FOODS MOST/LEAST CONTAMINATED BY PESTICIDES

Thanks to Pinterest my "How to Eat with the Seasons" post has been the most popular tip on the site. To go along with that I wanted to give you gals and guys a great resource on pesticides. I don't always buy organic fruits and veggies at the market- but I ALWAYS buy organic when it comes to the "Dirty Dozen" list below. Usually the prices aren't too much higher, and the trade off is well worth paying a few cents more. The "Green Fifteen" list are the fruits and veggies least sprayed with pesticides, so those are typically safe to buy in the non-organic produce department. Just keep in mind that some of the items on the good list can still be genetically modified to create larger fruit that doesn't necessarily taste better, I'm looking at you tomatoes and avocados...

HOMEMADE LOTION

Winter is killing me right now, I have Spring fever like you can't imagine. John made fun of me the other day for taking a nap in the sun spot on the floor like a cat, its that bad. I have been trying to find simple ways to help combat the cold-month blues. One was getting my skin ready for spring! I love this simple DIY lotion recipe it only has 2 ingredients and its just about as natural as you can get. Coconut butter is an great moisturizer and promotes elasticity in skin, and extra virgin olive oil is filled with vitamin E. If you can't find coconut butter at your local market here is a great one.

All you have to do is mix two teaspoons of coconut butter and about 8-10 drops of extra virgin olive oil together in a bowl. Just apply a nice even layer anywhere your skin needs that added boost of moisture. I like to give my knees, elbows, and feet just a bit more attention. I like to make it in small amounts so that there isn't a lot left over. If you do have some extra, cover it and pop it in the fridge. (Be sure to label it, I have a whole shelf designated to beauty products in the fridge so John doesn't  accidentally eat my face masque or hair conditioner.)

GIVEAWAY: PINK COLLAR SHOP

I am excited to be hosting an awesome giveaway once again. This time from the fabulous, Aubree Hegdahl, owner of the Pink Collar Shop, and creator of Herbivore Sweets. Aubree makes, from scratch, Vegan-friendly soaps, natural lotions, soy candles, sundries, and other yummy beauty products. She lets nature do the work, and never uses any artificial colorants or dyes. The products are inspired by nature’s charm, and her inner “foodie.” Here's what she has to say about her favorite products:

The Vegan Peach Tea body butter has always been a best seller of mine, it’s a thick whipped cream made with raw shea butter. Using it for dry weather, it gives you that extra punch of moisture when you need it most. The formula is paraben free and vegan-friendly, with an original recipe of delicious essential oils of peach tea and a hint of ginger.

The Mango Peach Salsa is for the foodie’s enjoyment! The soy blend candle is a unique, fresh scent that adds a positive ambiance with the fair-trade soy wax and the sweet blend of Mango Peach Salsa.



SO HERE IS HOW TO ENTER:
1. Like Style me Green AND The Pink Collar Shop on Facebook 

2. After you've done these 2 things leave a comment below telling us what scents you love to mix, or you'd love to see in future beauty products.

*If you don't have a blog or Google account please leave an email with your comment, so we can notify you if you're the winner!

FOR AN EXTRA ENTRIES
1.  Follow Style me Green on twitter/pinterest, be sure to leave an additional comment on this post (up to 2 extra entries).

2. Mention this giveaway on twitter/facebook/personal blog, be sure to leave an additional comment on this post (up to 3 extra entries).

3. Follow Aubree on instagram @thepinkcollarlady or Erika @erikablank be sure to leave an additional comment on this post (up to 2 extra entries).

4. Pin this giveaway on pinterest, be sure to leave an additional comment on this post (up to 1 extra entry).

The giveaway ends Monday, November 5th at 11:59 PM.
One winner will be selected using random.org and will be notified by email.

*Remember you have to comment to be entered, if you don't comment you can't win.

HOW TO EAT WITH THE SEASONS

I have been busy out in the garden harvesting all sorts of goodies, so today I wanted to share a list for eating and selecting foods with the seasons. Planning out your garden all year round, and selecting foods from the market that are in season will help you save money, and ensure that you are choosing foods that were grown closer to your home. It takes so much more money and energy to grow, harvest, and transport, a tomato to South Dakota in the middle of February than in late August. I know the winter food list isn't as appetizing as the summer list, but hey that's what canning is for right?

Update: for a great list on foods most contaminated by pesticides, see this post. 

HOMEMADE SPA RECIPES

I love to be pampered, who doesn't. And I have found that I can have a super relaxing and rejuvenating experience while pampering myself in my own home. On Sunday evenings I turn my bathroom into my sanctuary. We used to call it a "beauty symposium" when we were kids. We would get our hair curled and our nails painted, we loved it! Now as an "adult" I still enjoy my Sunday night spa time. After my shower I go to town scrubbing and exfoliating and here are some of my little secret recipes.

Bath Soaks:
Add a cup of strongly brewed peppermint tea to the water for an herbal soak, or Add some Epsom salts and a few drops of essential oils. I like to change the oils based on my mood.

Avocado Facial:
Mix 1 tbsp mashed avoado, 1 tsp honey, 3 drops apple cider vinegar and a little sesame oil.
Rub onto your face leave for 10 min. then rinse with water.

Foot Scrub:
Mix equal parts granulated sugar and olive oil and rub into feet. I also like to use a pumice stone on my heels and bottoms of my feet to get them super smooth.

To Exfoliate Elbows and Knees:
Cut an orange in half and rub onto knees and elbows, this sounds so bazaar but it actually works!

For Dry Skin:
For my all over skin I use coconut milk, not oil and rub it into my skin. On extra dry areas, cuticles and elbows I will rub in a few drops of olive oil.

For Puffy Eyes:
Use chamomile, green, or black tea bags, then steep them in boiling water and refrigerate them. Place them over the eyes for about 5-10 min.

Mascara Remover:
3 drops olive oil on a cotton ball, gently rub eyes and rinse with water.

Teeth Brightening:
Make a paste with Hydrogen Peroxide and Baking Soda. Brush your teeth with it, then rinse. I like to rinse my whole mouth with hydrogen peroxide once a week as well, but I'm a anti-germ freak!

Acne Spot Treatment:
A few drops of organic honey and a pinch of cinnamon. mix together and dab on any blemishes. Leave on for about 10-15 min then rinse off. You will notice they have gotten smaller in the morning.

HOMEMADE PESTO

This weekend we harvested our first vegetables from that garden! We have been picking lettuce for a while, but this week our peas and tomatoes were finally ripe enough to pick. The whole garden has gotten quite out of control, so we had to cut back a few things, including our basil plants. We couldn't eat the basil fast enough, and it's like Medusa, you cut one stem and 2 grow back in its place. So, I decided we would make pesto.Which would go amazingly with this recipe. Check out our out of control veggies below.

The tomato plants are taller than I am. Isn't it Miley Cyrus who sings "I can't be caged?" I'm pretty sure that's how the squash feels.

Yields 2.5 cups of fresh pesto

Ingredients

1/2 pound of basil leaves, washed and dried thoroughly
4 oz freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup pine nuts
3/4 cups walnut halves
1-1/4 cups extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1 tablespoon chopped garlic (you can add more if you like garlic but I'm not a huge fan)


Heat walnuts and pinenuts in a dry, heavy skillet over medium heat for 5 to 10 minutes or until they’re golden brown and give off a rich, toasty fragrance. Stir or toss frequently for even toasting. Remove from pan to cool.
Chop the garlic cloves finely, sprinkle a teaspoon of salt on top and mash to a fine paste with a fork.
Place garlic and half of the basil leaves in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Process for 15 seconds.
Add the rest of the basil leaves and with the processor running, slowly pour the olive oil through the feed tube and process until the pesto is thoroughly pureed.
Add the Parmesan cheese and toasted nuts and puree for one more minute.
You can use it the right away. If you’re going to store pesto for a short period of time, place in a jar with a thin film of olive oil on top. You can also divide it into 1-cup portions and store in the freezer for a few months. Make sure to defrost in the refrigerator overnight.

*If you don't have a food processor you can use a good quality blender, just make sure to finely chop everything before hand.  If you want this to be vegan friendly just omit the cheese and use a little less oil.

QUINOA LETTUCE WRAPS

This recipe is from Keep Your Diet Real  they have so many fun fresh recipe ideas you really need to check them out! 

Ingredients

½ cup chopped raw onion
1 red or yellow pepper (washed, seeded, and diced)
½ can black beans (rinsed and drained)
1 cup quinoa (dry and cooked according to package)
1 cup salsa
1 avocado, diced
Black pepper (to taste)
Salt (to taste)
Bibb lettuce or Butter lettuce

Directions

1. Cook quinoa according to directions on package.
2. Prepare onion and red pepper.
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients above (except for lettuce leafs).
4. Once the mixture is combined, spread ¼ cup of the mixture onto each lettuce leaf and wrap/fold over like a taco shell.
5. Enjoy as a snack or a quick lunch!

This recipe serves 2 as a main course. The bulk of the calories and carbs come from the quinoa, but it is also packed with fiber and protein - you can't go wrong there. These calculations were done assuming you would use store bought salsa and not homemade or fresh. If you want to cut the fat exclude the avocado- although that's the best kind of fat you can get!

WHAT'S ON YOUR PLATE?

A few weeks ago I got a great cook book on cooking organically with the seasons. It had a great section about pesticides and which fruits/veggies to avoid if you can't buy organic. It was enough to convert me to organic cucumber and apples. This info-graphic on pesticides has convinced me to "go all the way." I just don't think the trade off of saving a few dollars is worth causing you body harm.The chart below will also help you pick which fruits and veggies are best during which months.

 

MEAN GREEN SMOOTHIE

Ingredients:
1 Banana
Handfull of spinach
1 cup orange juice
6-8 ice cubes
This recipe serves two.

After my morning workout I like to make fresh vegetable juice or a smoothie. This is my favorite smoothie to make. It's packed with Vitamin C and it tastes so fresh. All you have to do is put everything in the blender until its smooth. You can use store bought or fresh orange juice, and every now and then I toss is some blueberries or strawberries if I have them. What is your favorite post workout snack?

GUEST POSTING

Excited to be posting over at Opal Design Group today. Come over and checkout 

all my tips for cleaning recipes you can make from things you already have!

NATURAL EASTER EGG DYES

John has never Dyed Easter eggs before so I thought we should try dying our Easter eggs with everyday foods rather than boxes of chemical colorings. I found this eggselent (sorry I couldn't resist)  recipe for natural dyes. They turn out beautifully!

Instructions:

Dyeing the Eggs While They Cook
Use a separate pan for each color. Add the eggs, natural substance, roughly 2 Tbsp vinegar and cold water to a pan. You just want to cover the eggs with water. (You want the color to be as concentrated as possible so be careful not to use too much water or else the color will be diluted.) Bring the eggs to a boil and let the mixture boil for 1 minute. Remove the pan from heat, cover it with a lid, and let simmer for 10-12 minutes. I found that after the initial cooking time, the colors were not that vibrant. I recommend transferring the eggs, liquid and some of the natural substance to a bowl and letting them cool completely. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator to let the eggs dye for several hours or over night. (I like including some of the fruit/vegetable substance because it adds patterns and specks to the eggs. If you want a more solid color, let the eggs soak over night in only the colored liquid.)

Dyeing the Eggs After They Are Cooked
Place the white eggs in the bottom of a deep pan. Cover with roughly 2 Tbsp vinegar and cold water. Bring to a boil and let boil for one minute. Remove the pan from the heat, cover it with a lid, and let simmer for 10-12 minutes. Using a separate bowl for each color, mix the natural dyes with the eggs. You want the eggs to be completely covered by the dye but you want the color to be as concentrated as possible. Once the eggs are dyed, remove them from the colored liquid, rinse them with cold water and let them air dry for 5 minutes. Pat them dry with a paper towel. For a shiny finish, rub them with vegetable oil. Be careful with all of the dyes as they may stain.

Colors:
Pink – Beets* – I cut one beet into chunks and cooked it with the eggs. The eggs turned a pale Victorian pink. For a brighter pink, I will try grating the beets next time or soaking pre-cooked eggs in beet juice.

Yellow – Golden Beets (in chunks)* – I cut one golden beet into chunks and cooked it with the eggs. The dye was a bright yellow but the eggs only turned a very pale yellow. For a brighter yellow, I will try soaking pre-cooked eggs in golden beet juice.

Yellow – Turmeric – I put about 1 tsp turmeric powder in a small jar of water (big enough for only one egg). The egg turned bright yellow with some orange specks.

Orange – Chili Powder – I put about 1 tsp chili powder in a small jar of water (big enough for only one egg). The egg turned a very pale orange. I probably won’t do this one again; I will try carrots or carrot juice instead.

Blue – Crushed Blueberries – I put about 1/4 cup frozen blueberries in a tall glass of water with two cooked eggs. I stirred the blueberries, squishing them against the glass and the eggs. The eggs turned a pale blue with some very interesting specks and streaks where the fruit touched the shell.

Blue – Purple Cabbage Leaves* – I boiled two eggs with roughly half of a head of purple cabbage. It was a surprise because contrary to the striking purple color of the dye, the eggs turned a brilliant bright blue.

Green – Spinach* – I boiled a bag of spinach with two eggs. The dye was very pale so I added a box of frozen spinach in hopes of intensifying the green. The eggs stayed a very pale green. For a brighter green, next time I will try soaking pre-cooked eggs in spinach juice.

Orange-Brown – Red Onion Skins* – I boiled two eggs with the skins of roughly three red onions. I expected the eggs to be a pale blue or purple but they turned a light brownish-orange. Next time I will try adding some of the actual shiny bright purple onion flesh to hopefully get more of a violet blue color.

Bronze-Orange – Yellow Onion Skins* – I boiled two eggs with the skins of roughly three yellow onions. The eggs turned a rich bronze-orange color. I loved the designs that the onion skins left on the eggs. Next time I will try intentionally wrapping the eggs in the onion skins to pattern the egg shells.

 Lavender – Purple Grape Juice – I dyed two eggs in a jar of grape juice concentrate. The eggs turned a bright pink-lavender color but the dye was too syrupy and washed right off when I rinsed the eggs. I then re-soaked them in grape juice (with water added to the mix). The result was an interesting speckled pink-lavender.

SPRING CLEANING

After a long winter, I love to open up the windows, put out the summer linens, and give everything a good scrub. I've learned a lot of tricks on how to get the house sparkling without it smelling like chemicals. You can make your house sparkle with just a few simple supplies, many of which are already in your cupboards.

Mild dishwashing liquid is excellent for removing spills that water won't budge. Make a simple all-purpose cleaner by mixing 2 cups water with 2 tablespoons dishwashing liquid in a spray bottle. Use it on countertops and other hard surfaces.



Baking soda has scrubbing power but won't scratch surfaces. Mix a paste of 3 parts warm water to 1 part baking soda to scrub kitchen stains or clean the oven. Make a bathroom cleanser by mixing dishwashing liquid with baking soda until you have a thick paste.

Distilled white vinegar and lemon juice are both excellent for cleaning, deodorizing, and mild bleaching. They are acidic and can eliminate soap scum. Make a window- and mirror-cleaner by mixing equal parts vinegar and water, which also works well on most polyurethane-finished wood floors. You can also mix 1 tablespoon vinegar with 1 tablespoon dish soap with 2 cups of water for a carpet spot remover.

I also like to invest in some good tools. I try to avoid using paper towels and substitute with rags made from old T-shirts. I use a squeegee to clean windows, and shower doors because it gets them to sparkle without having to wash out rags afterwards. Because I clean my hard surface floors with vinegar and water I use an average mop, no Swiffer. I can unclip the mop head and wash it in warm water and reuse it. I have seen people who modify their Swiffers to have a washable terry cloth head. Which helps save money and the earth.

And if making your own cleaners isn't something you want to do, brands like Method, and Seventh Generation, make good quality household cleaners and products you can invest some peace-of-mind in.

THINKING GREEN: FOOD

A year and a half ago I lived in New York City while I was doing a design internship for school. I resided in some dorms that did not include a kitchen. So I had to be creative when it came to meals, prior to that time I had made a commitment to eat foods that were more “natural” and less processed. While there are benefits to this type of diet I was finding it hard to follow when I only had a small mini fridge and microwave to supply my meals. I remember one night wishing I had some bananas- at 8:30 pm in China town it is not easy to find bananas. But there are a few rules that I stick to in regards to preparing meals- now that I have the luxury of a full kitchen this isn’t so hard.

7 Words & 7 Rules for Eating By Michael Pollan

1. Don't eat anything your great grandmother wouldn't recognize as food. When you pick up that box of portable yogurt tubes, or eat something with 15 ingredients you can't pronounce, ask yourself, "What are those things doing there?" Pollan says.

2. Don’t eat anything with more than five ingredients, or ingredients you can't pronounce.

3. Stay out of the middle of the supermarket; shop on the perimeter of the store. Real food tends to be on the outer edge of the store near the loading docks, where it can be replaced with fresh foods when it goes bad.

4. Don't eat anything that won't eventually rot. "There are exceptions -- honey -- but as a rule, things like Twinkies that never go bad aren't food," Pollan says.

5. It is not just what you eat but how you eat. "Always leave the table a little hungry," Pollan says. "Many cultures have rules that you stop eating before you are full. In Japan, they say eat until you are four-fifths full. Islamic culture has a similar rule, and in German culture they say, 'Tie off the sack before it's full.'"

6. Families traditionally ate together, around a table and not a TV, at regular meal times. It's a good tradition. Enjoy meals with the people you love. "Remember when eating between meals felt wrong?" Pollan asks.

7. Don't buy food where you buy your gasoline. In the U.S., 20% of food is eaten in the car.

These tips are great when you are starting to change your dietary habits. My biggest challenge wasn’t changing the foods I was eating but eating out less. Not only was the food not as nutritious but I was generally using a car to get there. The best ways to be “green” with food involve making a lot of things from scratch, and growing the foods you can on your own. If you don’t have a yard you can try a kit like this to grow in a window, or purchase some plants from your local nursery. Farmer’s markets are another great source of produce if you can’t grow your own. In the end its about being good to the environment and being good to your body. And remember not everything that says “organic” is better, always check the label!

More on this here