Monday A La Mode: August 12, 2013

Count on Monday A La Mode for the latest news, products, websites, and other updates that green moms will want to see! 

This week's Monday A La Mode is shorter than usual. I'm a real life mama and I'm currently moving my family from the city to just outside a very small and friendly town. I hope to have Monday A La Mode back in full swing next week so stay tuned. 

In the meantime, here's what I did find for you:

Support this bill...

You are probably aware that bees are dwindling and that without bees humans will not be able to sustain life as we know it on this planet. Bees pollinate plants, which provide food and oxygen for us. It's simple really - we can't live without them. Unfortunately, chemical farming is taking a huge toll on our flying friends. Click here to show your support of a bill to ban pesticides that kill bees.

Coffee Without Electricity...

My Coffee Press

Energy conservation is a biggie when it comes to being green. With global warming becoming a frightening trend, we must all do our part. Instead of plugging up the automatic coffee maker, try a chemex or coffee press. Both are excellent for camping, too! 

I love my press and I do believe the coffee tastes better than any other method I've tried. I add course ground coffee and boiling water, put on the lid, and four or five minutes later press the plunger all the way down. That's it! And, of course, I also recommend organic and/or fair trade if they are available to you. Click here for a list of reputable coffee companies from Fair Trade USA (list is at bottom right of page).

My mother-in-law prefers a chemex, which is another great way to make coffee without electricity. View the video below to see how it works. Have you ever used either of these methods? Do you have a preference if you've tried both?



If you'd like to view other Monday A La Mode posts, click here to see a full list, sorted by date. Just click on the date you'd like to view!

Thanks for visiting MMC and have a great Monday!

J is for Java

Mmmmm...I love a good cup of joe. Joe, java, coffee, whatever you want to call it. I love the stuff! I do buy organic fair trade coffee and I prefer a bold flavor but I'm not picky otherwise. I previously was anti-k-cup but I've taken that back now that I discovered reusable k-cups.

I'm so lucky to have a great coffee shop just down the street, too. Get this - it's a non-profit coffee shop. They donate 100% of their profits! So I actually don't feel bad when I occasionally get a $6 cup of mocha with 4 shots of espresso!

Are you a java lover? What kind do you like? Do you have a favorite spot to grab a cup on the go?

Pass the Cocoa Please!

Tis the season for sweets! We all know how difficult it can be to walk by the desert table at those Christmas get-togethers and not get at least a little taste of everything! I truly believe that's why we pack on the pounds. It isn't the real food that gets us, but rather those delightfully sugary deserts! 

But there is hope for us yet! Before you get to the deserts, have a cup of hot cocoa! Drink it when you're baking, too. Believe it or not, cocoa is the one sweet you should not pass up this Christmas!

The latin name for cocoa means "food of the gods." Understandably! Chocolate is so amazing! Ever wonder how it's made? When cacao beans are pressed and 1/2 to 3/4 of the cocoa butter has been removed, the remaining solid is processed into the fine powder that we use to make chocolate. Dutch processed cocoa has been washed with a potassium solution that neutralizes the natural acids in the cocoa. I recommend natural cocoa powder, or cacao powder, which will give you a darker color and richer, fruitier taste anyway. In recipes calling for dutch cocoa, natural cocoa can generally be substituted, but not the other way around. 

Even though it tastes sweet, pure cocoa powder is low in caffeine and sugar free, and it's also high in antioxidants! So you can skip the guilt! On a diet? 1 teaspoon of cocoa powder has just 20 calories, 1 gram of fat, and only 2 grams of carbs. The only guilt is in the milk, but it's so good for you in moderation! If you prefer milk alternatives, I'm betting almond milk would make delicious hot cocoa, although I haven't actually tried it.

When mixed with whole milk (we prefer raw milk, which still has the cream!) and simmered on the stove-top, this delicious treat will satisfy your sweet tooth and leave you feeling full. Thus, the other sweets won't be so tempting! Of course, we'll still have to try a few things on the desert table (like the homemade butter mints), but maybe we'll show a little more control!

Do skip the packets of instant cocoa. They include sugar and dry milk and additives and often chocolate flavor. Even organic hot cocoa mix will typically include sugar and dry milk.

Instead, look for organic fair trade cacoa powder.  1 teaspoon per cup of warm whole milk makes a great cup of cocoa! There are several different brands available on Amazon.com, including the one I use, Dagoba.

Do you indulge in hot cocoa during the winter? Will you feel a little less guilty about it this year?

October Blog Carnival: Ethical Purchasing

Welcome to the October 2012 Natural Living Blog Carnival: Ethical Shopping Choices This post was written for inclusion in the monthly Natural Living Blog Carnival hosted by Happy Mothering and The Pistachio Project through the Green Moms Network. This month our members have written posts about how they make purchasing choices.

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Mama Making Changes is pleased to be able to participate in the Natural Living Blog Carnival for October 2012. This month's theme is Ethical Shopping Purchases. We all shop regularly, whether for groceries, gifts, clothing, or other items. What influences your purchases?

The majority of my shopping is for food. I buy whatever I can at one of the local organic farmer's markets. We are blessed to have two of these in town and I usually visit at least one of them every week. I firmly believe in supporting the local economy whenever possible, and I love that I am also supporting organic sustainable farms and businesses. At the markets I am able to get whole grains, fresh seasonal vegetables, butter, milk, eggs, chicken, beef, pork, an assortment of cheeses, breads and tortillas, honey, and more. In addition to food, there are local businesses at the markets selling non-food products like essential oils, locally made soaps and shampoos and other toiletries, aprons and other handmade sewing and knitting. I could go on, but the point is that it makes me feel good about my purchases when I can hand the money to the farmer who grew the food we are taking home, the artisan who created the purse from her old sweater, the lady who baked the bread that I am taking home to my family.

When I am at the grocery store for other items, I look for products that are healthy, while still reasonably priced. I don't mind paying a little more because I know that I am supporting the farmer whose crop was smaller due to a lack of pesticides and fertilizers. However, I am a single parent on a tight budget and prices must be within reason, not exorbitant. I also look for organic produce whenever possible and I also look at the country of origin on produce and meat. I look for products with less packaging waste and buy organic fair trade certified coffee whenever my budget permits. I also use the Better World Shopping Guide, which I have written about recently, to help me decide which companies to avoid. 

I've only recently started paying more attention to my clothing purchases. Bamboo is my new favorite fabric! How wonderful that an eco-friendly sustainable plant can be turned into a soft and beautiful piece of clothing! Organic cotton is getting easier to find, too, and only costs slightly if you shop around. 

We also make a point to buy used whenever possible. I buy used clothing, furniture, kitchen ware, and more. Ebay is a great source, but to avoid shipping (which uses fossil fuels and contributes to global warming), I try Craigslist and other local sites first.

What affects your buying decisions? What eco-friendly choices do you make when shopping? Or does price come first in your household?

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Visit Happy Mothering and The Pistachio Project to learn more about participating in next month’s Natural Living Blog Carnival! Please take some time to enjoy the posts our other carnival participants have contributed: