So while attempting to become more healthy, I have been going down aisles in the grocery store that I usually avoid. I love apples, but am very picky about my apples. I only eat Braeburn apples because they are extremely crunchy, juicy, and have the right amount of tartness. While on the search for my favorite apples, I saw coconuts. Woohoo! The sight of coconuts bring back such good memories from when I lived in Belize, while on an archaeological dig back in 2003.
Growing up I hated coconut anything. All those little coconut shavings were disgusting to me and ugh just the sight of German chocolate cakes with all those shavings make me gag! Needless to say, when one of the locals we had befriended climbed up a tree and got a fresh coconut, I still wasn't convinced that it was anything worth eating. I COULDN'T HAVE BEEN MORE WRONG!!!!
First, he cut a hole and told us to drink the coconut milk, which was decadent. Then he cracked it open and gave us the meat. I was amazed at the nuttiness. I know, I know hence the name cocoNUT. But in all my life I never thought of it like a nut. Anyhow, coconuts became my favorite treat while in Belize. There is no way that those stupid coconut shavings do a real coconut any justice.
Meanwhile, back to the present and the coconut I put in my buggy and brought home. I was so excited about getting home and showing the kids how to drink the milk and get the meat out of a coconut. Long story short, it was gross!!!! I was so disappointed and may have ruined my kids every eating it again. Perhaps it wasn't fresh or ripe enough. Whatever the case may be, it was nasty. I was upset because I felt like I bombed the chance to get the kiddos and hubby on board with becoming healthy. Ha. Guess I will have to find something else to satisfy their sweet tooth!
Note to self: nostalgic memories don't transfer to present day and are hard to be relived!
Enough about coconuts and moving on to Mardi Gras. Obviously because I am from South Louisiana, I know all to well about the celebration. However, I wonder if most people that are doing the celebrating and promoting of the holiday have any clue what it is they are celebrating. I have done the research and it is unnerving. It will never cease to amaze me how people celebrate things that they know nothing about.
I find it annoying when people know the truth and try to excuse it. Well my kids just think it's about candy and beads. BORING. Really, people just want an excuse to do what they want to do. I know this may offend a lot of people. The intent is for you to google it, go to the library and look up books on the history, talk to someone who does know the origins of Mardi Gras.
I find it humorous that I have real convictions about most holidays in general and am continually chastized by a lot of people. Most of those people are "Christians" who sit on pews every Sunday, but don't even know the historical significance of or lack thereof of most holidays. Most of them couldn't even tell you what their church's belief system is. So if you are upset right now good, go get the facts and then we will see how you feel. Just because you go against the "norm" doesn't always mean you are wrong or radical. Sometimes it just means you choose to not take things for face value and want to know the truth.
The truth always casts light onto the darkness.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Friday, March 4, 2011
Turning Granola???
So for those of you...ahemm like my mom :) who don't know what granola means, here is the definition from urban dictionary:
An adjective used to describe people who are environmentally aware (flower child, tree-hugger), open-minded, left-winged, socially aware and active, anti-oppressive/discriminatory (racial, sexual, gender, class, age, etc.) with an organic and natural emphasis on living, who will usually refrain from consuming or using anything containing animals and animal by-products (for health and/or environmental reasons), as well as limit consumption of what he or she does consume, as granola people are usually concerned about wasting resources. Usually buy only fair-trade goods and refrain from buying from large corporations, as most exploit the environment as well as their workers, which goes against granola core values. The choice of not removing body hair and drug use are not characteristics that define granola people, and people, regardless of granola status, may or may not partake in said activities.
Well I made the laundry detergent yesterday, but um I don't plan on not shaving the legs or pits anytime soon! ha. With that said, lets talk about the detergent. It's EASY, SAFE, and CHEAP. It only takes three ingredients. Yes, I said three! One bar of Ivory Soap ($1.18 for three bars), Washing Soda ($2.37 for a box of Arm & Hammer), and Borax ($3.19 for a box).
Here is the recipe I used:
TA DA! And it makes about one and a half gallons. Put 1/2 a cup in your load of laudry. I can't give an exact price per load because I haven't used up all the products yet, but the website I read said it comes out to like .06 cents per load. Compare that to Tide, which comes out to roughly .30 per load. That's huge, but what is more important to me is that I know exactly what goes into it.
Actually it is just kind of fun knowing that you can make it yourself. I never thought about it before until a dear "granola" friend of mine told me about it. (Love ya Mack)
The following verse encouraged me to get started with the health stuff and keeps me encouraged when I start to get lazy and want to slack:
1 Corinthians 6:19-20
"Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit with in you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God with your body.
Just let that soak it. If it doesn't convict you, well that is a whole other blog post!
An adjective used to describe people who are environmentally aware (flower child, tree-hugger), open-minded, left-winged, socially aware and active, anti-oppressive/discriminatory (racial, sexual, gender, class, age, etc.) with an organic and natural emphasis on living, who will usually refrain from consuming or using anything containing animals and animal by-products (for health and/or environmental reasons), as well as limit consumption of what he or she does consume, as granola people are usually concerned about wasting resources. Usually buy only fair-trade goods and refrain from buying from large corporations, as most exploit the environment as well as their workers, which goes against granola core values. The choice of not removing body hair and drug use are not characteristics that define granola people, and people, regardless of granola status, may or may not partake in said activities.
Here is the recipe I used:
- one bar of Ivory (can use Zote or Fels Naptha)
- 1 cup of washing soda
- 1 cup of Borax
TA DA! And it makes about one and a half gallons. Put 1/2 a cup in your load of laudry. I can't give an exact price per load because I haven't used up all the products yet, but the website I read said it comes out to like .06 cents per load. Compare that to Tide, which comes out to roughly .30 per load. That's huge, but what is more important to me is that I know exactly what goes into it.
Actually it is just kind of fun knowing that you can make it yourself. I never thought about it before until a dear "granola" friend of mine told me about it. (Love ya Mack)
The following verse encouraged me to get started with the health stuff and keeps me encouraged when I start to get lazy and want to slack:
1 Corinthians 6:19-20
"Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit with in you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God with your body.
Just let that soak it. If it doesn't convict you, well that is a whole other blog post!
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Green Smoothies, Homemade Laundry Detergent, and Autism
It all started with my discovery that 91 out of every 1000 kids are diagnosed with autism. After that, I frantically read everything I could get my hands on about autism. Ethan gets his MMR vaccination on March 18 and I had heard that it is this very vaccination that seems to be a culprit. I have come to no solid conclusions. I know God is in control and I believe that this vaccination will affect him no differently than the rest. In the course of reading about autism, I came across an article discussing what we put on our skin, hair, nails, etc. From detergent to perfume, it shouldn't be put on your skin if you can't put it in your mouth!!!! It's a long story and just read up on it if it hits a nerve with you.
Anyways, my discovery led me being concerned about all the preservatives in food and the consequences for ingesting all these chemicals through food, perfume, shampoo, detergent, etc. So I am slowly going to make the switch. Notice I said slowly. I have started with eating 75% clean and I am making my own laundry detergent.
My favorite part of eating clean is green smoothies!!! Sounds disgusting, but just give it a chance. Here is the recipe:
Throw it all in your blender (I use a Ninja and it works great) and there is a healthy breakfast, lunch, or snack. I buy two bunches of bananas, peel them, put in ziploc bag and throw in the freezer because it makes the smoothie cold and saves me from having to go to the store. You can use soy milk, but I prefer almond milk. It is super creamy and just delicious. I buy fresh spinach and a container of it lasts roughly a week. It is harder to find, but buy apple juice that is not from concentrate...that is very important for me. You can use whatever fruit you want. Because I love blueberries and they are a super food, my smoothie actually comes out purple! Click here for some great GREEN SMOOTHIES.
As you can see, even Ethan likes them. When I get the Ninja out of the cabinet he always starts screaming NOM, NOM! He thinks they are yummy and I know they are good for him. Well I am going to try and make my own laundry detergent. I will let you know how that turns out!!!
Anyways, my discovery led me being concerned about all the preservatives in food and the consequences for ingesting all these chemicals through food, perfume, shampoo, detergent, etc. So I am slowly going to make the switch. Notice I said slowly. I have started with eating 75% clean and I am making my own laundry detergent.
My favorite part of eating clean is green smoothies!!! Sounds disgusting, but just give it a chance. Here is the recipe:
- 1 banana
- 1 cup of blueberries
- 2 cups of almond milk (i like vanilla)
- 2 handfuls of spinach
- 1 cup of apple juice (NOT from concentrate)
Throw it all in your blender (I use a Ninja and it works great) and there is a healthy breakfast, lunch, or snack. I buy two bunches of bananas, peel them, put in ziploc bag and throw in the freezer because it makes the smoothie cold and saves me from having to go to the store. You can use soy milk, but I prefer almond milk. It is super creamy and just delicious. I buy fresh spinach and a container of it lasts roughly a week. It is harder to find, but buy apple juice that is not from concentrate...that is very important for me. You can use whatever fruit you want. Because I love blueberries and they are a super food, my smoothie actually comes out purple! Click here for some great GREEN SMOOTHIES.
As you can see, even Ethan likes them. When I get the Ninja out of the cabinet he always starts screaming NOM, NOM! He thinks they are yummy and I know they are good for him. Well I am going to try and make my own laundry detergent. I will let you know how that turns out!!!
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Boys and their toys
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