Clean up! Clean up!
A few weeks ago I found a website about an under-sink makeover that took a lot of harmful chemicals out of our cleaning repertoire. I didn't rush out and throw everything away but I've been using my homemade cleaners a lot more and supplementing with a few of the old products I still have. I checked out a few home made cleaner books from the library and googled the topic until I had way too many sites bookmarked. It's a popular trend so the info is everywhere. You can make a solution to clean anything and there's a good chance you have most of the ingredients in your cabinets without even trying.
1) Vinegar - This is like the natural wonder product apparently. It does just about anything I need it to. The dollar store sells a large jug for a $1 and it's a very handy thing to have around the house. Did you know that vinegar is a weed killer? Or that you can make a vinegar and water mix to clean moss off of anything, even tree bark? Vinegar and baking soda is a well known combo that is great on tough kitchen counter messes. Vinegar and water in a spray bottle can be used as an all purpose disinfectant. Spray bottles from the dollar store are a cheap way to mix up solution to keep on hand. Apparently some vinegar is made from petroleum (??) so make sure your bottle says made from plants or something similar. I also read that stubborn weeds can be killed easier with a higher grade vinegar, like those that can be found at restaurant supply stores.
2) Lemon - Lemon juice or rind can be mixed with water to make a simple air freshener. It has taken care of some funky kitchen smells here. Lemon is also a disinfectant so it can be added to all purpose cleaner mixes as well.
3) Borax - I love this stuff. I use it as a prewash for laundry and it has helped with brightening and stain removing. It's gentle enough that it doesn't irritate the baby's skin (which is super sensitive!) It is a great product to soak that toddler tshirt that is covered in strawberry juice and popsicle stains. It can be used in bathrooms, kitchens, laundry rooms and on upholstery. You can find it with the detergent at the grocery store.
4) Seventh Generation All Purpose Cleaner - Okay so I obviously don't make this one but it's a great product. It has a good smell and is made from plant material. It kills 99.9% of bacteria and I use it as my heavy hitter for after meal cleanup and for the sink at the end of the day.
5) Plant based dish soap - I have seen several of these on the shelves at stores recently which is awesome! Sam's Club brand Member's Mark EcoResponsible has a great one that is inexpensive ($7.88 for 135 oz) and effective. It is made from biodegradable and plant based ingredients and contains no phosphates.
Portobello Burgers
I have a strong love for mushrooms. Pizza, salads, pastas, on their own - doesn't matter. So when Farm Fresh Delivery brought me two giant portobellos I wanted to do something wonderful with them. I hunted for recipes, invited Jill over for dinner and the rest was history. It was a delicious alternative to a big heavy hamburger. We had a pear and mixed green salad with homemade pear dressing and fresh strawberries. It was a delightful dinner with my favorite Jill.
Portobello Burgers
- 4 portobello mushroom caps
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- salt and pepper to taste
- 4 (1 ounce) slices provolone cheese
Directions
- Place the mushroom caps, smooth side up, in a shallow dish. In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, oil, basil, oregano, garlic, salt, and pepper. Pour over the mushrooms. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes or so.
- Broil or grill for 5-8 min on each side. Add cheese on the smooth top for the last 2 minutes.
Love for the Quinoa
We recently tried Quinoa and it's been a fun new alternative to rice and pasta in our house. So what is quinoa and how do you pronounce it. Wikipedia calls it a pseudocereal and a grain like crop. It can be found near the bags of rice or pasta. It's pronounced like keen-wah.
My first real meal with it was a Quinoa, Spinach and Mushroom recipe (found here). I loved this dish but Brad wasn't crazy over it. However, we attended the Green Fest in Indianapolis in March and a cooking demonstration gave us a new Quinoa recipe. Here it is:
- 1/2 cup quinoa, (rinsed well)
- 1 cup water
- 1/4 cup orange juice
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar (i used white wine vinegar)
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil (i used canola oil)
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger (i used powdered ginger)
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- Pinch of cayenne pepper
- 1 small mango, diced
- 1 small red bell pepper, diced
- 1 cup canned black beans, rinsed
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced
- Toast quinoa in a small dry saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, until it crackles and becomes aromatic, 4 to 6 minutes. *Don't burn. Error to lightly toasted* Transfer to a fine sieve and rinse thoroughly. Return the quinoa to the pot and add water. Bring to a simmer; reduce heat to maintain a simmer. Cover and cook until the quinoa is tender and the liquid has been absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, whisk orange juice, cilantro, vinegar, oil, ginger, salt and cayenne in a medium bowl. Add mango, bell pepper, beans and scallions; toss to coat.
- When the quinoa is finished cooking, add to the mango mixture and toss to combine.