Kitchen Gadgets I'm Loving #1: Microwave Popcorn Popper

Ok, so buying new things is not necessarily eco-friendly. I especially try to avoid buying things that have a single purpose. The example that strikes me is a gadget I once saw designed to cook stuffed jalenpeno peppers on the grill. Really? How often do you do that that you need a separate thingamajig? But I digress. Every once in a while, I stumble across something that not only makes life easier but also replaces something less healthy or less earth-friendly.

My family loves popcorn. What's not to love? It's a yummy, quick, whole grain snack. Unfortunately, we were totally dependent on the microwavable, pop-in-bag variety, which is loaded with it's fair share of problems:

-It's wasteful: Each plastic-lined paper bag comes wrapped in a plastic bag, and those are stacked in a cardboard box.

-It's not healthy: Microwave popcorn is loaded with artificial additives and hydrogenated oils.

-It's toxic: That plastic lining that touches your snack? BPA. Ugh.

Enter the Microwave Popper from Sur la Table.

This clever gadget contains no plastic parts. The popper itself is glass; the lid is silicone with metal mesh. You chose your favorite variety of corn and pour the kernels into the popper...No Oil Required. If you like the flavor of butter, you can add a pat to the lid, and it will melt over the corn as it pops. Yum.

It's just as easy as popping in a bag, and the result is so much better. And at the cost of a few boxes of popcorn, it's a bargain.

I Miss You.

Way more than you miss me. Really. While hackers, babies, and life have gotten in the way of my blogging, I've honestly fallen off the wagon a bit when it comes to lifestyle. Something about this blog held me accountable. How could I make suggestions I don't live by? I miss blogging, this is true, but even more, I miss SNM. Her. Me. I usually don't make much in the way of resolutions. I simply like to view January 1 as a fresh start. A realignment of sorts. Time to stop putting off, brushing off, slacking off. Time to remind myself who I want to be and take steps to become that person. So, I'm back. I'm not going to resolve to post with any certain schedule or number of posts, but I will post. Because I enjoy it. And what it makes me :)

Better Blueberry Muffins

My girls and I went blueberry picking with a friend today and came home with just under a gallon of perfect, organic, warm-from-the-sun berries. Of course, we couldn't do a thing when we got home until we made some muffins! I dug out my grandma's recipe and made a few adjustments to make them just a bit healthier. Don't get me wrong, these are still a treat, just not too bad ;)

Preheat oven to 375.

Whisk together in one bowl:
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup ground flax seeds
1/3 cup date sugar (or 1/2 cup white sugar)
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder (make sure it's aluminum-free!)
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Mix in a second bowl:
1 1/2 sticks butter, melted
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
scant tablespoon lemon zest (optional)

Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ones until just incorporated (don't overmix). Fold in 1 cup (or more!) fresh or frozen blueberries.

Spoon in to paper-lined or well-greased muffin cups. Bake 20 minutes for regular muffins or about 14 for minis. This recipe made me 12 standard and 16 mini muffins...DELISH!

Canning: Homemade Pasta Sauce

You asked for it! Making and canning your own pasta sauce is easy peasy. Use any recipe you like. I recommend a simple one--tomatoes, veggies, and herbs. Simple recipes are more versatile...you can use one for pasta, soups, chicken parm, meatball subs, etc, and just gussy it up as needed. Mine contains tomatoes, onion, garlic, basil, parsley, carrots (for sweetness), salt, pepper, and just a touch of date sugar. It's organic and refined sugar-free. You can use canned or fresh tomatoes. Fresh ones will need to be peeled, which is done by cutting an "x" in the skin on the bottom and dropping in a pot of boiling water, then an ice bath. Canned ones save you this step, but don't forget that the lining of cans contains BPA. I think the perfect solution would be to self-can some whole, peeled tomatoes. Hmmm. Add that to my list :)

Make your sauce according to the recipe. While hot, ladle through a funnel into sanitized canning jars. Wipe the rims with a clean cloth, place lids on top. Screw on rings. Place jars on a canning rack in enough boiling water to cover the tops of the jars by at least an inch. Process for 30 minutes (for altitudes up to 1000ft). When your jars cool, the button on the top of the lid will depress, indicating a good seal. If one of your jars doesn't process properly, cool it and freeze or use within a couple of days.

GIVEAWAY: Stylewipes!

My friend Heather recently starter her own WHAM business, Stylewipes. I immediately thought of how cute these sylish cases would be for holding cloth wipes on the changing table...so much cuter than my unplugged warmer or a plastic tub.


Even if you use disposable wipes, wouldn't changes be a bit more fun with a Stylewipes box? You want one, don't you? :)
On Monday, July 19, we'll randomly choose one winner who'll get a large Stylewipes case, custom made in the fabric of her choice.

Here's how to enter.

1. Follow this blog and comment.
2. Become a fan of SNM of Facebook, comment.
3. Become a fan of Stylewipes on Facebook, comment.
4. Leave a comment sharing your favorite Stylewipes fabric.
Dont' forget to leave me your email so that I can contact you if you win!



Good Luck!

Why Boycotting BP Stations Isn't the Answer

Due to recent environmental catastrophe that is the Gulf Leak, people everywhere are declaring their disdain for BP. They plan to demonstrate their anger by boycotting BP gas stations. Unfortunately, this will do little to nothing to the petroleum giant. Instead, it causes major damage to small business owners. Most gas stations are independently owned. That small local BP station is someone's livelihood. Furthermore, only some of BP's petroleum is used for gasoline. The majority goes to other petro proucts...the ones that are everywhere in the day to day lives of most people. How many petroleum products have you used today?

-Your shampoo bottle, maybe even the shampoo in it
-Your toothbrush
-Your lotion
-Your make up
-Your lip balm
-Your travel mug
-The peanut butter jar
-The bag you put your sandwich in

and it's only 9am. You haven't even left the house.

Yes, we're angry at BP. We want them to pay, and they are. But the only way to really send the message that we've had enough is to reduce our reliance on petroleum products. The more we use, the more they drill.

It's a tough change. Petro products have infiltrated our lives. Make better choices where you can, and demand alternatives where they don't exist. We live in a capitalist country, right? You are the consumer, the driver. Each time you buy a safer product, you are sending a message to the petroleum industry.

"Lactivism"

Today, a friend posted a link to this story on Facebook. In a nutshell, Mom is at a baseball game with the family, sitting in the nosebleeds. Newborn needs to nurse. Mom moves up into an empty row even farther up. Security comes over, tells her she can't be there. Offers family restroom. Mom is livid. Calls media. Lactivists Unite!!! Boycott the Rockies! Their Sponsors! Major League Baseball!

My immediate reaction:

stories like this tick me off. and not for the obvious reason. i think she's blowing this out of proportion. i have a feeling security came over and said that the section was closed, to which she replied that she was there to nurse. they told her there was a family restroom. not because they didn't want her NURSING there, but because they didn't want her nursing THERE. she had obviously felt uncomfortable nursing in her seat, so they offered an alternative. had she been nursing in the seat for which she had a ticket, i doubt there ever would have been an issue.

i get seriously ticked off when lactivists get all up in arms over stuff like this, twisting it to fit the bill. it makes us all look like angry nutjobs :(

No woman should ever be asked to breastfeed in a bathroom. But I see this as an uniformed male security guard offering what he thinks is a helpful alternative. Like I said, mom clearly wasn't comfortable nursing in her crowded seat. Instead of accusing this man of being a discriminating bully, we should be focused on educating the general public about breastfeeding in a peaceful, non-accusatory manner. They don't know what they don't know...ya know? I bet this guy feels like a total jerk. Who hasn't been a similar position. Has there never been a time when you were ignorant about something and put your foot in your mouth? Did someone take you aside and kindly inform you of your mistake, or were you accused of being a bad person?

I am a breastfeeding mother. I support breastfeeding mothers. I get furious as hell when a nursing mother's rights are truly violated. I am woman, hear me roar. I would attend a nurse-in in a heartbeat if I thought a mother had been the victim of discrimination, but COME ON ladies! Let's quit looking for reasons to roar!

Did security have the right to ask that woman to leave a closed section? Yep. If she's not allowed to be there, she's not allowed to nurse there.

Are mothers who feel the need to nurse in the lounge of a restroom lesser breastfeeders? No way.

I nurse with a cover. Am I bringing shame to the name of nursing? Give me a flippin' break.

Let's rally behind moms, however they choose to nurse. Society makes it hard enough...sometimes I think over jealous lactivists only hurt their cause. We're so much less likely to be taken seriously if we go around being Judgy McCriticals and looking to start something.

I'm just sayin'.

I'll leave you with this 100% true and relevant story.

It was October. I had a one month old. I took her with me to the airport to pick up my mom, who was visiting from the west coast. While sitting in the car in front of Baggage Claim, Sweet E began to cry. She was hungry. I took her out of her car seat and began to nurse her in the driver's seat. Airport cop pulled up. "Lady, no parking here." "I'm waiting for someone." "No waiting, move along NOW." "Okay, just a second, I'm nursing my newborn." "Put your kid in the car seat and move along NOW."

I was pissed. I had to put my crying baby back in her seat and make a lap around the airport, listening to her shriek with hunger. I cried with her. But the signs said no waiting. I was chancing it, and I was wrong. I pulled into the garage, parked, and nursed my baby. THE END.



Now, I could be wrong about this particular case. If I am, I'm truly sorry. But there are dozens of others just like it, and I have to wonder what actually went down.

**currently editing to add more thoughts.