In the spirit of Valentine’s Day I thought I would highlight some ways to keep date night a green affair. Date night is something I hope that all couples are able to take advantage of at least once a month. It is so easy to lose your identity as a lover and partner when you have kids, home, work, bills, and all that other stuff that takes over our lives. I know I certainly let myself forget how important it was to stay connected to my husband over the years. Heck we didn’t even celebrate our anniversaries anymore. My husband and I have always been best friends but we had lost sight of putting time together first and foremost. We forgot how to be a champion for each other and be that soft landing place when things got tough. We re-committed to making sure we had couples time as much as possible and it has been amazing for us. Just before I sat down to write this post I was on the phone planning date night for the month.

Like a lot folks though we have to keep in mind things like budget and time. We have to get creative. As a family seeking greener pastures and healthier lives we also have to keep in mind our impact on our bodies and planet. Here are some ideas in that regard.

The Main Event

Share the Shower – Okay so this might occur before the date but it’s a great way to start nonetheless. Conserve resources by showering together. If you get er… sidetracked, with some other stuff while in there, just turn the water off for a spell and then resume. We have a nifty showerhead that actually comes in handy in that regard… it has a pause control built in. ;)

In House Date Night – Due to time, money, or lack of childcare it may be necessary to stay in for the night and that is a great green option. Stream a movie via Netflix or rent one from RedBox. Send the kids to bed, grab some blankets, and lounge on the couch or floor as you watch. You could also have a late dinner together with soy candles and music. Cook a pizza shaped like a heart or grill some steaks while you sip wine. If the weather is nice you could take it outside even. Find ways to take the ordinary and change it up a bit to make it special.

Take a Couples Class - Many cities and towns offer special classes for adults through their parks and recreation department. You could take a class on cooking, bread baking, painting, dance, ceramics, martial arts, a foreign language, or even a sport. Many of these classes can be done on the weekends when childcare might be easier to arrange. You better yourself, you have fun, and you spend time together, it’s a win-win. Bonus points for staying close to home and perhaps carpooling with another couple.

Get Active Together – Many of us talk about how we want to get back to playing tennis, go jogging more, or perhaps take up a sport. Why not do it together? Buy or rent bicycles or roller blades and start exploring your immediate neighborhood together. You won’t feel so embarrassed to fall on your tush if your partner is there next to you falling on theirs. Spend an evening at a local skate rink. Play Frisbee or croquet in the yard. Think about those active things your younger self would have loved to do on a date and do those!

Go Shopping – Ethically – If you want to exchange gifts or wear something special for date night check out local thrift stores. My husband and I also enjoy thrifting together and will often make a date to go thrift shopping when the kids are all in school. You can find great, high quality stuff at second hands stores! We also like to hit up natural grocers and farmer’s markets together. We walk the isles chatting, reading food labels, and finding new foods that are local to our area. You could also spend an afternoon hitting up yard sales or go to an estate sale. You spend time together and you keep your impact low by shopping green.

House Tours – For weekend fun spend an afternoon touring Open Houses. Try to keep it within 5-10 miles of your house. This is more fun if you don’t currently own a home or if you plan to buy another soon. That way you get to think about, and dream about, your future nest.

Go Organic and Local – Scout out smaller restaurants and cafes that use local foods. Bonus points for organic and/or pastured. It is fun finding these little local gems and also trying them. You are supporting your local economy when you do. Though it may not be local you can also buy organic liquor.

The After Party

Greener Bedroom Decor – The bedroom area might need a little ambiance. LED twinkle lights are perfect for bedrooms and they are a greener option. If you can find red ones, even better. That is what I have. These heart shaped lights run on batteries, so remember to use rechargeable ones. Just remember to unplug them before you go to sleep. Candles are another nice option but they do contribute to indoor air pollution. If you want to forgo them try flameless LED candle lights. We love these. For sheets go with organic cotton or bamboo.

Planet Friendly Birth Control – The greenest birth control method if NFP, followed by sterilization probably. If you want to avoid pregnancy and do not feel comfortable with either of those options check out this post for other options.

Greener Sex Aids/Toys – You can get organic personal lubricants from Good Clean Love. They also make love oils using essential oils. Sliquid Organics Silk is another good one. For sex toys just say no to phthalates. They can cause cancer, impair fertility, and damage our reproductive organs. You can find plastic or silicone ones that vibrate and have no phthalates. If you don’t need battery power then go for wood or glass. The glass ones are beautiful! In fact check out all the green sex stuff at Eden Fantasies. Good stuff!

Eco Lingerie – Each year I see more and more organic and sustainable lingerie options. The go to place in my mind is Etsy. You get high quality lingerie and you support small business.

Are you ready for date night yet?

I am somewhat of a reusable bottle collector/junkie and Reusit has been one of my fave stores to shop at for many years now. So I am thrilled that the lovely folks at Reusit are offering NatureMoms readers a great discount for two select CamelBak products. They are stainless steel resuable water bottles. One is perfect for all ages and one is designed for kids. They would make a great stocking stuffer/gift for the holidays and the exclusive code CAMELBAK60 will give you an awesome 60% discount. Enjoy and please share with anyone who may be interested in saving some money on these CamelBak products.

Valid December 12 and 13, 2011 only.

CamelBak Stainless Steel , 0.75L Reusable Water Bottle

CamelBak Stainless Steel, Kids 12 oz Water Bottle

I started reviewing Conscious Boxes last month and fell in love with them if you recall. This month I got their holiday box and I got it at a discounted rate through a group buy place called Organic Soul. It is no longer available there but I will be keeping an eye there for more great deals. You can go to the company site if you want your own holiday box or if you want to order one as a gift.

On to the goodies! Here is a quick view of this jam packed box:

Berryplus – Is it strange that the thing that excited me the most when I opened the box was the circular container of laundry soap. I just couldn’t get over the cute packaging (contained 2 tubes for 2 loads of laundry) and the wonderful smell!It is 95% berry-based and 100% plant-based. The formula sounds awesome but the little microdoses will mean you have to recycle lots of little plastic tubes.

Chimes Orange Ginger Chews – I am not a fan of ginger candy usually (too hot for me) but wow, I really liked these orange/ginger chews. My husband thought he would luck into the whole bag since ginger candy is a fave of his but not this time pal.

Yummy Earth Organic Lollipop – My 5 year old lollipop expert got to test run this one. The verdict? Most delicious. Mom thinks they might be a much better alternative than candy canes this season.

22 Days Daily Mocha Mantra bar - This is a gluten free, soy free (thank you!) vegan protein bar made with raw and organic superfoods. The concept is that it takes 22 days of eating these to break your dependence on some other, inferior, food product. I love soy free protein bars so it was a hit with me for that reason alone but it also tastes really good, although it has a very strong coffee taste that initially put me off. Took a few bites to get used to. ;) Since there is no soy, it is based upon hemp and rice protein.

Sparklehearts Sparkly Body Lotion - We haven’t used this yet but we will! My daughter adores lotions, potions, and sparkly stuff but mom often nixes this stuff due to its toxic ingredients. Yeah, I am a big meanie. Anyway this lotion is petroleum free, paraben free, and phthalate free, and 99.6% natural. It uses natural mica for the sparkles and while I “may” nix that ingredient in a powdered product I feel comfortable allowing it in lotion form for my girlie. We will test out our little sample soon and this may end up in her Christmas stocking if she likes it.

ORAC Green Superfood from Amazing Grass – I already have a long term love affair with Amazing Grass. Anything they make is going to get a thumbs from me. The whole family actually… we heart them. Remember this video?

Mineral Fusion Mineral Body Lotion – We got the waterstone aroma and I am totally feeling as though I have entered some bizarre parallel universe. Between this Conscious Box and the last one I have slathered myself with more lotion than I had in 1 or 2 years combined I think. I kinda like it. And of course I love that it is natural and safe stuff.

drTungs Snap-On Toothbrush Sanitizer - This is a really interesting device. It supposedly releases all natural, anti bacterial vapors to kill germs and safely sanitize your toothbrush between brushings. You are supposed to replace after 60 days and it is also supposed to be 100% biodegradable though the packaging did not share what type of bioplastic it is made of. I will likely save this to use while traveling because we have a Violight to sanitize our toothbrushes and the whole family can use it.

Ostara Organics – Woot! This package had a small artist/mom biz feel to it. I also like the use of Ostara (Easter) in the name… has a pagan, earthy, goddess vibe and my oh my the included soy wax fragrance chunk smells good! The scent is “Colorado Holiday Wassail” I really wish I had a tart warmer so I could use it. May er.. have to buy one and keep this is stock.

Also loved the Lavender Mint Goatmilk Soap in this package.

Eat Cleaner Fruit + Vegetable Wipe - At first I thought these were handy wipes for kids but they are actually wipes for cleaning fruit and veggies before eating. I cannot see us using these but I will drop this one in my farmer’s market bag for when we can’t wait to to get home to sample the goodies.

Sacred Mountain Herbals Champa Vegan Soap – Infused with herbs and herbal tea and it smells delicious! Soaping up with this was a religious experience AND the paper that wraps it is seeded with wildflowers so we can save it and plant it in our garden. How fun is that?!! For pure magic and cleverness this may be my fave product in the box.

Uni-Fresh Cinnamon Air Freshener – This is made by Earth Friendly Products and it contains real cinnamon oils. The smell is yummy of course and it reminds me of the holidays. The timing for this was perfect because I was very sad this week to discover that my Aura Cacia Candy Cane spray was all gone and apparently discontinued.

Resveratrol from Reserveage Organics – Nice size bottle! I have heard some raves about this product but it not something I would have likely sprung for, even if I am “just” starting to get concerned about aging. It uses organic French red-wine grapes and wild crafted natural Polygonum cuspidatum root extract. This potent, rejuvenating blend with increased resveratrol levels, is supposed to maximize health benefits and reserve your youth naturally. Vegetarian and no soy (woot). I’ll give it try. Why not?

Yogi Tea – Got Bedtime and Green tea Kombucha blends. I am not a tea person but I am sure my hubby will drink these.

Justin’s Maple Almond Butter – oooh baby.. this is good. It splashes up a sliced apple for a great pre-workout meal. I cannot eat too much before I swim or run or I will get cramps but I still need fuel. Usually I just eat a small apple with some peanut butter but this product provides a nice change of pace.

Dropwise Aromatherapy Mister in Inspiration - 100% pure essential oil aromatherapy blend. Safe and gentle enough to use on your face. Spray it on your hair, your clothes, your linens, or just around you to cleanse the air and create an ambience. Smells very good!

Can you believe all of that was in this little box? Still lovin this concept…

A couple weeks ago I wrote about The Winter Blues or more specifically Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and what to do if you suffer during the winter months. One of the things I mentioned that I was doing to combat SAD on my part was to fill the air with negative ions. Quite simply negative ions create positive vibes. Columbia University has done extensive research on these invisible molecules that you typically find near waterfalls, mountains, and beaches. Just think about how the image of those three things effect you. I just think about breathing in the air around a waterfall and I get happy. These places tend to make us euphoric. But why? The studies have lead researchers to believe that negative ions produce biochemical reactions in our blood stream that increases levels of serotonin. A boost in serotonin helps alleviate depression, stress, and it gives us a boost of energy during the day.

So it goes to follow that if you use a negative-ion generator in your home you can benefit from the negative ions and the biochemical reaction they will create inside your body. Negative-ion generators also usually (from what I have seen) tend to be coupled with air purifiers. The air is cleaned of pollutants and allergens and it gets dosed with the happy molecules. I have been using air purifiers to do just that in my own home for well over a month now and have been VERY happy with the results.

I have two of the Permatech Ionizing Air Cleaners by Bionaire. With those we use Aer1 Ready Air Purifiers that get rid of germs and allergens. We have cleaner indoor air, it smells nice and clean in the house, allergens and germs are being filtered out, and optionally you can use the negative ion generator to fill the air with mood boosting negative ions. Typically I let the machine downstairs run for most of the day with the ion generator running for 3 to 4 hours in the morning. In the late evening I turn on the unit upstairs and we all breathe in fresh air while we sleep. They are slim units so we don’t worry about space. They have a washable pre-filter, which helps maximize filtration by the HEPA-Type filter, a filter service reminder, speed options, and a remote control. I can remember that I forgot to turn it on or off while I am sitting at my desk and just click the remote control to take care of that. Time to turn off the ionizer? Done in one click.

I think I have already seen a big improvement in my mood since using them but how to do verify something like that? Especially when you are also doing a variety of other things to combat moodiness as well. I can only say that I think they help. I KNOW they help with making the air cleaner and fresher though. We recently took a fake Christmas tree off the hands of some family members and it had been stored in their really musty basement. When we set it up at our house it stank to high heaven and made the whole house smell like rank basement. My first instinct was to break out the “birthday cake” soy candle and that worked only as long as it was lit, to mask the smell. Then I remembered (DUH!) that I could turn on the air purifier. Within 24 hours the smell was gone and I haven’t noticed it since. It was silly of me to forget because when we first moved to Ohio we were living in a 150 year old house and it smelled really old. My parents brought a similar but bigger air purifier into the house and within a few days all we smelled was clean air (no scent at all).

All in all, we are pleased as punch to have these purifiers. I had high expectations, hoping it would be a mood booster AND clean the air but it works on all counts, I am pleased to say. When we finally get a dog (my daughter is allergic) we will see just how well they filter out allergens too.

Disclosure: I received a free air purifier from Bionaire and Aer1 Filters (click for a filter coupon), plus several free filters to review, all words and opinions are mine of course. Many thanks to them for their generosity!

I got a great email question from a reader this week and decided to answer it on the blog. I think more and more people are wanting to transition from the Standard American Diet and easily available processed food to real, healthy, homemade goodness. The issue of course is that we find ourselves unprepared to cook real food because we are so used to heat and serve style meals. When we want to cook and bake from scratch we need the right tools so that we can stick with his new lifestyle and not decide that it is ultimately too much work. Our health will improve and so will our impact on the planet so it is important that we manage to set up our kitchen to make it easier to eat real food!

Here is what Danielle had to say:

Hello from Wisconsin. I have one daughter and trying for another. I have just recently become more aware of the choices I make for the my family and the impact it has on all of us. I started out by bringing my own bags to the grocery store, making my daughter her own baby food, getting rid of paper towels altogether, and a few other little changes. My goal for the new year is going to be making all our own food from scratch. Whether it’s snacks, dinner, smoothies, ect. With that being said, do you have any suggestions as to cookware and/or kitchen tools to help with doing so?

I have been trying to go back to a lot of your older posts and learning but as you probably know with having a little one I don’t get much time to do so. What are some of the best tips you could give me as to making my family and our house more green? As most of the people these days, we are on a budget. So I am hoping to make changes in small increments.

The following are some of the things I think a real food kitchen needs. As with anything you can start small and add things as you can. Also depending on what you are cooking some of these things may not apply to you but hopefully these ideas give you a place to start. Make sure to comment and add YOUR must have kitchen tool at the bottom of this page.

What You Need for a Real Foods Kitchen

Vita-Mix – My number #1 must have for the kitchen would have to be the Vita-Mix. I use mine literally all the time and have even joked that if the house were burning down I would run back inside to grab my camera and this amazing blender. We use it for making homemade nut butters, almond milk, butter, crackers, baby food (back in the day), popsicles, ice cream, sorbet, smoothies, mixed drinks, salsa, soup, raw cookies and desserts, and so much more. It is one of those gadgets that is always out on the counter because someone in the house will use it… at least 2 or 3 times each day. It is an expensive item but worth every penny and then some. If you have one you may not even need an immersion blender or a food processor plus you can buy a separate dry container for grinding your own flour.

I also have a Blendtec but I like the Vita-mix better.

A Dutch Oven – You can buy many different types of Dutch Ovens from the posh and stylish Le Creuset to the uber affordable Lodge Logic. The latter option works swimmingly so unless looking at that French version will make you super happy you can just go with the cheaper option. I use my cast iron Lodge Logic oven for making soups and stews when I don’t have time for a crock-pot. And as you can see below I also use it to make whole wheat sourdough bread on occasion.

Pressure Cooker – Okay, so you planned things REALLY badly and you need to cook up something really fast but you want that slow cooked for hours taste. You need a pressure cooker. If you’re are a meat eater you can also turn out really tender and juicy dishes using traditionally tough cuts of meat and you can do it 20 minutes instead of 2 hours. Some units can be used as a canner as well. I have no personal experience with these but I hear I am getting one for Christmas!

Crock-pot – These are perfect for meals with long cooking times… think chicken noodle soup, meatloaf, or chili. You can use a dutch oven or pressure cooker to get the job done faster but you may not want to heat your oven (summer) or you may need to cook while away from home. Since crock-pots plug into the wall and don’t require a stove they are perfect for slow cooking meals while you are working. You can also put them on a timer and have them start cooking while you are sleeping… ala overnight oatmeal.

I use my crock-pot more often than my dutch oven simply because I like to do all the food prep while my kids are at school. It can get hectic in the evening to have to chop all the veggies and such. For meals that only need 30 minutes or so, like my Potato Leek Soup, I use the cast iron dutch oven. Can’t wait to see how the pressure cooker works itself into the equation.

Bean Pot – These awesome pots can be used to soak and also cook your beans. I have an antique one that I got as a gift but you can also buy them new.

Dehydrator – I have an Excalibur food dehydrator and it is almost essential if you enjoy raw foods. In mine I have made cookies, crackers, dried fruit, fruit rolls, almond flour from almond pulp, and many other raw food dishes. They are also great for campers and hikers because you can make home cooked meals and then dehydrate instead of buying those freeze dried packets at sporting goods stores. Being able to dry fruit is a great way to preserve foods for winter time consumption.

Rice Cooker – If you eat a lot of rice or quinoa (raising hand) then having one of these saves loads of time and you don’t have to worry about burning. Most of these have non-stick coatings though so I suggest clay or stainless steel. They are pricier than your $30 rice cookers at Walmart but you don’t have to worry about cooking your food in nasty chemicals.

Pizza Stone – In my mind there is no reason to order pizza out. It is super easy to make your own pizza and it is MUCH healthier. My kids eat pizza loaded with fresh basil and spinach and you won’t find that at Pizza Hut. If you do make pizza at home then having a good pizza stone is nice. You can use them in the oven in winter and on the grill in summer. Easy!! You can also use these for things like biscuits and cookies.

Waffle Maker and/or Griddle - If you like waffles ( I recommend sourdough waffles) then you will love a cast iron waffle maker. Don’t buy the conventional ones with a non-stick finish. Same goes for griddles. A cast iron griddle is perfect for cooking eggs, pancakes, and even homemade english muffins.

Cutting Boards – Nourished kitchens see lots of veggie action. As a result of this I seem to have a bit of a bamboo cutting board addiction. I have 2 regular ones, a cutting block style board, and one that has a nifty colander built in for cutting and rinsing over the sink. I also have a plastic one from my non-green days and I keep it around for cutting meat. I won’t let meat touch my wooden boards. I also have a glass cutting board.

Colander – Typical kitchens usually have one but just in case I love the metal ones that are designed to fit over the sink. Love, love, love them! Plus you can use them as baskets when not in use to hold potatoes, fruit, eggs, etc.

Mixers – I have wanted a good mixer with a dough hook for years. I cannot seem to rationalize the cost of a KitchenAid though when we don’t do that much baking or bread making. Maybe someday if we find an awesome deal I will finally get one.

Good Pots and Pans – I wrote an extensive post on healthy and green cookware already so you can refer to that for the ins and outs of cast iron, stainless, aluminum, copper, etc.

Yogurt Maker – You can make yogurt in a crock-pot if you make up large batches and you can even use a jar and a heating pad. I happen to prefer the ease of a yogurt maker and I use the same one today that my mom used when I was a kid. If you decide to get one look for ones that have glass containers, not plastic.

Ramekins – Love these for reasonable portions of things like pudding and ice cream but also for cooking. I love to toss a egg in one and then top with a slice of fresh tomato, a sprinkling of herbs, some bread crumbs, and some cheese. Meat eaters like some crumpled bacon. Cook in the oven until the eggs set and voila, an easy an delicious breakfast for the whole house. Love these colored Rachael Ray ramekins!

Casserole Dishes – Speaking of Rachael Ray I am also loving her Stoneware bake sets that can be used for casseroles. Her cooking gear started out very cheesy (and plastics heavy) but it has taken a turn for the better in recent months. I can see making a veggie casserole or sweet potato casserole in these.

Juicer – I used to have a juicer but decided that I ultimately enjoy drinking the pulp and fiber of a fruit rather than just the juice. But if you are into raw foods or you need the extra healing that fresh juicing can provide, then a good juicer is essential.

Water Purification – We use Brita pitchers for filtering our water and an Alkamate for alkaline water.

Ball Jars – I use Ball jars for tons of things around the kitchen. We use small ones as drink cups for the kids and quart sized ones for protein shakes and green smoothies for adults. I also use them to store flour, grains, quinoa, beans, lentils, nuts, seeds, rice, dehydrated fruit, cereal, oats, etc. You can fill them from the bulk bin at your local grocer or you can buy packaged and then transfer it. It keeps things fresh, bug free, and I label the bottom of the jars so that I know what is in them. I put a sprouting lid on them and use them for sprouting seeds. The lid and jar combo can be used for sprinkling powdered cleaners, like my homemade scented scrubs to. I use them to make fermented foods like sourdough and kefir and store things in the fridge. They have a million uses!

Also, any glass jar will do. I just mostly use Ball jars because we don’t buy much food packaged in jars but I do have a couple Bubbies pickle jars in there to.

Below: Potato flakes, quinoa, brown rice, wild rice, coconut flour, quinoa flour, almond flour, flaxseed cereal, flaxseed meal, and some others I am likely forgetting.

Glass Refrigerator Dishes – As I mentioned above, I use Ball Jars for lots of my storage needs but when I have leftovers that won’t fit in jars I use glass refrigerator dishes. I have lots of vintage pyrex for this purpose as well as some Anchor Hocking glass dishes.

Storage Baskets – For food that stays outside the fridge like potatoes, onions, garlic, apples, bananas, lemons, bread, etc, we use baskets for easy storage and they go on a large metal shelving system that sits in our kitchen.

Chef’s Knives – Just like you need good cutting boards for all those fresh veggies you will be chopping, you need some good knives to.

Miscellaneous Stuff – An apple corer, wooden cooking utensils, wood and metal serving bowls, a hand crank mixer, a nut chopper (go vintage if you can!), spiral slicer, nut milk bags and cheesecloth, a kitchen scale, metal spatulas, a Tagine, and a fermenting crock.

Whew! Did I go a little crazy with this run down? What do you have to have in your kitchen?