Diapers.com earn money for referrals

Diapers.com has a green baby section. They sell Badger sunscreen. One of the few recommended by the environmental working group. I use it. It goes on thick and smells like lavender but works great! This referral program is a great way to earn a little money towards some organic items. If any of the friends you refer buy from them they get 15% off at checkout! Earn up to $20 for Each Person You Refer to Diapers.com (limited time event)

Grass Fed Beef Fajitas

Grass Fed Beef Fajitas:

Ingredient List:

Grass Fed Ground Beef 1 lb

2tbls of ground black pepper

1 tsp of crushed red pepper

one large onion ( I used half a red onion and half a sweet yellow onion), minced

1 red bell pepper, diced

1-2 jalepenos, diced

1 bunch of cilantro, minced

brown rice

refried beans

tortillas

optional toppings:

salsa

avacado

Serves 3-4 people. Time 30 minutes

Olivia time to go in the high chair and play mommy wants to cook dinner for daddy

Okay mama...maybe I will stay here for a while

Place ground beef in pan on cook top. Place heat on medium. Then add black pepper and crushed red pepper.

Then add onions

Mommy take me out of the high chair. ( Olivia was not wanting to stay in the chair. So I cooked the rest while holding her. She had her own personal cooking lesson)

Then I added minced cilantro

I broke up the beef and sauted on medium heat until meat was beginning to brown

Then add your bell pepper and chopped jalapenos

After meat is brown it is ready to serve. I served mine with brown rice, refried beans and Teff tortillas (the teff tortillas were on sale at Fred Meyers and I was too tired to make my own today!)

The story of cosmetics

This is a great little video.  When I was pregnant with Olivia I took a look at my cosmetics and body care products ingredient list. I was horrified! I made the switch to stuff recommended by this website and the environmental working group.




Other websites you might find interesting:

http://www.safecosmetics.org/
http://www.ewg.org/
http://healthychild.org/

Cleaning with baking soda

I thought I would take today to explain why I have such a large bag of baking soda in my home. Well, it all started with this tiny little book I checked out from the library called " Baking Soda; over 500...uses you've probably never thought of". The title was right. There were lots of uses in that little book I had not thought of. I want to share with you the uses I have incorperated into my life since reading that little book. It has saved me quite a pretty penny!

First of all I am currently buying my large bag at Costco:

Baking Soda Uses at my house:

• I clean my cutting boards with it by sprinkling the baking soda over them than pouring white vinegar, followed by boiling hot water over them
• Sprinkle baking soda in hard to clean pots and pans, scour
• After I have been cutting up onions or crushing garlic I wash my hands with baking soda, soap and water. The icky smell goes away
• I store my steel wool pads in a container of baking soda under the sink inbetween uses to help prevent rust. As a secondary function it keeps my sink cupboard smelling fresh!

• I clean my stainless steel sink and stovetop with baking soda in place of bar keepers friend or comet. It works good, is good for my septic system and doesn't scratch it
• Sprinkle under garbage pail liner for decreased odors.
• I scrub my shower with baking soda and vinegar. Works great with a toothbrush on mold
• I clean my tub with baking soda and hydrogen peroxide
• I place open boxes under my sink and in the refridgerator to keep odors down.
• I had a rust stain on my sink from leaving a metal can sit on the edge of my sink overnight. I used baking soda and vinegar. I poured it over, let it bubble and then scrubbed with a brush
• I have mentioned previously that I clean my toilet bowls with a combination baking soda and vinegar. You can also place one cup of baking soda (or half a box) into the toilet tank each month. Let sit overnight. Flush in the morning. Fresh toilet!!
• I sprinkle baking soda on my area rugs to help life stains out.
• I use it in the winter on the ice on my front porch. Works just as good as salt.
• Baking soda helps soothe a sunburn. Place two cups plus 1/2 cup of cornstarch in a lukewarm bath and soak in it.
• I monthly clean my coffee pot with it by placing baking soda in the filter then running the water through like I am making a pot of coffee. It gets rid of any build up improving the taste of your coffee.
• I use it in my dishwasher for washing the dishes. 2tbls of baking soda + 2 tbls of borax.
• I place in a decorative bowl in the bathroom with a essential oil and it smells good!

There are so many other things that I use it for...there are too many to list.

I want to mention one more. Teeth. I brush my teeth with it when I run out of toothpaste. !

My friend uses it to wash her hair...I am going to try this soon. Check out her blog about it at 

http://wombknittings.blogspot.com/2010/02/poo-free.html

Top Foods Organic Deals

I don't always have the money in my budget to buy grass fed beef.
When I am coming up short I settle for no antibiotics or hormones. Top Foods this week has their nature source ground beef on sale for 3.99 per pound.

A few other good deals there are their organic bananas for 79 cents per pound,
organic Valencia oranges for $1 per pound.
organic leaf lettuce $1.49 each
organic peeled carrots 2pounds for $3 dollars
organic plum $1.49 per pound
organic cantaloupe for  $0.79 per pound! These sales last through the weekend.

organic strawberries and blueberries on sale!

Yesterday I bought nine pounds (15 dollars) worth of organic strawberries at Fred Meyers. They are now nicely nestled in my freezer for future smoothies and so forth! Great price!! 3 lbs for five dollars. The blueberries are the same price.

and the blueberries....

Fun at the goodwill and home depot. Reduce, reuse, recycle and just plain great deals!

So today I had a ton of stuff to get rid of at the good will since I am trying to declutter my life. While I was there I found some fabulous stuff! I have to share...
Here is a picture of what I got rid of...

My new laundry basket...it was 10 dollars.

Seems like a lot but not when compared to this...

Restoration hardware basket sells for $199 I like my ten dollar one...

and of course some new storage for my pantry....

I got the idea at pottery barn. But I only paid a dollar each. Pottery barn is 35 dollars each! Next pic is pottery barn...

a container for my garden....

and I am not sure what I will use these for but I liked them, so I will find a use...

At home depot they had a lot of shrubs and a few flowers for $2.50 each! So I planted the rest of my garden!!!

These two filled in the hole in my front yard....

Here you can see the hole they filled in...

I planted in my "by the house" side garden, I love that it is not just weeds anymore...

and then along the back of the house I am plantint these boxwoods that were also $2.50 each at home depot!

these are not boxwoods but they were also $2.50! Check out the prices if you want garden plants. Wish they were paying me to say this(0:

Salmon on Sale

Just wanted to share a good local deal. I have been really wanting some good fish lately but it's been expensive. Yesterday in my weekly flier I read that Top Foods has Wild Alaskan Sockeye Salmon on sale for 5.99lb. Good price! I went and got some. Sometime this week I will share how I prepared it. I have included a page from their ad.

Quick Summer black bean and corn salad

I had this great salad at PCC when I was out with my mom the other day. Today I decided to try and recreate it. Here is my result. Not quite the same but pretty close and good!

Ingredients:

• 1 can of black beans (organic eden brand bought on line at vitacost, bpa free)
• 2 cups of organic frozen corn (Costco)
• 1/2 a red onion, minced (Fred Meyer, organic section)
• juice from 1 lemon (trader joes)
• 1/2 organic green bell pepper (Fred Meyer, organic section)
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro (from my garden)
• 4 TBLS of Olive Oil (Costco, organic)
• 1 tsp of cumin
• 1/4 tsp of crushed red pepper
• 1 and a half tsp of black pepper, ground
• 1/2 tsp of sea salt (trader joes)
• 6 cloves of garlic, crushed

Rinse Black Beans in colander

In a large Bowl combine black beans, corn (defrosted or cooked either works. I just leave mine sit out on counter for 15 minutes to defrost), minced red onion, cilantro and green or red bell pepper

In a seperate bowl mix olive oil, lemon juice, cumin black pepper, curshed red pepper, sea salt and crushed garlic. Mix together

Add dressing mixture to salad. Mix together and serve!

" Mom I want some!!!"