How to Make "Canned" Pumpkin Puree - The Easy Method

It's that time of year to make all things pumpkin! Canned pumpkin makes creating these delicacies very simple, but I recently discovered the joy and ease of making my own pumpkin puree straight from a pumpkin. The results are fresh and delicious and it makes you feel like Wonder Chef!

So, how about wowing the family at Thanksgiving by being able to say "Why yes, I made the pumpkin pie from scratch and using an actual pumpkin."

What You'll Need: 

• A Pumpkin

You can actually use any kind of pumpkin. However, it's recommended you use a sugar pie pumpkin (as opposed to a larger carving pumpkin) for the sweeter flavor and thicker meat on the inside. They're a little smaller (about the size of a head), but one pie pumpkin can produce an average of 3-4 cups of pumpkin puree.

What You Do:
 
The first time I roasted my own pumpkin, the instructions I followed told me to break off the stem, cut the pumpkin into quarters, scoop out the seeds, yadda, yadda, yadda. I learned this year, that you don't have to do all that. In fact, it's easier if you don't. I mean, have you ever tried to cut a raw pumpkin? It's tough. And don't even get me started on scooping the seeds out of a raw pumpkin.

So, let me tell you about the easiest way to roast a pumpkin for homemade pumpkin puree.

Homemade Pumpkin Puree Directions:

Preheat your oven to 375°. Wash your pumpkin. Place the whole pumpkin on a baking sheet or in a baking dish, put it in the oven, and bake for 1 ½ hours. Remove from oven and allow to cool until it's not too hot to handle.

Now it's time to get to the meat! Grab the stem and pop that baby off. Grab the skin and be amazed as it slides right off the meat. Once you've removed all the skin, you can (easily!) cut the pumpkin in half and (easily!) scoop out the seeds. (You can save the seeds for roasting into a tasty snack.)

Time to puree! You can do this a few ways. I prefer to use a food processor, but a blender or a potato masher will work too. Note: If you use a blender, you will probably need to add 2-3 tablespoons of water for it to blend properly. Just cut the pumpkin into smaller pieces, place in the food processor, and puree until smooth. The puree is now ready to use immediately or you can freeze it to save for later use.

And there you have it! Didn't I tell you it was easy?!

So, what will you be baking with your awesome, homemade pumpkin puree?

Banana Quinoa Pancakes - *UPDATED*

Banana Quinoa Pancakes are a big breakfast hit around here. I shared the recipe I came up with, but after making these for a while now, I've tweaked the recipe a bit. I've found the pancakes to have a better consistency by adding more quinoa and more egg. You can find the updated recipe on the original post!

Click image to check out the updated recipe.

Banana Quinoa Pancakes

Coming up with breakfast ideas is a challenge for me. I want something that is quick, easy and healthy. And on top of that, I'm a bit picky about what I feel like eating in the morning. Therefore, I've found a few standard meals we enjoy and make those all the time. However, I recently decided I needed to find an alternative to one of our beloved breakfasts - banana oat pancakes.

Grains tend to be tough on our digestive systems and can inhibit the proper absorption of nutrients. And oats aren't an exception. I could write a whole post on the topic, but others have already done so and I will let you research that yourself. Today we're talking about pancakes. ;-)

I wanted to experiment to see if I could find a grain free, gluten free solution and save our banana pancakes. The thing I loved about our banana oat pancakes was how SIMPLE they were and I wanted to keep that simplicity

So, I had to find was a replacement for the oats, without having to get into having specialty flours, because we really don't have any of those on hand. We do have quinoa though. And I figured that could probably work. So, when it came time to make breakfast this morning I pulled my already cooked quinoa out of the fridge and started to experiment.

And this is what I came up with:

Banana Quinoa Pancakes (*UPDATED 11/01/12*)

Yields: Approx. 20 4" pancakes

4 bananas
5 eggs
2 cups quinoa, cooked
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla

Preheat griddle to medium-low heat (I set my griddle to 250°). Place all ingredients in a blender. Blend until mixed thoroughly. Pour batter onto preheated, greased griddle. Cook until golden brown on each side. Serve with your favorite topping.

Notes:

• The key to these pancakes is cooking them with the proper heat. They are a more wetter pancake and come out best if allowed to cook slowly on lower heat.
• These pancakes cook best if you use day old quinoa or freshly made quinoa that has had a chance to sit and dry out a bit.
• In order to keep things quick and simple, I like to precook quinoa and freeze 1 cup portions. Then I just pull out the quinoa the night before so it's thawed and ready to go the next day.
• We like topping with coconut oil, peanut butter and a light drizzling of pure maple syrup. Other ideas are fruits, nuts, jams, etc.

I might experiment some more, but I'm pretty sold on this recipe.

Baking Soda Scrub

Cleaning the bathtub can be a tough job. In the past, I would have to use harsh chemicals to break through that impenetrable layer of grime that resided on the surface of the tub. However, when I decided to make my own natural cleaners, I discovered an easy solution for making that tub sparkle.

The best part is, the ingredients couldn't be more simple and they didn't include harsh chemicals. Plus, this scrub can be used for almost any surface that needs a deep cleaning to remove layers of dirt and grime.

I love, love, love this cleaner. 

Baking Soda Scrub

2 tbsp baking soda
liquid castile soap
spray bottle of vinegar

1. Put baking soda in bowl and mix in liquid soap a bit at a time until it forms a nice foamy paste.

2. Work it onto the surface you want to clean using a rash or a sponge. Let it set 5 to 15 minutes depending on how heavy duty of a job it is. (I usually move on to cleaning another part of the bathroom while it sits.)

3. Spray with vinegar and scrub away.

4. Rinse away with water.

You might need to do this a couple times to get rid of residue left from previous cleaners. Note: Baking soda is a mild abrasive, so do a small test on surfaces that could potentially be damaged such as stainless steel appliances.

Make Your Own Cloth Wipes Solution

Since before my son was born nine months ago, I've been saying I was going to make and use cloth wipes. I was already planning on using cloth diapers, so using cloth wipes only made sense. I even had cloth wipes already. But it just never happened.

So, I finally made the goal to start using cloth wipes as soon as I ran out of my current box of disposable wipes.

When it comes to clothes wipes, there are two methods: the wet method and the dry method. With the wet method, you keep the wipes in a container and pour the cleaning solution on top of them so they are damp prior to use. With the dry method, you keep your wipes dry and apply the cleaning solution to the wipe or baby bum via a spray bottle.

I was interested in trying the dry method first because it seemed easier to tote along in the diaper bag and I had heard you can have problems with mold growing on yours wipes with the wet method.

So, now all I needed was a cleaning solution. You can buy a commercially made cleaning solution, but why buy one when you can make your own! Making your own is cheaper and you can normally find all the ingredients you need in you home!

There are tons of cloth wipe solution recipes on the internet. I opted for a basic solution with some specific ingredients in mind.

• Soap - to cleanse and remove urine and feces.
• Oil - to help the wipe glide across baby’s skin and keep it soft.
• Aloe - to sooth skin and protect skin.
• Essential Oil - to use for antibacterial properties.

Here's the recipe I used:

Cloth Wipes Solution

1/2 cup Hot Water
1 1/2 teaspoons mild soap (I used a baby mild castile soap)
1 1/2 teaspoons jojoba oil
1 1/2 teaspoons aloe juice
1 drop tea tree oil

Mix your ingredients and pour into spray bottle.

You can use this solution for the wet wipe method by increasing the amounts of the recipe.

So far, I've been enjoy the wipes a lot. I feel like the cleaning solution cleans and nourishes my baby's bum very well. I'm glad I made the switch and wonder what took me so long!

Are you using cloth wipes in your home? What cleaning solution do you use?

Recycling: Turning Waste into New Materials

Over the past couple weeks, I’ve challenged you to think about waste and ways to control the waste we produce through practicing the tenets of waste management: Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.

At the beginning of this series, I talked about the importance of first taking actions to reduce the waste in your life. After reducing waste, find ways to reuse potential waste. Finally after completing those actions, you can focus on recycling.

Recycling is similar to reusing. However, with recycling you break down an object in order to create a new object. This helps reduce the use of raw materials and waste produced by the disposal of potentially useful materials.

There are two main forms of recycling: Traditional Recycling and Composting

Traditional Recycling

This is what usually comes to mind when you think of recycling. With this method, you collect specific materials and drop them off at a recycling center. These materials are then processed and manufactured into new products.

One of the reasons why recycling is emphasized as the last of the actions to perform is because recycling is limited in which materials can be processed. These materials typically consist of glass, plastic, paper, metal, textiles and electronics. Plus, additional energy resources are required to turn the old product into a new one.

Composting

According to the EPA, yard trimmings and food waste make up 26 percent of U.S. solid waste. However, much of this so-called “waste” can be put to good use and turned into nutrient-rich compost. Composting is very easy and just takes food and yard waste, something to “fluff” and turn the compost pile, space and a little enthusiasm!

Compost is a key to organic gardening and has a host of benefits, such as being an economic way to improve the quality of your soil, preventing pests and disease and educing or eliminating the need for chemical fertilizer.

Are you currently recycling in our household? Tell us about it!

Guest Post: Reusing Clothes

A big thanks to Sara Parsons (my dear sister) for this guest post.

Ever since I was little, I’ve gotten an extraordinary amount of joy from creating something from something else. I made pianos, cars, guitars and numerous other intricate play things from cardboard boxes and other household “trash”.

This joy has followed me into adulthood. However, I‘ve moved on from cardboard boxes. Today, my favorite repurposing medium is clothes.

This dress was constructed from a long
sleeve tee, a short sleeve tee, a tank top
and an old slip.

In our culture, clothes are a big deal. They aren’t just for covering our bodies or keeping us warm. Clothes are an expression of who we are. The ornamental nature of clothes results in a huge industry and a lot of clothes - a lot of clothes in stores and a lot of clothes in our closets.

All these clothes amount to a lot of waste and can lead to a sad pocket book. And personally, I’m not willing to sink a lot of money for something so transient. Repurposing allows me to enjoy a varied and changing wardrobe without all the waste.

So, let’s talk about the various ways to reuse clothes.

Secondhand

The most basic form of repurposing would be acquiring used clothes through hand-me-downs or consignment. And let me tell you, hand-me-downs aren’t just for kids. Clothes swap parties are becoming quite popular. My group of girl friends always sends around clothes we are cleaning out. You never know what someone may be in the market for. So, don’t assume you don’t have anything someone else would want.

Don’t have friends who are into hand-me-downs? Donate unwanted clothes to charity. But never throw away clothes. Goodwill actually recycles old clothes they can’t sell in their store.

I turned a pull over, hooded sweater into a
hooded cardigan. I added lace detail on the
hood and an applique flower for interest.

Mending

Have that favorite shirt that’s seam has popped? Received a great pair of slacks that are too long? Don’t throw them out or give them away - fix them!

Don’t have a sewing machine? Find a mom, grandmother or friend that does. No friends or relatives with sewing machines? That’s okay! Most basic mending only requires a needle and thread.

If your confidence in sewing is shaky, maybe you could ask that mom, grandmother or friend for a couple of basic lessons or if they can do it for you. But take this from a seamstress - repay them for their time in some way. Chocolate is good, or favor them with a skill you have. But please, don’t take advantage of their skill. Additionally, there are great resources on-line for basic sewing.

The skirt was made out of two sweaters.
I used scrap fabric from other projects to
create the flower applique.

Altering

Sometimes there is a clothing item that you have a love/hate relationship with. Maybe the fabric pattern is to die for but the cut is lousy. Maybe that blouse is the perfect fit but kind of boring. Perhaps that over-sized men’s shirt is just begging to be made into a dress. Okay, maybe that last one is just me. The point is that clothes are full of potential.

My favorite repurposing project was my wedding
dress. I made it from an Edwardian style costume
I had sewn in highschool. It features antique
doilies and laces made by relatives.

Altering clothes can bring you into the exciting world of fashion design. Let’s face it, we all get the urge to get new clothes. But instead of going to the store, ponying up a lot of money and contributing to waste, why not try your hand at making your own clothes through reusing old clothes.

I admit, it takes a bit of creative eye, but it’s immensely fun and I highly recommend you give it a go. Pretty soon you will be seeing clothes like you’ve never seen them before. And it’s so rewarding to have new clothes that you made.

Having a sewing machine and some skill helps, but these things aren’t required. There are lots of no-sew alteration options you can do. The website New Dress A Day is a great resource for inspiration for taking clothes and making them into something else without a lot of fuss.

Sara Parsons loves most things artistic and crafty. And when she isn’t turning sheets into rugs and dresses, you will most likely find her trying out a natural. real food recipe, being a barista, or loving up her husband.

Reuse: Twine Wrapped Bottle Tutorial

One thing I particularly enjoy about reusing items is how you can turn something that would otherwise be thrown away into something that is really cool. I don't consider myself to be super crafty, but I do enjoy great DIY projects.

I admit, I’ve seen ideas for repurposing items that basically look like you’re using trash to decorate or organize your home. I like things to look nice and I prefer to reuse in a way that is in line with that philosophy. So, I’m always keeping an eye out for those unique and creative ways to reuse.

A couple years ago, I saw an idea in a Real Simple magazine that I just had to recreate myself. In the article, they had wrapped various bottles and jars in twine and used them as centerpieces. They looked so simple and elegant. Plus, the ways in which I could create and use these twine wrapped masterpieces were so varied!

And so I give you instructions on how to make your own twine wrapped gems.

What You Need:

• A clean, empty bottle or jar (I prefer glass because they look nicer.)
• Twine
• Craft glue
• Super glue
• Scissors

What You Do:

STEP 1: Apply a small, vertical line of super glue toward the top of the bottle. Place the twine on the line of super glue. This will hold the end of your twine in place and allow you to have a clean edge of twine at the top of your bottle. Allow the glue to set.

STEP 2: Apply a ribbon of craft glue along the top section of the bottle and begin to tightly wrap the twine around the bottle.

 
STEP 3: Continue to apply ribbon of glue as you make your way down the bottle. It’s okay if glue seeps through, as it will dry clear and help the twine stay in place. You can wrap the twine as close together or as far apart as you want. Irregularities are okay and add to the look.

STEP 4: Once you reach the bottom of the bottle, cut the twine, leaving a small piece sticking out. Apply super glue to the bottom of the wrapped twine and secure remaining edge of twine to the bottle.

 STEP 5: Use for flowers, decorative branches, as a candle holder and more!

 
Additionally, you can be as creative with these as you want. Use colored rope, add beads, stamp a design on the bottle, etc. to create the look you want!

Reuse: An Alternative to Throwing Away

Fork Coat Rack by JJ Evensen Art.

According to the EPA, Americans produced approximately 243 million tons of trash in 2009 (that equals the weight of about 665 Empire State Buildings). And if you break that down even further, that’s comes to around 4.3 pounds of waste per person per day. I know 4.3 pounds doesn’t sound like a big number, but in terms of trash, that's a lot.

So last week, I challenged you to take time to think about the waste you produce. I’m not asking anyone to do the impossible and completely eliminate waste from their lives. But I am asking you to take responsibility for what you throw away and question the waste habits you currently have. And we’re addressing the issue by talking about the tenets of waste management: Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.

After talking about the importance of reducing waste in our lives, let’s talk about the next step.

Reuse, the second tenet of waste management, challenges us find an alternative to an object that would otherwise be thrown away. This might be through conventional reuse where the item is used again for the same function or reusing an item for a new function.

Reusable Items

One of the best ways implement the action Reuse is through replacing disposable items in your life with reusable ones. This step alone can make a big difference in the amount of waste produced in your home.

Start thinking about the disposable items you use and their reusable alternatives. Paper napkins, paper towels, plastic water bottles, freezer bags, plastic wrap, plastic shopping bags, etc. are all items that are relatively easy to replace or reduce the use of through reusable items.

You might be surprised with just how many things you can replace with reusable! In addition to the commonly thought of reusable alternatives, a few other options to consider are reusable coffee filters, reusable produce bags, cloth diapers, cloth wipes, and reusable feminine products.

Reusable items might require an initial upfront cost, but in the end, you can save a lot of money through using them. And as I’ve said before, start with one thing, like a reusable water bottle and go from there.

Repurpose

Another aspect of reusing is to find an additional use for an item. What might have found the end to its useful life in one aspect, can have a purpose in another. The key to this alternative is to be creative and think outside the box.

The options for repurposing are truly ENDLESS. Those glass food jars can be used for storing food, art supplies and more. Wine and beer bottles can turn into candle holders. Egg cartons and toilet paper rolls can be used to start seeds in. And don’t even get me started on the craft options available to kids.

One Last Thought

As I bring this post to a close, there is one thing I’d like to clarify. While reusing it an important aspect of waste management, remember that reducing waste comes first. You can find great alternatives to throwing something out, but I am not an advocate of holding on to everything in hopes of finding an alternative use for it. I’m big on keeping chaos out of your home. Think creatively and have fun reusing items, but use wisdom.

So, join me this week as I share some ideas for reusing items in your life.

What are your favorite ways to reuse in your home?

Reducing Waste: Simplify Your Home

When I was a teen, I always had a hard time keeping my room clean. I know, I know, what teen doesn’t? But the thing is, I WANTED a clean room. I wanted an organized room. And so once a month, when I couldn’t stand it anymore, I would clean my room. And it would take me ALL DAY LONG.

It was kind of ridiculous.

I would often lament about my room to my younger sister. Her room was always so perfect and tidy and felt nice to be in. And so one day my thoughtful sister gave me a gift that really changed everything. That gift was Sink Reflections by Marla Cilley aka The FlyLady.

It was a sort of funny gift for a 16-year-old, but it was just what I needed.

I could write a whole post about the FlyLady and her practices, but one of the main things that book did to change my life was to teach me to get rid of stuff and simplify. She has an activity called the 27 Fling-Boogie, in which we would turn on crazy fast, peppy songs and run around our rooms for 15 minutes randomly grabbing 27 unneeded items and throwing them in a box to get rid of.

We would do this once a week. It’s crazy to think I had enough stuff to get rid of 27 items every week. (And we did this for several weeks.)

Slowly, but surely I started to reclaim my room and my stuff. And this was the first time in my life that I had really ever done it. I was learning to take responsibility for what I owned, figure out what was truly needed and what was purely unnecessary. And it felt really good.

That lesson stuck with me and shaped who I have become and how I view keeping my home. At 16, my eyes were opened to how awful I felt by having chaos in my life and how freeing it was to simplify the stuff in my room.

What does this have to do with reducing waste? Well, I learned that when you simplify the possessions in your life, you use what you have more efficiently and have a tendency to accumulate less unnecessary stuff and therefore produce less waste.

Here are some tips for simplifying your life to reduce waste:

Purge. The first step to simplifying your home is to purge those unnecessary possessions. Take a good hard look at what you have and start purging. For some this step is easier. Begin with one room and take it a bite at a time. Start with a particular drawer, cabinet or shelf. Look at everything in it or on it and decide if you really need it.

If You Don’t Use It, You Won’t Use It. Having a hard time deciding? Well, they say if you haven’t used something in a year, chances are you’ll never use it. And in general, I find this to be true. So, if you haven’t used it in a year, get rid of it. If there’s still stuff you’re not sure about, put a date on the item, stick it in a container and place it in the garage or a closet. If in a year, you haven’t missed something in the container, get rid of it. (However, I find through simply relegated an item to said container, within a month I have a clearer view of its necessity in my home.)

A Place For Everything and Everything in its Place. Once you’ve initiated the purging process, take time to go through each room and find a place for everything and make sure it resides where it’s supposed to go. This makes tidying your home so much easier. You don’t end up with that pile of stuff you don’t know what to do with that you just move from room to room.

Get Rid of It! After you’ve collected the items you don’t need, get rid of it! But do so RESPONSIBLY. You can sell the items or for simplicity’s sake, donate them to Goodwill or Salvation Army. Whatever you do, do it quickly.

Once you’ve simplified your home through purging, work hard to keep it simple. Before you allow something to enter your home, ask yourself if you really need it. I found that once I started purging my room of stuff, I had a better idea of what needed to be there. It’s a lesson I’m still learning today, but it is a lesson that becomes easier to learn through continual practice.

So, what are you doing to simplify your home?