Pantry Envy

Found this over at Re-Nest. I am in pantry envy. When I have a house...someday...I really hope to have open shelving with glass containers so I can see everything, and hopefully encourage me to purchase things with less packaging since I will be putting them in some sweet jars.

Do you have some pretty cool storage solutions that you want to share? Leave a comment and let me know.

TOMS Shoe Update and An Easy Step for Greener Living

So when I got the e-mail on Friday that TOMS had re-stocked their supply of canvas shoes, I thought, "Awesome! I am going to get the gray ones." (My brain isn't very complex you see. I think in simple terms.) Anyways, the e-mail had been sent out less than a hour before I was making the purchase. I went to TOMS site, clicked on the gray shoes, saw that my size was in stock, added them to my cart, and somewhere between page loads they went out of stock... BUMMER! But I happily settled on getting the olive color instead to go with my green fasination.

Here is what they will look like.

I am pretty stoked about them coming in, so that I can check one more item off my 101 List.

On to the next topic of discussion. I have been seeing that Reynolds now has Recycled Aluminum Foil in stores now and since I only use it on rare occasions (Well, more than usual recently since my oven is smaller that the one on my nieces' toy kitchen and most pans don't fit inside.) I haven't needed to buy any lately.

But I was curious as to how "recycled" it really was. So I had the Mr. google it for me last night (while I laid on the floor watching the boob tube doing nothing productive and enjoying the fact I had yesterday, today, and tomorrow off work).

Here is what we/he found. It is taken from Reynolds website, but it all sounds pretty legit to me and I will probably be picking some up the next time I need aluminium foil.

What types of aluminum are used to create Reynolds Wrap Aluminum Foil from 100% Recycled Aluminum?

Reynolds Wrap Aluminum Foil from 100% Recycled Aluminum is made from post-consumer and post-industrial aluminum.

Examples may include:

• Post-Consumer – stadium seats, automobile components, cookware, gutters and siding
• Post-Industrial – scraps from industrial cable

What are the environmental benefits of buying Reynolds Wrap Aluminum Foil from 100% Recycled Aluminum?

There is an 80 percent reduction in the amount of energy used during the process of turning recycled material into foil, compared to making the foil from new, also referred to as virgin, materials. Manufacturing and buying recycled-content products create a circle, or loop, that ensures the overall success and value of recycling. The process also produces fewer emissions, including greenhouse gases, and reduces the amount of landfill waste.

Is the packaging also made from recycled or materials which strive to reduce impacts on the environment?

Yes, additional features include:

• Paperboard – Made from 100 percent recovered paper that is diverted from the solid waste stream, collected, separated, cleaned and recycled for use
• Printing Inks – Reynolds uses water-based inks on packaging

Has anyone bought any of the new Reynolds wrap or TOMS Shoes before? I would love to hear what you think of them.

Pictures from www.toms.com and www.reynolds.com.

Jesus Wants Me For a Sunbeam

Pretty stoked about the new mixer the 'rents purchased for me over the weekend. I am a Sunbeam gal. My iron, hand-mixer, and now, real mixer are all Sunbeams. I feel comfortable with the company since I remember my Grandma U using the same mixer when I was growing up...and it is a heck of a lot cheaper than the KitchenAid.

I will post more info about it as I use it to see what my thoughts and feelings are.

Do any of you own a Sunbeam? Thoughts? Feelings?

Keeping Up With the List

Since I am working on actually accomplishing my 101 List I decided to try a new recipe tonight.

I made Kraft's Perfect Zesty Chicken Tortilla Bake. I cut the recipe in half and will still have leftovers. It isn't the most healthful meal, but it sure did taste good.

I used all-natural chicken, organic salsa, and unbleached organic flour. Otherwise I stuck to the recipe. Oops, except that I used Hellman's Mayo instead of Miracle Whip. That is a Mr. preference that I am not willing to fight.

Mine looked quite similar to the picture above, but we had already dug into it before I thought about taking a picture. Overall, wonderful meal. I would recommend it to anyone and everyone.


And sorry for the late post. Working on another one and my brain lapsed on getting today's out.

Picture from www.kraftrecipes.com

Glass or Plastic??.....Glass.

While I am usually a big fan of cheaper, I am learning rather quickly that cheaper now doesn't always mean cheaper in the long run. This really hit home for me when it came to buying food storage container, especially those that the Mr. takes to work for lunch. Seeing as though I make his lunch every day we needed storage containers because I wasn't willing to waste so many plastic bags or aluminum foil just to house his food from home to work.

So while we were in Colorado and the Mr. was in school we bought some plastic storage containers. Your typical Glad storage containers and the knock-offs. They were fine and did the job, but the longer we used them the more concerned I became.

The container got melty (not a word, I know) around the top of the food if I warmed it up. I started researching and found out how not good plastic containers can be! So I stopped putting anything warm in plastic and thought my troubles were solved. The longer I used them the less happy I became. The lids didn't always fit right. I still needed to buy containers for hot foods. I just wasn't happy.

So on a fateful day at The Container Store I found Snapware's Glass Lock containers. I bought a few before we moved back and have been using them non-stop since. I am thoroughly satisfied. I don't have to worry about potentially harmful chemicals leaking into my food, and I can microwave them and use them in the dishwasher (if I had one). The Mr. is enjoying them as well.

The downside is that they are heavy and not cheap. I view them as an investment and a little weight trainer (they aren't that heavy). Overall, I couldn't be happier.

What is your food storage container of choice? Any recommendations?

Picture from www.snapware.com.

Vinegar: The Wonder Cleaner

I am a firm believer in the power of vinegar. It is literally my go-to cleaner for just about everything. Mix it with baking soda and that about covers everything I need for cleaning.

I am a clean fanatic. I am not saying that my place is always clean, but when I clean, I clean. I used to love the smell of bleach and fumes that would burn the back of my throat because to me: Burning throat + Sneezing=Clean. I was always buying the new cleaner and worked "better than the rest" and all that jazz. But as I started reading and learning more about the environmental repercussions that cleaning products have I began to look for alternatives. I realized quickly that no one had anything bad to say about vinegar (besides maybe its pungent smell, but you get used to that).

Here is a list of different things that vinegar is great for that I got off the Mother Nature Network site. You can check out the complete article here.

• An automatic coffee maker cleaner (check the machine's manual first to make sure that running vinegar through it is okay).

• A food-stained pot and pan cleaner.

• A paint brush softener.

• A shower curtain mildew/mold remover.

• A hair conditioner.

• A weed killer.

• A multipurpose scouring cleanser.

• A carpeting color booster.

• A garbage disposal cleaner ... make white vinegar ice cubes to do this!

• An unwanted odor — tobacco, fish, etc. — absorber.

• A varnished wood furniture reviver.

• A toilet bowl, tub, and tile cleaner.

• A window washer.

• A vinyl floor cleaner.

• A fireplace soot remover.

• An ant deterrant.

• A showerhead lime deposit buster.

• An all-around fabric stain fighter.

• A washing machine soap residue remover.

• A rusty bolt loosener.

• A birdbath cleaner.

• A fruit fly and moth catcher.

• A naughty cat discourager.

• A sponge and dishrag renewer.

• A wallpaper and decal remover.

• A urine-stained mattress freshener.

• An all-purpose dirt and grease cutter.

• A pet accident deodorizer/cleaner/stain remover.

• A chrome fixture and appliance shiner.

• A drain declogger and deodorizer.

Need more reasons to switch to vinegar for your every need? Go here to the Heinz Vinegar Tip website.

What are your cleaning products of choice? Do you have more uses for vinegar? Share them in the comments section.

Picture came from http://www.heinzvinegar.com/vinegar-101.aspx.

Understanding the Labels

The Mr. and I were grocery shopping the other night, and we were coming across a lot of foods with the USDA Organic label on them. The Mr. asked me what that really meant and why should he care. I told him I had read about it awhile ago but needed to update myself on the regulations and why this seal matters.

The symbol looks like this. You probably recognize it.

If you are really interested in reading all the facts check this out. Otherwise here are the basic guidelines for the use of the USDA Organic label taken from the USDA website.

Guidelines:

• Labels that state that they are "100% Organic" must in fact be made with 100% organic ingredients (excluding salt and water).
• Labels that say "Organic" are made from at least 95% organic ingredients.
• Labels that say "Made with Organic Ingredients" are made from at least 70% organic ingredients.
• Companies may list organic ingredients in their label but cannot use the USDA label if they are not certified through them.
• Labels cannot say organic anywhere if they are made with less than 70% organic ingredients.

Do you buy organic? Why or why not? Is it something you think about when you shop?

Picture from http://site.savoieorganicfarm.com/

Kleen-er Kanteen for Cold Weather and Hot Drinks

As you may or may not know I recently moved back to my home state after living in Colorado a little over a year. So since I have only been home for about 2 weeks, I am still in the midst of painting and unpacking our new place. Hence the reason why I haven't posted a lot of my own pictures.

Anyways, as I was unpacking our kitchen yesterday I pulled out my Kleen Kanteens that I love dearly because they keep me from drinking from a plastic bottle, and the water tastes super cold and crisp like it did when I used to drink out of a metal cup at my grandparent's outside water pump. Good stuff. When I put them of their new shelf I was thinking that I wished they made something for hot drinks because the Mr. is a hot drink fanatic. He loves tea, hot chocolate, coffee, and hot water with Emergen-C when he is sick. Plus it has been 60 degrees or so in the building where he works, and the boy has literally 0 body fat so he has been freezing his rear off lately.

So I was checking out Re-Nest today and I came across a product review for Kleen Kanteen Wide Insulated. I am stoked about it! They gave it a great review, and I can't wait to pick one up to try it out.

Here are some facts about it that I got off of Re-Nest.

Technical Specifications:

• Available in 12oz, 16oz and 20oz. Comes standard with Stainless Loop Cap, a Cafe Cap is also available
• Insulates hot and cold food or beverages up to 6 hours
• Insulates iced drinks up to 24 hours
• Durable, double-walled construction and high performance vacuum insulation
• Slim design fits in most cup holders
• Made of 18/8, food-grade stainless steel, no liner needed with 100% stainless interior
• No BPA, phthalates, lead, or other harmful substances
• Extra-wide mouth (2.125")

Have any of you every tried one? What is your favorite hot beverage holder? Feel free to leave a comment. I don't bite.

Picture from www.re-nest.com.