Dirty Dozen & Clean Fifteen

Have you ever heard of this list?

I don't know about you, but I don't buy everything organic - I don't think it's necessary, nor do I allow for that in our grocery budget.  But, I certainly prioritize according to this list.

Below, you will find the latest 2011 most up to date lists that I've found.

If you are going to buy organic, naturally grown fruits and veggies (or grow your own), focus on the Dirty Dozen.  These fruits and veggies have the highest level of chemicals that will affect your body.

Dirty Dozen:

1. Apples
2. Celery
3. Strawberries
4. Peaches
5. Spinach
6. Nectarines (imported)
7. Grapes (imported)
8. Sweet Bell Peppers
9. Potatoes
10. Blueberries (domestic)
11. Lettuce
12. Kale/Collard Greens 

The Clean Fifteen have the lowest levels of chemicals that will affect your body.  So, if you can't or won't buy all organic, naturally grown fruits and veggies - buy non organic from the Clean Fifteen list.

Clean Fifteen:

1. Onions
2. Sweet Corn
3. Pineapples
4. Avocado
5. Asparagus
6. Sweet Peas
7. Mangoes
8. Eggplant
9. Cantaloupe – domestic
10. Kiwi
11. Cabbage
12. Watermelon
13. Sweet Potatoes
14. Grapefruit
15. Mushrooms 

I keep a copy of this in my planner - that I take to the store with me - just in case I need to reference it while I'm shopping.

We believe that locally, naturally grown is the best choice for our family.  We really try to stock up from our garden and Farmer's Markets during our harvest season!  Our goal is to preserve enough to last us through the winter.  But... this life is a journey and we learn more each year.  We're getting better and better.  Baby steps.

Hope this helps!  :)

No more brown apples...

 Sophie loves taking apples slices to school for a snack or in her lunch (because she can't eat a whole apple), but she gets frustrated because they are brown by the times she gets to them.  So, the other day we did a little experiment and discovered a little trick to keep her apples from turning brown.  Maybe you already know this, but I can never keep a good tip to myself - so here you go!

How to keep your apple slices from turning brown:

Slice your apple.

Soak them in orange juice for a few minutes.

They don't turn brown - and taste really yummy!

Don't forget to drink the orange juice when you are done.  No wasting!  ;)

I sliced a bunch ahead of time, soaked them, and put them in the fridge (in a baggy) overnight.  They didn't turn brown!  I've also left them soaking in OJ for a while in the fridge (in a bowl).  Either way, you can't mess this up.  The fun thing about the OJ is the flavor it adds to the apples.  Yummy!

Salt Dough Heart Ornaments...

I saw this idea in our Sunday Paper and cut it out to do with the kids this week.

I love sharing, so here you go!

Super-Simple Air Dry Clay:
1 cup flour
1/2 cup salt
1/2 cup water

Mix the ingredients.  Add water, slowly.  If you want to color dough, add food coloring to the water.  Form into balls and roll out to about 1/8 inch thick.  Use cookie cutters to cut out shapes (in this case, heart and you can get heart-shaped cookie cutters in varying sizes).  Once you have cut out the shapes, leave them to dry for a day or two (or bake at 225 until they are hard) making sure you flip them every few hours so both sides have a chance to air dry.  Then decorate them however you'd like!

I am thinking these will be fun for Daddy, Grandparents and Teachers.  Maybe even add a magnet to the back.

Homemade Whole Wheat Pancake Mix...

was another gift I gave to families for Christmas.

I purchased some cute, white bags that look like coffee bags - put about 4 cups of mix in each bag - wrapped the mix with a nice dish towel - and tied it up with raffia and tucked in a wooden spoon.  For some reason, I didn't get a picture of this one - but it was cute!

This gift was fun for neighbors or people we wanted to give a "family" gift.

I have been making this mix for a while now.  On my journey of identifying processed foods we eat and buy a lot of - Pancake Mix made that list!  So, I searched out a recipe that would work for our family, and found a keeper worth sharing.  Not only am I saving money, it's healthier for us.

A friend of mine asked for the recipe, so here it is!
(I keep the big batch stored in a large tupperware container in the pantry.)

Whole Wheat Pancake Mix
6 c. flour - 1/2 white 1/2 whole wheat
6 T sugar - I used unrefined sugar
4 T baking powder
1 T salt
1 T plus 1 tsp cinnamon

To Make:  mix 1 cup of mix, 1 cup of milk, 1 egg and 2 T canola oil.

Cook in your skillet and enjoy!

We also do Banana Pancakes a lot!  The kids love those.  To make it even healthier, serve with 100% pure maple syrup.

Let me know what you think!

Homemade Pizza and Pizza Sauce...

Here is something from our menu tonight -

Sophie's Birthday Party with Family!

This turned out awesome!  So yummy.

Pizza Sauce Recipe
from All Recipes

15 oz tomato sauce
6 oz tomato paste
1 tsp dried minced garlic (or garlic powder)
1 tsp ground paprika
1 T dried basil
1 T dried oregano
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp minced onion

Homemade Pizza
from Organizing Junkie

1 T active dry yeast (I used a packet)
1 cup warm water (100 to 115 degress F)
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
2 T olive oil
2 1/2 cups flour - I do 1/2 whole wheat and 1/2 white

Dissolve the yeast in the water.  Add the rest of the ingredients in and mix.  Dump onto a floured surface - a very floured surface!  It was sticking all over me!  Knead into a smooth dough (five minutes or so).  Roll out and press down onto a greased pizza pan.  Add some pizza sauce and your toppings.  Bake at 450 degress F for around 12-15 minutes until the crust looks crispy and lightly browned.  Dough can also be frozen as well.

Homemade Granola Bars...

A project of mine for the past several months has been to identify the top few processed foods we eat a lot of - and search out homemade, healthy recipes for those items.

Better on the grocery budget and better on the body. 

I also need items that can be tossed in the car "to go" at times.  This recipe is great for that!

I am excited to share a few of our family's favorite recipes with you.

My latest test has been this Homemade Granola Bar recipe.  I've tried a few - not too impressed - but this one is worth sharing - and YOU trying!

If fact, I delivered 3 to friends for their families to taste test for me and I received 3 "LOVED!", "So Good!" and "I need the recipe!" comments.

So, here it is:

I found the recipe here at Confessions of a Homeschooler
(who found it at Raising Olives).

Granola Bar Recipe

• 2 cups rolled oats
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup wheat germ
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 3/4 cup raisins (optional)
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/2 cup coconut oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9×13 baking dish. Mix together first 7 ingredients, then make a well in the center and add the honey, beaten egg, oil, and vanilla extract. Mix well. Pat the mixture evenly into the baking dish.

Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the edges are beginning to turn golden. Cool for 5 minutes and then cut into bars and remove from dish WHILE STILL WARM. Well unless you want to chip it out and use the crumbled pieces for ice cream topping. In that case, just let it cool as long as you wish.


Enjoy!  

Let me know if you try it and what you think.

 The girls really enjoyed helping!