Freezerphile: The overabundant Zucchini

It is that time of year again, when your friends and loved ones bring you generous, copious, seriously ridiculous amounts of zucchini from their gardens. I often wonder, why do they grow so much zucchini? Nonetheless, there it is. And you have to do something with it. I don't have an arsenal of zucchini recipes I love, but I do love zucchini bread. I also only own one bread pan for making it, along with only so much time!

This year I decided to freeze my excess zucchini to avoid wasting it. Knowing that I'd most likely just make bread out of it, I ended up shredding it prior to freezing. But really, you could freeze it in any size or shape. As some of you know, I often use ice cube trays to freeze my goods, but clearly the zucchini was too big for that. I wanted to freeze it in the exact quantity that I would need to make one loaf of bread when the mood hit. So, this is how I did it.

Measure your desired amount of zucchini. Pack tightly.

On a sheet of foil, flip the measured amount over and remove the container. The zucchini should hold its shape. Like making a sand castle!

If your foil was a rectangle shape, fold edges to change its shape into a square. The next step doesn't work well with a rectangle.

Next, bring one corner up. As you bring the next corner, create a fold between the two by folding the first corner's edge inward, while folding the new corner's edge outward. Hopefully the picture does it justice, because I know that explanation did not. I'm not so good with the words.

This is the end result of all that folding. You want it to be easily peeled away from the zucchini once frozen, without any of the shreds getting stuck inside the foil. With this technique you can just pull at the corners and it comes right off.

This is your end product. As you can see, the foil is reusable in the end and no zucchini remains stuck to it.

Don't leave your zucchini in the foil too long, as the freezer can dehydrate it. Once frozen, simply remove the foil and place it in a labeled container or bag.

Now that I've discovered this method of preserving zucchini, friends, feel free to bring me more.

DIY It: Homemade Perfume

I'd say it is about time for another homemade body product post. These are always my favorite projects to try out. Today I am sharing a homemade solid perfume that I found at Crunchy Betty's site. I include the basic recipe here, but I highly recommend you check out her site for better pictures, scent ideas, and more containers for your perfume. She has amazing ideas and my photos are a bit lacklustre.

What you'll need:

40-45 drops Essential Oils per 4tsp of base (beeswax+oil)

2 tsp Beeswax, pastilles or grated from a block

2tsp Carrier oil (I used Olive, as usual)

Container for perfume (old lip gloss containers work great, the finger or stick kind)

• First, in a separate container, blend your oils to the desired scent. It will be strong, but once blended with base, will mellow out.

• Next, place your beeswax in a boil-able container. I used a shot glass. Then, place the shot glass in a pot of water. The water in the pot should only come halfway up the shot glass or less. Just enough to heat the glass and melt the wax. Ensure no water gets into the wax.

• Turn on the burner to medium heat or less. Really, the wax will melt very fast, especially if you are only making one container of perfume. Once melted, using an oven glove, remove the hot wax container and quickly add your essential oils to the shot glass and mix together. The wax will harden very fast so act quickly because you do not want it to harden here.  If it does harden, just reheat briefly until melted in the pot again.

• Last, transfer mixture to your perfume container and let harden completely, usually within 10 minutes. 

This project was extremely fast and easy, with hardly any clean-up in the end. These would make great gifts for holidays, birthdays, bridesmaids, you name it. And don't think they are just for women. Experiment with your oils and you can definitely come up with a cologne for the special man in your life too. I choose lavendar and vanilla, two of my favorites. I rub some just behind my earlobes/under my jaw bone and on the inside of my elbow and wrists too. 

The best part is these are all-natural and environmentally safe. I tend to be very sensitive to perfumes, getting headaches or respiratory discomfort easily (thank you asthma). I was searching for a better way to smell amazing without all the chemicals that commercial perfumes use. This is the answer, and the money-saving factor helps too. I hope your enjoy your hand-crafted perfume as much as I do!

Buying Bulk the Co-op Way

Taken from anagram-press.com

One of my most loved and hated things to do is grocery shopping. I always feel good after, when the kitchen is full of food; but the repetitiveness of buying the groceries and throwing out all the packaging just gets old. Almost everything comes wrapped or packaged these days, save for fresh produce. And let's face it, some times you need exactly more or less than what the package holds. This is why buying in bulk is a great alternative. When most people hear "buying in bulk" they think Sam's Club or Costco. So, you might now be thinking, "But then you just have bigger packages." Well, today I am sharing, dare I say, the better alternative.

Grains and cereals. Taken from http://centralcoop.coop

I like to shop at my local co-op grocery store for certain items because they have an amazing bulk foods section. Buying bulk from a co-op doesn't mean the same product, in the same packaging, in a larger quantity. It means buying your foods free of packaging altogether, in whatever quantity you desire. To me, it means freedom.

They have a wide variety of grains, coffee, cereals, baking necessities, teas, oils, honey, soap, shampoo, bodywash, lotion and even water.

Coffee. Taken from anagram-press.com

Using your own container? Great! Taken from anagram-press.com

You can use their plastic bags/containers they provide for these items, but they are more than happy if you bring your own reusable container instead, as they are educated and equipped to subtract the container's weight from the scale.

 

Tea and spices. My favorite part! Taken from anagram-press.com

As with all of my posts, this isn't only about the opportunity to reduce waste by buying bulk with reusable containers, it is also about saving money. The money-saving part is really my favorite. At my co-op I can buy only what I need for right now. I can buy just a little bit of tea to see if I like it. Or just a tablespoon of that rarely used spice for that one particular recipe. This alone makes spending less money easier. On top of the flexibility is that, more often than not, buying in bulk just costs less overall. I have compared the costs and consistently found lower costs for my bulk items than their packaged alternatives.

Taken from anagram-press.com

You may need to do your homework for stores that sell bulk items in your area. I know there is one very large, well-known chain who does, but I cannot attest to the affordability of this particular store. Personally, I would recommend shopping locally if at all possible. This Co-op Directory can help you find one in your area.

A few of the many baking supplies. Taken from anagram-press.com

And don't go spending money on reusable containers, now! I reuse containers from previous non-bulk purchases: Old spice jars (glass is best, since it doesn't hold in flavors), small/medium tins for teas, and these reusable produce bags for grains (then I put them in sealing containers at home). Be creative!

Freezerphile: Citrus zests and juices

Hello again! I took a hiatus for July and most of August. Summer has been busy. Filled with studying for and passing my board exam, becoming a licensed RN, and getting my first job as a nurse. Now that I've accomplished all of that, I have no more excuses. I have built up an arsenal of new sustainable ideas to share and I am so excited. To start off let's go straight to the ever-useful freezer!

 

As you may have guessed, I don't like to waste food, or even parts of food. So, when I have a recipe that calls for 1 tablespoon of lime zest and I find myself with 2 more tablespoons of lime zest and the juice of the lime, you better believe that isn't getting thrown out. My favorite solution is my freezer.

 

All you will need for freezing your zests and juices is a zester, a knife, and a small strainer. And of course an ice cube tray.

Simply zest your fruit until it is nice and bare and you have a good pile of fresh zest.

Add the zest in measured amounts to the individual compartments of your tray. Pick a measurement that you commonly use in your recipes. Next, add just enough water to cover your zest. No need to fill the entire compartment.

Cut the fruit in half and squeeze out the juice over a strainer, to catch any seeds or pulp. Add the juice to another compartment in the tray, but do not add water to this.



Et voila! As you can see, this works for lemons, as well as oranges or any other zestable fruit you choose. Just pop them in your freezer.

Once frozen, pop out the cubes and place in labeled containers or baggies. Or leave them in the tray. I just like freezing things and thus need my trays for future items often.

Happy zesting!

Easy, blender-free homemade lotion without water

Whoa. So, I kind of abandoned this for a while there. School got a little bit hectic, but now I am officially done and will be returning to at least one post a week of money-saving goodness. To kick off my reappearance I am going to share a recipe for homemade lotion that does not include the dreaded, organism-growing H2O. I found this on Pinterest and made it quite a while ago. I like it a lot, especially because it is chemical-free. And it smells deeeelightful without adding any scent to it.
The best part about this recipe is that you don't have to blend anything. I looked over a lot of recipes involving a blender and frankly, I didn't want a beeswax mess to clean up. This blog nailed the one container lotion. That's right, ONE container.

Supplies:

• Pint-size or larger jar with lid
• Grater if you are using a beeswax block instead of pastilles
• Pot of water and stovetop

Ingredients

• 1 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup coconut oil
• 1/2 cup beeswax pastilles or shavings from beeswax block
• 1/2 teaspoon vitamin E oil (or liquid from 5 capsules) - optional
•  20 drops essential oil - optional

Directions

1. Put olive oil, beeswax and coconut oil in your pint-size jar.
2. Place the jar in the pot on the stove. Add water to the pot only, ensuring none enters the jar. The water should come 3/4 of the way up the jar. Heat over medium low heat until melted. Stir occasionally.
3. Once melted, using a hot mitt, remove the jar from the heat and let cool completely. You can put the jar in the refrigerator to speed up the cooling. Stir the lotion every 15 minutes during the entire cooling process. You will see it progressively thicken.
4. Once it has fully cooled, add the optional vitamin E and essential oils. Store in a cool dry place.

As you can see, mine is quite green. I used dark EVOO. This doesn't bother me, but if you are giving as gifts or displaying in a jar, you could use a lighter olive oil for appearance-sake. The coconut oil makes this smell phenomenal without any essential oils. Enjoy!

Use this, Not this: Yogurt, Floss and Laundry

Well, hello again! I'm sorry it has been a couple of weeks since my last post. I have been trying to keep up a weekly post, but sometimes nursing school can really throw a wrench in things. Things are now in a very brief cool down period, so I think it is time I sit down and add a new edition of Use this, Not this. This week I am featuring money-saving, sustainable item substitutions for yogurt, dental hygiene products and laundry. I know that at least two of these items are essentials in all of our lives. I mean, who doesn't love yogurt? ;-)

 Make homemade yogurt in place of store bought!

Yogurt is one of the healthier dairy products, offering a good dose of calcium as well as active probiotics. If you are like me, you eat yogurt almost every day, which really adds up in both money and plastic waste. A few months ago I decided to look into making my own yogurt as an alternative. I searched for a reasonably priced yogurt machine (unfortunately the price has gone up by $10!), then compared the costs of making yogurt to buying it. One cup of yogurt can cost up to $.99 per cup, let's say $.50 at the least. To make homemade yogurt you simply need one cup of yogurt and 42oz of milk. Conveniently, a gallon of milk will make three batches of 42oz yogurt, or 21 cups (6oz each). A gallon of milk from Trader Joe's in WA costs $2.79, meaning each 6oz cup of yogurt will cost you around $.13. A striking price difference. Additionally, you can re-batch your 7th cup each time in order to make the subsequent batch. Sound complicated? It's really not. If your a yogurt person, I advise you to look into making your yogurt at home, it will save you a lot of money. Other benefits include being able to choose the type of milk you use (skim, low fat, 2%, whole, soy, etc.), adding flavors that you prefer, and keeping the excess sugar out.

 Dental hygiene. It's really something we all should have as a daily routine. I'm not just talking about brushing and mouthwash. I am talking about the stuff that gets down to the nitty gritty: your floss!

 

I have been a big fan of those little plastic flossers. I hate using string floss. Wrapping it around my fingers, which then proceed to go numb. But, the fact of the matter is, those plastic flossers add up to so much waste and definitely cost more than loose floss. So, I sought out my alternatives. I invested in a gum stimulator, not as a replacement for floss, but as an adjuvant. Gum stimulators are made from metal with a rubber tip. You only need to replace the rubber tip every so often, so it is very minimal waste. I also invested in a flosser called The Dolphin.  It is still plastic, like the flossers; but unlike the flossers, you get many more uses out of this one tool. I also found a little bonus secret. I chose the dolphin because I saw a screw near the bottom of it. When I brought it home, I took it apart and guess what. You can reload the Dolphin with loose floss! Of course, they do not advertise it this way, but I intend to get as many uses as I can out of this until it breaks.

Laundry. Another essential in all of our lives. Whether you have a washer-dryer in your home, or you use coin-operated machines, laundry costs add up!

Not only the energy costs, but the products we use in the machines, such as dryer sheets and fabric softener. Dryer sheets are just full of chemicals that really shouldn't be touching our skin on a daily basis. They also do nothing to aid the process of drying our clothes. On top of all of this, we have to keep buying them over and over! Reusable dryers balls, however, both soften our clothes without chemicals and shorten drying times phenomenally. If you miss the scent-factor of dryer sheets there are a couples of natural alternatives that I recommend. Shown here are Lavender Dryer Sachets from Trader Joe's. There are 4 in a pack, and 1 sachet lasts up to 10 washes. After the 10th, sprinkle it on your carpet and vacuum up in order to freshen your home's air. Another option is to take a clean, dry sock or wash cloth and pour a few drops of essential oils on to it. Throw this into the dryer with your clothes and it will add a lovely scent to your laundry (it works great!). Then put the sock or washcloth into a air-tight container and save for the next few loads.

That's it for now! I hope that as you do your shopping, you actively consider what sustainable alternatives exist. I love when I find a product that only requires me to purchase it one time, yet promises to last for years to come. One less errand to run. One less thing on the shopping list. One less item in the landfill. And one less dollar spent. That is sustainable living.

Two bars become one...gallon of soap!

Hey all! Lately, Pinterest has sent me on all kinds of homemade body product experiments. A few weeks ago I tried my hand at making liquid hand soap/body wash out of a bar of soap. It sounded so easy, but I managed to fail at it completely. I chalked it up to using a different kind of soap than the recipe had called for, which was Dove. I am trying to go for more natural and safer products, so I continued my search for a recipe that used a healthier soap.

I found another recipe very quickly on Pinterest, as they are certainly not hard to come by. This recipe called for the use of Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day bar soap. I looked up Mrs. Meyers on EWG's Skin Deep Cosmetics Database to see how it rated. I love and hate this site. It knows too much! I have avoided looking up some of my make-up products for fear that I will have to stop using them and start using some expensive type. But, it is helpful if you're trying to choose safe products and are ready to make a change.

Mrs. Meyer's rated a 4-5 on the database. A little too high for my liking. So, I checked Dr. Bronner's Pure Castile bar soap, which rated a 1. Bingo! I had read in the comments section of the recipe that a few people had used Dr. Bronner's with success. So, I decided this would be my second attempt and luckily, two times was a charm for me. This recipe worked perfectly and the soap is very nice. I have been using it for hand soap so far, but I plan on using it for body wash when mine runs out. I am also considering it for shampoo when that runs out, because the bar does say it is an all-in-one. I mean, I do have a gallon of this stuff, I may as well put it to good use, right?

If you prefer Mrs. Meyer's and don't care about a higher risk rating, these recipes are identical for both bars. Please note that it requires a full 8oz bar of soap. So, you may need to buy two bars of soap, as most bars are only 4oz. Dr. Bronners was actually 5oz, but I used up both bars and the couple extra ounces didn't effect anything.

Recipe:
8oz Bar Soap (I recommend using either Mrs. Meyer's or Dr. Bronner's to ensure the soap turns out correct. Using another type may not work, as I learned with my first attempt at making homemade soap.)
2 Tbsp Liquid Glycerin (Usually found in first aid section, ask an employee to help find it)
1 Gallon of water (I used tap water)
Vitamin E (optional for preservative)
 

 First, with a cheese grater, grate your soap. You can buy a grater at a thrift store or use your kitchen one. It doesn't matter since soap washes right off and adds a nice, clean shine too! This step was less time-consuming than I thought it would be, because the soap is soft and grates very quickly. 

 Next, in a large pot, add one gallon of water, 2 Tbsp of glycerin and all of your soap flakes. Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally to ensure that the flakes are dissolving. I would recommend using a stock pot, if you have one. I do not have one, so I used my largest pot, which didn't allow me to use a full gallon of water. My soap still turned out fine, but you'll get more bang for your buck if you're able to put a full gallon of water in the pot.

 When the soap flakes are completely dissolved. Let me repeat. Completely dissolved, and no sooner, you can remove the pot from the heat. You'll have what you see above: warm, soapy water. Now, this is the hard part *wink* let your soap soup sit for a good 10-12 hours. I made mine in the evening and let it sit overnight. Do not cover the pot, so that it cools and thickens faster. I should note that 10-12 hours is not a hard and fast rule. If yours is still not thickened in 12 hours, give it a good stir with a spoon, leave it alone for an hour or two and recheck it. I read comments that stirring it a little suddenly caused it to thicken right up.

 After the wait period, it will be either the perfect consistency or thick. Mine was like a jelly, so do not be surprised if yours is as well. This is not bad! Simply use a hand mixer on low speed while adding a little more water. Mix for 30 seconds to 1 minute being sure to get all of the areas mixed. This is also the time to add the Vitamin E oil if you choose to.

     

 

Your soap will bubble up like a bubble bath and the consistency will become exactly like liquid soap.The soap may have a loose "snot-like" consistency, which sounds gross, but is exactly what you're going for. When you pour it, it tends to pull more soap along with it, rather than separating. You'll see what I mean in the next step.

 Using a ladle and a funnel, spoon your soap into your desired container and storage containers. I have read reports of milk gallon jugs breaking down and leaking if the soap is kept in there for too long, so I would recommend using glass jars or a thicker-walled plastic jug if you think you won't go through this very quickly. Those of you with children, or those multi-purposing this into body wash and shampoo as well, will probably go through this much faster.

Cost work-up:

1 bar of soap @ $3.29 x 2 = $6.58

6oz Glycerin @ $4.99 / 6 = $.83

1 Gallon tap water @ free

2 Tbsp of Glycerin is equal to 1oz, leaving me with 5 more oz for subsequent batches of soap. So, a gallon (128oz) of hand soap/body wash/shampoo cost me: $6.58 (soap) + $.83 (glycerin) = $7.41 total!

I don't know about you, but that is way less than I spend normally, and we're getting a healthy, natural and low-risk product too. I hope you all enjoy your soap, I know I do!

Freezerphile: Fresh herbs

This is a start of a new series that I am calling Freezerphile, in which I share my ideas for freezing foods! Your freezer is a great tool when it comes to saving you money. You've all frozen leftovers at some point I am sure. Freezerphile isn't about freezing leftovers though. It is about how to make the most out of the components of cooking, that you'd otherwise throw away, by freezing them. This edition is focusing on fresh herbs.

If you're like me, you find that cooking with fresh herbs makes all the difference. In the summer I grow my own indoor herb garden, but the cloudy Seattle winters don't allow that garden to flourish past September. So, for 9 months (yes, it really is cloudy that long) I am forced to choose between dried herbs or purchasing fresh from the grocery store, which gets a little bit pricey to do over and over. Luckily, my local Co-op sells them in large bunches so I can usually get them for a bargain, but because it is a large bunch I can never seem to finish them all. I hate throwing out things that I love and know I'll need again in another week or two, what a waste!

Recently, I had the idea to freeze them in hopes of retaining more of the fresh flavor that you don't get from drying them. So, I gave it a go and it was a great success! The thawed leaves retained a great smell and flavor. They are not pretty like truly fresh herbs, so I wouldn't use them for a garnish. But if you're only going for flavor, then this is your method!

First, you'll need herbs and an ice tray. Later on: Water, plastic wrap and/or aluminum foil. And, of course, a freezer!

Start by washing your herbs well and shaking the excess water off. Clearly it doesn't matter if they are super dry, but it will make the next part easier if they aren't soaked. After the herbs are washed, take a seat and begin pulling off the leaves. I just pulled and snipped at my leaves with my fingers instead of going to the trouble of chopping them. If you prefer them chopped, go for it! As I pulled, I placed them in each tray, being sure not to fill above the line that the water will stop at. Make sure to label your tray. Even if you are only using one type of herb now, you may add a different type later. I used a dry-erase marker so that I can re-label later.

Next, pour in just enough water to cover your herbs....













....until they're all bathing nicely.












Lastly, cover them with plastic wrap and/or aluminum foil and pop them in your freezer! My freezer likes to evaporate the ice we make, and I do not want this happening with my herbs' water. Additionally, since I stack my trays, this prevents herbs from freezing to the bottom of the tray sitting on top of it. I use both plastic and foil, but I may be a little paranoid.

Once it is frozen, this is what you will get: frosty herb cubes!

If you're a good planner, you can pop a cube or two out ahead of time and let it thaw slowly. If you're like me, use the quick thaw method. In a tea kettle, heat some water but do not let it boil. Pour a small amount over the cube and it will quickly melt. Then simply drain and add to your dish!

Bon appetit!

Hand salve-ation!

Over my break from school I tried a couple of home made, natural body products. I pay attention to the ingredients in my body products, but you still never know exactly what is in there. Additionally, the organic and all-natural brands tend to be far out of my price range. EWG's Skin Deep Cosmetics Database is one way to do a background check on your products. As it shows, some are good, some are great, and some are terrifying.

The database helps me to know which products are less likely to be harmful; but making my own products gives me a bit more reassurance, costs much less and is, well, kind of fun. The first product I tried was a hand salve. I normally use hand lotion and I always thought salves were for people doing hard labor with their hands. Then I realized: I'm a student nurse, I too am doing hard labor with my hands and constantly washing them!

So, I gave it a go and I am so glad I did. The salve is amazing. It was quick and easy to make, you can customize the scent if desired, it will last quite a while because you only need to use a very small amount and, most importantly, my skin is so baby soft!

Recipe (found here):
3 tablespoons Beeswax pastilles (I bought a block of beeswax and a cheese grater and grated 3 tablespoons instead of purchasing pastilles)
1/2 C Extra Virgin Olive Oil or Jojoba Oil (I used EVOO because I already had it on hand)
A few drops of essential oil for scent (optional)
1 capsule of vitamin E, cut and squeeze out liquid (optional)

Place the beeswax and Oil into an old mug, microwave for 1:20, stir while adding essential oils and vitamin E if desired. Pour into container and let harden.

See, I told you it was quick and easy! The longest part was the grating, which can be completely bypassed if you purchase pastilles instead of a block. Use this salve anywhere that needs some extra nourishment.

Pet products that don't dent the environment

I have a cat. Her name is Puma. I may be biased, but she's the best cat in the world. In fact, half the reason for this post is so that I can show you cute pictures of her. The other half is to tell you about a better option for cat litter. I used to use the standard clay litter and hated it. It always had a weird smell, produced dust that my asthmatic lungs couldn't handle, and was so heavy. So, as usual, I did my research and found an awesome alternative: Feline Pine Cat Litter.

I first tried FP long ago. It was the pellet kind and I just didn't like that it didn't clump. Somewhere between then and now FP developed a clumping litter, so I gave it a try. It works wonderfully. Clumps incredibly well, masks odors and actually smells nice on it's own, given that it is pine. Now, before you go all, "What about the trees?!" on me, just know that they manufacture FP from scraps of wood leftover from logging. And since it is natural wood, we can put this back into the environment without guilt. The box is cardboard, so recycle or compost that baby!

Feline pine has no chemicals or additives, it is literally just pine. Their box says "Healthy home. Healthy cat. They are what they eat, and breath, and lick, and touch." I love this motto because isn't that what we all want? We want products in our home that keep us healthy, including our pets. Finding sustainable and healthy options for our pets is just as important as finding them for ourselves.

I've used FP for years now. I will never go back to clay litters. In all honesty, my new goal is to train Puma to use the toilet and get rid of the box altogether. Wouldn't that be a dream? Well, this process can take a while and I am still doing my research as to how to begin. So, in the meantime, I will stick with my Feline Pine. If you'd like to try FP out risk-free, they are offering a free rebate right now. The deadline to buy is 3/31 and to mail in the form is 4/15. Save your receipt, remove the UPC from the box, and mail them in with the form.

One more Puma picture. If you can find her.