Cinnamon avocado muffins

A sweet & sneaky (in a healthy & delicious way) to start your day!

Who knew that avocados would be super tasty in baked goods?  Technically they are a fruit, so it only makes sense to add them to baked goods.  Plus with all of their wonderful health benefits (they are loaded with fiber, potassium, Vitamin A and beta carotene), it’s good to sneak them into your meals whenever you can.  Try replacing them in any recipe that calls for sweet potato or banana… just remember that the baked goods will be less sweet (but just as healthy)!

¼ cup of coconut oil (or butter), melted

1/3 cup of honey

1 egg

1 pureed avocado (or mashed sweet potato or banana)

1 cup plain yogurt

2 cups almond flour

1 Tablespoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon baking soda

1 cup of mix-ins (chopped walnuts, unsweetened coconut, mini chocolate chips)

1.)    Preheat oven to 350°. 

2.)    Mix together the coconut oil, honey, egg, avocado and yogurt.  Stir until thoroughly combined.

3.)    Add almond flour, cinnamon and baking soda.  Mix until combined.

4.)    Stir in mix-ins.

5.)    Fill 12-14 grease or muffin-lined cups 2/3rds full.

6.)    Bake for 20-25 minutes.

have kids play outside!

A recent study in Pediatrics highlights the effects a life lived outdoors has on teenagers.  Researchers at Australia's University of Sydney found that adolescents who spent more time outside were not only healthier but also happier than their sedentary peers, who were more likely to report "feelings of loneliness or shyness".

17 household uses for vinegar

Our good friends at MotherEarth Living compiled a wonderful list of 17 ways to use vinegar around the home!  We loved their ideas and wanted to share them with you!

1. Grease Cutter: Vinegar’s acidity lets it cut through grease with ease. Dip a sponge in vinegar and wipe to degrease stovetops, microwaves, dirty dishes and more.

2. Disinfectant: A natural antibacterial, vinegar makes a great base for any nontoxic cleaning solution. For an all-purpose disinfecting solution, dilute 1 part vinegar in 4 parts water and use anywhere germs are found, such as countertops, keyboards, shared phones, doorknobs and remote controls.

3. Toilet Bowl Cleaner: Clean, disinfect and deodorize your toilet by pouring 1 cup of vinegar around the inside of the bowl. Let sit for an hour, use a brush to remove rings, then flush.

Unplug!

Did you know that, “technology overuse is related to child attention problems, poor academics, aggression, family conflict, impaired sleep, developmental delays, attachment disorders, impaired body image, obesity and early sexuality?”  “ The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no more than 1-2 hours per day of combined technology use, yet elementary children use on average 8 hours per day!”?  Holy cannoli!  That’s a ton of online time.  Way too much for adults, let alone children!  

Going Microwave-Free… one month and counting!

I decided to conduct a little experiment, could our family forgo a microwave and not miss the convenience?  I am so happy to report that it has been very easy and extremely doable!  With little kids, a microwave is a great convenience for zapping leftovers and getting things heated up and on the their plates, quickly.  The speed, convenience and predictable outcome make microwaves feel like a must have… but they are super easy to omit. 

Reports and safety information on microwaves are very conflicting; the FDA states that they are perfectly safe, but there is a ton of contradictory information stating otherwise. Reportedly, with each use there is radiation leakage (the FDA states that the leakage levels are “insignificant” and “well below the level known to harm people” but radiation is radiation… NONE is the amount I would like circulating in my home).  Reducing our exposure to radiation is the main factor, but in addition, it is also well documented that microwaves change the chemical structure of food and reduces the vitamin and antioxidants levels in the foods after being heated.  I spend a lot of money, time and energy buying & preparing nourishing foods and I don’t want the microwave zapping away the nutritional content of our foods, so eliminating this appliance was a no brainer for me! 

If you want to do a trial or total elimination, here are a couple of tips to make the transition easier:

• I placed ours in the basement so we weren’t tempted to use it; but that it was still in our home just in case there was a microwave-needing-emergency (stranger things have happened in our house). 
• I only had one little saucepan and quickly realized that I needed to invest in another one.
• I have started using my toaster oven more often to quickly heat things. 
• I try to plan ahead more than before.  I safely pull things out of the fridge in time to let them somewhat come to room temperature before heating.
• I coordinate oven time and try to optimize any oven usage much more wisely now.  Before I would have zapped any leftovers, now I try to throw any leftovers into an oven safe dish and re-heat while I am cooking anything for dinner.
• When baking, I always allot a teeny bit more time because melting and cooling butter & coconut oil takes a smidgen longer.

Overall, I am so surprised at how easy the transition was, and the best litmus test of all, is not one complaint from the hubster!

we are on Pinterest!  follow our pinterest board for more ways to raise eco kids! 

Make your own laundry detergent

I am so excited about this!  I started tinkering with making a more natural laundry detergent and I created a recipe that works better, smells better and is much cheaper than my natural detergent!   Considering how frequently I do laundry, it’s fun to actually get excited when I get to make my home made concoction.  It’s extremely simple to do!  A lot of homemade detergent recipes call for shredding a bar of soap, baking it, etc.  NOT THIS RECIPE, it comes together in 30 seconds. 

This recipe is for one large load, but you could easily modify it based on the load you are doing.  Just remember that there are 3 teaspoons in a Tablespoon… so adjust the recipe based on your load size.

For a large load, empty the washing machine of any clothes.  Turn the water to HOT.  Add 1 Tablespoon baking soda, 2 Tablespoons Borax powder (found in laundry detergent aisle), 1 Tablespoon natural liquid laundry detergent (for the sudsing action) and 6-12 drops of bergamot essential oil (natural antibacterial that smells wonderful).  Once the ingredients are added, adjust the water temperature to your normal setting and put clothes in!  Your clothes will smell amazing and feel super clean after every wash! 

1 Tablespoon baking soda

2 Tablespoons borax

1 Tablespoon natural liquid laundry detergent

6-12 drops bergamot essential oil (or your favorite essential oil)

Photo courtesy of All Things New.  If you want to buy a natural laundry detergent for a loved one or don’t feel like making one, this is super close to my recipe and super green!  Buy Here!

  

The chocolatiest chocolate cookies

Do you have someone on your “nice” list that loves chocolate?  If so, we have the yummiest {and chocolatiest, of course!} cookie recipe to bake for them!  Unsweetened chocolate and semi-sweet chocolate is melted and then additional chocolate chips are folded in to make this rich, fudgy cookie!  This recipe can be made with either all-purpose flour or brown rice flour (to make them gluten free)… either way, Oh what fun it is to do holiday baking!

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips or chunks

3 ounces unsweetened chocolate

1 stick (1/2 cup) butter

3 eggs

1 cup granulated sugar

½ teaspoon vanilla

¾ cup all-purpose flour (or brown rice flour)

½ teaspoon baking powder

1.)    Preheat oven to 350°.  Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.

2.)    Place 1 cup of the semi-sweet chocolate chips, the unsweetened chocolate and the butter in a small saucepan.  Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until mixture melts.  Take off of heat and set aside.

3.)    In a large bowl, with electric mixer at high speed, beat eggs, sugar and vanilla for 2-3 minutes.

4.)    In a small bowl, whisk or stir together the flour and baking powder.

5.)    Add the melted chocolate mixture to the egg mixture and blend until smooth.

6.)    Beat in the flour mixture until blended.  Stir in the remaining cup of chocolate chips. 

7.)    Drop batter onto prepared pan by Tablespoons, about 2 inches apart.

8.)    Bake one sheet at a time, 8-10 minutes, until cookies are puffed and lightly cracked on top.

Optional:  when completely cool, dust with powdered sugar.  Makes approximately 30 cookies