Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Job Search Tip: Don't Apply Online....
Posting videos for Tips on how to find jobs, prepare for interviews~
Saturday, August 13, 2011
Day Rose Cream
Daytime Rose Cream
Use this as an everyday cream as a base under makeup or as a moisturizer. Gently rub onto face, hands and neck. Almond oil replaces necessary body oils; Rosewater is a gentle astringent and moisturizer replacing liquid to your cells and tightening the skin. lanolin is a potent emollient, borax will make your skin softer and help produce a very white cream, zinc oxide is good for healing reddened, sore or irritated skin.
6 oz. Almond Oil
2 oz. Beeswax
1 tsp. Lanolin
1 tsp. Borax dissolved in 4 oz. Rosewater
2 tsp. Zinc Oxide rubbed into a cream with 4 oz Almond Oil
10-20 drops of Rose Oil
Makes three 4 oz. cream jars
Heat the beexwax and the Lanolin in a double boiler. When the wax is melted, remove from the heat and add the Almond oil slowly. Add the zinc oxide and mix continuously. Add the borax rosewater and beat until cool. Add the drops of Rose Oil and mix with a wooden spoon then pour into your jars and let sit until solidified.
Tip: apply the cream with an avocado pit, messaging your neck and face area to stimulate your muscles!
Use this as an everyday cream as a base under makeup or as a moisturizer. Gently rub onto face, hands and neck. Almond oil replaces necessary body oils; Rosewater is a gentle astringent and moisturizer replacing liquid to your cells and tightening the skin. lanolin is a potent emollient, borax will make your skin softer and help produce a very white cream, zinc oxide is good for healing reddened, sore or irritated skin.
6 oz. Almond Oil
2 oz. Beeswax
1 tsp. Lanolin
1 tsp. Borax dissolved in 4 oz. Rosewater
2 tsp. Zinc Oxide rubbed into a cream with 4 oz Almond Oil
10-20 drops of Rose Oil
Makes three 4 oz. cream jars
Heat the beexwax and the Lanolin in a double boiler. When the wax is melted, remove from the heat and add the Almond oil slowly. Add the zinc oxide and mix continuously. Add the borax rosewater and beat until cool. Add the drops of Rose Oil and mix with a wooden spoon then pour into your jars and let sit until solidified.
Tip: apply the cream with an avocado pit, messaging your neck and face area to stimulate your muscles!
Friday, August 12, 2011
Avocado Carrot Cream Face Mask
Avocado Carrot Cream Face Mask
Avocados are rich in Vitamin E, carrots are high in beta-carotene and antioxidants, cream is high in calcium and protein. This will help to rebuild skin collegen, improve tone and texture and fade age spots!
1 avocado, mashed
1 carrot, cooked and mashed
1/2 cup of heavy cream
1 beaten egg
3 tablespoons honey
combine all the ingredients and mix until smooth. Spread gently over your face and neck (don't forget you neck!) and let it set for 10-15 minutes. Rinse with cool water!
Avocados are rich in Vitamin E, carrots are high in beta-carotene and antioxidants, cream is high in calcium and protein. This will help to rebuild skin collegen, improve tone and texture and fade age spots!
1 avocado, mashed
1 carrot, cooked and mashed
1/2 cup of heavy cream
1 beaten egg
3 tablespoons honey
combine all the ingredients and mix until smooth. Spread gently over your face and neck (don't forget you neck!) and let it set for 10-15 minutes. Rinse with cool water!
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Night-Time Creamy Rose Lotion
Almond oil and rosewater are great moisturizing lubricants for normal to dry and sensitive skin.
20 oz Almond oil
16 oz Rosewater
1 oz of red dried rose petals
3 oz. beeswax
Add the dried rose petals into the rose water and let set for three days, then strain out the petals and remove from the water.
Into a water bath (double boiler) put the oil and the wax and heat until the wax is dissolved then remove the pot from the fire.
add the Rosewater, beating until it is cool.
beat in the lotion until cold, and pour into a bottle!
You can use this lotion to remove makeup and clean your face, apply with your fingertips and remove with a fine tissue.
Tip: You can add a teaspoonful of cornmeal while washing your face, to act as a gentle grain.
20 oz Almond oil
16 oz Rosewater
1 oz of red dried rose petals
3 oz. beeswax
Add the dried rose petals into the rose water and let set for three days, then strain out the petals and remove from the water.
Into a water bath (double boiler) put the oil and the wax and heat until the wax is dissolved then remove the pot from the fire.
add the Rosewater, beating until it is cool.
beat in the lotion until cold, and pour into a bottle!
You can use this lotion to remove makeup and clean your face, apply with your fingertips and remove with a fine tissue.
Tip: You can add a teaspoonful of cornmeal while washing your face, to act as a gentle grain.
Sweet Potato and Lentil Salad(40 Min)
Sweet Potato and Lentil Salad (40 min)
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into half-inch pieces
2 cups green lentils, rinsed and drained
1 yellow onion, finely chopped
2 large carrots, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
Extra-virgin olive oil
Sea salt and pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano (optional)
Small handful torn parsley leaves (optional)
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400ºF.
2. Toss the sweet potatoes with 1 and 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil and roast for about 20 minutes, or until tender and caramelized. Give the sweet potatoes a good stir about halfway through.
3. While sweet potatoes are roasting, use a large pot to cook onions, carrots, garlic, and oregano in olive oil over medium heat. Stir frequently and cook for about 10 minutes, or until vegetables are slightly tender. Season with black pepper.
4. Add green lentils and four cups of cold water. Bring to a boil over medium to high heat, then set heat to low, cover with a lid, and let simmer for about 35 to 40 minutes, or until lentils are nice and tender.
5. Allow lentils to cool to room temperature. Gently fold lentils and other vegetables in with roasted sweet potatoes.
6. Give sweet potatoes and lentils a good drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt and parsley, and enjoy.
Try this healthy and filling salad with a crisp green salad and a slice of a crusty baguette.
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into half-inch pieces
2 cups green lentils, rinsed and drained
1 yellow onion, finely chopped
2 large carrots, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
Extra-virgin olive oil
Sea salt and pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano (optional)
Small handful torn parsley leaves (optional)
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400ºF.
2. Toss the sweet potatoes with 1 and 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil and roast for about 20 minutes, or until tender and caramelized. Give the sweet potatoes a good stir about halfway through.
3. While sweet potatoes are roasting, use a large pot to cook onions, carrots, garlic, and oregano in olive oil over medium heat. Stir frequently and cook for about 10 minutes, or until vegetables are slightly tender. Season with black pepper.
4. Add green lentils and four cups of cold water. Bring to a boil over medium to high heat, then set heat to low, cover with a lid, and let simmer for about 35 to 40 minutes, or until lentils are nice and tender.
5. Allow lentils to cool to room temperature. Gently fold lentils and other vegetables in with roasted sweet potatoes.
6. Give sweet potatoes and lentils a good drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt and parsley, and enjoy.
Try this healthy and filling salad with a crisp green salad and a slice of a crusty baguette.
More...
Raw Carrot and Avocado Soup
Avocodo and Potato Salad (10 Minutes)
Best Vegetarian Chili Recipe
Polenta
Easy Greens - 30 minutes
Fish and Spinach Rolls - 30 minutes
Butternut Squash Soup
How to Save $800 per month!
Avocodo and Potato Salad (10 Minutes)
Best Vegetarian Chili Recipe
Polenta
Easy Greens - 30 minutes
Fish and Spinach Rolls - 30 minutes
Butternut Squash Soup
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Spinach Fennel and Lentil Salad 30 minutes
Susan Brannon
4th August 2011
Spinach, Fennel and Lentil salad 30 minutes
Ingredients:
1 and 1/2 cups of washed baby spinach leaves
1 fennel bulb
1/2 cup of green lentils
5 tablespoons of cold pressed, extra virgin olive oil
1 clove of garlic, unpeeled
4 tablespoons of lemon juice or red wine vinegar, whichever you prefer
Sea salt and black pepper
Small handful of roughly chopped parsley, basil, or mint
Directions:
Lentils
Put lentils and unpeeled garlic clove into a pot of water, bring to a boil, and then cook on low heat for about 30 minutes or until lentils are tender.
Drain excess water, remove skin of garlic, and return cooked lentils and peeled garlic to the pot. Use a fork to lightly mash garlic clove and stir a few times to incorporate it with lentils.
Add 2 tablespoons of cold pressed, extra virgin olive oil and 2 tablespoons of lemon juice or vinegar to lentils and mashed garlic. Add sea salt and black pepper, to taste.
Fennel and Spinach
Remove green ponds from fennel, chop them roughly, and add them to the lentils.
Remove the core (often referred to as "triangular heart") from fennel and thinly slice the rest of the bulb. Combine sliced fennel bulb with spinach in a large bowl, add remaining extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice or vinegar, and season with sea salt and pepper, to taste. Use your hands or tongs to mix well so that spinach leaves and fennel slices are evenly coated with dressing.
To Serve
Place fennel slices and spinach on a large plate. Add chopped parsley, basil or mint to lentils and ladle a generous portion of lentils over fennel and spinach.
This delicious salad is best served when the lentils are slightly warm.
Serves two people as a main dish or four people as a smaller side dish.
Related Articles:
How to Pay off Credit Card Debt and Live without Them!
Avocodo and Potato Salad (10 Minutes)
Best Vegetarian Chili Recipe
How to reduce forehead wrinkles with face yoga
Natural exercise for your face reduce forehead wrinkles! Don't use botox!
Related Links:
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Firm Your Neck - Yoga face exercise
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3 Yoga face exercises to help prevent/reduce wrinkles
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Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Yoga facial exercises: How to create full lips with face yoga
Full lips the natural way! Kiss up!
Related Links:
How to reduce Puffy Eyes
Get Lips Full and Easy
Firm Your Neck - Yoga face exercise
Tone and lift Cheeks - Yoga face exercise
3 Yoga face exercises to help prevent/reduce wrinkles
Minimize crows feet - Yoga face exercise
How to Reduce Forehead wrinkles - Yoga face exercise
Yoga facial exercises: Minimizing eye wrinkles with face yoga
Help minimize the appearance of crows feet!
Related Links:
How to reduce Puffy Eyes
Get Lips Full and Easy
Firm Your Neck - Yoga face exercise
Tone and lift Cheeks - Yoga face exercise
3 Yoga face exercises to help prevent/reduce wrinkles
Minimize crows feet - Yoga face exercise
How to Reduce Forehead wrinkles - Yoga face exercise
How To Reduce Puffy Eyes
Oh, those puffy eyes....
Related Links:
How to reduce Puffy Eyes
Get Lips Full and Easy
Firm Your Neck - Yoga face exercise
Tone and lift Cheeks - Yoga face exercise
3 Yoga face exercises to help prevent/reduce wrinkles
Minimize crows feet - Yoga face exercise
How to Reduce Forehead wrinkles - Yoga face exercise
Monday, August 8, 2011
Raw carrot and Avocado Soup 15 minutes
Susan Brannon
6 August 2011
Raw carrot and avocado soup....15 min *cold soup
2 cups fresh carrot juice
1 avocado, pit removed, and cut into large chunks
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
3/4 cup fresh loose cilantro or parsley
2 green onions, finely sliced
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon naturally brewed soy sauce or nama shoyu
Sea salt, to taste
Directions:
1. Blend carrot juice, avocado, and ginger at a medium speed until smooth.
2. Add cilantro or parsley leaves (not stems), extra-virgin olive oil, and soy sauce, and pulse at medium speed until well blended but with bits of cilantro and parsley still visible.
3. Season with sea salt, to taste.
4. Serve chilled, and sprinkle green onion slices on top just before serving.
Enjoy this all-raw, delicious and nutritious carrot and avocado soup; eating this soup a few times per week can greatly benefit your immune system, eyes, and overall health.
Related Articles:
How to Pay off Credit Card Debt and Live without Them!
Avocodo and Potato Salad (10 Minutes)
Best Vegetarian Chili Recipe
Polenta
Easy Greens - 30 minutes
Fish and Spinach Rolls - 30 minutes
Butternut Squash Soup
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Tips on How to Save $800 a Month!
7 August 2011
Here are some examples on how you can find that extra money to put towards your credit card debt. Some of these examples may not seem like a lot, but if you add them together, they add up to enough to help pay down your high interest credit card debt. If you can do all of the suggested tips, then you really can save up to $800.00 per month! Saving is not easy, and requires persistence, endurance, and a strong will! You will feel much better once you find the places to cut back, to help you pay off that credit card debt.
1) Hang dry your clothes: average for electric dryers is $.50 a load, for Gas $.25. Lets say you wash 3 loads a week electric: $1.50
x 4 6.00 per/month
2) Buy only one all purpose cleaner. You do not need 10- Example: (aprox. values prices found on Netgrocer (I listed their cheapest prices)
glass cleaner - 3.85 Borax $5.15
floor cleaner - 4.49 Vinegar and Water
Bathroom/cleaner - 4.59 for glass and more! .95
toilet cleaner - 3.19
total: $16.12 Total $6.10
A savings of $11.00
Cleaners that Borax can do:
Ant repellent 5.39
carpet stain remover $4.49
car wash cleaner 3.59
unclog drains 4.49
week killer 5.69
Total: $23.65
Grand Total: $39.77 every two months: $19.88 per month
Savings of: $33.67
3) Get rid of cable TV or switch to basic. $75.00 per/month (Comcast)
Basic cost $20.00
Savings? $55.00 per/month
4) Shop around for the cheapest car insurance. You may find quite a savings out there! Example: If your car is old and you do not get comprehensive: you can pay as low as $522 per year.
Premium plans cost anywhere from $1,000 per/year to $4,000 per year depending on your risk factors. By shopping around, you may be able to save up to $500 per/year or more. That is a $41.66 savings at minimum! Some polices can save you up to 50%.
5) Ask your mobile cell phone provider if they have cheaper plans for you. They will be happy to assist you in finding a better plan, but you need to ask if when you change your plan, they add another year to your contract. Then you need to weigh the value of adding another year to your provider. If your contract is about to finish, shop around for better deals, the cost are competitive and you may find that you can save quite a bit on your cell phone bill.
Example:
The average cost for a mobile phone is $50.00 per/month; Virgin mobile prepay is $25.00 per month for 300 talk minutes and unlimited data. This is a $25.00 per month savings.
6) Consider selling your car and buying a motorcycle...this saves on both insurance and on gas! A motorcycle gets an average of 56 miles to the gallon. The car gets an average of 25mpg. At the current average cost of gas at $4.00 per gallon, that could end up with quite a savings! Women can use motorcycles too, why not? Example: The average car holds 16 gallons of gas. You use one tank a week at the cost of $64.00 per week. You can drive 400 miles on that tank of gas. With a motorcycle you can drive the same distance for $28.74. That is a $36.00 per week savings! A savings of $144.00 per month (not including the insurance savings)
7) Quit eating and buying all junk food. Simply put, pre-made junk food costs more.
Example: Healthy Choice Chicken with Rice at $2.95 a 15oz can. Serves 2 people, but you will not get full and the product is all processed food and not really a full meal.
1 chicken (Organic) $6.99
bag of vegys (organic) $2.69
1 onion .50
Total $10.18
Now, use this chicken and cook it in your crock pot, remove 1/2 of the chicken and put it in a pan, mix your vegetables and cut up onion, throw in a little rice (.69 16 oz) That meal cost you: $6.68, BUT! You will have more than one meal, you can use the leftovers for your lunch at work, and another dinner (for two) Instead of getting just one meal, you now have 4 the real cost for you first meal (and the other three) is: $1.67
A savings of: $1.28 Now, you still have another 1/2 of a chicken to make another meal with as well. If you cook at home, quit buying pre-made foods and junk foods, you really can cut your food bill. If you spend $450.00 per month on food, you can reduce that cost down to $300.00 This is a $150.00 per month savings.
8) Sack your lunches. Simple. When you cook your meals, as in the example in number seven, take the extras to work. The average lunch is $7.00 per day the total per work week is: $35.00 per month: $140.00
9) Go out for dinner only once a week - The average dinner for two including one drink is $50.00. If you go out to eat three times a week you are spending $150.00 a week or $600.00 per month. If you cut that down to once a week, you will save: $400.00 per month. And...cut up your credit cards.
10) Change to florescent bulbs (if you can stand it) Or go, High Intensity light: Example: a 60 watt light bulb cost the average of $6.81 per month to use. A fluorescent bulb is $1.60 a HIL is $3.21
You have five 60 watt bulbs in your house: that is $34.05 per month. A florescent is: $8.00 per month A Savings of: $26.05 per month.
HIL- $16.05 a Savings of $18.00 per month.
Total possible Savings per month from these changes is: $867.59 per month!
Some of these ideas are in my 30 More Tips for Saving. I just put the main ones that will be easier to focus on and to show, what you can really do.
Saturday, August 6, 2011
Polenta
 |
| Duomo Florence, Italy Photo by Susan Brannon |
Susan Brannon
6th August 2011
This is Italian, you can use it as a side or as a meal. There are variations to the theme…
Polenta
1 cup of organic polenta
1 quartered medium organic carrot
1/2 diced medium organic yellow onion
1/8 tsp sea salt (SI Salt preferably)
2 1/2 cups spring water
Warm an enameled or plain cast iron cooking pot and toss in the polenta, stirring until it becomes hot to the touch and gives off a sweet aroma. Be careful because it easily burns if left unattended.
Stir in the salt and then add the water.
Stir, bring to a boil, add the vegetables and stir again.
Cover, bring to a boil, then turn down the heat to just a simmer and cook for 20 minutes.
You can also cook the Polenta, as above without the vegys…instead…when the polenta is cooked, take some tomatoe meat sauce and pour ½ of the polenta in a small square pan, pour almost all of the tomato sauce over the polenta, then add the rest of the polenta over the sauce, then top off with the rest of the sauce!
More Recipes
Polenta
Easy Greens - 30 minutes
Fish and Spinach Rolls - 30 minutes
Butternut Squash Soup
Avocado and Potato Salad 10 minutes
Best Vegetarian Chili
GET FULL LIPS EASY!
Using Make-up to make your lips look fuller....it takes some practice!
Related Links:
How to reduce Puffy Eyes
Get Lips Full and Easy
Firm Your Neck - Yoga face exercise
Tone and lift Cheeks - Yoga face exercise
3 Yoga face exercises to help prevent/reduce wrinkles
Minimize crows feet - Yoga face exercise
How to Reduce Forehead wrinkles - Yoga face exercise
Yoga facial and neck exercises: Firm your neck using face yoga
Your face also has muscles, we need to exercise them and if you do...you will see a difference!
Say no to botox and surgery.
Related Links:
How to reduce Puffy Eyes
Get Lips Full and Easy
Firm Your Neck - Yoga face exercise
Tone and lift Cheeks - Yoga face exercise
3 Yoga face exercises to help prevent/reduce wrinkles
Minimize crows feet - Yoga face exercise
How to Reduce Forehead wrinkles - Yoga face exercise
Yoga facial exercises: How to tone and lift cheeks
3 Facial Exercises to Stop/Pevent/Reverse Wrinkles
Friday, August 5, 2011
What you can do with Borax!
 |
| Instead of using all these.... |
 |
| Use Borax! (A not paid for commercial) |
4 August 2011
What you can do with Borax
Instead of buying 5 different kinds of house cleaners, buy one product that does them all. Borax costs around $5.15 for 76 oz. It is known as a laundry Booster, but it can do much more. I added up the cost of cleaning products that came to around $17.00. I did not add in Ant repellent, carpet stain remover, unclog drains, weed stopper, and car wash cleaner into that price.
Here is a list:
* Floor Cleaner (1/3 cup Borax, 1 gallon warm water, squirt of dish washing detergent, splash of ammonia)
* Window Cleaner (2/3 cup Borax, 1 gallon warm water)
* Disinfect and Clean Toilet (1/2 cup Borax added to basin water, let stand for awhile, then clean with toilet brush)
* Car Wash Cleaner (1/8 cup mixed with about 1.5 gallons of water)
* Eliminate Urine Odor on mattress – handy for accidents while toilet training a youngster (dampen area, sprinkle and rub in Borax, let dry and vacuum)
* Ants (mix equal amounts of Borax and powdered sugar, place near ant problem area – keep away from pets)
* Carpet Stains (mix Borax with water to make paste, rub into stain, let dry and vacuum)
* Unclog drains (dump 1/2 cup Borax into drain, let stand for 15 minutes, then dump in hot or boiling water )
* Prevent Weeds from growing in pavement cracks (sprinkle Borax in cracks)
* Garbage Disposer clean and sanitize (dump 1/4 cup Borax into disposer, splash in just a little water and let stand for an hour or so, rinse with hot water)
* Tile and Grout Cleaner (sprinkle Borax with just enough water to paste, scrub with brush)
* Laundry Booster (add 1/2 cup Borax to wash load for brighter, cleaner, deodorized clothes)
* Carpet Powder Deodorizer (sprinkle Borax on carpet, let stand overnight and vacuum)
* Flea Killer (sprinkle Borax on carpet, let stand overnight and vacuum)
Related Articles:
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Avocodo and Potato Salad (10 Minutes)
Best Vegetarian Chili Recipe
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
30 More Money Saving Tips
3 August 2011
1) Dry your clothes outside, instead of using the energy. Your clothes will last longer too! The savings is not so much, but it does add up, the
average load of drying your clothes costs you: $.50 a load for electric, $.25 for gas. Multiply that number by your loads, and if you hang up your clothes, you can save that money towards your credit card debt!
2) Buy only one all purpose cleaner. You do not need 10- Example: (aprox. values prices found on Netgrocer (I listed their cheapest prices)
glass cleaner - 3.85 Borax $5.15
floor cleaner - 4.49 Vinegar and Water
Bathroom/cleaner - 4.59 for glass and more! .95
toilet cleaner - 3.19
total: $16.12 Total $6.10
A savings of $11.00
Things that Borax can do:
Ant repellent 5.39
carpet stain remover $4.49
car wash cleaner 3.59
unclog drains 4.49
week killer 5.69
Total: $23.65
Grand Total: $39.77
Savings of: $33.67 for two months that is: $16.84 Per Month!
3) Use vinegar and water and and old spray bottle for washing windows! Use old newspapers to wipe with. $.95
4) Get rid of cable TV or switch to basic. $75.00 per/month (Comcast)
Basic cost $20.00
Savings? $55.00 per/month
5) Use Netflix or Hulu in place of cable. It is less expensive, no commercials and you can watch great movies and documentaries!
6) If you can, stop your internet at home and use the library instead.
Savings of $35.00 per month
7) Set your thermostat lower in the winter and higher in the summer. Each degree you turn down the heat saves 3 percent of heating costs, while each degree you raise the temperature of your air conditioner saves 3-4 percent of cooling costs.
8) Change to florescent bulbs (if you can stand it) Or go, High Intensity light(HTL):
Let's say that you have five 60 watt bulbs in your house: that is $34.05 per month. A flourscent is: $8.00 per month A Savings of: $26.05 per month. or
HIL- $16.05 a Savings of $18.00 per month. Anyway you look at it, you are saving something....
9) Do the house repairs yourself.
10) Sell one of your cars. Do you really need two cars? If you only have one, think of using your bike more.
11) Try to carpool.
13) Don't drive around with an empty tank of gas, the gas evaporates faster that way. Keep it at least half full if you can. Plus, you never know when the prices will go up!
15) Quit eating and buying all junk food. Simply put, pre-made junk food costs more.
Example: Healthy Choice Chicken with Rice at $2.95 a 15oz can. Serves 2 people, but you will not get full and the product is all processed food and not really a full meal.
1 chicken (Organic) $6.99
bag of vegys (organic) $2.69
1 onion .50
Total $10.18 Now that does not seem like a savings, but read on....
You can use this chicken and cook it in your crock pot, remove 1/2 of the chicken and put it in a pan, mix your vegetables and cut up onion, throw in a little rice (.69 16 oz) That meal will cost you: $6.68, BUT! You will have more than one meal, you can use the leftovers for your lunch at work, and another dinner (for two) Instead of getting just one meal, you now have 4 meals the real cost for you first meal (and the other three) is: $1.67 Now that sounds better doesn't it?
A savings of: $1.28 Now, you still have another 1/2 of a chicken to make another meal with as well.
16) Make your own laundry detergent and household cleaners.
17) Use crystal deodorant, it is healthier, because of the lack of aluminum and last longer, but costs more...but will save you in the long run.
18) If you smoke, roll your own. You will smoke less, and maybe you can work towards quitting? More on that later....
20) Consider a pay-as- you-go mobile phone. The average cost for a mobile phone is $50.00 per/month; Virgin mobile prepay is $25.00 per month for 300 talk minutes and unlimited data. That is a $25.00 per month savings.
21) Sell your clutter on E-Bay or a garage sale.
22) Use your talents to earn extra cash.
23) Shop around for the cheapest car insurance. You may find quite a savings out there! Example: If your car is old and you do not get comprehensive: you can pay as low as $522 per year.
Premium plans cost anywhere from $1,000 per/year to $4,000 per year depending on your risk factors. By shopping around, you may be able to save up to $500 per/year or more. That is a $41.66 per month savings!
25) Try to talk your family into the Christmas lottery idea. Put a limit on the price to let's say 50$. You can save at least 100 dollars with this idea! Depending on the size of your family, at least there are three people you buy for!
26) Consider paying for your car insurance 6 months at a time: most insurance companies offer a discount when you do this.
27) Every time you wash your clothes, put the amount that it would cost at the laundry mat in a jar on top of your washer instead! It costs .50 cents per/load to wash and 1.00 per load to dry. Hang up your clothes instead, but if you can't hang out your clothes put 1.50 in a jar each time you wash clothes. Take that money saved and put it towards your electric bill, or your credit card
debt. If you wash 3 loads a week, you will save $9, that is $36 a month!
28) Don't buy payment protection for your credit cards. You can save $100.
29) Avoid extended warranties. Most goods are reliable, how many times has your fridge broken down? Do you need to add $15 dollars to that toaster?
30) Remember: If you don't need it, don't buy it! This page has a total of $909.15 in possible savings per month!
Related Articles:
How to Pay off Credit Card Debt and Live without Them!
Avocodo and Potato Salad (10 Minutes)
Best Vegetarian Chili Recipe
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Easy Greens Recipe 30 minutes
Susan Brannon
Easy Greens (30 Min)
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 heads of broccoli, cut up into pieces
1 large or 2 small zucchini, sliced
1 clove of garlic, minced
2 cups organic vegetable or chicken broth
Sea salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
1. Heat the olive oil in a large pan - the larger the better, and the pan should have a lid. Set heat to between medium and high, but closer to medium.
2. Add the broccoli to the pan and stir fry for a minute. Add the vegetable or chicken broth and garlic. Cover the pan. Once the broth comes to a boil, turn the heat down to low and let simmer.
3. Stir occasionally.
4. Wait for the broccoli to turn a bright green color, then wait a couple of more minutes so that it develops a little bit of tenderness. Then add the zucchini.
5. Add sea salt and pepper to taste. But be careful if you happen to use broth that is salted - if so, you might only need a small pinch of salt, if any.
6. Once the zucchini and broccoli are tender, the dish is ready to eat with your favorite whole grain dish, or even with a side of eggs, beans, or lentils.
Please note: There should always be a little bit of the broth at the bottom of the pan.
Don't cover it again, even after you've cooked it, otherwise it will continue cooking from the residual heat and the vegetables will turn color.
You can also Bok Choy to this and it is great!
Related Articles:
How to Pay off Credit Card Debt and Live without Them!
Avocodo and Potato Salad (10 Minutes)
Best Vegetarian Chili Recipe
Polenta
Easy Greens - 30 minutes
Fish and Spinach Rolls - 30 minutes
Butternut Squash Soup
Monday, August 1, 2011
Staying Motivated in Fitness
Susan Brannon
25 July 2011
How to Stay Motivated with your Fitness.I know it is not easy to get up and exercise, or run outside in the rain or on a windy day. It is difficult to not want to come home from work and watch a good TV program. However, I did write some articles on exercising indoors for those really blaugh days. (see links at the end of this article)
Many people stop because they get bored. But here are some ideas to keep you going.
1) Remember why you started in the first place, when you quit you are only cheating yourself. You are worth more than that! If you keep stopping, then you get that inner nagging voice, oh, I’ll start tomorrow or I wish that I just had the energy and can loose some weight. Nothing will happen if you don’t do anything.
2) Remember that you will really feel much much better when you DO do something!
Try these different ways to help:
1) Set a goal. Start with something that you can reach, a short term goal. Be real about your goal setting. For example, say, I will exercise three times a week for 20 minutes for the next week! Take one step at a time. Then you can say, great! I did it! Now, say, I will exercise for 30 minutes three times next week! Sooner or later, it will become a part of your life routine. Then you can say, Next week, I will do Yoga once and exercise two times. Make it different, you do not have to do the same thing all of the time.
2) Make it fun! Remember to involve your family. While you are walking count how many people you see in their cars picking their nose for example. Watch for different things each time.
3) Don’t use excuses. This time of the day, is your time. Find that time that is good for you to have “your time” It is both good for your physical health as well as your mental health. One thing I always like to do is to pray while I walk. Sometimes I walk to the nearby store to buy eggs, but at least I am walking! If someone else is walking while I am praying, I stop, pass by and start again so they will not think that I am crazy.
4) Maybe it will help to make a quick note to yourself and put it on the bathroom mirror. I still have one that says, do squats, drink water, stop drinking coke. I slowly work on one thing at a time. Now, these things have become a habit. I squat while I brush my teeth. I drink more water each day, and I forgot all about coke.
5) Grab a neighbor to join you, or a friend if you have a child taking lessons on a Saturday morning, or during soccer practice.
Related Articles:
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Fish and Spinach Rolls Recipe 30 minutes
Susan Brannon
Fish and Spinach Rolls with Horseradish Cream (30 minutes)
4 bunches of spinach
pinch sea salt
1 onion, minced
1 tsp. olive oil
white fish and/or thin salmon filets
3 TB water/3 TB shoyu
juice from 2 lemons
1/4 cup ginger juice
1. Bring 4 cups of water to a boil with sea salt and blanch the spinach. After 2-3 minutes, place pot in the sink and add cold water. When cold, drain and remove spinach.
2. Squeeze excess water out of the spinach, chop fine and set aside.
3. Saute' onion in olive oil. When clear, add spinach and a pinch of sea salt. Cook until the water has evaporated from the spinach. Then set aside.
4. Rinse fish filets and place on a platter. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt or dash of shoyu and place a thin layer of the spinach on top.
5. Roll each filet and secure with 2 toothpicks.
6. Place in a glass baking dish, cover and bake at 400 for 15 minutes, basting with a water/shoyu, lemon juice, ginger juice marinade twice during baking.
Related Articles:
How to Pay off Credit Card Debt and Live without Them!
Avocodo and Potato Salad (10 Minutes)
Best Vegetarian Chili Recipe
Polenta
Easy Greens - 30 minutes
Fish and Spinach Rolls - 30 minutes
Butternut Squash Soup
Friday, July 29, 2011
Butternut Squash Soup
Susan Brannon
Butternut Squash Soup
Butternut squash is an excellent source of vitamin C and beta carotene, both of which are antioxidants that can help to protect your cells against free radical damage.
If you have a healthy digestive tract and regularly eat foods that contain healthy fat, beta carotene from butternut squash can convert to vitamin A, which is an important nutrient for your immune system.
Ingredients:
1 large butternut squash
4 tablespoons of olive oil
1 large yellow onion, sliced
2 cups of water or vegetable broth
Large handful of cilantro, roughly chopped
Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
A few drops of vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Rub the butternut squash with about 2 tablespoons of olive oil, then place it in a shallow roasting dish to bake for one hour. After it is finished roasting, let it cool enough for you to comfortably work with it.
Slice the roasted squash in half. Use a spoon to scoop out seeds and remove the peel. Put starchy flesh into a large bowl and mash it well.
Heat remaining olive oil in a medium to large-sized pot. Cook onions in oil over medium heat for about 5 minutes or until onions are tender and translucent. Add mashed butternut squash and cook together with onions for another couple of minutes, stirring the squash and onions together.
Add water or vegetable broth to the mix, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer for 20-30 minutes.
Transfer entire soup, in batches if necessary, into a food processor or blender and process until it becomes creamy and smooth. Transfer processed soup back to pot, then add vanilla, sea salt, and black pepper. Give it a good stir to incorporate vanilla and seasoning.
Just before serving, scatter chopped fresh cilantro over each bowl. If you enjoy avocado, add a few avocado slices to the top of each bowl just before adding cilantro.
Related Articles:
How to Pay off Credit Card Debt and Live without Them!
Avocodo and Potato Salad (10 Minutes)
Best Vegetarian Chili Recipe
Polenta
Easy Greens - 30 minutes
Fish and Spinach Rolls - 30 minutes
Butternut Squash Soup
Thursday, July 28, 2011
20 Ways To Save Money
28 July 2011
Ways To Save Money
Cutting on your expenses will take some work and sacrifice on your part, but in the long run it will be worth it. The main issue here is being willing to change your "style" of living and learning the difference between what you really need and what you don't need.
We are always bombarded with commercials, advertisements, have friends who seem to "have it all" and can feel that we are being judged by what we have and not who we are. In the end, what we have, what brand, how many and how much did it cost, is not that important. We can't take it with us when we die right? What is important, is what is inside and who we are. What is also important is taking care of ourselves, our health, and our lifestyles. It is important to reduce the stress of how are you going to pay the next months bills. In a previous article I discussed how to pay off your credit card debts. This is a follow up, with suggestions on how to find that extra money to do just that, so you can be free of all those bills once and for all!
As you move along, each time you want to purchase something, ask yourself..."Do I really NEED this?" Most of the time, the answer will be an astounding "NO"
So lets get started!
1) Cook at Home.
Tip! Use a crock-pot for the bulk of your meals, it is easy and works! It is worth the expense of purchasing one. First go to garage sales and second hand shops. Plug it in and see if it works before buying. Look online for crock-pot recipes. I have cooked, chicken, soups, ham, and beans in my crock-pot and the food is delicious! The benefit? Better tasking food, hardly any time spent after work, cooking! The preparation time is not that bad either!
2) Budget that special once a week going out to eat dinner, if you must. However, you will find that it would be more fun to eat at home and use that precious money for a movie or bowling or something else! You will also find after a while, that the food will not be as fresh nor taste as good as your home cooked meals!
3) First, make your weekly meal list then your shopping list based on only that!
Make your shopping list based on what you NEED not what you WANT. Remember, to create meals that are healthy, and organic.
Tip! Do Not buy pre-made and pre-processed items. They cost more and hardly have any nutrition. This blog is all about becoming whole, both inside and out!
I am posting recipes that are low cost and quick/easy to cook! You just have to scroll in the archive section to find them.
4) Stick to your list and buy nothing else. (unless you forgot to put down the toilet paper or milk!) Do not "impulse" buy at the grocery store.
Tip! Eat before shopping, if you shop when you are hungry, you will buy more food and spend more than you need!
5) Shop when you are in a hurry! You will need to run through the store and buy only what is on your list! This is a great trick!
6) Buy in bulk at the natural food store.
Tip! One of the best breakfasts you can eat is oatmeal! (I call it Muesli) Buy the bulk whole oats, (not quick) some bulk raisins, some bulk salt free almonds add some sliced fruit and wholla! You have a wonderful and inexpensive breakfast that is good for your heart! The kids will learn to love this too! By the way, top it with bulk honey made in your local area to help fight off allergies.
7) Take your leftovers for your lunch at work. (Always cook a bit more for your dinners so you will have leftovers) Just do it! It will save you tons of $$$.
Tip! Give yourself only that very special occasion to eat out for lunch. Remember, you have to follow your money savings plan to get out of debt. (It's not that bad)
8) Cut down your meat intake: your body does not need meat everyday, cut it down to once a week and change to fish two or three times a week. Make lots of soups, they are super healthy, and quick in the crock-pot. If you must have meat more than once a week, buy a whole chicken, not the parts. Buy a chicken without hormones, grown and feed real food, and on the range. The nutrition will go farther, Cook the whole chicken, and use it for two meals, in soups, or casseroles.
9) Use cloth napkins instead of paper. They are more elegant and save our trees and your $$. You do not need paper towels either!
10) Pay your bills on time. Avoid the late fees.
11) Avoid ATM fees, walk into you bank instead, it only takes a few minutes more!
12) Do you use your landline? If not, disconnect it.
13) Check with your cell phone plan and see what you can do to save, they will help you analyze your bills to see how many minutes you normally use and what kind of calls. Maybe you can change to increase your minutes and save on your bill.
14) Go to garage sales, if you want something, books, a vase, even clothes, try the garage sales first! You will be amazed at what you can find! Take a Saturday morning and hit the town. Give your kids a few dollars they can spend too!.
15) If you have young children, buy their clothes at the garage sales, really. A baby grows up very fast and the clothes are almost like new. Bargain with the sellers!
16) Join the local library: instead of buying new books. They also have CD's for movies, and music!
17) Put your filtered or tap water into your own water bottles. You do not need to buy bottled water! Take a bottle or two with you to work, it helps you to get the water that your body needs and saves you from buying coffee or cokes!
18) Ride your bicycle or walk whenever you can. You do not need to use your car to drive a few blocks to buy milk or bread! Get some exercise while you are at it, take your kids for the walk too.
19) Go out only once a week, and budget how much you can spend. Try to chose things to do other than what you can do at home. Like going out for dinner, and if you do, avoid buying alcohol. The tab adds up with alcohol!
Tip! Choose instead to eat dinner at home with your glass or two of wine, then go to a club, to listen to some live Jazz and buy only one drink!
20) Watch your electricity: Interesting enough, even if you are not using the product and it is plugged in, you are using electricity! Instead of switching off your TV, unplug it!
There is more to come! I just don't want to exhaust you!
Related Articles:
How to Pay off Credit Card Debt and Live without Them!
Avocodo and Potato Salad (10 Minutes)
Best Vegetarian Chili Recipe
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Tips on Eating well and Inexpensive
Susan Brannon
26 July 2011
I just posted information on GMO foods encouraging all of you to stop eating their products. (See links at end of article) But I know, we do not have any time and little money to make changes. I decided to start including fast, healthy and inexpensive recipes on this blog. They will be posted randomly as time goes along. However, I think that I will at least post a few to get everything going.
First I must make a few suggestions:
- Go to the farmers markets around you. It is the best way to ask if it is organic or not. The prices are normally less and the produce last much longer and more fresh than the grocery stores.
- If you are lucky enough to live nearby farms, most of the times they offer specials on picking your own! Spend a Saturday morning picking your own. The produce should last you a week and cost less.
- Print and keep a list of the GMO food brands from a previous article. This way you can keep track of what is what. Normally, there are alternative choices.
- When shopping, try to shop only on the outer walls of the grocery store. The stuff in the isles is normally the stuff that is not good for you. You will find that after a while, you will hardly walk down the isles anymore!
- Find your local natural food store, but remember natural does not mean organic! Keep track of their sales and plan your menu around the sale items! This way, you will not get stuck eating the same things every week, and you can buy the better quality foods for less.
- If you eat meat, do so only once a week. Buy your meat at the natural food store.
- Eat more fish, if possible. Combine your fish with either rice or potatoes to balance your proteins.
- Eat more grains, more and more grains. Oatmeal, topped off with raisins and nuts in the morning, brown rice instead of potatoes.
- Make more vegetable dishes, they are healthier, less expensive and good.
- In the winter, cook soups. Use your slow cooker, when you come home from work, your meal will be ready!
Labeling of GMO Food Products sign the petition
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Avocodo and Patoto Salad 10 min
This salad is great for the summer time! You get the good natural oils from the avocado.
1 large ripe avocado, mashed
6 medium Yukon gold or red potatoes
1/2 cup chopped red onion
2 ribs of celery, chopped
1/2 cup sweet red bell pepper
Sea salt, to taste
Directions:
Steam and cook the potatoes until tender but not too soft. Mix thoroughly with all other ingredients. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.
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