We successfully completed a half marathon fundraiser last weekend and had a wonderful group of people come out to walk, run, and cheer us on to raise support for our adoption. The course was beautiful and the sun was out, and it was so much fun to complete something like that with friends and family. To those who participated, thank you...you inspire us.
This weekend, we are in central Oregon, enjoying time with family. As I write this, my husband and I are working from a little local coffee shop. We biked here from our rental.
Days like this make me want to live in a little town where you can bike and walk almost everywhere. We have been talking lately about what it would look like to become a single car family after we get our daughter home from Ghana, and I think this is just the type of place that would allow us to do that. Can you imagine the money you would save each year in gas and car maintenance? Do any of you make it work with only one car in your household? I would love to know your thoughts and experiences.
My next recipe from the Beyond the Kitchen Series comes directly from the Peas and Thank You website. This is a recipe for Lavender Rosemary Hair (and Body) Gel. It stores in the refrigerator for a longer shelf life, since it is made out of all natural ingredients. Here's what you'll need:
1/4 cup flaxseeds
2 cups water
4-5 drops each of lavender, rosemary, vitamin E, and/or jojoba oil
1 teaspoon honey
Small mesh strainer (for getting the seeds out, or you could use a 6 inch section of pantyhose including the foot)
Resealable container for storing
This recipe may look difficult, but I assure you that it's very simple. Start by bringing the water to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and add in your flaxseeds. Simmer the mixture, stirring often, until it has the consistency of egg whites- about 8-10 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the mixture to cool until its warm and won't burn you as you transfer it into your resealable container. Pour the flaxseed gel through the mesh strainer and into your container. You will probably have to use a spoon to help the gel through. (If you're using pantyhose, it is easier to squeeze the gel through the fabric. Just line your container with the pantyhose and roll the ends over the edges to keep it in place.) Next, add your oils and your honey, stir, refrigerate, and you're done. This gel can be used as a body moisturizer also, and it is great for soothing sunburns if you don't have aloe vera gel on hand. I use a tablespoon or two on my hair when it is wet and let it air dry for soft but defined curls. Side note: the texture of the gel is gooey, but it goes away completely when it gets onto your hair. This recipe gives me the curl definition of expensive hair products- and trust me when I say that I have tried them all. I hope you enjoy it, and thank you for reading.
A month of salads? I know this sounds like a silly idea, but I have loved it. I have been wanting to do this for a while now- salad for dinner every night (and for lunches too). This month, we are out of town about a third of the month, and the weather is pretty warm so I don't want to do much cooking in the kitchen. So I figured this would be a great month to try the salad dinners.
As I explained in my menu plan post, our salads are more than just lettuce. I top them with beans, lentils, quinoa, veggie burgers/vegan chicken nuggets, salmon or grilled meat for my husband, homemade croutons, lots of chopped veggies, salsa, guacamole, sautéed vegetables, seeds, nuts, fruit (dried or fresh), black pepper, and homemade maple-dijon vinaigrette. The lettuce only makes up about half of the salad.
My husband loves the salads because he says every bite tastes different. His only complaint is that it is a little monotonous knowing that every night is the same thing for dinner, even though the salads themselves are different. To honor him, I think we won't do a whole month of salads again, but rather just a week at a time. If you're planning on doing this, put your week of salads into your menu plan on your busiest week of the month (looming deadlines, right before vacation, before you host a party or guests, or even during laundry week). You won't regret it- it makes dinner so quick and easy to prepare. You can even make a big batch of beans, lentils, and/or quinoa at the beginning of the week to cut down even more work and time.
This is a great time in your menu planning to take advantage of farmers markets and your personal garden. Your eating will be local, sustainable, and delicious. Try something new if you dare- a new lettuce blend, an unfamiliar fruit or vegetable- to keep yourself interested. You may find something you really like.
And speaking of things you might really like, the total cost for our groceries this month was $140. If you need inspiration to do this many salads, the cost might just be it. If your family is having a rough month financially, or you need something more frugal for the holidays or before a big expense, consider this way of eating. Imagine how much this could be cut down if you grew your own lettuce and veggies too...it is my dream to live off the land in that way.
And I haven't even mentioned the health benefits of this, especially if you buy some of it organic. Side note: check out the dirty dozen list and the clean fifteen before you go out to buy a lot of produce. You don't need to buy everything organic. And don't make yourself feel bad if you just can't buy organic- it's okay, and it can be a little more expensive. Opt for local instead of you have to choose. The things we buy organic on a regular basis are lettuce (which is inexpensive at Costco and Cash and Carry), tomatoes, and apples. Those are the organic items we can afford. Things like corn, onions, avocados, carrots, bananas, and broccoli are cleaner produce according to the Environmental Working Group, so we choose not to buy those organic unless there is a great deal on them. (Check out the Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen lists on the Environmental Working Group website at www.ewg.org for more information.) I would advise you to do what you can for your family in your current situation. Always.
Do you have any great salad ingredients or recipes? Do you grow your own produce? Thank you for reading about this mindful home.
This month we are taking a vacation during which we are responsible for a couple dinners along with snacks, breakfasts, and lunches. Here are some quick tips to cut costs and be prepared, while making great meals for your family and friends:
-Prep: menu plan for your trip, and include all three meals, snacks, and desserts (if you want it), and the number of people who will be eating with you for each. Being able to see what you'll consume each day and prepare your grocery list this way will cut out extra spending, impulse purchases, and bringing WAY too much food, and it will allow you to utilize what you already have in your kitchen.
Make your meals easy, and preferably one-pot: don't plan elaborate meals. If you can even pre-make a meal and freeze it (pot pie or marinara sauce, to name a couple), you'll have to spend less time in the kitchen and more time with family. Simple meals that you can grill are wonderful too- grilling adds so much flavor. Or make a one-pot stew with some fresh garnishes on top and maybe some homemade bread or cornbread.
Pre-measure and prep your ingredients: measure out your ingredients and put them in small jars. That means less work on vacation, and less to have to tow along with you. Would you rather bring all the spice jars the recipe calls for or one jar with the pre-measured amounts you need? I even made a bread mix so all I had to do was add water. Cut your veggies ahead of time and put them in food saver jars- this is great for salads and/or potato or taco bar meals.
-Homemake whatever you can in the days before you leave. For our trip, I made all of our breakfast items, including scones, jam, and a big batch of granola. I also made bread, dry beans, and salad dressing for lunches and dinners. Make whatever you can from what you already have in your cupboards. It will save you money, as well as feed your family and friends wholesome foods without preservatives. And they will appreciate that you took the time to make special things for them, too.
-Pack for the road: pack lunches, snacks, and drinks for the road so you aren't tempted to stop along the way. This step alone will save you at least $15.
-Carpool if you can: it's a great way to offset some of the money you're spending on food, and to lessen your effects on the environment...plus, it's more fun to have company on those long drives.
This may seem like a lot of work, especially if you have kids and/or a job. But you can do it with a little planning, and when you're relaxing and enjoying your vacation, you will be so glad that you did. Thank you for reading, and enjoy your summer vacations.
Now that you know the shampoo recipe I use, I will share a couple of conditioning treatments. The daily conditioner, which is more like a conditioning rinse, is simple a mixture of water, honey, and apple cider vinegar. I use about 3 cups of water and 1/4 cup each of honey and apple cider vinegar. The smell takes a while to get used to, but as soon as you rinse out the mixture, the smell is gone. You will need to shake the bottle before each use because the ingredients will settle. After about a week, you will notice that your hair is shinier and residue-free. There is one warning for people with dark hair or colored hair: apple cider vinegar straight from the bottle will lighten your hair color. It's great if you want highlights without a dye treatment, but be sure to dilute the vinegar enough if you don't want it to effect your hair color; you may want to use less vinegar in your rinse and keep an eye on your hair until you know if it will make a difference for your color. I love this rinse because it's pure enough to drink and can be made with ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen. Not to mention, it's very cost effective, especially if you decide to forgo the honey and just do a mixture of water and vinegar.
For those of you who like a deep conditioner, there are three things that I have used on my hair:
Coconut oil
Avocado
Heated olive oil
All three of these are great deep conditioners because they are all, well, healthy fats that nourish your hair. I sometimes heat up the olive oil until it's warm, which makes a nice "spa-like" experience, but you don't need to do that if you don't want. Just coat your hair with whichever treatment you choose and pin it up for at least 30 minutes, and then rinse. You can shampoo if you want also. I have left these things in my hair all day for a rich, thorough treatment. Avocado is the only one that rinses out completely without leaving your hair looking oily. So keep the olive and coconut oils toward the ends of you hair and avoid the roots. You should probably prepare to wear your hair up the following day just in case the oils leave residue...but it's worth it, and your hair will look fabulous after a wash or two.
I still buy conditioner- but not for my hair. I use it as shaving cream, and it works wonderfully. It lasts longer than conventional shaving cream, and it costs less. I buy the 32 ounce bottle of the 365 brand from whole foods (because it is paraben and sulfate free, and not tested on animals) and I only need to buy it every few months because a little goes a long way. I highly recommend doing this! Plus, when you go on a trip, you can just pack a travel container of conditioner and use it for your hair and for shaving.
Do you have any conditioning treatments to add? I would love to hear recommendations. And thanks again for reading about our mindful home.
