Frugal Fashion and Earth-grown eats

I've been having fun with alliteration in my titles lately, can you tell?! Anyway, on Saturday I went to the thrift store called St.Vincent dePaul, which we locals affectionately refer to as St.Vinnie's.

Oh boy did I make out good! I got Trinity some sweatpants,a water bottle for her lunch box, a dress and sweater for me.

This is my dress. 50 cents y'all.

Isn't it just so cute?

This is Trinity and me (in my "new" dress) after church today.

This is my brand new hoodie that I found at St.Vinnie's. It had the tags on it from the department store where it was originally purchased. I'm the first to wear it! Yay!

I think the combination of the Jolly Roger design and the hearts is just silly and fun.

My $1 top and Trinity's free shirt and capris from a recent clothes swap. :)

And last night's dinner before it was thrown onto the grill. Sliced up eggplant and kabobs.

I peeled some garlic and put them on the skewers....oh man that was goooood. I still smell a little like garlic. Ooops.

Such simple, good, healthy eats: bell peppers, tomatoes, banana peppers, shrooms, squash, onion, and garlic.

Family Fun Interlude and Major Milestone

It has been quite a significant month for our family. Lots of ups and downs on this

"rollercoaster of life."

I'll spare you the downs, but the ups, I'll gladly share!

I started a new job working for a family in town, whom I've grown to love dearly. The Martins are a special little clan of two like-minded, God-fearing parents with 5 adorable kids.

Bruce is starting a new job soon....nightshift-yikes! He's done it before, so we all know what to expect. In the big scheme of it all, this is a very good thing.

And the major milestone that we just can't get over is that Trinity learned how to ride her bike without training wheels! It didn't take long at all (minutes)and we are constantly impressed by her natural athletic ability.

I had to jog, and at times, run alongside her while she was still getting the hang of it. I'm pretty sure I logged about 3 or 4 miles of jogging that day!

Late in the evening, when we had declared it was time to come in for the day, there was nearly a UFC style smackdown to actually get her off the bike. This is a whole new world to her and she was not about to give it up for the day!

Earlier in the month we made a visit to Mt. Olympus waterpark in Wisconsin Dells. It's our favorite outdoor waterpark,by far.
We took advantage of the free tours on a WWII era "Duck". It's an amphibious vehicle that the army used to transition from land to water and back. Of course the most fun part was when the driver gunned it as we splashed into the water from the road.
Trinity enjoying one of the slides.

Trinity being a monkey!

Trinity lovin' on Daddy. awwww!

My cousin Eric and his wife Nicky invited us over for a cookout, and Trinity had a great time with their two daughters Ellie and Mia.

Nicky's a vegetarian, so there were plenty of good veggie eats for me to enjoy :)

As August comes to an end, and school starts again soon for both Trinity and Tyler, we are refelecting on these milestones and family fun with fondness.

Veggie Delights

My lentil stew lunch!

Ooooh it was so yummy and filling with its spinach, carrot, tomato,onion, and garlicy goodness.

The eggplant is from my cousin and I'm trying to figure out a tasty way to prepare it before it goes bad. The last time I had eggplant was about 10 years ago and I really did not like it.

But, since then my palate has changed and I bet I can find some spices to jazz it up so that I can enjoy its nutritional values :)

I made quite an elaborate and time consuming dinner tonight for Bruce, Trinity, my dad, and myself. This is a rare occasion as I usually am left to fend for myself at dinner, with Bruce cooking up some kind of meat on the grill. It was also significant because it required having the oven on for over an hour and there is no air conditioning.

Despite those obstacles though, I was inspired to get as many veggies as possible into the tummies of my family. (Also, there wasn't any meat in the house except frozen bacon!)

My dad brought us some freshly picked jalapenos, a neighbor brought over freshly picked cherry tomatoes, and we still had potatoes that I had picked from my day at the farm with the Martins.

The little plate at the lower left is Trinity's. She has spinach,carrots, tomatoes, roasted potatoes, and a corn muffin.

The bowl at the top right has my leftover lentil stew which I made at lunch.
The beautiful centerpiece is roasted red and gold potatoes atop a bed of spinach and tomatoes.

The top right is corn and corn muffins.

Bruce even did the dishes!!

It has been such a busy and productive day! I started by "surfing" the web a bit and of course blogging.

I made Trinity breakfast and gave her a bath. This was the first time I used the baking soda and vinegar on her in lieu of regular shampoo and conditioner. She wasn't sure what to think.

I then made some lentil stew, which is pictured above.

Next, Trinity and I made a cake that I promised her. We went to a birthday party on Sunday and had to leave before they had the cake. NOT a happy camper. So, today, from scratch we made a yellow cake and chocolate frosting. From what I hear, it's pretty good. My dairy, casein,egg, and gluen free tummy could not enjoy this special treat.

I went to the store to get more bananas and apples. They do not last long in this house.

Stopped at the library and picked up The China Study again. I should probably just buy that thing!

Next, off to the "You Pick" garden about 1/8 of a mile from my house, to get some peppers. Stuffed peppers are on the menu for tomorrow!

Oh yeah, made the dinner pictured above, did some laundry, dusted, and I'm soon off to lift some weights.

It was a good day:)

Fun Frugal Follicles (of hair) :)

Oh my gosh you guys, I just found the best shampoo and conditioner EVER!! They weren't in the health and beauty aisles at the local department store. There are no exciting, music-laced commericals touting its special properties, and overly enthused women with waist length hair frolicking on the beach. No bright colorful pretty plastic bottles that hold these newfound cleansers and conditioners, either.

I found them in my cupboard. :)

Yes, baking soda as shampoo and vinegar as conditioner. Not very exciting, huh? Well, I don't really base my hygiene products on slick marketing strategies and pretty eye-catching packages anyway.

Anyone who knows me well, knows that I'm a passionate all or nothing kind of person. When I go for something I believe in, I'm gonna share the mission and bring all who are willing along for the ride! Remember that whole "becoming a Christian" thing? Some people thought was a phase I was going through. Well, it's been 12 years and I love and trust Jesus more each day. It's not a phase, because neither is eternity. I digress.....

So, in keeping with my frugal mission, I did some research and found the most cost-effective and carcinogen/toxin free alternative to shampoo and conditioner.

But, Heather, that's not very convenient! No, not really. But, do we base ALL our purchasing, environmental, and health decisions on convenience? Yeah, I guess most Americans do. But, I am NOT most Americans.

But, Heather, I LOVE my product already and it works well, and I recycle the plastic packages it comes in. Ok, great, but have you ever looked at the ingredients in your great working product and done any research on what those chemicals and toxins are?

But, Heather, I like to pay at least $4 a bottle for my hair care products that only last a month or so. Ok,well then I guess you're not interested in a 75 cent box of baking soda that lasts about 5 months or a $3 bottle of vinegar that will last several months as well.

By the way, about deoderant....new homemade recipe sitting in my bathroom as we speak. Toothpaste is next.

Basically, I'm sharing my experience of frugality and elimination of non-necessities (including chemicals and toxins), and inviting you to join the ride. There's plenty of room!

Big Finds in a little Town

Having the food intolerances I do, along with choosing a vegan diet, makes finding suitable pre-made snacks a serious challenge. That challenge is magnified when where you live is a tiny midwestern town in which few people actually understand what a vegan or gluten free diet is. *sigh*

But, our little Wisconsin town was blessed with the arrival of the Oskri Organics manufacturing plant and retail store!! Oh the joy I experienced when I realized what I had stumbled upon only a half mile from my house! Organic, gluten and lactose free, vegan snacks abound in this modest facility.

Ideally I prefer to make my own snacks from scratch and avoid processed food as much as possible. But, there are some things I just can't seem to master just yet (like granola and snack bars), and the processing of these bars in very minimal. So in the mean time when I come across something affordable and delicious, I grab 'em up! These are affordable big time, too. $1.20 is the most I've paid for any of the snack bars.

My favorites thus far are the Almond Cranberry Granola bar with dark chocolate, the Cashew Cranberry bar, and the Flax Seed bar (pictured above). Granted, not every bar is vegan(some have honey), but they are all gluten free-yay!

They also have nuts, spreads, coffee, dried fruit, and oils.

So, if you live in the area, and need a special organic treat to meet your dietary needs, stop in! Or, you can always order online, too. http://www.oskri.com/

NO, I do NOT work for Oskri in any way, shape, or form. I'm only hear to spread the goodness of this wonderful company. Thank you, Oskri :)

Random Things In My World (part 2)

Once again I have documented some odd, amusing, and unusual things in my little world.

I love these things! Bruce is always bringing Trinity home some silly little toys from work. These never fail to make me laugh :)

This is some fine artwork by my dad that he displayed on our driveway. Nice, right? It's still a mystery as to why he never got that art scholarship back in the day! :)

The lovely 25 pounders with which I like to do some curls, push presses, and lunges.

Ahhh...some of the books I've gotten my hands on. I love the Share library system. It allows you to borrow books from all across the state. I will be reviewing these books as soon as I'm finished with them.
A gift to Trinity from my dad. I actually used one when I sliced open my calf on that broken vase in the trash.
I suppose I should include something of Bruce's, too. It is quite amusing as he has Trinity trained to tap the doll's head when they watch Brewer games, and Braun is up to bat.
The Ms.Pac Man game!! Yes, in Trinity's eyes it has made me a superstar of sorts. I've gotten quite good and she has declared "you're so good, it's like you're famous!"

And the spastic fish, Callie. Ah, Callie, you make my mornings as you flip and thrash around excitedly awaiting your breakfast pellets. She loves me.

Trinity teaching Grandpa how to play the board game "Sorry." Yeah, he was sorry when the game ended and she didn't win! He didn't know he wasn't supposed to. She's not a good loser!

ZOO

We're going to the zoo, zoo, zoo

How about you, you, you?

You can come too, too, too

We're going to the zoo, zoo, zoo!

Well, we actually went last Sunday, but you could have come if we asked you!

We didn't do our usual lay around, nap, and rest up for the work week routine. Trinity said she wanted to go on a nature hike, so we took it to the next level and surprised her with a "safari nature hike." I think she was confused as we drove closer and closer into the city and kept asking just where are we going on a nature hike in the city??

She figured it out once she saw the ZOO signs.

My little earth lover :)

Hangin' with the bears
There was plexi glass of some sort between her and this lion, but it was so cool to be that close! It was also VERY sunny, so there's a lot of glare.
Pet a snake? No problem!
My little "Joey"
Yee-haw!
I think she may have had more fun at the zoo's newest addition of a ginormous playground

There was a lot of pouting when we left this area. It DOES look pretty fun though. Bruce is helping her get down off the "rock"

And when Daddy's with, there is always a souvenir to be bought! My cheapskate ways would have been satisfied with the pictures. But, Daddy knows really well how to cater to the desires of a daughter's heart. She was exhausted and fell asleep with her new Cheetah mask on.

We didn't see MY favorite zoo animal, the hippo, but we saw Bruce's (otters) and Trinity's (giraffe). After the zoo, we did some grocery shopping and I got lots of fruits and veggies, nuts, seeds, and dried berries. It was a great day.

Frugal Food

In my ongoing effort to be frugal and find ways to make things that could otherwise be bought at the store, I've had an interesting time in the kitchen baking, mixing, and freezing.

Yes, there are the store bought dairy/casein/egg and gluten free ice creams, but I figured I could come up with something with my own ingredients, with exactly the flavors I wanted.

This is my banana, cocoa, peanut butter, rice milk, spinach ice cream. Yes, I said spinach! You can't even tell it's in there. But, all the health benefits are there!

I don't have pictures of the brownies and muffins I made with these huge zucchini, but Trinity was very helpful. Actually, so was Bruce, as he grilled several slices for us one night. VERY tasty. Thanks for the veggies, Brenda!
OH MY. These are my new favorite snack. Kale chips. It's a shame the closest place I can find Kale is Madison. I simply tore the kale into chip-sized pieces, and massaged onto them a vinegar and oil mixture. Then I sprinkled on salt and baked for 15 minutes at 375 degrees. Crispy, tangy, salty goodness.
This is before they went into the oven.

This is before they went into my mouth!

Don't overbake them though-they will end up as bitter as before baking!

If you have a dehydrator, that's a good option as well :)

I've also decided it would be more cost-efficient to make my own rice milk. I also have more control over what goes into it, avoiding fake sweeteners and preservatives.

It has been so fun to find recipes and come up with my own to accomodate my eating habits.

I have so much more control over what I put into my temple and know exactly what is going in.

This morning I also roasted some garlic and added it to some mashed garbanzo beans to make homemade hummus.

Later, I will be using up the tomato, onion, and jalapeno to make my own salsa.

Let your food be your medicine and your medicine be your food

That quote by Hippocrates, the "Father of Medicine" is sound advice.

I am now thoroughly convinced that it is my destiny to become either a nutritional anthropologist or nutritionist! I am one of the biggest advocates of PREVENTION and/or ELIMINATION of ailments (or any problem for that matter), before TREATMENT.  I am passionate about food and nutrition and how it is the foundation of so much of who we are.

You are what you eat, right!?

A while ago, my teenage (step)son saw me in the kitchen putting together my own personal dinner,and of course had to remark. It was one of the most memorable and complimentary things anyone has ever said to me. He said, "You don't eat like an American." My first thought? "THANK YOU!"

Yes, thank you, because if I did, it would mean that I'd eat a lot of processed, fatty, nutrient-stripped food, treated with pesticides, herbicides, and hormones, with barely any nutritional value left after the addition of added sugar and sodium.

I have been devouring information and books on nutrition and dietary practices of peoples from around the world and my current favorite is The Vegan Diet As Chronic Disease Prevention.(click to see book)

The very first page starts

"America is one of the sickest nations on the planet. Despite our wealth, access to educational media, natural resources, and opportunity, most Americans accept atherosclerosis, cancer, hypertension, osteoporosis, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and other degenerative chronic diseases as a part of the normal aging process."

It lays out so much information about what different cultures past and present have eaten, and the diseases and ailments present and absent.

Trust me, I know I'm gonna be "stepping on people's toes" so to speak, by laying out this information. I already have.

People take their food VERY personally.

The representation of childhood memories, emotional and physical comfort are at stake. Americans do not want to change how and what they eat. They feel they deserve that greasy fried salty fatty processed piece of "whatever", because hey, they work hard and play hard and can do whatever they want with their own body! Yeah, ok, you deserve it? So, then do you believe you deserve the consequences of eating that way?

Many people I know want to lose weight. Sure, they're up for the challenge of lifting some more weights or running an extra mile. But, changing what they eat? Don't even mention THAT! Yeah, you'll lose weight going low-carb and high meat/protein. Being thinner does NOT mean being healthier.

I am currently on my own journey of converting to a Vegan diet, which eliminates all animal and animal by-products. The by-products part isn't so hard, considering I'm lactose intolerant anyway!

Every single vitamin, mineral, and nutrient needed to grow and thrive is found in plants, fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, beans, and grains. And no, you do not need cow's milk to get enough calcium. In fact, many green leafy vegetables have a calcium absorption rate of 50%, while milk has only a 32% absorption rate.

Everything I've ever studied about Veganism supports it as a healthy way to eat and live.
Have you ever heard of a medical report claiming that a vegan diet resulted in high blood pressure, diabetes, cancer, or obesity? Of course not. Ever hear of one claiming that a diet rich in meat and animal by-products would result in those ailments and more?
Thought so.

You can be strong, muscular, athletic, and smart while eating vegan. There are some pretty famous and successful athletes that are Vegan. Ever hear of Carl Lewis, winner of 10 Olympic track medals? Or Tony Gonzales, the 247 lb member of the Kansas City Chiefs football team? UFC fighters...sure, Ricardo Moreira. Bodybuilders? You bet...Robert Cheeke.

There will always be naysayers and those who question your dietary restrictions/limitations. But, as I posted here and here, "limitations often create freedom." As faras the vegan diet goes, there is freedom from gastric distress, allergies, heart disease, obesity, diabets, cancer, and multiple other ailments-provided you have no allergic reactiI mentioned earlier how and what different cultures eat. There are people living in Pakistan's Hunza Valley who, until the 1970s, were seemingly living at the "fountain of youth."

They ate primarily organic, plant-based foods and rarely if ever ate animal products. Never did they eat processed, bleached, "enriched" food products. These people had NO chronic diseases and NO need for hospitals or dentists, until 30 some years ago, when modern technology allowed paved roads and the acquisition of processed, packaged, bio-engineered food into their society. And just to touch on the point about how what eat affects our behavior and mentality, they had no need for police, prisons or mental health institutions. They had people in their culture over 100 years old with smooth skin and all their own teeth before the "coveted" westernization infiltrated.

It sounds impossible doesn't it? I had to do much research to confirm this, because this made me very skeptical. But, it is real.

An example of how American eating styles negatively affects another culture is that of Japan becoming "westernized." They adopted not only the eating habits, but the diseases and ailments that accompany those habits, which were previously rare and almost unheard of.

It is so sad to me that we Americans hold on so tightly to our associations of food that we're willing to sacrifice our health, quality of life, and longevity.
 So, educate yourself on this stuff.

A GREAT place to start is with reading some of  Michael Pollan's books. One of his famous quotes:
EAT FOOD, MOSTLY PLANTS. NOT TOO MUCH.
What an awesome prescription for optimal health.

Wanna know something hysterically ironic? I wrote this sitting at a McDonald's playland. Why? To have a cup of coffee and let Trinity run around and play. What did she have? Water. :)

The final countdown....

Well, here we are entering the last 3-4 weeks of summer vacation, and for the last two weeks, the busyness has continued at a steady pace! I'm hopeful that by this coming Monday, things will have slowed down, we can catch our breath, regroup, and focus on the impending start of school once again in September!

Tyler will be heading back to Whitewater in just 3 short weeks, this time as a sophomore and sharing a suite with two other guys. Triple the stinkiness! Ever been in a boy's dorm room?!

Trinity will be heading to full day Kindergarten, September 1st!

But, in the meantime, Tyler's been working and playing softball. Trinity had swimming lessons and summer school come to an end, and Vacation Bible School start up. She went for 3 1/2 hours a day for 5 days! So much was taught, learned, and so many prayers were offered up and answered.

The first day of VBS...Trinity, Madison, and McLaine

There was so much to do and so much to make! Here we are in the craft room :)
They even had a science lab. This was her favorite part. They did alot with eggs for some reason. That was a stinky room!
Trinity and Madison waiting for the science class to be dismissed.

And yes, we were "allowed" by Tyler to attend his softball game.

He's a great athlete and does so well at whatever he puts effort into.

Great reflexes!

So, the next step in the final countdown to summer ending and school starting up again is the purchase of all the fun school supplies and new clothes! Trinity is supposed to get a mat for napping. Yeah, like that will happen!

She and I have also been having fun experimenting in the kitchen, making things that most people buy processed and premade. That may be what my next post will be about! Probably soon.....I've got so much to write about, since I've been so occupied the last two weeks.

stay tuned!