Homemade Banana Milk

Interesting enough I had never before heard of banana milk prior to this past weekend. When I initially was asked to whip up some banana milk, I thought it was a really strange request and I am not sure why since I love adding banana's to my smoothies.  I guess it was because this is not a milkshake type recipe but a much thinner, milk like drink.  It didn't sound very appealing to me at all, but since we were trying to find some healthy milk alternatives to help supplement my young nephew's diet, I was up for giving it the old college try! 

I have to give the credit to my husband as the brains behind this recipe.   By brains, I mean he told me to put a banana, water and vanilla in a blender and mix it all up.  Of course this means I am the brains behind the brains, since I then had to figure out the measurements! :) Strangely enough, when all was said and done, it worked and tasted great, too.  The banana flavor was obvious but still subtle enough to not feel overpowered by it and the consistency was very much milk-like and there is just a hint of sweetness & vanilla.  It also passed the test of a one year old, for he drank it right up!   

Homemade Banana Milk
~by Herban Adventures

*Ingredients:
1 Ripened Banana, frozen and cut into chunks**
1 1/2 cup water
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

*Directions:
Add the frozen banana chunks, water and vanilla into a high speed blender (amazon affiliate link).  Blend on high until all the banana has been incorporated into the liquid. Pour and drink immediately or keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.  The banana milk will turn brown after it sits over a period of time.  This is entirely normal and expected.  It is a fresh banana after all! 

**Note:  It is very important to use super ripe banana's (much more so then the ones seen in my photo above).  This will make the banana taste so much more flavorful and sweeter.  Also, I use banana's quite frequently in smoothies and I have found it easiest to unpeel the banana and cut it into chunks before freezing it.  If you freeze the banana unpeeled, you'll have to let it sit and thaw a little bit before you'll be able to peel it. 

Enjoy!!!

~Chrissy

My Friday Five: January 17, 2014

It's Friday and I'm starting a new weekly post called, "My Friday Five".  Every Friday, I'll be sharing  five different things I absolutely have to share with you all or I'll burst. Knowing me, this will likely run the gamut on a whole variety of unrelated, random topics. 

Now that you've been warned, drumroll please, here's my very first Friday Five:

*Ma'mitons Tote bag photo via the Ma'mitons Polyvore page.

1.  Ma'mitons handbags.  I learned about this company that makes "fashionable, handmade and environmentally friendly handbags" after they followed me on Twitter.  As a lover of all things fashionable, I immediately had to investigate their products.   They make beautiful handmade handbags, including the one seen above, which run the range from clutches to large totes.  I have yet to own one of these gorgeous bags but the bag in the picture above is totally calling my name.  (It'll be perfect on my shoulder come Summer time, don'tcha think?)  Besides the amazing handbags, there are a few other things I am very impressed with about the Ma'miton company.  First, they were very personal and friendly, trading tweets back and forth with me on Twitter.  I love that!  Not only are their bags all handmade, but they are made in the USA. (Woot, woot!)  Last but not least, Ma'mitons will donate 1% of your purchase to a charity they support called S.O.S Children's Village and if you sign up to receive their newsletter you'll receive 15% off your first purchase! 

2. Downton Abbey.  So, I am a few Seasons late to the Downton Abbey party but I have been eagerly catching up over the last few weeks.  I love everthing about this show. I love most of the characters, and I hate a select few, as well.  (Can we say, Thomas and O'Brien?....Ugh, they are so nasty!)  The costumes are exquisite.  (I sometimes wish we still wore such lovely gowns in today's day and age.) Since watching the show, I've added visiting the "Downton Abbey" castle, to my Bucket List. (I can stop in after my Jane Austen tour.)  Oh, and guess what?  Last week, I received an email from Department 56 promoting a new house they are featuring which will come out this summer.  Can you guess which house I am referring to???  Yes, the Downton Abbey house.  It's a bit pricey at $240, so I don't know if it will make it into my collection.  I have the perfect spot to display it, if it does though.

3.  Progressive Dinners.  Three of my close friends moved into new homes over the course of this past year, so last weekend we planned a progressive dinner as a fun way to see everyone's new home.  If you don't know what a progressive dinner is, it is where you host a different course at a different house.  So, you can have appetizers at one home, dinner at another and dessert at the last one.  We had lots of fun eating, laughing and making great memories! 

4.  Finding Warmth in Winter. One of my favorite things in Winter is when you jump into a parked car on a freezing cold day only to find that it is already nice and toasty warm from the sun shining down on it.  Ahhhh......it feels so amazing!!! 

5.  A little bit of dog humor.  While I was walking around a local department store, I saw the abbreviation above and got such a good chuckle from it that I whipped out my phone and immediately snapped a photo.  As the Mom to two adorably sweet & crazy doggies, I can totally picture them sitting in front of a computer, chatting with the other doggies on twitter, using this hip lingo!  :) 

Happy Friday!!!
~Chrissy

A Homemade Elixir for Cold & Flu Season

Today was one of those days where I could not seem to shake off a general feeling of yuckiness.  This yuckiness has been slowly getting more and more hard to ignore over the course of my Saturday morning, which is not good at all.  There is just no way I can let myself get sick, not that I ever want to let myself get sick, but this is by no means a good time for this to happen.  First, Christmas is only a few days away and I have parties to go to and food to prepare.  Secondly, a co-worker retired on Friday, leaving us a bit short-handed at my place of work and I really can't afford to have to take a sick day right now.  Nope, this girl just ain't getting sick!!!!

There was no choice but to call in for reinforcements.  My husband, Andy, has a tried and true homemade remedy for just these kinds of moments.  Any time we feel like a cold or the flu is imminent, we start drinking Andy's "Icky Hot Elixir" to knock it out of the park, so to speak. It doesn't sound pleasant because it really isn't.  I'm not going to lie to you here. It tastes kind of nasty and the drink is a hot one.  Knock it down quickly and just remember the fact that your throat will be burning after downing this drink can only mean it is killing all those nasty bugs and viruses!

Andy's "Icky Hot Elixir":
1 tsp Cayenne Pepper
1 tsp Ground Ginger
1 tsp Tumeric
1 tbsp. Raw Honey
juice of 1 Lemon
12 oz water
--Mix all ingredients together and drink twice a day until you feel better.

What cold and flu home remedies are your tried and true favorites?

Medical Disclaimer: All information about home remedies in my post is intended for your general knowledge only and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment for specific medical conditions.

Homegrown Collective November 2013 Subscription Box Review

Without a doubt Homegrown Collective is the most perfect subscription box for those of us who are on this amazing journey to living a natural and eco-friendly lifestyle.  In fact, they even state on their website that you will, "Receive seasonally appropriate, professionally curated  products that deliver the satisfaction of living a more self-sufficient & sustainable lifestyle to your doorstep each month."  Well, I can tell you they definitely deliver on a month to month basis. 

Since this is a subscription service you will sign up to have a new box delivered to your door every month, and you can cancel at any time.  The cost is $39/month + $9.00 shipping.  It is a bit pricey, I'll admit, but I have found it to be well worth the cost. I've learned some really invaluable techniques which I probably would have never learned if I hadn't received a kit with all the tools & instructions in which to complete it all spelled out for me.  If you can't tell, I am really excited about this company and their boxes!!!

Every month they have a different theme, with a couple of projects centered around this theme. This month's theme was "Almond De"Light".  The projects in this box were making your own Chocolate Almond Milk and a DIY Evergreen Oil Lamp.

Project #1: Chocolate Almond Milk

I already make my own Almond milk, but I have haven't made a Chocolate version as of yet, so I am excited to try this.  You can read about why I stopped buying commercially made Almond Milk, along with the recipe I've been using, here.  For this project, Homegrown Collective supplied the Almonds, Cacao Powder and Shredded Coconut.  They also supplied a cheesecloth for separating the ground almonds from the milk.  I would highly recommend using a mesh milk nut bag to do this instead of a flimsy cheesecloth.  It will save your life from a whole lot of messy cleanup, trust me!!!! 

Project #2:  DIY Evergreen Oil Lamp

I was really excited about this project, although a tad bit worried when I actually lit the wick that the flame would rush down the wick into my jar of paraffin oil and catch on fire.  I was prepared to chuck the lamp outside into the snow if need be. :)  Thankfully, my worries were completely unfounded, as they often are.  My imagination is somewhat overactive!  The completed project is rather beautiful (but please do not leave the lamp unattended). 

The box included all the supplies needed to make this lamp:  one mason jar with a hole already punched in the lid, indoor paraffin lamp oil, a fiberglass wick along with a latex glove to handle it, and an assortment of "filler" items (evergreen cuttings, holly and pine cones).  The instructions were easy to follow and quick to complete.  Essentially you just toss all the filler into your jar, fill it with the oil, add the wick and your ready to light it!  

I have one tiny suggestion for the Homegrown Collective company. Can you please provide new members with a binder so we can keep all your projects organized and in a central location for future reference?  What do you think of the November Homegrown Collective Subscription Box?

~Chrissy

Homegrown Collective October 2013 Subscription Box Review

This is my second box from Homegrown Collective and I am completely smitten! Without a doubt this is the most perfect subscription box for those of us who are on this amazing journey to living a natural and eco-friendly lifestyle.  In fact, they even state on their website that you will, "Receive seasonally appropriate, professionally curated  products that deliver the satisfaction of living a more self-sufficient & sustainable lifestyle to your doorstep each month."  I can tell you they definitely have delivered! After my very first box, I completely changed the products I use to do my laundry.  Is that not life changing, then I don't know what is! 

Since this is a subscription service you will sign up to have a new box delivered to your door every month, and you can cancel at any time.  The cost is $39/month + $9.00 shipping.  It is a bit pricey but I have found it to be well worth the cost.  In just two months I've learned some really invaluable techniques which I probably would have never learned if I hadn't received a kit with all the tools & instructions in which to complete it all spelled out for me.  If you can't tell, I am really excited about this company and their boxes!!!  

This month's theme was "Preserving & Preparing the Harvest Feast"  As you might guess, the big project in the box was canning.  Now I have always wanted to learn how to can foods but, to be completely honest, I was really intimidated by it so I never ever tried it before.  All the tools/ingredients you need were included with the box, except for the pot to heat everything in. The instructions were step by step and super easy to follow.  In fact, I was extremely surprised with just how easy the whole process really was.  It probably took a little over an hour from start to finish, and I ended up with some wonderful cranberry chutney which is going to be wonderful on top of my turkey this Thanksgiving! 

A second little project was also included in this month's box.  It was to make your own candle inside of  gourd.  Yes, a gourd.  This was the most adorably sweet little candle I have ever seen, let alone made myself.  I will tell you, we had to pull out a handsaw to get the gourd open.  It is a tough little bugger! A knife just wasn't powerful enough.  Besides that, this project was a piece of cake. You simply scoop out the insides, melt your wax, place your wick, pour it inside the hollowed out gourd and let it sit.  Viola! 

I can't wait to see what's store for my November box!!! 


~Chrissy

Homemade Pumpkin Puree

Fall for me means sweaters, skinny jeans with a cute pair of boots, hoodies, Husker football games, spiced apple cider, falling leaves,  Halloween, and pumpkins.  By pumpkins, I'm talking pumpkin pie, pumpkin smoothies (recipe will be coming soon on a future post), pumpkin bars, pumpkin whoopee pies, pumpkin muffins...oh my, I'm starting to drool a bit.  In order to make all these divinely scrumptious baked goods you'll need to stock up on lots of pumpkin puree.  Normally, I would use Farmers Market Organic Pumpkin Puree, but this year, after seeing some organic pumpkins in the produce section at Natural Grocers, I decided it was about time to try making my own.  

Homemade Pumpkin Puree:
**I want to credit Organic Authority for the instructions which helped me learn how to make this puree.

Ingredients: 
1 whole Pumpkin (I used a 4 LB Sugar Pumpkin)

Directions:
1.  Preheat your oven to 350F.

2.  De-stem and cut the pumpkin in half.  Remove the seeds but don't throw them away.  Roast those babies for some good snacking later on!

3.   Place the two halves face up on a baking sheet.  Place in the oven for 45 - 60 minutes, or until a fork can pierce the flesh.  Let me tell you....Your house will smell all sorts of amazing as this pumpkin is in the oven roasting.  Mmmmm!

4.  Allow the pumpkin to cool off a bit before scraping all the flesh off the skin.  Discard the skin.  Place the pumpkin in a blender, and blend until smooth and creamy. Note: A food processor may work better then a blender on this step.  I struggled a bit with my blender blending the pumpkin very well. I had to keep stopping and stirring it around a bit.  It may be the kind of blender I have, but I'm going to try a food processor next time to see if it makes this step any easier.  ***UPDATE**** Use a food processor for this step.  It works like a charm!!!!

5.  Drain off any excess water, if needed.  (I did not need to do this step but if your pumpkin holds a lot of moisture in it, you might have to.)

6.  Store in jars or freeze for later use.  I was able to get about 38oz of pumpkin puree from a 4LB pumpkin.

Homemade Almond Milk

My husband recently sent me an email titled "Almond Breeze is Crap".  For those of you who don't know, Almond Breeze is a widely stocked brand of Almond Milk in most grocery stores.  It's the brand I have been drinking for years now.  The reason for my husbands harsh words were due a blog he had read about an ingredient called carrageenan.  Now to be fair, Almond Breeze is not the only company who uses this ingredient.  There are in fact a lot of "crappy" almond milks out there.  It is found in all of the brands available at my local grocery stores.  You'll find it in the coconut and soy milks too.  Interesting side note:  This morning while brushing my teeth, I decided to check out the ingredients on my Tom's of Maine Fluoride-free toothpaste and guess what I found?  Yes, carrageenan is in that as well.  I suppose my next project is to find a new toothpaste or make my own.

Carrageenan is extracted from a red seaweed, Chondrus crispus, or Irish moss. The carrageenan found in your processed foods is in an un-degraded form and is chemically processed.  It has no nutritional value and is primarily used as a binder and thickening agent to improve texture in foods like ice cream, yogurt, almond milks, coconut milks, etc...   When researching carrageenan on the internet, you'll find both the pro and cons as to whether or not this ingredient is thought to be "good" for us to consume.  The key arguments for the cons were what spoke to me, and in particular the research studies on laboratory mice which have shown this type of carrageenan to be linked to malignancies, inflammation of the GI tract, glucose intolerance and impaired insulin action among other things.  Since a properly working digestive system is my primary health goal, the inflammation of the GI tract findings really worries me, enough to immediately make a dietary change.  There is a lot of nasty stuff out there in our foods and beauty products.  It is sure hard to avoid them all, but I am always happy when I become more aware of them.  Knowing more about carrageenan can only help me make better informed choices for myself.  Since I drink almond milk every morning, I know making my own is a surefire way to help me avoid this nasty ingredient in my daily morning drink!   

PLEASE NOTE:  This is only a very short synopsis of my own internet research findings, but the blog post my husband sent me which inspired me to dig a bit deeper and then make a change can be found on the blog Higher Purpose Living.  Please read it, as it has really great and detailed information about Carrageenan. 

Homemade Almond Milk:

Making my own almond milk has always intrigued me, but after learning about carrageenan and not liking what I was learning, I was immediately spurred into action.  Thankfully, I already had all the necessary ingredients on hand or I would have been making a late night run to the store!

The best thing about making almond milk is it's not hard to do.  The most time consuming part is soaking your almonds.  You'll want to make sure and soak them overnight for optimal results.  The worst thing about making almond milk is there are a few pieces of essential equipment you'll also need:
1. a high powered blender, and
2. a nut milk strainer bag.  I tend to do a lot of my on-line shopping at Amazon, where there are a variety of options for $6-8. 

Once your almonds are sufficiently soaked and rinsed off well, toss them in a blender.  Add 3-4 cups water, sweetener (i.e. dates) and anything else you may want, like vanilla or cinnamon.  Blend at high speed.  Transfer to your nut milk bag and strain into a large bowl.  That's it, you're all done.  It is so easy to make and tastes so much more fresh and delicious then the store bought variety that you won't want to go back to store bought anymore, carrageenan or not, anyway, which is kind of the point.  Right?  :)

You can find the full recipe with step by step directions at Oh She Glows.  Enjoy!!!

~Chrissy