Tips for Flying with Kids

Most of my work as a freelance writer involves travel. One of my regular clients specifically focuses on the latest news and changes in the airline industry. I write for this client three to four times each week and am always learning something new. Furthermore, we often choose to fly on our family vacations and have done so since well before #1 came along. Over the years, I have come to really understand what makes a flight horrible, merely bearable, or lots of fun. I also have learned how to get the most bang for my buck and many other tips that makes flying a breeze. If you don't feel like reading through my wordy explanations, the best tips are in bold.

Choosing Your Seats
The family that flies together does not always sit together. If you fly on a low-cost airline as many families do, you may not have been able to book your seats at the time of purchase. Southwest became famous for its no-frills flights, which include first-come, first-served seating. The downside is that Southwest, and others that are following suit, do not guarantee that families can sit together. Once upon a time, families had preferred seating on planes. Not anymore. Now, preferred seating goes to anyone who pays extra for aisle and window seats. This means that if you squeezed your pennies to get the cheapest flight, you may have to beg strangers, who paid more than you for their seat, to move.

With fewer flights in the air, don't expect to see this sight. Ever.

If you are able to, and can afford it, go with a carrier that allows you to pick your seats at the time of purchase. If that is not an option, you can purchase a preferred plan that allows you seating before others, though you should be warned that this does not guarantee sitting together. Your last option is to do what we plan to do on our upcoming trip to Orlando - check in online as soon as possible and hope for the kindness of strangers. Caution: Some carriers no longer allow passengers to change seats, even if this means not sitting with young children.


Luggage
Everyone knows, or should know, that airlines charge for checked bags. Southwest and JetBlue are popular choices for families because each member of the family can check a bag for free.  If you pack wisely, you can get away without having to pay for any piece of luggage. However, most carriers do charge up to $35 for bags on domestic flights. Try to check more than one bag per person and you could be paying as much as $100 extra for your luggage alone.

Do not attempt this away from home.

Many people attempt to place all of their items in carry-on. This saves them the hassle of having to go through baggage claim and saves the cost of checked bags. Some carriers, such as Spirit and Allegiant, are aware of this practice and are now charging for carry-on bags. Make sure that you are aware of costs associated with checked and carry-on bags before you purchase your ticket. The FAA requires that all airlines display baggage costs on their websites, but some carriers hide the costs so well that the average family may be caught by surprise when asked to pay $100 for that bag of snacks and toys for the kids. Many families now choose to ship their luggage to their destination, which is often cheaper than paying your air carrier to do it for you.


Carry On: What to Pack vs. What Not to Pack
TSA rules should be your guide as far as what is legally allowed on flights. The rules are not as difficult as most people would believe. Any toiletries must be travel sized, no sharp objects are allowed, and if you have prescription drugs, be prepared to show the accompanying prescription or doctor's note. The best and fastest way to get through the security screening is to have all items well-organized and easy to find. I place everything that is even slightly questionable in plastic baggies. I have one for snacks, one for toiletries, and one for small toys. With any luck, you should slide through security easily. Just remember to discard any opened drinks before you get into the security line and make sure that there are no razors or full-sized objects in your or your husband's toiletry bag.

TSA Recommendation for In-Flight Toiletries

As for what you should pack, make sure that you have adequate entertainment and snacks for children on the flight. I always have one carry-on that is only activities for the kids. Remember that the flight time is not the only time the kids will need to be entertained. If you follow TSA recommendations, like my family does, you may have a couple of hours of airport time before you even step foot on the plane. At that point, it could be another 30 minutes before takeoff and if your flight is delayed, it could be hours longer.

Navigating the Terminal
Getting through the terminal with children is not as difficult as it may seem. The real key here is keeping luggage to a minimum. Some parents insist on strollers in airports while others, like us, feel they create more of a hassle. If you check-in online, at home, you can avoid most long lines. The most difficult spot is security. Please, please, PLEASE remember to be considerate of those around you. Nothing is more frustrating, or creates longer lines, than those who wait until the last moment to remove their shoes, fish out their ID, and unload their personal junk from their pockets. Do all of this as soon as you get in line or sooner. Also, wear slip-on shoes so that you may easily remove them. The TSA has recently implemented policies allowing children aged 12 and under to keep their shoes on.

Chilling in the Airport Terminal, January '11

Once you are in the terminal, the waiting game begins. Don't use up all of your snacks and entertainment while waiting for the plane. We generally set up camp somewhere then take turns letting the kids explore. Let the children walk and play as much as possible while you're waiting for the plane. With any luck, they will wear themselves out and sleep through the plane ride. It's never happened for us, but I still keep my fingers crossed.

Getting Ready for Take-Off
It should go without saying, but make sure that little ones use the restroom prior to boarding the plane. This will be much easier than trying to fit an adult and a child into an airplane restroom. Also, make sure kids have snacks, drinks, or pacifiers at the ready during take-off. This keeps their ears from popping. Furthermore, be prepared for motion sickness. I've been very fortunate that my children do not suffer from motion sickness, however, many others are not so lucky. I myself have a long-standing relationship with motion sickness and have found many ways to combat it. Ginger drops and ginger ale are great solutions, as are certain candies like peppermints and root beer barrels. I have tried acupressure for motion sickness, which didn't work at all. Pills, even the non-drowsy type, put me to sleep almost immediately. If you want to try these pills on your children, check with your doctor first.

The general rules for traveling with kids are pretty much the same: make sure they are occupied and well fed, and the flight will pass. However, each group has their own unique needs.

Flying with Babies
Flying with babies starts at home. Children under the age of two do not need their own ticket if they will be seated on a parent's lap. You will need to bring a birth certificate with you to verify age. Wen packing for babies, to save room, I often choose to purchase diapers and other large objects once we reach our destination. As I said earlier, we are among the group that would rather not carry a stroller. When we need one, we rent.

Renting a double stroller gives older kids a place to rest on long days.

Crying, diapering, and feeding on airplanes are the tip-top concerns for parents of babies, and for good reason. When you place a child in a new environment, it can be thrilling or upsetting, and you never know what is going to happen until you're in the situation. My six-year-old has been on at least a dozen flights and he has always been amazing, except the long flight from Washington D.C. when he screamed the entire time.

Airplane bathrooms do have changing tables. They are small, but they get the job done. When I change the baby on a plane, I do not take my entire bag - just a diaper and a package of wipes. The less I have to deal with the better. If you are nursing your baby, you can do so in-flight. I always tried to be considerate of others who may feel uncomfortable by using a cover-up and I never, not once, had anyone say anything or even look at me. I've heard horror stories, but I've never experienced it firsthand. And if your baby cries? So be it. A crying baby may just have to cry it out. Those around you might get annoyed or even outraged, but those are likely the ones who have never flown with children. Yet.

Flying with Toddlers
Toddlers are fun to fly with. They get excited by watching the wings of the plane, the clouds go by, and the little houses that look like toys. Then they are not so fun to fly with. They get tired of sitting still and want to get up and move. The FAA recommends safety seats for toddlers on planes. We have never used one, but they seem like a great idea. They both restrain a child who is eager to get up and play and keep them from flying around the cabin every time the plane hits turbulence. My one most vital piece of advice when flying with toddlers is to make sure you have lots and lots and LOTS of toys. I purchase special toys just for flights that the kids have never seen before. This gives them something new to get excited about for a solid five to 10 minutes before they get bored and need the next thing.

Gus, age 3, eagerly awaiting take-off

Flying with Older Children
Do you have an iPad? I don't, and our portable DVD player bit the dust last fall. Instead of replacing it with a new portable player, we bought DVD players for the car. I loaded some videos on my phone and hoped against hope that this would be enough to keep my six year old entertained for a three hour flight. Gus, like me, is a planner, so giving him literature and brochures about the upcoming trip is another good way to keep him excited. Like toddlers, new toys and books are fun for older kids. Bonus cool mom points: wrap them in pretty paper and let the kids unwrap their "travel presents" as they fly.


Baggage Claim
Moms are not off the hook once the flight is over. After the flight, the kids are restless (as are the adults) and anxious to get to the hotel/back home as soon as possible. If you managed not to check luggage, congratulations! You are among the few parents who have figured out the magic of expedient packing. For the rest of us, another hour or so waits while we wait for our bags to catch up with us, the shuttle arrives, or we pick up a rental car. Plan for games like "I Spy" to occupy little minds. Older kids can handle small responsibilities, like looking for your bags as they come out of the shoot. If you're able to, divide and conquer. Let your husband arrange the rental car while you take the kids to the bathroom and purchase bottles of milk for the kids and heavily caffeinated beverages for the adults.

Power Food: Swiss Chard

Many years ago, I purchased a vegetarian cookbook that contains a number of delicious and time-consuming recipes. Because the cookbook was written in the UK, a number of the foods that are referenced are ones I had never heard of before. I could tell from pictures that courgettes and aubergine were British English for zucchinis and eggplants. But the elusive silverbeet? I had no idea, but the name made me think of these disgusting little bugs known as silverfish.

Not exactly my favorite source of protein

As it turns out, the silverbeet, known in other circles as Swiss Chard, is one of the most nutritious foods you can eat. I have never tried it before and, in fact, didn't even know what it was until a couple of days ago. I was reading through (okay, obsessing over) different ways to continue with my latest gardening passion by planting second season crops. A number of sources suggested I plant chard in my fall garden. So many, in fact, that I decided to run to the market and give it a shot.

Both the leaves and the stalks of swiss chard are edible. Young leaves are used in salads or on sandwiches, like any other greens. The flavor is lightly bitter, which makes them excellent choices to accompany sweet salads. I love to make salads with blue cheese, nuts, diced apples, and dried cranberries. As it turns out, chard is a tasty alternative to other fresh greens.

Swiss Chard

Once chard ages, it is still edible, but is better when it is cooked. Some sources have said to use the leaves along with or instead of cooked spinach. Others have said that the stalks can replace asparagus. Because I love both spinach and asparagus, I'm anxious to try it this way.

As for the health benefits of chard, there are many. The vegetable is high in vitamins, nutrients, and minerals. It is also high in antioxidants, including syringic acid, which can help to regulate blood sugar.

Health Benefits of Swiss Chard 
Serving Size: 1 cup, 0 grams of fat, 35 calories
Vitamin K: 572.77 mcg
Vitamin A: 10717 IU
Vitamin C: 31.5 mg
Magnesium: 150.5 mg
Manganese: .58 mg
Potassium: 960.75 mg
Iron: 3.96 mg
Vitamin E: 3.31 mg
Fiber: 3.67 g
Calcium: 101.5 mg
Protein: 3.29 g
Folate: 15.75 mcg
as well as trace amounts of Vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, and B6

Are the health benefits of swiss chard not enough? Also consider what swiss chard does for your garden. I have no proof of this, but I have read that chard is an excellent companion to crops like beans, tomatoes, onions, cabbages, and even roses. The natural magnesium and potassium in the plant makes it a good addition to a compost pile and may even help to keep your tomato leaves from turning purple before your soil has had a chance to warm up. Speaking of warm, chard will grow well into the summer and can withstand colder temperatures as well. Or so I've read. I'm going to find out this fall. When I do, we will hopefully have a surplus of swiss chard to share with all of our friends and neighbors, or at least enough to try some of the delicious silverbeet recipes I have, until now, been afraid to try.

The HCG Diet: Good or Bad?

For the last couple of years, I have been hearing a lot about the HCG Diet. The diet, as with all fad diets, offers quick results with little to no effort. Often, HCG comes in the form of injections, but it can also be ingested in pill form. Along with medical therapy, patients are often advised to follow an extremely limited diet of 1,000 to as little as 300 calories per day.

Though the HCG diet has been around for several decades, it has only recently come into mainstream usage. My initial reaction was one of shock, then horror. I was treated with HCG when I was undergoing my struggles with infertility and, in my experience, it is nothing to be trifled with. HCG is the pregnancy hormone. It is created by the placenta in pregnant women and is also present in some cancerous tumors. When used as a fertility booster, side effects can include serious abdominal pain, swelling, muscle tenderness, depression, and weight gain. I experienced all of these and could not imagine someone choosing HCG voluntarily knowing the risks. HCG has not been proven to be an effective weight loss method, though those who continue to take the injections beg to differ. Of course, if this is followed by a restrictive diet, the reason for the HCG Diet's effectiveness is not surprising.

If you follow this blog, you know that I am on a quest to live as healthfully as possible. I have been eating clean foods for the past few months, exercising regularly, and constantly researching the best choices for my life. I am not perfect. I make mistakes. Often, these mistakes are on purpose and are largely centered on chocolate. However, filling my body with hormones in order to promote weight loss is not a mistake I will ever make.

According to the Mayo Clinic and the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, HCG is not only not effective as a weight loss method, it is also a threat to human health. The diet has been linked to gallstones and irregular heartbeat. Furthermore, weight loss that hinges on severe caloric restriction is not sustainable over the long term. The FDA has declared over-the-counter, homeopathic HCG drugs to be illegal. Those that are still sold in stores are likely not "true" HCG drops, and are simply amino acids disguised as HCG. 


If you are considering using HCG drops for weight loss or HCG injections for weight loss, reconsider. The "diet" will cost you significantly - a month long plan can cost as much as $500. Instead, opt for a healthier caloric intake of 1,200 to 1,500 per day and increased exercise. You may not lose 30 pounds in your first month, but the weight you take off will stay off. The Mayo Clinic, and common sense, says that losing weight with a restricted calorie diet not only is unsustainable, but also can cause metabolic problems making it even more difficult for you to take off the weight you will invariably regain.

10 Tips for a Healthy Detox

I am a part of the Columbia Slimdown Challenge and my team is doing great! We are currently in 9th place out of 656. Not too shabby. I have done my part by, so far, losing 12 pounds. However, I feel that I need a boost to my energy and to my overall physical feeling. The best way I can think to feel healthy is through detox.

I do a detox a couple of times a year, but unfortunately, I usually do so in an unhealthy way. I will cut out all foods except for water and fruit and I'll end up getting sick for a few days because my defenses have completely weakened. This week I'm very closely monitoring my nutrition so that I can continue to detox without fear of the repercussions.

10 Tips for a Healthy Detox


1. Ditch the Extreme Diet
Detoxing is not about starvation. It is about ridding your body of harmful toxins that can happen from eating foods that are processed, filled with sugars, or contain additives that are not good for anyone. Choosing to fast instead of choosing to eat healthy foods leaves you vulnerable to disease and feeling too fatigued to exercise.

2. Remember to Hydrate
You should always take in a minimum of 64 ounces of water each day regardless of whether or not you are in detox mode. However, during detox days, it is particularly important to hydrate. Many people, during detox, experience a loss of fluids. It is vital to your health and well-being that you replace any fluids that are lost.


3. Namaste
Detox week is a great time to start a new yoga routine. This form of exercise helps you to experience a whole body approach to healthy living. When your mind and your body are able to work together, you get the best benefit from your exercise.


4. Sweat it Out
Yoga is great, but nothing rids your body of toxins like a good sweat. Get your heart pumping with some cardio, then pump some iron. Plan for this at least a couple of times a week and don't forget to drink plenty of fluids.

5. Factor in Rest and Relaxation
We all lead busy lives, but the ideal detox includes proper amounts of rest. Ideally, an adult should get about eight hours of sleep per day. For many of us, this simply isn't possible. However, you should at least give yourself an occasional 15 minutes to close your eyes and give yourself a mental break - even if that means locking yourself in the bathroom while the kids watch Yo Gabba Gabba.

6. Spice it Up
One of the best ways to detox is through the use of spices. Add carminative spices to your fresh fruits, vegetables, or smoothies. These help to reduce gas and bloating. Carminative spices include anise, basil, rosemary, dill, ginger, and peppermint.


7. Hush the Grumble
The digestive system works food through the body at a rate of about every two hours. Those rumbles you hear when you're hungry? They also happen when your stomach is full. However, when the stomach has food inside of it, the noise is quieted. Quiet the rumble by eating very small meals or snacks throughout the day instead of focusing on two or three shakes that leave you feeling hungry, tired, and weak. Just make sure those snacks are nutritious and free from preservatives.


8. Detox Your Life AND Your Food
Who says detoxification is only about food choices? For a true whole-body approach to detox, try to limit the number of chemicals you encounter throughout your day. Use homemade cleaning products, limit artificial scents and additives that may come from air fresheners and cosmetics, and stay away from places where you may be subjected to second-hand smoke.


9. Evaluate Your Choices
If your detox plan makes you feel fatigued, you are probably not making the best choices. You should feel energized and invigorated by your efforts at whole body health. You should not feel as though you have been hit by a truck. If you find yourself feeling worse instead of better, look over your nutritional needs and make sure they are being met.

10.  Reward Yourself
Schedule a massage or a body wrap during detox week. Some use these as rewards for getting through the week. Others consider it simply part of the detox process. Whichever you choose, a massage is a great way to remind yourself that you and your body should be friends instead of enemies. When you treat your body right, it will reward you.

Watch a Watermelon Grow

I looked all over the web for a site devoted to growing a watermelon, in pictures. I couldn't find one so I decided to make one. Here's hoping that baby watermelon grows into an adult watermelon so that this post can be completed.

I decided not to insult anyone's intelligence by posting a picture of a watermelon seed. Or I didn't take any pictures of watermelon seeds. Imagine a watermelon seed.

May 12: I had this great idea to plant a flower garden next to the vegetable garden. Since none of the watermelon or squash plants grew last year, I figured this would be plenty of space for everything. The flowers were planted on the left, and the watermelon in a small space to the right.

Watermelon seedlings emerge! I planted watermelon in three groups, nowhere near as far apart as I was supposed to, and not on a hill or anything. Just plopped them into the ground and crossed my fingers. After the seedlings grew stronger, I pinched one off of each group of three that emerged. Another one showed up in front of the marker somehow (you can see the tip of it in the bottom of this photo).

Skipping ahead about six weeks. The leaves grew nicely but not overly large. I have thus far been able to train the vines to grow in the direction I need them to, which is around the now flourishing flower bed. Several male blossoms popped up along the vine, like this one. Note: you can tell a male blossom is male because there is no fruit at his base.

Female blossoms (see the fruit at its base?) emerge after the male blossoms. I do not know what is "normal" or even if there is a "normal." I have read that it can take up to two weeks of male blossoms to form before females appear. That is certainly the case with my cucumbers, but with the watermelon, it only took a few days. At this point, I pinched off one of the many male blossoms and hand pollinated the three females I could find.

June 20: The day after I hand-pollinated the female watermelons, this one grew significantly. The blossom started to shrink and life became very exciting. According to my mother, you can practically watch a watermelon grow.I think she is right!

June 21: One day later, the watermelon is already larger and greener. Are you supposed to touch them? I don't know. I touched it. It felt almost waxy and kind of gross but also awesome. I also put fencing around the vine so that the dog, the kids, and I would not accidentally crush our little friend.

June 22: Will I take pictures of the watermelon every day?  That would be a little OCD, even for me. However, it is astounding how quickly they grow. Btw, out of the three hand pollinated watermelons, this is the only one that is growing. I still have hope for the other two and I am eagerly waiting to see if there are some that I haven't found that will just grow as nature had intended.

June 25: Three more days of growth and the watermelon is getting so big!  The leaves are getting bigger too and are shielding it nicely against the sun. My sister suggested I place some material underneath it to prevent it from developing any gross spots. I may consider adding a piece of tarp or a plastic lid.

June 28: Sticking with my plan of taking pictures every three days, the watermelon continues to astound. There are now four more that are growing just as well and just as quickly. They are all well-hidden from the sun normally. In fact, two of them caught me by complete surprise when I was obsessing over the garden yesterday! I have to pull the leaves aside to take the pictures.

July 5: Despite the appearance of this picture, the watermelon has grown much larger. I moved it so that the stem was on top instead of on the side. I had no reason to do that except that it was easier to take a picture. The watermelon plants are doing very, very well. I have eight watermelon growing and am very hopeful that they will all reach maturity. I'm doing nothing to them except giving them regular water and lots of it. I did provide epsom salt a couple of days ago as well.

More pictures to come as the watermelon grows. 

Planting a Kids' Garden

I realize that most of my posts these days are garden-centric. I suppose you can tell how I've been spending my days! I can honestly think of nothing cleaner than growing my own organic food. Fingers crossed for a big bounty this summer - we've already sliced up a banana pepper for sandwiches and have been using fresh lettuce and basil for a couple of weeks. Many of my friends are enjoying daily meals from their gardens already. I am so proud of so many people for doing what is best for their bodies and their minds. It's been said that gardening is an excellent way to alleviate stress and it also is an excellent way to encourage children to learn.

I had never before considered having a garden that is just for the children. I have encouraged them to help with planting and to learn as much as possible, but giving them a space to themselves hadn't even crossed my mind until I saw the idea on Pinterest. I had a bunch of leftover seeds and loads of big containers from a recent yard sale-ing adventure, so I thought I would ask the 6-year-old if he would be interested. He was indeed.

The Children's Container Garden, stage 1

I told him he could pick the containers, the amount of compost, what kind of food to give his vegetables, and of course, which seeds to plant. I even ran over to the store and grabbed a handful of clearance seeds so he would have plenty to choose from. He picked, clockwise, starting at the bottom center, green beans, pumpkins, carrots, onions, more pumpkins, chives, cilantro, and cucumbers. 

Some of the containers are too small for his choices, but I'm hopeful he'll see life anyway. He is already excited about it and is planning a fall garden as well. I may end up having to tear up another plot of land so that he can plant directly in the ground.

Juliet Tomatoes in Container

Today's project is all about learning more about container gardening. I am personally really struggling with my containers. Are they too small? Am I giving them too much water? Not enough water? I don't know, but they are definitely not growing at the same rate as my in-ground plants and many have just died.

Various Tomatoes

The juliet tomato, at right, is a perfect example of my struggles with container gardening. This plant was purchased at the same time as most of my other tomato plants. It was a quarter, no big deal, and the leaves were already yellow and gross when I bought it. The container it is in is one of my largest and it gets adequate water and drainage. Still, it looks terrible! The leaves all look dead, as they have for over a month. And yet - look at those tomatoes. You can't tell really from this picture, but there are at least half a dozen growing on this plant. But, here's the crazy thing, there have never been any flowers. No flowers at all - just bunches of tomatoes. Is that normal for juliet? I guess I will find out.

The next picture is another example of my overzealous nature. I know now that I probably should have just planted two tomatoes in this crate, but I planted six. They are actually growing and many baby tomatoes are forming from them, though I think if I'd have planted less, I would have had a bigger bounty. Next year.

What you're not seeing is my dismal failure at container peppers and herbs. They're so nearly dead that I couldn't even bring myself to take pictures.

Now I'm off to learn as much as I can about container planting. This is mostly about my son and his new garden - if he can succeed, he just may develop a lifelong love of growing his own fresh veggies. What could possibly be healthier than that?

71 Uses for Zucchini

My first bounty of the year, produced by someone else's garden

In the Midwest, in mid-July, most gardeners have a bigger problem than spider mites and rabbits in their garden. The once tiny zucchini seeds have now become an overgrown row of plants, providing far too many vegetables than one person, one family, or one city block could ever eat. The once highly anticipated plates of zucchini bread are met with groans and moans. Isn't there some other way to use up the crop?

I personally really enjoy zucchini bread and I can't imagine ever growing tired of eating it myself, though I do grow tired of making it. In preparation for the (hopefully) huge bounty of vegetables coming my way, I have compiled an exhaustive list of the best zucchini dishes I can find on the web. You'll note that not all of these are "clean." These are noted with an asterisk (*) though for all of them substitutions can (and should) be made. You'll also find that not all of the items listed are recipes, per se. Many are simply uses that some may not have already considered.

Main Dishes and Soups
1. Clean Comfort Zucchini Protein Lasagna
2. Clean Eating Shepherd's Pie
3. Cream of Zucchini Soup
4. Gnocchi with Zucchini Ribbons and Parsley Brown Butter*
5. Greek Style Stuffed Zucchini
6. Mexican Zucchini Cheese Soup*
7. Minestrone Soup
8. Patty Pan Soup
9. Ratatouille
10. Raw Zucchini Sushi Rolls
11. Simple Parmesan Zucchini
12. Stuffed Zucchini with Potatoes and Peas
13. Thai Tofu with Zucchini, Red Bell Pepper, and Thyme
14. Vegetarian Enchilada Pie
15. Zesty Zucchini Stir Fry
16. Zucchini Alfredo
17. Zucchini Bake with Feta and Thyme
18. Zucchini Carpaccio
19. Zucchini Casserole
20. Zucchini and Corn Tacos
21. Zucchini Curry
22. Zucchini and Green Chile Breakfast Casserole
23. Zucchini Pie (Savory)
24. Zucchini Pizza Casserole

Side Dishes
25. Baked Basil Zucchini
26. BBQ Zucchini
27. Fried Zucchini
28. Grilled Zucchini and Squash
29. The Pioneer Woman's Zucchini Cakes*
30. Thai Curried Zucchini Fritters with Spicy Peanut Sauce
31. Zucchini with Corn and Cilantro
32. Zucchini Dressing
33. Zucchini Fries
34. Zucchini Fritters*
35. Zucchini Hash Browns
36. Zucchini Oven Chips
37. Zucchini Provencal
38. Zucchini Tomato Cups

Desserts
39. Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes*
40. Chocolate Zucchini Whoopie Pies
41. Deep, Dark Chocolate Sour Cream Zucchini Cake*
42. Moist Zucchini Cinnamon Swirl Cake*
43. Sweet Zucchini Pie with Oatmeal Streusel Topping*
44. Zucchini Bars*
45. Zucchini Ice Cream*
46. Zucchini Mock Apple Pie

Baked Goods
47. Apple Zucchini Bread*
48. Chocolate Zucchini Bread*
49. Tropical Zucchini Bread
50. Zucchini Bread
51. Zucchini-Oatmeal-Cranberry Muffins - recipe coming soon

Uses for Raw Zucchini
52. Chopped and Added to Gazpacho
53. Diced or Sliced on Salads
54. Sliced in Sticks for Crudites
55. Thinly Sliced for Sandwich Toppings

Sauces and Condiments
56. Black Bean Veggie Salsa
57. Hot as Hell Zucchini Jelly
58. Zucchini Jelly*
59. Zucchini Pickles
60. Zucchini Relish
61. Zucchini Salsa
62. Zucchini, Squash, and Tomato Sauce
63. Zucchini-Tomato Sauce

Smoothies and Other Unexpected Uses
64. Chocolate Zucchini Smoothie
65. German Chocolate Zucchini Smoothie
66. Natural Facial Cleanser
67. Pizza Topping
68. Tropical Zucchini Smoothie
69. Zesty Zucchini Smoothie
70. Zucchini "Noodles"
71. Zucchini Smoothie

Biggest Gardening Mistakes

I am still learning about how to be an expert hobbyist part-time obsessive-compulsive gardener. As such, I am making a lot of mistakes along the way. This post will likely have many additions as spring turns into summer and fall approaches.

Gardening: What Not to Do

Use At-Home Pest Control with Too Much Gusto
I read on several blogs that the best way to rid plants of pests is with hand soap, chili pepper, and garlic mixed in a warm water solution. Spray on the leaves of your plants and VOILA! No more bugs! This is true - the bugs are gone. So are the leaves. Either I used too much soap or the wrong kind, but it basically turned my green bean plants into black leaf plants. Luckily, I had the foresight to test it out on a few plants first before applying to the rest of my garden.

Overplant
My yard is tiny, therefore my garden plot is tiny. However, what is not tiny is my desire. Because of this, I have planted and planted and planted to the point that all the plants are very likely to suffocate themselves when and if they manage to grow.

Tempt a Dog with Eggshells
I dried the eggshells just as I was supposed to do and I buried them as best I could in the soil. Still, they attracted my dog and I lost the one plant that I was experimenting with on the first day. Also, I learned to test all forms of organic pest control on the dog first. As it turns out, he really enjoys garlic and will go through the garden to get to it. Chili pepper? Not so much.

Water Overhead
I learned this lesson last year, but I didn't know about it until this year, if that makes sense. I couldn't figure out last summer why all of my plants had white spots on their leaves, but I now know that this is a mold that is due largely to watering overhead. I exclusively used this method to water my garden last year - now I am mostly using the drip method.

Gardening in the Shade

I love to experiment with my garden so that I can find what works and what doesn't. This year, through experimentation, I have learned:

1. The best way to get rid of aphids.
   Rinse aphids off of plants with cold water, then rub the undersides of affected leaves with peppermint.
2. The natural additives to soil that make plants look bigger and better.
   Epsom salts are a big, cheap way to improve the health and appearance of garden plants.
3. Not all hand soaps are created equally.
   Anti-bacterial hand soap is toxic to leaves.

Now, I am experimenting with shade.

A couple of weeks ago, I was given a ridiculous number of tomato and pepper plants. Well, four tomato plants, but a ridiculous number of pepper plants. I planted a couple of tomato plants in my sunny garden and placed a pepper in a planter on my deck. Being out of room and in the midst of re-landscaping the front yard, I decided to give shade planting a try.

First, I turned to my close, personal friend, the Internet. I posed the question: "Can I grow pepper plants in shaded gardens?" The answer was mixed. Some sites state that peppers actually do better in partial sun to shade. Others said that peppers need at least eight hours of direct sun every day. Let the experiments begin!

The area where I am placing my peppers is a shady spot that gets indirect sunlight about half of the day and no sunlight the rest. Most of the peppers are in containers, though I did place a couple in an the raised bed pictured above. I have also placed two tomato plants in this bed as well as a basil plant and a number of marigolds.

Next to the raised bed are a number of containers. There is coleus. There is a sweet potato vine. There is aloe. And there are peppers and basil. This spot is mostly shaded throughout the day.

Because these plants are getting far less sun, I am also watering them less often. I'm sticking to watering all of the plants about twice each week. I have treated them all with epsom salt. I have used compost, and I have mulched. Thus far, the plants don't look like they are ready to die, but they don't look like they are ready to fruit either. Most of what I've read says that tomatoes that are planted in the shade will still grow, but if they do develop fruit, it will be at a much slower rate. They were put in the ground June 9. I'll update the experiment again on June 30-ish. 

Coffee Bag Hair Accessories

My husband and I don't just drink coffee, we drink mountains of coffee every day. We could fill the Grand Canyon with our coffee consumption, and that is after having significantly cut back. We like coffee. What I don't like is throwing out coffee bags that cannot be recycled at the rate of three or four per week. I have been holding onto them in the hope that I would figure out a use for them. I am glad to say that day has finally arrived.

Last year, I started an online business selling hair accessories. It was pretty successful, in fact even more successful than I thought it could be. However, I also started working more with my freelance writing and found that I had to cut back significantly on the bow business. I still sell the accessories, but I no longer market the business and even shut down the web site so that I could focus more on writing. That doesn't mean that I don't still enjoy making bows, I just don't have time to do it that often anymore.

With my love of hair accessories and my need to find a use for the coffee bags, inspiration was born. I won't sell these, obviously, but I will share how you can turn your coffee bags into hair accessories for yourself, your daughters, nieces, sisters, neighbors, friends, and whoever. If you have a lot of free time, and a lot of extra coffee bags, pin dozens of them to a wreath for a fun and festive look. Whatever you want, just don't throw out the bags anymore, okay?

Step-by-Step Guidelines for Coffee Bag Flowers

 Flatten the coffee bag, cut off the ends, and cut through one side. Clean the inside of the coffee bag with soap and water to get rid of the coffee smell. Or don't. Some people like the coffee smell.

Cut nine squares out of the coffee bag. Four should be of a uniformly large size. The other five should be a small to medium size and uniform as well. When I make flowers professionally, I measure the squares at four and three inches, respectively, but do what you think looks best.

Stack each size together and cut into circles. I usually use large and medium round cookie cutters to mark the circles so that they will be perfectly round. 

Once you've done this, decide which side of the coffee bag you want facing out. For these purposes, I chose the outside of the coffee bag.

With your hot glue gun ready, fold each circle in half. Open the circle, then place a dot of hot glue on the center of the seam of the side that will not be showing. Fold closed.

Now fold the half circle in half again. Open and place another dot of hot glue on the seam.

Close the half circle so that it is in a quarter circle. Now you have a lovely flower petal. Next, seal with an alligator clip until the glue dries. That doesn't take long. In fact, if you fold and glue four large circles and four smaller circles consecutively, you should be able to use the same alligator clip for each one. Notice I just said four smaller circles. The fifth one has a different use.

Working quickly, place a circle of hot glue on one side of the fifth smaller coffee bag circle.

Place each of the larger coffee bag petals on the circle of glue, pressing tightly after each one.

Once you have all of your lower petals attached, add another circle of glue in the center of the flower.

Add the smaller petals to the center, overlapping on the seam of the previous level, like so. Conversely, you could place dots of glue on the ends of the petals themselves, but I find they stick better with the nice, even circle. When completed, your flower may look something like this. You can now even up the edges of the bottom petals or scallop them. If you have decorative edged scissors, they can look lovely as well.

Attach a lined alligator clip to the back of the flower if you will be using the flower as a hair accessory. They could also make cute brooches

Does your coffee bag have a stay-fresh plastic button thingie? I don't know exactly what purpose it serves as far as the coffee is concerned, but it is the perfect size for a centerpiece. Cut round the circle and decide which side looks best, then attach to the top of the flower.

 You can also decorate the plastic thing by adding a decorative button (at left) or hot gluing a small rhinestone (at right).

A Bit of a Break

I'm very surprised by the number of visitors I'm getting to this blog. Hello, visitors! I started the blog as a way to stay accountable to myself when I switched to clean eating techniques. I then grew the blog to include information about my healthy lifestyle habits, the things that I'm learning, and a few tips and tricks. I never dreamed people would actually visit the blog, much less in the numbers that they are. Exciting!

I am needing to take a bit of a break this week because I have 40+ stories to write for a client that are due at the end of the week. Eek! However, when I come back, I have some awesome updates about some experiments I'm working on in the garden, some new recipes I'm trying, and some fun activities I have planned for the kids. Until then, enjoy your healthy lives!

Why Are My Pepper Plants Turning Purple?

I'm still learning about gardening and every day is an adventure. A few days ago, the latest adventure came when I discovered that my banana peppers had purple streaks in their stalks and all of my pepper plants have purple joints. I was certain that this was some kind of horrible pepper disease and all of my pepper plants are going to die. As it turns out, that is not the case.

Question: Why are my pepper plant's leaves turning purple?
Answer: If the leaves are curled, the purple can be caused by a nutrient deficiency. Just as with marigolds, this should be cured through fertilization, but unlike marigolds, the nutrient that is deficient is not necessarily phosphorus. The plants could be short on nitrogen, magnesium, calcium, or a mixture of these four. Testing the soil or testing the leaves themselves is a possibility that may help to determine how best to treat the plants.

Question: Why is my pepper plant's stem turning purple?
Answer: This can be a sign of over-watering, overly cold conditions, overly hot conditions, or too much wind. Or, for most pepper plants and some tomato plants, it's a sign of anthocyanin. This is a natural occurring pigment in plants that is useful for attracting butterflies and bees. In short, it's not necessarily a bad thing. Sometimes, the anthocyanin in plants will become even more prevalent when plants are unhealthy, as the pigment also helps to release antioxidants to fight whatever it is that ails the plant.

Question: I have purple pepper plants, now what do I do?
Answer: If the purple is slight and veiny, you don't need to do anything except stop worrying about your pepper plants. Move on to more pressing concerns like how to keep your dog out of your garden. If the entire stem is dark purple or if the leaves are curled, take a look at what is happening in your garden. If your garden is overly sunny, try shading your pepper plants during the day. If you are having difficulty keeping your plants watered, mulch them well. Try fertilizing or watering with diluted epsom salt. When you've done all of these things, let me know what works for you!

Plugging the Local Gardener

I want to put things into perspective here. There is famine, there is war, there is disease. My problems? They are not real problems.

Yesterday, I was lamenting the fact that my dog won't stay out of the garden. Yes, I've found that chili pepper keeps him out, but I have to constantly keep a fresh coat down and you know what? Sometimes I'm going to run out of chili pepper. That happened this week, and I lost two more tomato plants and more than half of my sunflowers. He dug up a spaghetti squash, all of the cucumbers, and some watermelon, though I may have been able to save those - only time will tell. I am unhappy, to say the least. It looks like I'm going to end up putting some kind of fencing up after all, which I hate, hate, hate. Again, this is not a real problem. People have cancer. I have a dog. Not the same thing.

Still, I was whining and moping around and decided to focus my efforts on transforming the landscaping in the front lawn. This is a staggering undertaking and one I will be no doubt blogging about in full sometime soon. In my efforts to landscape, I paid a visit to Ron Anderson, a neighbor who sells plants and vegetables in front of his home. I would link to his web site, but he doesn't have one. His business, Ron's Fresh Vegetables, is one of the hidden gems in Columbia, Missouri. His plants are beautiful and very well priced, as is his fresh produce. I have purchased almost all of my garden plants from Ron and I will continue to do so. I stopped by yesterday to see what kind of perennials I could purchase for the front landscaping and I found some beautiful options. I purchased two pampas grasses, two wormwoods, and two sedum, and I will be going back tomorrow for more.

While I was shopping, I related the story of my dog and asked if there was any way they had a tomato plant left this late in the season. Not only did they have a beautiful four pack of Mr. Stripey tomotoes, they gave it to me for free. And then gave me another four or five pepper plants. And then gave me two more flats of them. In total, I walked away with more than 80 plants. Ron also grabbed a bag of zucchini for me, which cost me the low price of the promise of a loaf of zucchini bread. I expected a couple - he gave me nine. We're going to be eating zucchini for every meal for a while. He said that he had more than he could sell and he'd rather give it away than throw it away. I saw a very kind man before me; one that understands that business is about more than the bottom line. He knows that repeat customers are what he needs as well, and I tell all of my friends to patronize Ron's Fresh Vegetables. Whether they do or not, I'm not sure, but they should. He's a good man, his employee Dee Dee is a nice woman, and they always have popsicles waiting for my kids when we arrive.

You can call Ron at 445-5260 to inquire about what produce he currently has, but I encourage you to stop by his house at 1009 Plymouth. They are open every afternoon and most mornings. If you do go, tell them that I sent you and that I thank them for their kindness.

Clean Eating Cookies

Clean Eating Cookies Can Still Taste Delicious

Can you make cookies as part of a clean eating diet? Yes. Should you? Maybe not. The problem is not with the whole foods approach to eating. The problem is that cookies are yummy and way too easy to eat. If you are one of those people who can eat one cookie and be satisfied, good for you. I want 10.

The best method I have found for satisfying a cookie craving is to make sure the cookies satisfy a nutritional need. It is always best to make only a few cookies, announce to the entire household exactly how many there are, and then let the games begin to see who can withstand them the longest.

You don't need to purchase a specialty cookbook for healthier cookies. Almost any cookie recipe can be made with whole foods with just a few tips at your disposal:

• Sub whole wheat flour for all-purpose, or use a mixture of whole wheat flour and oatmeal.
• Sub agave nectar, pure maple syrup, or honey for sugar. I have often read to sub unsweetened applesauce but, unless you're making apple flavored cookies, I don't care for the way it turns out. Applesauce has its place, but not as a replacement for sweeteners.
• Use a tablespoon of ground flax seed and some water to replace butter, but this does add a bit of a flax seedy flavor to the mix, I don't care what anyone says. Counter the flax flavor with strong spices like cinnamon, cloves, or ginger.
• You can still make chocolate chip cookies with a clean approach. Use unsweetened, organic dark chocolate chips instead of the standard milk chocolate morsels. You'll need fewer of them and they taste even better than the traditional chips, in my opinion.
• Instead of, or in addition to, chocolate chips in cookies, throw in a number of dried fruits. Last night I made cranberry oatmeal cookies and they were fantastic, but you can also add dried, unsweetened coconut, raisins, or basically any other chewy fruit your heart desires. Just make sure they are in small enough pieces.
• Nuts are a popular addition to cookies. I love nuts, but I don't care for them in my cookies and neither does the rest of my family. The one exception: peanut butter cookies. Use freshly ground peanut butter and you will marvel at how much better they taste. For a tropical tasting peanut butter cookie, add coconut oil and unsweetened coconut flakes to the batter.
• If you have the time or the inclination to play around, use pureed fruits and vegetables to add flavor and moistness (Is moistness a word? Moistening? Moistocity?) to the batter. This is where many suggest applesauce, but I more often use pureed sweet potatoes. Take a look at organic baby food and you may find some true inspiration, believe it or not.

Check out this site for links to several clean cookie recipes online.

The Healthy Tomato Plant Experiment, Part 2

It is June 6, and the Healthy Tomato Plant Experiment continues. For those who aren't familiar with the experiment and are too lazy to read the previous post, I chose three different fertilizing techniques and tried them out on three tomato plants that seemed to be on death's door. A fourth tomato plant was left untouched. These all came from the same tray, they receive the same amount of sunlight and the same amount of water.

Esther Epsom, June 6

Esther Epsom, May 20

Esther Epsom was treated with epsom salts, both diluted in water and as a side fertilizer at the base. She began with yellow and brown drooping leaves. I was certain I would be pulling this plant, and all of the others, and cursing myself for wasting fifty cents on these four plants.

On the contrary, Esther has grown quite strong, tall, and very green. Yes, I realize that I am a horrible photographer and you will just have to take my word for it. From what I can tell, epsom salt is the real deal. Of course, the proof will be in the production of fruit, which is still on the horizon.

Esther Epsom received another treatment with epsom salts, both at the base and through watering, and the leaves and blossoms were spritzed with an epsom salt solution as well. The next treatment will be on Wednesday, June 20.

Cathy Coffee, May 20

Cathy Coffee, June 6

Cathy Coffee was treated with old coffee grounds in her base and was given a thorough "watering" with cold coffee. I had read mixed messages about whether or not coffee is a good idea for tomato plants, due to the acidity it adds to the soil. As you can see by the picture at left, Cathy did not have far to go to become damaged beyond any help.

As far as I can tell, the coffee grounds have not damaged the plant. The leaves are green and it is blossoming well. Cathy has not grown as well as Esther, but the experiment is still in progress.

Cathy received another treatment of coffee grounds this morning and will be "watered" with cold coffee this afternoon once I'm certain that my husband is finished with his coffee drinking and the pot has cooled off. It should be noted that we drink our coffee very, very strong. The next treatment will be Wednesday, June 20.

Eddie Eggshell, May 20

Eddie Eggshell, June 6

Eddie Eggshell was treated with crushed eggshells. This is supposed to add nutrients to the plant and is supposedly an effective deterrent against slugs, rabbits, and other garden pests. Eggshells, no matter how they are baked, cured, or mixed with soil, are not an effective deterrent against dogs.

Eddie was treated with eggshells on May 20. Eddie was eaten by my dog on May 21. RIP Eddie Eggshell. You will be missed.

I chose not to redo the experiment with eggshells for a couple of reasons. First, I felt that the experiment would not be as accurate as it could be, since these four plants were purchased together. Any other plant I chose would not have the same advantage or disadvantage as the others. Second, I assume the dog would just dig up any plant that had eggshells near it. Frankly, he already wants to tear up the garden. Eggshells are just taunting him for no reason.

Tom Tomato, May 20

Tom Tomato, June 6

Tom Tomato is the control plant, treated only with water and no other form of fertilization. I have not bought or used food spikes, fertilizer spikes, or any other thing at all. Water, sun, and love is it for Tom Tomato.

You may not be able to tell from this picture, but Tom is hanging in there, though he is easily the smallest and the least healthy looking of the three.

As of now, I believe that epsom salts are the best choice for a natural fertilizer. In fact, I'm so convinced of it that I'm treating several of my other plants with epsom salts as well. I have two Lemon Boy tomato plants that are dying, but have been given a thorough epsom salt treatment. I am also treating my okra plants, which are (for now) the only plants in the garden that have been attacked by spider mites. I also did a light spritz of  water and diluted epsom salts on all of the plants except for those that are part of this experiment.

The saga continues in two weeks.