How do you feel about the Standard American Diet (S.A.D.)?

This is a new ad by Chipotle (super yummy Southwest food, if you haven't tried it yet.  For my local friends, there's one in Lynnwood!)  I think this is a gutsy, yet needed, message that Chipotle is sending out to their audience.

I love the music they chose- very appropriate and poignant.  What do you think?  Are you seeing your food in another light lately?

Let me know peeps. 

In harmony,

Leslie

Kale Chips

After ten days of spinning plates, a.k.a. piano recital, end of school parties, moving my mother-in-law, basketball tournaments, the start of kids camps, starting to pack for Africa, and couponing and food shopping for my 5 children (whom are all adult eaters- but luckily they are pitching in to do some cooking!)... I finally had my first day of relaxation where I could work in the garden, take a nice walk with Bono, and make some Kale Chips!

I've tried these before at health food store samplers...but now that I have kale in my garden, I'm a happy camper!  This stuff is better than I thought- and 1/2 my kids like it!  Now that's a winner!

So here's to healthy eating this summer, a few days of fun in the sun (hopefully more than a few this summer in the NW), and relaxing from the grind.

Have you tried Kale chips?  Do you have a special recipe?  I'd like to know more.

In harmony,
Leslie

Garden- 5/15/2013

photo by Leslie

Garden update:  I am reaping!  And I ate my reaping for lunch today!

Here is my spinach from the garden.  It weighs approx. 8 ounces.  I think that's worth about $1.50 roughly.

So here is my salad for my lunch: homegrown spinach, homegrown sprouts (2 ounces), feta, and Ken's creamy caesar. I didn't have time to make my own dressing today, but usually that's my go to dressing- homemade.  It was a yummy salad.

Grown so far:

rhubarb: 4 pounds

sprouts: 4 ounces

spinach: 8 ounces

To Coupon or Not to Coupon and clean eating

photo credit

You and I are probably aware that couponing isn't as good as it used to be.  Albertsons is going to drop its 'double-coupon' program around June, Rite-Aid doesn't have as many deals as it used to, especially the free items, and prices are going up.

So, what's a frugal minded person to do? Lose the game?  Give up?  Heck no!  Stay in the fight and rework your strategy.

I personally am in the swing of changing alot of family recipes- meaning, we are eating a little different.  We eat more out of our food storage and we are eating cleaner!

What does clean eating mean? My mentor is Green Smoothie Girl, who gives seminars.  Go to one seminar and you'll realize that you want to live CLEAN!  Believe me, when you do, you feel like you've brushed the inside of your brain with a toothbrush- yes, you feel squeaky clean through out your body.  So, it's a process.  I cheat and then I feel yucky.  This challenge- it's a way of life, but I can't snap my fingers and change overnight with 7 other people to tow behind me.  It is taking time with making new recipes, changing the foods in our storage (that means throwing out some naughty foods!), and learning about foods we've never really tried before.

It's actually an exciting journey and I rely heavily on my friends that are trying to change their habits and blogs of people that are doing the same thing.  Let's do it together!  So, yes, I still coupon a little, but not like I used to;  honestly, my budget hasn't changed that much.  I will start weekly showing you what I am buying - where and how.

When we clean our body, the music inside of us has a vessel to sing through!  Enjoy a clean eating day!  How are you doing on your challenge to eat clean?

In harmony,
Leslie

Essential oil- Oregano

Oregano is so unusual.  My go-to oils are wild orange, breathe, on guard, and peppermint!

But I've been hearing about Oregano lately.  It's great when you feel the flu is coming on and for sore throats.  And, read here about how this oil can help your chickens- you lucky people that have them (I really want backyard chickens but can't in my neighborhood).

My husband took it straight in water and didn't work for him.  I'll have to get him gel capsules next time.  But I'm a straight kind of person ( I can handle straight, pure cranberry juice! Oh, yeah!).

So enjoy some oils- on the bottom of your feet, or around your neck, in some water!  It's an everyday regime.  Gotta love it!

In harmony,
Leslie