Category: Favorites
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Thursday, February 23, 2023
White Chicken Chili
My parents live near a Barons Market and they carry fantastic soups. Walk anywhere within a quarter mile of any Barons and people on the street will stop to tell you how good the Barons soups are, especially the clam chowder. (I am only exaggerating a little bit here.) One of our favorites is the white chicken chili and, since we don’t have immediate access to a Barons or unlimited funds, I decided I needed to figure out how to make it. I did some research on their soup as well as several recipes and settled on a winner from Taste of Home, with a few modifications.
I love this recipe. It is easy to throw together (hardly any chopping or dishes!) and it tastes awesome with toppings like sour cream, cilantro, lime and avocado. You could probably even throw some tortilla strips on there and be soup-er happy! (sorrynotsorry) Bonus, the soup is creamy and still gluten free. The mashed beans give it a cozy, chowder-like texture and the chicken cooks nice and tender.
This is one of our family’s favorite dinners now. Apologies for the sub-par photography…my “real” camera’s battery was dead and I had to get a picture of the last available bowl in daylight before anyone ate it. The only reason, in fact, that I haven’t posted the recipe before now is because I could never get a photo in daylight because it always gets eaten up!
White Chicken ChiliWhite Chicken Chili Author: Jane Maynard This soup offers a little kick of heat, which can be easily adjusted as per the ingredients belowAuthor: Jane MaynardIngredients- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed (last time I used up to 2 pounds and soup came out great)
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced (or pushed through a garlic press)
- 32 ounces chicken broth
- 1 4-ounce can chopped green chiles (mild, medium or hot depending on your preference)
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (add up to 1-1/2 teaspoons if you want it spicier)
- 3 14-ounce cans great northern white beans, drained
- ¾ cup fresh chopped cilantro (measurement does not need to be precise, just a nice big handful) + extra for garnish
- 1 lime
- Optional toppings: Shredded cheese, sour cream, fresh lime, fresh cilantro, avocado, thinly sliced radish
Instructions- In a large pot, cook chicken and onion over medium heat until lightly browned.
- Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer.
- Stir in the chicken broth, chiles, cumin, oregano and cayenne; bring to a boil then reduce heat to low.
- Mash 1 can of the white beans with a potato masher or pastry blender until quite smooth. Add mashed and whole beans to the pot. Simmer for 20-30 minutes.
- Serve as is or with optional toppings listed above!
Posted by Jane Wallin at 1:18 pm 3 Comments
Categories: all recipes, fab faves, featured recipes, Gluten-Free Recipes, main dishes, Recipes Tags: chicken, chili, soup, white chicken chili |
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Monday, October 10, 2022
Week 754 Weekly Menu
You know what is crazy? I started this blog right before I became pregnant with our second child, Anna…who is now a freshman in high school. This fact is kind of blowing my mind. Anyway, late start to planning this week after a very event-filled Homecoming weekend with the kids and my niece! Back to real life…
MONDAY:
- Spaghetti and meatballs (GF tip alert! I used Delallo’s Gluten-Free Spaghetti and Mulay’s Nana’s Meatballs (also gluten free) and it was great! Tasted like legit Italian food, thank the gluten-free gods!)
TUESDAY:
- Chicken Tikka Masala and Goan Coconut Paneer (I love the Maya Kaimal Indian food grocery products. I use their simmer sauces and everyday dal packs and every one we’ve tried has been fantastic.)
WEDNESDAY:
- Ancho BBQ Sloppy Joe, salad, chips
THURSDAY:
- Burrito Rice Bowls
FRIDAY:
- Leftovers
SATURDAY:
- Takeout night
SUNDAY:
- Smoked chicken (did I mention that this is our new favorite thing to smoke? Wow.)
Your turn! Share your menus in the comments below and have a great week!
Posted by Jane Wallin at 8:53 pm 15 Comments
Categories: fab faves, the goods, weekly menus Tags: dinner ideas, MEAL PLANNING, weekly menu |
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Sunday, September 18, 2022
Week 751 Weekly Menu…and we’re back!
Hello everyone! I hope you had a great summer! School started a few weeks ago, which was when I was planning to get back to meal planning. But then we tore out all our cabinet doors and painted the kitchen (still working on the cabinets) and then that heat wave hit. But my excuses are expiring, so it’s time to get serious again. I’ll be honest, I don’t really feel like planning menus, but I definitely need them back in my life. So, here we go!
Thank you to long-time menu contributor Bonnie Lawrence for telling us about America Test Kitchen’s The Ultimate Meal Prep Cookbook. This is my first week of using one of their weekly plans to a T. I’m excited!
MONDAY:
- Parmesan Chicken with Cherry Tomato Salad
TUESDAY:
- Chicken and Rice with Chorizo and Artichokes
WEDNESDAY:
- Prosciutto-Wrapped Pork with Lemony Broccolini
THURSDAY:
- Skillet Tortellini with Sausage and Tomatoes
FRIDAY:
- Leftovers
SATURDAY:
- Takeout
SUNDAY:
- Outdoor Grill Night! (I’ll buy the food for this dinner when I do next week’s shopping)
Please share your weekly menu in the comments below! I’m excited to be re-connected and see what you are all up to in the kitchen!
Posted by Jane Wallin at 1:26 pm 10 Comments
Categories: book club, the goods, weekly menus Tags: dinner ideas, MEAL PLANNING, weekly menu |
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Friday, August 30, 2019
Friday Show & Tell: I’m Dreaming of a Toyota Sequoia + Other Awesome Finds
The number of things I want to share in today’s Show and Tell is a clear indicator that it’s been too long since I’ve done one of these posts. Here we go!
The Sequoia is the first car to make me consider ditching my minivan.
Just a few of the places we took the Sequoia this summer! Top left: Cape Cod National Seashore, Provincetown, MA; Top Right: Sleepy Hollow Cemetery in Concord, MA, Author’s Ridge in the background; Bottom Right: Off roading on my in-law’s property in New Hampshire; Bottom Right: Centerville on Cape CodThis summer, Toyota leant us a Sequoia Platinum for our New England vacation. I was excited to give it a try, but had no idea just how much we would love this car. It is honestly the first car that made me go, “Huh, maybe I can live without my minivan.” It’s about time I tell you about the car, given the level of fondness I have for it! Why did we like this car so much? Let me count the ways…
Awesome safety features:
The technology around safety is really well done, with lots of customization possibilities. Note: I accidentally got myself stuck driving down Commercial Street in Provincetown, MA. This was perhaps one of the most stressful driving situations I’ve ever found myself in. It was like trying to fit a grown man’s foot into a baby bootie. However, I was completely able to make it through that crazy street stuffed with cars and people, thanks to helpful beeps if I got close to something as well as a surprisingly tight turning radius on such a large SUV. If I could drive the Sequoia here, I can drive it anywhere.
That is Commercial Street. I think my heart rate is still coming down a month later.4WD + the ability to fit lots of people and stuff.
I love camping here in California and visiting Joshua Tree as often as possible. As a result, we’ve forced our minivan down roads that it had no business driving down. We would love to have a 4WD vehicle but as yet haven’t found one that we liked that could also fit 3 kids plus 2 cellos. The Sequoia can do all of that.
I fit those four suitcases and definitely still had space to pack in more stuff…and that was with the third row up! Two cello cases would be no problem!So much space.
Let’s go back to the whole space thing again. The third row was just as comfortable as the middle or front seats, even for adults. And even when we had tons of stuff in the car, we still had room to fit lots of people comfortably.
Random awesome stuff.
The sound system was amazing. The front seat had double visors so you can block sun on the side and in front at the same time. Heat warmers in the front and middle seats, plus vented seats in the front to help cool you down on a hot day. Buttons that moved the seats up and down in the way back. All the bells and whistles.
Honestly, this might be the next car we get. I’ll keep you posted! Thank you, Toyota!!
Enamelware Jackpot!
I’ve been looking for pretty white enamelware with a thin colored edge for ages. West Elm would carry it sometimes, but it always sold out quickly. Then, while in Provincetown on Cape Cod, we went to a wonderful home store called Utilities, filled to the brim with great finds, including the enamelware of my dreams, made by Crow Canyon Home. I bought a bunch of plates and some serving bowls, then got home and discovered they have a website, which means I will be buying more. (Seriously, I need more bowls, they are awesome.) Definitely go check them out.
Cedar Grilling Wraps for Cooking Fish
A few weeks ago I put grilled salmon on my weekly menu, and my friend Sharon commented on the post saying she had just used cedar grilling wraps the night before and loved them. When I went to Sprouts to buy the fish, I picked up a couple packs myself. And I am officially joining the “I heart cedar wraps” club with Sharon.
Why cedar wraps? Well, you’re not really supposed to cook with aluminum foil because aluminum leaches into your food at high temperatures. But buying the cedar planks feels wasteful as you can only use them once. These cedar wraps are the best of both worlds! I have used them twice now for salmon, just laying the salmon right on top of the cedar “paper” and throwing it on the grill.
You can buy the wraps on Amazon (and actually there are a ton of brands to choose from on there), but you may also be able to find them at your local market like I did, most likely near the butcher.
I love Lori Gottlieb’s book and everyone should read it.
Looking for a great book? Go read “Maybe You Should Talk to Someone: A Therapist, HER Therapist, and Our Lives Revealed” by Lori Gottlieb. She is a fantastic writer and I found myself highlighting things left and right, something I rarely do. So, so good. Enjoy!
Posted by Jane Wallin at 12:56 pm No Comments
Categories: book club, fab faves, show and tell, the goods Tags: books, enamelward, grilling, show and tell, toyota |
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Thursday, April 25, 2019
Show and Tell: IKEA Kitchen Finds + Live Music You Need to See
I went to IKEA last month and found a few things for my kitchen that I am loving. And then I bought a bunch of concert tickets that I am pumped about, so I think a Show and Tell post is in order!
IKEA Kitchen Finds
I haven’t been to IKEA in ages, but I went with the kids recently to get some new bedding for Anna’s room. I came home with a small pile of really awesome kitchen stuff, so I feel I must share.
- Cheese Grater. IKEA made this type of cheese grater years ago. I’ve had mine forever and it’s still going strong. I even gave it to everyone for Christmas one year. Then IKEA stopped selling it for a while, which was sad, but now it’s back on the shelves! I’m so excited because every kitchen needs one of these. Reasons this grater is awesome: it doesn’t take up a ton of storage space, non-slip surface on the bottom, there are two grate size options, the container comes with a lid for storing cheese in the fridge, and it is only FIVE DOLLARS. This is, in my opinion, the best cheese grater around. Click here to buy.
- Steak Knives. These little knives are only $5 a piece and work great. Here’s the thing, I got some cheap-o steak knives when we got married that were marvelous, and I’m down to only one left. I don’t want to spend $100/knife (or even $20/knife, really), but every cheap steak knife I’ve met since stinks. Not this IKEA knife. It’s great. Not quite as marvelous as my free set of Farberware steak knives, but close. 😉 Click here to buy.
- Dish Towels. Okay, so, I bought these black dish towels and these grey/blue striped dish towels. They are exactly the same except for the color/pattern. The fabric finish is different from other dish towels at IKEA. These towels are pure magic and legit dry things off completely. Not a speck of water left behind. Plus, they aren’t white, so, you know, they don’t look like crap after a couple of uses. I ended up ordering more online and have a nice stash that will hopefully last me until I die.
- Hand Held Whisk. This is so random, but this whisk is like those antique hand held whisks that existed before hand blenders came along. And I love it. And you can put it in the dishwasher. It’s kinda bulky, but, whatever, I’m just glad IKEA brought the old-school hand blender back! Click here to buy.
- Enameled Steel Grey Dishes with Blue Trim. I didn’t actually buy these dishes because I’m looking for white enameled dishes with red or black trim, however these were completely adorable. So, if you like grey and blue, you should totally get them because I feel like someone should. You can get bowls, plates and/or mugs.
- Prize Wheel Game. This is one of those wheel of fortune spinny wheel things. No, it has nothing to do with the kitchen. Yes, it is completely awesome and fun to spin and perfect for practicing cello with your 7-year-old son. I’ve told two teachers about this and two teachers have since bought it. So, you know, if you have a need for a prize wheel, here you go! Click here to buy.
Live Music You Need to See
I just bought a bunch of concert tickets. Happy Birthday/Merry Christmas/Everything Else to me! We have already seen these performers perform live and they were so good we are spending money to see them again.
- The Avett Brothers are on tour! Seriously, they are amazing live, and I’m not just saying that because they are my favorite band, which they totally are, but seriously, seriously, seriously, they are so good live. Click here for tour info.
- Hozier is out and about, too. This dude is unbelievable live and can really jam, plus he has the happiest, kindest vibe about him. Click here for tour info.
- Last but not least, Sara Bareilles. As a piano-player-singer-type, of course I’ve always loved Sara. But when I went to her concert a few years ago I had no comprehension of how truly spectacular she lives. Her musicianship is impressive, but she is also incredibly funny and witty. Her favorite word starts with “F” and she uses her favorite word a lot, but she makes it very endearing (haha!) and it’s not stopping me from taking my girls anyway. 😉 Click here for tour info.
Posted by Jane Wallin at 12:31 pm 1 Comment
Categories: fab faves, Kitchen Tips, music, the goods Tags: IKEA, music |
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Friday, February 15, 2019
Friday Show & Tell: ‘This Week for Dinner’ is finally on Instagram, plus some great podcasts about plant-based foods
It’s Friday Show and Tell time!
This Week for Dinner is on Instagram!
So, my blog turned 12 last week. I totally forgot about the blog’s birthday, so, you know, Happy Birthday, Blog! Good job on 12 years and all that. Anyway, I’ve been on Instagram forever but have never focused exclusively on food content because, well, Instagram was sort of my happy place where I did whatever I wanted. It still is, but I have finally pulled the trigger and got This Week for Dinner going on Instagram. I would love love love it if you want to follow me over there. I’ll share content from the blog as well as the podcast (which will be starting up again soon!), the weekly menu and great food! The handle is simply @thisweekfordinner.
Recent Podcast Recommendations
Two of my favorite podcasts had some great episodes lately talking about plant-based food. They’re really well done and super interesting, so I definitely want to share them with you!
Science Vs
I love Science Vs, it’s a delightful science podcast by Gimlet media and the host Wendy Zukerman is one of my favorites. Anyway, they recently did an episode about vegan diets, looking at different vegan and anti-vegan claims (like vegans are better for the environment and you need cow’s milk to be healthy) to figure out what was true. You can listen to the episode here: Vegans: Are They Right?
But what I really want to share is the follow up episode about milk alternatives, or shmilks as Wendy calls them. It’s a super short episode that looks at the environmental impact of soy, almond, oat and cow’s milks. At the end of the episode, my 11-year-old Anna said, “Well, it looks like probably our whole family should start using your oat milk, huh, Mom?” You can listen to the episode here: Soy, Almond, Oat Milks: Are They Udder Bull?
Freakonomics
Freakonomics is another of my favorite podcasts. Their recent episode The Future of Meat is fascinating and great food for thought. Pat Brown, CEO of Impossible Foods, is interviewed extensively and he has really thoughtful ways of looking at the future of food and meat production. (Fun fact: my husband Nate’s company synthesized DNA for Impossible when they were developing their ground beef product. Cool, huh?)
That’s all for today! And, as always, show and tell is for the whole class! Feel free to share whatever you want in the comments below!
Posted by Jane Wallin at 10:20 am No Comments
Categories: Eat Well. Heal the Planet., fab faves, Plant-Based Eating, show and tell Tags: freakonomics, instagram, plant-based eating, podcast recommendations, science vs, show and tell |
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Thursday, February 14, 2019
Plant-Based Eating Hack #1: Non-Dairy Plant-Based Ice Cream
As part of my new year’s resolution to focus more on plant-based eating, I promised you I would share all kinds of tips and ideas throughout the year. Today is the first of these posts, which I will call “Plant-Based Eating Hacks.” A bigger focus on plant-based eating doesn’t mean you have to go vegan, but those of us who aren’t vegan or vegetarian are often unfamiliar with the great options out there for plant-based eating. Let’s explore those options together! Today we’re going to start with a classic dessert we all know and love: ice cream. Yep, we’re talking about non-dairy, plant-based ice cream with nary a drop of cream in sight!
Three years ago I had the chance to travel to Vermont to visit the Ben & Jerry’s headquarters. It was ridiculously cold, I had a 5-hour flight delay in Chicago and I discovered on this trip that I have sacroiliac dysfunction (which basically just means excruciating pain). Despite all the cards stacked against me and the fact that I hobbled about like a 150-year-old woman addicted to ibuprofen, it was hands down one of the most fun trips I’ve ever been on. We toured the factory (including the production floor!), ate ice cream straight from the production line, and even got to create our own new ice cream flavors in the test kitchens. The experience was unforgettable. Ben & Jerry’s hosted this media trip as part of their non-dairy frozen dessert product launch. I was the only writer on the trip who was not vegan. At the time I was a full-fledged dairy consumer and knew very little about veganism, quite frankly. But I walked away from the trip with two things. First, really wonderful vegan friends who were open and ready to teach me in the least-judgy way imaginable. Second, a love for non-dairy, plant-based ice cream.
Why Non-Dairy, Plant-Based Ice Cream?
Here’s the thing: you totally do not need cream to make good ice cream. I know, it sounds like crazy talk. But since I cut dairy a year ago, I can attest to the fact that my non-dairy, plant-based ice cream options have left me completely happy and not missing “real” ice cream at all. And, as we learned in my plant-based eating kick-off post, cows are a huge drain on the environment. Eating red meat and dairy makes for a reeeeeealllllllyyyyyy big carbon footprint. If you can sub out that dairy with something equally delicious, why wouldn’t you?
I’m going to share two great non-dairy, plant-based ice cream options that I love with you today. And then I’m going to ask you all to share your own favorites in the comments! Let’s make this the best collection of plant-based ice cream recommendations around!
Ben & Jerry’s Non-Dairy Frozen Desserts
As I mentioned, about three years ago Ben & Jerry’s launched their non-dairy frozen desserts line. At the time I believe there were 4 flavors, but today the line has expanded to 11 flavors (and I’m sure it will keep growing). All of Ben & Jerry’s non-dairy frozen desserts are made with an almond milk base (which is delicious, btw) and are certified vegan.
And since I have yet to write about that trip from many moons ago, I have to share some pictures with you.
Pictured: Top – Shots of the Ben & Jerry’s factory floor in Burlington, VT; Middle – Ice cream straight off the line; Bottom – Product testing for quality control
Pictured: The Ben & Jerry’s test kitchen where they develop new flavor – we had the chance to create our own non-dairy frozen dessert flavors. My partner Becky from Glue & Glitter (bottom left) and I decided our ice cream should be called “Beck & Janey’s.” Aren’t we clever?Salt & Straw Vegan Ice Creams
Salt & Straw is a Portland, Oregon-based ice cream shop that that serves unique and quirky ice creams that taste amazing. They have started to expand to other states and the kids and I recently visited their Anaheim location. Salt & Straw has made a commitment to make 20% of their product line plant-based by the first of of this year. From what I recall on my last visit, their non-dairy ice creams are all made with a coconut milk base.
My 7-year-old meat eater son Owen is very resistant to my plant-based food changes, so when he happened to pick one of the vegan flavors at Salt & Straw, I just kept my mouth shut. I only let him know his ice cream was vegan after he was done eating. He looked shocked and then just laughed. If you can fool Owen, you can fool anyone.
I know not everyone has access to Salt & Straw, but when you visit your favorite ice cream shops, keep an eye out for non-dairy options! Last summer the kids and I visited Honeycomb Creamery in Cambridge, MA. They had a few vegan options, including an ice cream made with a cashew milk base, which was divine. I’m telling you, now is the time be alive if you’re wanting to eat more plant-based foods. The trend will only continue and these ice cream companies are proving that plant-based ice cream can be done in a truly delicious way.
Tell Us Your Favorite Non-Dairy, Plant-Based Ice Cream Brands!
Now that I’ve shared a couple favorites, it’s time for you to fess up! Tell us your most favorite non-dairy, plant-based ice cream brands and flavors in the comments below!
Vegan Bloggers I Met at Ben & Jerry’s. These blogs are fantastic resources for plant-based eating!
- Becky from Glue & Glitter
- Cadry from Cadry’s Kitchen
- Jenné from Sweet Potato Soul
- Melissa from My Whole Food Life
- Hannah from My Sweet Vegan
- Carmella & Carlo from The Food Duo
- Madeline from The Collegiate Vegan
- Rika & Doni from Vegan Miam
Posted by Jane Wallin at 4:23 pm 7 Comments
Categories: Eat Well. Heal the Planet., Plant-Based Eating, the goods Tags: ben & jerry's, honeycomb creamery, non-dairy ice cream, plant-based eating, plant-based eating hacks, plant-based ice cream, salt & straw |
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Friday, January 11, 2019
Friday Show & Tell: I Caught the Tidy Bug and It Feels Great!
Marie Kondo and her magical tidying-up ways are all the rage…again. AND WITH GOOD REASON. Have you seen her new show on Netflix? It’s wonderful, both because there are tons of great tips and inspiration and Marie Kondo is the cutest human and you’ll totally fall in love with her.
Photo credit: Denise Crew/NetflixLast week the kids and I visited two of my aunts while we traipsing around the West in our minivan. Both of these aunts have very tidy homes (I know for a fact at least one of them read Marie’s book years ago). Stepping into their homes and finding my way around their kitchens/cleaning supplies/whatever was no problem because everything was so organized, logical and easy to see. While all of it was inspiring, the thing that really stuck with me was my Aunt Barb’s pantry shelves. Sure, they looked great, but more importantly I noticed that she very clearly only stocks the foods she uses on a regular basis. I know, DUH. This should be obvious, but I had so much food I’ve kept for years (and even moved from house to house) that I was never going to use. So, I came home and immediately started cleaning out my food drawers and shelves.
Then Nate told me that Marie Kondo had a new show on Netflix called Tidying Up with Marie Kondo. We bought her book The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up years ago but I never read it. It seemed the fates were trying to tell me something, what with the tidy aunties and the tidy TV show converging on me. Anna and I watched a few episodes over the weekend and, well, I’ve been an organizing Tasmanian devil all week.
I didn’t do any before-the-tidying-frenzy photos, but I did take some after shots! (On my iPhone so my photography is, well, not awesome…but whatever, this isn’t a photography lesson, amiright? I’m tired after all this cleaning, too tired to pick up my heavy camera.)
Organizing The Kitchen
Most every shelf, cabinet and drawer got cleaned out and organized this week. Previously all my canned goods resided in the drawer you see below. Which means I couldn’t see all the cans easily. But also I hardly ever used anything that was in that drawer, the drawer that happens to be the most accessible in my kitchen. Out all the cans went (holy crap some of them were old…you can see the rings from a leaky, rusty can in the drawer that I couldn’t clean off!), and I put the good cans of food on a shelf in the garage, where everything is super easy to see and, therefore, actually useful. I put things in drawer-previously-known-as-the-useless-canned-food-drawer that we use on a regular basis and even ended up with room to spare. (One of my favorite things in life are empty spaces in closets and drawers!) This is only one major change that happened in the kitchen this week…I won’t bore you with the rest, but needless to say using my kitchen is now 100% easier.
Clothing
We’re not quite done cleaning out everyone’s clothes, but most of it is done. The way Marie Kondo folds clothes is fantastic. Owen knows how to do it now and was super excited to organize his drawers. As I went through all his shirts with him there was one that he never wears and I was surprised when he said he wanted to keep it. When I asked him why he never wears it he said, “Because I can’t ever see it.” Now he can see all his shirts, again making the things we have more useful! I am really hoping as we get into the normal routine of life we can maintain this folding technique when doing laundry because it is awesome. I’ll keep you posted!
Bathrooms
Every single drawer and shelf in both our bathrooms was completely emptied and then organized. Like food, there was stuff in there we hadn’t touched in ages (sometimes over a decade!). We went from completely stuffed cabinets and drawers to having room to spare. Again, everything is viewable and therefore more useful. Here’s our medicine cabinet, organized by category. It’s like a pharmacy!
Everything Else
I cleaned out closets, linens, shoes, you name it. Here’s my cloth napkin drawer, where now I have room for dish cloths and my vacuum attachments. This drawer is like a whole new person (you know, if drawers were people).
We kept the things we use regularly as well as those things that spark joy, we recycled/tossed/donated everything else, and then we tidied up. And it was the best use of my time in our home in a long time. Thanks Aunt Sue, Aunt Barb and Marie Kondo!
Happy New Year and Happy Tidying!
Posted by Jane Wallin at 3:50 pm 5 Comments
Categories: around the house, cleaning, fab faves, Kitchen Tips, netflix, show and tell Tags: cleaning tips, konmari, marie kondo, tidying up |
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Friday, November 9, 2018
Friday Show & Tell: Wild Kratts Live, Imperfect Produce, Native Deodorant and Oatly Update
Happy Friday! I have a few things I want to share with you, so I think it’s time for Show & Tell!
Wild Kratts Live
A few weeks ago we had the chance to take the kids to see the Wild Kratts Live 2.0 show, (big thank you to PBS Kids for the tickets). My kids love the Wild Kratts (even Cate who is pushing 14!). Nate and I kept the show a secret and surprised them the day we went. When we arrived we discovered we even had VIP tickets, which meant we had the chance to meet the Kratt brothers after the show. It was such a fun day!
If you have kids that like Wild Kratts I definitely recommend the live show. The show itself was adorable and the sound of children’s laughter was non-stop. Owen (7) was completely engaged the entire time. Cate decided that watching all of the little ones in the audience was as much fun as the actual show. Meeting the Kratt brothers was awesome. Chris and Martin have boundless energy and are so kind, speaking to each child individually and really taking their time with all the kids. We walked away from the experience in a great mood, with positive feelings and happy hearts.
Click here to check out the tour dates and locations!
Imperfect Produce
In my ongoing effort to make the food I buy more environmentally friendly, I recently started ordering from Imperfect Produce. In terms of environmental impact, the very best thing we can do is buy local. After that, buying food that would otherwise go to waste is pretty awesome, too. Imperfect Produce sources “ugly” and surplus produce from farmers and producers and then sells it at a discount to customers. The box of produce is delivered to your house each week. I love their mission since wasted food is something I think about all the time.
I am absolutely loving Imperfect Produce. There is minimal packaging and all of the produce we have received has been awesome and delicious. Each week an email arrives reminding me to customize my box. You can choose from whatever they have in stock that week and there is both conventional and organic produce. In addition, it tells you were each item is grown. The website is so easy to use and my new system works great: I keep a list on my phone that tells me what will be coming each Friday from Imperfect Produce so that when I go shopping at the farmer’s market and grocery store each week I don’t overbuy anything.
Imperfect Produce is expanding across the country and San Diego was one of their latest additions. Click here to visit their website and see if Imperfect Produce is in your city. I highly recommend them! (Note: Links to Imperfect Produce in this post are referral links. If you sign up using this link you and I both get a $10 credit. I have no relationship with Imperfect Produce other than being a customer and once you are a customer you can refer people, too!)
Native Deodorant Update
Remember my new favorite deodorant? I’ve been using Native for over a year now and still love it. In fact, I’m kind of addicted and have never had such a large stash of deodorant before. Their scents are just so great! Anyway, Target started carrying Native. Woohoo! Keep an eye out next time you visit Target!
Oatly Update
A few months ago I sang the praises of Oatly oat milk. Since then Oatly has become nearly impossible to buy because it’s just so darn popular (with good reason!). They had a day a few weeks ago where you could buy one case on their website. It felt like buying tickets to a concert – I had to set a reminder on my phone and it sold out within 20 minutes (I succeeding in getting a case!). I have confirmed with the Oatly team that they are building a factory here in the United States that will be opening in early 2019, which means pretty soon it will be much easier to get Oatly. I CAN’T WAIT. Good work, people. Keep the demand up! We want Oatly everywhere!
That’s all I got! Have a great weekend!
Posted by Jane Wallin at 5:21 pm 3 Comments
Categories: fab faves, show and tell, the goods Tags: eat well. heal the planet., imperfect produce, native deodorant, oatly, pbs kids, show and tell, wild kratts live |
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Monday, July 30, 2018
Week 587 Weekly Menu
Greetings from Cape Cod!
It’s Cape week. We planned our menu as an extended family and I am sharing it below. When we got here Saturday we had Sweet Tomatoes pizza, as per tradition. I limited myself to one slice (since I’m not eating much wheat or any dairy lately)…and it was worth every bite. Man, that pizza is good.
SUNDAY:
– 7-Layer Mexican Dip,
– Creamy Chicken EnchiladasMONDAY:
– Seafood Sam’s (another Maynard Cape tradition)TUESDAY:
– Jane: Lentil Rice Bowls with Lime-Tahini DressingWEDNESDAY:
– Jessica: BBQ Night (Hot Dogs, Hamburgers, Potato Salad, etc.)THURSDAY:
– Jake & Mary: TBD, something vegetarian!FRIDAY:
– Eat out night and/or eat up the leftovers!SATURDAY:
– Cousin Sara’s Wedding in Maine!It’s going to be a fun and delicious week! As usual we would love to see your menu for the week, please share in the comments!
Posted by Jane Wallin at 8:37 am 6 Comments
Categories: fab faves, travels, weekly menus Tags: cape cod, dinner ideas, seafood sam's, sweet tomatoes pizza, weekly menu |