In Case You Missed It...

You can watch the entire Food, Inc. on the PBS website (through April 29th).

Menu Plan 4/26/10

First, two bits of randomness:

• I love this time of year for eating supper on the patio!
• It looks like we did much better with the grocery budget in April... just a little bit over.  I've been thinking about a particular idea from the book In Defense of Food that has really stuck with me.  I had to return the book to the library, so I no longer have it, but in summary, it is some thing along the lines of knowing what we know about how our food affects our health and our lives, our food budgets may not be the smartest place to try to economize.  Hmm.  Thoughts?

Breakfasts:
Soaked Oatmeal
Muffins
Bananas
Milk

Lunches:
PB&J Sandwiches
Carrot Sticks
Yogurt with Honey and Blueberries
Apples, Pears, Oranges

Dinners:
Monday - Leftovers
Tuesday - Salmon Cakes (new recipe), Baked Yams, Salad with Homemade Dressing
Wednesday - Leftovers
Thursday - Grilled Cheese, Salad
Friday - Grilled Chicken Wraps, Salad
Saturday - Chicken Stir Fry with Broccoli over Rice
Sunday - Leftovers

Dessert:
Homemade Chocolate Pudding! :)

Happy Sunday, happy Monday!

Happy Friday!

My posting frequency on here is currently a little sparser than normal... it is just a hectic time of year and it would be helpful if I could get some more routines established to help me feel more efficient in certain areas... mainly household tasks, which I have NOT been completing very well.  You wouldn't know it by a quick glance, but if you looked closely at my house, you might understand what I mean.  Especially if you looked at the laundry room.  That's no joke.  So, anyways, I just wanted you to know that I haven't gone far, far away.  I am here; just a little occupied.

To kick off the weekend, here is some yin and yang for you...  I'd recommend reading one or the other, not both ;)  Take your pick, depending on what kind of mood you are in.

First, the Oh My! Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie aka the PMS Cure

Second, the 76 Dangers of Sugar to Your Health.  (FYI: I am not about to worry about eating too much fruit.  I have better things to do.)

Now, I'm off to gear up for our garage sale tomorrow.  Taking some yummy Black Bean Salsa again to my brother and sister-in-law's house.

Winner

I put the names in a bowl, and the one my girl drew out was jillyg!  Email me at the address on my sidebar to tell me the address where you'd like me to mail your prize... and happy reading!  (If I don't hear from you this week I will draw another name.)  Thanks for playing everyone!

Menu Plan 4/19/10

Breakfasts:
Soaked Oatmeal with Blueberries
Soaked German Pancakes (new)
Milk

Lunches:
PB&J Sandwiches
Leftover Soup
Yogurt with Honey
Fruit
Dessert

Dinners:
Monday - Leftovers, Salad
Tuesday - Potato Soup with Homemade Bread
Wednesday - Hot Dogs (nitrate-free) on Wheat Buns, Homefries
Thursday - Hearty Chicken and Rice Soup
Friday - Leftovers
Saturday - Pizza
Sunday - Quinoa Medley

Desserts:
???... I'll take suggestions or requests!

One more day until the giveaway!

Friday Afternoon

When I came home there were ants in the kitchen!  That's a first for me.  Just a handful of tiny ones, traipsing across the floor and up the cabinet and across the counter by the sink.  Drowing them in vinegar spray and putting chili powder at the point of entry seem to be keeping them at bay.  Hopefully it holds.

I want to try some fresh cow's milk to see if we even like it.  There are three sources in the area, and I am on the waiting lists at two of them, and waiting for it to come in at the other one.  It is really difficult to come by!  My husband doesn't think he will be a fan.  I'm not too sure, either, but I am curious.

For my local friends, Whole Foods has ground beef on sale for $2.99/lb. (normally $3.99/lb.) through the 27th.  So if my past experience holds true, you can get it for $2.50/lb. if you buy 3 lbs. or more - and you can still ask them to package it in 1 lb. packages if you like.  It is not 100% grassfed (which has more nutrients, and is my goal), but it is still much better quality than the typical grocery store meat and you can tell.  I am tempted, because that is a good price.  Just thought I'd share this tidbit because some people have asked me about it.

If you haven't already, just leave a comment on this post to enter my giveaway!

I'm going to try my second attempt (hopefully just as successful as the first attempt) at homemade oatmeal bread tonight or tomorrow.  Maybe I will take photos this time.

Why does it seem like I always get a cold when the weather and seasons change?  I don't think it is allergies.

Ok, nothing really new or exciting, I just wanted to post something.  Guess ordinary is a good thing sometimes.

Hope you enjoy the weekend!

A Review and Giveaway: The Eco-nomical Baby Guide

This review and giveaway is overdue.  I was hoping to do it the end of March... I actually skimmed the book cover to cover when I first received it at the end of February, and have been waiting around to get to read it thoroughly and well, you know how things go...

Here's my short, honest, and a bit scatterbrained review of The Eco-nomical Baby Guide by Joy Hatch and Rebecca Kelley.

• I liked that it is written by 2 real life moms who practice what they preach (and most of the advice they dole out was self-taught in the first place).
• Very tasteful layout and presentation.  Made me eager to delve into it.
• Advises toward a thrifty, green parenting lifestyle (hence the title), which is "attainable" for just about any income level.
• Shares lists of specific product recommedationsat the end of each chapter, much like Baby Bargains, only with an emphasis on environmentally-friendly and baby-healthy.
• Covers the bases: sleeping, baby gear, food, diapering...
• As a parent of 2 children, who has researched a LOT on the internet, I didn't find any groundbreaking new information.  BUT, I would have studied this book extensively had it been given to me 3 years ago, before my first child.  And, while compared to some mothers, my practices may already be considered quite crunchy, while to others, I may be very mainstream, I did find myself encouraged to stretch even further towards a green family lifestyle.  So, all that is to say that I feels this book has something beneficial/thought provoking for you no matter where you stand on the spectrum.
• Some of my favorite green items were left out of the product recommendations... just goes to show that everybody has different preferences.
• Respectfully leaves room for making your own judgement calls in regard to family priorities (financial, time, etc.)
• This would be a great book for an expecting parent who is interested in penny pinching OR raising baby in a environmentally friendly manner.  I really appreciated how Joy and Rebecca explain that it is possible for these two to go hand in hand.  Thanks, ladies!

I've never hosted a giveaway before. But, in the spririt of being eco-friendly as well as passing on the graciousness that Joy and Rebecca shared by sending me this book to review, here we go!

The prize: The Eco-nomical Baby Guide by Joy Hatch and Rebecca Kelley

Leave a comment to enter.  If you leave an anonymous comment - which I have opened just for this special occasion so my lurker family and friends can also enter :) - be sure to leave your name, too.  One entry per person. Share the love and tell your friends to come enter, too.

You can win this for yourself, to give as a gift, or simply to read, review, and pass along, just as I did.

Winner will be drawn and announced Monday, April 19th.  Good luck!

If you don't win, look for it in a bookstore or request it at your local library...

In the meantime, you can visit Joy and Rebecca over at their blog, The Green Baby Guide.

Menu Plan 4/12/10

Thanks to some spurring on from a friend, I am back into researching locally raised meat and dairy sources for our family.  I am still in the researching stage, but will let you know if some noteworthy discoveries are made that alter our purchasing patterns.  Hopefully so!

After a week of allowing myself to eat lot of Easter chocolate candy and desserts, I miss the sugar fast.  The current compromise I have come up with is that I can bake (because I like to and I missed it), and eat one sample, and then I have to give the rest away - right away!  Either my husband or I can take the goodies to work or church to share.

Ok, on to this week's menu...

Breakfasts:
Soaked Oatmeal with Frozen Blueberries
Milk
Bananas

Lunches:
PB&J Sandwiches
Apples, Oranges
Yogurt
Almonds

Dinners:
Monday - Chili Cornbread Salad, Strawberries & Kiwi
Tuesday - Leftovers
Wednesday - Roast Beef Sandwiches, Zucchini
Thursday - Leftovers, Broccoli
Friday - Tuna Cheesies on Buns, Salad
Saturday - Leftovers
Sunday - Shepherd's Pie

Happy eating! :)

P.S.  I am planning to do giveaway this week - the first ever here at Little Home!  So check back sometime soon!

View Food, Inc. for Free

PBS will be broadcasting Food, Inc. on April 21st.  Check your local listings and mark your calendar!

Homemade Tortillas

I love tortillas.  I don't buy it that corn tortillas are so much healthier than flour - we (as Americans) eat too much corn as it is, in my opinion.  I may be wrong, but anyways, I like flour tortillas.

You can get good tasting ones for super cheap at Costco - like 36 for $3 something.  And they are good.  But, I am appalled when I look at the ingredient list.  Sometimes I buy them at Whole Foods, with a much shorter ingredient list, although, still not a great list.  And they are more expensive - 6 small ones for nearly $2.

So, today I tried my hand at making these Homemade Four Tortillas.  They aren't too bad, it is just hard to get them thin enough.  I used coconut oil instead of the lard, but after reading some of the reviews, might try butter next time.  (I am not against lard, I just don't have easy access to any of the good stuff.)  The dough was really easy to make.

The longest part was rolling them out and cooking them.  It made me reminisce about the tortilla making room at my favorite Mexican restaurant, growing up.  Next to the lobby, there was a small room with a giant glass window where you could watch the lady make the tortillas. She would put the balls of dough into the maching that would press out a flat tortilla and then you could watch it bake as it travelled through the machine and flop out onto a wire conveyor belt.  Kind of like the donut factory at Krispy Kreme! :)  Anyways, I wanted one of those machines to help me out today.

Bread products are one of my weaknesses when it comes to processed food... they are just so much easier to buy than to make.  But I am getting there, maybe.  I will have to tell you about my recent successful breakmaking endeavor soon.

Altering up the menu plan and planning quesadillas for dinner tonight!

Menu Plan 4/5/10

The sugar/dessert fast is over.  I made Sigrid's Carrot Cake today.  I think I overbaked it, it was a little dry.  We loved the icing, though! (without nuts)

Breakfasts:
Soaked Baked Oatmeal
Kashi or Cheerios with Milk
Blueberries or Bananas
Smoothies

Lunches:
Leftover Potato Soup with Bread and Butter
Egg Salad Sandwiches
Fruit

Dinners:
Monday - Spaghetti with Meat Sauce, Salad with Creamy Peppercorn Dressing
Tuesday - Leftovers
Wednesday - Roasted Chicken, Baked Potatoes, Salad
Thurday - Leftovers
Friday - Chicken Salad on Buns, Salad
Saturday - Leftovers
Sunday - Pizza (crust)

Treats:
Chocolate Candy

I hope you had a happy Easter!