We became the Sullenbrands! And here we are, already hard at work on making a new one. It's hard to believe it's only been that long, but then again, it's also hard to believe that this month marks just three years of Matt's and my knowing each other--probably because it's so hard for me to imagine my life without him!
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Cheap Dates...
Matt and I both are, and also enjoy going on them. While we've cut back as much as we can financially lately, we've also tried to make allowances for little luxuries here and there that don't cost too much, but keep us from losing our motivation to stay frugal.
Dates that cost us under $10 are one good way to do it. Recent opportunities: free pancake day at IHOP, on which we got up early and went out to IHOP to each enjoy a free short stack of (read: 3 giant buttermilk) pancakes. We also got there early enough to qualify for the early bird specials, one of which was 2 eggs, 2 slices of bacon, 2 sausage links, hash browns, and toast for $4.99--which was more than enough for us to split. The only "request" IHOP made was that their patrons "consider making a donation to the Children's Miracle Network." Well, we honestly did consider it, but we also considered that our charity budget had been spent elsewhere, and the fact that our waitress was likely to get stiffed on tips all day because everybody was getting pancakes for free. So instead we gave her a $5 tip and still came in right at $10--not bad at all for such a robust breakfast, and we had a great time doing something so weekend-ish on a Tuesday morning before Matt went to work.
Tonight we're going for free chili at the Hard Times Cafe. We've never been before, but I heard on the radio yesterday that tonight everyone gets a free bowl of chili with any purchase. I'm figuring that one of us can get a side of fries and the other can get a dessert, and that will again be plenty to share and should clock in at under $10 with a tip. I also got a coupon for a free Chili Mac (which seems to be chili and cheese over pasta) for joining their email club, which we can either save for another time or use tonight, should we still be hungry after all that.
It's nice to be able to fit in a few outings a month like this for less than it would usually cost for one meal out, if we did so with a little less planning. As mentioned above, we do try to build in a decent tip for our server so that we don't look like total cheapskates, and that way everybody comes out ahead.
Dates that cost us under $10 are one good way to do it. Recent opportunities: free pancake day at IHOP, on which we got up early and went out to IHOP to each enjoy a free short stack of (read: 3 giant buttermilk) pancakes. We also got there early enough to qualify for the early bird specials, one of which was 2 eggs, 2 slices of bacon, 2 sausage links, hash browns, and toast for $4.99--which was more than enough for us to split. The only "request" IHOP made was that their patrons "consider making a donation to the Children's Miracle Network." Well, we honestly did consider it, but we also considered that our charity budget had been spent elsewhere, and the fact that our waitress was likely to get stiffed on tips all day because everybody was getting pancakes for free. So instead we gave her a $5 tip and still came in right at $10--not bad at all for such a robust breakfast, and we had a great time doing something so weekend-ish on a Tuesday morning before Matt went to work.
Tonight we're going for free chili at the Hard Times Cafe. We've never been before, but I heard on the radio yesterday that tonight everyone gets a free bowl of chili with any purchase. I'm figuring that one of us can get a side of fries and the other can get a dessert, and that will again be plenty to share and should clock in at under $10 with a tip. I also got a coupon for a free Chili Mac (which seems to be chili and cheese over pasta) for joining their email club, which we can either save for another time or use tonight, should we still be hungry after all that.
It's nice to be able to fit in a few outings a month like this for less than it would usually cost for one meal out, if we did so with a little less planning. As mentioned above, we do try to build in a decent tip for our server so that we don't look like total cheapskates, and that way everybody comes out ahead.
March Menu
photo by Jonathan Caves
Since we order a lot of our food from a monthly co-op these days, we've had to get back into monthly menu planning. It's a little bit trickier than week-to-week, and takes a decent amount of time to plan and budget, but once it's done it's done. Here's what March will look like around here:
WEEK ONE
1. Chicken & noodles
2. Chicken pot pie
3. Pizza
4. Garlic soup
5. Twice-Baked potatoes
6. Potato soup
7. Enchilada casserole (with or without chicken, depending on if there's any left over)
WEEK TWO
1. Mexican casserole
2. Egg salad sandwiches
3. Pizza
4. Tomato soup & grilled cheese
5. Baked ziti (we make ours a lot like this, though usually minus the egg)
6. Mattar Paneer & basmati rice
7. Sausage & potato soup
WEEK THREE
1. Quesadillas & salsa
2. Gnocchi with garlic-butter sauce
3. Pizza
4. Spaghetti
5. Lentil soup
6. Scalloped potatoes
7. Tamales & salsa
WEEK FOUR
1. Macaroni & cheese
2. Tomato & sausage risotto (but cheater-risotto style, with brown rice)
3. Pizza
4. Split pea soup
5. Cauliflower soup
6. Pasta & alfredo sauce
7. Chili & cornbread
Pretty much every dinner gets served with a big dark-green salad, which is usually garnished with some assortment of sunflower seeds, hardboiled egg, olives (for Matt), sometimes raisins, balsamic vinegar, and olive oil. Lunch is almost always leftovers. Breakfast is usually scrambled eggs with spinach and cream cheese (so good), plus a bowl of some type of hot grains--steel-cut oats, bulgur, rolled oats, or Bob's Red Mill 12-Grain Hot Cereal (which we got off of Freecycle). Except on the weekends, when, well, you know what happens. Pancakes or waffles or crepes or sausage gravy and biscuits...
Sausage and Potato Soup
We made this a couple of weeks ago, but I just haven't gotten around to posting about it. But it was awesome, and has earned a permanent spot on our dinner roster.
It might be more accurate to say we were inspired by the original recipe, rather than actually making it. While it called for a pound of sausage and a slice of pancetta, we just used a 1/4 pound of sausage; we eliminated the boullion and just used water with salt and pepper to taste; we substituted spinach for kale; we pureed half the potatoes and onions for a creamier base, and to that end, we also doubled the amount of heavy cream in the recipe.
The verdict? AMAZING. Looking at the recipe, I wondered how it could possibly have any kind of flavor with virtually no spices to speak of-- but it does. It's earthy and delicious and wonderful.
It might be more accurate to say we were inspired by the original recipe, rather than actually making it. While it called for a pound of sausage and a slice of pancetta, we just used a 1/4 pound of sausage; we eliminated the boullion and just used water with salt and pepper to taste; we substituted spinach for kale; we pureed half the potatoes and onions for a creamier base, and to that end, we also doubled the amount of heavy cream in the recipe.
The verdict? AMAZING. Looking at the recipe, I wondered how it could possibly have any kind of flavor with virtually no spices to speak of-- but it does. It's earthy and delicious and wonderful.
We served it with crusty bread and a green salad. Yum!Sausage and Potato SoupINGREDIENTS
1/4 pound sausage
1/2 medium onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups water
2-3 large potatoes, cubed (we left the skins on)
2 cups chopped frozen spinach
2/3 cup heavy cream
Salt and pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS
Cook the sausage until done. In a medium-large saucepan, saute the onions until translucent. Add garlic and saute for one more minute. Add water and potatoes and bring to a simmer for about 15 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. Remove about half the potatoes and onions to a separate bowl with a slotted spoon, and puree the remainder with an immersion blender. Add back the reserved potatoes and onions, along with the kale, cream and sausage, simmer for 5-10 more minutes and serve.
Saturday, February 21, 2009
HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD!
Today we want to wish a happy birthday to my dad--AKA Jim (pronounced "Heem")--a wonderful man, loving father, and all-around handy daddy. We wish we could be there to celebrate with him and the rest of the family, but he's been on our minds all day long. Happy birthday, Dad! We love you very much!
We Think We Can...
photo by coconinoco
...is what we were saying to ourselves when we received almost 100 free canning jars/lids off of Freecycle. This was exciting, because someday we'd love to have a big garden and can tons of our own food, and hey, we love free stuff.
The catch? These canning jars were full. Of canned food. From 1995.
So after loading them up into the car (pint, quart, 2-quart, you name it), we drove them back to the apartment, hunkered down next to the curb and proceeded to pry the lids off of every single one and dump out the contents. Some, like canned tomatoes, slid out easily. Others, like applesauce, took some hard shaking. And then there was what we termed "black mash"- a black, sticky concoction, like molasses or something, that had to be dug out with a knife. The food we sloshed into a garbage sack (we ended up creating two full yard-waste-sized bags of what looked and smelled like vomit) and put in the dumpster, and the jars we carried in, rinsed out in a sink of hot soapy water, and then ran through the dishwasher. Some of the lids were salvageable while others weren't; we're not sure if they can be reused for canning, but we figured they would work fine for dry storage (grains, beans, flour), which is something else we like to use jars for.
All in all, I'm glad we have the jars, but I'm also glad that's over. And glad that I was in my second trimester when we did it. Now we just have to figure out where we're going to keep all of them.
The catch? These canning jars were full. Of canned food. From 1995.
So after loading them up into the car (pint, quart, 2-quart, you name it), we drove them back to the apartment, hunkered down next to the curb and proceeded to pry the lids off of every single one and dump out the contents. Some, like canned tomatoes, slid out easily. Others, like applesauce, took some hard shaking. And then there was what we termed "black mash"- a black, sticky concoction, like molasses or something, that had to be dug out with a knife. The food we sloshed into a garbage sack (we ended up creating two full yard-waste-sized bags of what looked and smelled like vomit) and put in the dumpster, and the jars we carried in, rinsed out in a sink of hot soapy water, and then ran through the dishwasher. Some of the lids were salvageable while others weren't; we're not sure if they can be reused for canning, but we figured they would work fine for dry storage (grains, beans, flour), which is something else we like to use jars for.
All in all, I'm glad we have the jars, but I'm also glad that's over. And glad that I was in my second trimester when we did it. Now we just have to figure out where we're going to keep all of them.
Friday, February 20, 2009
It's About TIME
Time Magazine has finally posted an intelligent and balanced article about birth! More specifically, about VBAC. You can find it here: The Trouble With Repeat Cesareans. Among other things, they do a nice job synthesizing the statistics about risk, as well as pointing out the irony of a laboring VBAC's having to drive 100 miles to another hospital rather than labor at a local hospital with on-call (rather than round-the-clock) anesthesia. Heaven forbid she labor at home instead--far from the risks of Pitocin induction or augmentation ordered by an impatient doctor, and with the continuous 1:1 presence of a trained, supportive midwife at her side--but it doesn't go quite that far.
In case you missed it, the New York Times ran an article last month about the dangers of scheduled Cesareans at 37 or 38 (versus the recommended 39) weeks of gestation. Among other things, more than a third of scheduled Cesareans are scheduled before the recommended 39 weeks, and a 37-weeker is twice as likely as a 39-weeker to experience problems such as respiratory distress. Not something that is being disclosed to women by doctors who are anxious to schedule Cesareans before the chance that a woman will go into labor first and--gasp!--call them in in the middle of the night.
Update: Midwifery Today has an article from 2006 (somewhat confusingly) titled "50 Ways to Protest a VBAC Denial." There are actually only 11, but they're very good ones.
Update: Midwifery Today has an article from 2006 (somewhat confusingly) titled "50 Ways to Protest a VBAC Denial." There are actually only 11, but they're very good ones.
Monday, February 16, 2009
The Great Shampoo Experiment Update
I've now been using my Burt's Bees Rosemary Mint Shampoo bar for almost two weeks and I think I am ready to tentatively declare it a success.
If I just use the shampoo bar and nothing else, my hair still tends toward that odd, stiff, sticky texture. But if I follow it up with a pretty diluted vinegar rinse (about 1:4 parts apple cider vinegar to water; any more than that, or if I use it on my scalp instead of just the length of my hair, it seems to leave me a little greasier than I'd like), it combs out easily and stays pretty tangle-free. I keep a bottle of diluted apple cider vinegar in the shower, and then I add a little warm water to that in a small metal bowl I keep in the shower for that purpose, because otherwise it's a very chilly rinse. I also add a couple drops of lavender essential oil to the vinegar bottle, which seems to take care of any lingering salad-bar scent.
Yesterday I thought my scalp was starting to act up again--I had a very itchy, dry, flaky patch near my right temple, and despaired that maybe the shampoo bar wasn't going to be the answer I thought it was after all. But what I did was to work in a good amount of pure jojoba oil prior to taking a shower, let it sit and steam while I took a shower, and then washed it all out with the shampoo bar and did the vinegar rinse. I blew my hair dry and was pleasantly surprised to see that that area of my scalp looked just as good as new. And my hair felt nice, full of volume, though still a little difficult to get my fingers through. So I rubbed a couple of drops of jojoba oil onto my palms and ran them through the length of my hair a couple of times, and after that I think I can say that my hair and scalp feel about as nice as they ever have before.
So I feel good about that, as well as the fact that I've eliminated the last main stronghold of chemicals I was putting on (and therefore in) my body. My only remaining concern is that Burt's Bees was recently bought out by Clorox--which is all well and good, as long as they don't change the formulation to something more synthetic in an effort to decrease costs.
If I just use the shampoo bar and nothing else, my hair still tends toward that odd, stiff, sticky texture. But if I follow it up with a pretty diluted vinegar rinse (about 1:4 parts apple cider vinegar to water; any more than that, or if I use it on my scalp instead of just the length of my hair, it seems to leave me a little greasier than I'd like), it combs out easily and stays pretty tangle-free. I keep a bottle of diluted apple cider vinegar in the shower, and then I add a little warm water to that in a small metal bowl I keep in the shower for that purpose, because otherwise it's a very chilly rinse. I also add a couple drops of lavender essential oil to the vinegar bottle, which seems to take care of any lingering salad-bar scent.
Yesterday I thought my scalp was starting to act up again--I had a very itchy, dry, flaky patch near my right temple, and despaired that maybe the shampoo bar wasn't going to be the answer I thought it was after all. But what I did was to work in a good amount of pure jojoba oil prior to taking a shower, let it sit and steam while I took a shower, and then washed it all out with the shampoo bar and did the vinegar rinse. I blew my hair dry and was pleasantly surprised to see that that area of my scalp looked just as good as new. And my hair felt nice, full of volume, though still a little difficult to get my fingers through. So I rubbed a couple of drops of jojoba oil onto my palms and ran them through the length of my hair a couple of times, and after that I think I can say that my hair and scalp feel about as nice as they ever have before.
So I feel good about that, as well as the fact that I've eliminated the last main stronghold of chemicals I was putting on (and therefore in) my body. My only remaining concern is that Burt's Bees was recently bought out by Clorox--which is all well and good, as long as they don't change the formulation to something more synthetic in an effort to decrease costs.
Crepe-tacular!
On a whim, we made crepes this weekend from the Betty Crocker Cookbook (which is becoming our very favorite), and MAN, were they good. Easy and fast, too.
We made a whole batch and ate the whole thing at one sitting. Here are the fillings we used, based on what we had in the house:Crepes (by Betty Crocker)1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups milk
2 tablespoons stick margarine or butter, melted (we couldn't figure out if this went in or was to butter the pan, so we ended up leaving it out and it went just fine)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 large eggs
1. Mix flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in medium bowl.
2. Stir in remaining ingredients.
3. Beat with hand beater until smooth.
4. Lightly butter 6- to 8-inch skillet.
5. Heat over medium heat until bubbly.
6. For each crepe, pour scant 1/4 cup batter into skillet.
7. Immediately rotate skillet until thin film covers bottom.
8. Cook until light brown.
9. Run wide spatula around edge to loosen; turn and cook other side until light brown.
10. Stack crepes, placing waxed paper between each; keep covered.
11. If desired, spread applesauce, sweetened strawberries, currant jelly or raspberry jam thinly over each warm crepe; roll up. (Be sure to fill crepes so the more attractive side is on the outside.) (We didn't care too much about this)
12. Sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired.
Egg and spinach and cheese
Raspberries, powdered sugar, and sour cream
and for dessert (yes, for breakfast): peanut butter, dark chocolate, and banana.Absolutely TO DIE FOR.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Tighter Belts
photo by slworking2
And not just because I'm getting bigger around!
Financial belts are more what I'm talking about. It's been a really thin month at the hospital and as a result, I have barely worked at all. It's the culmination of a lot of different factors, but the net effect has been an incredible slimming of our income.
One the one hand, it would be easy to get pretty stressed about this. We were hoping that once the holidays were over, February through June would be our time to lay away a nice amount of money for things the baby might need and for my (unpaid) maternity leave, which will probably be about 8 weeks. It takes a fair amount just to keep our ship afloat in this area, sans extras, and so we've planned to be proactive about saving up enough to take care of it. Based on past months, it seemed like it wouldn't be a problem.
So far, that hasn't been able to happen. What has is that we've re-determined to get back to basics and really live according to our priorities. We canceled our YMCA membership, since we'd really only intended to belong during the winter anyway, and February in Virginia has given us enough 60- and 70-degree days to believe that, while we may still have a few chilly ones left in the next month or so, we can (for the most part) move our workouts back outside. Matt's been walking to work; when I work, I walk too, and when I don't, I walk him halfway and then walk back home. Getting out and seeing things starting to turn green is a lot more refreshing than pedaling a stationary bike anyway, it saves gas (and therefore money), and it's free. Folding-bike shopping trips can't be far behind!
We had also considered going out to dinner for (though not ON--we aren't crazy!) Valentine's Day. There's a French place really nearby that sounds great, and we thought it would be a nice change of pace for us. After sitting down and crunching the numbers, we decided to stay home instead. We aren't even planning to cook anything fancy or out of the ordinary--we realized that our everyday life is really special enough as it is. We're just as happy sitting around eating pasta, watching the Cosby Show (from Netflix), enjoying our cats and listening to Farmer Boy (from the library).
I've also retooled how I do our meal planning--I used to allot a lump sum for the monthly food budget, then plan menus weekly, but without a real eye as to how each meal/week affected the total. It was more based on estimates. You can imagine how that went: we over overspent. In the past, there was cushion in the budget to cover it; now, there just isn't. But now that we're ordering monthly from a food co-op anyway, we've started planning our meals monthly again as well, and I've broken the budget down into what we get from the co-op, what (milk, eggs, meat, etc) we get from local farms, and what is left to spend each week on things like produce and other necessities at the grocery store. We've also started keeping a price list so that we can estimate, before we even go out the door, how much we're going to spend each week and keep it in check that way. (It also helps to KNOW where things are the cheapest, otherwise we have a lazy habit of saying "Well, we're at Whole Foods for salad greens, we may as well pick up x and y and z..." all of which are probably close to a dollar or more cheaper somewhere else.) So far, it's been really helpful to be able to see, for example, that when Mushroom Bourguignon requires $4 worth of mushroom broth and $8 worth of portabellas (to start with), we're probably better off choosing something else--or at least balancing it with lower-cost selections throughout the week and the month. Our favorites aren't necessarily our most expensive meals anyway. And we've found other ways to stretch, too--we can get a pound of local sausage for under $5, and we've realized we really don't need more than a quarter of it to make a good-sized batch of sausage gravy and biscuits. That means we can make it every Saturday (a fun tradition) and only have to buy sausage once a month. We absolutely want to do everything we can do avoid having to sacrifice quality in our food budget, so instead we're doing our best to stretch ingredients and substitute cheaper--but equally healthy--meals as much as we can. Since meat has held even less appeal for me now that I'm pregnant, and we were 90% vegetarian anyway, it hasn't been a problem to limit ourselves to, say, a pound of sausage and a pound of ground beef (which gets split between things like chili and Ham Mush Med) a month. We could easily do without them entirely, but I feel like the extra boost of iron and protein are probably a good thing a few times a month.
We've also resolved not to spend anything for at least the next month that we don't absolutely have to. For example: we're running low on castile soap in the shower. My first impulse is that Dr Bronner's is a great deal on Amazon, and with six bars, then we'd be set for a long time! Then I remembered our promise to each other to avoid ALL unnecessary spending, and I dug around in the bathroom for a couple of minutes until I found four total bars of Aveda, Aveeno, and Burt's Bees (some were samples, some were freebies, and all have the benefit of being healthy, chemical-free soaps). They aren't huge bars, but that should easily last us at least a month, if not several, and will have the added bonus of clearing out some of the clutter in the bathroom. Voila. Next time there's a little bit leftover, I'll go ahead and order the Dr Bronner's. Just not this month.
We had also cut back our charity budget temporarily because, well, it really wasn't there to give. Then last night we were at Trader Joe's and there was a woman standing outside with an index card stating she had lost her job and had nothing to feed her four children. I'm a cynical person by nature, but when it comes to people suffering, I would rather err on the side of being duped than ignore someone who's truly in need. Luckily, Matt feels the same way--without saying anything, we looked at each other, went in, and filled a basket with some basics like rice and beans, pasta and sauce, peanut butter and bread, apples, bananas, and milk. Matt carried them out and we gave them to the woman, who burst into tears. Opportunities like that help us realize that in the midst of feeling like our financial situation is really tight, we have such an incredible amount to be thankful for.
So that's how we're choosing to view the current situation: as an opportunity to take stock of what really matters, and learn to really trust God to give us (and show us) the things we really need.
We've even got a theme song.
I've also retooled how I do our meal planning--I used to allot a lump sum for the monthly food budget, then plan menus weekly, but without a real eye as to how each meal/week affected the total. It was more based on estimates. You can imagine how that went: we over overspent. In the past, there was cushion in the budget to cover it; now, there just isn't. But now that we're ordering monthly from a food co-op anyway, we've started planning our meals monthly again as well, and I've broken the budget down into what we get from the co-op, what (milk, eggs, meat, etc) we get from local farms, and what is left to spend each week on things like produce and other necessities at the grocery store. We've also started keeping a price list so that we can estimate, before we even go out the door, how much we're going to spend each week and keep it in check that way. (It also helps to KNOW where things are the cheapest, otherwise we have a lazy habit of saying "Well, we're at Whole Foods for salad greens, we may as well pick up x and y and z..." all of which are probably close to a dollar or more cheaper somewhere else.) So far, it's been really helpful to be able to see, for example, that when Mushroom Bourguignon requires $4 worth of mushroom broth and $8 worth of portabellas (to start with), we're probably better off choosing something else--or at least balancing it with lower-cost selections throughout the week and the month. Our favorites aren't necessarily our most expensive meals anyway. And we've found other ways to stretch, too--we can get a pound of local sausage for under $5, and we've realized we really don't need more than a quarter of it to make a good-sized batch of sausage gravy and biscuits. That means we can make it every Saturday (a fun tradition) and only have to buy sausage once a month. We absolutely want to do everything we can do avoid having to sacrifice quality in our food budget, so instead we're doing our best to stretch ingredients and substitute cheaper--but equally healthy--meals as much as we can. Since meat has held even less appeal for me now that I'm pregnant, and we were 90% vegetarian anyway, it hasn't been a problem to limit ourselves to, say, a pound of sausage and a pound of ground beef (which gets split between things like chili and Ham Mush Med) a month. We could easily do without them entirely, but I feel like the extra boost of iron and protein are probably a good thing a few times a month.
We've also resolved not to spend anything for at least the next month that we don't absolutely have to. For example: we're running low on castile soap in the shower. My first impulse is that Dr Bronner's is a great deal on Amazon, and with six bars, then we'd be set for a long time! Then I remembered our promise to each other to avoid ALL unnecessary spending, and I dug around in the bathroom for a couple of minutes until I found four total bars of Aveda, Aveeno, and Burt's Bees (some were samples, some were freebies, and all have the benefit of being healthy, chemical-free soaps). They aren't huge bars, but that should easily last us at least a month, if not several, and will have the added bonus of clearing out some of the clutter in the bathroom. Voila. Next time there's a little bit leftover, I'll go ahead and order the Dr Bronner's. Just not this month.
We had also cut back our charity budget temporarily because, well, it really wasn't there to give. Then last night we were at Trader Joe's and there was a woman standing outside with an index card stating she had lost her job and had nothing to feed her four children. I'm a cynical person by nature, but when it comes to people suffering, I would rather err on the side of being duped than ignore someone who's truly in need. Luckily, Matt feels the same way--without saying anything, we looked at each other, went in, and filled a basket with some basics like rice and beans, pasta and sauce, peanut butter and bread, apples, bananas, and milk. Matt carried them out and we gave them to the woman, who burst into tears. Opportunities like that help us realize that in the midst of feeling like our financial situation is really tight, we have such an incredible amount to be thankful for.
So that's how we're choosing to view the current situation: as an opportunity to take stock of what really matters, and learn to really trust God to give us (and show us) the things we really need.
We've even got a theme song.
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Getting to the Root of Things
As you may have noticed, we ordered a number of root vegetables this month. They're in season, they're healthy, and they're cheap, so we decided we'd better try them out. Turnips, in particular, were new to us, and we were on the lookout for a way to give them a try. I decided on Root Vegetable Stew with Herbed Dumplings, because I've found that soups and stews are a good format for vegetables I might not otherwise like.
We thought it was really good! Two notes I would make about the recipe are that I think you could easily make only 1/2 or 1/3 the amount of dumplings called for (they really sucked up the broth, and somewhat outnumbered the vegetables), and also we added an extra two cups of broth. It depends on how soup/stew-like you want it. We also used both rosemary and sage (the recipe calls for either/or) in the stew and in the dumplings, and thought that turned out well. We were also going to add spinach for our leafy green, but forgot to; the stew turned out well anyway. It was earthy, warm, and flavorful, without any one ingredient being overpowering, and I think we'd make it again. We also g
We thought it was really good! Two notes I would make about the recipe are that I think you could easily make only 1/2 or 1/3 the amount of dumplings called for (they really sucked up the broth, and somewhat outnumbered the vegetables), and also we added an extra two cups of broth. It depends on how soup/stew-like you want it. We also used both rosemary and sage (the recipe calls for either/or) in the stew and in the dumplings, and thought that turned out well. We were also going to add spinach for our leafy green, but forgot to; the stew turned out well anyway. It was earthy, warm, and flavorful, without any one ingredient being overpowering, and I think we'd make it again. We also g
Root Vegetable Stew with Herbed Dumplings4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, dividedStew
8 ounces Italian sausage links, hot or sweet (we removed ours from the casings; we felt like it distributed the meat and the flavor better that way)
2 pounds assorted root vegetables, peeled (see Tip) and diced (we used a pound of turnips, just under a pound of sweet potatoes, and a potato)
1 large onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage or rosemary
4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
3 cups chopped dark, leafy greens, such as beet, turnip or kale
Dumplings
1 1/4 cups whole-wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup cake flour
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage or rosemary
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup low-fat milk
1. To prepare stew: Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add sausages and cook until browned on all sides, 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer to a clean cutting board. Let cool slightly and cut into 1-inch pieces.
2. If using parsnips, quarter lengthwise and remove the woody core before dicing. Heat the remaining 2 teaspoons oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook onion, stirring occasionally, until barely tender, about 4 minutes. Add root vegetables and cook for 5 minutes. Add garlic and sage (or rosemary) and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add broth and bring to a simmer, stirring often.
3. To prepare dumplings: Meanwhile, whisk whole-wheat flour, cake flour, sage (or rosemary), baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Add egg and milk and stir until a stiff batter forms.
4. When the stew reaches a simmer, stir in greens and the sausage and return to a simmer. Drop the dough, about 1 tablespoon at a time, over the stew, making about 18 dumplings. Adjust the heat to maintain a gentle simmer, cover and cook undisturbed until the dumplings are puffed, the vegetables are tender and the sausage is cooked through, about 10 minutes.
NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 403 calories; 17 g fat (5 g sat, 8 g mono); 69 mg cholesterol; 45 g carbohydrate; 16 g protein; 7 g fiber; 815 mg sodium; 744 mg potassium.
Nutrition bonus: Vitamin A (150% daily value), Vitamin C (45% dv), Folate (27% dv).
Delicious Pizza
Matt's been exploring a book he got from the library called Bread Alone--which is, as you could guess, a cookbook about bread. The author has a bakery and a website and is fanatically devoted to baking amazing bread. I can't speak too much about what the book entails because I haven't read it, but I do know that Matt produced an out-of-this-world focaccia pizza crust tonight (after about 11 hours of prep/rising/resting). Boy, was it worth it. We topped it with olive oil, crushed garlic, rosemary, pine nuts, and a mix of mozzarella and parmesan cheeses. YUM!Co-operation
Crunchy Domestic Goddess has a post up about how much she loves her newly-discovered organic food co-op. Well, count us in, too. We don't belong to the same one, but we just recently started ordering from Quail Cove, an organic farm and natural foods warehouse on the Eastern shore of Virginia, and we couldn't be happier with it!
Living in Iowa City (and for Matt, prior to that Stevens Point and Madison, WI) we always had the advantage of a local brick-and-mortar co-op (or two). We were disappointed to find that there's no such thing anywhere near us in northern Virginia (or DC or Maryland, for that matter). Our choices for organic and natural foods are pretty much limited to Trader Joe's and Whole Foods. In the case of the first, the selection is pretty limited and there's really no bulk buying available at all; in the case of the latter, the selection isn't always as good as you'd think, and of course everything costs an arm and a leg.
We were delighted to find that the prices at Quail Cove are very reasonable, and there's a drop-off site just 3 miles from our house. It's nice to do most of our shopping for the month all at one fell swoop, and pretty much just run out weekly for fresh produce.
Here was our last month's order:
Organic Russet Potatoes 5 pounds = $4.29
Organic Yellow Onions 3 pounds = $8.91
Organic Garlic Bulb = $7.50
Organic Turnips 1 lb = $1.49
5 lb Organic Orange Sweet Potatoes= $5.00
2 lb Organic Fuji Apples = $3.98
1 lb Natural Vital Wheat Gluten= $2.89
5 lb Organic White Whole Wheat King Arthur Flour= $5.90
5 lb Organic Yellow Corn Meal = $4.50
Mozzarella Cheese Block 6 pounds = $23.94
5 lb Organic Unbleached Flour= $7.80
5 lb Bunker Hill Raw Milk Cheddar = $27.45
1 lb Parmesan Block = $8.89
1 lb Bulk Organic Light Brown Sugar = $1.99
By far our favorite thing was the CHEESE. We ended up with a total of 12 pounds of cheese (mozzarella, parmesan, and raw mild cheddar), and not only were they delicious beyond what we're used to buying in the grocery store, shredding them up yielded close to 30 cups of cheese, with plenty leftover for slicing and snacks. I think it could easily last us another month after this one if we go lightly with it, and it's nice to have such high-quality product without any of the preservatives or additives you usually get with shredded cheese. The flour is also much fresher than what we're used to--the next best thing to being able to grind it ourselves.
Living in Iowa City (and for Matt, prior to that Stevens Point and Madison, WI) we always had the advantage of a local brick-and-mortar co-op (or two). We were disappointed to find that there's no such thing anywhere near us in northern Virginia (or DC or Maryland, for that matter). Our choices for organic and natural foods are pretty much limited to Trader Joe's and Whole Foods. In the case of the first, the selection is pretty limited and there's really no bulk buying available at all; in the case of the latter, the selection isn't always as good as you'd think, and of course everything costs an arm and a leg.
We were delighted to find that the prices at Quail Cove are very reasonable, and there's a drop-off site just 3 miles from our house. It's nice to do most of our shopping for the month all at one fell swoop, and pretty much just run out weekly for fresh produce.
Here was our last month's order:
Organic Russet Potatoes 5 pounds = $4.29
Organic Yellow Onions 3 pounds = $8.91
Organic Garlic Bulb = $7.50
Organic Turnips 1 lb = $1.49
5 lb Organic Orange Sweet Potatoes= $5.00
2 lb Organic Fuji Apples = $3.98
1 lb Natural Vital Wheat Gluten= $2.89
5 lb Organic White Whole Wheat King Arthur Flour= $5.90
5 lb Organic Yellow Corn Meal = $4.50
Mozzarella Cheese Block 6 pounds = $23.94
5 lb Organic Unbleached Flour= $7.80
5 lb Bunker Hill Raw Milk Cheddar = $27.45
1 lb Parmesan Block = $8.89
1 lb Bulk Organic Light Brown Sugar = $1.99
By far our favorite thing was the CHEESE. We ended up with a total of 12 pounds of cheese (mozzarella, parmesan, and raw mild cheddar), and not only were they delicious beyond what we're used to buying in the grocery store, shredding them up yielded close to 30 cups of cheese, with plenty leftover for slicing and snacks. I think it could easily last us another month after this one if we go lightly with it, and it's nice to have such high-quality product without any of the preservatives or additives you usually get with shredded cheese. The flour is also much fresher than what we're used to--the next best thing to being able to grind it ourselves.
The Secret Life of Bees
from The Secret Life of BeesThis weekend we rented The Secret Life of Bees from Redbox, and really enjoyed it. It's the story of 14-year-old Lily, a young girl growing up on a peach farm in the south who is haunted by memories of her dead mother. Together with Rosaleen, her young black housekeeper, she flees her abusive father and ends up at the home of the cultured and resilient Boatwright sisters, a black family who make their living through beekeeping.
I've always thought Dakota Fanning is an incredible young actor, and I thought the movie did a great job of evoking a specific place and time period. It's hard for me to even imagine what life was like in the south in the 1960's, but they do a good job of capturing the side-by-side coexistence of an incredible amount of hope with an incredible amount of hate. It's also nice--though too rare--to see a movie written by women, largely produced by women, and starring mostly women, though there are several good men playing strong parts in the movie as well.
The movie is based on the bestselling novel by Sue Monk Kidd. I've never read it, although my teacher Mark had recommended it to me at one point, saying he thought I'd like it. He was right. I did.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Here's Looking at You, Husband
Recently Matt's glasses cracked and it became apparent that he needed a new pair.
We've had terrible experiences with both LensCrafters and Costco, as well as private optometrists, and so we were on the hunt for a better (ie cheaper) experience. I remembered having seen something on Moneysaving Mom about Zenni Optical, and the possibility of getting a pair of glasses for around $8-12 a pair. I consider that site a very trustworthy site, and her review was positive, so we decided to give it a try.
The nice thing about glasses that range from $8-$20 a pair is that you can afford to have a little fun with them. So while we picked out a pair of basic silver frames, similar to what he had before, we also threw in a clip-on sunglasses option, as well as a pair of heavy black plastic frames, the likes of which he had always wanted to try out but had been afraid to commit to. At these prices, though, we could afford to go a little crazy, and plus it's always nice to have a backup pair.
To be quite honest, one of the other nice things about Zenni Optical is that you fill in your prescription yourself. So not only do you not have to leave your house, you don't have to fax or send in something dated within the past year, which is a requirement for most, uh, more conventional optometrists. The idea that I need to have my eyes examined every year, when my prescription has NEVER changed and the only time I've ever had it changed it was a mistake on their part and they had to change it back (to the tune of several hours spent waiting and a few weeks of headaches--both from the eyestrain and the pain in the butt of it all), I've always resented this little racket. Excuse me--they're my eyes, and I think I'll know when I need to have my prescription changed. Until then, you can spare me your vague, time-consuming eye tests! So needless to say, the ability to just point, click, and order was much more appealing than having to make and wait for an appointment, get through and pay for an appointment, and then still have to wait for glasses.
Our total came to $37.80, shipped, and we began to anxiously await them. While they do come from Hong Kong, shipping is estimated at about two weeks, although they can come faster. Here's where things unraveled a little bit. After two weeks went by, Matt called the company; he had an incredibly hard time getting anybody on the phone. Once he did, they gave him a tracking number for the Hong Kong shipping service, which didn't seem to be working. After sending a strongly worded email last week, he received a reply apologizing for the delay, which was apparently due to the long Chinese New Year. (Was it longer than other years? I don't know.)
And today, the glasses finally arrived--I guess it's only been about a week longer than estimated, so all things considered, the wait wasn't really that bad. Costco was going to take two weeks, and we could just have easily run into a delay there. And for what we paid, and the other benefits listed above, we're still very satisfied overall.
How do they look? See for yourself:
Can you tell which ones he likes the best?
We've had terrible experiences with both LensCrafters and Costco, as well as private optometrists, and so we were on the hunt for a better (ie cheaper) experience. I remembered having seen something on Moneysaving Mom about Zenni Optical, and the possibility of getting a pair of glasses for around $8-12 a pair. I consider that site a very trustworthy site, and her review was positive, so we decided to give it a try.
The nice thing about glasses that range from $8-$20 a pair is that you can afford to have a little fun with them. So while we picked out a pair of basic silver frames, similar to what he had before, we also threw in a clip-on sunglasses option, as well as a pair of heavy black plastic frames, the likes of which he had always wanted to try out but had been afraid to commit to. At these prices, though, we could afford to go a little crazy, and plus it's always nice to have a backup pair.
To be quite honest, one of the other nice things about Zenni Optical is that you fill in your prescription yourself. So not only do you not have to leave your house, you don't have to fax or send in something dated within the past year, which is a requirement for most, uh, more conventional optometrists. The idea that I need to have my eyes examined every year, when my prescription has NEVER changed and the only time I've ever had it changed it was a mistake on their part and they had to change it back (to the tune of several hours spent waiting and a few weeks of headaches--both from the eyestrain and the pain in the butt of it all), I've always resented this little racket. Excuse me--they're my eyes, and I think I'll know when I need to have my prescription changed. Until then, you can spare me your vague, time-consuming eye tests! So needless to say, the ability to just point, click, and order was much more appealing than having to make and wait for an appointment, get through and pay for an appointment, and then still have to wait for glasses.
Our total came to $37.80, shipped, and we began to anxiously await them. While they do come from Hong Kong, shipping is estimated at about two weeks, although they can come faster. Here's where things unraveled a little bit. After two weeks went by, Matt called the company; he had an incredibly hard time getting anybody on the phone. Once he did, they gave him a tracking number for the Hong Kong shipping service, which didn't seem to be working. After sending a strongly worded email last week, he received a reply apologizing for the delay, which was apparently due to the long Chinese New Year. (Was it longer than other years? I don't know.)
And today, the glasses finally arrived--I guess it's only been about a week longer than estimated, so all things considered, the wait wasn't really that bad. Costco was going to take two weeks, and we could just have easily run into a delay there. And for what we paid, and the other benefits listed above, we're still very satisfied overall.
How do they look? See for yourself:
Can you tell which ones he likes the best?Chicken Pot Pie
Tonight we made something so simple, yet so delicious, that I do believe it was one of our kitchen's finest hours.
Make no bones about it: this is a delicious pot pie. While the celery seed in the crust initially seems a little odd, and actually on its own the crust is a little salty and strong, it blends in with the filling for a beautifully flavorful finish. The ratio of crust to gravy is just perfect. We made it with half the meat of a rotisserie chicken (the other half went to chicken and noodles; more on that later) and our own blend of vegetables (since the original called for a scant 10 oz of frozen). Our only question at the end: why aren't more people doing this? From pie crust to finished product, the whole thing came together seamlessly and easily. When you consider what's in commercial pot pies (an excess of salt, hydrogenated oils, and MSG come to mind), yet also consider the fact that you can't deny how delicious they are (or at least could be), we feel like this is a staple that should be in everybody's repertoire.
Betty Crocker's Chicken Pot Pie
(my comments are in italics)
Filling:
1/3 cup margarine or butter or chicken fat (we used butter)
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup onion, chopped (we just used a whole onion)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 3/4 cups chicken broth
2/3 cup milk
2 cups cooked chicken or turkey, cut-up
1 (10 ounce) package frozen peas and carrots or frozen mixed vegetables (we used instead: 3 fresh carrots, sliced; 1 stalk of celery, diced; 1 whole russet potato with skin on, diced; and 1 cup of frozen peas)
Pastry:
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons shortening or lard (we used butter)
2 cups all-purpose flour (we used whole-wheat)
2 teaspoons celery seeds
1 teaspoon salt
4-5 tablespoons water
To make pastry:
Cut shortening into flour, celery seed and salt until particles are size of small peas. Sprinkle in water, 1 Tablespoon at a time, tossing with fork until all flour is moistened and pastry almost cleans side of bowl (1 to 2 teaspoons water can be added if necessary). Gather pastry into ball.
Directions for pot pie:
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
2. Heat margarine/butter over low heat until melted. Blend in flour, onion, salt and pepper. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth and bubbly; remove from heat.
3. Stir in broth and milk. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute.
During this time I also lightly steamed the vegetables, since I wasn't using frozen; I would guess I probably steamed the potatoes 10-12 minutes, and the carrots and celery 5-8, until they were soft.
4. Stir in chicken and vegetables; reserve.
5. Roll 2/3 of pastry into 13-inch square on lightly floured cloth-covered board. Ease pastry into square pan, 9x9x2 inches; pour chicken filling into pastry-lined pan. Roll remaining dough into 11-inch square; place over filling. Roll edges under; flute. Cut slits in center to allow steam to escape. We actually rolled the crusts out round and made this in a 10" cast iron skillet, which worked like a dream.
6. Bake, uncovered, in 425 degrees F oven until crust is brown, 30 to 35 minutes.
You owe it to yourself to make this at least once this winter!
Bread, Again
It's nice to bake bread while doing homework because it provides a couple of well-scheduled breaks to knead, shape loaves, etc. And it makes the house smell divine. And then you have a heavenly snack.
It's hard for me to remember why I ever got away from this bread recipe. It makes a surprisingly soft and mild loaf for being 100% whole-wheat flour (except for the gluten), as I was reminded after I demolished half the loaf immediately after it came out of the oven. (Hey, I'm eating for two, and what can I say? That baby needs a lot of bread.) And with such a simple and wholesome ingredient list, I guess if you're going to eat half a loaf of bread (let's be honest: and butter) at one sitting, it may as well be this bread. I think it's still hands-down my favorite bread for eating plain, and it's nice that it's all whole wheat and relatively simple to make.
It seems to me I've posted it before, but I can't find where it was, so maybe I haven't. Here goes. My comments are in italics:
It's hard for me to remember why I ever got away from this bread recipe. It makes a surprisingly soft and mild loaf for being 100% whole-wheat flour (except for the gluten), as I was reminded after I demolished half the loaf immediately after it came out of the oven. (Hey, I'm eating for two, and what can I say? That baby needs a lot of bread.) And with such a simple and wholesome ingredient list, I guess if you're going to eat half a loaf of bread (let's be honest: and butter) at one sitting, it may as well be this bread. I think it's still hands-down my favorite bread for eating plain, and it's nice that it's all whole wheat and relatively simple to make.
It seems to me I've posted it before, but I can't find where it was, so maybe I haven't. Here goes. My comments are in italics:
(photograph mine)
2 cups warm water (I also add a splash of whole milk, because I think it makes the bread softer)
1/3 cup honey (I warm it with the water)
1 T yeast
1/3 cup olive oil (I actually use melted butter)
2 t. salt
1/3 cup gluten flour
5 to 7 cups freshly ground whole wheat flour (mine is storebought)
I also added a pinch of ginger as a dough conditioner
In a large bowl or in a large mixer (such as a Kitchen Aid or Bosch type) combine the water, yeast and honey. Let sit for a few minutes to give the yeast a chance to start working. Add the salt, oil, gluten flour and 3 to 4 cups of whole wheat flour. Continue to add more flour until the dough does not stick to the side of the bowl and does not feel sticky to the touch. Knead for 4 minutes in a Bosch mixer or 7 to 10 in other mixers or 10 to 15 minutes by hand.
When dough has finished kneading let it rise once until doubled in bulk (unless you are using a Bosch type mixer and in this case you can skip the 1st rising). Punch down dough and divide it into 2 pieces and form into loaves and set in bread pans.
Let it rise in a slightly warm oven (this means that you turn the oven on for just 2 or 3 min. or until you can feel the heat and then turn it off, if it is too hot then it will kill the yeast) for 15 to 25 minutes or until the dough is ½ inch above top of pan. Turn oven to 350 (without taking bread out) and bake for approx. 30 minutes or until golden brown.
Here are a few things I think have improved my breadbaking over the years:
-Actually using a technique to roll up the loaf, and pinching and sealing the ends
-Using a taller loaf pan (we now have both metal and glass in the narrower, taller size)
-Adding gluten to whole-wheat bread (even in recipes that don't call for it--substitute for an equal amount of flour)
-Rising in a warm oven (as described above) instead of willy-nilly on the counter
-Making bread over and over again until I get a feel for how much flour is enough
My techniques are by no means perfected, but they get better every time. And trial and error, while occasionally frustrating, can also be part of the fun!
-Actually using a technique to roll up the loaf, and pinching and sealing the ends
-Using a taller loaf pan (we now have both metal and glass in the narrower, taller size)
-Adding gluten to whole-wheat bread (even in recipes that don't call for it--substitute for an equal amount of flour)
-Rising in a warm oven (as described above) instead of willy-nilly on the counter
-Making bread over and over again until I get a feel for how much flour is enough
My techniques are by no means perfected, but they get better every time. And trial and error, while occasionally frustrating, can also be part of the fun!
Twice-Baked Potatoes
I think I perfected my twice-baked potato recipe last night. It's never been anything hard and fast, always something thrown together quickly based on what I have in the fridge. But the addition of two little ingredients--mayo and parsley--just may have sent it over the top. Just a little tangier and zippier than when you make them without.
Measurements are approximate, but here's roughly what I did:
Measurements are approximate, but here's roughly what I did:
Twice-Baked Potatoes
4-6 medium potatoes
1/4 cup milk
3/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup mayonaise
1 cup grated cheddar or other cheese
2 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
Bake potatoes, either in the oven or microwave, until cooked through. Allow to cool. Cut in half and scoop out most of the pulp from each half, leaving enough for some rigidity of the shell. Combine pulp and all remaining ingredients and mix with hand mixers, stand mixer, or by hand until desired texture is achieved. Adjust seasonings to taste. Spoon filling into shells and bake at 400 about 20 minutes, or until cheese is melted and tops begin to brown.
Love these!
When I was a kid, I never liked regular baked potatoes...possibly because my health-conscious mother allowed very little butter on them, and I honestly don't think I ever saw sour cream on a baked potato until I went to college. However, she would occasionally purchase prepared twice-baked potatoes and I did like those. I thought that the difference in flavor and texture must be the direct result of the second baking...I didn't realize that all kinds of other goodies got added in. I always wondered why she didn't just go ahead and bake hers one more time, when the twice-baked were so much more tasty!
Needless to say, I'm in on their secret now. And I'm a big fan.
When I was a kid, I never liked regular baked potatoes...possibly because my health-conscious mother allowed very little butter on them, and I honestly don't think I ever saw sour cream on a baked potato until I went to college. However, she would occasionally purchase prepared twice-baked potatoes and I did like those. I thought that the difference in flavor and texture must be the direct result of the second baking...I didn't realize that all kinds of other goodies got added in. I always wondered why she didn't just go ahead and bake hers one more time, when the twice-baked were so much more tasty!
Needless to say, I'm in on their secret now. And I'm a big fan.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Burt's Bees Rosemary Mint Shampoo Bar, Day 1
I guess it's technically day 2, because I washed my hair last night. After I wrote last night's post, Matt was kind enough to run out to Whole Foods with me to grab a bar so we could start this experiment :)
The experience: the bar smells very pleasant (kind of minty and woody--almost like Listerine, but a little less antiseptic). It lathers nicely, whether you choose to rub it directly on your hair or lather it in your hands and transfer. Matt used it too and liked it a lot, and of course his hair came out silky and lovely, like it would even if he rubbed sand and dog turds into it. (I am convinced of this.)
My hair? Combed out pretty well after the shower, and then I blew it dry out of curiosity to see what it would look/feel like. It was considerably...heavier, is the best word I can think of, than when I use Pantene. This isn't a terrible thing for long straight hair. Regular shampoo just makes it somehow both more sleek/smooth and fluffy--fingers and brushes glide through it more easily--than the shampoo bar, which leaves it...well, heavy. It does, however, have considerably more volume than any of my no poo or castile soap or homemade ever left me with. My scalp is a little flaky, but it is the middle of winter, and it's not at all itchy.
So it's a very in-between experience; a definite maybe. I'll see how it looks tomorrow, and probably try it a few more times before I return a verdict.
So it's a very in-between experience; a definite maybe. I'll see how it looks tomorrow, and probably try it a few more times before I return a verdict.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Lathered Up About Shampoo
There's been a lot of debate in my head, for a long time, over what to do about shampoo.
I tried no poo and my results are pretty well summed up by what Crunchy Chicken said about it.
I tried a so-called natural shampoo and it eventually made my head itch.
I've tried castile soap and apple cider vinegar and both left me with stiff, greasy, funky hair.
My latest foray was into the world of homemade shampoo, which looked very promising, and worked well for the blogger who brought me my favorite dishwasher detergent and homemade laundry soap, but alas, it did not work well for me. I had high hopes, but it still left me with greasier hair than I'd like; the more dedicated among us would probably say that my hair is just in an adjustment period, and I should keep at it, but honestly, when one is pregnant, and one's skin is unpredictable and one's figure is expanding and one's favorite clothes no longer fit, for crap's sake, you don't have a lot of patience for your hair not looking at least acceptable. Sometimes I feel like it's the only reliable thing I have left!
My fallback is Pantene True Confidence, which, as I've said, must be procured online and costs about $5 a bottle. I bought two bottles about nine months ago and I haven't yet run out of the second one, so honestly, the layout is not too bad. It's full of chemicals, to be sure, but lacks some of the more deplorable ingredients of modern cosmetics. Still, it's not a great option. A couple of things I'm considering trying:
1) Burt's Bees Rosemary Mint Shampoo Bar. Both rosemary and mint are supposed to be good for sensitive/flaky scalps; the ingredients list is refreshingly wholesome; and there's no plastic bottle involved, meaning nothing to spill when we travel and also nothing to worry about throwing in a landfill when I'm done. It just comes wrapped in paper. This would be my first choice and I would just LOVE it if this would work for me, but given my past letdowns, I'm cautious about getting too excited. $5.99 for a bar; hard to say how long it would last, but probably a couple of months or so. So basically, nothing would make me happier than to be able to come back and post that I Love This Bar (that one's for you, Dad).
2) Whole Foods 365 Brand Shampoo (probably in lavender, which I'm crazy about). Milder than Pantene, more chemicals than the Burt's bar. About $3 a bottle. If the shampoo bar doesn't work on my hair, I'll move onto this, at which point the concern is for my scalp. Sometimes it reacts poorly to a new shampoo, sometimes it doesn't. I guess we'll just have to see.
3) Another option to weigh would be a Burt's Bees liquid shampoo--probably fewer chemicals than 365, and a little more expensive at around $7, so it's something of balancing act.
I tried no poo and my results are pretty well summed up by what Crunchy Chicken said about it.
I tried a so-called natural shampoo and it eventually made my head itch.
I've tried castile soap and apple cider vinegar and both left me with stiff, greasy, funky hair.
My latest foray was into the world of homemade shampoo, which looked very promising, and worked well for the blogger who brought me my favorite dishwasher detergent and homemade laundry soap, but alas, it did not work well for me. I had high hopes, but it still left me with greasier hair than I'd like; the more dedicated among us would probably say that my hair is just in an adjustment period, and I should keep at it, but honestly, when one is pregnant, and one's skin is unpredictable and one's figure is expanding and one's favorite clothes no longer fit, for crap's sake, you don't have a lot of patience for your hair not looking at least acceptable. Sometimes I feel like it's the only reliable thing I have left!
My fallback is Pantene True Confidence, which, as I've said, must be procured online and costs about $5 a bottle. I bought two bottles about nine months ago and I haven't yet run out of the second one, so honestly, the layout is not too bad. It's full of chemicals, to be sure, but lacks some of the more deplorable ingredients of modern cosmetics. Still, it's not a great option. A couple of things I'm considering trying:
1) Burt's Bees Rosemary Mint Shampoo Bar. Both rosemary and mint are supposed to be good for sensitive/flaky scalps; the ingredients list is refreshingly wholesome; and there's no plastic bottle involved, meaning nothing to spill when we travel and also nothing to worry about throwing in a landfill when I'm done. It just comes wrapped in paper. This would be my first choice and I would just LOVE it if this would work for me, but given my past letdowns, I'm cautious about getting too excited. $5.99 for a bar; hard to say how long it would last, but probably a couple of months or so. So basically, nothing would make me happier than to be able to come back and post that I Love This Bar (that one's for you, Dad).
2) Whole Foods 365 Brand Shampoo (probably in lavender, which I'm crazy about). Milder than Pantene, more chemicals than the Burt's bar. About $3 a bottle. If the shampoo bar doesn't work on my hair, I'll move onto this, at which point the concern is for my scalp. Sometimes it reacts poorly to a new shampoo, sometimes it doesn't. I guess we'll just have to see.
3) Another option to weigh would be a Burt's Bees liquid shampoo--probably fewer chemicals than 365, and a little more expensive at around $7, so it's something of balancing act.
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