Not long ago, I shared the method I use to make my own homemade pumpkin puree. So now, it's only fair that I share my favourite way to use up that puree, right?
The season of "everything pumpkin" makes me happy because I can do this and not feel bad about it:
Like many parents, my "eco-epiphany" happened after I had kids. The overwhelming desire to protect them from any type of danger, including toxins in the home, set in strongly. Making the decision to green everything in the home can be an extremely daunting task, so I took it slowly. I always recommend starting out with small and easy changes and then moving on to the bigger ones.
As we all become more settled into our back-to-school routines, get used to homework each evening, and the cooler weather sets in, I know my family tends to start spending more time indoors than we did during the summer. Your family is likely the same. But the David Suzuki Foundation is challenging us to do the opposite—they want us to get outside and explore the wonders of nature in our own neighborhoods this fall so we can learn how we are connected to the environment and how our actions affect it
If you have a baby OR are expecting a baby OR you know someone having a baby, AND you live in Ottawa, then the place to be this weekend, September 28th and 29th, 2013 is the Baby Show!
The only category I fit into in the list above is: I live in Ottawa. Even though I am well past the "having babies" stage, I'll still be attending the show. Why? Because I love supporting local businesses, especially those that offer green and healthy living products and services.
Back when the dangers of Bisphenol-A became well-known, I set out to eliminate as much of it as I can from my home. One of my mottos is “Better safe than sorry.”
Those little stickers you find on your fruits and vegetables, as annoying as they are, have a lot of meaning behind them. If you take a close look at them, you will notice each sticker contains a 4-5 digit numeric code called a Price Lookup (PLU) Code.
When I think of people I know who are making an impact on our world, I'm lucky to be able to name more than one. I know quite a few amazing people who are doing their own good things to make this world a better place and one of those people is my friend, Jo-Anne McArthur. Each and every day, Jo-Anne uses her talents, drive, determination, and passion to make her own special mark on humanity.
Pesticides and Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) are the two big reasons why most people try to buy organic produce when they can. Luckily, as demand for organics grows, so does the selection at the grocery store. This increasing popularity is a great thing, but often times, stores don't always have what we need when we need it, the produce is not always fresh, or the food is not local because it was shipped from the other side of the world. So what other options do we have? Organic produce delivery and Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) may be a good fit for your family.
When you read that title, were you surprised? When I first learned about this a few years back, I was pretty shocked. When I think of things that have the hormone mimicking chemical Bisphenol-A (BPA) in them, I think of cans and plastic products, but BPA in store receipts? What?!
As much as I hate to think about it, back-to-school time is just around the corner. Of course, just like every year, I will be buying the required school supplies and some new back-to-school clothes for the kids, but one set of items I don’t have to buy each September is new lunch gear because I buy reusable products that can be used year after year. Not only does it save us money, it also saves us from trashing these items at the end of each school year.
I have a soft spot for any woman who decides to take the big leap and start her own business. I know firsthand that it's not easy and that there are always going to be ups and downs. Even though the early days are exciting, they can also be a bit scary and hard. I owned and operated an online business for six years, so because of that, I feel somewhat of a kinship with other small business owners, which is why I always choose to support them whenever I can.
Before you bought your stainless steel appliances, your friends and family probably warned you, saying that you would constantly be cleaning them because every time they get touched, a mark would be left, especially since you have kids—right?
They weren’t lying, it’s true. But it’s not only the kids, adults leave fingerprints too and stainless steel appliances store all of the evidence for everyone to see.
I had big plans for this year’s garden—after all, this is my fourth year planting a vegetable garden so I should know what I'm doing by now, right? The truth is, I don't have a lot of gardening experience, I’ve just been learning as I go and for the most part, things have been getting better each summer—if I don’t count this year.
School is finally out and for many kids, this means summer camp is right around the corner. If you're like me, you want to send them off with the best supplies possible, with most, if not all of them being eco-friendly. So whether they’ll be going to day camp, sleep-away camp, or even if you are going away for a family camping vacation, these safe, eco-friendly camp items are must-haves.
I’m not one to back down from a challenge. Whether it’s solving a tricky website coding problem, teaching myself how to use my DSLR camera in manual mode (the pics in this post are pretty good, right?), or even making a lotion that is healthier than store-bought, I’ll stick with the challenge until I’ve won. I’m stubborn that way.
For most children in rural Ghana, Africa, a bicycle received through the The Cadbury Bicycle Factory is something to be treasured, and in most cases, the chance to own one is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. This is why it is so important that they learn how to maintain and care for the bicycle—to make it sustainable. This is where the Village Bicycle Project team comes in.
One of my favourite apps on my iPhone is my TED Talks app. Not familiar with TED Talks? Here’s what it’s all about in a nutshell:
“TED is a nonprofit devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading. It started out (in 1984) as a conference bringing together people from three worlds: Technology, Entertainment, Design. Since then its scope has become ever broader.” —TED Talks website
When I discover an ingredient I love, I tend to stick with it for quite a while, experimenting with every interesting recipe I can find (hello, Pinterest!). Right now, my current ingredient obsessions are coconut and avocado (have you tried my Dark Chocolate-Avocado Pudding Recipe yet?).
Father's Day is right around the corner, and rather than sticking with the same old boring ties, electronics, and tools, why not go for something that is not only unique but also eco-friendly? Here are a few suggestions:
