Happy 2015!

I hope you had a blessed, beautiful holiday season this year and that you are excited about 2015! I miss blogging. No grandiose visions of making money or having thousands of readers -- but written things. Writing usually equals having to think about things, and that has to be good for a person!

Since January is a great time to look over things that we'd like to change, I noticed about three things that intertwine with each other that I think I want to improve for me and this house this coming year: save money, be healthier, be greener. Yeah, I am sure these goals are pretty common and are also really, really vague. (I have specific steps in mind!)

But I like these three things because they are super interconnected. My thought process is that we save money when we don't have to keep buying things. Herp derp derp, everyone knows that. However, there are a lot of things that we don't realize we have to constantly refill and repurchase that we could easily replace with something that lasts. Most of those kinds of things things are everyday products that end up in the garbage, and then a landfill. We can also save money by taking the slow way of cooking rather than the quick way with processed, prepackaged foods, which also end up with a lot of trash!

Lots of things done just a little more slowly, the old-fashioned way, makes a huge difference.

Are you thinking of making some changes along these lines, too? Here are some of my favorite things that I found that you might like!

1. Planet Wise Reusable Snack Bags

Image from planetwiseinc.com

I find that I don't go through plastic zipper bags that fast since it's generally just a few people using them, but they still often hold a little bit of food or one toothbrush for travel, and then end up in the trash. These are really cute reusable snack bags (made in the U.S. -- awesome!) that you can use, throw in your washing machine in a cold wash, leave to dry, and use again! 

I had some Paypal money sitting around from using Smart App and Ibotta, so I grabbed a couple of these from Nicki's Diapers since through this retailer, they ship for free and you get reward points you can use later. 

Yes, it's primarily a cloth diaper store, but they also have other reusable home products that can help presently kid-free families (like us, obvi). And we plan on using cloth diapers someday when we do have kids because of the cheapness and environmental impact, so if you are going to be entering the world of parenting a baby anytime soon, that's something else you can totally look into to save money and be green! 

2. Topping Sweet Potatoes with... Everything

My sweet potato bounty!

Huh?

The inspiration came from this recipe for paleo pulled pork topped sweet potatoes. Now, I am not really a big believer in the paleo diet, per se, but this combo sounded SO GOOD. It got me thinking about what else you could put on a baked sweet potato. Maybe some kind of cordon bleu with chicken, ham, and swiss? A Mexican style topping of ground turkey, salsa, cheese and sour cream?

Sweet potatoes are a whole food packed with nutrients. They also happen to be pretty cheap and filling, and last a while if you store them in a cool, dark place. Incorporating them into more dinners by sweet potato-fying your regular casseroles and crockpot meals is smart for your health and wallet. 

3. Grocery Shopping with a System EVERY Time

Me, in the college days, holding a leek at Publix. Why? I don't know. My bangs were also turnt up due to the Florida humidity that I don't miss. This just fits the grocery shopping theme, I guess? I miss being that tan. :'(

I am far from a crazy coupon lady. We don't get any newspapers, for starters, so we don't get coupons in the mail -- just printing them once in a while or using them exclusively in an online format. The stockpiling and clearing out entire stores that you see on TV isn't what I am interested in for a few reasons:

A. Too much time

B. Too much effort

C. Too much shame (I am a major people-pleaser and I can't stand taking up tons of time in line!)

D. Too much junk food that I don't want to eat

The last point is probably the biggest one -- you usually can't use coupons to save on fresh fruits and veggies. They often are for things such as sugary cereal, which we really don't eat even when we have it, so it'd be a waste. (Although if Oreo O's came back, this would be a totally different story. Dlahsdlifhalisudhf crying.)

And we're trying to eat healthier, so how do you get fresh and better foods on a budget?

I've already blogged before about what I usually do here, but I realized that a gap in my system is menu planning. This is huge. Being realistic about what I have time and energy to cook, and what we will really like is key. Will it make good leftovers that we actually want to eat? Does it reheat well? What sides go with the main entreés we like? Can the ingredients for these sides be used in other sides later in the week? 

It may take time to see how best to plan menus for you, after seeing what leftovers you really don't want to eat or what groceries are going bad before you can use them again. Set up multiple reminders to bring leftovers to lunch the next day, or when certain things in the fridge go bad so you can use them up! 

And when you plan that menu, save that money. Then, proceed to drop the mic.

4. Mrs. Meyer's Hand Soap

Image from mrsmeyers.com. Drool. This scent is one of my faves. Thanks to my brother for introducing this stuff to me.

Although this truth might not seem to jive with the other things I talk about, you need to know: I am extremely biased against all things "crunchy," or hippie. 

How can this be? I bought reusable snack bags!

I will never go "no poo" and wash my hair with vinegar. I prefer using over-the-counter medicine for sickness over teas and garlic. I think that essential oils are mostly voodoo science. I will not give up my Urban Decay eyeshadows and start making them out of cocoa powder or whatever. (You're totally free to disagree with any of the above, by the way!)

My point: yo no soy hippie.

However, if there is a more eco-friendly alternative with more natural ingredients -- that doesn't smell like vinegar, and actually works -- I want to switch. There are some chemicals that I don't love having on my skin if I can help it. 

Here is where Mrs. Meyer's joins the party. The scents are so, so excellent; I love Basil, Peony, and Iowa Pine the most. The fragrances are from essential oils, which is still OK by me as long as no one tells me to start rubbing it on my feet to cure the flu. The other ingredients are more natural. And it works like regular ol' soap.

They also have laundry detergent, dish soap, and other products that are earth friendly! I feel the best use of my money is investing in the soap since it has the most direct contact with skin, so that's the only thing I buy from them right now. Grab some at Target or Meijer sometime and enjoy smelling your hands over and over without realizing it. (Meijer had an mPerk coupon one time for them to be BOGO, which is a killer deal, by the way!)

5. Handwash, Handwash, Handwash!

Ever since moving to Michigan... I have finally been able to indulge myself in my love of graphic sweaters without shame.

I have been über guilty of this, but I used to just chuck everything into the washing machine and be done. On the bright side, when I did this, it was with all my college student-era clothes, which tended to be on a college student budget, so nothing made out of silk or wool. Wool? In Florida? Who are we kidding?

Now that I've hit the middle part of my 20's, I've invested in a few somewhat higher quality things, such as nicer undergarments, blouses, and sweaters. The sticker shock can turn some people away from spending more on clothes, but if they are made better and taken care of, then they will last ages longer than the typical Rue21 or Wet Seal stuff, thus saving you money! And you'll look good, too.

Delicate items deserve to be washed by hand. Some people find it time-consuming and a pain, but for some reason, I have found it highly gratifying since I recently started. I like knowing that the items I really like and invested money into are going to look good. 

Good ol' Woolite does a great job, but if you're really going for the budget option, use baby shampoo! It is gentle and gets things nice and clean. Or, hey -- I bet my buddy Mrs. Meyer would do a good job. Turn items inside out and soak them in warm water with your cleanser mixed in, and then massage the pieces, focusing on the areas where you might sweat the most. Rinse with cold water, and lay on a towel and roll up your garment to get the excess water out. Hang to dry and you're good to go! (Ikea has awesome little octopus hanging racks that will work great!)

Whew. These are a few little things I've incorporated to get us closer to living the kind of life that we want, with more money in the bank, healthier bodies, and a healthier planet. Mind, none of these things should be idolized! They are good things, but not the greatest thing. 

Make plans to know God more this year, and love Him more deeply. Everything else should just point to Him, as we steward what He's given us in the wisest way possible. I should post later as well about what practical steps I am taking to do just that.

What goals do you have as this year starts off fresh? What tiny steps will you take to get you started? What bigger steps should follow? What inspires you?

Kicking off the new year with you,

- Lara

Homesteadin' in the D

Happy Sunday, friends! I love this day of the week, even though Darin has to work for most of it (fortunately, not during church!). This morning, though, we woke up really late from our night downtown! It was poppin' in Detroit from the Tigers game and we got home a bit late...

Fall is definitely going on up here already. The high has been in the 50's all weekend, and the trees are looking so good. Darin's birthday is coming up, and I start my new job tomorrow! All in all, I'd say that this season has always been my favorite for good reason!

Lately, we've been doing two things in particular: watching The Walking Dead on Netflix and making fall goodies in the kitchen. Oh em geeeee, that show is out of control. It stresses me out to no end. While we were on a Breaking Bad kick, at least I didn't really care what happened to any characters. But with The Walking Dead, they are seriously doing everything they can to give me heart attacks.

However, the fall harvest is a lot more productive and exciting! One of the many things I am loving about fall in Michigan is the apple-calypse. I hear the crop was lacking this year, but I have been picking up bag after bag of Michigan apples.

I pored over a few slow cooker applesauce recipes and decided on using about three pounds of Gala apples and two tablespoons of brown sugar, as well as half a cup of water, and then letting them cook on low for 8-ish hour, or on high for 4-ish hours. After all that time, they fell apart so much that mashing them wasn't really necessary. Stirring them hard with a wooden spoon, as well as cutting some of the skins apart -- which I left in, for vitamins and ease, and it worked great -- did all the mashing needed. And, voila! I had applesauce! It would so good hot on vanilla ice cream, or cold like we usually eat it. Darin loved it too!

The best part is that it is SO healthy! The tiniest bit of brown sugar enhances the natural sweetness of the apples. I think the slow cooker does a great job of keeping the flavor locked in as the apples break down and dissolve.

Now, today's adventure was a little beyond anything I've attempted before... apple butter! I've had it at Cracker Barrel, I've seen it at TJ Maxx, I love it. It tastes like the essence of what apple should be. And, thanks for the millionth time to Pinterest, I saw the slow cooker version that would push me to making it on my own!

This was my inspiration: Slow Cooker Naked Apple Butter at Oh She Glows. Her recommendation is adding no sugar at all, making the healthiest and most natural apple butter possible. I went out and bought a decent variety of apples, following her advice of going half tart and half sweet. I got pounds and pounds of Red Delicious, Granny Smith, Gala, and Jonathan apples to balance out the flavors, and then chopped them up and overstuffed the slow cooker, and set it to go on high for 4 hours. I used my immersion blender to blend it to death, until it was chunk free and smooth as velvet. Even at that point it tasted amazing.

I added a tablespoon of brown sugar just for my taste, and a squirt of lemon juice and a good dash of cinnamon. I let it keep going for another hour to thicken up. 

It is the most heavenly thing I've ever cooked in my life. Even compared to my favorite mint chocolate chip cake. Sweet Lord. This is an inexpensive homemade concoction you've got to try! I can't wait to make biscuits and smother them with this stuff!

Today's try was just to see how it turned out, but next time I'm putting my new canning water bath to work! Thanks Amazon gift card! Hope y'all like apples, because these may be my gifts of choice to give from now on... Anyways, happy fall and October, friends! I know my Floridian friends aren't getting much of that yet, but for us here in Michigan, I hope you're having as much fun as I am!

Love, Lara

A snapshot of the beauty in our neighborhood. Love ya, October!

Shower #2

Can you say "coming up fast"!? Dang. 17 days until my love arrives in Florida, and 20 until we become Mr. & Mrs. It needs to feel as soon as it is -- there's a lot to do that I am twiddling my thumbs about! I always work best under pressure but school is probably a little different than my once-in-a-lifetime day of getting married. :|

I had an absolute blast at my second bridal shower in Tampa! This one was focused on the friends I made while I attended USF, whom I met through Campus Crusade for Christ (now Cru, btw), dorms, classes, and all kinds of school-tastic things. My roomies/bridesmaids Lauren and Skylar, as well as one of my best friends Katie, all set up that delightful little apartment at the Pointe that I called home for a year to be a proper English tea party. Everything turned out SO FREAKING CUTE. Lauren borrowed a bunch of tea cups and saucers from her grandma and mom, which were gorgeous and legit china. We hung some cute colorful bunting on the wall over our table of foods:

1. My FAVORITE kind of salad: spinach, romaine, cherry tomatoes, strawberries, almonds, feta, and raspberry vinaigrette. Mmmm. I got thirds of it during the shower, haha.
2. Lemon cake with lemon curd filling and vanilla frosting
3. A fabulous strawberry trifle (keeping with being all British and whatnot), which I didn't really use a recipe for. I just got a sweet $3 clear bowl from Ikea and layered cubed pound cake at the bottom, followed by vanilla pudding, then sliced strawberries, and then whipped cream, repeated a few times with a pretty pattern of sliced strawberries at the top. SOOO yummy.
4. Absolutely not negotiable... tea sandwiches! One had sliced cucumber with cream cheese mixed with seasoned salt (just because it was all we had haha), and the other with my signature chicken salad recipe. I love mixing canned chicken with mayonnaise, spicy brown mustard, Craisins, chopped onion, salt, and pepper. Delicioso.
5. Of course, the classic Girl Scout Punch, but with some cherry limeade soda we found at Walmart and lime sherbet! Talk about YAY!
6. We also did up some homemade sugar cubes! Follow the directions at this tutorial.

The somewhat last minute favors we concocted were these adorable Ikea cookies with soft chocolate hearts in the middle... take a look here. We got some little Wilton-brand treat bags at Walmart and sealed them shut with yarn. Cute and easy!

It was so much fun catching up with friends, especially some I hadn't seen in a while! We had a memories jar where we got to reminisce about fun stories and such. And, without my knowledge, Skylar and Lauren played their own game where they wrote down what I said while opening presents and later presented it to me as what I will say on my wedding night. I haven't laughed so hard in a while -- watch out Darin! I am even weirder than you suspected all along!

It was the most fun and super fancy day. (I look so much taller than my mom! Yay!) I love my friends and am so glad to party with them before the big day arrives! Thank you guys for your love and good spirits!

Love, Lara

Living Better Now: Mexican Style!

Well, at least, this snack will be coming to the home of the future Clintons very soon! Especially while avocados are in season! :) They are seriously my favorite "vegetable" (?) that exists. Typical, considering how fatty and creamy and delicious it is. But it's a way healthier fat than most and was the God-intended way for us to have our silky hair and good skin. Yes, avocados! Thanks for everything you do!

I was craving guacamole but discovered when I came home that we did not have any tortilla chips. Bummer. Yet, there was something even better: regular flour tortillas!

I am becoming more and more a fan of making your own snack foods. You control what goes in and reduce some of the preservatives, fat, or other junk that sneaks its way into prepackaged food. Now, don't get me wrong. I only care to an extent. I cannot recreate the divinity of ranch Doritos, and thus eat them from their original source, which is Seven Eleven. However, I am trying to cut out more of this stuff when possible and go with making something fresh and tasty instead!

I used this recipe to make my own baked tortilla chips instead. Olive oil Pam worked fantastically, and I sprinkled a good bit of salt, fresh pepper, garlic powder, and some paprika for fun, and baked exactly as directed. The verdict is that they turned out super good!

Mobile device photo quality. But they browned and the edges curled up a little and they were definitely done! You'll notice they're a bit thicker and probably a tiny bit chewier than store-bought or restaurant tortilla chips. Those are usually fried, which makes them so delightfully crispy but quite a bit less healthy. And these were stinking good, so I'm not complaining.

I mashed up half an avocado with a squirt of lemon juice, a shake of salt and pepper, and a tiny bit of garlic again. Best lunch I've had in a while. I'll be doing it again!

Love, Lara

Grad Party

Well... the big news of the day is that I am an official USF GRADUATE! WOOHOO!!!!!!! Oh, praise the Lord for giving me this education and the ability to do what I did.

Yesterday was a lot of fun. My family (Dad, Mom, brother Robbie) drove from Orlando and attended. I have to say, USF has graduation commencement ceremonies down to a science and an art. I got there and was handed my card with my name, and could sit wherever I wanted. They ran it like clockwork. I guess you really have to economize when you have about 6,000-8,000 students graduating each spring. My particular commencement had about 780 students (USF puts on several each semester divided by degree). Lo and behold, despite writing my name phonetically on the card as instructed, it was still read wrong -- Lay-ruh, my patooty -- and made no mention of being in the Honors College. Oh well. I was Summa Cum Laude which I did not realize until I looked in the program. Nothing to complain about! I am finished, and that is that. :)

Tomorrow we are throwing a little graduation party at our apartment for friends still in Tampa to come hang out. Since I've got nothing better to do today, I'm getting started on our menu of snacks. Here is our delightful lineup:

• Mint Chocolate Chip Cake -- I wanted something green in honor of USF and this sounds to die for. Almost all our recipes we can thank Pinterest for.
• Tortellini Skewers with Pesto Dipping Sauce -- ummm, yum. And not hard! Inspired by a wedding appetizer.
• Chips & Salsa -- you know, always a good party food.
• Shrimp & Cocktail Sauce -- usually I don't bother with things like meat at parties because it's so expensive, but there's a bag of shrimp in the freezer I bought a few months ago and completely forgot I had. Time to use it up before I go!
• Peanut Butter Yogurt Dip -- easy peasy, I have everything on hand for this! Perhaps I can get some friends to bring apple wedges or graham crackers? I will also whip some coconut milk and add cinnamon for another nice fruit topping.
• Ginger Lime Iced Tea -- this one is so easy and so good, an idea thanks to my daddio. Make a gallon of unsweetened tea and throw in some sliced ginger while it's hot to infuse the flavor. Then add limeade concentrate a bit at a time until you like the sweetness and flavor. Tadaa! It's amazing.
• "Girl Scout Punch" -- at least, that's what I associate it with. Putting scoops of sherbet into ginger ale in a punchbowl is what I remember from Girl Scout ceremonies as our drink. Still love the sugary wonderfulness.

There might be more if we think of it, but not a bad spread for some college girls, right? My two roomies and I each paid about $13.00 and used stuff we had in our kitchen for ages to make this snazzy menu.

This afternoon I've been making tons of tea and cooked the tortellini so it can be ready to skewer up tomorrow. As soon as I discover the fate of my round cake pan, the mint chocolate chip cake can be on its way! MAN, it sounds so good I can't stand it. Tomorrow is not a day people should miss.

Congratulations to everybody who is finishing up school this year, and for the rest of you, press on!

Love, Lara