Coloring Easter Eggs

 

Coloring Easter Eggs Naturally: Create a New Easter Tradion

I heard about Coloring Easter Eggs naturally years ago, but the rumors scared me away.  I should have known better than to believe everything I hear, but reading things like, “If you dye your eggs with chopped beets, your eggs will taste like beets,” is clearly not a motivator.  Beet flavored eggs?

Then a few years later I saw natural dying instructions from Martha Stewart (who would never eat eggs tasting of beets, I reasoned).   I decided to give it a try.  I have dyed eggs naturally ever since and even experimented with different color “recipes” for the best look.  It is really quite easy and you don’t even need a food processor for chopping.

In fact, coloring eggs naturally isn’t much harder than using commercial dyes and the whole family can get involved.  Below you will find the the basic instructions and variations for coloring Easter Eggs Pink, Blue, Yellow, and every combination those colors combine to make..

Instructions for Coloring Easter Eggs

Coloring Easter Eggs Pink

• Slice one beet and discard the ends
• Place the slices in a small saucepan and cover shallowly with water.
• Bring the water to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes.
• Let cool then strain liquid into a coffee cup.
• Add 1 T of vinegar.
• Place a hard cooked egg into the dye and let it sit until colored.

Coloring Easter Eggs Blue

Blue dye can be made the same way except you use a small to medium red cabbage instead of a beet. Quarter the cabbage, discard the core, cover with water and boil for 30 minutes, then strain.

Coloring Easter Eggs Yellow

Yellow can be made by boiling a teaspoon of turmeric for a few minutes then straining through a paper towel.

Addition Color Options

Once you have pink, yellow and blue, you can make any color you want.  Simply color an egg then re-dip it in a second color to make a new one.  A yellow egg placed briefly in blue will turn green.  Add a pink egg to blue dye to turn it purple, and so on.

Note: With this natural process, some variation is normal.  This year everything worked perfectly but one year my pink beet dye turned our eggs brown.  We had fun anyway!

No matter what, my eggs have always tasted great.  And it feels good to have a green Easter–in more ways than one!

Coloring Easter Eggs Naturally, Come back and share your experience?

 

Simple Steps to a Green Valentines

Make this Year a Green Valentines 

Valentine’s Day is the  time we celebrate the love in our life

PND sat down with Janice Croze from 5 Minutes for Mom to share some great greens valentines finds.  Hopefully this video will inspire you to find greener ways to celebrate your special someone.

This video was filmed using the Sony Handycam HDR PJ10,provided by Sony 

Products Featured in the PND Green Valentines Video

With Janice Croze from 5 Minutes for Mom

Organic Candle Company  $14 – 29

Coco Zen Truffles $8 – $15.50

Chocoholikcs Lip Palette from Jane Iredale $35

Monica Hall Spa Vanilla Night Nectar $95

Five Bamboo Boyshort $12, Shelf Cami $14 & Bamboxers $17

 

A green valentines day – it’s simpler than you think!

Share your Green Valentines Ideas

Face Paint: Is it Safe?

Lead, Nickel and other Toxins in Face Paints!

Face Painting epitomizes childhood joy. Their smiles are big as they dive into the fantasy land that face painting evokes.

 

The question is – should we be concerned about potential toxins contained in these often cheaply made, deeply pigmented face paint products? In this video we cover toxins the EWG has found in the face paint they tested… along with other known allergens. Lyra  Face Painting Pencils made in Germany is a good option.

Another option worth checking out is Elegant Minerals, they let you chose your colors and are even made in the USA!

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Has your child had a bad reaction to Face Paint?

Homemade Furniture Polish

Homemade Furniture Polish

This homemade furniture polish recipe is so simple you’ll wonder why you haven’t always been caring for your wood this way!
It is made with two simple ingredients I am willing to bet you already have on hand. Olive Oil & Lemon Juice.

Traditional wood polishes have a lemon scent, but one look at the ingredients and you may reconsider spraying it in your home. Household cleaners are a leading cause of Indoor Air Pollution.

This homemade furniture polish recipe will leave you with nothing but a natural lemon fresh scent and well conditioned wood.

Homemade Furniture Polish Recipe

3 Tablespoons of Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon of Lemon Juice – or about the juice from one lemon

If using fresh lemons – remove the seeds and squeeze into the olive oil
Combine both ingredients in a small dish.
Use a clean rag to disperse the polish evenly around your wood.

A Simple Way to Care For Your Wood

It’s worth noting this homemade furniture polish works best on wood that needs to be conditioned. If you have furniture that is finished with a shellac – dust with a damp cloth… no polish required.

Done. It’s that simple to make your own homemade furniture polish.

8 Simple Tips For Hosting a Healthier Superbowl Party

Superbowl… quite possibly THE party of the year in many homes across the country.  Not exactly a time most people pick to be healthier or greener for that matter, but why not?  Why not host a fabulous party that is a little of both? Use these simple tips to get  started!

As long as you serve up delicious options your guests will be delighted to have healthier choices in the mix.  We all know that everyone is going to splurge on Superbowl calories, but there are many options you can offer your guests that are both delish and healthy.

Serve Food On Real Plates

Years ago our family invested in 100 simple 10″ round plates, we pull them out for every party.  It does require a little extra washing, but it sure cuts down on how much waste your party will generate!  Find them reasonably priced at IKEA, Cost Plus, and Pottery Barn.  Our initial investment has been recouped many times over.

 

Use Post Consumer Recycled Papergoods

Switching to Post Consumer Waste (PCW) recycled paper napkins can make an impact.  If every family replaced just one package of 500 count napkins it would add up to 2.4 million trees. Imagine the impact if ALL the superbowl parties in America chose just one paper product that was PCW!

Consider Featuring Organic Drinks at the Bar

Organic Vodka will make the game day martini’s a win, try Rain Organic Vodka & Square One Organic Vodka, mix with your favorite recipe!  No Superbowl would be complete without beer, so check out your local breweries and see if you can’t find an organic brew or two to offer your guests.  Heading to a party… pick an organic spirit to offer your host this year!

Fill Your Spread with Dips

Skip the Cheesy Artichoke dip, instead offer a few varieties of hummus which are rich in iron & vitamin C, guacamole – which helps lower cholesterol, lower blood pressure and is chock full of lutein and vitamin E,  Black Bean Dip which is high in both fiber and antioxidants, Salsa even the mild salsa is high in Lycopenes, Vitamin A, B6 & C all while weighing in at a about 4 calories per Tablespoon (be sure they have no added perservatives or additives).  Oh… if you haven’t tried whole wheat pita chips, try them for a healthier chip alternative.

Offer Platters of Fruits & Veggies with Dip

Not only will all the color  brighten up your super bowl spread, but your guests will also much guilt free!  You can find platters ready made at costco, your grocery store… or for more delicious offerings select your own – avoid the plastic waste, allows you to pick organic options, and saves money too!

Don’t Serve Up  GMO’s

Buy Organic Tortilla chips.  Corn is one of the largest Genetically Modified crops in the US.  Simply selecting organic will ensure you aren’t serving GMO’s to your guest… The US regulations don’t allow for any GMO ingredients to be used in organic foods.  This is an area where the organic option doesn’t typically cost more

Better Protein

Serving hot dogs?  Look for nitrate free.  Hamburger’s?  Go with free range organic beef.  Yes… it will cost a little more, but it will taste much better.  While you are it… serve them up on Whole Wheat Buns!

For another protein option that is low calorie  serve a platter of cocktail shrimp.  To keep this play sustainable look for wild pink shrimp from Oregon, or check this list for other sustainable shrimp options.

Skip the Soda Cans & Bottled Water

What?!?  Yes.  Skip the soda cans & bottled water.  Or cut drastically back  the offerings.

For Water, get a few pitchers and fill them with Filtered Ice Water, and use glasses.  We mark them with a sticker so guests won’t need to use multiple glasses throughout the party.

IF you just can’t bear to give up soda, go with the larger size bottles, or if you want to add an extra element of fun… invest in a Soda Stream and guests can mix master their own sodas!  It will be the talk of the party!

Have a Great Party!

You may not be ready to tackle every one of these moves… yet.  But, consider choosing just one or two to get started…

Your guests will have a great time and neither their health nor the environment need to be sidelined.

A Party With Heart – #diva4d

 

 

 

You’ve seen the hashtag – and want to know – what is #diva4d?

CLICK HERE TO DONATE NOW!

#Diva4d is my birthday wish. As a milestone year it became important to do something worthy of the occasion.

Homeless Shelters have seen a 55% increase in the women and children coming to their doors. Seeing people living on the street saddens me to my core, so with the resources of our homeless shelters stretched to the limit it became the focus of my efforts.

The Goal: House & Feed 20 People, for 20 nights at a cost of $40 per night.

20 people for 20 nights cannot be done on my own. YOU know how much I love you? I promise to love you even more if you help make this grand scheme a reality.

Moreover – I’ve done the math – If you not only get involved yourself, but if you inspire 3 people to donate $20 – and those 3 donate $20…. We will make it happen!

Shared through 3 networks of people with each of us inspiring 3 people to take action. We ensure 20 people are warm and fed for 20 nights. Together we can make a difference.

Support the #diva4d Wish

• Click Here to donate to support the Missions.
• Social Media Savvy? Pledge to support the #diva4d Hashtag and help us raise both awareness.
• Online Auction – our event supporters have donated some GREAT products! We will be auctioning them off via ebay and donating 100% of the auction proceeds to the Missions.

 

NOTE -  A few people are having trouble finding the BOX on the crowdrise site for joining the #diva4d team.  Once you choose which of my “projects’ you want to be a part of… On that page – look at the top right and you’ll see an orange donate now button…. look straight down… and you will see the black join the team “button”.

The Best Family Present

 

 

What Makes a Family Present Great?

One of the best family presents we’ve gotten recently has been a trampoline.  Truth be told, when we decided to move forward and get a trampoline – I really looked at it as a gift for the children.  Something they would love combined with a great physical activity. Win. Win.

What I didn’t anticipate was how much fun it would be for the whole family!  Our family consists of a 4, 6 & 14 year old and all 3 loved the new addition to our back yard!   And while the lil’s all enjoy trampoline time… I’ve found that mama loves it too.  Sometimes I’ll just sneak out without the lil’s catching me and I’ll jump until I’m breathless.

I also didn’t anticipate how much the lil’s would want to jump together as a family, and how much fun it would be to jump with them – talk about heart prints.

 

I asked friends to Share their Favorite Family Present EVER !

Fitness & Fun

I  discovered – I’m not alone in LOVING the trampoline!

Kadi Cobb Prescott mom of 7 (yes 7!!!)  said they bought a giant trampoline. “Our kids got it from Santa five years ago and still use it all the time!”

Gena Martinez Morris from the Morris Bunch said “My dad got our family a trampoline a couple years ago. It was the best gift ever and the reason my 3 year old daughter hops everywhere she goes!”

Amy Benton Bradley from Freaky Perfect even  bought a mini tramp  for my son’s Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD). It helps calm him down when he gets worked up. But we ALL love it!

Memberships

Kate Canterbury from The Guavalicious Life got her family a membership to the zoo for her daughters’ first Christmas. “We used it almost every week. Not only did it help create some wonderful family memories, it also motivated me to get out of the house since we could just duck in for an hour or so whenever we wanted. Plus it wasn’t another toy that cluttered up the house when the girls got tired of it”.

Travel

Katja Presnal of Skimbaco Lifestyle took her immediate and extended family on Ski trip to Park City Mountain Resort for Christmas with extended family was the best family gift we ever got!

Three years ago  Maricris Guadagna from Zensible Mama bought her family a Plane ticket to visit family in the Philippines.  “It was the first time for my daughter and hubby to meet the rest of my family. It was one of the most expensive purchase but totally worth it.”

Resourceful Mommy, Amy Lupold Bair surprised her family with a getaway to Disney World! “I didn’t even tell my husband when I booked it!”  Lisa Douglas from Crazy Adventures in Parenting also took a surprise Disney trip last Christmas. Andrea Peskind Katz of Great Thoughts  also planned a surprise family trip to Disneyworld.  They gave kids wrapped Minnie Mouse shirts with a poem telling them we were going. “Screaming ensued! Awesome!”  It sounds like Disney and surprises go hand in hand!

Quality time together and memories that will last a lifetime.

Handcrafts & Creativity

Kelly Kinkaid from Kellyology said “My Grandmother-in-law makes hand crafted quilts for every baby born and for every new family member added by marriage. It’s a fantastic tradition, and each quilt some how represents perfectly each person it is made for.

Lolli Franklin from Better In Bulk has embraced her craftiness, “One year I made fleece blankets for each of my kids. I purchased the fabric (personalized for each… child) and cut and tied the blankets all in secret. I would wait til the kids were in bed before pulling everything out each night. I was an awesome surprise and I loved that I not only made them something personal, but that their big gift from me was not a toy. That was 5 years ago, and all 5 of my kids still use their blankets.

Rajean Campbell Blomquist was creative in announcing baby news and making a treasured gift, “Right after I was married we found christmas ornament frames and I put the ultrasound to our baby girl inside for my parents, his mother, our two oldest daughters. We hadn’t announced yet that they’d be grandparents again and big sisters. It was really sweet & surprising.”

All in all it seems the best family present is one that encourages family time together and naturally the lasting memories follow.

Love Letter to the FTC – I was sent a trampoline to review by Jumpsport – writing this post was not a part of the agreed upon review – although having the trampoline was the inspiration behind it.

So… Travel, Something homemade or will your family bounce into the new year on a Trampoline?  As you get ready for this season of giving are you considering a family present…?

 

 

 

 

Survive Cold & Flu Season: Natural Antibacterial & Germ Fighting Solutions

Antibacterial Products Don’t Need to Be a Toxic

Fighting germs typically involves ambushing it with chemically derived antibacterial products, exposing your family to potentially harmful toxins. Watch this video and I’ll share the options we use in our home.

Please be sure to SUBSCRIBE – very important -  also add PND as your YouTube friends too!

Share your natural Antibacterial solutions?

Mail! Where We Found Our Halloween Costumes This Year

Almost every week – things arrive on my doorstep. Some are sent via PR and some I order online… not always the greenest way to buy, but it is a tool in this busy mom’s toolbox.

This week our Halloween Costumes came in the mail! Oh my, the lil’s have been SO excited it’s hard to keep them out of them. And… Lil Diva has declared that Halloween on Monday is WRONG… and it only be on weekends (she’s right isn’t she!).

What's In The Mail? Image from Brian Matis

 

 

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Birthday Wish: Strawberry Themed Party Menu

by Tania  
Filed under Entertaining, Family & Parenting, Pure Natural Living

5 Comments

Birthday Wish:  Healthier Party Food

Just because you’re serving up cake doesn’t mean you can’t treat your guests to healthier choices next time you throw a party.  For inspiration – check out this menu from Lil Diva’s recent Water Celebration 6th Birthday Party!

Birthday Wish: Summer Inspired Strawberry Theme

Strawberries are Lil Diva’s favorite fruit. They are also gorgeous and the perfect fruit to feature for the fete. We placed heaping bowls everywhere. They made a stunning edible focal point and the perfect healthy summertime snack option for our guests. We kept the strawberries chilled & fresh all day by placing a cup full of ice in each vase – the glass was then hidden by the berries.

Birthday Wish:  Healthier Menu

Healthier Snacks,

• Featuring Strawberries… everywhere.
• Watermelon and Grapes.
• Veggie Platter with Baby Carrots, Snap Peas, Mushrooms & Baby Tomatoes
• Whole Grain Pita Chips, Organic Tortilla Chips and Veggies Straws
• Dips; Hummus, Guacamole, and Salsa.

Dinner

• Hamburgers made with Grass Fed Beef, and micro Diced Veggies on Whole Wheat Buns – Recipe Posting Sept 22, 2011!
• Hot Dogs made with all natural uncured beef hot dogs on Whole Wheat Buns.
• Tossed Salad with Dressing
• Spinach Salad with Feta Cheese & Fresh Strawberry, served with a raspberry vinaigrette.
• Macaroni and Cheese made with 100% whole grain pasta, and real sharp cheddar.
• Onion Rings, Sweet Potato Fries and Sweet Potato Waffle Fries from Alexia Natural Foods.
• Vanilla Cake with Custard Filling and Butter Cream Frosting.

Beverages

We borrowed 2 – 3 Gallon Drink Dispensers from a neighbor and filled them with:

• Strawberry Lemonade
• Water

Chef Philip Baer Helps Feed Hungry Guests!

 

Strawberry Spinach Salad

 

Birthday Wish: Edible Centerpieces

Because we were raising funds for Charity Water.  The California Strawberry Commission sent gorgeous strawberries.  They truly inspired the theme and became a gorgeous focal point for the event!

 

This event was made more successful due to the participation of our brand partners.

• Episencial donated $125, and sent bubble bath for everyone – if you need a super pure baby skincare products be sure to check them out!
• Mabel’s Labels sent the cutest individually named loot bag label packs
• The California Strawberry Commission sent 42 pounds of strawberries
• Alexia Foods sent some sweet potato fries & onion rings
• Rudi’s Bakery sent bread products for the Barbecue!

 

 

 

What is your Birthday Wish?

Tags: Barbecue, california, Centerpieces, Charity Water, Fresh, grass fed beef, Hamburgers, hungry guests, inspiration, Organic, pasta, Strawberries, strawberry lemonade, strawberry spinach salad, sweet potato fries

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