Fall Favorites

 First of all, I would like to show you all the crazy phenomenon that is my yard right now. We have had some nasty, rainy, gloomy weather for about a week straight and my yard is now a field of mushrooms. I've never seen anything like it. At first I thought our house was sitting on something really weird and gross but then I heard on the radio that the mushrooms are everywhere. I took the time to look around and they are - in fact - everywhere; so now I don't feel so bad. 

I've never seen mushrooms grow like this before! But they spring up within a day or two and so I'm out pulling them by hand (yuck!) three times a week so the dogs don't eat them. Luckily the dogs only seem to like things they can actually play with like sticks or squirrels , so the mushrooms don't seem to interest them but I'm not going to take chances. 

This is the neighbor's yard and they have just as many so I don't feel like I'm the only one with a rotting yard. I did find out that my mushrooms are growing off the roots of a dead tree stump so until we get that removed, the yard dries up or it freezes, we have a mushroom farm. 

Now to the fun fall things. First up: Butternut squash. It comes around every fall and you either love it, hate it, or don't know what to do with it. 

It's pretty easy, inexpensive and makes a unique side dish. If you're unfamiliar with it, butternut squash is firm until cooked (think: potato) and has a slightly sweet but mild taste.

All you have to do is cut in in half, and bake at 400 degrees for 45 to 60 minutes. Once it's cool enough to touch, peel it and gut it out (the round part has seeds like a pumpkin). 

You can serve it in slices, or mashed up. It's really good with a little butter and cinnamon and a few roasted nuts if you're feeling adventurous. Pureed it makes a great thick soup for a chilly day. 

I have a second food culprit for today. It is the signature of fall for many people: the pumpkin spice latte, "pumpkin pie in a cup".  A Starbucks 12 oz Pumpkin Spice Latte has 300 calories, and 38 grams of sugar. Not to mention the artificial flavorings and modified food products used for the pumpkin sauce, it all just seemed a little less appetizing (ingredients listed here; pumpkin, ironically, is not an ingredient). Not to mention the $4+ it costs for a single drink when you can make it at home for about $.90 or about $.60 if you don't use organic. (Yes, I did the math!)

There are a ton of recipes for similar drinks out there and it really comes down to taste. Some people like it sweeter, some people like it spicier, some people like it more pumpkin-y. Here's one I've used for the past few days so modify it to your heart's content!

What You Need:

• Canned pure pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
• Milk product of choice 
• Sweetener of choice (sugar, agave nectar, stevia, honey)
• Cinnamon, Pumpkin Pie Spice, Nutmeg, Allspice (or any combination of similar spices)
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 oz espresso or 4 oz strong regular coffee

What To Do:

1. In a saucepan heat 6 oz of water if you're using espresso or 4 oz water if you're using coffee. Bring to a boil.
2. Add 1/4 cup pumpkin puree and stir until dissolved. 
3. Add 1-2 tbsp of sweetener to taste (obviously less if you're using stevia, use your judgement).
4. Add vanilla and your spices to taste. I don't measure anything but it's probably 1/4 tsp each of cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and nutmeg and just a sprinkle of allspice. Clove would probably be good here too, I'd just keep adding them and tasting it until it's where you want it. 
5. Once the spices are dissolved, add 1 cup of your favorite milk product. I like unsweetened organic soy. 
6. Reduce the heat and add your coffee/espresso. 
7. Here is where I finish but it does not yield a frothy latte. You can toss the whole thing in a blender to froth it up, or give it a few stirs with a handheld milk frother. Top with whipped cream and spices if you like and enjoy!

Put the extra pumpkin in a container and store it in the fridge to use the rest of the week. Or use it for yummy pumpkin muffins or pumpkin bread!

Sometimes You Just Need a Quick Fix

I try to keep a few frozen or quick-cook meals on hand for lazy days or days when I'm in a hurry. Usually this consists of a quick cook rice/vegetable dish or stir fry vegetables. I found this lurking around the freezer and decided it was time to use it up. 

This is a red/white quinoa blend with vegetable melange and it's prepared so it's just heat and serve (yay!). I liked this because even though it wasn't organic it was preservative free so I don't fee like I'm sacrificing quality for convenience. 

While it was heating (on the stove because we don't have a microwave), I chopped up some onion and cucumber. When it was warm, I added the onion and cucumber and... I ate it.


In Hubby's I added half a can of tuna to give his bodybuilding muscles and bottomless stomach an edge. 

All tuna is not created equal, however. As worldwide fish consumption is rising, fish are becoming endangered and irresponsibly farmed in response. 


Bluefin tuna is considered critically endangered - but you won't find it canned. It's typically used in restaurants and sushi. Yellowfin is available in a can, is not endangered, and is relatively low in mercury content. 


Mercury comes from industrial pollution and the runoff ends up in fish. The bigger the fish, the more potential it has to contain dangerous levels of mercury simply because: big fish eat a lot fo smaller, mercury-containing fish. This is called bioaccumulation and it happens with all poisons, in all food chains. The same thing happens to your body when you eat pesticide-laden fruits and vegetables; those pesticides build up in your body. Hopefully nobody wants to eat you. 


Tuna is relatively safe in the mercury department but purchasing "light" skipjack or yellowfin tuna instead of "white" albacore tuna, will be the safest bet. 


It's important to read labels and packaging. BPA is commonly used to coat the inside of aluminum cans. Over time, this can leach nasty cancer-causing chemicals into your food. It's also important to find tuna that is line caught or troll caught as opposed to net caught. These are the most sustainable options according to the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch Program, with the blue certified sustainable seafood label. 


So, sometimes healthy and quick meals are delicious, as long as you read labels and packaging at the store. 


More info on healthy, sustainable fish here and here.


On a completely different topic: my blog now has a twitter account! You can follow me (@SneakyTofu) and I'll follow you back. I'm posting more day-to-day stuff on there, food, activities, workout stuff, cool finds... it should be a good time. 

Road Trip

As many of you know (and many more of you don't) we are in the process of moving out of state. Tomorrow we are driving 10 hours to sign for our house, and from there we are taking a two-week long road trip around the U.S. to see our families. It's hard to  eat well while you're on the road so I plan on posting meals we eat throughout the trip, trying to find the best option at the time.

Today I wanted to post a little about the snacks we're bringing with us. We have found that on travel days, it's easier to bring snacks and water with us to eat during the day and then settle for one real "meal" usually at lunch/dinner time. This seems to save time, money, and our sanity.

For tomorrow we have packed unsalted peanuts, organic fuji apples, trail mix, roasted soynuts, and cliff bars. The nuts keep us full with protein, fat, and fiber. The apples are sweet, juicy and refreshing. The trail mix is more of a treat- I love the sweet & salty combination, and the soynuts are protein packed with a lightly salted crunch.



Cliff bars are a decent snack/meal replacement when you know you're not going to be eating for a while or you need an energy boost. They're 70% organic, non GMO, and have 10-12 grams of protein per bar. They tend to have quite a bit of sugar, but if the rest of your day isn't too sugar-y it's not a problem.



We also like to keep water bobbles with us in the car. If you haven't discovered these yet: get excited. It's a refillable water bottle with a built in filter. You can refill it anywhere (home tap, restaurant, gas station) and it tastes great! The filter lasts for up to 300 refills and then it can be replaced. The only thing I'm not crazy about is the sport-style cap, so I don't drink out of it all the time but for road trips it rocks! You can find them at many sports stores, department stores, and target. You can also order them in different sizes directly from waterbobble.com.

Wish us luck and I'll try to post as many creative road trip meals as I can.

Let's Get Crunchy...

Many people are aware these days of the potential toxicity of household products. We work to reduce the toxins we are aware of in our food and in our cleaning supplies but what about... deodorant??

Commercial deodorant / antiperspirant does two things: prevents odor and moisture. Sweat is a natural process of cleansing the body, it doesn't actually smell. Foul body odor is created when the moisture reacts with bacteria on the skin. Many scented deodorants (like other fragranced items) don't eliminate the odor but simply overpower it. People like the feeling of staying "dry" because they associate sweat with stench. If  there are toxins in your body they will come out through your pores and it will probably smell. If a person consumes adequate amounts of water throughout the day and limits the bacteria causing "junk" they ingest the sweat will be odorless.

Aluminum is the targeted ingredient in many antiperspirants because it has been linked to skin allergies, cancer and alzheimer's disease along with other ailments. Preventing the release of sweat can cause a buildup of sebum inside the sweat gland resulting in a painful and unsightly cyst. The yellow stains in the pits of your white shirts are not from sweat but from the reaction of the sweat with the antiperspirant. 

Another common but known dangerous branch of ingredients called parabens are widely used in cosmetics to increase shelf life. Nobody wants to smell bad, and when the thought of giving up deodorant is mentioned certain images come to mind; it doesn't have to be like that.

You can make a powerful yet gentle deodorant with ingredients from your kitchen. If the ingredients are safe to eat, you can bet they won't increase your risk of cancer or degenerative diseases. 

You will need:

• Coconut Oil (found in the baking aisle of most grocery stores)
• Cornstarch
• Baking Soda
• Fine ground salt (optional)
• Essential oils (optional)
• A container to put it in

To Prepare:

Start by measuring out the coconut oil (CO). You will need different amounts depending on the size of the container you are working with. I'd start with 1-2 Tablespoons. 

Coconut oil is used because it is an easily accessible plant based oil that is solid at room temperature. It is very gentle and moisturizing on the skin. Side note: also great for cooking at high temperatures and is full of healthy fats!

Coconut oil with baking soda and cornstarch added

Heat the CO in the microwave for 15 - 30 seconds until softened. It doesn't have to be completely melted. Add equal amounts of both cornstarch and baking soda i.e. if you used 1 Tbsp CO use 1 Tbsp each of baking soda and cornstarch.

Baking soda works as a natural deodorizer while cornstarch absorbs moisture. This will not keep you 100% dry, however, I have found it works much better than the "natural" deodorants I have tried.

If you'd like to add a little salt at this point you can add about 1/2 tsp per 1 Tbsp of the other ingredients. Too much will be too drying and it will have a grainy feel. You can stop the process here if you prefer an unscented deodorant. Most likely you won't stink, but you won't smell nice either. 

Salt is also a natural deodorizer, it helps absorb moisture and has antibacterial properties - further neutralizing odor. 

After the dry ingredients are well mixed with the CO you can add a few drops of pure essential oil. I like to start with a drop or two of tea tree, peppermint, and lavender because of their soothing scent and antimicrobial and antibacterial properties. Remember: if there's no bacteria, there's no stink. 

 You only need a few drops! I use about 2 drops of each oil because they are very powerful and too much can sting or irritate your skin. 

Voila! Let the mixture cool to room temperature and its ready to use. This 2 oz container lasts me about 2 months. I apply a small amount with my fingers after I shower and I'm good. I haven't timed the longest it has worked for me but I'd say at least 12 hours. 

I put it to the test a few weeks ago when I sat at an outdoor tennis match in the Florida heat and humidity; I was sweating like crazy and was sure the deodorant wouldn't hold up but it did. I was definitely hooked after that. 

It even helps soothe razor burn and irritation so there's no reason not to try it. It melts quickly in the heat and becomes very solid in the cold but neither affects its effectiveness. You can always move it from fridge to microwave to find what works best for you.

More information on aluminum, sweat, and deodorant can be found here and here. 

Antibacterial Soap

There is a lot of controversy surrounding the use of household antibacterial cleaners. They are made to keep your house and body free from harmful bacteria, but often they are harmful in themselves (they are intended to kill bacteria after all). One problem is that they kill all bacteria, so when you come back into contact with dangerous bacteria there is no defense to protect you from it. Another problem is the evidence that common ingredients used, like triclosan, are harmful to our bodies and the environment; but many common diseases are viral and cannot be prevented by antibacterial products anyway (Priesnitz).

Of course places like hospitals and restaurants need to clean and disinfect to keep people safe but for most healthy people your home is better off without these chemicals.

As you all know, I try to keep my home and my body as free from synthetic chemicals as possible. I did a post on the wonders of Dr. Bronner's Sals Suds not too long ago and today I'd like to tell you all about the wonders of Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps. 

These soaps are vegetable based castile soaps which have been around for a very long time. They have retained glycerin so they are much less drying than many soaps without added junk. 

These can be used for just about any household job but I like them most for bathing and hand soap. They come very concentrated so you'll probably have to dilute before using.

 In the shower I dilute it 1:1 in an empty container and use it to wash head to toe. My skin stays soft and I rarely need extra moisturizer. It works wonders as a face wash because it is oil based; it removes makeup easily but you don't get that tight feeling afterwards. My skin has also cleared up tremendously and I am giving credit to the soap. 

In my bathrooms I dilute it in an old foaming soap dispenser, filling the dispenser with 3/4 water and 1/4 soap. I buy the unscented and add essential oils myself, but many are available. 

If you still can't kick the antibacterial habit there is lavender, tea tree, peppermint and eucalyptus scents which all have antibacterial properties without the risk of harming your body, the environment or creating super germs. 

Learn more about the safety and efficacy of essential oils

The REAL All-Purpose Cleaner

Ok, it's been a while. I don't have a good excuse.

Today I feel the need to tell you about my new favorite find. It's called SAL SUDS and it's made by Dr. Bronner's - the wonderful people who make my favorite gentle, biodegradable, vegetable based soaps. More about them later.

Sal Suds is a vegetable based hard surface cleaner with a high pH so it will clean just about anything. I've been using a pleasant-smelling "environmentally friendly" household cleaner for a few years for the counters and the floor but that's where it stops. I'm still searching for cleaners for the bathroom, laundry, dishes, what-have-you and biodegradable products are expensive - if you can even find them!

I was running low on dishwasher detergent and started looking up recipes to make some. We have hard water which creates a problem for dishes and laundry all on it's own. In searching for laundry and dish soap I kept seeing recipes that called for castile soap. While I love the versatility of castile soap for washing, it seemed to leave a film or residue when used on the counters so I wouldn't dream of putting it in a washing machine or dish washer!

Then I find Sal Suds. Made with a similar process and equally biodegradable, it breaks down hard water and leaves no residue. It claims to clean virtually any hard surface as well as dishes and laundry so I was intrigued. I found a 32 oz bottle at my local health food store and decided to give it a whirl.

One thing I like about Dr. Bronner's is that they disclose all the ingredients and their uses. It does contain Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, which I try to avoid, but it is quickly biodegradable and doesn't come into direct contact with skin so I'm okay with it. It also contains other vegetable derived surfactants along with fir needle oil and spruce oil which sounds like pine-sol but it really has very little scent to it whatsoever. It contains no preservatives or dyes, is made in the U.S.A. and is not tested on animals.

First attempt was in the dishwasher. It recommended 1.5 tsp for a sink of dishes. I dolloped in a little over a tsp into the dishwasher and filled the rest of the detergent compartment with distilled white vinegar. We'd been using vinegar as a rinse aid for a while now and it works as well as the commercial stuff. I have to admit I was a little worried that when I turned the washer on my kitchen would be a sea of bubbles but that wasn't the case. In fact, the dishes looked great! I was sold on this point alone since nothing so far has gotten rid of the hard water marks on our glasses.

Second attempt was the washing machine. It recommended a 1/4 cup per load but I used about half that. Again, I turned on the machine expecting a bubbly explosion. The clothes came out as clean as they do with regular detergent. I even rubbed a little directly on some waterproof makeup smudges on my pillowcase before washing and they came out with no problem! The only thing it did not clean completely were some old stains on a cleaning rag - but that didn't bother me. I was really impressed because I wash as much as I can in cold water and the soap still worked.

Next attempt was the shower. I filled a bottle with half water, half white vinegar, some eucalyptus oil, and a small squirt of Sal Suds. That concoction made my tile sparkle!! The eucalyptus oil works as a disinfectant and helps cover the vinegar smell, which disappears when the vinegar dries anyway.

Then I filled a bucket with water and added a small squirt of Sal Suds to mop my floor. The key term is a small squirt because many reviewers online explained that it creates a LOT of bubbles and too much soap may require an extra rinsing and lets face it - we want to clean the floors as quickly and effortlessly as possible. It actually worked! By this point I'm not sure why I was surprised but I was. It cleaned well and dried with a good "clean floor" finish... not too shiny but not dull.

Now, I usually just clean my windows with a vinegar/water solution but what the heck; after the tile in the bathrooms I went out on a whim and sprayed some on the mirrors. After wiping with a microfiber cloth they were clean and streak free! I cleaned all my windows with the solution and it really got the pollen off my sliding glass door on the porch. 

I'm am convinced Sal Suds really will clean anything. It is not recommended for hand or body washing so I'll stick to regular castile soap for that. If anyone finds more uses for Sal Suds I'd love to hear them!

Benefits of Peppermint

There are many things we can to to improve our health, why not take advantage of simple things that benefit your health in many ways? One of these things is peppermint oil. It is sometimes known as the oldest medicine because it has been used to treat ailments for so long (organicfacts.net). It remains one of the few herbs and essential oils that has been backed by scientific research for several purposes.

Peppermint is a natural antiseptic along with eucalyptus and melaleuca (tea tree) oil so it is used in toothpaste, mouthwash, shampoos and some natural cleansers. Pure peppermint oil can be applied to acne breakouts to kill the bacteria without drying out the skin. It also contains minerals and nutrients such as  iron, calcium, potassium, and copper, vitamins A & C as well as omega-3 fatty acids (organicfacts.net). All of these can be beneficial when applied to the skin topically or taken internally.


Peppermint is soothing to the digestive system and can help alleviate heartburn, gas and indigestion without many of the possible side effects of medication. It also offers immediate, though temporary, relief from respiratory problems associated with the cold and flu, asthma, bronchitis and sinus congestion. This is why menthol, a primary component of peppermint, is used in cold rubs to provide instant relief.

Because of its cooling nature, peppermint oil can be applied to sore muscles or joints to soothe pain. It can also be applied to rashes or insect bites because it contains anti-inflammatory properties. The oil or tea of peppermint help relieve stress and tension while keeping the mind alert and refreshed. In this same manner it can be used as a treatment for headaches, nausea, and restlessness.

Growing peppermint is the easiest way to insure your peppermint is pure and fresh with not processing. It is relatively easy to grow and can help deter ants and other insects from entering your home. It has been used in natural insect repellents for humans and dogs, though cats are sensitive to essential oils so use caution around them.

Welcome!

Welcome to both of us! I am Meg. I recently quit my job as a hairdresser to go back to school full time; and to keep my husband from complaining about the fact that I work "all the time." I got married last year to a navy submariner and when he's home it's great. When he's not home I hang out with our very loyal but very hyper soft-coated wheaten terrier named Oswald. I love nutrition and cooking but I don't necessarily want to be a nutritionist or a cook, so I am here to write about it. Sometimes I drive my husband crazy about what he's eating and its nutritional content (or lack thereof) and when I started cooking for him I had to wait until after he had finished the meal before I disclosed what it contained; tofu, eggplant, mashed cauliflower, etc. Every day is an adventure and I'm hoping to share - and learn - some of it with everyone.