Not Necessarily Organic, But...

My favorite, favorite, favorite healthy chef is Devin Alexander. I stumbled upon her about 4 years ago in Books-a-Mill, my favorite store. The book was Fast Food Fix and it was the answer to all of my fast food woes. We weren't eating at McDonald's anymore, and lots of other fast food options were growing less and less appealing by the day. Devin swooped in and saved the day with this book, which I still use regularly. You see, Devin has maintained a 55 pound weight loss for more than 15 years by cutting out fast food and making over her favorite "fattening" foods. She took requests from her friends and went to many fast food restaurants, sampling the requested foods and learning how to make them over. I have made "Big Macs," "Blizzards," Taco Bell-style tacos, homemade (baked!) French fries that I personally find more tasty than the fast food originals, and so much more.

A couple of years later Devin followed Fast Food Fix with The Most Decadent Diet Ever. It was every bit as wonderful as Fast Food Fix and I preordered the book so that it would be at my door the moment it came out. I have not been disappointed. Just yesterday I made a bacon, egg, and cheese quesadilla from the book for breakfast and "skinny scampi" and mushrooms "au vin" for dinner. She was also an author for The Biggest Loser Cookbook and The Biggest Loser Family Cookbook, both of which I have and both of which are fabulous!

Now, Devin has a new book out entitled I Can't Believe It's Not Fattening. She has tons of fantastic sounding recipes on it (I have browsed the book at Amazon). And, actually, you might be able to consider it organic, because she discusses the importance of organic food in the book and lists all the recipes that can be made using organic or more natural ingredients. She even provides some brand names. I can't wait to get it! In fact, I have entered a giveaway at Make-Ahead Meals for Busy Moms blog to win a copy of the book.

Honestly, I think I might be Devin's biggest fan. I have been obsessively watching reruns of her show on FitTV. It only ran for one seaon on Discovery Health, and I can't understand why! Check out her website, www.devinalexander.com. She's great!

Green-Clean, Part II

I have actually been doing "green cleaning" for the most part for a while now. I started my green cleaning to save money (vinegar and baking soda are a lot less expensive than most of your household cleaning formulas...). As I have become more aware of the effects that using chemicals have on our bodies and the environment, I have become more and more committed to using non-toxic household cleaning methods.



Let me explain my madness in very brief terms: I believe that a huge part of the reason that we are seeing a rise in catastrophic illness in this time of great prosperity and medical advancement (when we should presumably be seeing a decrease in these illnesses) has much more than we'd like to believe to do with (a) our diets; and (b) all of the chemicals in our environment.



My green cleaning handbook is Green Housekeeping by Ellen Sandbeck. What a great book! In the book, Sandbeck references the 1998 Chemical Hazard Data Availability Study, which states that of 491 chemicals commonly used in consumer products, only 25% of them had been tested for toxicity. Yes, that's 25%. What about the other 75%??? I realize that this study is 12 years old, but considering that the study also estimated that the cost of studying the other 75% would cost $427 million, I would bet that it hasn't happened yet. Now, this is just a tiny fraction of what all of these companies gross (Sandbeck says it's about 0.2% of their annual sales)...but still. It's all about the bottom line.....



So, yesterday I performed some toxic waste removal....from my kitchen, anyway. Let me say this: I am not naive enough to believe that just because I choose not to use toxic chemicals anymore that this means I will not be exposed. I am acutely aware of the toxins in my environment, and you better believe they are everywhere-in the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the (nonorganic) food we eat! I choose to not let this stress me out. I'll do what I can do and pray about the rest! Anyway....this is the box of crap I removed from under my kitchen sink. Yikes!





Okay, prepare yourself. What I am about to show you is shocking.





You'll see.







Wait for it........
















Ouch!

I am so ashamed!

My favorite (okay, least favorite.....) part is the name. Just think about that for a second. Insecticide. Or think about it's plant-killing counterpart....herbicide. Think about the meaning of that -icide. This is derived from the Latin -cida which can be translated "killer." Yes, I know that these products are meant to kill insects, weeds, etc., but the name is unsettling. It brings some very unpleasant words to mind....I'll let you think of those on your own. If you don't think these products have any effect on your body or the environment, think again! Just food for thought there.

Excuse me, I have to go wash my hands.....I just touched that bottle. And, darnit, I put the bottle on my counter! Next to my utensils! Guess I'll wipe that off, too!

Okay, so here's what's left. Trash bags, vinegar-water solution, pure vinegar, hydrogen peroxide, baking soda, phosphate free dishwasher tablets, the polish for my stainless steel appliances (which is probably not nontoxic...I must research this), Seventh Generation dish liquid, Murphy's Oil Soap, and some cleaning tools (bucket, duster, rags, etc.). The rest will go to the household hazardous waste collection next Saturday (June 12, that is) downtown.



And now I have space in my cabinet to store my compost (i.e. free fertilizer!) containers out of sight.....one for fruit and veggie scraps and one for coffee (blueberry bushes love coffee)...so now my guests don't have to wonder what those nasty containers on my counter are for. Yep, they're gross, but who cares!

Green-Clean Your Fruits and Veggies!

Are you like me, someone who feels the need to get your fruits and veggies clean, clean, clean? I mean, why wouldn't you be? Even if you buy organic, there's probably something in the dirt you just really don't want to ingest. Washing with water, however, has shown not to greatly reduce the amount of yuck on the outside of your food. You could buy the produce spray in the produce section of your grocery store, but why would you do that when I can show you an easier, much less expensive way? I've actually been using this trick for a few years now. I learned it when I first read Green Housekeeping by Ellen Sandbeck in 2007 (on vacation! I've got to get a life).




First, you need plain old, white vinegar and a spray bottle. This is just a ginormous jug of Great Value brand that I bought at Bi-lo.

Next, a big bottle of hydrogen peroxide. I just screwed the nozzle from a garden sprayer directly into the bottle. Hydrogen peroxide needs to be kept in a dark bottle or it loses its disinfectant properties.

Test subject: grapes. Ignore the white "bloom" on them. They're not moldy! I put them in the bowl of my salad spinner.

Spray generously with vinegar. I give them a few good shakes/tosses as I am spraying.

Now, spray generously with hydrogen peroxide. Again, a few good shakes/tosses will ensure that your produce gets the "full treatment."

Now, I rinse. This step is actually not necessary. The peroxide rinses off the stinkiness of the vinegar and both vinegar and peroxide are completely non-toxic. However, I just have a weird "thing" about peroxide being on my food when I eat it.

Now, I give it a good spin....

If you don't have a salad spinner, you should get one! This one is from Pampered Chef, and it's great!

Now, do whatever you're going to do with your produce. These grapes are for snacks/lunches. I got eight bowls from that bunch, in case anyone cares.

By the way, I use the vinegar/peroxide solution to clean my sinks and countertops as well. I hate using chemicals to clean. I just spray everything down with vinegar, then peroxide, then let it sit for five minutes or so. I wipe it with a clean cloth and I'm good to go. It will even take care of the bacteria from meat juice drips!

Nail Polish-A BIG Step!

I love my nail polish. My toes are always some fun color and I hang out at the entrance to Trade Secret waiting for my favorite brand to go on sale. Okay, maybe that’s a bit of an exaggeration….but I do check out the racks often for sales.

(this is my nail polish drawer.... )

So, currently I am reading the book Green Housekeeping by Ellen Sandbeck. Much to my horror, the book informed me that research has shown that women of childbearing age have very high concentrations of phthalates in their urine. And that’s not good. While there is still more research to be done in the effects on humans, adverse effects have been found in lab animals, including birth defects. And while we are not currently trying to have a baby, it could happen…and even if it doesn’t, do I really want something that could cause birth defects in my body at all? Unfortunately for me, phthalates are found in high concentrations in nail polish….along with toluene and formaldehyde. GREAT.

(but there is good news...)

So, part of my “green transformation” is to begin to switch to an earth- and human-friendly nail polish. I found Peacekeeper at Greenlife, my local natural/organic food store. It actually costs the same as my favorite brand, $7.99 a bottle. So, I started my collection with a bottle of Paint Me Grateful, a bottle of Paint Me Eternal (top/base coat) and a bottle of Honeybee Gardens odorless (really!) nail polish remover. I plan to buy a bottle of polish every month till I build up a “satisfactory” collection.

The verdict?

Not bad (please ignore the fact that my feet look very chubby here.....they're not). That's not the important part anyway. I feel good about my nail polish choice...both for myself and the environment. AND I did this two weeks ago and my toenails are barely worn at the tips.

So maybe I'm turning into a complete hugger. I think I'm okay with that.

Got the Savings Blues....

Well, Philip is turning in his notice at his job today. This means we have 2 and a half months to really save up before we have to really suck it in to keep the bills paid and the savings afloat.

Somehow, organics and saving money don't seem to go together. This distresses me.

I went to the grocery store yesterday, and because of the yuckiness on the roads I couldn't hit Greenlife, so I went to Publix instead. Publix tends to have a better selection of organics and humanely raised meats than Bi-lo, but still leaves something to be desired. For example, can a sister get some organic bacon in a chain grocery store????? Not in Chattanooga, apparently. I settled for Boar's Head, because after watching Food, Inc. there was no way in you-know-where that I was going to buy a standard, national brand. Still, I have my doubts and would prefer to buy my bacon from the meat case at Greenlife....but I needed it now!

Second, why don't large grocers have bulk bins? Why, why, why? I need my cane sugar, but I am not going to pay $4 for a container of the stuff when I could get the same amount for around $2.50 from the bulk bin and put it in my own container.

And don't even get me started on cereal. My husband eats a gigantic bowl of cereal every weekday morning. Cereal is expensive, but before my foray into the organic world, I bought huge quantities on sale using coupons and saved unbelievable amounts of money on cereal. Now....not so much. Geez. Even the Publix Greenwise brand of organic cereal is freakin' expensive. The flax flakes are affordable at $2.35 a box, but everything else is over $3.00....the same price as the Kashi, Cascadian Farm, and other organic/natural brands. With this, I have a problem! Plus, I have bought Philip flax flakes for two weeks now, and the man needs his variety! I swear, I need to learn to make my own cereal!!!!

I did manage to get some Seventh Generation stuff with coupons at Target.....dish liquid and dishwasher gel. If you go to their website and register, you can print their coupons too. And if you haven't heard of Mambo Sprouts, check it out...in fact, most major organic producers do offer some coupons. You just have to keep checking back.

To me, though, this is all a matter of principle. I am determined to do this, to maintain a sustainable lifestyle. I will eat out less....and honestly, the more I cook really great food at home, the more restaurants lose their appeal. I guess that's a good thing! I will cut back on spending in other areas to make this work. I will sell my wares (Pampered Chef, painted glass, jewelry) to finance my lifestyle. I'll do what I have to do....this is part of my calling.

In the Beginning.....

Sometime mid-December, 2009....can't remember the exact date....Philip and I watched Food, Inc. on the instant-viewing feature of Netflix. When we turned it on, we had no idea that our lives would never be the same...



Okay, so that's a little dramatic. But just a little. That documentary really is a life-changer.


Let me give you a little background.

We watched Super Size Me in late 2005. I can count on one hand the number of times that we have eaten at McDonald's since.....and I haven't eaten there at all since summer of 2007 (Philip had one guilt-ridden slip-up around Thanksgiving....). Fast forward to summer 2008...we are bored, watching OnDemand, and Philip finds Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price. I have been to Wal-mart exactly twice since viewing that doc...once to buy something, once to return it. Let me remind you, we live in Wal-mart country. I can't tell you how many times I have been asked how I can survive without going to Wal-mart. It can be done, people. It can be done.

So now you know I tend to take things to the extreme. I'm okay with that. I feel like we as a society like to complain but don't like to do anything about it. We tend to think that we, as one person or one family, don't have the power to make a difference. But we do! I recommended Food, Inc. to a friend a couple of weeks after watching it, and she decided to stop buying factory-farmed meat, too. So if she recommends it to one person who does the same, who also recommends it to one person who does the same....you get the picture. That, my friends, is how we make a difference.

So, here's what we are doing:

1) No more factory-farmed meat, eggs, or dairy. None! I will buy from suppliers that I trust. Certified organic is best, but sometimes smaller producers don't pay the price to get certified even though they really meet organic standards, so knowing where your food comes from is key.

2) Buying organic fruits and veggies as much as possible. If not organic, then local. And in season when it's possible, although not much is in season right now. This spring, we will start a square foot garden to grow our own fruits and veggies.

3) No more fast food! Okay, not none. There are a couple of regional fast-food restaurants that I still like whose standards I have always felt were a little higher than most of the others. But still, fast food is a very rare occurrence.

4) If I can make it at home, I will! I puffy-heart love my bread machine. It rocks my world, and it ups my carb consumption. Not saying that's a good thing, but here's the thing...

We have lost touch of where our food comes from, how it's made, what's in it....heck, how it tastes! I want to know what's in my food....if possible, to know who made it, where it came from! It costs more, and that's hard for me. I am very frugal, and right before starting all of this I was very into the "couponing" trend. But this is important to us, and it's about more than money....to us anyway. As Philip likes to say, and of course as the Bible says, the love of money is the root of all evil...and the love of money leads our food industry to deceive us, to mistreat humans and animals, and to feed us disgusting slop that we don't even think twice about eating. I, for one, am sick of it....and I know people think we're a little nutso, but I don't care! This is about something bigger than us.