Despite the fact that I have made just about everything homemade this past week my trip to the recycling bins could have proved otherwise. My bins were full! I have finally convinced my husband that diet Coke is not good for him so hopefully all those cans will begin to disappear:) (They actually already have) So where does all the other stuff come from? Cereal boxes, milk containers, and toilet paper and paper towel rolls to name a few. Sorry, but I do not see myself cutting any of those out. I will continue to recycle and hope that the difference made is enough to justify the things I am not willing to go without.
I have enjoyed the cooking and the eating of all the foods I've made this week. Take a look at all these goodies.
I made a fresh pizza with a whole wheat crust. I made whole wheat hamburger buns and reused leftovers for mini pizzas. The hamburgers were made with organic beef and homemade avocado topping. I actually made a spinach quiche with a whole wheat crust. I just substituted olive oil in place of the vegetable shortening and whole wheat flour instead of white. It wasn't as pliable so I pressed into my pie dish and it worked great! The easiest dish of all is potatoes and onions cooked in a splash of olive oil with rosemary sprigs. Wow these are so good. I actually added carrots last night and sprinkled cheese on top and served with whole wheat flax seed rolls for the meal. If nothing else my family is not eating preservatives or a diet high in sodium or bad fat.
I have to say if you are going to make most of your foods homemade there are a few kitchen appliances that are a must. I could not go without my KitchenAid mixer, my Cuisinart food processor, and my Vitamix blender. These 3 products are awesome! I have had them for years and they work great. It is so well worth the extra money to buy a good one than keep replacing cheap ones (this is green too!). I have had my Cuisinart processor for probably 13 years or more. I can make smoothies, soups, breads, sauces, and so much more with these.
I am not posting recipes this time. Most of my recipes I come up with by using ones I find online and tweaking them to make them healthier. There are others posted on earlier blogs. I ALWAYS use olive oil. I never use vegetable oil for cooking because olive oil is so much better for you. I replace eggs some of the time with egg replace for Eli. I have started using whole wheat flour instead of bleached white flour for the health benefits. It really isn't difficult to change out ingredients and get a good result. I hope this will get you cooking and trying healthier alternatives. And as always keep checking back for more green living ideas!
