Basic Ingredients without cooking from scratch!

I'll admit it.  Baking from scratch?  I'm in!  Cooking from scratch?  No bueno! Especially when I have so much to juggle with work and school and two young children!

How do I do it?  My secret is Trader Joe's, which happens to be my new favorite shopping establishment!

Not only do I love that they offer a meal idea in the store every day that is so easy to prepare, but "all Trader Joe’s brand products share the following attributes: they contain NO synthetic colors, NO artificial flavors, NO artificial preservatives, NO MSG, NO added Trans Fats, and NO genetically modified ingredients" (Trader Joes, 2014).

That's one way of going back to basics in OC without spending a fortune OR cooking from scratch!

Kindergarden Composting

It's a new year and I'm ready to start blogging again!

Since my last post, I was able to get Dr. Francene Kaplan of the Costa Mesa Sanitary District, a composting guru and self acclaimed "priestess of rot," to hold a composting talk with the kindergarden students at my son's school!  She was really in her element and did a fantastic job with them!  The school has been supportive of the composting program and the kids are so excited to participate!  I donated my single rotating Lifetime compost bin to their yard, and its contents look great so far!

 (photo obtained from the Daily Pilot- from another composting talk by Dr. Kaplan)

The bonus for me is that I had to upgrade to a double composter and my first batch is looking great!

Unsolicited Waste

Little did I know what a difference this sign would make on my waste! 

It has nearly eliminated all the brochures that used to clutter my entryway, and reduced all the unsolicited advertisements!  

I no longer have to take responsibility for the laminated advertisements hung on my door or waste my time disposing of them!

Zero Waste Picnic

All packed up for a Zero Waste picnic and scavenger hunt at a local park and trail! 

Reusable beverage containers, reusable snack and sandwich bags, kids washcloths for napkins, an insulated reusable lunch box, and sandwiches placed in some handy reusable takeout containers.

Fresh Mint and Watermelon Juice!

My dear friend offered me a branch of fresh mint from her garden along with half a watermelon.  

I juiced them together this morning with help from the kids and it is DELICIOUS! 

We cut the red flesh from the watermelon and placed into a bowl and just tossed the mint leaves into the bowl.  Using a small cup, the kids scooped watermelon and mint leaves and poured straight into the juicer! 

Waste free donations?

The Center for Missing and Exploited children offers a waste-free option for donating to a good cause! 

No paper or packaging required!

Text SAFEKIDS to 20222 and donate $10 to NCMEC. Standard messaging rates apply. Must be 18 or older.

Give with confidence

NCMEC meets all standards of the Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Alliance.

Healthy batch of compost

That's a pretty healthy batch of compost!  

Since I only have one bin, I have to stop adding for 2 more weeks.  

Yesterday's scraps were placed in an airtight container with layers of paper shreds.  Let's hope that works until this batch finishes cooking!