My first attempt at coloring my hair with Henna... with pictures :)

As I've said in other posts, I'm trying to phase chemicals out of my life; especially those that go in or on my body. I already make my own "shampoo" and "conditioner" and other hair products. Honestly. my hair hasn't looked or felt this healthy in a really long time. Unfortunately, baking soda and vinegar aren't going to do anything for my natural platinum highlights (ok... grey hair). Even though I usually used a demi-permanent color I still felt like a hypocrite using these chemicals.

I had wanted to try Henna hair color for a long time. True Henna (Lawsonia inermis) is an all natural, flowering plant that has been used for 6000 years to dye skin, hair, fingernails, and fabrics. Sounds pretty straightforward...

Ethical Eating

AKA: How Documentaries are ruining my life

As I become more informed about how our food is raised and where it actually comes from, I get pickier about what I'm willing to eat. I just gave away all of the beef and chicken in my freezer. I've decided that I'm only willing to eat pasture raised and cage free meats. It only sounds crazy unless you've watched "Food, Inc" or "Food Matters".

I still had a bunch of Swai (pangasius) and shrimp that I wasn't sure what to do with. Both were marked with a "Best Aquaculture Practices" certification. If that's anything like being USDA certified, then it doesn't mean much. I turned to Google for answers, because if it's on the internet, it has to be true. Right?

I ended up at www.responsibleseafood.org Turns out, this BAP certification looks pretty legit. They have a 19 page guideline just for the Pangasius alone. It covers everything from environmental impact to animal treatment to employee safety and even community relations. For now, I'm going to continue to eat these products... at least until I watch another documentary

Here is link to a video posted by the World Wildlife Federation

"Responsibly farmed pangasius; a taste of things to come"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZvs_m0rrgo

ARTS AND CRAFTS: Kids Craftroom Redo on the Cheap (Finale)

Everything has pretty much come together, finally! I'm sure we'll be adding and adjusting, but here is the finished craftroom...

Mushroom Fries with Creamy Horseradish Dip

I really love mushrooms. They're fat free, low in carbs and calories, and high in a lot of vitamins and minerals

(www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=97)

Even though they're super delicious on their own, I can't help but love them even more when they're battered and fried and served with a creamy horseradish dipping sauce. 

I mean, why not take a healthy, natural food and make it terrible... 'Murica

I knew there had to be a way to make a similar but healthier dish. 

Here it goes... 

Grain-free, Dairy-free Portobello Fries with 

Creamy Horseradish Dipping Sauce!!

ARTS AND CRAFTS: Kids' Craftroom Redo on the Cheap (part 5)

All of the big projects are done now. The space is brighter and more defined. The Wigglets have 3 separate playhouses and a whole art wall. It's looking good, but I still have a LOT of boring blank space to fill; most of it is cold, hard concrete, too.

Off to the fabric store for inspiration...

Stuffed Zucchini

I has some leftover quinoa and lentils from other recipes I had made today, so I decided to throw them together as a stuffing for some baked zucchini boats. I have to say, it turned out even better than I expected!

This recipe was quick and easy, inexpensive and super healthy. 

Better Eggs Benedict

I was in the mood for a hearty, eggy breakfast. I wanted to keep the vegetables in there, but I didn't want to do another vegetable pancake today. I scavenged my refrigerator and inspiration hit... Eggs Benedict!

A breakfast of Eggs Benedict was always a treat growing up. It has everything going for it: salty, chewy, crunchy, creamy and slightly tart. The version I was accustomed to also had a lot of processed ingredients, nitrates and preservatives. I knew I could do better.

I had leftover grain-free buns from the other day, eggs (of course), a bunch of random vegetables and condiments. So I hit up ol' Chef Google for help...

 I may have dislocated my shoulder while patting myself on the back this morning, but it was totally worth it!
This version starts with a toasted grain-free bun, chewy/salty kale strips, and a poached egg topped with a super easy Hollandaise sauce...

Not sure if I'm more proud of the meal or of the photo. I actually took that pic with my phone! Yay me!

Sweet Potato Pancakes

I LOVE potato pancakes, but I was looking for a way to amp up the nutrition and flavor today. 

So, I give you...

SWEET POTATO PANCAKES

with Maple Cinnamon Dipping Sauce

Grain Free Focaccia-Style Bread

This bread recipe is super easy, and can be made in about 20 minutes (give or take oven pre-heat time). It's grain free, dairy free and it has a great texture and flavor. It's high in protein and fiber and low in carbohydrates.

You can make it as a single loaf (like focaccia) or divide it up as pictured for sandwiches...

ARTS AND CRAFTS: Kids' Craftroom Redo on the Cheap (part 4)

I still had my paint supplies out, but I was running low on my free paint. So I decided to paint a border around the floor. I figured it would brighten up the boring concrete a little and would also help define the space (play area versus craft area vs off-limits area). I started out just planning on making a sidewalk design around the outside. This would give them a path between their houses. Plus, I was planning on putting an area rug in the middle anyway. No point painting something that's just going to be covered up.