli sandwich (interesting combination, I know).  In addition, I also receive coupons from them for things I typically buy. Just last week, I used most of my most recent coupons on one trip and saved $9.00, plus I used a $10 "Golden Reward" card.  I saved $19 without doing anything but check my mail.  As I mentioned in a past post, I am very finicky about food.  I mostly buy organic foods, especially produce, meats and dairy.  It is difficult to find coupons for organic foods, so it's nice to get coupons that can be applied to any purchase, not just specific brands.  (One of my coupons was for $3 off a fresh veggie purchase, another for $2 off a deli purchase.)  Another perk of having a Giant Eagle Advantage card is that I can go on their website and "clip" coupons that are sent right to my account.  All I have to do is scan my card and any coupons are automatically applied to my purchase.  I love the idea of these e-coupons because I am always forgetting my envelope of paper coupons.  Did I also mention my Giant Eagle card ha also saved me over $700 in gas over the course of the year?!    

I also recently discovered a website, www.organicdeals.com.  I found some good coupons, for both organic and non-organic foods and they even list special sale items for various health food stores (Earth Fare, Whole Food and Traders Joe's included).  Some of the links for coupons take you right to the coupon for printing, others make you go through hoops and register before accessing.  This site also includes articles and other topics of interest in addition to savings from Target and online marketplaces. It's worth a look!

So I may never be casted for "Extreme Couponing," but I am satisfied with the amount of money I do save from my little effort...and I think my kids are too!