Buy Nothing Day

We in the US toss out a tremendous amount of packaging and food. We see it going into the garbage, but how often do we think of the forests, farmland, and fossil fuels that are wasted just to wrap presents, carry groceries or transport drinking water for a moment, before becoming the mountainous landfills and the vast islands of plastic floating in the oceans that are our long-term legacy? (Organic Consumers Association)

Buy Nothing Day is November 26 2010 in North America, November 27 internationally.

Brunch recipes

Thank you to everyone who inspired me to once again post on my blog site. Following are a couple of recipes from the Cherubs party. By the way, for those of you who normally follow my blog, these recipes are not my normal, healthful recipes, but they are delicious.

Mini crust-free quiche

2 cups shredded swiss cheese (I used low fat)

1/2 cup half and half

1/2 cup low fat mayonnaise (or 1/2 cup plain yogurt plus 2 tsp lemon juice)

2 eggs or 1 egg and 2 egg whites

2 T flour (I used whole wheat)

1/2 tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

additional ingredients can include chopped meat, mushrooms, onions, etc. I used chopped turkey, mushrooms and green onions.

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat 12 muffin cups with cooking spray.

2. Combine cheese, half and half, mayonnaise, eggs, flour, salt and pepper in blender or food processor and blend until well blended.

3. Fill each cup with 1 1/2 tablespoonful of meat, mushrooms, etc. Pour equal amounts of egg mixture in each cup. Bake 22 minutes or until quiches are just golden.

Chicken Strudel

chicken stock

6 boneless, skinless breasts

6 cups spinach leaves (or other cooking green)

3 T olive oil

1 1/2 cup chopped green onions

1/3 cup chopped fresh dill

2 cups lowfat feta cheese

5 ounces shredded lowfat jack cheese

3 eggs

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1 tsp coriander

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

3/4 cup chopped toasted walnuts

salt and pepper

12 sheets filo pastry

1/3 cup melted butter

1. To make the filling, cover chicken breasts with chicken stock and poach 8-10 minutes until the chicken is cooked through, let cool and chop or shred chicken.

2. Wash spinach, leave the water clinging to it and stir over medium heat until wilted. Drain well, squeeze dry.

3. Heat the oil and saute onions until soft (about 5 mins).

4. In a bowl combine chicken, spinach, dill, feta, jack cheese, eggs, nutmeg, coriander, cayenne and walnuts. Stir until well combined, then season wiht salt and pepper.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees

To assemble strudels, brush a sheet of filo with melted butter; place another sheet on top and spread with butter, repeat two more times (four sheets total). Place a thin row of the chicken mixture at one end, tuck ends, and roll up.

Transfer to baking sheets and bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown. Let rest at least 10 minutes, cut with a serrated knife.

Enjoy!!

I want to volunteer but...

Do you ever say to yourself, "I'd love to volunteer, but I don't know where to start."

Well, there are ways that you can help your community that are fun, you can do them with or without your kids, and you don't have to make a huge commitment.

If you have time to volunteer, try:

Read to children at the local library. Some libraries have a program to teach adults to read also.

Walk animals at the animal shelter.

Deliver meals to elderly or disabled people. Contact Meals on Wheels.

Pick a cause that's important to you. Whether it's cancer, homeless, animals, education, children or seniors; there are several reputable places that can offer you an opportunity.

Visit your favorite place to take your kids and ask them about volunteer opportunities.

Some of our favorites are:

Relay for Life (hosted by The American Cancer Society)

American Red Cross (homeless, disaster victims and more)

SPCA

Volunteer.gov (various opportunities)

Meals on Wheels

CASA (Court appointed special advocates for children)

Change 4 Kids (provides school supplies for children)

You can make a difference even spending a small amount of time volunteering.

Another tip for getting your kids to eat healthful food

All kids love macaroni and cheese, right? My daughter is so picky, she will only eat the right shape noodle with the right color sauce (bright orange). I have tried several different brands of mac & cheese to get the best one nutritionally for my kids, but I end up going back to the old standby after she refuses to eat them. What's the point in serving it if she won't eat it? It's not something I would choose for dinner.

I did come up with a little trick though. When making macaroni and cheese, instead of using butter, add 1/4 to 1/2 cup cooked sweet potato. It went completely undetected by both of our kids. It blends in with the neon orange sauce and it's smooth enough to blend in without being chunky. Every little bit helps, right?

Favorite chocolate cupcakes

We did a chocolate cupcake taste test and here's our favorite. It's a dark chocolate flavor, so if you're a fan of dark chocolate, this could be your cupcake.

Ingredients

10 Tablespoons butter - cut into cubes

1/2 Cup cocoa powder

3 ounces bittersweet chocolate chopped

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 Cup flour

2 eggs

3/4 Cup sugar

1&1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon salt

2/3 Cup milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Melt butter, cocoa powder and chocolate in a double boiler until smooth. Let cool.

In separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

In another separate bowl, mix together eggs, sugar, vanilla and salt. Whisk in cool chocolate mixture.

Stir in flour mixture and milk in two alternate batches.

Fill lined muffin cups 2/3 full and bake for 18-20 minutes. Let cool slightly in muffin pans, then let cool completely on wire racks. These are good with frosting or without. We used a buttercream frosting and raspberries on the top.

YUM!

Staying safe

Let's face it. Moms are usually focused on one thing... their kids. Don't forget to keep yourself and your children safe by being aware of your surroundings at all times. Here are some ways to help you stay safe.

When you're in a parking lot, be alert. Know who's around you. Get the kids in and go. Also, always keep your purse on you or in your car. Don't leave it in the grocery cart while you put in the kids. It's a quick, easy target.

On vacation, wear your purse across your body or keep your money in a purse that attached to your body. Don't pull your money out in public. If you know you'll be spending $5 for a coffee at a street vendor, keep the money in a separate place.

While driving, keep your doors locked. Speaking of locked doors, keep your doors at home locked too. This keeps little ones in and strangers out. If you are driving and see a note on your windshield, or even if someone bumps into you, make sure you're in a safe place before you get out of your car. Drive to a well-lit, populated area before getting out to check - especially if your kids are in the car.

Don't be paranoid, just be alert. Criminals tend to steer clear of alert, confident people. Don't make yourself look like a target.

Environmentally safe way to unclog a drain

We all get them, clogged drains. There's an easy and environmentally safe way to unclog them.

Pour 1/2 to 3/4 cup baking soda in the drain.

Pour in 1/2 cup vinegar. Cover hole with a plug or rag.

Wait 30 minutes and pour hot water down the drain.

All clear! For stubborn clogs, you may have to repeat the process.

Another yummy recipe

This time of year usually consists of warm, comfort food, but there are some days when you just want a light, crispy salad to remind you of spring and summer. I found one that my family loves and thought I would share it with all of you.

Beet & Carrot Salad

1 large beet

3 carrots

1T Dijon mustard

1T agave (or you can use maple syrup)

1 orange

1 lemon

cilantro (optional)

salt and pepper

Shred or julienne the beet and carrots. Mix the Dijon, agave, juice and zest from half of the orange and lemon, and salt and pepper. Pour over beets and carrots and mix. Chop cilantro and mix into the salad. Serve by itself or over a bed of greens.

Enjoy!

Easy meal that kids love

If you're like me, you're always looking for something quick and easy that your kids will actually eat. Try buying a whole grain loaf of artisan bread.

Slice the bread and spread a small amount of dijon on each piece.

Add ingredients that you'd like your kids to eat (I topped mine with shredded brocolli, ground flax seeds and turkey).

Then sprinkle shredded cheese over the top and bake at 375 for 5 minutes.

Serve with a salad and you have a quick, easy meal that is healthy and the family will love.