tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38468229510172548062024-03-23T02:51:25.881-07:00A Life UnprocessedLiving very well on very little.Mellowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11320881197482295606noreply@blogger.comBlogger127125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3846822951017254806.post-7283980920069285042020-03-27T15:02:00.001-07:002020-03-29T14:07:27.503-07:00Our Year of Buying Nothing: The Quarantine EditionLiving just outside Seattle, Washington, our community buckled down early due to the novel Coronavirus. We've now been homebound for several weeks. While others around us were lining up early outside stores to buy all the hand sanitizer and toilet paper, we found our own rhythm at home, relearning ways of using less and still buying nothing. (<a href="https://alifeunprocessed.blogspot.com/2020/01/our-year-of-buying-nothing-first-month.html" target="_blank">Click here to read more about our decision to buy nothing for one year</a>.)<br />
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<b><u>Groceries</u></b><br />
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How are we getting by without going to the store? I wrote an article years ago, <a href="https://alifeunprocessed.blogspot.com/2012/03/you-dont-have-to-go-to-store.html" target="_blank">You Don't Have to go to the Store</a>, during a time when we also didn't go grocery shopping at all. In it I describe how we got by without needing to shop. Some things have changed since I wrote the article; most notably we don't have a farm/garden anymore, so buying fresh veggies is a must. We now have a weekly produce delivery service, Freggies, which delivers a good variety of high quality fresh fruits & veggies. We also have our weekly dairy & egg delivery, using Smith Brothers local dairy delivery service. If you live in their delivery area, here is a <a href="http://www.smithbrothersfarms.com/Referred?dc=FRIEND" target="_blank">referral code, which will save you $20 off your first order.</a> Wherever you live, it's worth looking into your local farmer or producer delivery options. Many businesses that didn't use to deliver are now providing that option, as a means of staying in business during the quarantine.<br />
<br />
We are also making use of our own food storage, taking stock of our freezer and pantry, and making the best use of the items we've been stocking away. As my son said this morning over canned peaches on our pancakes, you know it's the apocalypse when we start eating canned food. I maintain a food inventory spreadsheet, with different tabs for freezer, fridge, cabinets, and pantry, where I itemize our foods on hand. It's great for meal planning. I normally check it before going shopping, to make sure I don't overbuy something I already have in the pantry or freezer. I try to update it after getting groceries, or when I use something up. It's a good reminder of how much we already (or still) have. As the weeks go by, our diet is getting different from the usual (we are out of meat, for example) but because of my spreadsheet I know we won't go hungry anytime soon.<br />
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<b><u>Meals</u></b><br />
<b><u><br /></u></b>
Separate from groceries but along the same lines, I'm preparing all our meals from scratch, using items from our freezer, pantry, and produce delivery. Like you I'm sure, I've been reading a ton about how coronavirus is transmitted, and what activities are safe. Lots of people are ordering from local restaurants, which is a wonderful way of supporting struggling businesses right now. However, every time you bring something into your home that someone else touched or potentially sneezed or coughed on, you have to disinfect it or risk spreading the virus. I just don't think I'm ready to enjoy a meal that comes with that kind of potential. Maybe after a few more weeks, when I'm desperate to eat something other than lentils, we'll re-explore that idea... For now, I'm having fun being creative with what we already have. Make it a game: What can we make today that the kids won't hate?<br />
<br />
<b><u>Toilet Paper</u></b><br />
<br />
I'm not sure there has ever been such a storm on toilet paper. At least in our area, every store that carries TP has had lines outside before they open, and is sold out very soon after the mobs enter. Stores are now setting limits on how much toilet paper each customer can buy, and they are still selling out every day.<br />
<br />
I normally buy toilet paper at Costco, and one of their giant packs lasts us a good part of the year. However, since we are all home constantly now, I knew we'd be going through it about twice as fast as usual, so I've taken measures to reduce use: I have switched back to using cloth for pee. I keep a wash cloth on the back of each toilet, and refold as necessary before tossing it in the laundry. As the only lady in the house, and one who drinks a lot of tea, this measure is likely to vastly reduce our family's TP use. You can also use smaller cloths, and toss them into a small bucket or bin after each use, for later washing. We did this for years, back when my kids were in cloth diapers, and just washed the wipes along with the diapers. I made them out of small squares of old flannel baby blankets, hand stitched around the edges to prevent fraying. Pee cloths can be thrown right in with the normal laundry.<br />
<br />
I may yet have to venture out to a store to get more toilet paper, depending on how long this quarantine lasts, but for now I'm happy to avoid the additional risk of an airborne virus. With online toilet paper costing as much as $2 per roll, I'd also like to avoid getting price-gauged if possible.<br />
<br />
<u><b>Sanitizer</b></u><br />
<br />
Use soap instead. Soap kills viruses effectively. We wash hands every time we come home from anywhere that we have touched anything others might have touched. I keep lotion at every sink and in my purse, so it's easy to apply after every hand washing. It's important to keep your skin from drying out and cracking, a common affliction during the arid winter months but especially now with all the increased washing. Dry, cracked skin is open to infection and feels yucky besides.<br />
<br />
If you still need hand sanitizer, you can make your own using alcohol and aloe vera gel. <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prepare/cleaning-disinfection.html" target="_blank">The CDC recommends a 70% alcohol solution</a>. When we were still coming and going from our house daily, we would wipe down our phones and keys each time we came home with alcohol wipes. You can simply apply rubbing alcohol to a cloth to make your own wipes, but this would be harmful to bare skin if you do it frequently.<br />
<br />
Now that we are home nearly constantly, there is much less to worry about sanitizing. On our daily walks, we just don't touch anything except occasionally the mail. I process the mail right after bringing it inside, and then wash my hands. You can of course toss most of it in the outdoor recycle bin instead of bringing it inside at all. And then wash your hands.<br />
<br />
<b><u>Entertainment</u></b><br />
<br />
This is a very real need, with so many kids suddenly out of school, and adults out of work. Many people resort to buying stuff out of boredom. It's easy to desire the novelty of new items to fill our time and space, but our family is still committed to a year of buying nothing (as I've said, this doesn't include food & TP). So how are we keeping ourselves sane, fulfilled, and busy during the weeks and potentially months stuck at home?<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>I make a list of things for us to do each day. This includes all activities we do as a family, chores each kid needs to do, and meals I plan to make. I also write the day of the week at the top of the list, or else I would have no idea.</li>
<li>Daily family activities include card and board games, walks around the neighborhood, exercise time, reading aloud with my younger son, and asking each other trivia questions. </li>
<li>Homeschooling, for our kids, includes the above activities, as well as alternating between two hours of online learning (we use Khan Academy) and workbook time, or two hours of video games.</li>
<li>My older son and his friends have managed to organize online D&D games, as well as other games that can be played via video chat. He does this for two hours at a time, three days a week. It's helped him to feel connected to his peers during this socially isolating time. While he meets with his friends online, my younger son and I often work on an art project together.</li>
<li>Netflix, Hulu, DVDs, etc. Every evening after dinner we've been watching episodes of The Office together, or other funny shows (last night was Netflix's Pandemic, but I personally recommend generally ending the day with something a little more uplifting). I can't bear the idea of "binge-watching" anything, so we always limit the amount of episodes to 2-3, depending on length of the episodes. After watching shows, we end screen time and read books until bedtime.</li>
<li>Between episodes, we always do "family exercise time". Using a timer, we take turns choosing an exercise to do for one minute. We do this for two full rounds, then two minutes of stretching, for a total of around 10 minutes. It's quick but challenging, and there's always a nice variety this way.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<b><u>Wellness</u></b><br />
<b><u><br /></u></b>
We've found a nice balance of spending time together but also giving each other space. It can be easy to get on each other's nerves when cooped up together endlessly. Be patient, keep it light, see the good in people and be forgiving.<br />
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I wake up every morning and meditate for a comfortable 15 minutes. A regular practice keeps me from catastrophizing, or making mountains out of molehills. We also meditate as a family every evening before bed, for just 5 minutes. It's just a nice time to sit together, breath and relax. Here is my article on <a href="https://alifeunprocessed.blogspot.com/2015/01/meditation-how-why.html" target="_blank">meditation basics, the how & why</a>.<br />
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Get outside every single day. Don't let a day pass when you have been inside all day, unless you are bedridden. <a href="https://alifeunprocessed.blogspot.com/2018/02/how-i-finally-got-to-sleep-ending.html" target="_blank">I struggled with insomnia for years</a>, and one of the keys to better sleep was a long morning walk; daylight, fresh air, and exercise all help to regulate our circadian rhythms. Also, being cooped up can make you feel crazy. Getting outside will remind you that your world is still all there, you have space, and best of all: it's springtime! Enjoy the animals, the birds singing and the squirrels acting crazy, the flowers starting to cover the trees, and animals generally getting bolder as they meet with less human interference.<br />
<br />
Keep your immune system strong by doing the following:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Limit sugar, which has a hazardous effect on immune function.</li>
<li>Supplement with vitamins C & D, and Zinc lozenges, which all help prevent respiratory illness.</li>
<li>Get plenty of sleep. Try to turn the lights out at 10, and allow enough time in a darkened room to wake up naturally in the morning.</li>
<li>Move your body daily. The immune system requires muscular movement for optimal circulation of lymphatic fluids. Sitting around all day is not good for anyone.</li>
</ul>
<br />
Find comfort in your people, pets, or your online community. My cat has been such a blessing through this. He is always there for us, always happy to love and be loved, so soft and warm. He doesn't care that the world as we know it may have ended, as long as we still have some kibble.<br />
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<script src="https://z-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/onejs?MarketPlace=US"></script>Mellowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11320881197482295606noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3846822951017254806.post-84359271165264716512020-03-17T08:37:00.000-07:002020-03-17T08:39:48.274-07:00Easy Grain Free Sandwich Bread<br />
This striking loaf is incredibly easy to whip up in the blender, and if you use a base of sunflower seeds, your bread ends up a marvelous dark green color. Impress your family & friends!<br />
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The green is a natural chemical reaction between the sunflower seeds & baking soda, and absolutely safe. The batter looks like normal bread dough, but as it bakes it changes color. You can use other nuts; cashews & almonds will provide a normal colored loaf, if that's what you're after. I like sunflower seeds because the green is fun, plus they're much cheaper. And isn't there enough brown bread in the world? On to the recipe!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqq9Gs5twaJPcorvG-GGI9L324Br_GrtIFRTgxoR9zeO0vRV3JTZlst07-4U9mhXirT5wJtJ7li2t_ZXlNQhZjXHSeUMCPclol0xlF09PXRtzkJHtZmZdOrxOQqdkD8GGEIo55U-mwbK0/s1600/IMG_20181220_183456.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A Life Unprocessed" border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqq9Gs5twaJPcorvG-GGI9L324Br_GrtIFRTgxoR9zeO0vRV3JTZlst07-4U9mhXirT5wJtJ7li2t_ZXlNQhZjXHSeUMCPclol0xlF09PXRtzkJHtZmZdOrxOQqdkD8GGEIo55U-mwbK0/s640/IMG_20181220_183456.jpg" title="Grain Free Sandwich Bread Loaf" width="640" /></a></div>
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There is no prep. Simply place the following in the blender:<br />
<br />
<b>8 eggs</b><br />
<b>1/2 c milk of any kind, unsweetened</b><br />
<b>1.5 Tbsp apple cider vinegar</b><br />
<b>450 g sunflower seeds or other nuts (2.5-3 cups)</b><br />
<b>2 tsp baking soda</b><br />
<b>1 tsp sea salt</b><br />
<br />
Blend into a smooth, thick batter. Then add <b>7 Tbsp coconut flour</b>. This may become a little too thick for the blender to handle, as bread dough should. You can transfer it to a mixer for this last step, or just stir it by hand. No kneading required, just mix the flour in thoroughly.<br />
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Bake at 325, in an oiled standard bread loaf pan, for at least an hour. I have also divided the batter between two loaf pans. This will bake more quickly, but give shorter loafs/smaller slices. Either way works; you do you. Just pay attention towards the end of baking. You can do a toothpick test to see if the center is baked.<br />
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Let cool in the pan for 30 minutes, and store any leftovers in the fridge.<br />
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<script src="https://z-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/onejs?MarketPlace=US"></script>Mellowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11320881197482295606noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3846822951017254806.post-6646492247017200962020-01-26T07:42:00.000-08:002020-03-29T08:41:10.557-07:00Our Year of Buying Nothing: The First MonthAt the very end of December 2019, I made the last minute decision to enact this resolution: to make no purchases for the entire year. Of course, we'll still buy food & toilet paper; we'll still go to the occasional restaurant, and if necessary we'll buy replacement items if something essential breaks. This decision followed on the heels of a string of random purchases I made during November & December, more than my usual. We spent not only money on these items, but time in installing and learning how to use them, moving things around so they had a proper place in the house, and storing associated paperwork and processing the packaging. While I don't regret these purchases, I have seen how dangerously easy it is to get into shopping online sales; one click and something new and exciting is on its way to your door. I feel our family is pretty well taken care of materially and should be fine for some time. I'm excited to see how long we can go without buying anything more.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLy922VOSejgDNTCr96Hofl2MC2UwBfhcKYDs8w4PL_U-MXwB1153zBbzT4plyGlV1DvVSo00vMd8bvWsBYiQ1AzrW7WIB-KuHxtMTZ22pjupR6-cBWqrEa4EoMuFxn6XVQ53eD9XzWMM/s1600/00100lrPORTRAIT_00100_BURST20191204125823394_COVER.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img alt="A Life Unprocessed" border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLy922VOSejgDNTCr96Hofl2MC2UwBfhcKYDs8w4PL_U-MXwB1153zBbzT4plyGlV1DvVSo00vMd8bvWsBYiQ1AzrW7WIB-KuHxtMTZ22pjupR6-cBWqrEa4EoMuFxn6XVQ53eD9XzWMM/s640/00100lrPORTRAIT_00100_BURST20191204125823394_COVER.jpg" title="Our Year of Buying Nothing: The First Month" width="640" /></a></div>
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We are a family of four (plus this lovely cat) with one full-time earner and myself, a mostly stay at home parent who is just transitioning to working more regular hours. I've been able to be home with my kids their whole lives, an honor I don't take for granted. In addition to raising & educating the kids, being the stay at home parent has also meant that I have more time to make our meals from scratch, as well as finding other ways of being frugal through the years (which you can read about in my previous articles). Many years ago, I started a <a href="https://alifeunprocessed.blogspot.com/2013/10/start-or-join-buy-nothing-facebook-group.html" target="_blank">Buy Nothing Facebook group</a> in our community, and it took off like wildfire. This group, and the others like it that have since sprung up, is an amazing resource for neighbors to gift all kinds of things to each other. I love being able to offer up anything we find we no longer want or need to the group. Anytime I want to buy something, I ask first in my gifting group to see if I can find a similar item that a neighbor no longer has need of.<br />
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This resource in no small part enables me to go most of the time without buying anything. Last year, the only clothing items I bought for my kids were two pairs of jeans for my older son who had shot up like a weed, new shoes for my kids & partner, and new slippers for myself. Oh, and for Christmas I bought my partner a sweet new flannel shirt. For all our other clothes, our needs were more than met by the offerings in our neighborhood groups. In addition, because I personally love clothes and getting together with friends, twice a year for the past 5 years I have <a href="https://alifeunprocessed.blogspot.com/2016/03/how-to-score-new-wardrobe-without.html" target="_blank">hosted trading parties</a>, where everyone can bring their nicer castoff clothes to give away and come home with bags of new things to try for free.<br />
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So, here we are nearing the end of the first month, and while my hasty resolution has presented no real hardship, there have been a few challenges. For example, I have a Christmas cactus that has been in a horribly ugly plastic pot ever since two naughty kittens knocked it off a windowsill and it's original beautiful ceramic pot broke. I've looked for a replacement pot for years on my Buy Nothing group, and even at yard sales, but they never seem to be big enough. Suddenly, a few days into the new year, I felt I *must* get a real pot for my otherwise lovely plant. I think the constraint of not allowing myself to buy something made this desire for a replacement pot feel suddenly urgent. However, I just reminded myself that, as it's been doing fine in its plastic pot for so long, it can surely go another year without any horrible repercussions.<br />
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Another challenge was not buying my cat a scratching post. He transitioned to an indoor-only cat a year or so ago, and since then has found lots of places around the house to scratch up, some approved by us (doormats) and some we would much rather him not (the nice wool carpet and the door frames). He doesn't have a real scratching post, and it occurred to me recently, after seeing an ad for a cute cactus shaped cat tree/scratching post, that this would be just the thing. I went so far as to click on the ad, and ever since then my Facebook feed has been inundated with ads for cat-related items. Of course, as all pet parents must, I want the best for my kitty so if something would be good for him or useful, I can often justify the expense. Fortunately my partner is very practical and reasonable, and by running purchases by him I have often saved myself the regret of being stuck with an unhappy selection. Also, we visited his family earlier this month and they told me how easy it is to make your own scratching post, with some twine and wood. I have not pursued this, but knowing I can make something myself is often enough for me to not want to buy it.<br />
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I look forward to future challenges. I'm sure I'll be faced with more difficult decisions than those that have presented themselves to date. Perhaps my son will grow another two inches and we won't be able to find any decent pants for him from our gifting groups. Perhaps something that seems quite essential will break and we'll have to decide how necessary its replacement is. I'll try to keep track of these challenges as they come up, and document here how I deal with them. In future posts I'll also speak to how this resolution affects us as a family, whether it becomes a hardship at all or if we notice positive effects beyond the obvious of saving money, reducing clutter, and reducing waste.<br />
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Update: Click here for my article on <a href="https://alifeunprocessed.blogspot.com/2020/03/our-year-of-buying-nothing-quarantine.html" target="_blank">buying nothing through the Coronavirus quarantine</a>.<br />
<br />
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<script src="https://z-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/onejs?MarketPlace=US"></script>Mellowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11320881197482295606noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3846822951017254806.post-25761365798771397932019-03-30T09:24:00.003-07:002019-03-30T22:24:39.082-07:00The Easiest Instant Pot Yogurt You'll Ever Make<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Straining yogurt is a hassle. It's a messy, extra step that people use to get a nice, thick yogurt. But you don't need to do it! With this simple technique, you don't have to. My yogurt is always thick, delicious, and really hassle free. By the way, I have made yogurt without a kitchen thermometer, but it's much easier to be sure you are doing it correctly with this tool, so you might want to pick one up or borrow one from a neighbor before you get started. Also, you'll need a pressure cooker with a yogurt function, and the metal steamer insert that comes with it.<br />
<br />
<b>Ingredients:</b><br />
<ul>
<li><i>1/2 gallon of whole milk</i> (or three cans of coconut milk, blended smooth)</li>
<li><i>1 tsp unflavored gelatin or collagen</i> powder (this helps to ensure thickness without straining!)</li>
<li><i>1 tsp yogurt</i>, saved from a previous batch (if storebought, make sure it has active cultures) You can save your yogurt starter in small jars in the freezer and then thaw before using, or just scrape the jar from your previous batch in the fridge.</li>
</ul>
<br />
Whisk milk with gelatin or collagen powder together in your instant pot liner. Set instant pot on "Yogurt" and hit adjust, if needed, until screen says "boil". Cover with lid and when it has reached 180 degrees it should notify you. Here is where I use my thermometer to double check that it has reached 180 degrees. If it hasn't, simply set your IP to saute for a minute or two, and whisk to keep the milk from sticking to the pan, until it measures 180. This step will improve the texture of the finished yogurt.<br />
<br />
Next step is to remove the liner from the IP, and place it in a sinkfull of cold water to cool the mixture. You can add some ice to the sink to speed this process. (Make sure water & ice don't get into your milk pot.) Whisk the milk and check the temperature; it is safe to add the starter once it reaches 110 degrees. The best way to add the starter is to first whisk about a half cup of the cooled milk mixture with your starter in a small bowl or jar, and then incorporate that into the pot.<br />
<br />
Finally, you are ready to jar up your yogurt mixture. Culturing yogurt in directly in jars, rather than in the pot and then transferring it later, helps it to firm up properly. Make sure your jars will fit into the instant pot with a steamer tray in the bottom. You can use four pint jars, or one half gallon jar if you IP is large enough. Place lids on the jars; it will not get hot, so plastic lids are OK. Wash out your pot, add 1 cup of water to the bottom, and place jars on the steamer insert. With the IP on Yogurt function, hit adjust as needed until it displays "8:00". Your yogurt will be ready in 8 hours!<br />
<br />
A note on timing: Because it takes 8 hours, it's best to either start your yogurt in the evening, so it can be finished in the morning, or start the process in the morning and let it culture all day. Your yogurt will last a couple weeks in the fridge. I think you'll find it's so good, and really so easy, that you never need to buy it again.<br />
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</script>Mellowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11320881197482295606noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3846822951017254806.post-55143177704007127432018-03-04T07:50:00.000-08:002019-03-30T22:25:07.075-07:00Grain Free Sugar Cookies With Buttercream Frosting<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTg3BTRGyUL55oUs-h3pgro1QL0Ywj0WdAXERMJLnCornpjVq9ZluWRCIqlCiT1hmiQc2JQfrCGvOF5KMIh-M5T9jfOWtGz4TUlcGQFlIwixykmDknbalpPUISFSivF1d_MpmXL2wnLTE/s1600/IMG_20180228_140745.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTg3BTRGyUL55oUs-h3pgro1QL0Ywj0WdAXERMJLnCornpjVq9ZluWRCIqlCiT1hmiQc2JQfrCGvOF5KMIh-M5T9jfOWtGz4TUlcGQFlIwixykmDknbalpPUISFSivF1d_MpmXL2wnLTE/s640/IMG_20180228_140745.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
This fantastic, easy recipe will impress your family & friends. Anyone who thinks of gluten free cookies as being a dry and punishing experience will disabuse themselves of that notion after their first bite. These coconut flour based cookies are rich and buttery, and so delicious. The frosting is equally rich, and a perfect adornment. Both are quick to whip up, and not at all fussy.<br />
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<h4>
Sugar Cookies:</h4>
<ul>
<li>1 stick of butter (1/2 c) softened to room temp</li>
<li>1 cup sugar (I used a xylitol/natural sugar blend)</li>
<li>2 eggs</li>
<li>2 t vanilla extract</li>
<li>1/2 t sea salt</li>
<li>1 c coconut flour (4.25 oz or 128 g, if you have a scale and want to be more exact)</li>
<li>1 t baking powder</li>
<li>2 tb arrowroot starch, plus more for dusting</li>
</ul>
<br />
In a large mixing bowl, cream butter & sugar. Add eggs, vanilla, and salt and beat together well.<br />
In a measuring cup or small bowl, stir baking powder into the coconut flour to combine. Pour into batter and mix well. Let sit for 5 minutes so the coconut flour can absorb the liquid. Add starch and mix again to knead dough for 30 seconds. If it is sticky or too moist, add more starch, up to 4 tb total.<br />
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Dust counter with starch and press or roll dough to 1/4" thick. Cut into desired shapes and bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes, until they reach your desired shade of golden. We found them to be delicious whether baked to a dark golden brown (shown at bottom of article) or a light gold (at top).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT7An_xLc_iF_dc8T-IO_qXVSUeN1zoGzBMAWhv4Fzzz4yYyqEyN9EhIeMlNx_XZzStZWsjDJs1VWrubdBGyFuEPU5bi6HLez1niyUYncSAXa7ZvJHovOts5mWPiuSPlVSmefD32mSR7A/s1600/IMG_20180228_122408.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT7An_xLc_iF_dc8T-IO_qXVSUeN1zoGzBMAWhv4Fzzz4yYyqEyN9EhIeMlNx_XZzStZWsjDJs1VWrubdBGyFuEPU5bi6HLez1niyUYncSAXa7ZvJHovOts5mWPiuSPlVSmefD32mSR7A/s400/IMG_20180228_122408.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Let cookies harden for a few minutes before removing from the cookie sheet. Cool completely before frosting. I like to place them on a cutting board in the fridge, so they're chilled and ready for frosting in about 10 minutes.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl-gG1DK0QeELKoakLG0RrRT_twhAufiFH7hZD8kU-ym4memB_HRcEwfShC2cfh6Z_4-G7JQ4jtXhGlZo4BlPFfmrowTZgSUHDQZm_mugkPG3TsgTdGQkLrFOcaZwW0dy47GHInbo7m04/s1600/IMG_20180228_125706.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl-gG1DK0QeELKoakLG0RrRT_twhAufiFH7hZD8kU-ym4memB_HRcEwfShC2cfh6Z_4-G7JQ4jtXhGlZo4BlPFfmrowTZgSUHDQZm_mugkPG3TsgTdGQkLrFOcaZwW0dy47GHInbo7m04/s400/IMG_20180228_125706.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<h4>
</h4>
<h4>
Buttercream Frosting:</h4>
<ul>
<li>1 stick of softened butter (1/2 c)</li>
<li>1.5 c powdered sugar</li>
<li>1.5 tb cream (from the top of can of coconut milk, or heavy cream)</li>
<li>1 t vanilla extract</li>
<li>small pinch of salt</li>
<li>1/2 packet of Color Kitchen plant based food coloring, if desired</li>
</ul>
<br />
Beat butter in mixer until smooth. Slowly stir in powdered sugar, then mix on medium until mixture holds together. Add cream, vanilla, salt, and color if using, and increase speed until everything is well mixed, scraping down the sides and bottom of bowl as needed. Frost cookies, then store them in the fridge. Any leftover frosting can be stored in the fridge for up to a week; just bring to room temperature before using.<br />
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Enjoy!<br />
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"@context": "http://schema.org/",
"@type": "Recipe",
"name": "Grain Free Sugar Cookies With Buttercream Frosting",
"image": "https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTg3BTRGyUL55oUs-h3pgro1QL0Ywj0WdAXERMJLnCornpjVq9ZluWRCIqlCiT1hmiQc2JQfrCGvOF5KMIh-M5T9jfOWtGz4TUlcGQFlIwixykmDknbalpPUISFSivF1d_MpmXL2wnLTE/s1600/IMG_20180228_140745.jpg",
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</script>Mellowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11320881197482295606noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3846822951017254806.post-64797010350093462062018-02-28T04:30:00.000-08:002019-03-30T22:23:54.350-07:00(Gluten Free) Pasta with Marinara in the Instant Pot<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "gotham" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "gotham" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">Cooking pasta in the Instant Pot is simple and rewarding, provided you use the right amount of liquid, and the right type of noodles. While you can definitely cook actual spaghetti in a pressure cooker, it has more of a tendency to clump together and remain crunchy than corkscrew fusilli.</span> Fusilli noodles are a fun, helical shape, easier to fork than spaghetti, and hold onto the sauce better as well. We love the gluten free quinoa and brown rice fusilli that we've been using for years. It has more fiber & protein than traditional pasta, and I personally can't tell the difference in taste. </span></span></div>
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<div>
Here's how to make pasta with marinara in an Instant Pot. This recipe is for a standard 6 quart model, but if you have an 8 quart pot, you can double the recipe. We generally use ground beef, but found that ground lamb makes a delicious variation. You can also easily make this a vegetarian meal by omitting the meat. </div>
</span></span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">1 lb ground meat, if using</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">1 diced onion</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">20 oz fusili noodles</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">24 oz tomato sauce</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">2 c broth or water</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">5 cloves minced garlic</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">2 t paprika</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">2 tb Italian herbs (I use a blend of oregano, sage, thyme, and rosemary)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">1 tb sea salt</span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPoxWFh55qPUfOwAFYWkrMneZqa5qiyToaw2F_SAj5zW9v8SawfnLika05OxhKnTsnLo8Jx63sJQYe4pLYOOP5TMDTAnLXhxQEuDZlZJi8IlR5CFsjmTc1xxcPR1qm4VTo4bwkUAs0J2o/s1600/IMG_20180131_192721.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhawegXB01Y_S9GrLLdT128DHB98XkrweaWonPeev17-JncQQ0YIkMKYLoGvUQfSLni2vRJP3nE5SsYcr2VrXW-yYPwwPC-7LPWts-nURyk1U8hBVIn38U5wxCdIaFNfPqyXvBPmpv28KQ/s1600/IMG_20180131_181334.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A Life Unprocessed" border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhawegXB01Y_S9GrLLdT128DHB98XkrweaWonPeev17-JncQQ0YIkMKYLoGvUQfSLni2vRJP3nE5SsYcr2VrXW-yYPwwPC-7LPWts-nURyk1U8hBVIn38U5wxCdIaFNfPqyXvBPmpv28KQ/s640/IMG_20180131_181334.jpg" title="(Gluten Free) Pasta with Marinara in the Instant Pot" width="640" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Saute meat and onions in the IP until brown. Saute onions in a little oil, if you are not using meat. I like to slide my Instant Pot under my stove's vent when I'm sauteing, as long as the surface of my stove isn't hot.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Once onions are soft and meat browned, add noodles and then everything else. Try to cover noodles with sauce and broth, but if a few stick out that's OK. Cover, then set to manual for 4 minutes. Let it release pressure naturally (NPR). Once you can open the lid, give the pot a good stir to incorporate the meat, onions, and spices.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfTYXA_adXXNAtk2tbvOexcWPr0_85J-tFHWWB8oSZs1OoqoQObjewv76JRUTq1XMEesupb9_wahyYDdzk_iIxS7je7ZWvmL_B4QUToJ0mJEUE0enuUMuKgo77OBIZEwltO-wH9QDjxcI/s1600/IMG_20180131_192256.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img alt="A Life Unprocessed" border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfTYXA_adXXNAtk2tbvOexcWPr0_85J-tFHWWB8oSZs1OoqoQObjewv76JRUTq1XMEesupb9_wahyYDdzk_iIxS7je7ZWvmL_B4QUToJ0mJEUE0enuUMuKgo77OBIZEwltO-wH9QDjxcI/s640/IMG_20180131_192256.jpg" title="(Gluten Free) Pasta with Marinara in the Instant Pot" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Serve and enjoy! I love to eat this sprinkled with fresh parmesean, or my homemade <a href="http://alifeunprocessed.blogspot.com/2014/03/easily-make-sauerkraut-right-in-jar.html">sauerkraut</a>, and <a href="http://alifeunprocessed.blogspot.com/2015/10/gomashio-sesame-salt-tutorial.html">gomasio seasoning</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">We purchase our wonderful noodles and organic tomato sauce directly from <a href="https://www.azurestandard.com/?a_aid=z10mym6FoA">Azure Standard</a>, a natural foods distributor. Below are affiliate links for Amazon. Any purchase made through the links helps to support our family, without any additional cost to you. Thanks in advance!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="https://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ac&ref=tf_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=lifeunpro-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=B004Z915M4&asins=B004Z915M4&linkId=MOOAQV5426IPTNYB&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe></span><script type="text/javascript">amzn_assoc_placement = "adunit0"; amzn_assoc_enable_interest_ads = "true"; amzn_assoc_tracking_id = "lifeunpro-20"; amzn_assoc_ad_mode = "auto"; amzn_assoc_ad_type = "smart"; amzn_assoc_marketplace = "amazon"; amzn_assoc_region = "US"; amzn_assoc_emphasize_categories = "51569011,2617941011,3760911,1000,172282,2238192011,16310101,3760901,1055398,133140011,284507,10272111,2972638011,2619533011,3375251"; amzn_assoc_linkid = "4c83c3c0de7a6fe51a218834f6977e15"; amzn_assoc_fallback_mode = {"type":"search","value":"Organic"}; amzn_assoc_default_category = "All"; amzn_assoc_rows = "1"; </script><script src="https://z-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/onejs?MarketPlace=US"></script>
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"name": "(Gluten Free) Pasta with Marinara in the Instant Pot",
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"recipeIngredient": [
"1 diced onion",
"1 lb ground meat",
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</script>Mellowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11320881197482295606noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3846822951017254806.post-64337486604415118662018-02-16T17:09:00.001-08:002018-02-16T19:13:32.372-08:00How I Finally Got to Sleep: Ending Insomnia Naturally<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b><br /></b>
<b>For years I struggled with insomnia:</b> waking each night around 2 a.m., tossing and turning, and finally just getting up. I learned to nap during the day if I could squeeze one in, but I was sleep deprived in a chronic, dangerous way. Sleep deprivation can lead to all kinds of health problems, and mental & emotional issues as well. I was very aware of these risks, having read nearly every article and book out there on how to sleep. Teaching myself to sleep right became kind of an obsession; I made spreadsheets of all the things I was supposed to do each day in order to sleep better. I kept track of every little thing, so I would know what worked and what made it worse. The only problem was that <b>nothing ever seemed to work; it only got worse</b>.<br />
<br />
After three years of this, I happened upon an article about how <a href="https://www.theladders.com/career-advice/insomnia-sleep-issues">people who define themselves as having insomnia made their sleep problems worse</a>. And not only that, but they felt worse the next day even when they got as much sleep as people who don't think of themselves as having sleep issues. I realized that the problem for a lot of us, for me in particular, could be in my mind. I had so much stress built up around bedtime, that I often felt a little panicked if I wasn't in bed by 10 p.m.- that golden hour for getting perfect sleep. I had tried every natural sleep product my friends recommended over the years, and even a couple of unnatural, over the counter ones recommended by my doctors. I had done a sleep study: hooked up to wires and tubes and stuck all over with goo. It felt like the worst night of sleep in my life, but afterwards I was told that I didn't have sleep apnea. I came very close to getting surgery on my deviated septum, believing at the time that this was what was keeping me up. I canceled that surgery at the last minute, panicked that it would only make things worse.<br />
<br />
<b>Insomnia and sleep problems are incredibly common.</b> Once I started posting about my sleep issues on Facebook, I realized how widespread the problem is. I started an insomnia support group, so I could learn from what worked for others. I shared the article linked to above with that group, and one member admitted that it was so important to her not to define herself as an insomniac anymore, that she almost hadn't joined my group. She hadn't had sleep issues in years, ever since she let the label of insomnia go. Another member took issue with the idea that her sleep problems, which she felt had a physical cause, were all in her head. Definitely, there are different causes of sleep issues; for many of us it begins with the birth of our first child. We can start out with one cause, and then the problem becomes chronic along the way, as the original cause is replaced by anxiety around sleep. We need to make sure we change the things we can in our lives to create better sleep hygiene, but we need to also do what we can to give our minds a break from stress around sleep.<br />
<br />
<b>Sleep is essential. </b>Along with eating right and exercise, sleep is one of the three pillars of health. It should come naturally, it should come easily, and I was so frustrated that it constantly seemed beyond my grasp, no matter how much I tried to do things "right". I did learn some little tricks along the way, from all my sleep books & articles. I found that it's important to take the right steps for sleep hygiene, but also to remove the stress around sleep.<br />
<br />
<h4>
Here's what finally worked:</h4>
<ul>
<li><b><i>Brief Meditation</i></b> Morning and night, for 5-10 minutes. I find that it's a nice beginning and end to each day, and 5 minutes is much easier to squeeze in than the standard 20 minutes that is usually recommended. Occasionally I can't fit it in during a busy morning, so I'll do my morning meditation in the afternoon. I don't stress about it. <a href="http://alifeunprocessed.blogspot.com/2015/01/meditation-how-why.html">Meditation has too many proven benefits to ignore</a>.</li>
<li><i><b>Journaling</b></i> In order to reduce nighttime stress levels, it's helpful to write about anything troubling us, before laying down to sleep. Anytime I have something bothering me at bedtime, I write about it, including all my fears and any possible solutions. Getting my worries down on paper lets my mind off the hook, so it can go on to do the important work of sleep. As a nightly habit, I also write down three unique things that I'm thankful for; one thing I'm proud of; and one thing I'm excited about. This is a good habit to help focus on the positive; whether it helps with sleep or not I can't say. Sleep problems are commonly caused by, or exacerbated by, depression, so anything we can do to lighten up should help.</li>
<li><b><i>Earplugs</i></b> This was a hard one to get used to at first, as I disliked the feeling of pressure inside my ears. But after a few nights with earplugs, I barely noticed them. And, wonderfully, I no longer woke to every outside noise. Now, when I put my earplugs in, I feel l am in a cozy little cocoon where nothing can bother me. If you are caring for infants, it's probably best to leave out the earplugs for now.</li>
<li><i style="font-weight: bold;">Blackout Blinds</i> It's important to get your bedroom as dark as you can make it when you sleep. Cover or remove anything that has an LED light at night. Remove night lights from bedrooms, and keep them in common areas and bathrooms instead. Our neighbors keep a light shining all night, so we pull our blinds down all the way. The darkness should be so complete that you cannot see your hand in front of your face.</li>
<li><i style="font-weight: bold;">Caffeine Moratorium</i> Don't worry, it's not off limits. For me, anytime I drink coffee or black tea after noon, I'm risking being wide awake in the middle of the night. So I have the hard stuff in the morning, and stick to green tea or herbal blends later on. I have a nightly cup of herbal tea at bedtime, but I feel it's more a cozy ritual and less about the specific herbs I drink being helpful for sleep. These days I'm drinking catnip tea before bed.</li>
<li><i style="font-weight: bold;">Screen Ban</i> I cheat on this one, because I do read books on my phone before bed, using the Kindle app. But after tucking in the kids, I no longer scroll through social media. Our only TV is in the den, far away from bedrooms. Blue light from LCD screens has been shown to reduce sleep quality, so we use a free app (<a href="https://twilight.urbandroid.org/">Twilight</a> for Android, <a href="https://justgetflux.com/">f.lux</a> for Apple) that automatically filters out the blue light after the sun goes down. I also turn my phone on airplane mode, to make sure my sleep isn't interrupted at night by little incoming messages. This also to reduces my temptation to check Facebook after hours. With airplane mode on, all I can do is read my book in peace; it's kind of perfect.</li>
<li><i style="font-weight: bold;">Drink in Moderation</i> Or, don't drink at all if you like. Definitely, the more you drink, the more degraded your quality of sleep will be. It's best to have just one or two drinks, and to have them earlier rather than right before bed, so the alcohol gets metabolized before sleep onset. Yes, wine can make you feel sleepy and even help in falling asleep; however quality of sleep can be hindered by alcohol. I find that I can fall asleep easily after a couple of drinks, but then I'll pop awake around 4 a.m., regretting that last glass of wine. Also watch things like sulfites, additives, and weird mixers. We try to enjoy our booze with the least chemicals and sugar possible. My favorite mixed drink is a vodka or tequila with soda water. It's so light and easy to drink, and doesn't leave you feeling sick. I've had good luck with sulfite free red wine as well.</li>
<li><i style="font-weight: bold;">No Pets</i> At least, no pets in the bedroom at night. I am too sensitive to every little movement, every meow (even with earplugs) and cats are nocturnal. We set up our attached garage as our cat's nighttime apartment, so we can all get better sleep.</li>
</ul>
<div>
<br /></div>
<h4>
Here's what might help with sleep; I don't know for sure but I do it anyway:</h4>
<div>
<ul>
<li><i style="font-weight: bold;">Exercise Daily</i> Forget three times a week: exercise every day. Bodies were meant to be used, not to sit. We spend so much of both our work and our leisure sitting; we really need to consciously move when we can. The only people exempt from this are people with very physically demanding jobs, like construction workers or landscapers- but if this describes you, you might find yoga helpful for countering repetitive motions and minimizing work related stresses. For others, start where you can. Commit to a gentle walk and a few stretches every day. Do more if you are able. I like the idea of breaking a sweat every day, though I can't always make that happen. In order to keep our bodies working properly as we age, we must use them all we can. </li>
<li><i style="font-weight: bold;">Eat Well</i> Avoid things you know bother your tummy; don't eat too much; don't eat too close to bedtime (leave at least a 3 hour window between dinner & sleep). Eat nutritious, whole foods, made from scratch with natural ingredients whenever possible. Don't beat yourself up for the occasional junk or treat; what matters is what you do most of the time. </li>
<li><i style="font-weight: bold;">Daylight</i> At night we want deep darkness for proper melatonin production; in the morning, getting outside for some exposure to natural daylight will help balance waking hormones for a new day. A quick walk around the block is pretty easy to fit into our morning routine, and has the added value of moving the body. You could also have your coffee out on your porch. Getting outside soon after waking up is ideal, but it doesn't have to be a big undertaking. I recently bought our family umbrellas so the interminable Pacific Northwest rain won't keep us from our daily walks. Even on heavily overcast days, the natural light outdoors will trigger hormone production and help regulate sleep cycles.</li>
<li><i style="font-weight: bold;">Bedtime</i> One central tenet of sleep hygiene is going to bed at the same time every night, and getting up 8 hours later every morning (or more, since it can take a bit to fall asleep). Most of us produce sleep initiating hormones at around 10 p.m., so that's the ideal time for lights out. I do pretty much follow this, but I no longer get bent out of shape if we are still tucking the kids in at 10:30. What matters is that we have an enjoyable, relaxing evening. </li>
</ul>
<br />
<ul>
</ul>
<h4>
Further Reading <span style="font-weight: normal;">(Affiliate link):</span></h4>
</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1623367395/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1623367395&linkCode=as2&tag=lifeunpro-20&linkId=350c60948b6d99377c206c67646c4c1a" target="_blank">Sleep Smarter: 21 Essential Strategies to Sleep Your Way to A Better Body, Better Health, and Bigger Success</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=lifeunpro-20&l=am2&o=1&a=1623367395" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> This book, by Shawn Stevenson of <a href="http://theshawnstevensonmodel.com/podcasts/">The Model Health Show</a>, is laid out clearly with a different section for each strategy to encourage better sleep. Stevenson explains the science behind each idea, with a down to earth, modern voice. I tried nearly all of his suggestions (I skipped the silver sheets and grounded bedding!) and because of these tips I really did start to sleep better. I recommend you check it out to see if he has ideas for things that might work for you that I didn't include here. Not everything felt like it helped me, but it might be just what you need. He really sums up current sleep science in such a thorough way that I found every book I've read on sleep since this one to be redundant.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<br />
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Mellowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11320881197482295606noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3846822951017254806.post-18461924460868425762018-01-31T07:22:00.001-08:002019-03-30T22:31:25.626-07:00Peanut Butter & Yogurt DipThis easy to make dip is a crowd pleaser. Feel free to use any nut butter you like, but peanut butter is definitely my kids' favorite. It's amazing as a dip for apples, as you can see, but it's also a delicious topping for pancakes & waffles. Use your imagination and let me know what other creative uses you come up with for this versatile dip.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV84EK7jZ_YQw-JHOF0BYGylYQZn_6XCwoDZTF1knoieqCVyytGioRmjjB2JTq3aFGbU2JmPOzNMZUXJyanJ_zad8183Z7eJT4EB4gxEdrx_ltWNsvSNen2F2XZxash8NlMTvSsOt9Aho/s1600/IMG_20180130_195610.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A Life Unprocessed" border="0" data-original-height="1253" data-original-width="1600" height="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV84EK7jZ_YQw-JHOF0BYGylYQZn_6XCwoDZTF1knoieqCVyytGioRmjjB2JTq3aFGbU2JmPOzNMZUXJyanJ_zad8183Z7eJT4EB4gxEdrx_ltWNsvSNen2F2XZxash8NlMTvSsOt9Aho/s640/IMG_20180130_195610.jpg" title="Peanut Butter Yogurt Dip for Apples & Pancakes" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
It's pretty good for you too; although this time I made it with some corn syrup that had been sitting around in my cabinet for a hundred years, I would normally make it with raw honey. You can use whatever sweetener you feel good about. I used chunky peanut butter; creamy nut butter will yield a slightly more uniformly smooth product.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrTpTMho0Z-YyKw5UFlMBXEj0RzDh8CuCC3knzPW3l6h76EW59bEtIs3ewJo14NpDdsyL6kAiw-Xc8QU8wURGe4nuKM5a15jBi34w8aTNTtSLMQfWeBCmfabz7MmtCNT3BonhHY8HAhbI/s1600/IMG_20180126_154028.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A Life Unprocessed" border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrTpTMho0Z-YyKw5UFlMBXEj0RzDh8CuCC3knzPW3l6h76EW59bEtIs3ewJo14NpDdsyL6kAiw-Xc8QU8wURGe4nuKM5a15jBi34w8aTNTtSLMQfWeBCmfabz7MmtCNT3BonhHY8HAhbI/s640/IMG_20180126_154028.jpg" title="Peanut Butter Yogurt Dip for Apples & Pancakes" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<h4>
Recipe:</h4>
<div>
<ul>
<li>1 c cream cheese</li>
<li>1 c plain yogurt</li>
<li>1 c peanut butter</li>
<li>1/2 c honey or syrup</li>
</ul>
<div>
<br /></div>
Blend all ingredients together until smooth. Taste, and add more sweetener if desired. This time, I made it with "light corn syrup" which doesn't seem to be as sweet as honey, so I ended up adding more. Powdered sweeteners will work as well; feel free to use whatever you have.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I used goat milk yogurt but any kind of yogurt will be fine. If you are using sweetened yogurt, you won't need as much honey.<br />
<br /></div>
<div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOZfcvKSOO3Rr4ZXffk6_kSlIZzHdKKrKiDNU3m2h4Ah3JDgovWC7ZLD8iZSRYYKHmC-xm6JJYB3Ghe7meUj-PRmq892b0hPxzOPFkwZgHVDngBjeG5TqvokUnat5TYdafj6DudZI-8es/s1600/IMG_20180126_155710.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A Life Unprocessed" border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOZfcvKSOO3Rr4ZXffk6_kSlIZzHdKKrKiDNU3m2h4Ah3JDgovWC7ZLD8iZSRYYKHmC-xm6JJYB3Ghe7meUj-PRmq892b0hPxzOPFkwZgHVDngBjeG5TqvokUnat5TYdafj6DudZI-8es/s640/IMG_20180126_155710.jpg" title="Peanut Butter Yogurt Dip for Apples & Pancakes" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
It keeps for at least a week in the fridge. This makes a fairly large batch, so you can always halve the recipe if you don't want so much. Or, make the full recipe and then freeze some for later.<br />
<br />
Enjoy!
<br />
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</script>Mellowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11320881197482295606noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3846822951017254806.post-23378984237404563682018-01-29T04:00:00.000-08:002018-01-29T13:15:08.731-08:00What I Learned About Septum Piercings From Almost Failing At It Twice<h3>
Before Piercing</h3>
<div>
<b>Do your research.</b> When I pierced my septum the fist time, I had wanted to have it pierced for a very long time, but I decided to do it on a whim, with a "now or never" attitude. Unfortunately, I happened to be passing a piercing shop at the mall when I decided this. So, instead of going with a recommended piercer with a good reputation, I went with whoever was on shift at the mall shop. I tried to ask questions of the girl working the front counter, but she was very unhelpful and assured me the piercer would tell me everything. I was nervous and excited.<br />
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The piercing itself was quick and painful, but then it was done. The piercer gave me a photocopy of instructions for care, and told me I could switch out the jewelry in 4 weeks. The paper said 4-8 weeks, so I conservatively waited 5 weeks to switch from the rather large ring he used to a smaller one that I felt fitted my face more.</div>
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I couldn't get it in. Even though the new jewelry was smaller, and I had waited even longer than he had told me, my piercing was effectively gone. I cried. I went into the shop later that day; the same piercer was working. He couldn't get it in either, and assured me that it was my fault. I cried again. The crying didn't help, but I had loved finally having my septum pierced, even with the too-large jewelry. Just like that, and after all my weeks of careful care, I had no more lovely septum ring.</div>
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When I decided to get it repierced, a long year and a half later, <b>I asked friends for recommendations</b>. I had gone into two local tattoo shops, but wasn't sure how to judge about the quality of care and the pride in their work, based on their art portfolios. When several friends recommended a piercer at a tattoo shop a few miles down the road, I sent the shop a facebook message. I explained that I had scar tissue from a previous septum piercing, and was nervous about the whole thing. We messaged back and forth a bit. She assured me that she could definitely help me out. She was very knowledgeable, and easily answered my questions, providing all kinds of information about jewelry types, problems and issues during healing, and told me to wait a full 8 weeks before switching out the ring. </div>
<div>
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<div>
The second time piercing the same spot was a lot more painful. It seemed like the scar tissue got in the way. But after a brief struggle and a few screams from what almost felt like birth pains, it was done. I had my new baby nose ring. To be safe, I waited 4 months before changing it out for a smaller ring. No need to rush.<br />
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<h4>
After Piercing</h4>
<div>
<b>Cotton swabs</b> are your friend. You will use them to clean around the piercing, to get crust off the ring, and even to wipe your nose since you cannot use anything else. My nose was very sensitive, and took a long time to heal, especially the second time. I cleaned it and applied virgin coconut oil three times a day, making sure the ring could spin freely each time. <b>Coconut oil</b> was my idea, and I chose it because it has antibacterial properties. My second piercer had recommended against using petroleum products like Vaseline. </div>
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<div>
My first peircer had just tried to sell me a packaged After Care solution (salt water). Instead of buying a bottle of salt water, I made my own saline solution fresh each time, with a bit of warm water and salt in my <b>neti pot</b>. Using a neti pot with a septum ring is a bit more challenging than I was used to, especially during the first couple months of acute healing. The spout will basically not form a tight seal inside the nostril since there's jewelry through it, but it still works. During the first weeks after piercing, I did not even touch it to my nose, but just used to pot to pour warm salt water around both sides of my piercing. Then I'd clean it with my cotton swab dipped in salt water, and rinse my septum with the neti pot again. Three times a day.<br />
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<h4>
Maintain a Relationship With Your Piercer</h4>
<div>
A good piercer, like a good tattoo artist, cares about the work they're doing and wants it to be something you're happy with and that looks good in the long run. I have gone back to my piercer (Mary, from <a href="https://www.blogger.com/"><span id="goog_714486880"></span>Mosely's Tattoo</a>) with questions that came up during healing. I never once felt like my questions were dumb, or my problems a nuissance to her. That relationship ended up being extremely important when, nearly a year after my re-piercing, I tried to switch from a silver hinged ring to a gold hinged ring. They were both the exact same size, just different colors. I've been into gold lately, and was excited about trying something different than my standard silver jewelry. That's when I almost lost my piercing for the second time.</div>
<div>
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<div>
My nose had originally been pierced with a circular barbell, a massive thing that didn't fit my face. Mary had preferred to use a captive bead ring, which was a little more slender and easier to wear. <b>Both rings had some weight to them because of attached beads</b>, and would swing around as I did yoga or leaned over. This turns out to be important in maintaining a kind of open piercing hole. When I switched my second piercing to a little "seamless septum clicker" ring, it was so small and light that the only movement it ever got was when I spun it during cleanings. This made the hole become very small and tight, and to my dismay, very nearly lost me my nose ring.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRpPxb3KId8K8RRxYzksLCrDd0gGNkGehUA2vy_LeaNQgqFe6TaWfrUdW1Hh6C5UGovCmxHRyKG6DrXbWFQ0Q-F_1saBniI3fTiV6S1lTc_mWYqCASHAv85JRQn0_Ut4tTKCdLrcX0UAY/s1600/IMG_20180126_150543.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A Life Unprocessed" border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRpPxb3KId8K8RRxYzksLCrDd0gGNkGehUA2vy_LeaNQgqFe6TaWfrUdW1Hh6C5UGovCmxHRyKG6DrXbWFQ0Q-F_1saBniI3fTiV6S1lTc_mWYqCASHAv85JRQn0_Ut4tTKCdLrcX0UAY/s640/IMG_20180126_150543.jpg" title="What I Learned About Septum Piercings From Almost Failing At It Twice" width="640" /></a></div>
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<div>
I'd been wanting to change my ring out for a while, and had just been pragmatically giving my nose lots of time to fully heal before messing with it again. It had been almost a year since my second piercing. I had read that it can take a year and a half to fully heal a septum piercing, although obviously the jewelry can be switched out before that time. So one morning I was feeling like a go-getter, and I got ready. Getting ready involved me washing my hands and opening the new ring. I did not even <b>clean my septum before changing the ring</b>, which would probably have been a good idea. That ended up not being the problem, however. The hole seemed to just be gone. <br />
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<div>
I bravely slid the silver ring out, and tried to follow it with the little gold ring. I could get it in a millimeter or two, but after that it stopped dead. I tried from the other direction; same thing. Hands shaking, I took the ring to my boyfriend and he gave it his best. After making it bleed a little, he apologetically gave up too. Before even bringing the ring to him, I had messaged Mary in a panic. She got back to me and assured me it would be fine. Enough time had gone by that the piercing would certainly still be there. I iced my nose, took slow calming breaths, and prepared to go into the shop once they opened. While I waited I practiced some meditation, trying to keep my mind and body from going into stress mode. I don't love pain, and could not bear the thought of going through getting my septum pierced a third time, and the months of tender care that involves.</div>
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<div>
Because my hole had become so small, it was hard even for a professional to get a ring through. Gamely, she tried to insert my preferred gold ring, multiple times, multiple ways. Eventually, she grabbed a new ring, this one a hinged ring with a straight bar that goes through the septum. She got it in easily. My relief was palpable.<br />
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Now my job is to <b>gently wiggle</b> my nose ring frequently, to work the hole a little larger so that it will accept rounded rings and be easier to change out. And I think when I do change it again, I'll go back to the heavier, captive bead ring for a while, to make sure the piercing stays a decent size. Mary says the more often I change it, the easier it will get. For now, I'll go back to her for ring changes, until I'm confident that my piercing is here to stay.</div>
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<script src="https://z-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/onejs?MarketPlace=US"></script>Mellowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11320881197482295606noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3846822951017254806.post-42188392835539933112018-01-26T16:17:00.000-08:002018-01-26T16:58:43.075-08:00What Happened When I Used Homemade Dish Powder... & How I Fixed It.I love natural solutions for everyday purposes, and had been making my own natural dish tablets for years, before finding a less labor-intensive recipe for a simple dish powder consisting only of baking soda, salt, and a few drops of soap. I recently wrote an article about that experience and how to get naturally clean dishes, <a href="http://alifeunprocessed.blogspot.com/2018/01/how-to-make-dishwasher-powder-with.html">which you can read here</a>.<br />
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<h4>
The Problem</h4>
When someone mysteriously warned me that the simple dish powder would clog my dishwasher, I didn't have any idea what they meant. How could 3 very soluble ingredients create a clog? But about two weeks after switching to this recipe, I found out (and remember, this is after using homemade tablets for years, so this might have been coming anyway). There was an inch of standing water across the bottom of my dishwasher after running a load, and a bunch of greasy buildup in the filter. This is it, I thought. I've gone too far, and broken an expensive appliance. However, fortunately that's not the end of the story.<br />
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<h4>
The Fix</h4>
After using a rag to sop up all the standing water, I cleaned everything I could. When I examined the parts of the filter at the bottom of the dishwashwer, I found that they were very greasy, so I cleaned them with soap & hot water. I guess my homemade solution is just not hardcore enough to keep that grease from accumulating. I googled how to fix a clogged dishwasher, and found <a href="https://www.discovercabrillo.com/is-your-dishwasher-not-draining-try-these-three-tips/">this helpful website</a>, with tips from a plumbing company. They offer three things to try before calling a plumber, and it gave me hope that this was something I could handle.<br />
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While I tried their tips (which didn't seem to help in my case) I also read my dishwasher manual. It said that it was designed for storebought dish soap, particularly dish pods. Using dish pods, it said, would keep the pipes clean from scummy buildup. That very morning I went to <a href="https://www.costco.com/">Costco</a> to pick up dish tablets. Their store brand is the cheapest I could find from a trusted source.<br />
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Bravely, I loaded my dishwasher with the now piled-up dishes, and ran a load with the chemical smelling dish tablet. It appeared to be working as normal, so I relaxed a little. When it came time to open the door, I was prepared for a flood of soapy water, but it didn't come. The dishes were clean and perfect, the floor of the appliance clear and empty. And all it took was running it with one dish pod. Just to be on the safe side, and to clear out any remaining greasy buildup as much as possible, I ran the next load with a conventional tablet as well.<br />
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<h4>
Looking Forward</h4>
Now, it may seem like I haven't learned my lesson, but my plan is to alternate using my natural dish powder with storebought tablets. This is not just to reduce the cost, since these dish tablets are only 11 cents a piece, but to reduce the chemical impact. Salt & baking soda are both edible, and I feel much better about flushing them out into the environment. They don't have the grease-busting abilities of harsh chemical detergents, but if I run a conventional dish tablet once a week I think I can keep the pipes squeaky clean, and maintain the life of my appliance.
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<script src="https://z-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/onejs?MarketPlace=US"></script>Mellowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11320881197482295606noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3846822951017254806.post-23921284500091236232018-01-17T05:08:00.000-08:002018-01-17T05:14:46.779-08:00Using Conditioner for Shaving CreamHave you ever had conditioner that didn't work on your hair, or that you just didn't like for whatever reason? What did you end up doing with it?<br />
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Generally, the options would be to either throw it away, give it away, or (especially if you paid good money for it) use it anyway. Well, here is another option: Use your conditioner for shaving cream. No, you don't need shaving cream or gel from a can to get a good shave. Try this; it works!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkcm_nWwBjNGynyD7YaP1U71oJ45MOHO2__0bLBniVaBR80Ima6X8RANBq9g0-v4Gks2V73LWh0oLcd7sga-pcH0ppzd2lEyEPpDev5w6uUHt5xjdKKLrOv6lECzBM1EIHEhC0Gy7eudU/s1600/IMG_20180117_045516.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A Life Unprocessed" border="0" data-original-height="1268" data-original-width="1600" height="506" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkcm_nWwBjNGynyD7YaP1U71oJ45MOHO2__0bLBniVaBR80Ima6X8RANBq9g0-v4Gks2V73LWh0oLcd7sga-pcH0ppzd2lEyEPpDev5w6uUHt5xjdKKLrOv6lECzBM1EIHEhC0Gy7eudU/s640/IMG_20180117_045516.jpg" title="Using Conditioner for Shaving Cream" width="640" /></a></div>
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I've been shaving with conditioner that I was given, and it works perfectly. It provides a creaminess, rinses easily away, and moisturizes. I keep the conditioner in a small tub that I can easily scoop what I need from while shaving, and refill as needed. It's as simple as that.<br />
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I also discovered I can easily shave at the sink, rather than in the shower, which saves water. I just use a washcloth to wet the area before shaving and wipe away the conditioner after.<br />
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Shaving with your conditioner provides an elegant solution for conditioners that don't work great for your hair, and might be a better option for your skin than whatever you've been using to shave with. Conventional cans of chemical shaving creams and gels create endless waste, but the bottles conditioners come in can generally be recycled. It takes just a small scoop to provide coverage, so one bottle lasts a long time.<br />
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If you're interested in going shampoo and conditioner free, check out my articles on using simple household staples to get super clean hair: <a href="http://alifeunprocessed.blogspot.com/2012/02/how-my-family-went-shampoo-free.html">How My Family Went Shampoo Free</a>, and <a href="http://alifeunprocessed.blogspot.com/2012/05/still-shampoo-free-magic-of-baking-soda.html">Still Shampoo Free</a>.<br />
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<script src="https://z-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/onejs?MarketPlace=US"></script>Mellowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11320881197482295606noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3846822951017254806.post-52151689469696218892018-01-15T05:00:00.000-08:002019-03-30T22:36:07.561-07:00How To Make Dishwasher Powder With Three Natural Ingredients<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrO4CsVykTOtIYIUeGiD5cW4IDeTeiORfezuRds5gB3fBQtU_s7K_VR4zaXQUb0AeyhghRdD_rtvRanltEQ_SXcCJVyqZpzHCkWcY1wfqyU1UDtAt1GNJu1mCx0BVdSSxBHH-6fVHRvSE/s1600/before_after_1.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img alt="A Life Unprocessed" border="0" data-original-height="1061" data-original-width="1600" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrO4CsVykTOtIYIUeGiD5cW4IDeTeiORfezuRds5gB3fBQtU_s7K_VR4zaXQUb0AeyhghRdD_rtvRanltEQ_SXcCJVyqZpzHCkWcY1wfqyU1UDtAt1GNJu1mCx0BVdSSxBHH-6fVHRvSE/s640/before_after_1.jpg" title="How To Make Dishwasher Powder With Three Natural Ingredients" width="640" /></a></div>
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You don't have to buy dishwasher detergent. Your dishwasher won't be ruined by homemade dish soap. You won't have suds erupting all over your kitchen floor. Just follow the simple instructions below, and you'll have clean dishes with no mess, no hassle, hardly any expense, and all natural ingredients. (For a recent update on this experience, please check out my article <a href="http://alifeunprocessed.blogspot.com/2018/01/what-happened-when-i-used-homemade-dish.html">What Happened When I Used Homemade Dish Powder... & How I Fixed It</a>)<br />
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For the last couple of years, I've been making my own dish tablets. It's a complicated process that I never really perfected, which is why I never wrote an article about it. I would make huge batches of tablets, each batch lasting for many months, so I only had to do it a few times. However, my dishes recently had been coming out a little streaky and spotty. Clean, but not shiny. So I wanted something else. I considered buying conventional dishwasher detergent, so I spent some time on <a href="https://www.amazon.com/">Amazon</a> comparing all the prices, reviews, and ingredients. The reviews were very mixed, especially for the more "natural" products, so I really wasn't sure what to try. But then when the new year started, we began <a href="http://alifeunprocessed.blogspot.com/2018/01/tracking-your-personal-expenses-and.html">keeping a budget</a>, and I no longer wanted to buy something if I could make do without it. So I hit up <a href="https://www.google.com/search?ei=DvlcWtzyKdG2jwPqvaSACA&q=homemade+dishwasher+soap&oq=homemade+dishwa+soap&gs_l=psy-ab.1.0.0i7i30k1j0i13k1j0i7i30k1l4j0i13k1j0i7i30k1l3.4065.4447.0.5799.2.2.0.0.0.0.80.160.2.2.0....0...1c.1.64.psy-ab..0.2.158....0.JbYFOdL4PTI">Google</a> in search of a better solution for our dishes.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj48yFZDPz_NWaN5YzWAuiJJ6ov-TiPYK2J3_vAwgCzmNW43ciNDBngeKWCz2AKPyXObzB_f-2Z13Nfd-nQbAZHr1KKWAMhQFlYwM7b_GJOky2OBxc58cxziFLgJUIUlpvNHcGFpRwJzaI/s1600/IMG_20180109_162344.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj48yFZDPz_NWaN5YzWAuiJJ6ov-TiPYK2J3_vAwgCzmNW43ciNDBngeKWCz2AKPyXObzB_f-2Z13Nfd-nQbAZHr1KKWAMhQFlYwM7b_GJOky2OBxc58cxziFLgJUIUlpvNHcGFpRwJzaI/s640/IMG_20180109_162344.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I found right away this apparently common solution. Before I decided to give it a try I started a conversation about it in the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/255733331534890/?ref=br_rs">Buy Nothing Challenge</a> group I'm in on Facebook, which is full of helpful and knowledgeable people who come up with interesting ways to not buy things. 75 comments later, I was left feeling quite confident that none of my ingredients would damage my appliance. One warning someone did mention is that using white vinegar as a rinse agent will damage the dishwasher's seals over time. While I have tried using vinegar in the past, it's not something I recommend simply because it didn't seem to make a difference in my dishes. Through this research I also figured out that the squeeze of liquid soap I'd started adding to my homemade tablets was probably the reason my dishes had been looking streaky lately, since liquid soap has a harder time rinsing away. This recipe uses a little liquid soap, but only a few drops.<br />
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There were one or two people who told me right off that this would void my warranty and/or wreck my dishwasher. This at first gave me pause, but then I asked why.<br />
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How would salt, baking soda, and a tiny amount of soap cause any damage? They all go easily into solution in water. They're not particularly harsh and they're not going to clog anything. People are afraid of making their own; companies don't want you to make your own; but as far as I can tell, there is literally no harm in making your own. I've been <a href="http://alifeunprocessed.blogspot.com/2016/05/how-to-make-liquid-laundry-soap-with.html">making my own liquid laundry soap</a> for three years without any problems, as well as my dish tablets. I have a long history of doing things my own way, pretty successfully, so after my research I was confident in running my first trial load.<br />
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I was so pleased. Not only were they clean, but they were shiny again. This much easier method worked better than my elaborate dish pod recipe.<br />
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Now, without further ado except the reminder that this might void the warranty on your dishwasher, here is the recipe.<br />
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<ul>
<li>2 teaspoons salt</li>
<li>2 teaspoons baking soda</li>
<li>3 drops liquid soap </li>
</ul>
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I use lavender Dr. Bronners liquid soap, which smells amazing. Place all ingredients in the soap tray, and close it up. Run as normal, and behold how clean this easy method gets your dishes.<br />
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For the first few batches, I anxiously checked each dish to make sure my new method was working. It does. It continues to work great. Now I just keep a jar of baking soda and a jar of salt under my sink, next to a squeeze bottle of lavender liquid soap. I buy all three in bulk from <a href="https://www.azurestandard.com/?a_aid=z10mym6FoA">Azure Standard</a>, so they are very cheap. Washing dishes is amazingly easy, and I can have naturally clean dishes without having to slave away making dishwasher tablets. (Update: Please check out my more recent article <a href="http://alifeunprocessed.blogspot.com/2018/01/what-happened-when-i-used-homemade-dish.html">What Happened When I Used Homemade Dish Powder... & How I Fixed It</a>)</div>
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Please let me know how this works for you! </div>
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</script>Mellowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11320881197482295606noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3846822951017254806.post-35351027201449606582018-01-11T05:00:00.000-08:002018-01-11T05:00:15.573-08:00Teach Kids Currency & Math Skills With The Money Game<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This is a great way for younger kids to practice addition and quickly learn the value of currency, while older kids can hone their multiplication skills. This is fun, and it's easy to modify the game lots of different ways in order to make it interesting for kids at any level. I think the fact that it uses real money makes it appealing for most kids, even ones who have an aversion to math.<br />
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Here is the basic instructions, and what you need to play.<br />
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Supplies:<br />
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<ul>
<li>Coins, as many denominations as you can find. This is a great use for fifty cent pieces and Susan B. Anthony dollars, but pennies, nickles, dimes, and quarters are all you really need.</li>
<li>At least two dice. Normal six-sided dice to start, and if you want to make the game more challenging, add more dice and dice with more sides, all the way up to twenty-sided. These can be found at game stores & online.</li>
</ul>
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Instructions:<br />
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Roll the dice. Add up the dice and take that much money. If a 3 and a 4 are rolled, you would take 7 cents, or a nickel and two pennies. Once your child has several pennies, you can show them how to exchange five pennies for a nickel, or five nickels for a quarter, etc. <br />
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If two dice gets too easy, try using three dice. When addition gets too easy, roll two dice and multiply them. When that gets easy, roll three dice and multiply those. The more sides the dice have, the harder this will be. Even older kids may find it challenging and fun to use two twenty sided dice here.<br />
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We keep an assortment of change in a small wooden cigar box, along with a handful of dice. I have two kids at very different math levels, and they both find this game pretty fun and entertaining. We play until our box is empty of money, but you could also play to a certain dollar amount.<br />
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What do you think? I would love to hear about other variations you may come up with. Please share your ideas in the comments below.<br />
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<script src="https://z-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/onejs?MarketPlace=US"></script>Mellowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11320881197482295606noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3846822951017254806.post-76700597976634812782018-01-04T10:01:00.000-08:002018-01-17T11:15:59.491-08:00Tracking Your Personal Expenses and Creating a Budget<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<h4>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Tracking Our Expenses</span></span></h4>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">For the new year, my partner and I created a spreadsheet for tracking everything we spend. Our aim is to create more awareness about where our money is going, and spend less than we have been. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">I</span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"> used to meticulously track my spending years ago, but we've never implemented it together. Instead, we've been using Mint for the past few years, which automatically tracks spending in different categories, but it doesn't do the job very well. Mint can be nice for having a record of expenses, and it does a fair job of categorizing each line item. However, it often loses communication with our various accounts and we have to go through and reconfirm passwords so frequently that it's a bit of a nuisance. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
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<h4>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><b>Money Mindfulness </b></span></h4>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">But the biggest issue with Mint, I'm realizing, is the fact that the tracking is automated. While automation sounds handy, taking the work out of tracking your own expenses means you have that much less awareness, and that much less mindfulness, of where your money is going.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">Entering every purchase into the spreadsheet manually really changes how I think about each expenditure. I'm excited about how this awareness will change our habits. I'm already looking for more ways to not buy things! While we are barely into the new year and this new system, we are both looking at spending in a totally different way. It reminds me of how the simple act of keeping a food journal helps people improve their diet. Consciously tracking helps us subconsciously analyse (is that a thing?) our actions, and see if they're a good fit for how we want to be living.</span></span><br />
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<h4>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><b>The Spreadsheet</b></span></span></h4>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">To set this up, all you need is a spreadsheet program, which we use through </span><a href="https://www.google.com/docs/about/" style="color: #1d2129; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">Google Docs</a><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"> for free. If you do a search for </span><a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=budget+spreadsheet+images&rlz=1CATAAB_enUS642US642&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiB5Yjb477YAhXoqlQKHUOGAlkQsAQIKA&biw=1920&bih=941" style="color: #1d2129; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">budget spreadsheets</a><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">, you can get all sorts of ideas for the layout. Of course, you can track your expenses the old fashioned way, with pencil & paper, if that's what you're more comfortable with. However, spreadsheet programs like Excel and Google Sheets have some very handy functions that make calculating totals, averages, and differences a breeze, once you get comfortable with how to enter formulas.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">Our budget is set up simply with the date in the first column, then the second column has a drop-down menu with different categories such as Mortgage, Food, Entertainment, Purchase, Car, and various utilities. The third column is the actual dollar amount spent, and this column is automatically added together under "Total", in the top right corner. The fourth column is a place where we can note a description of the line item, such as what the purchase was or where the income came from. Income will be entered as a negative number, which is counter-intuitive but we decided it would be easier to set it up this way since the majority of the entries will be expenses. So, we're hoping for a negative total at the end of each month, which will show how much we were able to save.</span></span><br />
<h3>
<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;">The Goal of Savings</span></span></h3>
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<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">With tracking, we can get more satisfaction out of <i>not </i>spending money, as well as really see where our money is going, rather than just having a vague idea. Once we know exactly how much of our income is going to certain areas, we can decide if that feels right for us, or if we need to rethink how we're spending.</span></span></div>
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Mellowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11320881197482295606noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3846822951017254806.post-34285419948100064102017-10-08T11:44:00.000-07:002018-01-17T11:17:11.430-08:00A Nature Scavenger Hunt For Any Age<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This is an idea I've been wanting to try all summer. We finally made it to the beach with our egg cartons, and this simple scavenger hunt ended up being a really engaging activity. It went so well that my son immediately asked if we could do it again!<br />
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All you need is one empty egg carton for each participant, and a patch of nature where you can safely explore. The goal is to fill each egg compartment with something different. Since we were on the beach where there is always plenty of garbage, I asked my kids to avoid getting a bunch of trash, and just focus on nature.<br />
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In the past, we've done nature scavenger hunts where we had a list of different types of things (a seed, a deciduous leaf, a Y-shaped twig, etc) that everybody needs to find, but it was actually more interesting to just see what each of us came up with on our own. Also, this way takes less advance planning!<br />
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Once we each got our egg cartons, and everyone understood what we were meant to do, we all went off exploring to see what we could find. When my youngest eventually called out that he was done, and everyone else agreed, we all reconvened to share what we found.<br />
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We sat together and took turns showing each item in our cartons, and explaining why we chose it, what stood out about it or made it interesting to us.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNQPO58Eo8sISuyKM4-qjXPIn7CAvWS26zURVgHtFE3FjtnYQMqHIKD5gPzgCcFzlNptxqOspC5nfrBEg0JTZJ6jLV1i-5qXx2498lGaKTkjqGH6oWFqBIhxZjWy0yr3_jNqld2onuFk4/s1600/20171002_145613.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A Life Unprocessed" border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNQPO58Eo8sISuyKM4-qjXPIn7CAvWS26zURVgHtFE3FjtnYQMqHIKD5gPzgCcFzlNptxqOspC5nfrBEg0JTZJ6jLV1i-5qXx2498lGaKTkjqGH6oWFqBIhxZjWy0yr3_jNqld2onuFk4/s640/20171002_145613.jpg" title="A Nature Scavenger Hunt For Any Age" width="640" /></a></div>
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My youngest found pieces of discarded crab shell, what we think are tube worm husks, and lots of feathers, as well as some nut shells.<br />
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My older son went for more wet items, with a few types of seaweed, one of which I know to be excellent cuisine, and some mystery material that turned out to be weathered foam insulation.<br />
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My partner found sea glass, as well as a piece of plastic that made rainbows when the sun shone through it.<br />
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I found several types of "wishing rocks" which showed stripes for each ancient sediment layer, various sizes and life stages of barnacle, and a beautiful wavy piece of wood.<br />
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We did end up with some garbage, which we decided to take home and throw away after we were done, leaving the beach a tiny bit nicer than we found it.<br />
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For me, this was a relaxing way to spend time in nature with my family. It could easily be done in larger groups as well.<br />
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I think it will be interesting to come back and do this again in future weeks, and see how much the things we find change over the seasons.
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Mellowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11320881197482295606noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3846822951017254806.post-59135325595675371592017-09-16T14:29:00.002-07:002019-03-30T22:43:20.190-07:00Grain Free Easy Paleo Biscuits<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ1ButpnExhEyXKAAq4FBeZDf1jfVp5514889OMyI3rf9WgLQg_3Yl1vBoTrTx4AUy9a8V-INwsdPkaksCPmwF3vTnUz-A1qUOR0Z_NEqpdF1OBcxoIHHY8EQGK1nJICdQKK-sj2juwuw/s1600/IMG_20170119_134233.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1222" data-original-width="1600" height="488" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ1ButpnExhEyXKAAq4FBeZDf1jfVp5514889OMyI3rf9WgLQg_3Yl1vBoTrTx4AUy9a8V-INwsdPkaksCPmwF3vTnUz-A1qUOR0Z_NEqpdF1OBcxoIHHY8EQGK1nJICdQKK-sj2juwuw/s640/IMG_20170119_134233.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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These are the easiest biscuits- It just takes minutes to whip them up.<br />
With recipes like this, I really never miss bread! They go great with any soup, and we also like them with butter & jam. Plus, it's a great use for coconut flour, which was a complete mystery to me for many years :)<br />
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They pretty much turn out perfect every time, and my kids love them.<br />
This recipe makes <b>about a dozen</b> medium sized biscuits, and is easily doubled if you like. Here you go!<br />
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Preheat oven to <b>350</b>.<br />
In a blender or mixing bowl, combine:<br />
<ul>
<li>6 eggs</li>
<li>1 Tb apple cider vinegar</li>
<li>1/2 tsp sea salt</li>
<li>1/2 c coconut oil, butter, or other fat, softened</li>
</ul>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzHpDpLFCtwJBteDNBLrFiI84ShzTeW8Kj1lEsGiwQs51w8LbQXJPwfBGobOamZ8UC5-vuczKK9SoR5B2-ejx8Ucii8E0Df4SUiZDcIc3FVi7J9gbnoNzyFEnJfoxT7r6l-G2zC-9deg0/s1600/IMG_20170814_174545.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzHpDpLFCtwJBteDNBLrFiI84ShzTeW8Kj1lEsGiwQs51w8LbQXJPwfBGobOamZ8UC5-vuczKK9SoR5B2-ejx8Ucii8E0Df4SUiZDcIc3FVi7J9gbnoNzyFEnJfoxT7r6l-G2zC-9deg0/s640/IMG_20170814_174545.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Stir together, then add to blender:<br />
<ul>
<li>3/4 c coconut flour</li>
<li>1 tsp baking soda</li>
</ul>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH6meMHYfD6jLeOqC5HxTZ66KMqgw9Mh0uVjm43vhSQeFRI4r_L7Yd3hjS3gVfLSyokER6lxJQieocAuVuZ0cDfsKdO8Px6oTh9IIbygmtRaZyaLiBLl_K1rTVnMeqMjWytTczfJ8AZa8/s1600/IMG_20170814_174004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH6meMHYfD6jLeOqC5HxTZ66KMqgw9Mh0uVjm43vhSQeFRI4r_L7Yd3hjS3gVfLSyokER6lxJQieocAuVuZ0cDfsKdO8Px6oTh9IIbygmtRaZyaLiBLl_K1rTVnMeqMjWytTczfJ8AZa8/s640/IMG_20170814_174004.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Mix in blender briefly, until thick dough forms, like this photo:</div>
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Drop heaping spoonfuls onto lightly oiled baking sheet.<br />
Bake for 15 minutes, or until golden.<br />
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Serve warm with soup, or with butter & jam. Enjoy!<br />
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Store cooled biscuits in a sealed container in fridge for up to a week.<br />
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"@type": "Recipe",
"name": "Grain Free Easy Paleo Biscuits",
"image": "https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ1ButpnExhEyXKAAq4FBeZDf1jfVp5514889OMyI3rf9WgLQg_3Yl1vBoTrTx4AUy9a8V-INwsdPkaksCPmwF3vTnUz-A1qUOR0Z_NEqpdF1OBcxoIHHY8EQGK1nJICdQKK-sj2juwuw/s1600/IMG_20170119_134233.jpg",
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}
</script>Mellowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11320881197482295606noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3846822951017254806.post-39006409157951440312017-04-03T13:17:00.000-07:002019-03-31T08:39:16.972-07:00How To Make Lacto Fermented Ginger Carrots<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Buying raw lacto-fermented condiments gets crazy expensive. Ginger carrots are not only delicious and easy to make yourself, they will cost you the low price of some carrots and a nub of ginger.<br />
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<b><u>Ingredients</u></b>:<br />
<ul>
<li><b><i>1 lb carrots</i></b></li>
<li><b><i>3" section of ginger</i></b></li>
<li><b><i>2 tsp sea salt</i></b></li>
</ul>
<b><i><br /></i></b>
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<ul>
</ul>
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First, wash your carrots and cut the ends off. Likewise, make sure your ginger is clean and free of bad spots. As you may know from my previous article, <a href="http://alifeunprocessed.blogspot.com/2012/05/eat-peel.html">I never peel my veggies</a>. It's a waste of time and you lose precious nutrients.<br />
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Run the carrots and ginger through a food processor with a shredder attachment. The carrots help push the ginger through, so run the ginger through first, and then the carrots. If you don't have a food processor, a low-tech cheese grater works fine too.<br />
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Transfer the shredded veggies to a mixing bowl, and add the salt. I usually mix my sauerkraut by hand and really squeeze the salt into the cabbage, but for the carrots it works fine to use a stand mixer and just thoroughly mix everything. Let sit, so the salt can start to dissolve and break up the cell walls of the veggies, and then mix again. The carrots should release a bit of juice. This is our brine.<br />
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Stuff the mix into a wide-mouth quart jar, or two pint jars if you prefer. I have a wide funnel that helps fill the jars with less mess, but it's not necessary. Pack it down so there's no air mixed in with the carrots, and the liquid rises to the top. I discovered that the small ladle, shown below, helps me to pack the veggies in. But if you don't have something like that, your clean fingers will work fine. Just try to remove the air pockets, and get all the shredded veggies pushed below the level of the brine. It's OK if the brine sinks back down and some of the carrots aren't fully covered by the juice. They will be fine during the short fermentation time.<br />
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I like to cap mine loosely with a plastic lid, since metal will corrode over time, with exposure to the acids in fermented veggies. Store them at room temp, in a dark spot, with the caps loose. I put mine on the counter near my stove, covered by a tea towel.<br />
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Ferment for 2-4 days, testing it out each day to see how you like it best. Ginger carrots take much less fermentation time than traditional sauerkraut. The high sugar content of the carrots makes it kind of a different animal, with a much shorter shelf life. It's best to make small batches, only what you will use in the next two weeks. You will know when it goes bad if you see white spots on the carrots at the top, or if the consistency turns slimy. Just don't forget about it in the back of your fridge, and it will be fine, since it is so delicious you will want to use it up long before it has a chance to go bad! My partner and I just ate half a batch in one meal, with our curry and rice. Fortunately, it's easy and quick to make a new batch!<br />
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For more on making your own fermented vegetables, check out my other articles: <a href="http://alifeunprocessed.blogspot.com/2014/03/easily-make-sauerkraut-right-in-jar.html">Easily Make Sauerkraut Right in the Jar</a>, and <a href="http://alifeunprocessed.blogspot.com/2012/05/making-lacto-fermented-sauerkraut.html">Making Lacto-Fermented Sauerkraut</a>.</div>
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Mellowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11320881197482295606noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3846822951017254806.post-38584510918522516562017-04-01T13:36:00.000-07:002018-01-17T11:18:36.599-08:00Miner's Lettuce: Growing and Harvesting the Most Delectable Wild Greens
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Each morning for the past few weeks I've been harvesting a giant bowl of this tender wild green vegetable, right from my backyard. We use it in our green smoothies instead of spinach or kale (<a href="http://alifeunprocessed.blogspot.com/2012/02/drink-your-veggies.html">click here for my green smoothie recipe</a>) and in salads instead of buying the mix of salad greens that I would normally get. It has a really mild flavor, which makes it suitable in anything you'd use raw spinach or lettuce for. I've never tried cooking it, but it would probably cook up like spinach as well.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Nearly two years ago, when we bought our house, the only thing I was sad about was losing my rich abundant garden full of wild edible weeds and plants, which I had cultivated over the years that we'd been at our first house. I had to trade all that flora and fauna for a yard that consisted of evergreen trees, shade, landscape fabric, and woodchips. I knew not much would grow in the new, dark yard, but I brought a tub with some miner's lettuce that I dug from my old place, and just laid it down over the wood chips and pine needles that covered my new yard. I watered it pretty regularly that first summer. Here we are two years later and it's taken off like wildfire.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">This perfect edible weed now thrives deliciously on my poor, unamended soil, with no watering beyond what the clouds provide, and only an hour or two of sunlight at the end of each day. I haven't really managed to grow much else in the deep shade of my yard, but fortunately the miner's lettuce loves it! </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br />Besides that first summer of watering it in, it took absolutely no work (or expense!) to grow this healthy and abundant food crop. I love it! Whenever I want some greens, I simply go outside with a big bowl and a large pair of scissors. Holding the tops of a handful of greens with one hand, I clip them off near the base with the scissors. They will quickly grow back. The entire plant is edible, though the leaves get a bit tougher once they start flowering in summer. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">After cutting all I need, I bring the bowl inside and fill it with cool water and a dollop of white vinegar. We have pets, and washing our miner's lettuce with a bit of dilute vinegar makes me feel better about food safety, since who can say where the pets are doing their business. The taste or smell of vinegar does not linger on the greens. I drain the greens and refrigerate any portion that I'm not using right away. They last a few days in the fridge, but I tend to use what I pick each day. Fresh greens are such a delicious and healthy luxury!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">For more of my articles on edible foraging, check out <a href="http://alifeunprocessed.blogspot.com/2012/04/wild-foraging-in-april.html">Wild Foraging in April</a>, <a href="http://alifeunprocessed.blogspot.com/2012/06/identifying-and-harvesting-edible-weeds.html">Identifying and Harvesting Edible Weeds in the Garden</a>, and <a href="http://alifeunprocessed.blogspot.com/2012/02/how-to-find-edible-weeds.html">How to Find Edible Weeds</a>.</span>
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Mellowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11320881197482295606noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3846822951017254806.post-3455865068700415142017-01-16T07:00:00.000-08:002018-01-17T11:32:00.356-08:00Keep Your Shower Squeaky Clean With This Simple Trick<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_mMlgOr1YHIwnWYgo3dcvMLoIHlwCGmtJWAWUx8sX2qrS2bVPE4DytoDhAKERm-Zm-WcDNQJOb6cifUBUahxElGsh_vQVoD3SoWVv9ZxvfKcyiU3qynQGT3rtzysm0nQ73GJIDcRmqmU/s1600/IMG_20170113_125502.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_mMlgOr1YHIwnWYgo3dcvMLoIHlwCGmtJWAWUx8sX2qrS2bVPE4DytoDhAKERm-Zm-WcDNQJOb6cifUBUahxElGsh_vQVoD3SoWVv9ZxvfKcyiU3qynQGT3rtzysm0nQ73GJIDcRmqmU/s640/IMG_20170113_125502.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">We've lived in our house for nearly two years, and I've never scrubbed our tiles. There are SO many things I'd rather do! But dirty, funky grout looks nasty, so obviously we want to prevent it. This one very low cost shower tool will do it for you (along with the commitment to spend 30 seconds using it after every shower). Best part is, it doesn't require any cleaning products. Ever.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGzZRZam_ae_VTyX3q4ZSkhuGa0tUodhyJb_7-YU74G4JJ9JwOFwsYdkLQSU25B3rZyaEnLevYsGiEtnRWeuadxPLQhFzqXPMv8ORQbaTtwD8bCHiAb0vdWllIhXwiYGJuPsWkW0fTz-k/s1600/IMG_20170113_125557.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGzZRZam_ae_VTyX3q4ZSkhuGa0tUodhyJb_7-YU74G4JJ9JwOFwsYdkLQSU25B3rZyaEnLevYsGiEtnRWeuadxPLQhFzqXPMv8ORQbaTtwD8bCHiAb0vdWllIhXwiYGJuPsWkW0fTz-k/s640/IMG_20170113_125557.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The simple shower squeegee. Probably costs a few dollars? I don't know; I got mine for free from my local Buy Nothing group. In our second shower, we use an old window squeegee that I bought at the Dollar Store years ago. For a dollar. We unscrewed the wooden handle that came on it, and just never use the spongy side. You can probably buy one that is actually attractive if you are willing to spend a couple dollars.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlQ3kgZPqvDa0YYo4DieV1OHFU2MmPMawXBxBhcwaE5HnIuSZMX0Ex_w4jef3rbMqmBpkVa6c9_v-ZYEwPojCFdSO7OnL8srP6t0-MlUy1U1mSficVmOhs4MQ5T9FZWTMjff4gbsWVXoQ/s1600/IMG_20170113_125849.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlQ3kgZPqvDa0YYo4DieV1OHFU2MmPMawXBxBhcwaE5HnIuSZMX0Ex_w4jef3rbMqmBpkVa6c9_v-ZYEwPojCFdSO7OnL8srP6t0-MlUy1U1mSficVmOhs4MQ5T9FZWTMjff4gbsWVXoQ/s640/IMG_20170113_125849.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">They both conveniently reside in their respective hanging shower caddies, so they're easy to grab right after we bathe. In our tiled shower, using the squeegee is totally straightforward: just swipe in long strokes from the top of the wetness (it's about shoulder height for us) to the tub rim, then swipe the water off the rim of the tub. It should all roll right into the tub where it will go down the drain instead of turning your grout black with mold. Work from one side of the shower to the other; the squeegee should leave it pretty much dry as you go. It's very satisfying when you think about never having to scrub your shower again.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghqiujBkvRRMqZUM0-dD6nZrgpTtM1fM8NEsEEXZM3D4Qu5lOi6zbfUAaHahYuaYpUeGrnG2T8OztsUscxMm8nZt-tHoh-WkI4aDYJ3cn-8oSez-a8ob3PHBU-sfRl2azh_gsX0TFZvQc/s1600/IMG_20170113_125904.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghqiujBkvRRMqZUM0-dD6nZrgpTtM1fM8NEsEEXZM3D4Qu5lOi6zbfUAaHahYuaYpUeGrnG2T8OztsUscxMm8nZt-tHoh-WkI4aDYJ3cn-8oSez-a8ob3PHBU-sfRl2azh_gsX0TFZvQc/s640/IMG_20170113_125904.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">In our vinyl shower, it's a little trickier because there are rounded corners that need to be squeegeed side-to-side, rather than vertically. If you have this kind, just start at the top and work your way down. Then sit back, enjoy your clean showers and all that sweet free time.</span><br />
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Mellowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11320881197482295606noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3846822951017254806.post-71064697185689456032017-01-13T12:30:00.001-08:002019-03-31T08:49:27.046-07:00How to Cook Beets in an Instant Pot<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijZAFcbIL5DwgMY7UwyUjPtNMJZeVLx4yHH01w7uE6WC6FAtL68YFTJvMQE4-auks7kdOcKe2fMnGAT6QaIoMKkSOA7237UF4VUl0_kK86t0BZLkUOf_QGaK3C9E96-y9y4F-PIDmEMn4/s1600/IMG_20170113_112903.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijZAFcbIL5DwgMY7UwyUjPtNMJZeVLx4yHH01w7uE6WC6FAtL68YFTJvMQE4-auks7kdOcKe2fMnGAT6QaIoMKkSOA7237UF4VUl0_kK86t0BZLkUOf_QGaK3C9E96-y9y4F-PIDmEMn4/s640/IMG_20170113_112903.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">If you have an Instant Pot, or any other brand of electric pressure cooker, you should definitely start cooking root vegetables with it. Not only is it extremely easy, but everything made in a pressure cooker somehow tastes better. Using broth as the cooking liquid, as I do here, takes it to a whole new level. <br /><br />I often cook beets, sweet potatoes, and red potatoes at the same time. They can be cooked whole, if you want them intact, or halved, for a bit of a quicker cook time. Today I'm cooking only a pound of beets, but these simple instructions will work just as well with a full load of mixed root veggies, say, a pound of each type.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">To start, wash your beets, and cut off anything you wouldn't want to bite into. I never peel vegetables, since it seems like a waste of both time and nutrients. Slice in half if desired. Very large beets should be cut down so that everything going into the pot is relatively the same size.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Into your pot, pour <b>1 cup of broth</b>. Any broth you like; I use homemade bone broth. Steaming veggies over broth gives them such amazing flavor and richness, and you can use the remaining liquid for whatever recipe you want after the beets are cooked (though it will be red!) It would not be criminal to drink it like it was hot tea.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Place cut beets on a steamer tray over the broth, or if using them whole, they can be cooked on the trivet that comes with the Instant Pot. Cook on manual for <b>12 minutes</b> if halved, 16 if left whole (times can vary depending on size and how soft you want them, but it's safe to experiment! You can always pop them in for another minute if they're not as tender as you want them). I generally prefer to use NPR (natural pressure release) rather than QR (quick release). This way it's hot and ready whenever I feel like opening the pressure cooker. But if you need your food more quickly, QR works, just add another minute to the cook time and release the steam right when it beeps.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">They taste amazing, no additional seasoning needed. But of course flavor them however you like! They make a great side dish on their own, or can be sliced and added to salads or other dishes. Or, you can just eat them one after another like candy, which is what I did while writing this article ;)</span><br />
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Mellowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11320881197482295606noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3846822951017254806.post-87659206636126998692016-08-18T12:49:00.001-07:002018-01-04T13:19:08.483-08:00Four Ways To Stay Cool Without Air ConditioningStaying cool without AC: I know, it's unthinkable for a lot of people. I grew up in Seattle, where thanks to our mild summers, no one really needed air conditioning for most of my life. However, in recent years air conditioners are selling like hotcakes every summer, as each year gets hotter than the one before. We've considered getting an expensive home AC unit installed, as our house has full western exposure and can really cook during hot afternoons.<br />
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Here's what we've done instead:<br />
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We had blackout blinds installed. It was an investment, but much cheaper than an AC unit. Not only do they keep out heat when the sun is blazing, they do an amazing job of blocking light while we sleep, and they also keep our home cozy on cold winter nights. At our first house, we just had lined curtains with homemade curtain rods, which absolutely worked as well. It just depends on the aesthetic you want, and your budget.<br />
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It's counter-intuitive to close up the house on hot days, when you just want some lovely wind to cool you off. But, if it's hotter outside than inside, and you don't want your house to heat up, it's extremely effective to shut every window and close all your curtains and blinds. We keep our windows open all night for the glorious cool, fresh air. On very hot days, I close all the windows and blinds in the morning while the house is still cool. The heat stays outside, our home stays comfortable, and the only energy used is what it takes to walk around and close up all the windows.<br />
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Also, notice the standing fan. We have fans in a few rooms of our house. They do an amazing job of keeping the air feeling cool while using very little electricity. They are only really effective if someone is in the room to enjoy the cooling effect of moving air, so there's no point having them running when no one's around.<br />
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Speaking of fans, if you have central heating, then you probably have one of these, which can be set so the fan is just on, without heat or AC. This whole house fan moves air all around your home, and I really notice the effect in our two-story house since it brings cool air from the basement up into the top floor. Along with the closed windows and blinds, this really effectively keeps our house comfortable- as long as we don't use the stove...<br />
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I never cook inside on hot days, except first thing in the morning while all the windows are still open. For lunch, we'll often reheat leftovers in the microwave, which does a good job of heating the food without heating up the kitchen. But when it comes to really making a meal, I just take it outside! Many people use an outdoor grill for this, but honestly on the hottest days I would hardly want to be stuck cooking over a hot grill. I have a small table set up on the deck outside our dining room, and it's here that I run our electric pressure cooker. Before I had a pressure cooker, I would do the same thing with a crock pot, letting the food cook for hours outside where it would not heat the house. It sure beats going to a restaurant every time it's too hot to cook! For more info about what an electric pressure cooker does and is, <a href="http://alifeunprocessed.blogspot.com/2016/07/how-cooking-in-instant-pot-changed.html">check out the article I wrote about my Instant Pot</a>.<br />
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If these ideas were helpful, please share my article. Thank you :D Stay cool!<br />
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Mellowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11320881197482295606noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3846822951017254806.post-25849096782908144292016-08-15T06:00:00.000-07:002019-03-31T08:55:22.445-07:00How to Make 10 Minute Applesauce in the Instant Pot <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This time of year, our little apple tree produces a ton of apples. They're tasty enough, but sadly all are a little buggy by the time they're ready to eat, which makes them perfect for cooking. I often make things like crisps with the apple windfall, but the past couple of years my family has been more into using them for applesauce. Here's how we do it.<br />
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Before I got my Instant Pot, I'd toss my apples in the slow cooker with some cinnamon and water, and cook them down for 8 hours. You can totally do that. It's just slow, and can really heat up your kitchen if you don't have anywhere else to plug in the crock pot. This year though? Making applesauce is crazy easy and quick in the electric pressure cooker, which I now use for nearly everything.<br />
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First, <b>chop your apples down to about 1" chunks</b>, removing the core and any bad spots. I would never peel my apples, as that takes work and all you're doing is removing most of the nutrition from the apple. I promise you, with the magic of an electric pressure cooker you can make very smooth applesauce without the bother of peeling. This recipe works for as many apples as you want to use.<br />
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<b>Don't overfill the pot</b>, since the sauce will bubble up as it cooks and you don't want to clog the vent. The pot should have a max fill line. Mine is at about 5 quarts. This process goes quickly enough that you can do several batches if you have a lot of apples to make into sauce.<br />
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<b>Add cinnamon</b>. This is optional; if you don't like cinnamon or don't have it, leave it out. But I love the taste and aroma of cinnamon, and it's super good for you, so I use a ton. For a full batch, 5 qts of chopped apples, I use two teaspoons of cinnamon.<br />
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<b>Add 1 cup of water.</b> This is not optional; the Instant Pot needs fluid in order to build up pressure. Plus that water will help blend the apples into a creamy sauce. I use one cup of water no matter how many apples I have in the pot.<br />
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If your pot is nearly full, you can cover the apples with a circle of parchment paper. This helps contain the sauce and keeps the bubbling juices from clogging the vent in the lid. I did not bother with this when I had a smaller batch of apples, but it is probably a good idea if the pot is quite full. When the pot was only half full, my lid remained perfectly clean after cooking.<br />
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<b>Cook on the Manual setting for 10 minutes</b>. You can let it do Natural Pressure Release (NPR) for softer sauce, or Quick Release (QR) if you like chunkier applesauce. For comparison, the jar of applesauce in the first photo is very smooth from NPR, while the sauce below is chunkier from QR.<br />
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<b>Blend away.</b> I use a stainless steel hand blender, so I feel comfortable blending it while it's still hot. With a plastic blender, I would wait for it to cool a bit.<br />
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<b>Jar it up!</b> I like to let it cool down on the counter, then refrigerate the applesauce overnight. Once it's thoroughly chilled, I pop extra jars in the freezer to use throughout the year. Do not fill the jars that are going in the freezer. Liquids need room to expand so they don't crack the glass.<br />
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</script>Mellowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11320881197482295606noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3846822951017254806.post-36979626789739926072016-08-12T07:00:00.000-07:002018-01-04T13:24:52.292-08:00How To Peel A Mango<br />
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It's the saddest thing to me, when someone doesn't like mangoes because they seem like too much of a hassle to eat, since there's no obvious way to peel them, and they have that big pit. I think mangoes are the most glorious fruit on earth. I have a couple of techniques for peeling them and removing the pit; one that I grew up with, and one that I learned as an adult and now prefer. I'm going to show you my favorite way, which takes me no more than a minute to execute, and hopefully eating mangoes won't seem like such a chore. As some readers have pointed out, this is the method that gets your hands messier. But it's fun! I'll show the other method soon!<br />
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First, be prepared for some juice. Depending on the ripeness and variety of mango, there can be a lot of liquid released while you work. I like to use a plate to catch the delicious juices that are released during the peeling process, rather than having liquid running all over my cutting board.</div>
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With a sharp knife, slice just a couple millimeters deep all the way around the mango, from the stem end back around until the slice comes full circle. Then turn the mango 90 degrees, and cut again in a full circle, just through the skin, until you have four separate sections of peel.<br />
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Starting from the bottom of the mango, take a corner of the sliced peel and lift it up and away from the fruit. It can be as easy as peeling a banana. Sometimes the peel will cling more to the fruit, and sometimes it tears a bit as you work, but just do the best you can, repeating the process with all four segments of the peel. You can always flip the mango over and work from the other end if that seems easier.<br />
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Once all the segments of skin are removed, you can use a knife to cut away the stem and any peel clinging to the mango anywhere. Peeling the entire thing takes under a minute, and then you are left with a gorgeous golden orb... Now, to get the pit out:<br />
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Holding the mango on it's end, slice down each side of the pit. The pit is long and flat, like a disc in the center of each fruit.<br />
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Once the pit is separated, you can cut more fruit off of it easily.<br />
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Eventually you will have two large mango sections, plus several smaller pieces from the ends of the pit. It gets super easy with practice. </div>
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Fresh mango is great on its own, in fruit salads, with yogurt and granola, or as a topping for pancakes or waffles. Enjoy!</div>
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Mellowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11320881197482295606noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3846822951017254806.post-20395020956993873132016-08-05T07:30:00.000-07:002018-01-04T13:26:29.502-08:00How To Harvest and Use Blue Elderberries<div>
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Elderberries are my favorite wild plant. They require so little work to produce so many easy to eat, nutritious berries, and the bush itself is lovely to look at. It has large, beautiful leaves and pretty clusters of edible white flowers in Spring.<br />
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While I was teaching myself permaculture a few years ago, I learned about how beneficial elderberries are, both for people and for native animal populations. I ordered two blue elderberry bushes (Sambucus Cerulea) from a local nursery, <a href="http://www.burntridgenursery.com/">Burnt Ridge</a>. I quickly grew to love them. Not only are they native, supporting wild bird populations, but they effortlessly produce MASSES of gorgeous, rich berry clusters that are medicinal, nutritious, and super easy to harvest and use. And they don't take ages before producing food, like most fruit trees.<br />
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<b>Growing:</b><br />
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One of our elderberry plants is sandwiched between the shadows of two giant cedar trees and our house, and this bush is finally producing berries, after slowly growing for the past four years or so. We planted the other bush in a spot where it gets full eastern and southern exposure, and it's doing amazing and has been producing as many berries as we could want, for a few years now. I harvest huge bowls of berries every week for most of the summer, from this one plant. Its roots are also along the drainage ditch for our street, so it gets plenty of water without me lifting a finger.<br />
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When in bloom, the flowering umbels face the sun, but they become so heavy with ripening berries that the branches sag towards the ground. It feels like harvesting the fruit is really helping the plant out, since the enlightened branches will spring back to an upright position.<br />
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<b>Safety:</b><br />
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This is a wonderful food producing native garden plant that you should know about! It's something you can harvest in the wild if you find it, or grow in your own yard if you have the space. It's important to note the difference between red and blue elderberries. Red elderberries can still be used in certain applications, but they are mostly toxic and should generally be avoided. It's easy to tell the difference between red and blue elderberry plants when they're flowering or fruiting, since blue elderberries have flat umbels, or clusters of flowers and berries. Red elderberries have more rounded umbels. And of course the berries are a completely different color. While the unripe berries, stems, and leaves of the blue elderberry do contain a toxin, the flowers and ripe berries can be liberally enjoyed. There is a chemical in the seeds that can cause nausea if eaten in large amounts, but it is rendered harmless when the berries are cooked.<br />
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As with all wild foraging, it's important to be absolutely sure of what you are eating. Use multiple sources for identifying anything new to you.<br />
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<b>Harvesting:</b><br />
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The harvesting process is simple. When a berry cluster is very dark purple, use clippers to snip the whole thing off at the base of the stem. (If clusters still have green or pinkish berries towards the center, give them more time to ripen.) Gather these cut clusters together in a big bowl, and then bring them inside to remove the stems before cooking or freezing. Tiny pieces of stem are no big deal, just get all the woody bits out. While removing the stems, I like to wear nitrile medical gloves just to prevent the dark juice from getting under my nails and staining up my hands. It's temporary, and nothing worse than blackberries would do, but the juice is pretty red.<br />
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<b>Uses: </b><br />
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Elderberry syrup is made by boiling the berries with water, and then straining out the skins and seeds. Honey can be added to the strained liquid. This syrup is not only great on pancakes, but it can be used medicinally to help the body fight off the flu or colds. It supports the immune system, and is great to take for nausea or diarrhea. Elderberry jam can be made as you would make any other berry jam, but you will need less sugar since the berries are not tart. Elderberry wine is a classic, which I have enjoyed but never made. The flowers can be harvested and used to make fritters or elderberry champagne. My favorite easy way to use elderberries is just to throw them in a batch of pancakes instead of blueberries. I make large batches of pancake batter, and stir in a couple cups of frozen berries just before cooking. I make pancakes like this every week, pretty much all year long. I harvest the ripe berries throughout the summer, and freeze a supply that lasts us all year.<br />
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For more on the use and history of elderberries, <a href="https://plants.usda.gov/plantguide/pdf/cs_sanic5.pdf">check out this page</a> from the USDA. Additional information is <a href="http://www.pnwplants.wsu.edu/PlantDisplay.aspx?PlantID=455">available here</a>, on the WSU website.</div>
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Mellowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11320881197482295606noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3846822951017254806.post-28626101931492732332016-08-01T07:30:00.000-07:002018-01-04T13:27:05.017-08:00The Real Value of Pokemon GoPokomon Go has many haters; I see it all the time online, and hear about it in remarks from random people I run into. Acquaintances on Facebook are now bonding with each other over their mutual disdain for people who play Pokemon. Some sources say the game is dangerous or will only lead you into traps set by thieves. One Facebook friend of mine said, "What if if all these Pokemon Go players were doing <i>something valuable to society</i> with their time, rather than hunting for imaginary monsters?" To them I say this. The streets are arguably safer when there are lots of people out. An empty park in the evening is often a crime hotspot. A park filled with Pokemon players is filled with witnesses, and people who will naturally deter a criminal just by their presence, or who could help if something did happen. I'm actually curious to see if this game, this phenomenon, has a positive effect on crime statistics as time goes by, now that so many more people are out and about. Our little city certainly feels safer now.<br />
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Obviously, we must be smart and safe with our gaming. I teach my kids not to stare at the screen when they are walking, and to completely disengage when they are crossing a street or busy parking lot (the phone vibrates when a Pokemon is close, so there is no need to be glued to the screen). We don't go to dangerous places at night, and tend to travel as a group, with our large dog in tow. And, it hardly needs to be said, no playing while operating a vehicle.<br />
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Also, to the Pokemon haters: Those people you see walking around with their phones, gathered at parks, out in the world; until a few weeks ago, many of them spent their time slouched in front of a computer, or sunk into a couch in some basement playing console games. Now, they are out in the world, getting exercise, breathing fresh air, interacting with new people; experiencing life, weather, nature. It's really lovely when you think about it that way.<br />
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My kids have always been homeschooled, and in recent years they often prefer to stay home and do indoor things, like read, draw, play Legos, or listen to me read while they work on stuff. We recently adopted a dog, and go on lots of walks with her, but until about two weeks ago, the kids would often request to stay home, rather than go on any walk or outing. I love them, and believe they make good choices and do valuable things with their time, but I do feel like it's my responsibility, as a homeschooling parent, to get my kids out in the world as much as I can.<br />
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Enter Pokemon Go. Now every day the kids beg me to go on another MILES long walk so that we can catch more Pokemon, and hatch our eggs, and level up. Our dog is getting so much exercise too; she is so happy to be part of the pack on our endless epic walks as a family. We used to watch a movie or read in the evenings, or sometimes play a boardgame. Now, we go explore the city, along with tons of our neighbors.<br />
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Parks are suddenly the place to be, for all kinds of people, since they are hot spots for catching Pokemon. It's wonderful! One of the best things about Pokemon Go is that you are not competing with other players for Pokemon. If you're at a park with 10 other players, everyone can catch the same Pokemon. Parks are often where lures are set, which turn the area into a virtual Pokemon party for 30 minutes, attracting one Pokemon after another. When one player sets a lure, everyone benefits, which is really cool.<br />
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Another great feature of the game is that you MUST walk to hatch the eggs that you find. Some eggs require 2 kilometers, some 5 km, and some require you to walk 10 km before they'll hatch. So, we do a LOT of walking! Another thing I appreciate about Pokemon Go is that there is nothing you have to buy, ever. The app is free to download and it's compatible with most smartphones. There is a "store" in the game with optional extras that you can purchase, but it's possible to play every aspect of the game without spending a dime.<br />
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My kids want to go on every errand with me now, which means I automatically have help bringing the groceries in from the car! They sit together in the back seat on all our drives, passing my phone back and forth as they take turns catching cute little monsters for our collection. They have also helped their grandma download the app, got her set up with an avatar and taught her to use the balls to catch Pokemon. I'll never forget my technologically challenged mom crying out joyfully, "I'm good at this! I'm actually good at something!" Their time with her is now spent at the playground and lake across from her apartment, where she often used to try to get them to go. But now they all three love being there because of the thrill of the hunt and the beauty of the game.<br />
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Pokemon Go starts easy and gets relatively more challenging as you level up. There are no real instructions so we have learned from people around us, and from online sources (which can be helpful but are often wrong since they're just learning too!) My eleven year old does a lot of online research to discover the best ways to play. My eight year old figured out a feature of the game that none of the rest of us could get, how to set a lure. It has been fantastic being on this journey with them. We all love learning together during this incredibly fun activity.<br />
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Mellowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11320881197482295606noreply@blogger.com9