What can be recycled as you entertain?

Recycle these with “numbered” plastics (there’s a # within the chasing arrows):
Plastic water bottles (please use a pitcher of water and make your party BYOB)
Condiment bottles/jars
Plastic cups & plates-clear or colored as long as they have a # in the chasing arrows

Any plastic without a # in the triangle has to be re-used or thrown out and unfortunately so do all those plastic forks and spoons. Party wisely my friends. Is it that hard to wash a sink full of silverware? Just load the sink with soapy water and dump them in as they’re used. They’ll practically was themselves.

Note: Each center has it’s specifications for recycling numbered plastics. I can take my food grade plastics 1-7 to the recycling center but have to take any non-food plastic to the bin in the Whole Foods parking lot for recycling. No big deal, I go there anyway.

Recycle with plastic bags:
Plastic grocery bags (please start taking your own though)
Plastic food wrap
Plastic food/snack bags-don’t worry if they’re wet inside, just zip them up and put them in the bin

Recycle the following with chip board:
Paper plates WITHOUT coating
Light cardboard such as cereal/cracker boxes
Butcher paper
Newspapers
Paper shopping bags
Paper towel and bathroom tissue rolls

With Glass:
Wine and beer bottles (and I KNOW you’re gonna have some of those)
Pickle/olive/sauce jars (metal lids recycled with small metals)

Metal:
Metal lids from jars
Food cans from tuna, veggies, fruit…

Aluminum (this is different than the metal lids from bottles/jars)
Aluminum drinking cans, beer cans
Aluminum foil and aluminum foil pie shell tins! Yes, used. Just wad up the foil so the food doesn’t make a mess and toss it in the bin.
Move your bins to the entertaining area and label each with a quick sign so your guests know what to put where. It won’t be that hard and you might be surprised at how many people welcome the opportunity. If the idea of recycling all of the above is daunting, fine, just recycle what you’ll use the most of. Drinking containers of any kind are about the easiest and most basic of recycling so why don’t you just start there.

If you don’t have curbside service, check out Earth911 or RecyclingCenters.org for a center in your zip code. An Easy Go Green!

Enjoy your festivities and please celebrate responsibly!

Solar S'mores

"We never do anything fun at school!" Oh how I hate those words. All is does is conjure up reminders of my own boredom at school and guilt because I'm not home schooling. Well thanks to her science teacher and a sunny day, I'm guilt free this weekend. My daughter's class made s'mores yesterday using solar ovens they made themselves. An old pizza box painted black on the outside to absorb heat and lined with aluminum foil on the inside to reflect sunlight was all they needed.

Within minutes the chocolate was melting and the marshmallows started softening. They topped them with another graham cracker and BAM!
S'mores...no bon fire required!

Cheap Summer Beauty Treats

Must Have’s for summer and they’re all under $10!

I’m kookoo for coconut! This shower gel is going to take me to the islands for as little as $9 and if you lucky, you’ll snag one of these at Marshalls or TJMaxx for half the price. Paraben-free and oh so yummy!

Saw this shell candle in a magazine and felt the sand right under my feet. Bath and Body works had me sold when I walked in yesterday and found it half off. I’ll take it. At $8.50 that adds a nice shore breeze to our bathroom.

Alba coconut lip balm. Soothe those sun baked lips and protect them without petrolatum, phthalates, parabens, or mineral oil. Alba uses 100% vegetarian ingredients and NO animal testing. The organic coconut oil smells delicious. For $3.50, this lip balm will keep your lips sun protected and smooch ready.

Those legs get quite a shaving over the summer and to keep them happy, try 100% shea butter. I’ll be honest, pure shea butter takes some getting used to. It has a nutty scent and is quite thick, but oh is it rich. Scoop a bit out then rub your hands together to soften it. Smooth it on freshly shaven legs to soothe the burn. You’ll love the healthy glow it leaves. I let the Shea butter absorb in for a few minutes before putting on pants-can be a bit sticky. This isn’t just for shaven legs so don’t be shy guys-you can use it too.

Pure shea butter can range anywhere from $5-$25 for the same size jar and everyone will tell you why theirs is better. We’ve tried several and are just fine with our $5 jar. Tips to keep in mind: shea butter should smell nutty but not rancid (I know…that one should be obvious). We buy ours from a small “mom and pop” shop and felt comfortable after talking to the owners and getting familiar with their import practices. If you feel you must go with a bigger company, go for it but know the bigger price tag comes with it.

Please note: If you are allergic to tree nuts, you should consult your physician or allergist before using shea butter as it comes from the nuts of the Shea-Karite tree.

Last but not least, good old fashion Epsom Salt. Perfect in the bath or shower for sloughing off dry skin and keeping those feet sandal ready. Epsom salt is cheap and easy to find at any super store. It also looks quite spa like in a glass jar by the tub.

There you have it. These cheap treats will keep you soft and glowing all summer long.

High Speed Blender Recipes

So you bought a high speed blender, now what? If you're like me, you have no patience for the "learning curve" and want it to be as easy as they make it look in the demo. Rest assured, you've made no mistake. Your decision to purchase a Blendtec or VitaMix was the right decision.

Though we bought ours primarily for "juicing", I do want to get more out of it. Here's a couple of recipes my girlfriend and I perfected to our liking one afternoon. Thanks Gina, it was fun!

No Cook Chocolate Pudding
4oz milk (you can use any kind you like: raw coconut milk, you're favorite nut milk or even regular 1/2&1/2 which is all I had the first time I made it so that's what we used)
1 1/2 avocados (may need 2 if they are small)
1/4 C cocoa powder-unsweetened
dash of sea salt
1/2 C Agave nectar

Pour milk in first, then add roughly chopped avocado. Add cocoa pwd, salt, and agave nectar. Secure the lid. Hit the pulse button until blended. We pulsed ~10times, then gently scrapped the sides with a rubber spatula and pulsed another 7-10. Put in dessert bowls (about 4 nice servings) or eat it right out of the blender canister like us we did.

Keep in mind you can make this a "raw" recipe by using raw milk, raw cocoa powder, and raw agave nectar.

Fraps like you know who
1C milk
3Tb sweetener/cocoa mix (Make ahead by mixing: 1C evaporated cane juice & 1/4C cocoa powder. You can store in a jar for continued use)
1 1/2 tsp instant decaffeinated coffee (MUST be instant)
2C crushed ice
Wedge of Cabbage

Start with the milk and add the rest of the ingredients. Your ice needs to come 1 inch over the liquid. Secure the lid. Select the "Whole Juice" button for one cycle. No surprise, this tastes good with or without the cabbage.

Jen's 4,3,2,1 Juice
Okay, this one's strictly for your health. I tried to make the quantities easy to remember: 4,3,2,1,1/2...(the 3 really represents 1/3 but I still remember it)
4 Kale leaves-roughly chopped
1/3 bunch of parsley
2 Celery ribs-roughly chopped
1 apple-chopped
Juice of 1/2 lemon
2C Filtered Water (may want to add 1/2c more depending on how think/thin you like it)
2tsp agave nectar (optional depending on sweetness of apple)

Use organic produce. I roughly chop everything before I add it to the blender canister. Then I pour the water over it all. Secure the lid. Select "Whole Juice" and let it complete the cycle. This works best in a larger blender canister. If you don't have a larger canister, no problem. Just divide the recipe. We store this in jars in the refrigerator to chill and enjoy within a day or two. Remember fresh juice must be consumed immediately to get the most nutritional benefit and to avoid spoiling. Bottoms up!

Free Health Screenings

Free health screenings for the uninsured or the flat out broke!

Have any suspicious bumps or moles? I know, right now all anyone can see are $$$, but our health is nothing to compromise. Thankfully, the American Academy of Dermatology sponsors free skin cancer screenings nationwide. Most screenings require an appointment and are available in May and June so please reserve your spot quickly. You can find a location in your area at the ADA website by simply typing in your state. Do not include your city for a more complete listing result. The site also includes answers to some FAQ. Have a happy and healthy summer.

Fraps like you know who

1C milk
3Tb sweetener/cocoa mix (Make ahead by mixing: 1C evaporated cane juice & 1/4C cocoa powder. You can store in a jar for continued use)
1 1/2 tsp instant decaffeinated coffee (MUST be instant)
2C crushed ice
Wedge of Cabbage

Start with the milk and add the rest of the ingredients. Your ice needs to come 1 inch over the liquid. Secure the lid. Select the "Whole Juice" button for one cycle. No surprise, this tastes good with or without the cabbage.

No Cook Chocolate Pudding

4oz Unsweetened Almond Milk 1 1/2 avocados (may need 2 if they’re small) 1/4 C cocoa powder-unsweetened 1/4 tsp Vanilla extract 1/2 C Agave nectar Pour almond milk in first then add roughly chopped avocado. Add cocoa powder, vanilla, and agave nectar. Secure the lid. Hit the pulse button until blended. We pulsed ~10times, then gently scrapped the sides with a rubber spatula and pulsed another 7-10. Put in dessert bowls (about 4 nice servings) or eat it right out of the blender canister like we did. Keep in mind you can make this a "raw" recipe by using raw milk, raw cocoa powder, and raw agave nectar.

4,3,2,1 Green Juice Recipe

Okay, this one's strictly for your health. I tried to make the quantities easy to remember: 4,3,2,1,1/2...(the 3 really represents 1/3 but I still remember it)
4 Kale leaves-roughly chopped
1/3 bunch of parsley
2 Celery ribs-roughly chopped
1 apple-chopped
Juice of 1/2 lemon
2C Filtered Water (may want to add 1/2c more depending on how think/thin you like it)
2tsp agave nectar (optional depending on sweetness of apple)

Use organic produce. I roughly chop everything before I add it to the blender canister. Then I pour the water over it all. Secure the lid. Select "Whole Juice" and let it complete the cycle. This works best in a larger blender canister. If you don't have a larger canister, no problem. Just divide the recipe. We store this in jars in the refrigerator to chill and enjoy within a day or two. Remember fresh juice must be consumed immediately to get the most nutritional benefit and to avoid spoiling. Bottoms up!