A Review of Celebrate Green

Celebrate Green by mother daughter team Lynn Colwell and Corey Colwell-Lipson is the green book to have because it covers aspects of greening pretty much every holiday and celebration and it has some great ideas for the holidays -any and all of them.

There's always a holiday or special occassion coming up- why not celebrate them in green style?

4th of July, summer fun celebrations...do them all in an eco way.

Celebrate Green has a lot to say about greening Halloween including some crafty things you can do yourself like make your own face paints, create fun costumes and decorations, even turn everyday ordinary objects into candy buckets and containers.

It’s also full of yummy recipes and fun ideas for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

The apple pie recipe for Thanksgiving, yummy and the suggestions for setting a sustainable table are great. Though I have to admit I have never seen a free range turkey or even a tofurkey in my local grocery stores and no I don’t have a Whole Foods near me. So I’ll just have to opt for going local and organic on the other foods because I am not giving up my turkey.

I really do love the Christmas ideas in Celebrate Green, the basics being reduce, reuse and recycle and then going DIY. Now that’s something I can do. I am the DIY momma. I think my motto is why pay for it when you can do it yourself?

Simple, fun old fashioned Christmas ideas are encouraged like popcorn strands for the tree, collecting pieces of nature for decor – twigs, pine cones, and live greenery.

One really great thing in the Christmas chapter is an extensive list of eco-friendly gift ideas. I found some ideas I might follow through on.

There was just one thing I was surprised by was the lack of crafts. I really expected there to be crafts. They have them on the website and often showcase them with articles and ideas about celebrating green so I figured there would be more how-tos in the book.

Nope.

Plenty of ideas and suggestions but only a few actual how to directions.

That’s OK though because the book is chock full of advice and ideas for turning your celebrations green.

The Big Green Book of Recycled Crafts ( Leisure Arts #4802) is a collection of fun and fabulous crafts made from all kinds of trashy, upcycled products.

I see quite a few old favorites in this Leisure Arts publication from other Leisure Arts books including the Trash to Treasurebooks.

I also see a few new crafts and one that I am thrilled to have found the instructions for.
The Big Green Book of Recycled Crafts is full of gifts, home decor and crafty garden projects all made from discarded items you probably have lying around the house right now.

How about the bird bungalows made from plastic laundry soap bottles? Or photo frames made from old clear CD and DVD cases. And then there’s the Gardener’s Carryall made with a plastic bucket, twist ties, a vinyl tablecloth and some pretty buttons.

The recycled bag keeper made from the sleeve of an old shirt is a classic, as are the bottle lamps, the two liter bottle gift baskets, and the wine cork message board.

An ingenious project is the dryer vent hose turned into adorable pumpkins for Halloween/Autumn decor. This project is just so damn cute I can’t help loving it. Now I am looking for excess dryer vent hose to make them. I know we had some after we installed the dryer but I think hubby may have thrown it out. (How dare he throw something away).
I love the old window crafts. An old window frame becomes faux stained glass, a 6 paned window becomes a work of art, and a three paned window becomes a fun message station with a chalk board and cork board added into the paned sections.

The global lamp would be a super charming addition to an office, den or library and the drawer ottoman is so stylish. I’ve seen this done before with an old suitcase but not with a drawer. I think the drawer idea is superb. So much easier to find an old drawer than a suitcase that fits your style. Plus you can paint, stain, or finish the drawer in so many ways while the suitcase leaves you kinda stuck as to how it will look. I think the drawer would be much sturdier which is a major plus in my rough on furniture family.

There are even two fun projects for my gear-head, car loving son, a License Plate Headboard and a Wheely Neat Nightstand.

But the one project that thrilled me the most is the one they call the Nursery Rhyme Tuffet. To me this project has been the juice can footstool. My grandma used to make these little footstools back in the 60′s and 70′s, maybe earlier for all I know. She would sell them and also give them as gifts. After she passed away I found one in the house and really wanted to know how to make it. But never found any directions and my mom wasn’t sure.

Now that little footstool has been misplaced. I think it is in my mother’s attic, we’ve done so much remodeling over the years things have been moved from one place to another and buried in boxes.

Anyway, I have always wanted to learn how to make these little footstools…and now on page 113 of The Big Green Book of Recycled Crafts I found the basic directions. Now I would use different material because the old bedspread fabrics pictured have never been my thing but my grandma’s crafty projects are and I am going to make at least one of footstool. My kids better start drinking some juice though because I need 7 46 ounce juice cans.

For that project alone this book is a must have for me, but I love so many of the other cool projects I can’t wait to get crafting. Christmas will be here before you know it (it’s already August for Craft’s sake) and I can use the ideas to make gifts for friends and family.

Eco-Friendly Crafts- Yogurt Cup Creations

My family goes through a lot of yogurt, mainly my little guy- he eats a lot of yogurt.

He’s on this thing where just about all he eats is yogurt and he’s picky about it. Wants it straight from the little containers not in a regular old bowl.

So we end up with a lot of yogurt cups which aren’t accepted for recycling at the local drop off site.

So I have come up with easy and fun ways to use the yogurt cups for crafts with my kids.

So far we have created cats, bats, pumpkins, skeletons and more for Halloween, Christmas bells and penguins for the winter holidays, turtles and frogs for spring and bunnies for Easter. The cast of yogurt cup characters keeps growing. I am thinking butterflies for this weekend.

They are simple to create. I paint them outside with spray paint (I know, probably not the most eco-craft supply but it works) and then we use craft foam for heads, legs, wings or whatever the creation calls for. Sometimes we use google eyes, sometimes we just paint them on. Sometimes we add pipecleaners or whatever else we may find in the craft boxes.

It all started with me just searching through my craft box to see what I could create. I have tons of craft supplies so that was no problem.
Now it’s a regular thing for my daughter and I to add another yogurt cup critter to our menagerie.

It’s a fun and relatively green craft. We save yogurt cups from the landfill and have fun using our creativity to create new creatures.

Shabby Apple Vintage Style Dress Giveaway

I have an extremely awesome giveaway for you today- Shabby Apple has graciously offered to giveaway one of their dresses to one lucky US winner.

Shabby Apple takes retro vintage styles and recreates them for modern women.

They offer beautiful women's dresses, little girl dresses, even maternity dresses- and all of their styles have a touch of vintage flair.

Check out this dress, Moon River, which happens to be the one we're giving away.

It's a classic style, simple, sexy, elegant.

I am in love with this dress and want one for myself.






Here's the description from Shabby Apple:

Bring back nostalgia for the beautiful jazz age in Moon River, a sultry silver frock with stunning details. Carefully constructed from stretch sateen, the Moon River boasts a high, wide boat neck, fitted bodice,and cap sleeves. The slightly tapered skirt descends from a bouquet off our flouncy ruffles at the low waist, and falls to the knee. Belted,bedecked with a long strand of pearls or left as a stand-alone statement, Moon River has potential to inspire romantic flashbacks wherever you wear it.

Retail Price: $92.00




Fit Notes: This dress follows Shabby Apple's Fits Generously size chart.

Ruffle measures approximately 10 inches long. Dress hits at the knee.

**DRESS HAS A FAIR AMOUNT OF STRETCH. WE RECOMMEND ORDERING A SIZE DOWN IF YOU ARE BORDERLINE ON YOUR MEASUREMENTS**

Moon River is just one of the fabulous retro style dresses Shabby Apple offers. If you love vintage dresses you'll love Shabby Apple.

If you'd like to check them out yourself I have an exclsuive 10% off shopping code for you to use:

everythinggreenweddings10off

Enter it at checkout to receive 10% off your entire order

www.shabbyapple.com

Now time for the giveaway

If you would like to win this amazingly gorgeous dress

Then leave a comment on this post

Be sure to include your email address

Comments without email will not be entered in the drawing

Open to US shipping addresses only please

For an extra entry Like Shabby Apple on Facebook

For another extra entry follow Creatively Green via GFC

For another bonus entry follow me on twitter @everythinggreen

For 2 bonus entries visit Shabby Apple

and tell me what dress you really love there

and leave a link to it in the comments

For 2 more bonus entries please spread the word about this contest via Twitter, Facebook, or your blog- leave links in the comments

Add up all your entries and include them with your comment

Good luck

Swinging Summer Fun With CSN Stores

I adore this babysitter swing I bought from CSN Stores as a review product.

I have it hanging on the kids' swingset and now I have a comfy place to sit while they play.

Here's the description for CSN:

This beautiful adult pine swing can be easily installed on most swing sets with common household tools. Its old-fashion swing inspired style is a great peice of wood work that any family can enjoy!

Features:

Pine wood construction

Galvanized zinc chains and screw-in eye hooks

Assembly required

Adult size

Let me tell you this swing is aweome and perfect if you want a place to hang out and read or enjoy the fresh air while your kids play. It sure beats the little belt seat style swings the kids use.

I got my kids this green deluxe swing, which is perfect for their little butts to swing on (though I see them get in my swing when I'm not out there :-)

Here's the description frm CSN Stores:

Add versatility to your swing set with this add on swing for adults and children! Great for ages 3 and up this swing seat can hold up to 250 lbs and is built to last with UV protected polymer that resists fading and over heating from sunlight. Its 5'1 zinc plated chains are made for comfort with pinch- free plastisol coating on the bottom 30". A great addition to any Gorilla Playset!

Features:

Swing seat holds up to 250 lbs
Comes in blue, green, and yellow

Has UV protection that resist fading and overheating in direct sunlight

Two zinc plated 5'1" long, and 3/16" thick chains for the swing seat

Plastisol coated, pinch-free grip on the bottom 30" of the chain

Installation hardware not included

For children ages 3 and up

So me and the kids got new swings thanks to CSN Stores offering me the chance to review anything from their 200+ stores.

I couldn't be happier with my choices- my family will be swinging in style all summer long.

Thanks CSN Stores.

And if you're looking for summer fun products CSN has everything from swings to patio furniture to grills to firepits.

They even have rainsavers and compost bins for greenies like me (which I wanted to buy but choose the swings instead- much more useful for everyone in my family)

Casa Mexicana Seasonings Rock

I love Mexican food, it's one of my favorites, especially tacos and fajitas...yum. And now that I've tried Casa Mexicana's delightful Beef Taco and Chicken Fajita seasonings....um wow! I wish they sold this stuff in the stores where I live. I wouldn't buy Old Elpaso or Taco Bell stuff anymore, I'd buy this.

If you have it in a store neat you I highly recommend giving it a try.

To make the Chicken Fajita's (from the Casa Mexicana website)

YOU WILL NEED

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 tablespoons of vegetable oil
8-12 flour or corn tortillas
½ onion
2 bell peppers (any color)
¼ cup of water

DIRECTIONS

In a plastic bag add water, 2 tablespoons of oil and packet contents, mix thoroughly.

Slice chicken in strips and add to plastic bag, coat thoroughly and marinate for 5 minutes.

Slice onion and bell peppers, sauté in pan at medium heat with 1 tablespoon of oil until soft and golden. Remove from pan and set aside.

Cook chicken at medium-high heat until ready. Mix with onion and peppers and serve on warm tortillas.

Ingredients: salt, paprika, maltodextrin, oregano, chipotle chile, pasilla chile, onion, garlic, cumin, silicone dioxide (a natural anti-caking agent).

Made on equipment that also handles wheat, milk, soy and eggs.


NET WT. 1 OZ. (28.3g)
4 SERVINGS


For the Beef Tacos
YOU WILL NEED

2 Lbs of beef (chuck or rump roast)
1 ¼ cups of canned crushed tomatoes
1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
2 tablespoons of white vinegar
8-12 corn tortillas
Optional: beans

DIRECTIONS

Combine beef, oil and vinegar in a deep pot, add enough water to cover beef. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 45 minutes.

Remove beef from pot and shred, reserve 1 ¼ cups of stock.
Add shredded beef, reserved broth, crushed tomatoes and packet contents into the pot, mix thoroughly.

Bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for 45 minutes (do not let sauce dry out).

Serve on warm tortillas.

CHEF SUGGESTION: serve with beans on the side.


Ingredients: garlic, onion, no-MSG chicken stock (salt, dextrose, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, spices – including turmeric as color, corn starch, garlic, chicken yeast extract, and onion), salt, pasilla chile, chipotle chile, black pepper, silicone dioxide (a natural anti-caking agent), bay leafs. Contains Soy.

Made on equipment that also handles wheat, milk, soy and eggs.

NET WT. 1 OZ. (28.3g)
4 SERVINGS


OMG this stuff is yummy, you won't be disappointed.

To learn more about Casa Mexican Foods please visit: http://www.casamexicanafoods.com

Disclosure: I received these seasonings free of charge in exchange for a review

Summer Fun with AnnieWear

Are you looking for great summer clothes and fun items for your little ones?

Annie Wear has an absolutely adorable selection of clothes, towels, water bottles, even activity sets like the one pictured below- the water Magic Art Set.

Check out AnnieWear for ways to have plenty of fun with your little ones this summer.

Open publication - Free publishing - More anniewear

Interested in AnnieWear?

You can receive a 15% discount off any purchase with the following PROMO CODE :BLOG2011.

The offer expires Dec. 2011.

Disclosure: This compensated post was sponsored by Project You Magazine (www.projectyoumagazine.com) and the Role Mommy Writer's Network (www.rolemommy.com).

I Love Australian Gold: Review of Australian Gold Sheer Coverage Lotion with SPF 15

I received a small bottle of Australian Gold sunblock to review- and I was transported back in time by the scent. I had forgotten how much I loved the unique scent of Australian Gold tanning products.

I was transported back to the first time I ever went tanning- which was during my first year of college- then another attempt back before I took a vacation to Texas then the last time right before my wedding in 2003.

Each tanning session I used Australian Gold- exclusively because I loved the way it made my skin feel and the delightful aroma that it left behind.

These days I don't do tanning beds but I still go outside and I choose to be a little safer about it than I was in my younger days.

I didn't even know Australian Gold made sunblock- now that I do I don't see anything else going on my skin.

The blends are made with exotic natural oils- and they contain no mineral oil.

And they smell fabulous.

I just dropped by the the Australian Gold site and I'm stocking up on sunblock for the family for this summer.

My husband loves Australian Gold just as much as I do- so he'll be very happy that I found sunscreen that doesn't stink or smell weird- even happier when he finds out it's Australian Gold.

Green Your Music Gadgets with EcoNation's Eco-Friendly Speakers

I think EcoNation's eco-friendly speakers are one of the coolest green gadgets ever. Kids and adults alike will adore the simple, sustainable style of these green gadgets.

The speakers are made from recycled cardboard and other eco components, they fold flat for easy storgae and are even shipped flat to cut down on shipping materials and costs.

The EcoNation speakers have a universal 3.5 mm plug to fit into MP3 players, iPods, iTouchs, and even laptop computers. They are battery free so there's no hassle or waste involved with replacing batteries- and what kids will love most...they come in a wide variety of styles and colors

To see EcoNation's eco speakers and their other green gadgets visit http://www.merkuryinnovations.com/

Product Review: The Seven Year Pen

I am a pen snob, I love nothing better than a good pen. It has to write smoothly, it has to feel good in my hand, and the ink has to flow just right or I won't use it.

And I use a lot of pens. I always have one close by. While I may be a green girl and do most things digitally, I still love to write old fashioned style with a pen and paper. In fact I do my best thinking with a pen in hand.

I get so upset when one of my favorite pens runs out of ink. I always save the pen and try to find an ink refill for it.

Not as easy as you would think. There are so many variations in the ink refills. I wish they'd make a universal ink refill so a favorite pen can be saved.

Seltzer Goods has come up with the next best thing- the Seven Year Pen.

The Seven Year Pen has a jumbo ink supply that will last for seven years- this could help keep thousands of disposable pens out of the landfills.

The Seven Year Pen isn't as fat as I like my pens to be, but it does write smooth, the ink flows nicely, and it feels good in my hand.

Plus it comes in a wide variety of colors, some with fun designs on them, that even kids will love.

If you'd like to have a Seven Year Pen in your office, visit www.seltzergoods.com for details.

Tips for Growing Great Tomatoes

I try to grow a variety of vegetables every year- several types of squash, pumpkins, a couple types of peppers, and always a rainbow of tomatoes- reds, oranges, yellows- and in all sizes from tiny cherry tomatoes, to small pear shaped yellow tomatoes, to large red, yellow and orange slicing tomatoes.

I love tomatoes, there is nothing better than a fresh vine ripened tomato right out of the garden. I use them to make fresh homemade salsa, salads, and a variety of sandwiches. This year I want to try sauces and sundried recipes too.

Tomatoes are relatively easy to grow and they'll grow in whatever you put them in- containers, upside down topsy turvy things, they'll grow up a trellis, they'll sprawl throughout a wide open space...they are very versatile and adaptable

Here are some tips for growing great tomatoes:

Tomatoes are very sensitive to cold so they should not be planted outside until all threat of frost has passed. A tomato plant will die if temperatures fall below 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Make sure the ground has had a chance to warm up to around 65 degrees Fahrenheit before planting.

If you want you can start tomato seeds indoors about 4 - 6 weeks before the threat of frost has passed, or before you plan to put the plants in the ground.

I always start my seeds with peat pellets and egg cartons. This makes starting seedlings so very easy.

To find good tomato seeds you can swap seeds with friends, purchase seeds online or check out your local garden sections for tomato seeds. If you want heirloom seeds you'll probably have to shop online unless you have a local garden club that works with heirloom plants and seeds. SeedSavers.org is a great place to search for heirloom seeds and is where I usually get mine.

If you just basic hardy tomato plants buying plants from the local nursery to transplant will do quite fine.

Choose the best plants for transplanting. They should be 6-8 inches tall and look healthy and sturdy. A slightly wilted plant can usually be revived, it is best not to take the chance. Never buy tomato plants that are already producing fruit unless it is in a large and sturdy pot that the plant can stay in, it's not good to transplant a fruit bearing tomato plant.

Wait to purchase your tomato plants when the weather is right for planting.

Tomatoes can be planted in wet or dry soil though they prefer nutrient rich soil full of organic matter with a pH of around 6.5. If you plan to add lime to your soil be sure to use a high magnesium lime.

Once the threat of frost has passed and you are ready to transplant your tomatoes, water them 1-2 hours before planting. Dig a hole in the soil with a small trowel or your hands, the hole does not have to be very deep.

Once in the hole the plant should sit 1-2 inches deeper than it was in the pot. You may have to pinch off bottom leaves when planting so they don't get covered with soil.

If the area you plan to plant your tomatoes in is a wet, boggy area, you should plant the tomatoes on a mound 4-6 inches higher than the ground.

If the planting area is dry, plant each tomato plant in a depression - you can do this by making an indented ring around the base of the plant to collect rain water.

Disturb the roots as little as possible when moving the tomato plants from the container into the ground. If they are in peat pots, tear the pot to let the roots escape.

Once in the ground firmly pack the soil around the roots. Water the plants immediately after planting.

You'll want an average of 3 square feet of space per plant - depending on how you grow them.

Staked plants take up less space and are easier to work around but you have to stake them, tie them and prune off the side shoots that grow in all different directions. Training them to grow staked can sometimes take a lot time and effort.

Staked plants should be planted 2 feet apart in a row with at least 3 feet between rows.

If you let the plants vine naturally and grow along the ground they need more space to sprawl out. Some will sprawl all over the place and take over your whole garden.

I like to use cone shaped cages that allow the plants to grow naturally up and around the cage. The cages keep them up off the ground while still allowing natural growth.

You can also trellis tomatoes or plant them along fences, arbors, or arches.

After planting you should wait 4 - 6 weeks before mulching around them to make sure the ground has warmed up all the way.

Black landscaping plastic or material can effectively be used to keep the ground moist and deter weeds from growing in your tomato garden. Not only will the landscaping material keep weeds at bay it can also help prevent blossom end rot. A bonus is that it will also keep the tomatoes clean and out of the dirt.

If you wish to plant other veggies in the same garden as your tomatoes some great companion plants are carrots, cucumbers, cabbage, celery, onions and peppers. Herbal companions include borage, mint and pot marigold.

Avoid planting tomatoes near corn, dill or potatoes these plants can all attract pests and diseases to your tomato plants.

Tomatoes need a lot of water but please avoid over doing it. Too much water can drown them while too little water can cause weak roots and shallow root growth.

Water early in the day at the base of the plants; do not get the leaves wet. Wet leaves can cause fungus and disease growth.

Tomatoes do not need to be pruned unless you are training them to grow on stakes or trellises. Then you will want to pinch off side shoots.

It sounds like a lot of work but compared to some persnickety plants tomatoes are super easy and once you get used to growing them it all becomes second nature. And the rewards of baskets full of fresh tomatoes is well worth the effort.

Review Solano 53mm Ceramic Brush

If you're looking for a fabulous brush that will leave your hair feeling full and smooth then the Solano ceramic brush is for you.

It feels good in your hand with a comfortable "squishy grip" handle and the bristles are not too sharp or pricky like some similar round hairbrushes.

I've tried other brushes that look like this one but they sure don't work like this one. The Solano is far superior to the cheaper version you'll find at grocery and chain stores.

Once you try it you'll understand. They come in different sizes, I was sent the 53m to review.

Product Features

• Solano 53mm Thermal Round Brush
• Tourmaline/Ionic/Ceramic

Product Description

Solano Thermal Round Brush features a plasmium gel grip and color protect bristles for comfortable, effective styling.

Oka B Shoes Made in the USA

About Oka B:

OKA b. is founded on the principle that fashion and comfort should never be mutually exclusive.

Imagine a shoe that not only looks great with every outfit but feels great with every step.

A sandal given the thumbs up by your doctor and your best friend. A slide that matches your wedding gown and massages your feet as you dance down the aisle. A flip-flop so stylish it's featured in fashion magazines.

A shoe that's 100% recyclable, waterproof, made in the USA and priced under $40.

I think I love Oka B shoes- the whole concept is fabulous- shoes that are not just affordable but made in the USA, waterproof and recyclable.

What do you think?

Visit Oka B for great deals, sales

and check out their fabulous selection of super cute summer shoes

Visit them now and you can receive $10 off your next order

Casa Mexicana Winner

Jan is the winner of the Casa Mexicana seasonings.

They'll be in the mail tomorrow.

Happy Cinco de Mayo Jan

Cinco De Mayo Giveaway

In honor of the upcoming Cinco De Mayo holiday I have a Mexican food theme giveaway.

Thanks to Casa Mexicana Foods I have a package of Chicken Chipotle Tacos Seasoning and Fish Tacos Seasoning to give away to one lucky US winner.

If you would like to win this set of Casa Mexicana Seasonings please leave a comment on this spot with your email address.

Open to US Shipping Only.

Winner TBA Wednesday

Casa Mexicana Fish Tacos This mix re-creates the traditional and delicious recipe of fish tacos from Acapulco, or pescado a la talla, with hints of smoly chipotle chiles, paprika, coriander and garlic. YOU WILL NEED 2 Lbs of fish (tilapia or halibut recommended) 8-12 corn tortillas 1 lime 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil ¼ cup of water Optional: lettuce, avocado and mayonnaise DIRECTIONS Add water, 2 tablespoons of oil and packet contents into plastic bag, mix thoroughly. Slice fish in strips and add to plastic bag, coat thoroughly and marinate for 5 minutes. Empty contents of plastic bag into sauté pan with 1 teaspoon of oil. Cook over medium heat until ready (do not overcook). Serve on warm tortillas with a squeeze of fresh lime juice. CHEF SUGGESTION: add shredded lettuce, mayonnaise and avocado. INGREDIENTS: Salt, annatto, paprika, maltodextrin, onion, garlic, chipotle chile, black pepper, coriander, oregano, silicone dioxide (a natural anti-caking agent), cumin. Made on equipment that also handles wheat, milk, soy and eggs. NET WT. 1 OZ. (28.3g) 4 SERVINGS Casa Mexicana Chicken Chipotle Tacos (Tinga) This traditional dish from Puebla, where it is locally known astinga, is spicy and infused with chipotle's smoky flavor. YOU WILL NEED 2 whole chicken breasts (bone in) 1 ¼ cups of canned crushed tomatoes 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil 8-12 corn tortillas 1 cup of water Optional: beans, onion and avocado DIRECTIONS Heat oil in sauté pan, add chicken and cook for 5 minutes over medium-high heat. Remove chicken from pan and set aside. Pour crushed tomatoes in pan, add water, packet contents and mix thoroughly. Add chicken and bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove chicken, shred, top with desired amount of sauce and serve on warm tortillas. CHEF SUGGESTION: serve with refried beans and avocado. Slice half an onion and sauté until golden brown, mix with chicken. Ingredients: no-MSG chicken stock (salt, dextrose, hydrogenated vegetable protein, spices -including turmeric as color, corn starch, garlic, chicken yeast extract, and onion), chipotle chile, salt, maltodextrin, pasilla chile, onion, garlic, silicone dioxide (a natural anti-caking agent), cumin, oregano. Contains Soy. Made on equipment that also handles wheat, milk, soy and eggs. NET WT. 1 OZ. (28.3g) 4 SERVINGS

Moderation Nation My Get Together

Tomorrow I'm hosting a Hershey's Moderation Nation My Get Togther Party.

We're going to talk about healthy recipes using chocolate and we're going to learn this awesome dance called Batuka.

If you'd like to learn more about Moderation Nation please visit: http://www.themoderationnation.com

Get menus and meal planning advice: http://www.themoderationnation.com/menus.aspx

and http://www.themoderationnation.com/meal_balancer.aspx

You can even connect with experts: http://www.themoderationnation.com/connect_over.aspx

Food for Thought: Five Signs That Backyard Gardening Might Soon Be a Survival Skill

1. Rising produce prices. The grass has ’riz and so has the price of most foods, which is particularly devastating just now when so many Americans are unemployed, underemployed, retired or retiring, or on declining or fixed incomes. In some American towns, and not just impoverished backwaters, as many as 30 percent of residents can’t afford to feed themselves and their families sufficiently, let alone nutritiously. Here in the Piedmont Triad of North Carolina where I live, it’s 25 percent.

Across the country, one out of six of the elderly suffers from malnutrition and hunger. And the number of children served one or two of their heartiest, healthiest meals by their schools grows annually as the number of them living at poverty levels tops 20 percent. Thirty-seven million Americans rely on food banks that now routinely sport half-empty shelves and report near-empty bank accounts.

In some cases this round of price hikes on everything from cereal and steak to fresh veggies and bread—and even the flour that can usually be bought cheaply to make it— will be temporary. But over the long term, the systems that have provided most Americans with a diversity, quantity, and quality of foods envied by the rest of the world are not going to be as reliable as they were.

2. Peak oil. Even oil company CEOs agree that now or in the next two or three years the world will have passed the peak of cheap, easy oil. What difference does that make? For one thing, there is no replacement for oil that can do all that oil has done as cheaply and universally as oil has done it. Cheap, abundant food on the shelves of grocery and big box stores and food banks, on our tables, and in our bellies depends on cheap, abundant oil for fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides, and to power farm machinery and transport food from fields to processors and packagers and then to purveyors and consumers, around the world.

Over the next decade or three, Americans can expect food to get progressively more expensive and some foods, especially fresh vegetables and fruits, to become less available in stores.

3. Peak soil and space. Arable land—land suited to farming—is at a premium everywhere in the world. Every year farmers lose thousands of acres of arable land to urban and suburban sprawl and more tons of topsoil than they produce of grain and other field crops to attrition. Half the Earth’s original trove of topsoil, like that which once permitted the American Midwest to feed the world, has been lost to wind and erosion. Millions of years in the making, it has been depleted and degraded by industrialized agriculture in only a couple of centuries.

China’s soils ride easterly winds across the Pacific to settle out on cars and rooftops in California. While the American Bread Basket’s soils are building deltas and dead zones at the mouth of the Mississippi. Adding insult to injury, soils that have been farmed using petroleum-based synthetics—toxic fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides—and heavy equipment are themselves virtually dead and will not be able to produce as much as they have, with or without fossil-fuel inputs.

4. Climate instability. Bad—uncongenial—weather has devastated grain crops in the upper Midwest, Florida, Mexico, Russia, China, parts of Africa, and elsewhere. Many climate scientists believe we’ve passed the equivalent of the peak of friendly and familiar weather as we have the peak in easy, cheap oil and abundant healthy soil. And while increasing heat will bedevil harvests, intense cold, downpours, and flooding and drought will make farming an increasingly hellish occupation.

The transitional climate will be unpredictable from season to season and will produce more extremes of weather and weather disasters, which means farmers will not be able to assume much about growing seasons, rainfall patterns, and getting crops through to harvest. If the past is precedent, the transition from the climate we’ve been used to for 10,000 years to whatever’s next could take decades, centuries, or even millennia.

When a whole nation’s or region’s staple grain crops are lost, everything down the line from the crop itself becomes more expensive, from meat to every kind of processed food (i.e., the food Americans shop for as if supermarkets were actually where food comes from).

5. Persistent unemployment and economic instability. No pundits, talking-heads, or economic analysts deny there are rough economic times ahead. Even many of the cautious among them acknowledge that we may be looking at five or six years of high unemployment, and many of the lost jobs won’t be coming back. The less cautious, who have been watching this crisis build for decades—I count myself as one of these—predict the collapse of the whole fossil-fuel, funny-money, global economic system.

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About the Author:
A memoirist, magazine and book editor, and freelance writer, Ellen LaConte has been published in numerous magazines and trade journals on subjects ranging from organic gardening and alternative technologies to the evolution of consciousness, democracy theory, and complex systems. After three decades of homesteading in Connecticut and Maine, she gardens now on a half-acre in the Yadkin River watershed of the Piedmont bioregion of North Carolina.

Getting Started in the Garden: Thirteen Tips for “Veggie Virgins” and Other Inexperienced Food Growers

Tips from Ellen LaConte, author of Life Rules: Why so much is going wrong everywhere at once and how Life teaches us to fix it(Green Horizon, 2010, ISBN: 978-1-4502-5918-7, $21.95,www.ellenlaconte.com)

Don’t assume lack of space is a deal-breaker. Most of us don’t live on farms. Nor do we have spacious, magazine-worthy backyards. And in the case of city-dwellers, we may not have backyards of any type! That’s okay, says Ellen LaConte, who is something of an outside-the-box thinker when it comes to gardening in smaller or unconventional settings. (In fact, based on her own experiences, she has written articles on turning suburban outdoor spaces into “tiny homestead Edens.”)

In general, LaConte recommends that neighborhood gardening novices start with one of two easy options: the container garden or the raised-bed garden. (A quick Internet search will unearth a plethora of advice, instructions, and details about each.)

Make your bed…raised! A raised-bed garden is one that is built on top of your native soil—in other words, you don’t have to dig into your yard and can build it wherever you want. It can be enclosed by lumber, stone, brick, concrete, or even hay bales, and is filled with whatever type of soil you choose. Advantages include (but are certainly not limited to): improved accessibility (you don’t need to stoop as far to reach your plants), good drainage, fewer weeds, the ability to plant more densely, and improved soil quality. Also, raised-bed gardens heat up more quickly than the native soil, so you’ll be able to plant sooner and you’ll probably enjoy a higher produce yield.

Contain yourself! Did you know that almost any vegetable, and quite a few fruits (such as berries, limes, and melons), can be adapted to growing in a pot? It’s true! So even if you’ve got no yard at all, you can still cultivate a container garden on your balcony, patio, or windowsill. As with a raised-bed garden, container gardens are very accessible and offer you total control over soil quality. Keep in mind a few simple guidelines such as making sure that larger plants are in larger containers and that all have adequate drainage holes, and you’re good to garden!

Start small. If you bite off more produce than you can chew, you may become overwhelmed and leave your garden to the not-so-tender mercies of nature. If you’re a newbie, choose just a few easy-to-cultivate vegetables, fruits, and herbs, preferably ones that already feature prominently in your diet. You can let yourself gradually catch the gardening bug from there!

Don’t panic: You’ll find the time. Prospective gardeners may be excited by the idea of growing their own fruits and vegetables but daunted by the scope of the project ahead of them. If you’re wondering where you’re going to find the time to cultivate and harvest plants, take a deep breath. After the initial effort of planting and potting is over, your daily garden chores such as watering and weeding will usually be done in 15 to 30 minutes. And when you consider how much time most of us waste in front of the computer or TV, well…the task ahead of you might not be so difficult to fit in after all. (And it’ll certainly be more nourishing!)

“Grow” easy on yourself. The fact is, some types of produce are much hardier and easier to grow than others. Why make your first foray into gardening more difficult than it needs to be by trying to raise plants that are needy? Start with tried-and-true plants like basil, rosemary, blueberries, tomatoes, lettuce, and peppers, for example.

It’s as easy as one, two, TREE. When most people think “gardening,” trees don’t necessarily spring to mind. While it’s true that trees can take longer than tomato plants or berry bushes to yield fruit, the wait is usually well worth it. Consider planting cherry, apple, peach, etc. saplings in your yard. As they grow, these trees will be both beautiful and practical. And the yardless needn’t be left out—remember that fruits such as peaches, plums, figs, lemons, limes, etc. (often available in dwarf varieties) can be grown in pots.

Farm alongside your flowers. Many people whose patios or yards are livened up by colorful flowers have never given a second thought to raising produce. If you’re one of them, consider this: You already have the knowledge and skills to care for plants. So why not plant some tomatoes or cilantro along with those zinnias and pansies?

Grow your own “spice rack.” Many people don’t immediately think of herbs when they hear the word “gardening,” but the truth is that these little plants are generally easy to grow, don’t require much space (think window boxes and small pots), and can really spice up your meals! Plus, with a little advance planning, you can stock your shelf with dried herbs that will last the whole year round.

Practice pollution-free pest control. If you are able to grow and harvest your produce with no unwelcome critters taking a bite or two, consider yourself lucky! The fact is, it’s a good idea to have a pesticide plan in place…but you don’t have to risk polluting your yard or harming beneficial insects in the process. For example, hot pepper sprays, garlic, used dishwater, and even some varieties of plants naturally repel insects and animals alike.

Make it a group effort… Nobody ever said that gardening had to be a solitary activity! For example, you might grab a neighbor (or two or three) and share the hoeing, weeding, and watering chores. And when your labors bear fruit, you can share that as well. (Also, it’s worth noting that gardening doesn’t have to be an adults-only activity. It can be a great bonding experience for families, too—working outside is much healthier than playing a video game or watching TV, and your kids will learn quite a bit in the process.)

…or a community-wide one! If you like the idea of enlisting aid in your cultivation efforts but don’t have the desire or space to “host” a garden yourself, research to see if there are any community gardens in your area. They may charge a fee for participation and might feature plots that are collectively gardened or plots that are allotted to individuals. One thing’s for sure, though—you’ll be able to take advantage of the expertise of your fellow gardeners, and you’ll probably make some new friends in the process!

If you need some guidance, find a 4-H club… Maybe you didn’t leave your 4-H days behind with your adolescence after all! The fact is, 4-H offers programs to its members that focus on plant science. Your local club might be able to give you personalized advice on your fledgling gardening endeavor…and you might find a fulfilling volunteering or mentoring opportunity in the process!

…or hit up the hardware store. Most hardware stores with gardening centers have everything you need to get started—and that doesn’t just include plants and gardening implements (though those are available in spades—pun intended!). Ask employees for advice on everything from which plants grow well in shade to how often to fertilize, and you’ll go home with your questions answered.

…or make friends at a farmer’s market. Chances are, there’s one near you…and who better to ask for tips and tricks than your fellow citizens who have already learned to garden successfully? This is also a good venue at which to learn about community gardens and group efforts. And bonus: You might be able to set up a booth yourself sooner than you think!

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