I've been a neglectful blogger as of late. My apologies.
Life has been hectic lately, and so I haven't been making dinners at home much. Or they have consisted of heating various ingredients and combining, not necessarily crafting a meal.
The only remotely-frugal thing about some of our meals this week has been their pantry-combing nature. We've been having deli or sandwich shop nights and fend-for-yourself nights, the latter being of the pantry-combing variety.
After a dentist appointment, a can of mandarin oranges, rice pudding, and stuffing (yes - from a box, full of yummy sodium, I know. Still, have to use what we have.) was one meal.
Another "on your own" meal was a can of salmon, mixed with mayo and mustard, on crackers. "Dessert" was Nutella on crackers. Why? Because I love Nutella.
The craziness should die down... soon... ish. I hope to get back on track with the whole food thing by then.
Haven't bought any new shampoo yet. I think I underestimated what was left. *whew!
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
The first shampoo crisis of 2010.
I'm running out of shampoo. (This is, of course, the crisis to which my post's title refers.)
Oddly enough, I still have plenty of conditioner (I generally use more conditioner than shampoo).
My husband ran out of shampoo a few days ago.
I try to buy natural shampoo, avoiding some ingredients. My husband doesn't have the same level of craziness about it all as I do, so he tends to get whatever is on sale and try it out. He wasn't very happy with his last purchase.
Even though shampoo is something I buy on a fairly regular basis, each time, I find myself confronting the same dilemma: How do I balance my desire/need to avoid certain things, while getting a shampoo that is natural and my scalp and hair will actually like, and the necessity of staying on budget.
I could take this opportunity to try out various no-poo alternatives (conditioner-only, or a baking soda wash).
I could ransack the horde of hotel toiletries I've stockpiled. (Ok, it isn't that bad. All the mini shampoos, conditioners and shower gels fit into one zip-top bag. They are very handy when you oops-run-out of soap or shampoo, or when you are traveling.)
I could price shop the various natural options I have here in town (somewhat unlikely due to being a one-car family).
Not sure what I'll do yet. I do have a few more shampoos left in the bottle. After that, we'll see!
If you were in my shoes, what would you do?
Oddly enough, I still have plenty of conditioner (I generally use more conditioner than shampoo).
My husband ran out of shampoo a few days ago.
I try to buy natural shampoo, avoiding some ingredients. My husband doesn't have the same level of craziness about it all as I do, so he tends to get whatever is on sale and try it out. He wasn't very happy with his last purchase.
Even though shampoo is something I buy on a fairly regular basis, each time, I find myself confronting the same dilemma: How do I balance my desire/need to avoid certain things, while getting a shampoo that is natural and my scalp and hair will actually like, and the necessity of staying on budget.
I could take this opportunity to try out various no-poo alternatives (conditioner-only, or a baking soda wash).
I could ransack the horde of hotel toiletries I've stockpiled. (Ok, it isn't that bad. All the mini shampoos, conditioners and shower gels fit into one zip-top bag. They are very handy when you oops-run-out of soap or shampoo, or when you are traveling.)
I could price shop the various natural options I have here in town (somewhat unlikely due to being a one-car family).
Not sure what I'll do yet. I do have a few more shampoos left in the bottle. After that, we'll see!
If you were in my shoes, what would you do?
Friday, April 23, 2010
Laundry detergent!
In the course of my normal blog and article readings, I've come across a few recipes for making your own soap (cold-pressed), shampoo bar, laundry (this one has a dish soap recipe, too) detergent (and here), and even your own deodorant. (this link has everything from deodorant to laundry liquid to window cleaner to furniture/wood polish)
Imagine my disbelief, and giddiness at seeing this article in Yahoo Finance Wednesday morning. It starts off talking about how we tend to use too much detergent when we launder our clothes, since as formulas have become more concentrated, people haven't adjusted down the amount they dump in the wash. Another blogger has a great post about this article: Everyday Frugal, Everyday Green.
Aside from wanting to avoid the ingredients in some detergents, there are other reasons to check how much detergent you use versus how much you actually need. If you pour too much into the washer, will you go through the bottle quicker, and end up buying more. This means that you'll be spending more money than you have to, and buying more plastic bottles (or cardboard boxes) to throw away. Also, if you use too much detergent, it may not all get rinsed out, and you will end up with soapy residue in your clothes. This may not adversely affect you, but it may irritate your skin.
What makes me happy about this article is that the author didn't just talk about ways to reduce your detergent usage, she actually tried making her own laundry detergent, giving a recipe to follow should her readers want to give it a go.
I haven't made my own detergent yet, although the prospect intrigues me. I just monitor how much I pour into the wash and try to buy the "good" stuff.
Have you recently re-evaluated your detergent usage? Or have you tried to make/do you make your own laundry soap?
Imagine my disbelief, and giddiness at seeing this article in Yahoo Finance Wednesday morning. It starts off talking about how we tend to use too much detergent when we launder our clothes, since as formulas have become more concentrated, people haven't adjusted down the amount they dump in the wash. Another blogger has a great post about this article: Everyday Frugal, Everyday Green.
Aside from wanting to avoid the ingredients in some detergents, there are other reasons to check how much detergent you use versus how much you actually need. If you pour too much into the washer, will you go through the bottle quicker, and end up buying more. This means that you'll be spending more money than you have to, and buying more plastic bottles (or cardboard boxes) to throw away. Also, if you use too much detergent, it may not all get rinsed out, and you will end up with soapy residue in your clothes. This may not adversely affect you, but it may irritate your skin.
What makes me happy about this article is that the author didn't just talk about ways to reduce your detergent usage, she actually tried making her own laundry detergent, giving a recipe to follow should her readers want to give it a go.
I haven't made my own detergent yet, although the prospect intrigues me. I just monitor how much I pour into the wash and try to buy the "good" stuff.
Have you recently re-evaluated your detergent usage? Or have you tried to make/do you make your own laundry soap?
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Recipe Thursday: Bread add-ins
If you remember, last week, I posted a recipe for wheat bread that includes dry milk. Most recipes don't include dry milk. But, dry milk (aka instant or non-instant milk powder) is nutrient rich, and a great way to increase the nutritional value of food. It also is great to have on hand when baking in case the milk in the fridge has gone sour! I have made mac'n'cheese with dry milk! (I've also made the boxed stuff with leftover marinara instead of milk - it is tasty!)
But back to bread. My first forays into baking bread were with the White Bread Plus recipe, found in some editions of Joy of Cooking. I wanted to try new things, but I was a very novice baker, and nervous about switching things up too much. In my book, on the same page as White Bread Plus was the Cornell Triple Rich Flour Formula.
Yup, the Cornell Triple Rich Flour Formula. Try saying that five times fast.
Basically, before you measure each cup of flour in a given recipe, you put:
1 tablespoon of soy flour
1 tablespoon of dry milk
1 teaspoon of wheat germ
in the bottom of the cup, then add your normal flour.
This adds a nutritional punch to your final product, and is a great way fortify white bread.
Like I said, it has been a while since I've made white bread, or used this recipe. I do remember that the look, feel and taste of the loaves with the CTRFF and those without were basically the same. You could some of the wheat germ, but it just gave a slightly grain-filled look to the bread. Similar to using Hodgson Mill flour instead of the Kroger wheat flour.
Here are some interesting links about CTRFF:
The history of the creator of Cornell Triple Rich bread
A Q & A from a 1980 edition of the Eugene Register-Guard about the benefits of using CTRFF with today's flour. (really, the whole page is interesting, including an article about home-baked bread being tastier than store bought, and a shower versus bath column)
A blogger's (anecdotal and unscientific) taste test!
Cornell Triple Rich Flour Formula and White Bread Plus in Joy of Cooking (pages 602 and 603) [this version of the bread recipe was written for a baker using a mixer - the process is a little different in my book, sans mixer]
Yup, I'm a little nutty.
What sort of things to you add to meals, breads and other foods to make them better?
But back to bread. My first forays into baking bread were with the White Bread Plus recipe, found in some editions of Joy of Cooking. I wanted to try new things, but I was a very novice baker, and nervous about switching things up too much. In my book, on the same page as White Bread Plus was the Cornell Triple Rich Flour Formula.
Yup, the Cornell Triple Rich Flour Formula. Try saying that five times fast.
Basically, before you measure each cup of flour in a given recipe, you put:
1 tablespoon of soy flour
1 tablespoon of dry milk
1 teaspoon of wheat germ
in the bottom of the cup, then add your normal flour.
This adds a nutritional punch to your final product, and is a great way fortify white bread.
Like I said, it has been a while since I've made white bread, or used this recipe. I do remember that the look, feel and taste of the loaves with the CTRFF and those without were basically the same. You could some of the wheat germ, but it just gave a slightly grain-filled look to the bread. Similar to using Hodgson Mill flour instead of the Kroger wheat flour.
Here are some interesting links about CTRFF:
The history of the creator of Cornell Triple Rich bread
A Q & A from a 1980 edition of the Eugene Register-Guard about the benefits of using CTRFF with today's flour. (really, the whole page is interesting, including an article about home-baked bread being tastier than store bought, and a shower versus bath column)
A blogger's (anecdotal and unscientific) taste test!
Cornell Triple Rich Flour Formula and White Bread Plus in Joy of Cooking (pages 602 and 603) [this version of the bread recipe was written for a baker using a mixer - the process is a little different in my book, sans mixer]
Yup, I'm a little nutty.
What sort of things to you add to meals, breads and other foods to make them better?
Happy Earth Day!
In my regular blog reading, there has been a lot of talk about green-washing, and corporations co-opting Earth Day to sell more products, knick-knacks and other stuff that may or may not actually be green. (If you click on most of the blogs with "Green" in the title to the right, then you'll probably find at least one that is or has talked about this.)
As an optimist, though, I'm going to focus on the fact that it is the 40th anniversary of Earth Day. That means that for 40 years, caring for our Earth has been a mainstream idea, and not just the idea of a few kooks on the fringe. That means that while there are climate change deniers, or those who just don't that humans have caused or impacted climate change, there are many, many others who are actively working to reduce their own carbon footprint and trying to make green-living attainable.
And don't forget that every day is Earth Day! ;)
As an optimist, though, I'm going to focus on the fact that it is the 40th anniversary of Earth Day. That means that for 40 years, caring for our Earth has been a mainstream idea, and not just the idea of a few kooks on the fringe. That means that while there are climate change deniers, or those who just don't that humans have caused or impacted climate change, there are many, many others who are actively working to reduce their own carbon footprint and trying to make green-living attainable.
And don't forget that every day is Earth Day! ;)
Monday, April 19, 2010
Yahoo agrees with me!
...on HFCS!
An article on what nine ingredients to avoid in food, and guess what! they are overwhelming fake or manufactured ingredients!Some things to avoid include:
Artificial flavoring, colors, and sweeteners, even "friendly"ones like Splenda.
High Fructose Corn Syrup made the list. Our body processes it differently than sugar-sugar. Apparently, it has to go through the liver.
Shortening, hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oils. Go on, try to say that three times, fast. These are palm and soybean oil, among others. These have high levels of trans fat. So, don't simply believe the nutritional fact graphic, because if the content of something, per serving is 0.4 grams or less, they can round down to 0. Sooooo - something can have partially hydrogenated oil, but still claim to have 0 grams of trans fat in their nutritional facts section. Can I just say how mad that makes me?
I'm also upset to learn that Yoplait yogurts have HFCS in them. We were at the store, buying yogurts to have on hand for breakfast, desserts, and sweet treats (trying to be good and avoid ice cream!). Dannon and Yoplait were both on sale for 50 cents a single serving carton (I know the big carton is more cost effective - but the flavors!!). I looked at the ingredients for several flavors of both, and quickly put the Yoplait down. I suppose it is nostalgia that makes this loss sting more than others. I remember my mom getting Yoplait, and collecting the tops to send in. Guess I won't be doing that anytime soon.
Even if HFCS are/were fine in moderation, who can eat them in moderation without being vigilant in an attempt to avoid them!
Just wanted to share!
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Recipe Thursday: Wheat Bread
Remember that post about bread, where I am convinced that I killed the yeast? I thought I'd share the recipe with you! The recipe is from More With Less.
I do want to say that despite not really rising, the bread was still very yummy, with great flavor, and a nice texture. It was a little heavy, but not too much. I was actually a little surprised.
First, you mix 3 cups of whole wheat flour, 1/2 cup of dry milk, 1 tablespoon of salt, and 2 packages of yeast together.
Second, you warm 3 cups of water (the recipe calls for potato water or water - I've only ever had/used plain old tap water), 1/2 cup of honey, and 2 tablespoons of oil. (Here's my first deviation, since I only had/have olive oil, I melt 2 tablespoons of butter in the pan before adding the water and honey. It has been fine so far!)
When the water mixture is warm (NOT HOT!!), add to the flour mixture, and ... mix. Recipe is written for using an electric mixer. I prefer not to use one. Recipe says to mix for 3 minutes. I just mix until it is fairly consistent, without huge lumps.
Now, you add 1 cup of whole wheat flour, mix. Add up to 4 and 1/2 cups of white flour. As most experienced bakers, and the recipe advise, you should reserve the last cup or so to be added during kneading. I generally add a cup at a time, and when it is very difficult to mix, flour my counter, and turn it out to be kneaded. Usually, I've added 3 cups of white flour.
Since I know that I will need to add flour, I usually liberally sprinkle flour on top of the dough, on my hands, and on my pastry knives/bowl scrapers, which I use to start the kneading process. Kneading really is a hands-on learning process. You want to work the dough until it will not accept more flour, but this is a tricky line, because you can overwork it. The best way I can describe kneading is that you take one side of the dough-ball, and fold it to the center, pushing with the heal of your hand. As you do this, you are rotating the dough about 90 degrees. You keep doing this, adding flour as necessary, until the dough isn't sticky anymore.
Grease a bowl, put the dough in it, and turn (to coat). Set aside in a warm, draft free area to rise. My mom always wet a cheese cloth with hot-as-you-can-stand-it water, wrung it out thoroughly, and loosely placed it over the bread. I do too.
After it had doubled in bulk (about an hour), punch down the dough, and turn back out onto the counter. Knead very lightly, and divide it so you can form loaves. Recipe says it will make 2; I have found that it can easily make 3 loaves.
Grease your loaf pans, place your formed loaves in said pans, and set aside to rise. Again with the warm towel/cheese cloth. Again with the double in bulk. Again, it will take about an hour.
Bake for about 40 minutes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Turn out onto cooling rakes, and resist the urge to eat it all in one sitting. Properly stored, it should freeze just fine for at least a few weeks. I've not had it last that long though, usually gets eaten!
Do you make your own bread? Is there a recipe that you swear by?
I do want to say that despite not really rising, the bread was still very yummy, with great flavor, and a nice texture. It was a little heavy, but not too much. I was actually a little surprised.
First, you mix 3 cups of whole wheat flour, 1/2 cup of dry milk, 1 tablespoon of salt, and 2 packages of yeast together.
Second, you warm 3 cups of water (the recipe calls for potato water or water - I've only ever had/used plain old tap water), 1/2 cup of honey, and 2 tablespoons of oil. (Here's my first deviation, since I only had/have olive oil, I melt 2 tablespoons of butter in the pan before adding the water and honey. It has been fine so far!)
When the water mixture is warm (NOT HOT!!), add to the flour mixture, and ... mix. Recipe is written for using an electric mixer. I prefer not to use one. Recipe says to mix for 3 minutes. I just mix until it is fairly consistent, without huge lumps.
Now, you add 1 cup of whole wheat flour, mix. Add up to 4 and 1/2 cups of white flour. As most experienced bakers, and the recipe advise, you should reserve the last cup or so to be added during kneading. I generally add a cup at a time, and when it is very difficult to mix, flour my counter, and turn it out to be kneaded. Usually, I've added 3 cups of white flour.
Since I know that I will need to add flour, I usually liberally sprinkle flour on top of the dough, on my hands, and on my pastry knives/bowl scrapers, which I use to start the kneading process. Kneading really is a hands-on learning process. You want to work the dough until it will not accept more flour, but this is a tricky line, because you can overwork it. The best way I can describe kneading is that you take one side of the dough-ball, and fold it to the center, pushing with the heal of your hand. As you do this, you are rotating the dough about 90 degrees. You keep doing this, adding flour as necessary, until the dough isn't sticky anymore.
Grease a bowl, put the dough in it, and turn (to coat). Set aside in a warm, draft free area to rise. My mom always wet a cheese cloth with hot-as-you-can-stand-it water, wrung it out thoroughly, and loosely placed it over the bread. I do too.
After it had doubled in bulk (about an hour), punch down the dough, and turn back out onto the counter. Knead very lightly, and divide it so you can form loaves. Recipe says it will make 2; I have found that it can easily make 3 loaves.
Grease your loaf pans, place your formed loaves in said pans, and set aside to rise. Again with the warm towel/cheese cloth. Again with the double in bulk. Again, it will take about an hour.
Bake for about 40 minutes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Turn out onto cooling rakes, and resist the urge to eat it all in one sitting. Properly stored, it should freeze just fine for at least a few weeks. I've not had it last that long though, usually gets eaten!
Do you make your own bread? Is there a recipe that you swear by?
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