Against The Grain eBook Winner!

The winner of this great ebook is...

Katie (katherinemae---@----.com)

Congratulations Katie! I know you will be using this with your girls! Let me know when you make the Onion Rings  :o)

For the rest of you... please go a get yourself a copy with the 25% discount code! Thank you for supporting us through your purchases of this book and my links!

25% discount code: NOISE25 (expires this Tuesday, the 24th)

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Sourdough Journal #6: Caribbean Sourdough Pizza

Woohoo! I am on a roll with my Honduran sourdough buddy... we've made crackers, pancakes, tortillas and muffins/bread... now pizza! I've been making sourdough pancakes almost every Saturday now and I always have to double the batch. My oldest daughter, Naomi, CHOWS down at least 2 or 3 good size pancakes. They are so good! Crackers are becoming part of my weekly routine and I'm having fun experimenting with different flavors.

Now, back to pizza...


I was very pleased with the crust and how tasty it was without it being overpowering. I often find that whole wheat crusts can steal the flavor away from the toppings, but not this one! It was sweet with a slight tang. Usually, my girls aren't big fans of pizza... but they sure loved the sourdough pizza!


While mixing everything together for my first crust... I was taken back by how easy it was that I took advantage of the time, extra sourdough starter and made TWO more pizza doughs to freeze for future "quick" fresh pizza. I was SO excited when I saw how much the dough had risen... my sourdough buddy is doing a fantastic job!

Maybe some of you might remember me telling you about a particular italian restaurant that we went to in Puerto Viejo... oh man... beyond delicious italian food... Anyway, I mentioned that we ordered a Caribbean pizza, but didn't say what the ingredients were. Well, I am about to reveal them to you today:


Pineapple, jalapenos, coconut and mild cheese... yep, that's all. Oh, I think it was supposed to be served with ham, but we don't eat pork and had the pizza without it. It was so simple, yet unique and delicious. This is one of our favorites!

Caribbean Sourdough Pizza

1 recipe of sourdough pizza crust
olive oil
tomato paste
sea salt
garlic powder
fresh pineapple, chopped
2 jalapenos. chopped
ham, chopped (optional)
1-2 cups coconut flakes, fresh or dried
shredded cheese, preferably mild


Mix together your dough for the pizza crust and follow the instructions for prebaking, if necessary.


Lightly drizzle olive oil on the pizza crust and spread tomato paste (you can thin it with a little oil or water if you want a thinner sauce). Sprinkle with salt and garlic powder. Lightly top with cheese.


Top with pineapple, jalapenos and optional ham. Mix together coconut flakes with the rest of the cheese and sprinkle on top.


Bake in the oven on a hot pizza stone. Pull out when done and ENJOY!

I'm sure you are wondering where are the jalapeno peppers... well, I didn't have any fresh jalapeno peppers when making this pizza, but I had homemade lacto-fermented jalapeno paste that I used instead. I sprinkled that on AFTER the pulling the pizza out of the oven to preserve the nutrients and probiotics in the paste  ;o)

I am really enjoying the Sourdough eCourse and love how simple it is! But I am even more thrilled about the Sourdough A to Z eBook.


Why?


Because I don't have to watch the videos! They transcribed them and put the text in the eBook. Also, another bonus, the entire eCourse is all in the book. So, if you don't want to spend the time (or money) taking the class or are already familiar with making sourdough and just want recipes... this is the book for you!


I know there are many of you out there who have not yet joined in with me on my sourdough journey. I hope you will change your mind soon because you are missing out! Have a great weekend everybody!


What are your favorite pizza toppings? Got any unique suggestions? Next I will be sharing with you sourdough cornbread and chocolate cake! Like I said earlier... I'm on a roll!

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Simple Lives Thursday #44

Please Read & Follow the Rules

Since Simple Lives Thursday is growing, as a group, the five hosts have decided to set some ground rules in order to keep the integrity of the blog hop. Don't stop here... keep reading and find out who the Top Fives are this week!


1. If linking real, traditional and simple recipes, please make sure all ingredients used are whole. Such as whole grains, vegetables, legumes, meats, even sugar. In order to keep the integrity of "nourishing" food, we will delete any recipes that utilize processed, boxed foods. We are definitely not going to be ingredient policeman, however, please note that this is a hop hosted by advocates of the real, local and sustainable food movements.


2. Please link your posts back to one of the hosting blogs. This is a common blog hop courtesy. This link helps build the Simple Lives Thursday community by sending your readers to all of the other participants posts. We all end up sharing and learning from each other.

Top Five Featured Posts!

We really enjoyed going through last week's SLT submitted posts and look forward to doing this every week. Hope you will enjoy the top five picks just as much as we did! Thank you everybody for the awesome submissions... the posts that caught our attentions last week are:

1. Radish Leaf Pesto by Attainable Sustainable.

This pesto made from radish leaves is vividly green and beautiful, and frugal because it uses the part we almost always discard.

2. Ants In My Kitchen by Jo's Health Corner.

Great tips on how to fight the good fight against these annoying (and often painful) pests!

3. Make Your Own Sea Salt in 4 Easy Steps by Just Making Noise.

If you live near the coast (in an un-radioactive area), this is a great, frugal way to making your own sea salt.

4. Frozen Vegetables and Food Preservation Choices by An Austin Homestead.

"There are several options for storing your produce for the next season, and they're not all created equal or all suited for every crop."

5. Farmin' and Cryin' by Diary of an Outlaw Farmer.

This young lady had us crying!

Simple Lives Thursday Blog Hop
Woohoo! Congrats to those five! So, today is Simple Lives Thursday... A fun blog hop dedicated to anything and everything about simple living. Please share with us how are you living your life simply... we all want to know!


There is so much to learn about living simply these days... making lacto-ferments, raising animals, living off-grid, cooking with real food, gardening, raising family, homeschooling, homemade body products, natural cleaners, frugal ways, creating art with recycled materials, homesteading, homeopathy, growing herbs for health and much more!


Simply hosted by:

• Wardeh @ GNOWFGLINS
• Diana @ A Little Bit of Spain in Iowa
• Annette @ Sustainable Eats
• Alicia @ Culinary Bliss
• And me... the Noisy Mama  :o)

Be Simple and Share Your Post!

Make your "Simple Lives Thursday" post on your blog and come back here. Below you will find the Linky box where you can post your simple ideas, tips & recipes. Please add a link to this post at the end of your blog post entry and share with your readers that it is part of this week's Simple Lives Thursday. Feel free to download the badge above and upload it to your post!

Also, when you link here... your post will appear on all five blogs!

For those who don't have blogs... Please share your ideas, tips and recipes about simple living below in my noisy comments area. Don't get left out!

Everybody, take the time to visit the linked blogs. Sharing your favorites on Facebook or Tweet would be awesome! Spread the wealth of simple living!


Before you head down to put in your link... Please take a few minutes to read through the rules above, if you haven't yet. We wrote them up to help you understand what Simple Lives Thursday is all about and how we can unify in the right direction.


Please take 10 minutes to read up on my new series called "Alternative Laundry 101"... Part 1- "9 Reasons Why Line Drying Really Is the Healthier Option" and Part 2 - "Natural vs. Chemical Laundry Detergents" Thanks!


Also, check out the latest ebook giveaway: Against the Grain! Plus, the 20% discount offer is still going for the "Everything Beans" ebook!


Have a great week  :o)

Hugs!

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Alternative Laundry 101 Series-Part 2: Natural vs. Chemical Laundry Detergents

VS.

A couple weeks ago, I shared the 9 reasons why line-drying your laundry is all around healthier for you and the environment. Now I want to talk about what to use to clean the laundry with.


What we’ve been taught for so long, that we need to use chemicals to effectively clean our clothes, has never been the true or smart . Many natural soaps work as a great & cost effective replacement and will not pollute our bodies & the environment.


The chemical detergents (and all cleaning products) are full of toxin chemicals that quickly wear out your clothes, pollute the land & water sources, harm our animals, cause allergic reactions and damaging to our health. Have you ever wondered if your favorite laundry detergent is making you sick? Here are the 10 common ingredients you will find in any laundry detergent:

• Phenols: Toxic, a suspected carcinogen and rapidly absorbed. Effects include swelling, pimples, and hives. Internal consumption can cause circulatory collapse, cold sweats, coma, and death.
• Optical brighteners: These synthetic chemicals convert UV light wavelengths into visible light, which makes laundered clothes appear whiter (although does not actually affect the cleanliness of the clothing). They’ve been found to be toxic to fish and to cause bacterial mutations. Further, they can cause allergic reactions when exposed to skin that is later exposed to sunlight.
• Linear alkyl sodium sulfonates (LAS): These synthetic surfactants are commonly listed as ‘anionic surfactants’ on labels, and are one of the most common surfactants in use. During their production process, carcinogenic and reproductive toxins such as benzene are released into the environment. They also biodegrade slowly, making them a hazard in the environment.
• Petroleum distillates (aka napthas): These chemicals have been linked to cancer, lung damage, lung inflammation and damage to mucous membranes.
• Phosphates: These chemicals are used to remove hard-water minerals to make detergents more effective, and to prevent dirt from settling back onto clothes during a wash. A major problem with them is that, when released into the environment, they stimulate the growth of certain marine plants, which contributes to unbalanced ecosystems. Many states have banned or restricted the use of phosphates for this reason, and you may see laundry detergents advertised as “low-phosphate” or “phosphate-free.”
• Sodium hypochlorite (household bleach): This is a chemical precursor to chlorine, which is highly toxic and involved in more household poisonings than any other chemical. When it reacts with organic materials in the environment, carcinogenic and toxic compounds are created than can cause reproductive, endocrine and immune system disorders.
• EDTA: Skin irritant leading to allergies, asthma, and skin rashes. EDTA is a class of compounds used as an alternative to phosphates to reduce mineral hardness in water, prevent bleaching agents from becoming active before they’re put in water and as a foaming stabilizer. EDTA does not biodegrade readily and can re-dissolve toxic heavy metals in the environment, allowing them to re-enter the food chain.
• Artificial fragrances: Toxic effects on fish and mammals, often causes allergies, skin and eye irritation. Do not easily bio-degrade ain the environment.
• Ammonia: Can cause burns, cataracts & corneal damage. Long term repeated exposure can cause bronchitis and pneumonia. Also has a toxic effect on plants, animals and fish.
• Sodium Sulfate: It is corrosive and a severe eye, skin, and respiratory irritant. Can cause asthma attacks.

Makes you think twice before using detergent, yes? Read more here and here and here.


Did you know that companies who make laundry detergents are not required by law to list their ingredients?! They claim that their formulas are "confidential"... does that make you wonder what they are hiding? Now, please don’t be fooled by the “free & clear” detergents… they are still made with the same chemicals, just “free” of dyes and fragrances that often cause skin reactions and trigger headaches. Much like the fabric softeners I mentioned before.


With all that said, I use biodegradable & natural products to wash my laundry. I like knowing that my natural soaps contain ingredients from nature, not man-made chemicals. Over the years, I have tried many different laundry soaps… Charlie’s Soap, Earth Friendly ECOS, BioKleen, Ecover, Soap Nuts and many others. Be careful... not all natural soaps are really "safe and natural"! I learned that the hard way, for the past 4 years I’ve been using Charlie’s Soap mainly because I read from reviews that it was the best to use on cloth diapers. Yes, it did a great job of cleaning and not creating a scum that prevents the diapers from being absorbable... BUT I no longer use it for 3 reasons:

• I learned from a friend that Charlie’s Soap is not entirely natural or safe like it says on their products and website. That really bothers me!
• When Naomi was in diapers, she used to break out in HORRIBLE rashes from her diapers if I didn’t make sure to double rinse the diapers after washing them with Charlie’s Soap. If that stuff is supposed to be natural… why was it burning my little girl’s bottom?!
• Since we moved to Central America, it hasn’t done a very good job washing our clothes and diapers in cold-water… especially hard water. Even when I add vinegar and baking soda to help soften the water, still no good.

Now, I’ve switched over to BioKleen and found it did a way better job of cleaning our clothes and diapers. I am also using Soap Nuts... I love the fact that they grow on trees and are completely God-made, but I can't decide if they are really doing a good job of cleaning the laundry. I bought them because 1) they weight less then powder or liquid… 2) I read such great reviews about them and... 3) I got a really great price for 1,600 loads worth. I will keep using them and time will tell if they really do work or not!

I'm sure most of you are wondering if your natural laundry soaps are really "natural and safe". These days there are so many different kinds of natural detergents out there that its hard to know what is good and what is simply a cheap imitation... here are 10 things I've learned to look for when buying GOOD natural laundry detergent:

• 100% Non-Toxic and 100% Biodegradable – Helps protect the environment… most importantly... our water sources, lakes and streams.
• Uses 100% natural and eco-certified ingredients – All natural ingredients plus testing by an independent agency that certain ingredients used are indeed ‘green.’
• Uses only plant-based enzymes – Avoid animal-based enzymes and other animal ingredients (which can lead to unnecessary animal testing). More on the importance of enzymes coming up.
• Butoxyethanol Free – Found in Charlie's Soap and most common laundry & cleaning products (source).
• Petrochemical Free – Free from 1,4-dioxane (and all its derivative names) and NPE. You already know the health risks associated with these.
• Phosphates and Sulfates Free – Free from phosphates and SLS/SLES (and other derivatives).
• Derived from plants, vegetables, and natural food sources – Contains only natural food-grade ingredients.
• Free from bleach, dyes, fragrances, optical brighteners, and masking agents – Only natural oils and food-grade ‘cleaning’ sources used.
• Includes a plant-based fabric softener – No need for a separate softener (not necessary if using vinegar and/or baking soda).
• Performs ideally in cold water and is safe for delicate fabrics and colors –Saves energy over hot water. Performs well regardless of fabric material and colors.

Basically, you want to look for natural soaps derived from non-toxic plant-based and food-based ingredients. That's not always easy to find and often we might find out 1 or 2 years (or 4 years, in my case!) to late that the "natural" soap we've been happily using, isn't so natural... which is why I really want to like my Soap Nuts!


I would also LOVE to make my own laundry soap, but have not found a recipe with ingredients that I can find here in Honduras. I know this would be the most frugal and easiest thing for me to do in the long run. Anybody got recipes to share with simple ingredients and no borax???


Next, in Part 3... I will share with you how to use vinegar and baking soda for all your laundry needs!


Tell me, what are you favorite natural soaps and why? Do you make your own laundry soap and is it effective?


Don't forget... The Everything Beans ebook is on sale to all my noisy readers and check out the Against The Grain eBook Giveaway!!
Have a great week y'all...

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Giveaway: Against the Grain eBook!

Here's another great ebook giveaway... Kate from Modern Alternative Mama is giving away one copy of her Against the Grain cookbook! You will find 30 yummy, grain-free recipes for everything from main dishes to desserts (oh yeah!)... Salisbury Steak, Italian Chili, White Bean Vanilla Cake and Chocolate Brownies! ALL DELICIOUS... especially the brownies! So, you better get on with your comments to increase your chances of winning, but first read on...

Have you ever thought about eliminating or reducing your grain intake? There are many benefits of doing that, but it is often hard to know where to start or what to do without feeling overwhelmed or confused. Well, in comes Kate's ebook where she shares great suggests & simple information on how you can eliminate or reduce grains in your diet and why you would benefit from doing it. If you are thinking about or already doing the GAPS diet, most of the recipes are completely GAPS-friendly and the ones that aren't... she offers suggestions on how to convert them very easily.

Even though we are not completely "grain-free" and don't plan on going that direction  any time soon... we have backed off our grain-intake and noticed a big difference. Its nice to have several grain-free options/suggestions/ideas when preparing meals for your family or when you have someone coming over that is on a special diet. Against the Grain is also very kid-friendly!

Like what you are reading? Head over there and buy yourself a copy! Kate is offering a 25% coupon code for all my noisy readers... use code: NOISE25 (expires 5/42/11).

Now, for those who would rather try and win a copy... 

The Giveaway...

A free "Against the Grain" eBook to one winner! Thanks to Kate! The book is great and looking forward to using more recipes  :o)

How to Enter...

First, go check out the Table of Contents and pick out a meal that you would love to try... then come back here and let me know in the comments section! That's one entry... please read on for more entries to increase your chance of winning!

Extra Entries...

You must do the main entry above first before doing the extra entries. Remember that each entry is a separate comment! Thanks and have fun!

1. Subscribe to Modern Alternative Mama (1 entry)
2. Subscribe to receive my posts via email (1 entry)
3. Follow my blog (1 entry)
4. "Like" MAM on Facebook and share on your wall (1 entry)
5. "Like" Just Making Noise on Facebook and share on your wall (1 entry)
6. Follow MAM on Twitter and tweet about the giveaway! (1 entry)
7. Follow me on Twitter and tweet about the giveaway! (1 entry)
8. Email your friends about the giveaway and leave a comment for each friend you emailed! (1 entry for EACH friend you email!)

Remember, if you've already done most of the above... you automatically get those entries. Please post a separate comment for EACH entry. You can have a total of 8 entries or more!

The Rules...

Every comment must have an email address. You can comment with your blog as long as I can contact you through there! The giveaway ends May 21st and is open to anybody in the world! The winner will be chosen via random.org

No purchase is necessary to enter. I am an affiliate of Modern Alternative Mama and will earn a small commission if you choose to bless us through making a purchase through my links. I received a sample review copy of this ebook. Thank you for the support and blessings!

Have a great week and thank you for spreading the news about this giveaway! Hugs!

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The Everything Beans eBook Winner

The winner of this awesome ebook is...

Lori (aka: Dairy Babe)

"I just discovered your blog and am super excited about it. My food interests sound similar to yours and I love finding like minded people from which to get new ideas. I also have family who are serving as missionaries in Honduras so I found an immediate bond.

I am excited about the bean book because I feed my family a lot of beans and like you, we get a bit tired of the same ole Central American style beans and rice.

I am also a dessert fanatic and am always looking for healthy ones to feed my growing children. So while there are several recipes from the book that I would like to try, like the chicken chili (since we raise our own chickens) and the pasta with white bean sauce since I make my own pasta and grow white beans, the fudgy brownies will have to be first!

Thanks for sharing."

Congratulations Lori and thank you for the great note above! You obviously have great plans to put the ebook in good use! Also, for those who live in Minnesota... check out her family's website: Emmanuel Farm. They sell fresh bread, free-ranged eggs and chicken meat. I am drooling over her sourdough! LOL!

Now, I also want to thank everybody who bought the ebook through my links. Thank you for the blessing and hope you all are enjoying your books!

For those who did not win or have not purchased The Everything Beans eBook... Katie is giving all my Noisy Readers a 20% off discount! Go on over there and buy yourself or your friend The Everything Beans eBook.

The discount code is: NOISYBEANS

Discount is good till Friday at midnight (MST).

Have a wonderful week everyone! Hugs!

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Simple Lives Thursday #43

Please Read & Follow the Rules

Since Simple Lives Thursday is growing, as a group, the five hosts have decided to set some ground rules in order to keep the integrity of the blog hop. Don't stop here... keep reading and find out who the Top Fives are this week!


1. If linking real, traditional and simple recipes, please make sure all ingredients used are whole. Such as whole grains, vegetables, legumes, meats, even sugar. In order to keep the integrity of "nourishing" food, we will delete any recipes that utilize processed, boxed foods. We are definitely not going to be ingredient policeman, however, please note that this is a hop hosted by advocates of the real, local and sustainable food movements.


2. Please link your posts back to one of the hosting blogs. This is a common blog hop courtesy. This link helps build the Simple Lives Thursday community by sending your readers to all of the other participants posts. We all end up sharing and learning from each other.

Top Five Featured Posts!

We really enjoyed going through last week's SLT submitted posts and look forward to doing this every week. Hope you will enjoy the top five picks just as much as we did! Thank you everybody for the awesome submissions... the posts that caught our attentions last week are:

1. In Which We Share a Great Find by Auburn Meadow Farm. As advertisers reuse nostalgic ads from the past to sell modern products and politics, this blogger finds inspiration and encourages all to plant gardens and put up your own food!





2. We Suck At This by Chicken Tender. Amidst the flood of must-be-done-now projects and honest doubts about farm life, Chandelle finds beauty and strength -- and hope.





3. Refashion: I Made a Purse Today by The Summer House. Jana makes a purse from the existing pockets of grey linen pants. Lovely!





4. Project Propagate: My Adventure in Rooting Cuttings by An Austin Homestead. It's amazing that you can cut off a branch from an existing plant, pot it up and have a brand new plant take root -- and Miranda shows you how!





5. Vinegar in Every Room by Laurel of Leaves. Who knew vinegar was so useful? In this post, Laurel shares many ways you can use vinegar for cooking, cleaning, gardening, first aid, and health.

Simple Lives Thursday Blog Hop
Woohoo! Congrats to those five! So, today is Simple Lives Thursday... A fun blog hop dedicated to anything and everything about simple living. Please share with us how are you living your life simply... we all want to know!


There is so much to learn about living simply these days... making lacto-ferments, raising animals, living off-grid, cooking with real food, gardening, raising family, homeschooling, homemade body products, natural cleaners, frugal ways, creating art with recycled materials, homesteading, homeopathy, growing herbs for health and much more!


Simply hosted by:

• Wardeh @ GNOWFGLINS
• Diana @ A Little Bit of Spain in Iowa
• Annette @ Sustainable Eats
• Alicia @ Culinary Bliss
• And me... the Noisy Mama  :o)

Be Simple and Share Your Post!

Make your "Simple Lives Thursday" post on your blog and come back here. Below you will find the Linky box where you can post your simple ideas, tips & recipes. Please add a link to this post at the end of your blog post entry and share with your readers that it is part of this week's Simple Lives Thursday. Feel free to download the badge above and upload it to your post!

Also, when you link here... your post will appear on all five blogs!

For those who don't have blogs... Please share your ideas, tips and recipes about simple living below in my noisy comments area. Don't get left out!

Everybody, take the time to visit the linked blogs. Sharing your favorites on Facebook or Tweet would be awesome! Spread the wealth of simple living!


Before you head down to put in your link... Please take a few minutes to read through the rules above, if you haven't yet. We wrote them up to help you understand what Simple Lives Thursday is all about and how we can unify in the right direction.


Also, please take a moment and read up on my new series called "Alternative Laundry 101", the first post is "9 Reasons Why Line Drying Really Is the Healthier Option". Thanks and have a great week  :o)


Hugs!

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