When thinking about making the switch to a healthier lifestyle, and a lifestyle with less impact on our planet, many balk at time commitment or expense. And who could blame them? If you go to the grocery store and look at a jar of organic peanut butter vs a jar of conventional peanut butter, you might see as much as an increase of $2.00 - or more - on the price.
But, there are a lot of creative ways to get healthier and more sustainable, without putting yourself in the hole. Over the next few weeks, I will post some of the ways you can save money on healthy food and household items, while still remaining sustainable and eco conscious.
One of the most helpful switches I've made is with my cleaning supplies. Vinegar is one of the best cleaners out there, and it's extremely cheap. It's also non-toxic, so you don't have to worry about your kids or pets getting into it. It will kill most molds and bacterias, and you should definitely try washing your clothes with that instead of bleach (it can brighten your whites AND make your black clothes look blacker). I found this great site with tons of tips for cleaning with vinegar (laundry, household cleaning, garden uses, etc).
Another money drainer is laundry. We're all so hard wired to wash most of our clothes on hot or warm cycles, when in reality cold will do the job. I wash everything from bedding to jean in cold water, and I've done this for years. My stuff always comes clean, and I don't have to heat the water for it. Seriously, give it a try.
While we're on the subject of laundry, what about drying your clothes? Ideally, you can line dry for free. But, what if you live somewhere with poor weather? Or what if your home is in a subdivision that doesn't allow this (can you tell I've got a chip on my shoulder about that...)? There's always the option of a dryer. But, if you must use a dryer, stay away from the fabric softener sheets. They're full of chemical nastiness, and you really don't want that on your clothes. A really cheap and easy way to get similar benefits to those icky sheets is by using wool dryer balls. They are more eco friendly than their PVC cousins, and they cost less as well. If you'd like to try your hand at crafting some, check out these instructions. You can also find these ready made on sites such as etsy, just google wool or felted dryer balls.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Seasonal Allergies?
It's that horrible time of year again. No, not holiday shopping time or tax time ... it's seasonal allergy time!
Allergies are something I never suffered from as a child, although my mother and sister have always been plagued by them. Like a smug brat I would tease them about it and brag that it was something I didn't have to deal with. But, after moving to Idaho as an adult; I began occasionally suffering from them. At the age of 28, after having a child, I suffered my first major case of seasonal allergies. The first spring after I had my daughter I broke out in rashes, I was sneezing, my head was all stuffed up - it was awful! My mother gave me some gentle ribbing about it - after all, she never had allergies until she'd had me!
I started doing research on natural remedies for allergies, and I found some interesting information.
One that really stuck with me is using local, wild, honey. When you use honey from local bees that are exposed to natural plants, the bees are likely gathering from the plants that are causing you problems. The small amounts of pollen you will be exposed to from the honey can act almost like a natural immunization - reducing or eliminating the allergy symptoms.
In addition to the benefits mentioned above, honey is a wonderful health food. It is both an anti-fungal and an anti-bacterial, it can be used on wounds to aid healing and it makes a great cough syrup. Besides that, it tastes amazing and is lower on the glycemic index than sugar. I often use it to sweeten my tea, smoothies, and other items.
Not only does buying local honey help you with allergy symptoms, it has the added boon of stimulating your local economy and decreasing your carbon footprint. Check your local farmers markets and health food stores for local honey from "free range" bees. Ask how the bees are kept though, and ensure the bees are not fed dry soy flour.
Allergies are something I never suffered from as a child, although my mother and sister have always been plagued by them. Like a smug brat I would tease them about it and brag that it was something I didn't have to deal with. But, after moving to Idaho as an adult; I began occasionally suffering from them. At the age of 28, after having a child, I suffered my first major case of seasonal allergies. The first spring after I had my daughter I broke out in rashes, I was sneezing, my head was all stuffed up - it was awful! My mother gave me some gentle ribbing about it - after all, she never had allergies until she'd had me!
I started doing research on natural remedies for allergies, and I found some interesting information.
One that really stuck with me is using local, wild, honey. When you use honey from local bees that are exposed to natural plants, the bees are likely gathering from the plants that are causing you problems. The small amounts of pollen you will be exposed to from the honey can act almost like a natural immunization - reducing or eliminating the allergy symptoms.
In addition to the benefits mentioned above, honey is a wonderful health food. It is both an anti-fungal and an anti-bacterial, it can be used on wounds to aid healing and it makes a great cough syrup. Besides that, it tastes amazing and is lower on the glycemic index than sugar. I often use it to sweeten my tea, smoothies, and other items.
Not only does buying local honey help you with allergy symptoms, it has the added boon of stimulating your local economy and decreasing your carbon footprint. Check your local farmers markets and health food stores for local honey from "free range" bees. Ask how the bees are kept though, and ensure the bees are not fed dry soy flour.
Friday, May 13, 2011
Lessons Learned from Dandelions
This is the time of year for gardening ... flowers, vegetables, fruit, and of course - weeds!
As mankind works so hard to use all kinds of unnatural methods to control nature, the job becomes much more difficult than need be (not to mention, making the planet a less healthy place to live).
Take for instance, the humble dandelion. A not so offensive weed to begin with, I actually find it cute and it's vibrant yellow is pleasant to look at. But, the homeowner's association seems to have a thorn in the backside about it, so I have to clear them from my yard.
The dandelion has a large and deep reach root, especially here in the desert, to allow for ample water. This is a pain in the butt (and nearly impossible) to hand pluck. I've taken to using a tool, that I'm not sure the name of, but it has two prongs and a rocker on the back of it to give good leverage for digging out weeds. Every time I see a dandelion I take a moment to use this item to dig the dandelion out, no chemicals needed, no poisons being put into the earth.
My neighbor opts to spray his dandelions. When the dandelion dies the vibrant yellow head turns into a white puff - dozens of little seeds waiting to spread into the wind. Soon the little seeds coat my neighbor's yard, and the entire thing turns into a field of dandelions. I see a lot of houses like this as I go around town. I can tell the people that choose to weed with chemicals instead of getting their hands a little dirty. They end up making the job far worse than it ever needed to be, due to their lack of willingness to put in a small effort to begin with. They end up needing to destroy more and more, in their quest to control a piece of the planet.
Take a lesson from the dandelions. Getting your hands in the dirt can be a relaxing and rewarding experience; when you work with the planet, the planet will be happy to work with you. When you unleash myriad chemicals and poison onto the earth, she will try and find a way to overcompensate. Fifty dandelions, because you poisoned one. Really, is it worth it?
And if you have a dandelion problem, maybe get creative about it! Dandelion tea is so healthy, and delicious. I also saw an interesting recipe for dandelion wine!
As mankind works so hard to use all kinds of unnatural methods to control nature, the job becomes much more difficult than need be (not to mention, making the planet a less healthy place to live).
Take for instance, the humble dandelion. A not so offensive weed to begin with, I actually find it cute and it's vibrant yellow is pleasant to look at. But, the homeowner's association seems to have a thorn in the backside about it, so I have to clear them from my yard.
The dandelion has a large and deep reach root, especially here in the desert, to allow for ample water. This is a pain in the butt (and nearly impossible) to hand pluck. I've taken to using a tool, that I'm not sure the name of, but it has two prongs and a rocker on the back of it to give good leverage for digging out weeds. Every time I see a dandelion I take a moment to use this item to dig the dandelion out, no chemicals needed, no poisons being put into the earth.
My neighbor opts to spray his dandelions. When the dandelion dies the vibrant yellow head turns into a white puff - dozens of little seeds waiting to spread into the wind. Soon the little seeds coat my neighbor's yard, and the entire thing turns into a field of dandelions. I see a lot of houses like this as I go around town. I can tell the people that choose to weed with chemicals instead of getting their hands a little dirty. They end up making the job far worse than it ever needed to be, due to their lack of willingness to put in a small effort to begin with. They end up needing to destroy more and more, in their quest to control a piece of the planet.
Take a lesson from the dandelions. Getting your hands in the dirt can be a relaxing and rewarding experience; when you work with the planet, the planet will be happy to work with you. When you unleash myriad chemicals and poison onto the earth, she will try and find a way to overcompensate. Fifty dandelions, because you poisoned one. Really, is it worth it?
And if you have a dandelion problem, maybe get creative about it! Dandelion tea is so healthy, and delicious. I also saw an interesting recipe for dandelion wine!
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Taste of Spring - Local Markets
The beginning of spring in Idaho (and many places) means local markets all around the valley open. These markets are overflowing with local produce, local meats, eggs, cheeses, crafts, wine, baked goods, preserves, and countless other goods. It's fun to stroll through the streets, surrounded by excited people perusing over the available wares. It's even more fun, now with a toddler in tow, watching her take in the sights; smiling as there are so many things she is seeing for the first time.
Weather around the US has been odd this year though, and in many places it's been a long long winter. This has translated into farmers losing crops, or having to getting a late start on planting. I was notified, through a local organic grocery service (not local only) that I use, that prices this year on organic foods (and all food, really) would be higher due these difficulties.
I think the higher price of food is a great incentive though, to go out to our local farmer markets and support our local community. Food is often less expensive at these markets, and you can pick up the basic equivalent of organic by looking for stalls that advertise "pesticide free" and "organic practices". It's also wonderful to talk to the farmers, get to know the people growing your food. I also feel good knowing that with mostly locally sourced groceries, my family is less likely to become a statistic in something like the 2006 ecoli outbreak from spinach. It's a lot easier to trace our food back to the source if one of us does fall ill from it, but with smaller productions it's all statistically less likely to happen.
So search your local areas for farmer markets, buy local items when you see your grocery store stocking them (provided that they are healthy items - don't forget to read labels!), and look into CSAs and co-ops in your area. Local Harvest is a great place to start! You'd be surprised at what just might be available.
Weather around the US has been odd this year though, and in many places it's been a long long winter. This has translated into farmers losing crops, or having to getting a late start on planting. I was notified, through a local organic grocery service (not local only) that I use, that prices this year on organic foods (and all food, really) would be higher due these difficulties.
I think the higher price of food is a great incentive though, to go out to our local farmer markets and support our local community. Food is often less expensive at these markets, and you can pick up the basic equivalent of organic by looking for stalls that advertise "pesticide free" and "organic practices". It's also wonderful to talk to the farmers, get to know the people growing your food. I also feel good knowing that with mostly locally sourced groceries, my family is less likely to become a statistic in something like the 2006 ecoli outbreak from spinach. It's a lot easier to trace our food back to the source if one of us does fall ill from it, but with smaller productions it's all statistically less likely to happen.
So search your local areas for farmer markets, buy local items when you see your grocery store stocking them (provided that they are healthy items - don't forget to read labels!), and look into CSAs and co-ops in your area. Local Harvest is a great place to start! You'd be surprised at what just might be available.
Friday, May 6, 2011
Kefir 101
I've mentioned kefir a couple of times, here on Grass Fed Girl, but I haven't actually gone into detail on the subject.
The term kefir is used to refer both to a fermented milk beverage (this can be dairy, or it can also be successfully made using soy, rice, or coconut milk), and to tibicos - or "water kefir". What I mean when I say kefir is the former of the two, the wonderful and slightly effervescent milk kefir.
For the past few years I've gone in and out of the habit of purchasing kefir from the store (it can often be found in the health food area of grocery stores, usually the Helios brand is what I've encountered). This can be a fairly expensive habit though, as a bottle contains four servings and costs juat over $4.00. A dollar a serving isn't prohibitive, but I didn't really fancy continually spending $30 a month on a beverage that was not dispensed from a coffee shop (priorities! I know!).
So, I began reading up on kefir. Something about it intrigued me. I wanted to know where it came from, was it really a nutritional powerhouse, could I make it myself?
I came across the KefirLady website, which has all the information one could ever hope for on obtaining kefir grains and making kefir. I discovered through even further research that kefir made at home, using genuine kefir grains, is NOT the same as the kefir you will find on the shelf in the store. The kefir you find in your grocery store is more like a drinkable yogurt; sure it has healthy bacterias, but on average only about four different bacterias vs the 30+ homemade kefir contains. In addition to the health benefits, homemade kefir is a sound financial investment. I paid $20 for my kefir grains, and as long as I take good care of them I never have to buy new ones. Kefir grains reproduce, and they do so FAST! I am still doing great with original grains I received, but I also keep some backups. So, I'm now down to just the cost of milk; a gallon of raw milk lasts us a week, and we make three servings of kefir smoothie a day. That's 28 servings of kefir for $10 versus four servings for $4.00. The only added costs are any flavors added to the kefir.
So how easy is it to make kefir? If you can pour a beverage, you can do it! Basically, slip your shiny little kefir grains into a bowl, pour milk over them (about 2.5cups for 1/4cup of grains), cover the bowl with a cheesecloth and leave it somewhere like the kitchen counter (don't put it in the fridge), come back in 24 hrs and voila! You have kefir! Strain the grains, and repeat.
I tend to make my kefir into a smoothie (see easy peasy recipe below). But, there are also numerous uses for kefir! You can make cheese, salad dressing, sourdough bread, and numerous other food items. You can also use it as a base for shaving cream, skin creams, or facial washes. It even works great to get your compost heap going!
If you're interested in obtaining grains, you can try the KefirLady, but you might also poke around craigslist, depending where you live, usually people are offering them up pretty cheap or free!
Strawberry Banana Kefir Smoothie
serves three
2.5-3 cups of kefir (I use raw milk kefir)
1 cup of frozen strawberries (fresh will work as well, I like frozen since I use fresh kefir, meaning it has not been in the fridge)
1 medium banana
1-2 tbsp raw honey (depending how sweet you like it)
Place ingredients in blender. Blend to desired consistency. Enjoy!
The term kefir is used to refer both to a fermented milk beverage (this can be dairy, or it can also be successfully made using soy, rice, or coconut milk), and to tibicos - or "water kefir". What I mean when I say kefir is the former of the two, the wonderful and slightly effervescent milk kefir.
For the past few years I've gone in and out of the habit of purchasing kefir from the store (it can often be found in the health food area of grocery stores, usually the Helios brand is what I've encountered). This can be a fairly expensive habit though, as a bottle contains four servings and costs juat over $4.00. A dollar a serving isn't prohibitive, but I didn't really fancy continually spending $30 a month on a beverage that was not dispensed from a coffee shop (priorities! I know!).
So, I began reading up on kefir. Something about it intrigued me. I wanted to know where it came from, was it really a nutritional powerhouse, could I make it myself?
I came across the KefirLady website, which has all the information one could ever hope for on obtaining kefir grains and making kefir. I discovered through even further research that kefir made at home, using genuine kefir grains, is NOT the same as the kefir you will find on the shelf in the store. The kefir you find in your grocery store is more like a drinkable yogurt; sure it has healthy bacterias, but on average only about four different bacterias vs the 30+ homemade kefir contains. In addition to the health benefits, homemade kefir is a sound financial investment. I paid $20 for my kefir grains, and as long as I take good care of them I never have to buy new ones. Kefir grains reproduce, and they do so FAST! I am still doing great with original grains I received, but I also keep some backups. So, I'm now down to just the cost of milk; a gallon of raw milk lasts us a week, and we make three servings of kefir smoothie a day. That's 28 servings of kefir for $10 versus four servings for $4.00. The only added costs are any flavors added to the kefir.
So how easy is it to make kefir? If you can pour a beverage, you can do it! Basically, slip your shiny little kefir grains into a bowl, pour milk over them (about 2.5cups for 1/4cup of grains), cover the bowl with a cheesecloth and leave it somewhere like the kitchen counter (don't put it in the fridge), come back in 24 hrs and voila! You have kefir! Strain the grains, and repeat.
I tend to make my kefir into a smoothie (see easy peasy recipe below). But, there are also numerous uses for kefir! You can make cheese, salad dressing, sourdough bread, and numerous other food items. You can also use it as a base for shaving cream, skin creams, or facial washes. It even works great to get your compost heap going!
If you're interested in obtaining grains, you can try the KefirLady, but you might also poke around craigslist, depending where you live, usually people are offering them up pretty cheap or free!
Strawberry Banana Kefir Smoothie
serves three
2.5-3 cups of kefir (I use raw milk kefir)
1 cup of frozen strawberries (fresh will work as well, I like frozen since I use fresh kefir, meaning it has not been in the fridge)
1 medium banana
1-2 tbsp raw honey (depending how sweet you like it)
Place ingredients in blender. Blend to desired consistency. Enjoy!
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Spelt is a Wonderful Thing
I tried a new recipe last night - it's a hit!
I have been reading up a bit on spelt, and it's nutritional value. Normally, I try to stick to sprouted grains (and I'm sure you could substitute any variety of sprouted grains in this recipe) but curiosity got the best of me; last night I bought some spelt flour and made muffins!
We can't all be perfect right?
They are delicious! And as an added boost, my picky toddler loved them as well (and I'm sure you will too!). Also, a great thing about this flour is that the majority of people with wheat allergies have no problem consuming spelt. The flavor is not as heavy as whole wheat, but the texture is just a bit denser.
Okay okay, enough right? What you're here for is the recipe! The base for this recipe is the one on the Bob's Red Mill spelt flour package, but I altered a few things for delicousness factor!
Walnut Spelt Muffins
makes 12
2 1/4 cups spelt flour
1/4 c raw honey (Bob's Red Mill uses brown sugar)
1 tbsp baking powder
1 1/4 c milk (I use raw, even though it loses the health benefits in cooking, it doesn't lose the environmentally-friendly benefits *smile* )
3 eggs, beaten (I use pastured)
1 Tbsp coconut oil (I use unrefined, it's solid, you'll want to warm it so it mixes evenly. Bob's Red Mill uses vegetable oil, which I am against. Also, the coconut oil does give it a bit of a nice flavor)
1 cup chopped walnuts
1. Preheat the oven to 425, and line or grease muffin tin
2. Mix together the flour and baking powder (and brown sugar if you are using this instead of honey).
3. In a separate bowl, mix the eggs, milk, oil, honey and walnuts.
4. Combine the wet and dry ingredients, mix just enough to moisten everything.
5. Fill muffin tin so that each cup is just 2/3 full. Bake for 17 minutes.
* These would be great with berries, cacao nibs, or coconut flakes as well!
I have been reading up a bit on spelt, and it's nutritional value. Normally, I try to stick to sprouted grains (and I'm sure you could substitute any variety of sprouted grains in this recipe) but curiosity got the best of me; last night I bought some spelt flour and made muffins!
We can't all be perfect right?
They are delicious! And as an added boost, my picky toddler loved them as well (and I'm sure you will too!). Also, a great thing about this flour is that the majority of people with wheat allergies have no problem consuming spelt. The flavor is not as heavy as whole wheat, but the texture is just a bit denser.
Okay okay, enough right? What you're here for is the recipe! The base for this recipe is the one on the Bob's Red Mill spelt flour package, but I altered a few things for delicousness factor!
Walnut Spelt Muffins
makes 12
2 1/4 cups spelt flour
1/4 c raw honey (Bob's Red Mill uses brown sugar)
1 tbsp baking powder
1 1/4 c milk (I use raw, even though it loses the health benefits in cooking, it doesn't lose the environmentally-friendly benefits *smile* )
3 eggs, beaten (I use pastured)
1 Tbsp coconut oil (I use unrefined, it's solid, you'll want to warm it so it mixes evenly. Bob's Red Mill uses vegetable oil, which I am against. Also, the coconut oil does give it a bit of a nice flavor)
1 cup chopped walnuts
1. Preheat the oven to 425, and line or grease muffin tin
2. Mix together the flour and baking powder (and brown sugar if you are using this instead of honey).
3. In a separate bowl, mix the eggs, milk, oil, honey and walnuts.
4. Combine the wet and dry ingredients, mix just enough to moisten everything.
5. Fill muffin tin so that each cup is just 2/3 full. Bake for 17 minutes.
* These would be great with berries, cacao nibs, or coconut flakes as well!
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Goji Berries
As trends in the health food industry come and go, there are some items that miss the mark, and some that are true nutritional power houses.
Goji berries (also known as wolfberries) , one of the "new" trends, are actually an ancient nutritional source, originating in China, and viewed as a source of vitality, longevity, and as being a powerful antioxidant.
There are many ways of ingesting goji berries, but one must pay attention to quality. With the rising popularity of this berry, many people are seeking to cash in ... by making "goji berry juice". However, there is an eye opening story on Dr Mercola's site regarding goji berry juice, that you may wish to read before drinking up. In addition to price inflation, some of the goji berry drinks contain actual very little juice.
If you get your hands on whole berries though, dry or otherwise, you can bet that you're getting your hands on a nutritional treat. These go great in trail mixes, tossed into your morning oatmeal or yogurt, or baked into homemade granola bars.
For a yummy dessert, try some Goji-Cacao-Oatmeal Cookies
1/2 cup dried goji berries
1 3/4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup almonds coarsely ground(I put mine through a coffee bean grinder)
1 cup spelt flour (I prefer sprouted. You can also use all purpose or wheat)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 sticks butter, softened (I prefer Kerrygold, as it's pastured)
1/2 cup honey (go for local! :) )
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 cup cacao nibs
About 40 cookies
1. As you prepare to begin making the dough, preheat your oven to 325F, and lightly grease the cookie sheets.
2. Stir together the oats, spelt, almonds, and baking soda
3. Using a different bowl, mix together the butter and honey, and then add the egg and vanilla to this mixture. Mix together until well combined.
4. Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture, then pour in the goji berries and cacao nibs. Mix together completely.
Drop dough by spoonfuls onto greased cookie sheets, leaving about 2inches between them.
Bake at 325F for about 10 minutes, until golden.
Goji berries (also known as wolfberries) , one of the "new" trends, are actually an ancient nutritional source, originating in China, and viewed as a source of vitality, longevity, and as being a powerful antioxidant.
There are many ways of ingesting goji berries, but one must pay attention to quality. With the rising popularity of this berry, many people are seeking to cash in ... by making "goji berry juice". However, there is an eye opening story on Dr Mercola's site regarding goji berry juice, that you may wish to read before drinking up. In addition to price inflation, some of the goji berry drinks contain actual very little juice.
If you get your hands on whole berries though, dry or otherwise, you can bet that you're getting your hands on a nutritional treat. These go great in trail mixes, tossed into your morning oatmeal or yogurt, or baked into homemade granola bars.
For a yummy dessert, try some Goji-Cacao-Oatmeal Cookies
1/2 cup dried goji berries
1 3/4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup almonds coarsely ground(I put mine through a coffee bean grinder)
1 cup spelt flour (I prefer sprouted. You can also use all purpose or wheat)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 sticks butter, softened (I prefer Kerrygold, as it's pastured)
1/2 cup honey (go for local! :) )
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 cup cacao nibs
About 40 cookies
1. As you prepare to begin making the dough, preheat your oven to 325F, and lightly grease the cookie sheets.
2. Stir together the oats, spelt, almonds, and baking soda
3. Using a different bowl, mix together the butter and honey, and then add the egg and vanilla to this mixture. Mix together until well combined.
4. Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture, then pour in the goji berries and cacao nibs. Mix together completely.
Drop dough by spoonfuls onto greased cookie sheets, leaving about 2inches between them.
Bake at 325F for about 10 minutes, until golden.
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