Compacting through the birthday season...

Who lives in a pineapple under the sea? SpongeBob Square Pants, of course!

Much to my dismay, Macy has discovered - and become obsessed with - SpongeBob Square Pants. (I thought he was so 1999!?) Not even iCarly could dissuade her from having a SpongeBob birthday party in a few weeks. You can't understand how much I want to throw up a little in my mouth looking at buck-teeth, yellow sponge-themed decorations. But, as I keep reminding myself, it's her birthday.

My saving grace through all of this is the fact that we're compacting so, technically, we can't buy all sorts of cheap, tacky SpongeBob crap. Hooray!

Last weekend Macy and I - okay, mostly I - made invitations. With some borrowed graphics and a little PhotoShop, we ended up with some cute invitations. We used construction paper and envelopes that we had on hand, so all I paid for was stamps.

We decided to keep this party small and invited 7 girls. As such, we'll be able to use real plates and napkins. Maybe I'll even get crafty and find some SpongeBob fabric to make themed cloth napkins. I thought about buying SpongeBob cups so the girls didn't have to use our giant, heavy glasses, but I just had a light bulb moment and think I'll use some of our jelly jars instead. I just need to come up with some decorations using thrifted materials or something we have on hand, and some party favors.

Any ideas?

Good things come to those who compact!

Back in January, just after starting the I'm Not Buying It Challenge naturally, I was making dinner for the family...chopping onion, mincing garlic, and dreaming about the days when kitchen gadgets were made to last. I was using Mr. Greenhab's metal garlic press -- by far the best thing he brought to our relationship -- and thinking "Now this is a kitchen tool! No plastic here. This is a metal workhorse, baby! I can't imagine Marc buying this though. I bet it came from his mom. I'll probably never have to buy another garlic press in my lifetime because this is a tool that was made to last a life..." --CRACK-- And as I squeezed the garlic press, a piece of metal snapped and parts went flying around the kitchen. Seriously. I couldn't make up a more ironic story.

So to Goodwill I went, in search of a new, used metal garlic press. And to Salvation Army, and to another Goodwill, and to ARC. After weeks of searching I meandered down the kitchen gadget aisle at the grocery store, resigning myself to buying a new press. But I couldn't find one that was all metal and, if I was going to break the compact, I wanted to at least avoid buying plastic. I looked at Target and Walmart, another grocery store and several more thrift stores until last weekend when I came across the tool of my dreams.

This time around, compacting has taught me patience and the importance of planning ahead (I also purchased a few things for the kids' Easter baskets at Goodwill last weekend.). Not being able to run out and immediately buy the things you want gives you time to think and decide if it's something you really need. Could I live without a garlic press? Sure. But I found myself reaching for it over and over again since January. Knowing how much it will be used, knowing that it didn't require any new manufacturing, and knowing that I'm keeping it out of the landfill makes it a good purchase in my book - and the $.99 price tag makes it that much sweeter!

Girlie water bottle sling...

Just got Macy's water bottle sling done. I used a wide ribbon for the strap on this one. It seems thin, compared to the cloth strap I put on Felix's, but it should work just fine. I also embellished it with a little flower made from the same ribbon.

If you need easy-peasy water bottle carriers for your family outings this summer, you can find the tutorial here.

Meatless Monday: Chickpea Burgers that will rock your world

I started this post last Meatless Monday, then found that the cord to my camera was missing. It wasn't until then that I realized just how much of our life I put in pictures. I mean, heaven forbid I can't show you what I'm eating for lunch, right!?

I found this recipe for Chickpea Burgers with Tahini Sauce at iVillage Food. I actually get their newsletter, so I get a new idea and recipe each day of the week. You can sign up for their recipe newsletter (and many others) on this page.

I changed up the ingredients just a bit. The original recipe is linked above, but here is what I used...

Chickpea Burgers
15 oz can of garbanzo beans / chickpeas
1 large clove of garlic
2 Tbsp bread crumbs (I used some with Italian seasonings)
Dash of kosher salt
Dash of cumin
Pinch of oregano (fresh preferred)
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 egg

Drain garbanzo beans and put them in a food processor with 2 heaping spoons of bread crumbs (I used Italian seasoned because that's what we had.), 2 Tbsp of EVOO, 1 egg, a pinch of oregano, dash of kosher salt, dash of cumin, a clove of garlic (or more if you love garlic). Process until smooth. You want to be able to form a burger patty with this. It will be a little mushy, but as long as it forms a patty you're okay.

Put your patties in a pan with a little EVOO in it so they don't stick. Cook over medium (on the low side of medium) heat for about 3-4 minutes until you can turn it with a spatula without the patty falling apart. Cook for another 3-4 minutes. Serve on a bun. This makes 4 patties.

I didn't have the tahini to make the tahini sauce, so I was trying to decide what to put on mine - cheese like a hamburger? - when I spotted the Italian Herb and Cheese flavor Philadelphia Cooking Creme in my fridge. Not something I normally buy, but I received a coupon for a free package of it. I'll have to test this out another day, but I'm pretty sure you could make your own version with softened cream cheese, a little sour cream and some herbs and spices. At any rate, it sent this chickpea "burger" over the edge. Hands-down the best thing I've eaten in weeks!

This post is part of Midnight Maniac's Meatless Mondays and Just Another Meatless Monday.

20% off ReWrite recycled notebooks!

Winner of Hannah & the Talking Tree

I can't believe only four people signed up to win Hannah & the Talking Tree! But that gives those who did very good odds. Unfortunately, there can be only one winner and that person is....

Samantha said...

My son's favorite book right now would definitely have to be 'What do you do with a tail like this'

Congrats Samantha! I hope that you and your son enjoy this book. Please email me at greenhab(dot)goods(at)gmail(dot)com with your contact info and I'll send it right out.

Water Bottle Sling for Dummies: A tutorial.

Ever since carrying 87 pounds of water bottles around all last summer in a backpack I've been meaning to sew little water bottle slings / carriers for each of the kids. Mr. Greenhab said I should make him a water bottle vest, sort of like an ammo vest, so he could carry them all. Somehow I don't see him following through on his offer.

Now summer is rapidly approaching - or so they say - and I haven't even thought about making them yet. Okay, I have thought, "Don't I need to know how to use pi to figure out the radius or circumference or how big the circle thingie on the bottom of the sling should be? Eh, I'll just carry the darn bottles myself. That sounds like too much work."

But, after my fabric scrap basket finally exploded this weekend with ripped pants and jeans, I decided to try a lazy woman's water bottle carrier just to see how it would work. The good news? It works! The bad news? I still don't know how to use pi.

Here's a quick how-to...

Take your poor abused jeans or pants and lay your water bottle on top to determine how long you need your sling to be. The pant leg opening will be the top of your sling. Add 2.5 inches to the desired length and cut.

Turn inside out, pin the rough cut opening and sew across the top with a half inch seam allowance.

Square off the corners...

...and measure two inches up from the point. Mark a line across.

After sewing across your line, cut the points off.

Turn right side out and you have a bag with a squared-off bottom!

Now you need to attach your strap. I made a strap from scraps of race car fabric.  You can make your own or just buy something at the fabric store. Measure where you want it to fall on you or your little one, then add about two inches in length to attach it to the bag on either side. I attached mine to the outside of the bag because the ends of my straps were finished. You can attach it to the inside or outside.

I also cut out a little race car from the same fabric and attached it to the front using heat 'n bond.

This project was super easy, quick, and there was no fiddling with a compass to make a round bottom.



Pardon the dirt, I dragged him in from the sandbox to model for me. This will be perfect for carrying a water bottle and a granola bar around Disneyland in a few months! (YAY!)

Book Review & Giveaway ~ Hannah and the Talking Tree

I have the sweetest book to tell you about today and one lucky reader is going win a copy signed by the author. Just in time to put it in an Easter basket!

Hannah and the Talking Tree, written and illustrated by Elke Weiss, is, in my opinion, a must-have book for any child's collection. The main character, Hannah, is just like any other little girl, with the exception of her very, very large ears. Her ears allow her to listen to things in nature that others might miss - the wind blowing, the grass growing, and one sad and lonely tree. When Hannah finds out that her tree friend is going to be cut down, she persuades others around her to help save it. In the end, many trees begin to grow, animals come back to the forest and all is right with the world, thanks to Hannah.

Besides the obvious environmental lesson of saving trees, children will learn so many other lessons as well. They'll hear that looking different is okay (an important lesson in our family!), see that there are many things happening in nature that we don't often notice, understand that people aren't always nice, and know that they can make change happen by standing up for what they believe in.

Hannah and the Talking Tree is beautifully illustrated by the author, Elke Weiss, who engages readers with her quirky character and colorful pictures.

If you'd like to win this book, signed by Elke, leave me a comment letting me know what your favorite kids book is. I'll announce a winner next Tuesday, March 22nd. If you don't win, but would like to get your hands on a copy, Hannah and the Talking Tree is available through Free Focus Publishing and Amazon.com for $16.95.

{Required disclosure: The author provided me with a free copy of this book in exchange for posting a review on my blog. I was not required to say that I liked it...I figured that part out all on my own!}

Meatless Monday: Asparagus Soup

Mr. Greenhab has been asking for asparagus soup for awhile, so I decided to give it a shot last week. I hate to post a recipe because it really just consisted of things we had in the fridge: asparagus, leeks, onion, garlic with a little bit of potato and chicken broth. Some roasted red pepper would be a good addition too!

I started by sauteing the onion (I had about 1/2 of a small yellow onion on hand), leeks (I used one leek - the white and very light green part only) and garlic (2 cloves). While that was cooking, I chopped up one bunch of asparagus into pieces about 1/2 inch long and cooked two small potatoes in the microwave. Once the onion and leeks are soft, add in about 2 cups of chicken or veggie broth, the asparagus and the potatoes (cut into chunks) and bring to a boil. Boil for a few minutes to soften the asparagus. Spoon most of the mixture into your blender or food processor and process until smooth. Leave some of the asparagus bits whole. After processing, put it all back into your pot. Add 1/2 to 3/4 cup sour cream and mix. At this point, if you'd like your soup to be thinner you can add a cup of water or more broth.

This was great with some crusty french bread.

Visit Midnight Maniac Meatless Mondays for more yummy Meatless Monday meals, and stop by This Week's Cravings at Mom's Crazy Cooking for some other fun green meals for St. Patty's Day!

"Green" Cleaning Product Reviews: NatureMagiX and Vaska

When I started to write this blog it was mostly a place to keep track of the changes we were making in our lives; a place where I could come to see our progress. With time came product reviews and giveaways, which I thought were fun for me and a nice way to reward readers for sticking with my ramblings.

Recently, I was offered the opportunity to receive commission on a product by selling it on my blog. I didn't seriously consider it at first, but it led to an interesting conversation with my Mr. Greenhab about advertising, the future of my blog, how the big bloggers stay "in business" and pay for their blogging expenses, and exactly what I was willing to do. Much of that is a blog post for another time, but I did decide to at least give the product, NatureMagiX, a try. In the interest of time and killing two birds with one stone, I'm also reviewing the Vaska detergent and stain remover that was sent to me a few months ago. (Have I mentioned how little time I seem to have these days? Darn those pesky kids.) So, without further ado...

NatureMagiX is an all-purpose cleaner that is non-toxic and biodegradable. The company claims that they use "advanced technology that enhances and exploits the natural ability of organic microbes to liquefy, absorb and eliminate oil, grease, waste, and by-products. These microbes, when activated with water, literally lift, separate and liquefy the molecules of stains and pollutants such as petroleum, grease, oil, fat, soap, starch, protein, hair, blood, urine (pets, etc.) and their associated odors. The enzymes then absorb, consume and eliminate the liquefied grease molecules – they literally eat the oil, dirt, grease and oil as if it were food!"

Sounds fancy and scientific and I was excited to see what this stuff could do. I was imagining tiny little enzymes munching through bath tub grime while I slept, finally eliminating my need to clean. Unfortunately, my minion enzymes clean just like I do: well enough, but leave a little to be desired. Here are a few experiments I did using NatureMagiX compared to my traditional vinegar and water solution.

Vinegar v. NatureMagiX on windows. Vinegar on the left, NMx on the right. NatureMagiX removes the dirt and finger prints, but leaves streaks. My beloved vinegar and water leaves just a shiny window.

Windows BEFORE (I'd pretend to be appalled by them or tell you that I got them extra dirty for this experiment, but this is just what my doors look like after a week with my children. I can own it.)

 Windows AFTER...

Same with my stainless steel fridge. And, by the way, have you ever tried to photograph a stainless steel refrigerator in the sunlight? It's across the room from the windows / French doors above which makes it next to impossible. I need a crew holding sheets behind me. My kids might be too short for that though. At any rate, you can again see the streaks from the NMx on the left door while the door on the right was cleaned with vinegar.

On to the kids' shower next. Let's refrain from judgement here, please? This is the original, very fabulous 1970's shower that we haven't quite gotten around to replacing yet. Vinegar wins again, leaving the glass clear. The NatureMagiX side on the right is cloudy and spotty.

BEFORE (you're starting to see how much I like to clean, huh?)

And AFTER... I had to do some magic with the camera settings to get a clear photo, so the lighting is a bit weird. Vinegar side on the left is clear, NMx side on the right still has some grime that wouldn't come off.

Now, NatureMagiX boasts that it can be used on anything, including laundry. I've been looking for a natural alternative -- one that doesn't come in a plastic container -- to my Shout gel for several years now, so I tried this product with fingers crossed.


I also had a bottle of Vaska's Spotoff I'd been promising to review for awhile, so with Mr. Greenhab's old t-shirt and the substances most likely to make stains in our house (catsup, mud and chocolate) I set up our experiment.

Here we have NatureMagiX in the first column, Vaska's Spotoff in the middle and I used the last column as a control. The first row of stain is catsup, the second is mud, and the third is chocolate. I wanted to try blood as well, but none of my kids would bleed on demand. Go figure.

After spraying the products on, I was surprised to see the Vaska seemingly start working on contact on the chocolate.

This is about 15 minutes into letting them soak. NatureMagiX looks as if it's already working on the catsup and mud, while Vaska seems to be errantly concentrating on my Sharpie marker.

After the first wash, I'm disappointed in both products as compared to the column that didn't get any stain-remover at all. Vaska has worked the best on catsup and chocolate while NMx seems about even with the control column.

After a second soak and wash, the chocolate at the bottom is not noticeable enough to photograph with either of the stain removers or in the control column. The mud, which you can see clearly in the photo, is still disappointingly obvious with all three. The catsup (which I've circled for you in red) is difficult to see in this photo, but is still noticeable when you have it front of you.

Overall, I rate Vaska slightly higher than NatureMagiX as a stain remover because the Vaska stains appear to be lighter. In all honestly, I probably wouldn't spend the money on either product since they don't do much more than just washing the stain without stain remover at all. I guess my search for a green stain remover continues. Any advice, readers?

I think it's worth mentioning that I have a bottle of Vaska's Herbatergent, which I like as an everyday laundry detergent. It's available at Target for around $9.99 and does 32 loads.

Also, if you'd like to try NatureMagiX for yourself, you can get a "free" sample (you still have to pay $2 S&H) from their website. Besides the places that I used it, it's supposed to be good for getting oil / grease off of concrete, for cleaning the outside of your house (seriously, do people really do that!?), for your car and for cleaning carpets.

{Required disclosure: Both NatureMagiX and Vaska supplied me with free samples of their products in exchange for this review. All photos, opinions and snarky comments are my own.}

Meatless Monday ~ Green Beans & Mushrooms

Lunch is quickly becoming my favorite meal of the day. At home by myself I can cook anything I'd like without having to worry about who will or won't like it. That's not to say I dislike cooking for my family, but it is nice just to cook for yourself sometimes.

I recently made a green bean and mushroom dish that was incredibly tasty. The original recipe can be found here at Cooks.com.  I was cooking for one and don't follow directions well anyway, so here is my version of it for one person~

Sauteed Green Beans & Mushrooms

Ingredients:

• 2 big hands full of green beans
• 1 handful of sliced mushrooms
• Butter or olive oil
• 1/3 cup chopped walnuts
• 1 clove chopped garlic
• Salt & Pepper
• Dash of dill
• Splash of lemon juice

I boiled the green beans for about 5 minutes to soften them up a bit. You can do less if you like them nice and crisp. Set aside.

Saute mushrooms in the butter until they begin to soften and brown, add green beans, garlic and walnuts and saute for a few minutes. Add a dash of dill (maybe 1/2 tsp) and a splash of lemon juice. Salt and pepper to taste.

This was so good that I really can't wait to make it again. Such great flavor!

Be sure to stop by Midnight Maniac Meatless Monday for this and other great meatless meal ideas.