Fair Trade

Fair Trade is a system of exchange that honors producers, communities, consumers, and the environment. It is a model for the global economy rooted in people-to-people connections, justice, and sustainability.


I used to mix this label up with the organic label. Thinking they both meant the same thing. So I went to la la land and found out they are not the same. However, they do involve making an eco-conscious decision. Here's an article that explains it better than my clueless self can. ;)

Hair Me Out

Look at all these beauties

Fierce!!!

She makes it look so cool

Ok I see you, I'm almost there too

I know the feeling HIH syndrome

Bantu knots here I come

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Butter VS Margarine VS Oils

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That's it I give up I can't take it anymore. Healthy eating is a pain in the a$$. I knew this part of my journey was going to be difficult. So, I'm not surprised by what I've found while researching for this post. Click on the links for the source of topics.

 

BUTTER- Mo Butta, Mo problems. Butter has gotten a bad rap for being unhealthy because it can lead to certain heart disease. I'm not going to lie there are some dishes that just taste good only when cooked with butter. But too much of it is not a good thing so I use it sparingly.

 

 

MARGARINE- Then comes this one being labeled as a better alternative to butter. Just because you look like butter you think you slick(no pun intended). Which makes butter a better option. But I thought butter was not good. Yeah, I'm even more confused.

 

 

OILS- I cook with olive oil. Olive oil is considered to be a good fat. It has a high amount of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, and with minimal or no saturated fats and trans fats. I use to cook with coconut oil. But guess what!!! It's high in trans fat or saturated fats. So now I just use it for my hair and skin. Hummmp, I'm not throwing it away.

Exfoliating

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Exfoliating is the skin's natural way of getting rid of  dead skin cells. Our body naturally exfoliate itself. By adding exfoliation to daily skin regimen you can look forward to soft, healthy, and younger looking skin. Prior to exfoliating I had oily acne-prone skin. Since doing this I have seen a huge improvement in my skin's appearance. Since I was dabbling with alot of DIY, I looked into making my own natural skincare. The days of me searching for the next "IT" products are over. Thank you mother nature for your tried and true ingredients. They have been around for centuries. There are so many recipes out there and I was trying just about everyone of them. After exhausting myself out I feel in love with this recipe.....


SUGAR: I know I gave sugar a bad rap on a previous post when taken internally. But it's on of the ingredients I use for my skin. See, I'm not a sugar hater. LOL

Sugar is anti-bacterial it contains glycolic acid, an alpha-hydroxy acid that is beneficial for maintaining healthy skin. It helps remove dead skin cells giving your skin a healthy glow. It also conditions and moisturize the skin.


HONEY: Where do I begin with this one. It has health, hair, and skin benefits. That's triple duty right there.

-Anti- bacterial
-Prevents breakouts
-Helps with anti-aging (no wrinkles here)
-Packed with vitamins like vitamin B and C, minerals and amino acids

Oh honey! you need to stop showing off with your never ending list


APPLE CIDER VINEGAR: Vinegar  has acids that are very useful in getting rid of dead skin cells off the skins surface. Yay!!! but the smell is not so great and that's where the last ingredient comes in.


GREEN TEA: It helps to balance out the scent of ACV, evens out skin tones, protects the skin from the sun, smoothes fine lines and wrinkles. Whew!!! I'm tired of typing. Check out this video for an easy to make inexpensive DIY Face Mask using all these ingredients. I also use this as a lip scrub.

Tofurky



I'm not a huge fan of tofu. But, when I saw the package I had to give it a try. When it comes to food I'm not that picky. If it looks good, hey I'll eat it. There was a slight difference in taste. I should know I was a hardcore eater of sausages. But, it was still yummy to eat. The best thing about it was that it has less fat than regular sausages. I couldn't believe there's no meat in it. So, if your looking for ways to reduce your meat consumption, this is it. I'm still going strong with Meatless Mondays. Where one day a week or more I cut out meat. There are so many ways to enjoy a meat free diet. Check out this site for recipes or ideas.



                                    

This product was purchased with my own money. I did not receive any compensation for this review.

Green Light- Kristen

An eco-mama who feels good doing her part

How long have you been eco-friendly? I really don't know. But I know that at least since August we have been recycling regularly because our development has a recycle truck that picks up stuff once a week. So that has made it more convenient for us to recycle. I TRY to use the reusable bags for groceries but honestly, I usually forget. BUT we do reuse those plastic grocery bags for trash or I take them back to the store and throw them in the recycle bin.

Why did you choose to be eco-friendly? Because it's better for the planet and people.

What do you like about it? I feel good knowing I'm doing my part to help out.

Did you face any challenges? If so, what was/is the biggest obstacle(s)? - Obstacles as far as what? In life? Of course!!! Like I have been unemployed for over 2 years but I FINALLY just got a job offer yesterday!!! It was rough for a while - my husband was a teacher and we have 4 kids. So a teacher's salary for a 6 person family doesn't go a long way. But he got a better job in his field and we are better. Now we'll be even better off now that I will be working again!

Any tips/advice for someone looking to be more eco-friendly? Recycle what you can, whether it's containers, bags, glass...or even clothing. I consider donating clothing a form of recycling. Just because YOU don't want it anymore doesn't mean someone else can't use it!! Give your old but still usable stuff to someone less fortunate.

Going green can be complex. This discourages a lot of people. There’s really no “right” way it’s basically trying to do something than nothing at all. I sometimes feel like a green hypocrite. Do you feel that way sometimes? Well yeah. I don't ALWAYS recycle every little thing. Sometimes just not thinking about it or not at a place that has a recycle bin.

You know I gotta ask, How long have you been natural and how do you keep it so FLY? LOL. I have been natural since about 1996. Will NEVER get a relaxer again. I never really NEEDED one to begin with (well, really, who does???) "FLY"?? LOL Thanks! I don't do anything extra special to my hair. I oil my scalp with either castor oil, a shea butter hair growth butter from butters-n-bars.com, or Wild Growth hair Oil. I usually keep my hair in two-strand twists as a protective style and moisture moisture moisture. I try to keep the ends extra moisturized and I seal it all with an oil, like Jojoba or Hot 6 or even castor sometimes.

Is there anything you like to add? I love being a natural and am so glad that some of my friends and relatives have FINALLY come around to going natural as well. I have learned a lot of great info from natural hair sites and am glad I found them. I wish more sisters would consider going natural and stay away from the creamy crack!! Creamy Crack is WHACK!!!! LOL And also, try to recycle more. It's a lot easier to do than some people think. Just do it, even if it's in a small way. :o)

Clueless In The City

Places to see/do...

 

The food...

                              

 

Famous faces ;)...

And never forget...

Suga Suga

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So, the other day I bought some yogurt. I knew what I wanted and went straight to the isle where I can find it. Picked up my yogurt and a couple other items along the way. I get home getting ready to enjoy my mini dessert. You can check out my article on yogurt here. I have all my crack ingredients lined up (granola, flaxseed, wheat germ, and honey) that I'm going to add into the yogurt. I opened the container and noticed that it was yellow in color. WTF!!! these people sold me a contaminated yogurt. I looked at the front of it and saw that it was a BaNilla(banana and vanilla) flavor. OK, so I then looked at the back label and saw that it had 34g of sugar. My eyes almost popped out of my head. Don't get me wrong I love sweets but I also like to control the amounts that I'm getting. No, I don't whip out my calculator before I eat. Although it was low in fat it had too much sugar. The plain yogurt that I normally get has only 14g of sugar I'm more comfy with that. I just picked it up without looking. All I saw was low fat thinking it was plain. This was the second time this mixed up happened. I let it slide the first time. Just when I thought it was safe to just grab and go. I mastered reading labels and knew the isles like the back of my hands. Now I'm stuck with a contaminated yogurt. I'm aware that sugar is in just about everything. Like plain yogurt, why is there even sugar in it. When I taste it I honestly can't taste any sweetness. *Le sigh* The journey continues.....

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Yummy Snacks



  

What are you snacking on?

                      

                    

Dry Deep Conditioning

I've been doing this for the past few weeks and my hair loves it. I start out with dry unwashed hair. Part  in four sections. Spraying it a bit with my spray bottle mix. Then adding my deep conditioner to that one section. I then part that one section in two and braid it. Then I move on to the next section. When I'm done I have eight braids altogether. I baggy overnight then jump in the shower the next day. I proceed with my normal routine by co-washing and detangling. Detangling my hair is a breeze. I know some people might think it's backwards (I did at first). But, by doing this method I noticed how soft and more manageable my hair is. This method helps saves water, money, and most important.... 

Time

I used to hate having to jump in and out of the shower

Has anyone tried this method?

Greek Quinoa and Avocados

This is hands down one of the best meatless dishes that I've tried so far. Another winner going in my cookbook.



3/4 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 cups water
2 plum tomatoes, seeded and finely chopped
1/2 cup shredded fresh spinach (leave some additional spinach to the side)
1/3 cup finely chopped red onion
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 ripe avocados, halved, seeded, peeled, and sliced
1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
  

In a small saucepan, combine quinoa and water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Place quinoa in a medium bowl.

Add tomatoes, shredded spinach, and onion to quinoa. Stir to combine. In a small bowl, whisk together lemon juice, olive oil, and salt. Add to quinoa mixture toss to coat.

Place additional spinach leaves on four salad plates. Arrange avocado slices atop spinach leaves. Divide quinoa mixture evenly over avocado slices. Sprinkle each serving with some of the feta.

Source: Publix Grape Magazine Spring 2011

The Benefits of Quinoa