Mambo Sprouts...Another Eco-Mama 101 Lesson!!!

I don't know about how you ladies are doing during this economic down turn...But I do know that it can sure burst your small carbon foot print, "green", organic, earthy Mama bubble...And easily at that! We are just trying to do all we can to stay green and sustain our healthly organic appetites...and I have come real close to stoking up on some Hamburger Helper and Ramen Noodles...Okay I'm not quite that desperate yet, but I have altered my grocery list a bit and my technique too! I just thought I would share a few things with you that I think are really awesome...

I love Whole Foods...and it's a lustful and life long kind of love! I love everything about it...The experience of shopping there full of pride about all the additive free and nutritiously rich, from the earth foods for my family...The feeling of doing my part when i check out with my reusable green bags (with out having to tell the checkout lady be to not put my items in a plastic bag before putting them into my reusable bags...That seriously happened to me once at another store, and it wasn't that long ago either)... So needless to say my heart has been a little broken as our budget as gotten tighter and I have had to enjoy my grocery shopping a little less and to find ways to save a little more...all while trying to not sacrifice are more green lifestyle!!!

And so here is what I did...I went to three different groceries and I compared all of my organic items and what they cost...I was shocked to find out that most of my items, same brand even, cost less at Kroger than they do at Whole Foods..Yep you heard it ladies...cheaper organics at Kroger...There isn't as big of a variety, but the basics are there and cost us less. So now I go to Whole Foods once a month or so and stock up and indulge in the few things that I miss on a regular basis, and the rest of the time I take so much pride in how great we can eat now at regular old Kroger!..

The icing on the cake is that I discovered that you can apply online for the coupon book that they carry at Whole Foods...and Kroger has lots of those items too...It comes directly to my mailbox and get this...it is even in the form of a little book, so no cutting needed!!!

Here's the link so you can get it in your mailbox too, oh and there are printable coupons as well...Happy Organic shopping!!!

http://www.mambosprouts.com/

Mother Loaded!!!

P.S. My new favorite organic find is this "no stir"peanut butter...Look for the one that says "no stir" on the bottle...It is awesome and never needs a stir before it's ready to be spread!!!

Thanks Givings!!!

I am a firm believer in Family Baggage and specifically the fact that we all have it...I like to think that mine is a little worse than yours but all in all I know that we all have it and that if you don't, your just in denial or unaware of what's really there!!!

There is nothing like sharing holidays with other families to make you appreciate your family (baggage and all)!!! I love DH's family and they are so sweet and appreciative of me...But Thanksgiving just isn't the same when you aren't asleep on your Mama's couch after eating the same dishes that you eat every year on this day!!!  I went and I ate and it was lovely, but it wasn't really Thanksgiving...

I was sad about all this for a second and then I realized that it was so nice to appreciate my crazy baggage carrying family!!!  Even with the awkward non existent relationship that I currently have with my baby sister...Still they are my family...and the ones that I am stuck with and whom are stuck with me...and no matter how gracious and loving, no one can replace that or produce a better Thanksgiving meal...It just isn't possible...

So this year I was thankful for my boys and my new in-law family...but surprisingly enough I was much more thankful for my crazy family that has been with me from the start!!! 

I hope you all had a great Turkey day...and that you were surprisingly thankful for something, and maybe family most of all!!!

Lessons from a wanna be Eco-Mamma (aka:hippie at heart)

First let me just clarify...We are not vegetarians, I am not a judge mental "granola girl" and I have never sustained from shaving my legs to make a statement, or given up leather shoes, but if I were to categorise my self to a certain high school social group...I would like to think that I would meet the standards of the earthy, bohemian type!

I am trying to teach my boys some of the staples of being Eco friendly and health conscious!..It is of huge importance to me that they too grow to be highly connected and grateful for this earth (I swear that I am not hugging a tree right this minute!!) In an age and era where the biggest craze is to have the most Hanna Montana and High school Musical Loot this is sometimes a very hard balance...Obviously I don't want them to be outsiders or freaks, but I don't want them to lose there independent selves to the desires of main stream either...

We can't afford to eat all organic and my boys watch what I think is plenty of TV(not anything that's not animated or that's about high school kids yet, but I'm not judging against those of you that have children who can sing every word and verse of the sound tracks)...To each his own...I am a firm believer in different styles of parenting and most of the time, except in extreme circumstances, I appreciate where other types of mothers are coming from.  After all, our kids are products of our selves and it would be kind of sickening if we were all in agreement all the time!!  What would any of us have to blog about then?

Now that I clarified all that...I'll get to the original point of this blog...Earthy Mama 101...In an effort to spread the knowledge and wealth of what it means to be in this category, I thought that I might spread the love every once in a while...We don't always have to be "balls to the wall," so to speak, to appreciate what this means!  We can all find the balance of being more Eco friendly...actually it is becoming more and more mainstream everyday...Our kids in public school now have soy milk along with veggie burgers and fake chicken patties as a lunch choice every day...I have  explained to my boys a few times already that this is the most bang for our buck...more nutrition and organic for the same price as their other lunch choices!!! If you haven't ever tried one they are really good!  If not better than the real deal, in my personal opinion!!!

So let this be the first lesson in being Eco Chic... 

QUINOA [keen-wah], a tall crop plant in the goosefoot family cultivated in Peru and Chile for it's small, ivory-colored seed, which is used as a food staple.

This grain is considered a "whole food" one of the healthiest foods out there!..It is packed with protein and other nutrients...very versatile and an easy substitute for other grains, such as rice and couscous!!!  We don't have it with every meal, although we know a lot of people that do...but even every once in a while it can add a ton of nutrition to your usual dinner...It keeps better after cooked than other grains, so I like to make a lot and keep it in the fridge as a quick side dish or addition to a wrap for lunch!!! check it out...I know you'll see how simple and beneficial it truly is to be a health nut!!! 

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=142