Adventures Of Noble And Pond

Green Smoothie Diet Great Gift From Nature

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If you are considering trying a green smoothie diet but are a bit concerned about drinking stuff that’s green there is one thing you’ll be happy to know is that green smoothies are possibly the best gifts that nature has to offer you. There’s no doubt that a green smoothie just doesn’t sound or even look as appetizing as a strawberry smoothie. However, green smoothies often go way above your average great tasting fruit smoothie.

Drinking Green is Tough Getting Used To

The main reason people have difficulty going on a green smoothie diet is that they find it difficult to get used to drinking something that is green in color. But, if you think about it, you more than likely thought it was difficult to get used to alcohol when you first tried it, however, the taste didn’t stop you from eventually enjoying it, that is if you do drink the stuff. The main thing that you need to understand about green smoothies and a green smoothie diet is the fact that there are serious health benefits when you include them in your daily diet. One thing you can always try to do is think of green smoothies as a special fruit and veggie cocktail. All the extra ingredients you can add to them will enable you to create a smoothie that is ideal for you and they don’t even have to taste “green”. [Read more…]

Yes, I’m Cheap. So What?!

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I’ve been a penny pincher all of my adult life. Even in times of plenty I’m using coupons and comparing prices. I make every attempt to get the most bang for my buck. Is that so wrong? I consider it all part of my charm. Although it sometimes drives my husband crazy, he does have to admit that, in the end, my tightwad ways do have their benefits. Such as:

  • We can afford for me to work from home.
  • We are not wasteful consumers so it is a way for us to contribute to green living.
  • We have managed to maintain an emergency fund because no one knows what tomorrow may bring.
  • We may actually be able to retire before we’re eighty.
  • When we want to splurge on luxury we can afford to and don’t have to feel guilty.
  • We are not enslaved by the compulsion to have certain things.

For me, this has just been a part of my own identity. My grandfather survived the Great Depression and the privations of World War II. He was an extremely frugal man. However, he and my grandmother lived well so I never thought about his lifestyle as frugal. I always considered him a thoughtful man who tended and cared for things so that they never broke or needed replacing. I thought he was a hobby gardener who enjoyed tilling the earth and eating its bounty. [Read more…]

Water & Electricity Conservation Ingenuity

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I can’t read anything in the news without something about climate change being said. It is important to keep this in mind in every aspect of my life. I must consider all of my life decisions and try not to abuse or exploit the precious resources of Earth. More and more businesses around the world are becoming environmentally friendly in the goods and services they produce.  As I get ready to redecorate some of my living spaces, I am excited to see what kind of environmentally friendly choices I have.

There is more to living green than conserving electricity and recycling. Integrating daily living with all that surrounds a person can help to keep green living at the forefront of your mind. This mindfulness can become a lifestyle and making green decisions can become a natural habit.

One thing I am doing is capturing my sink, bath and laundry water. I have disconnected my toilets from the cabin’s main water line and I use my captured water from my sinks for flushing. Bath and laundry water is used for my gardening. This doesn’t mean I have unsightly buckets all about the house.

Since we live in a cabin, it has a crawl space underneath. It was very simple to redirect the drainage pipe for my washing machine and bathtubs to drain into a reservoir we created ourselves. We elevated the reservoir about six inches above the ground and routed a hose from it to a faucet outside the cabin in the back yard. Gravity causes the water to flow perfectly from a garden hose so I can keep my plants properly watered. Works like a charm. [Read more…]

The Other Kardashians… Er, Jenners

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I wouldn’t necessarily call myself a fashionista but I do like to be aware of the latest trends. Of course, everyone knows the famous name “Kardashian” and that it is inextricably linked with popular fashion. However, I don’t keep my eyes on Kim. Rather, I watch what her half-sisters Kendall and Kylie are up to. And recently they did a reveal of some of their favorite statement pieces from their 2016 Spring Collection. I have to admit I was impressed.

My favorite was a simple mini dress that was blush pink. It featured short, blunt sleeves, rectangular pockets set at the hips, a scoop neckline with a deep-set front lace-up. I simply love it. I could pair it with a pair of leggings and some cute boots. If I’ve got a decent tan, I could just throw on some sandals and the outfit would be complete. With its simple, straight lines, I might even be able to get away with pairing it with a set of low, chunky heels for a night out. The simplicity of its lines is what makes it so versatile.

Another dress featured had a criss-cross aspect to the bust that created a peek-a-boo keyhole at the back and front. However, despite the edgy sexiness of that little peek-a-boo, the full, flowing a-line skirt softened and feminized the dress. A gal can go sexy without being trashy. The publicity pic shows it in white, which is a color I don’t do well. I’m hoping I can find it in a pastel or maybe even a brilliant blue or green.

Another dress that was modest, feminine and oh so lovely was a little cocktail dress accented with lace and piping. The sleeveless, scoop neck dress has a back button closure at the neckline. This creates a short, narrow keyhole effect on the backside. The neckline, sleeveless edges, and skirt border are piped with a contrasting color. Just above the banded waistline is sheer lace with another narrow strip of it just above the cleavage line. Again, a beautiful blend of sexy and feminine. [Read more…]

The Gluten Free Guest

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My sister plans to visit soon. I have lived through her vegetarian phase. I survived her religious phase. I humored her through her nudist phase. I loved her through her active protestor phase. Now, she has moved on to her gluten-free phase.

I don’t know the first thing about gluten, if it’s good, bad or ugly. I don’t really want to know why some people go gluten free. I only need enough recipes to see me through a three day weekend. This is what I will be trying out in the kitchen:

Spicy, Sweet Chicken (serves 4)

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds skinless chicken (boneless optional)
  • 1 cup fruit jelly of choice
  • 2 tablespoons chili paste
  • 2 lime wedges
  • 1/4 cup green onion, chopped

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line deep baking sheet with aluminum foil and set aside.
  • Bring to a boil a large pot of water. Add chicken to boiling water. Boil vigorously for 10 minutes. Stir occasionally.
  • Remove chicken from water and cool. Pat chicken dry and place on baking sheet.
  • Bake for 30 minutes. Turn chicken and bake 10 minutes.
  • Add jelly and chili paste to a large bowl. Squeeze juice from lime wedges into bowl and stir mixture. Separate half of mixture for dipping sauce when serving.
  • Add chicken to remaining mixture in the large bowl. Stir to coat chicken completely with sauce and serve.

Mozzarella Balls [Read more…]