Slowing down and living more simply is fundamental to a greener lifestyle. Life, however, sometimes just gets in the way! Last week was a horrendously busy week at work. While I’m grateful for the increased business, the end result of so many work hours was a bad diet, poor sleep and no social life. This week is promising to be just as stressful (maybe more), but I am much better prepared. If you’re grappling with a hectic schedule this holiday season, here’s some tips that might help ease your stress a bit:
• Eat right. Accomplish this by planning ahead. If you know you have a crazy schedule coming up, cook ahead and freeze or refrigerate for later. Sunday I cooked a large pot of homemade chicken and dumplings. There’s nothing like comfort food to keep you feeling balanced. We’ll be eating the leftovers later this week. Monday was Meatless Monday, so on Sunday I cooked a hearty spinach lasagna (and, yes, there’ll be leftovers for another night if we need it). There’s nothing like walking in after an extra-long day at work, knowing you have a home-cooked meal waiting.
• Get plenty of rest. Put aside some of the chores that can wait if it means getting to bed on time. Can’t turn off your mind? Try a cup of warm, herbal tea. (But watch the caffeine content. Just because it’s herbal, it’s not necessarily caffeine-free). Proper rest will help you function better, think more clearly, and be a sweeter person! You’re co-workers will thank you!
• Exercise. Yeah, right! No time to exercise? Try exercising in small increments. Stretch at your desk for 5 minutes. Take a short walk at lunch. Remember, the ultra-busy-ness you’re experiencing right now probably won’t last forever.
• Breathe. Take time to breathe. Start your day with 10 minutes of quiet, meditation or prayer. Centering yourself in the morning will set the tone for the day. Once at work, take time out to breathe. Sometimes it helps to just be in the moment. Take a few second to be quiet and still; practice taking a long, deep breath, five seconds in and five seconds out. Eric Maisel has a terrific book, Ten Zen Seconds, that offers some very do-able tips to help you cope with stress on the spot. You DO have 5 seconds, even if you think you don’t!
• This too, will pass. Look at the big picture. Chances are whatever it is that is adding this burst of craziness to your life will end at some point. Try to see the light at the end of the tunnel. And… stay calm, keep going!
photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/programwitch/1483037699/
December 8, 2009
OK. Two weeks since I committed to Meatless Monday. You may recall, I totally blew it last week. But this week, I was a little more prepared. With the Christmas shopping season in full swing, my life is all about work right now. Yet, on Sunday, I managed to blow by the grocery store and pick up the fixin’s for Monday’s dinner. Spinach Lasagna, salad with greens from my yard, and grapefruit. Not bad. However, I DID have tuna fish for lunch. Does fish count against me?
December 7, 2009
Tonight is Monday night.
To be precise, it is the Monday night after the big Thanksgiving holiday. Many of us know this day simply as Cyber Monday. I am particularly sensitive to Cyber Monday because my own business becomes a place of frenzied chaos on this day. Mayhem, defined as “a state of rowdy disorder” is indeed taking place in my little business. Black Friday and Cyber Monday marks the beginning of the crazy holiday season; the time of year when I work late every night, trying to make my whole year’s salary in 60 days, and kids and dogs are left to fend for themselves.
Yes, tonight is exactly one of those nights. Frozen pepperoni pizza for dinner is the ultimate in satisfaction and convenience. As I sit here with my pants feeling too tight, already regretting this food decision, it hits me…
Today is Meatless Monday!
Augh! I feel like a failure. Just one week after committing to Meatless Monday, I completely forgot all about it. I won’t lie and say I never eat frozen pizza, but normally it’s a spinach and mushroom or a veggie. What made me veer off of my chosen path tonight and opt for the sausage-pepperoni-supreme? I can’t say. But, I can see what this means. I can see that I will have to plan well for these next few weeks leading up to Christmas if I want to uphold this commitment during the crazy “this is America on Christmas speed” time of year!
November 30, 2009
Saturday, November 20th, I woke up with no particular plan in mind. The weather was predicted to be gloomy, cold with perhaps a drizzle of rain. Weathermen (should I say, meteorologists?) sometimes get it wrong, and that morning was a shining example of predictions not coming true. The sky was crystal clear, the temp cool, yet the day was promising to warm up nicely.
Remembering something I had read about, I tossed down the last drop of coffee, crawled into some work-jeans, found a small spade, my garden gloves and the camera, and headed out the door. It was Volunteer Day at the Ruffner Mountain Nature Center, and I wanted to join in.
Ruffner Mountain is a large nature preserve nestled right here, smack-dab in the middle of urban Birmingham. One of it’s greatest features is the close proximity to practically every side of the city. With over 1,000 acres, it boasts hiking trails, animals, city history, geology lessons and more. I had not been to the preserve since my children were in elementary school and although my sister and I frequently challenge each other to meet there, it never seems to happen.
One reason I’ve been wanting to visit the Ruffner Mountain trails is my desire to get exercise somewhere other than in the gym on a treadmill. I have to admit, however, that I am the ultimate weenie when it comes to braving inclement weather. Inclement in my world could mean anything below 50 degrees (hence the gym in the winter). However, this particular Saturday was perfect for hiking, and volunteering.
When I arrived, there were perhaps a dozen people industriously milling about with shovels and wheelbarrows. Small plastic grocery bags were strategically placed on the ground with twiggy plants jutting out of the tops. The goal was to help restore the landscape surrounding Ruffner Mountain’s new Treetop Visitors Center. Native plants had been snooped out and dug up for replanting, in hopes of recreating a natural habitat. The decision to get up and join this group was a good one. Aside from the obvious perks of a beautiful day and free exercise, I found that the friendliness and enthusiasm of the volunteers was contagious. Michelle Reynolds, a board member and the “woman in charge” for the day, greeted me warmly and promptly put me to work! OK, troops, lets go. On hand to supervise placement of plantings was the landscape designer responsible for the layout of the new landscape, Arnie Rutkis. I also had the pleasure of meeting Carol Hunt, a fellow volunteer, who happens to be a charter member of the Ruffner Mountain Nature Preserve. Carol shared with me the story of how Ruffner Mountain was saved from development in the 1970′s by the neighborhoods surrounding the area. I enjoyed every minute!
Work continued from 8:30 am until around noon or a so. I couldn’t resist taking off up one of the many hiking trails before heading home. The preserve itself is made up of over 1,000 acres and 12 miles of well-marked trails, including an old quarry, a ridge trail, wetlands and old mining shafts. I took off up along the ridge. Before long I felt completely engulfed in forest, although eerily I never lost many of the city sounds. The freeway, and most aptly, for Birmingham the short blasts of train whistles permeated the treetops. I suppose since most of the leaves have fallen from the trees, there is less insulation from the noise. Looking around, however, you would never guess that you are, in fact, in the middle of the city.
If you are from Birmingham, and you’re looking for a convenient, temporary retreat from your busy day, I would encourage you to explore this natural treasure in our city. It is beautiful, convenient and safe. I love that this beautiful place is available to educate our children, many of whom may never have had a chance to go outside of a city and get into nature. I look forward to visiting this site often, when I feel I need a little “nature fix”. Many cities have surprising urban green spaces. If your city has a spectacular green space, please support it by visiting it, and talking it up! We’d love to hear about it.
November 30, 2009
Thanksgiving has come and gone again. My goal was to make this year’s Thanksgiving just a little greener, but I was really struggling with how to do it. I’m not sure how you would rate our green Thanksgiving, on a scale of 1 to 10, but I must say there was improvement over previous years. Here’s what we did and didn’t do.
On the greener side:
1. Purchased an organic, free-range chicken rather than a conventional turkey. How did it go over? If anyone missed the turkey they didn’t express it, and I thought the chicken and dressing was really delicious. This is a “do-again” in my book! If you remember from my earlier post, this was my grandmother’s recipe.
2. Saved, and froze all of the chicken broth from boiling the chickens to use in a recipe some other day this winter.
3. Purchased fresh sweet potatoes for the casserole, rather than canned. Using fresh ingredients didn’t seem to make much difference in flavor. (With all the butter and sugar in the recipe, who would know the difference?) Most of the other ingredients in the recipe were also organic, including the butter and the brown cane sugar. Additionally, the sugar came from Florida, which is not too bad in miles travelled to get here.
Ours is a small little gathering. Here's the table before the carnage began.
4. Decorated the table with items we already had, plants pulled from the yard and drawn “hand turkeys” like the kids made when they were little. I’ve never really been much of a planner when it comes to entertaining, so I’m often caught performing last minute miracles. Miracle may be too strong of a word, it’s probably more like last minute surprises! I pulled a basket from the basement, a particular favorite made from earthy sticks and moss. I purchased two small mums (which I’ll now enjoy on into the season), set them in the basket and filled in with fresh cut Nandina berries, pine cones and pine fronds from my backyard. The place settings were Depression glass water glasses, and mismatched Fiesta-ware garnered from many trips to flea markets and antique malls over the years. The table was simple, but not too shabby.
5. The kids and I played the board games Cranium and Trivial Pursuit and laughed until we hurt! (I’m using the term “kids” loosely, these kids are pretty well grown). You may not consider this eco-friendly, but I believe a large part of becoming conscious of our world is accomplished by just slowing down, living a little simpler and enjoying each other. With full tummies, overstuffed like your favorite chair, this love and laughter was without a doubt the very best part of the day!
Maybe, not so green:
1. We kept the fire roaring. (Gas logs.) We really didn’t need it for warmth, but the ambiance was too nice to resist. The day here was crystal clear, but blustery and cold. We felt so snuggly and cozy that I put my guilt aside about using all of that unnecessary energy, and just went with it. When my gas bill arrives, I’m sure the consequences of that cozy day will be clear.
2. Paper napkins. Yep, I bought ‘em, I used ‘em and I loved ‘em. Burgundy-colored dinner napkins were so pretty on the table. I have to say, however, that the only reason I used paper was because I don’t own cloth napkins. Cloth napkins top my Christmas wish list.
Green or not, the Thanksgiving holiday worked out just fine this year. By next year, hopefully I’ll have added composting,among other things, to my green quotient. The important thing was our little family coming together and honoring this day of gratitude. I hope you and your family also shared and enjoyed a blessed Thanksgiving Day.
November 27, 2009
Mmmmm. Veggie Burger!
I did it. I signed the Meatless Monday pledge.
Being from the South, it’s not unusual for me to throw dried white beans in a pot with a little onion, garlic and onions, partner it with some cornbread, and call it dinner! Eating meatless is not something I’m a stranger to. But, like most southerners from my generation (remember, I’m a boomer), sometimes I just naturally start thinking “meat” when it’s time to figure out the dinner menu. Discovering “Meatless Monday” has made it easier for me to literally “forget” the meat. Now, if your household includes a bunch of burly guys, going meatless may be a little more challenging than it is for me and my daughters. But, consider this: a meatless dinner every now and then usually means less time bent over the stove on a weeknight, it’s good for the earth, good for your health and its almost always cheaper! Personally, I love anything that’s a little more budget-friendly right now.
Here’s the part where you get to turn up your nose: for dinner this Monday night we had a veggie burger and a fresh salad. I first became aquainted with veggie burgers several years back when I was trying to drop some pounds with Weight Watchers. The rest of the family would be chowing down on grilled burgers, and I would stoically munch my veggie burgers. Veggie burgers are not bad, folks! Paired with a fresh salad, or some roasted potatoes they go a long way toward satisfying my occasional thirst for fast food burgers.
Regardless of whether you decide to brave the world of veggie meat substitutes, Meatless Monday is still a practice worth cultivating. Going meatless just one day a week has all kinds of benefits to you and the earth. Consider this for starters:
• Going meatless just one day a week may keep your body healthier, lower your weight, and possibly lower your cholesterol to reduce your risk of heart disease
• Reduce your carbon footprint. According to World Watch magazine, “recent analysis by Goodland and Anhang finds that livestock and their byproducts actually account for at least 32.6 billion tons of carbon dioxide per year, or 51 percent of annual worldwide GHG emissions.” Hmm. That’s a mouthful.
Meatless Monday is a non-profit initiative in association with the John Hopkins’ Bloomberg School of Health. Their goal is to reduce meat consumption by 15% for healthier population and a healthier earth. Check out the Meatless Monday website for more information on the impact that going meatless may have, meatless recipes and related articles.
P. S. – The veggie burger made for a really QUICK meal, something I’m often in need of on a week-night. Next week perhaps I’ll be more creative with Meatless Monday. Stay tuned. Also, I had this idea brewing…. maybe a Meatless Monday supper group once a month? What do you think?
November 23, 2009
Last Thursday night I stopped by Organic Harvest, a small, locally owned organic grocery in the south of town. I was late coming home from work and desperate to find an easy dinner that I could pick up and take home; preferably something already prepared. Preferably NOT a fast-food hamburger! I was pleased and surprised to find that this little family-owned grocery has added a small, all-organic cafe, apparently serviced by a part-time chef who has worked for Whole Foods, among others. A beautiful spinach and mushroom quiche sat in the glass case and called my name. My wish was granted. I bought the quiche, some organic pears and a slice of date bread, hopped in my car and headed home. Dinner was served. But, that is not what this story is about.
Also in the glass case was a bowl filled with roasted root vegetables. I looked at them wistfully. In an earlier post, I lamented over my lack of knowledge concerning Butternut Squash. Looking at that bowl full of beautiful veggies, in all their fall color, made me want to revisit the humble Butternut Squash. So I did. And more.
Butternut squash, it turns out, is not as vexing as it first appears. The kind folks over at Eating Alabama sent me a fab recipe for their own butternut squash soup. (thank you, guys, the soup turned out terrific!) The soup was not difficult and turned out to be delicious. But, still I yearned for a quick and easy prep method for this autumn staple.
Tonight, I roasted sweet potatoes and butternut squash together. It was really, really good. But, I had to pretend to myself that the squash was local, when in reality it came from Michigan. (Again.) But, as I gain confidence in cooking seasonally, I’ll make more of an effort to find locally grown varieties. I simply tossed cubed squash and sweet potatoes lightly in olive oil, seasoned with fresh rosemary, and added a light sprinkling of sea salt, nutmeg and cinnamon. 30 minutes at 400 degrees to nirvana. Lordy, it was good!
Being on a root vegetable binge, I also decided to experiment with turnips. This is hard to believe, since I am from the south, but I have never (as far as I can remember) eaten a turnip. So, I bought 2 turnips (which turned out to be plenty for me and the other 2 people at my table), tossed them in a saute pan with fresh garlic, minced onion, butter and olive oil. I had peeked inside a cookbook by Maya Angelou and came across a recipe for turnips that called for cloves and butter. I figured if it was good enough for Maya, it was good enough for me. I sauteed the turnips, garlic and onion until the turnips were fork tender, then poured in a bit of white wine and sprinkled with ground cloves and sugar. Oh yeah! I think I’m getting the hang of root vegetables!
November 19, 2009
Two years ago I moved (downsized) into a new home. I love it! Love the smaller size of the house! Love the coziness! Along with the move came the opportunity to replace all of my old, energy hogging appliances with new, more efficient appliances. I have to admit, when I was picking out those shiny, new appliances, my purchasing decisions were based more on aesthetics rather than efficiency. I hadn’t yet begun to consider how my choices might affect the environment, or even my own power bill! Luckily for me, I think I accidentally made at least one good choice, and that was my front-loading Samsung washer and matching dryer. First, it’s pretty! Second, it is large, and efficient!
I knew that front-loading washing machines were supposed to be more eco-friendly because they use less water. Front-loading washers use 40-75% less water and 30-85% less energy than typical top-loaders. I just figured I wouldn’t have to stoop over so far to load and unload the darn thing.
Added benefits that I didn’t consider are:
• front-loaders normally last longer than a top-loading washing machine.
• clothes may last longer, because of the gentler washing action in a front-loading machine
• you may save energy costs on your dryer as well, because front-loading washers squeeze more water out of the clothes, requiring less drying time.
What I discovered after using my front-loader a few times is this: a front-loader takes twice as long to wash a load of clothes. I’m saying, if you need a clean pair of underwear in an hour, forget it! The upside is…. I can fit ALOT of clothing in the washer all at one time, without overloading the drum. Big stuff, too, like bedspreads and towels. And, a front-loading washing machine really does use a lot less water. Another thing I realized, a little late, the manufacturer strongly recommends that you use HE washing detergents, because they produce less suds.
OK. If you’ve shopped for HE detergents, you may have run across the same problem I have. The selection is slim! Twice I have come home with more eco-friendy detergent options only to realize that the product I’ve brought home is not conducive to a front-loading washer.
According to Jodi Helmer, in The Green Year, powdered laundry deteregent is more earth-friendly than liquid detergent. Have you actually found powdered laundry detergent for an HE machine? I’d like to know. My local grocery (Publix) only carries liquid HE detergents. And, why is powdered better? According to Jodi, liquid is comprised of 80% water, a nonrenewable resource. ”if 20,000 Americans switched to powdered detergent, it would save 55,000 gallons of water per year”. After looking online, I discovered that good old Tide deteregent is actually available in an HE formulated powder. (FYI- Tide is a Proctor-Gamble product, so doesn’t have NPE, a nasty chemical you wouldn’t want in your water). You can easily order powedered Tide HE online through Amazon, and others, but I’m hoping to find it locally. In the meantime, I’ll be researching other powdered deteregent options for front-loading washing machines. Bottom line… save water and energy with a front loader, but use a little more energy to search out an eco-friendly laundry detergent.
November 18, 2009
Backyard salad isn’t completely accurate. My salad is actually in my front yard. I’m experimenting with a small lettuce patch to see if there is enough sun in this spot to make veggies grow. This little patch of dirt is right next to my driveway. I built up a small bed and filled it with good dirt, although I didn’t have any compost. Butter-crunch lettuce, Romaine and Red Leaf lettuce is planted there. It was a little late in the season when I stuck it in the ground, but decided to risk it anyway. With my huge $14.00 investment, I figured there was nothing to lose. I water it sort of regularly and feed it Miracle Grow in place of the compost. And, I hope for the best.
Parley is in a small concrete pot, and I planted one spinach plant in the lettuce bed, just to see what happens. So far, the spinach is pretty sad. The parsley, however, is sprightly, and the lettuce is bright green and healthy looking. Every day I go out and sweep the leaves away from the base of each plant. I am amazed at how delicate the leaves are. They are sweet and fragile. Those little plants make me smile each day as I am getting in the car to head out for work.
I am praying that the first frost doesn’t come for quite some time, at least not until I can harvest at least one dinner salad from my little plot. I was afraid the rabbits would come and nibble, enjoying my salad before I had a chance to taste it, but so far this hasn’t happened. I did spread Cayenne pepper around the bed to keep those little furry guys away, but I really think I’ve just been lucky. Today I went to the grocery and bought Romaine and Red Leaf lettuce. I hated doing that, knowing that oh, so soon, I could have my own fresh lettuce! If the cold weather holds off, we may be enjoying a very fresh and very local salad at Thanksgiving. I love this.
November 16, 2009
We have cancelled the Thanksgiving turkey. I remembered that my mother once told me about a dish that her mother prepared for Thanksgiving. I love the idea of serving a dish that reaches far back into our family archives. We re making chicken and dressing just like my grandmother (Pick)(yes, that’s what we called her) used to make. When I asked my mother if she had the recipe, she answered “Well, yes, sort of.”
This is not a “recipe” sort of dish. It’s more of a throw it together kind of dish. Basically, its dressing with a whole chicken cut up and served in with the dressing. We’re going for it! I feel better. I won’t be buying a “pre-processed” turkey bird, or spending untold hours trying to figure out how to cook the thing. I’m sure I can put my hands on a whole organic chicken, and it will feel very special to prepare this family dish. I’m also hoping that I can resurrect the recipe for Maple Cookies that belonged to my mother-in-law. There is plenty of family history in those cookies and I would love to include those in our menu. Hopefully the recipe has not become lost to the world with the passing of my dear Mary Frances! What joy and connection to prepare recipes handed down from the generations.
November 12, 2009
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