Green Living

May 12, 2013

Six Reasons to Go Bike Riding as a Family

Last year, My daughter and I gave my husband a bike for Father’s Day. Since then, I have watched wistfully as he and my daughter rode together as I watched from the sidelines. That all changed a few days ago when we FINALLY bought a bike for me as an early Mother’s Day present, thanks to some encouragement from Walmart. We were challenged to spend a gift card on something biking related, and we used it toward the cost of a bike. I chose the $149 Schwinn Clairmont cruising bike, and I couldn’t be happier that I can now join the fun. The fact that the bike is my favorite color (turquoise) and features a gorgeous peacock motif is just icing on the cake!

familybiking-MAIN

May is National Bike Month, and here are some great reasons to take up biking with your own family:

1. It’s an INCREDIBLE workout

Let’s face it. These days, with technology as prevalent as it is, most of us are pretty sedentary. The last time I rode a bike with any regularity, I was a teenager in great physical shape. So when I took my new bike out for it’s very first ride, I got a quick reminder about how physically taxing it can be. But you know what? It was the best kind of workout. With the breeze blowing through my hair and my husband and daughter laughing gleefully in front of me, I couldn’t think of a better way to get my heart rate up. Anything that encourages us to be active as a family is an automatic win in my book.

2. It encourages great communication

We live in an apartment complex with a pretty busy parking lot. So even if we stay within the complex and don’t venture out onto any busy metro Atlanta roads, we still have to be alert and vigilant. Our preferred riding positions are for my husband to take the lead, with my daughter in the middle and me bringing up the rear. Biking together encourages us to talk to each other to alert of possible dangers, changes in direction, etc. It encourages us to be clear, concise and respectful of one another — all characteristics of great family communication in general.

familybiking2

3. The wind in your hair

Do I need to explain this one? Plain and simple, it feels like the best kind of freedom, and I love every second of it.

4. It’s great quality time

My husband, daughter and I have pretty diverse interests, and biking is one of those things that we ALL enjoy. When we all can get excited about doing something together, it makes for much better family time than when something is forced upon one of us that we really don’t feel like doing. This is one activity for which none of us has to compromise.

5. Umm. No carbon emissions. Score.

While we haven’t quite worked up to biking to the store yet, we’re getting there. We live in a pretty traffic-heavy area, so biking everywhere may be a safety risk, but there are three grocery stores and two strip malls within safe biking distance. We have every intention of biking back and forth whenever we can to cut back on our carbon emissions as a family.

familybiking3

6. Did I mention it’s just plain fun?

As I mentioned, I had been wanting a bike for years, because my memory told me riding was something I’d want to do often. It’s a great way to get — or stay — in shape, but more than that, I really do enjoy it, and my daughter and husband do, too. We’ve found a great parking lot that is empty during the weekend where we can race, challenge ourselves to bike up steep inclines, etc. I feel like a kid again when I’m riding, so that’s reason enough for me to do it often.

DISCLOSURE: As a participant in the Walmart Moms Program, I’ve received product samples and compensation for my time and efforts in creating this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

{ 3 comments }
August 23, 2012

Scenes from My Favorite Consignment Store & Fashion Thrifting Tips

Lately, I’ve been a little fashion crazy. I’ve been devouring fashion blogs and I’ve spent hours upon hours searching for chic, eco-friendly clothing that would actually fit my changing body. I chalk some of it up to my weight loss journey, but I think a lot of it also has to do with feeling comfortable in my own skin. Since plus-sized, eco chic clothing is hard to come by, to say the least, I’ve become a big fan of consignment and thrift stores. I used to shop them primarily for home decor and furniture, but in the past year or so, I’ve started utilizing them for clothing as well. In addition to the green benefits of buying clothing secondhand, there’s also the wonderful fact that you can find lots of name brand pieces — some high end — for a fraction of the retail price.

Last week, I made a stop at my favorite consignment store, Alexis Suitcase in Johns Creek, GA, and I wanted to share some of the awesomeness to be found there along with some tips for your own fashion thrifting adventures.

The first thing that is immediately obvious about Alexis Suitcase is that it is very well organized.

Unlike many consignment and thrift stores where you have to search through racks and racks of clothing to find anything that fits, these racks are separated by color and also organized by size. So if I’m looking for a white top in size XL, I immediately know where to look.

But even if I’m not looking for anything specific, knowing where to go to find my size helps me get in and out quickly. But I do have a note about that:

Tip 1: Don’t make assumptions about sizes.

The size labeling on the racks at Alexis Suitcase goes up to XL and 18, but in my experience it’s not uncommon to find sizes well beyond that. On different visits, I’ve found items up to 3x and 24. I’ve also found this to be true at other thrift and consignment stores. If you wear a particular size, chances are someone else in your area does too, and you’ll be surprised by what you can find if you just take the time to look.

On top of that though, I’ve learned not to assume that items won’t fit. If I find something on the rack, hold it up to my body and it looks like it will fit, I will try it on even if the tag doesn’t show “my” size. I’ve found great pieces this way that I never would’ve tried if I were restricting myself to a specific size. I’ve found that skirts and dresses tend to be the most forgiving in terms of size. Great example? I found a J Crew skirt at Goodwill the other day in a medium (right now, I’m in a 1X or XXL), and it fit beautifully!

Tip 2: Find out how sales work.

Nearly every thrift and consignment store has a sale policy that can turn good bargains into great bargains! For example, Alexis Suitcase uses a color-coded discount system. Each item features a colored price tag, and each week, items tagged with a specific color are discounted as shown on signs throughout the store, like this one:

I’ve bought a Michael Kors dress for $12 because of one of these discounts. The sale changes every week, so a full price item today might be 50% next week. It really adds a thrill to the hunt :)

Many consignment stores also discount items that have been on the shelves a while. So after 30 days, it’s reduced by 15%, 30% after 60 days and so on. If there’s a store you shop often, just ask about their sale policies. I’m sure they’ll be happy to share if it means you’ll become a regular customer.

Another example: When I lived in Tennessee, on the first Saturday of every month, Goodwill offered 50% off everything in the store. Everything, from shoes to clothes to furniture and electronics. Of course, the stores were always packed on the first Saturday, which brings me to my next point:

Tip 3: Shop on weekdays.

If you can help it and you’re ever available on weekdays, I’d suggest doing your shopping then. Consignment and thrift stores get new items every single day, but the pickings tend to be better during the week when there are fewer customers in store. If you do go on the weekends, try to go early and beat the crowds, particularly if its a sale day.

Tip 4: Patience, grasshopper.

Shopping consignment and thrift stores can be a slow process. Admittedly, some stores make for faster shopping than others because they are well organized while others are not. But either way, you’ll have to take your time and look through the racks to find the really good stuff.

Plus, there’s the fact that you’ll rarely find more than one of the same item. So if those shoes you love are too small, you’ll just have to keep looking until you find a pair that fits.

Tip 5: Go with an open mind.

Many people assume that the clothing you’ll find in thrift stores will be in terrible condition. Some of it is, to be sure, but there are gems to be found among the faded t-shirts and grandma’s house dresses. Plus, consignment stores offer a much better chance of scoring quality finds because each item is inspected and selected by hand before it ends up on a rack. So don’t assume. Just go in and take a look.

Additionally, some stores do a great job of showing you how to create an outfit from thrifted finds by creating beautiful vignettes throughout the store. Alexis Suitcase does this very well:

Even if you don’t have visual examples in store, there are other ways to find inspiration. On Pinterest, create a pinboard of looks you like, then try finding thrifted pieces to recreate those looks. Or walk into the store with a single item in mind from your existing wardrobe: for example, a black pencil skirt. Try to find a number of tops, shoes, accessories, etc. that you could wear with that one skirt.

Or some days, just throw caution to the wind and go see what you can find. I’ve become a lot more adventurous with my clothes over the past year, picking up wool skirts, blazers, shoes and dresses I never would have considered several years ago. And sometimes, you just find something you weren’t expecting:

I’ve been wanting a pair of TOMS wedges for years, and on my last visit to Alexis Suitcase, I not only found a pair of TOMS: They were actually my size! (aff) I scooped them up as soon as I realized they would fit!

Tip 6: There’s Always Shoes, Purses & Jewelry

Even if you can’t find any clothes you like or in your size, you can almost always find shoes, purses  and jewelry that will tickle your fancy, so don’t ignore those sections of the store. Need some examples? No problem!

Tip 7: High End is Still High End.

In other words, don’t walk in the store expecting to pay $20 for a Gucci purse or Manolo Blahnik sandals. Is it possible? Yes. It is likely? Not at all. That’s not to say you can’t find these items secondhand, because you absolutely can:

But even the smallest stores have become savvy enough to know which brands can justify a higher price tag, particularly when it comes to shoes and handbags. So if you do score a deal like that, shout to the rooftops, because you’ve found the needle in the haystack!

What I’m saying is that while you’ll pay a fraction of the retail price for that pair of Christian Louboutin heels you have your eye on, that could still amount to a couple hundred dollars. Only you can decide if they’re worth the price to you.

What’s not to love?

I personally love thrifting and consignment shopping. I walk in with a budget, and its usually not hard to stick to it. I always surprise myself by what I can get for relatively small amounts of money, and I feel good because I’m buying stuff that’s in its second life. So I can feel good about purchasing designer items that I either couldn’t afford or wouldn’t want to buy otherwise because they’re just not very sustainable.

I really love Alexis Suitcase in particular because on top of their excellent selection of pre-loved fashion, their customer service is awesome! While you’re walking around the store picking up items, they will actually hold a fitting room for you, by name, and put your items in the room as you finish browsing so you don’t have to carry handfuls of items.

I’m always greeted with a smile. A when I’ve consigned some of my own clothes and shoes there, both me and my items were treated with respect. Plus, there’s an online system where I can login to see if any of my items have sold and how much I’ve made so far. Which brings up a good point:

Tip 8: Give Back to the System

At least 3-4 times a year, I go through my daughter’s closet to find items she’s outgrown so we can consign or donate what we’re not able to give away to friends or family. When we’re able to sell them, we make a little extra money, but even when we’re not, we love dropping off donations at local thrift stores so someone else can enjoy them and to help the causes of organizations like the Salvation Army and Goodwill.

And now that I’m losing weight (17.5 lbs. and counting!), I’ve been purging larger items from my own closet for consignment or donation. I have no intention of going back up to those sizes, so getting rid of them will help keep me motivated to keep moving toward smaller sizes :) And as I move through the sizes, I’ll keep doing this. Shopping thrift and consignment is also a great way to get clothes in an in-between size without spending a lot of money if I know I won’t be wearing that size for long.

 Your turn…

Do you ever shop consignment? What have been some of your favorite finds? Are there any important tips I missed? Share in the comments below and feel free to link to your thrift hauls if you have them online anywhere!

Also, would you like it if I shared my own thrifting hauls here? Let me know!

{ 7 comments }
August 19, 2012

Tutorial: Personalized, Reusable Snack Bags

Like most kids her age, my daughter has to take a snack to school every day, along with a bottle of water. She’s had a stainless steel reusable water bottle for a little more than a year, and its still going strong. But we’ve always struggled with the snack. It may be convenient to drop a bag of Goldfish in her backpack in the morning, but I’m still not a fan of wasteful single serve packaging. So I like buying snacks in bulk, both for the savings in cost and packaging. As a result, we’ve tried Ziploc bags, which are just as wasteful since they’re hard to wash and have to be thrown away. And most plastic bowls with covers are too large to fit easily in the “snack pocket” of her backpack. So I finally decided to take matters into my own hands — literally — and make her some reusable snack bags.

They are ridiculously easy to make and hard to mess up. Because at the end of the day, they don’t have to be perfect. Just functional.

You’ll need:

  • Two coordinating fabrics
  • Matching thread
  • Iron-on letters in your child’s initials
  • Scissors
  • Sewing machine
  • Cutting board or ruler
  • Iron

I love this project, because you can use fabric scraps, or buy a couple of fat quarters, which is enough to make 2-3 bags. I grabbed 2 100% cotton fat quarters from Walmart for less than $1 apiece, along with a pre-cut 1/2 yard for a few bucks.

Cut out rectangles from two coordinating fabrics.

You can make the bags in any size you want, but I used the sizes found in this tutorial from Cotton Bottom Mama:

  • Sandwich bag (7″x 8″ finished): Cut two 16″ x 9″ rectangles
  • Snack bag (5″ x 6″ finished): Cut two 12″ x 7″ rectangles
  • Mini snack bag: (4″ x 4″ finished): Cut two 5″ x 10″ rectangles

Lay and pin your fabric with right sides facing.

Sew all the way around the edge with 1/4″ seam allowance, but leave about a 2″ opening on one side. I double pinned the opening in the photo below so you can see about how wide it needs to be:

Be sure to backstitch your ends around the opening so that the seams won’t pull apart.

Once the edges are sewn, carefully clip your corners diagonally (be sure not to clip the seam).

Next, turn your fabric right side out through the 2″ opening you left along one edge. You can use your fingers, or even the edge of a closed pen or something similar to make sure that the corners are nice and crisp. Iron the rectangle.

Decide which fabric you want on the outside and lay the rectangle on the ironing board with the lining fabric facing up. Fold the bottom edge up toward the top until you have about a 1 1/2″-2″ flap left at the top, like so (ignore the fact that I already ironed on the letters :) I forgot to snap this picture earlier. ):

Fold the flap over, making sure that it overlaps cleanly. Press again to keep your creases where they should be.

Next iron your letters onto the front of the pouch. I put mine in the bottom right corner, but you can center the letters, or even put them on the back, if you’d like.

Pressing should give you a nice, flat piece of fabric to work with, but if the folds are coming undone, you can pin the top flap shut to hold it in place. I didn’t need to pin.

Finally, stitch along each edge, from the top of the fold all the way to the bottom edge. You’ll be able to see the stitching, so you’ll want to sew carefully and be sure to back stitch at each edge.

That’s it!

Each bag will take about 10-15″ minutes to make, and you can make them in a variety of sizes. When you’re ready to fill it, just fold back the flap, insert your sandwich or snack and enjoy!

If you’re worried about freshness when packing something like a sandwich, you can always wrap it in parchment paper (the kind you’d use for baking) to keep it more airtight inside the bag.

I plan to make a bunch of these in different colors and sizes so my daughter will be able to use them for her snack each day, and I’ll wash them every weekend. Snack waste no more!

Disclosure: I am a member of the Walmart Moms program. I was provided with compensation for sharing a craft project of my choosing with you. Participation is voluntary and, as usual, all opinions are my own.

{ 7 comments }
April 20, 2012

A Dog to Love, Again: Meet King.

Remember this little guy?

His name was Shiloh and he was my birthday present in 2009. And oh, how I loved him. He was a sweet little puppy who we got when he was just 6 weeks old. He was a stubborn little bugger when it came to potty training, but we were moving along. But he came with the worst timing ever, because a few months later, my daughter was diagnosed with leukemia.

What happened

Anyone who has ever house trained a dog knows that they need constant supervision and attention during this process to avoid, or in some cases correct, accidents. Well, my daughter’s diagnosis pulled the rug out from under us. It meant a lengthy initial hospital stay and weekly visits to the clinic 60 miles away, as well as constant monitoring to avoid fevers, exposure to illness because of her weakened immune system, etc. Well, the stress of trying to house train my little ball of fluff and dealing with my daughter’s diagnosis at the same time was more than we could handle, so we found Shiloh a new home. We were heartbroken, but we knew it was the right decision at the time. He went to a family with kids and a nice back yard where he could run and play.

In the years since, my daughter and I had been quietly been reminding my husband that we eventually wanted another dog. His response made sense: We’d get another dog when my daughter was well enough and when we are living in a house.

Part one of his requirements? Check! My daughter did exceptionally well with her treatment, and went into the maintenance phase in summer 2010. More importantly though, she finally completed treatment last month with a clean bill of health. I felt like doing cartwheels, and I suspect my husband probably did some when I called to tell him the news. He was apparently so happy that his second requirement went out the window :) Unbeknownst to me, he took our daughter to a pet store one day, and finally broke down and told her we could get a dog. Knowing how I felt about buying a dog, though, he told her we’d adopt one.

Finding a new dog

Of course, we are still in an apartment, so that meant the same restrictions we were faced with the first time we began our dog search:

  • There are restrictions on the type of breed we can have. Ie. No “aggressive” breeds. Too bad a large number of dogs in shelters around here are pit bulls or pit mixes.
  • The dog had to be no more than 25 lbs. Too bad a large number of dogs in shelters around here are large breeds like labs and chows, not to mention the pits.
  • We needed a low- to medium-energy dog who would could be happy indoors most of the time. Scratch a bunch more rescue dogs off the list, because lots of dog, and rescue organizations, require a yard.
  • Our daughter is 6. Too bad a lot of the shelters around here won’t let you adopt if you have a child under 10, and a lot of dogs elsewhere aren’t recommended around kids.

I spent weeks searching sites like PetFinder.com and Petango.com, which both deliver listings from shelters, animal control and rescue organizations. Plus, there is a rescue that does adoptions at a pet store nearby, and we often visit on weekends while they’re doing adoptions. Through them, we found a Westie that was about 12 lbs. Perfect size. Though she was a little timid, she was sweet, and she really needed a home. But when we went to apply to adopt her, we found she’d already been adopted. I was disappointed, but determined, so we kept looking. Finally, we found a beautiful little chihuahua that we all fell in love with at an SPCA shelter. But when we went to the shelter  to meet her, we learned she’d already been adopted too.

Determined not to give up looking, I decided to go on Craigslist to see if I could find a dog there who needed a home. After all, we had planned to turn to Craigslist when we were trying to find home for Shiloh if our neighbor hadn’t come through with an option. And I found there were tons of pets who needed homes! I was wary of many postings that focused too much on breed or price, because I just got the feeling these dogs came from breeders or puppy mills, but there were lots of stories from concerned pet owners who were trying their best to find homes for their pets rather than being forced to turn them in to a shelter or rescue.

I eventually found a posting for a family who was trying to find a home for their 1-year-old Yorkie, King.

My first photo of him, shared on Instagram.

He was described as sweet, loving and housetrained, but they could no longer afford to care for him. I called a few times to inquire about him and whether they wanted a “rehoming” fee. They did, but it wasn’t ridiculously expensive. Still, my husband and I had our hearts set on adopting from a shelter, so we decided to keep looking.

However, fate intervened, much like it did with Shiloh. After a day of fruitless shelter searching and my latest heartbreak at finding the chihuahua had been adopted, King’s owner texted me asking if I was still interested. Then she started sending pictures, including this one:

My heart and my defenses both broke. He looked so sweet and gentle, and I really couldn’t resist. So we went to meet him. As soon as they opened the door, he ran to my husband, then to my daughter and I. It was as if he knew why we were there. I picked him up and he snuggled into my arms.

If I had any doubts, they melted away in that instant.

In talking to the family, we learned that we’d really be helping them out of a tough spot by giving him a home, and that they really needed the money. Moreover, they had obviously taken wonderful care of him and he was a beloved family pet. They were heartbroken just like we were when we had to find another home for Shiloh. I almost cried when I saw the look on their little girl’s face, but they assured us that they were doing the right thing for their family.

We brought him home on Monday, and I swear, we managed to find the most well-behaved dog on Craigslist. And did I mention how photogenic he is?

How could I possibly resist that little heart-shaped nose?

As promised, he is housetrained and has had only 2 accidents inside, mostly because we’re still learning his schedule and his cues that he needs to go. He almost never barks, plays very well and even already knows a few commands. It’s really been a pleasure getting to know him. And in the few days we’ve had him, his previous owners have already checked on him a few times. They really do miss him, and we let them know we’ll stay in touch about how he’s doing and that they can come visit him sometime.

So we’ve added a new member to the Petersen clan — again — and it really feels like we filled the void left in our hearts when Shiloh went away. King will be our forever dog, and I can’t wait to see how he will learn and grow and really become part of our family.

{ 4 comments }
April 20, 2012

Walmart’s Sustainability Index could be revolutionary

Can you remember a time before you could flip over a food package and read the nutritional information on the back? Neither can I. That could just mean that we’re really young, but the point I’m trying to make is that putting nutritional information on a food package was a revolutionary idea that changed the way customers shop for food. That’s not to say that we look at the nutritional information before we purchase every food item or that the reporting system is perfect, but isn’t it amazing to know that we can? Isn’t it empowering to know that these details are readily available to us so we can make empowered choices?

I genuinely believe that Walmart’s upcoming sustainability index will have much the same effect on the way we shop for everyday products.

At the company’s Sustainability Milestone Meeting on Wednesday, they discussed not just the index, but how because of it and all the other changes Walmart is making on an internal level, sustainability has become a truly fundamental part of the way they do business.

And isn’t that what we want? For retail and corporate giants like Walmart to see sustainability not just as a way to entice new customers or market products, but as a way of life? Changes like this are the reason I chose to become a Walmart Mom in the first place. Because I truly believe that if we can move a mountain like Walmart toward greater sustainability, that will have a huge impact on the planet because the changes will have a trickle-down effect.

The sustainability index, which is still in development, is designed to help customers understand how and where a product was made, and its overall impact on the environment — and presumably, our health. It will evaluate a product’s components, its life cycle, its energy efficiency, its compliance with accepted standards and more. The chart below, revealed at the milestone meeting, gives an overall picture of how the index and scoring will work (click the image to see a larger version).

I think its safe to say that many of the products currently on the market will get pretty poor grades. Because — lets face it — the vast majority of new products are made via “traditional” methods: using virgin materials that are diffiicult, if not impossible, to recycle, with potentially toxic chemicals, and with methods and ingredients that often are not disclosed. In a perfect world, the sustainability index will begin to change that.

I believe that once a company sees its sustainability score stamped on a product for the world to see, particularly if it is placed side by side on a shelf with competing products that have a better score, they will be compelled to do what they can to improve their sustainability score. So even if customers don’t initially pick up a product because it has a higher score, if those changes happen on a manufacturing level, everyone who shops at Walmart will directly benefit.

It would also be in a supplier’s best interest to offer their new, more sustainable products to other retailers, because it probably wouldn’t be cost effective to manufacture two versions of the same product. And imagine the uproar if customers learned that the lotion they buy at Kroger contains parabens and other harsh chemicals, when the same exact product sold at Walmart does not.

I’m not saying that these changes will happen overnight, or that there won’t be kinks in the process. Of course the key to the effectiveness of this index will be how the scores are calculated in the first place. But what I’m saying is that this is a giant step in the right direction that has the potential to completely change the way we shop and the way manufacturers approach new products. And I really can’t wait to see how it turns out. It’s like Doug McMillon, President & CEO, Walmart International said:

Celebrate the small wins. Some of these ideas feel small when they start, but when you apply them across a company of our scale, they’re huge, which just increases the responsibility and obligation that we have.

You can watch a webcast of Walmart’s sustainability milestone meeting if you’d like to see all of this for yourself.

Disclosure: I am a member of the Walmart Moms program. I was provided with compensation for my time and effort in sharing my impressions of the Sustainability Milestone Meeting with you. Participation is voluntary and as usual, all opinions are my own.

{ 1 comment }
October 31, 2011

Party Planning is Easy, Even If You’re Green

I’m not much of a hostess. I completely admit that. Between the two of us, my husband is more likely to plan a party than I am. In recent months, though, we’ve had a number of family members come visit us, and I’m usually floundering in terms of what to eat, what to do, etc. When Walmart offered me the opportunity to plan a party for any occasion, any way I want, for under $100, I thought it was a great opportunity to put myself to the test. We plan to have guests next weekend, and this time, I intend to be prepared.

The Menu

Food is the one area where I still struggle to do better. Avoiding processed foods is still not my forte. Still, I have a few tried and true recipes, and there’s one I love to pull out whenever we’ll have guests. Mostly because I can make a lot of it really easily and cheaply. It’s a meatless meal (yay, vegetarians!), and it’s very inexpensive to make. I call it Ziti-Penne. Why? Because it’s a baked ziti recipe, but I prefer to use whole wheat penne noodles.

Here’s the recipe:

Ziti-Penne

  • 2 13-16oz. boxes Great Value whole wheat penne pasta (uncooked)
  • 24 oz. ricotta cheese
  • 2 tbsp. grated parmesan-romano cheese
  • 1 26 oz. can Hunts roasted garlic and onion spaghetti sauce (though any brand is fine)
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 lbs shredded mozzarella cheese
  • Garlic powder to taste
  • 1 jar Ragu organic pasta sauce (or any other brand)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Cook penne pasta according to package directions, or 12 to 14 minutes, stirring often. After cooking, drain pasta well, but don’t rinse. Combine ricotta, parmesan-romano, Hunts sauce, pepper and garlic powder in a large mixing bowl. Combine the cooked ziti with the cheese/sauce mixture, stirring gently (it’s easy to make a mess doing this). This recipe will make 2 13″x9″x2″ pans of pasta — which makes it great for entertaining, and you’ll have leftovers for yourself! Spread a 1/4 cup of organic pasta sauce on the bottom of each pan. Put half of the pasta mixture in each pan and top with mozzarella cheese. Cover loosely with aluminum foil and bake until mozzarella is thoroughly melted and slightly bubbling (about 20 minutes). While the pasta is baking, warm the rest of the organic pasta sauce in a small sauce pan, stirring occasionally. Serve with warm sauce on top and garlic bread.

I also plan to make a wonderful tropical punch that my mother passed down to me years ago.

Tropical Punch

  • 1 46 oz. can unsweetened 100% orange juice (though a half gallon of sweetened juice will work in a pinch)
  • 1 46 oz. can pineapple juice
  • 4 13 oz. cans Jumex guava juice
  • 1 can Coco Goya cream of Coconut (NOT coconut milk)

Mix them all together in an empty gallon bottle or jug and shake to mix (or mix with a spoon). Chill, and enjoy! And I don’t drink alcohol, but I’ve been told this punch is great for mixed drinks. Anything to keep the guests happy, right?

On the side, we’ll have an organic baby herb salad (thank you Walmart for making that easy to pick up and eat as is!). We also loaded up on snacks like tortilla chips and salsa for the adults, and organic juice boxes and baby carrots for the kids. And last on the list, I’ll make the carrot cupcakes that I made for the holidays last year. Don’t remember? Check out the video:

What to Do?

While my husband and I are content chatting with the adults, reminiscing about old times, etc., the kids need something to do. Given that Ja’Naya and I LOVE dancing, we decided to grab the newly released Just Dance 3! Aaaand…we love it. Of course, we had to test it before subjecting our guests to it, and much like Just Dance 2, it’s awesome! It’s filled with hit songs that make you want to get up and dance, and the new dance modes allow up to 8 people to dance together. So ALL of us can get in on the fun. I honestly cannot wait!

And while dancing with the Wii is fun and potentially hilarious, we’re always in the market for new music that we can use to impress our guests. Right…lol. Seriously though, since my husband and I have eclectic musical tastes (read: mostly reggae) we like buying singles of some of the more popular songs that other people might recognize too. So I also picked up a $25 iTunes gift card so we can download some new tunes to the computer before our get together.

Decor & More

Forgive my laziness, but I don’t really feel like decorating. Not in the traditional party decorating sense, anyway. I prefer to keep the house looking well-decorated all the time so I don’t have to do anything super special when we’re having company. I know, I know. Very unlike me. Still, I love Walmart‘s 97 cent decor section, because if I feel so inclined sometime between now and Saturday, I can buy tissue paper in tons of colors for just $0.97 a pop to make tissue paper poms, wreaths and ornaments. I like all of these because I can repurpose them to decorate the table, even on a regular day, or just put them up in our bedrooms for some extra fun.

Also, although I am one of those people who believes in using the “good” dishes for any occasion, I get that some people will want to use disposable plates when they’re having guests. I don’t necessarily approve, but if you’ve got to buy them, you may as well buy them cheaply. You can find plates and napkins in the same section for just 97 cents a pack. There are some pretty great patterns and colors to mix and match for almost any occasion or theme.

Lastly, I picked up some swatches of fabric in the craft section to use as extra cloth napkins. We only have a few, which means not enough for everyone. That’s no excuse to use paper! These fabric swatches were inexpensive, and more importantly, they don’t require me to sew and they’re reusable. Win-win.

Because I”m not much of a party planner, I was really impressed with the fact that I was able to accomplish all this in just one store. We all think of Walmart as the type of place where you can get a little of everything, and that proved true in this case. I didn’t buy the traditional party “favors”, invites and other one-time use items, but I was still able to get everything I needed, all of which I will eventually use again. Now that’s what I call a green party :)

Disclosure: I am a member of the Walmart Moms program. I was provided with compensation for my time and effort in sharing their party planning selection with you. Participation is voluntary and as usual, all opinions are my own.

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May 19, 2011

Earn 25 Points from Recyclebank

I remember the days when the only way to earn points with Recyclebank was to have local recycling through their program in your community. Of late though, they’ve been making it much easier for the average person to earn points — whether you have a Recyclebank program in your community or not. And here’s a new opportunity to earn 25 points. You can take advantage of it right here at Green & Gorgeous!

If you’re not yet a member, you’ll have to sign up to earn points. To put this into perspective, 30 Recyclebank points can get you a coupon for $10 off a $50 purchase at Staples, and 40 points will get you a 15% off coupon for GreenToys.com. I’ve already used my points for valuable coupons at Ruby Tuesday and on my green grocery shopping.

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April 26, 2011

1 Simple Shift: Ditch Palm Oil, and Help Save the Rainforest

It’s Girl Scout cookie season, and I’d be a liar if I said I didn’t already buy a few boxes. But I can make this promise: I won’t be buying any more. This probably sounds harsh, but I have my reasons.

In general terms, I’ve known for a while what palm oil is doing to the rainforest. To make a long story short, palm oil is the No. 1 cause of rainforest destruction in Southeast Asia. These forests are being wiped out to make room for plantations to keep up with the world’s demand for palm oil. In addition to the fact that old growth trees that can never be replaced are gone, this deforestation is also wiping out the habitat of the world’s only orangutans, along with other endangered wildlife like pygmy elephants and Sumatran tigers. In fact, some palm oil plantation managers offer migrant workers $10 to $20 to for each orangutan they kill, because the animals have taken to eating young palm shoots just to stay fed.

I only recently learned of that last detail, and lets just say it was the straw that broke the camel’s back.

So what does all of this have to do with Girl Scout cookies? Well, palm oil is used in all Girl Scout cookie recipes except for one.

Lest you believe I am going on and on about nothing, consider this: The Girl Scouts’ British sister organization, the Girl Guides, already have eliminated palm oil from their cookies. They’ve also offered to help the USA division and Girl Guides Canada do the same. And there’s a bonus benefit to making cookies without palm oil: Replacing it with olive oil or canola oil also reduces saturated fat by 60 to 70 percent. In other words, this is a change that can, and should, be made. Not just by the Girl Scouts, but by anyone who is making food products with palm oil when there are healthier alternatives.

So from now on, I’m going to be very careful about buying products that are made with palm oil — and this is true of many pre-made baked goods. I’ll have to become more diligent about reading labels.

Click here for a list of cookies and candies that do not contain palm oil

Rainforest destruction accounts for 15 percent of global greenhouse emissions. If you’re like me, and you want to do more than just avoid palm oil as a consumer, take a second to send a letter set into motion by two Girl Scouts who were appalled to learn what palm oil is doing to the rainforest.

The girls are also asking for your help in writing a letter to First Lady Michelle Obama encouraging her to intervene with Girl Scouts CEO Kathy Cloniger before it’s too late. Click here to send the pre-written letter, in partnership with the Rainforest Action Network. More than 70,000 letters have already been sent, yet since Madison (“Madi”) Vorva and Rhiannon Tomtishen’s first and only meeting with Girl Scout executives in 2008, their efforts have been totally ignored. Let’s make sure that their voices are heard and send a letter!

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