thenextmile

Each day, the typical American household uses around 260 gallons of water! That translates to nearly 95,000 gallons a year. While most of that water is waisted down the drain, there are some simple things you can do to help preserve water each time you step in the shower. Not only will you save water and help preserve the environment, you’ll also save money. Here are some simple tips to help get your started.

1. Make a trip to the hardware store and ask bout a low-flow shower head These shower heads limit the flow from the shower to less than three gallons a minute. Most people don’t even notice the change.

2. Take a shower instead of a bath. Despite what many people may think, showers, especially when using low-flow shower heads, use substantially less water than filling a bathtub.

3. If you must take a bath, be sure not to fill the water all the way to the top of the tub. This wastes water. Try sitting in the tub as the water fills, and only let it rise an inch or two above your skin.

4. Take a shorter shower. You can achieve this a few ways. You can set a timer and when the timer goes off, the water goes off. Or, you can turn the water off while washing with soap, and then turn the water back on to rinse.5.

5.  Turn your heat water heater down a couple degrees. This will help save the energy used to heat the water while keeping the water warm enough for bathing.

Here’s how to tell if you need a low-flow shower head First, set a 2qt. Saucepan on the floor of the shower, and position it in the middle of the shower stream. Turn the shower on and count how many seconds it takes to fill the pan. If it takes fewer than 12 seconds, you could use a low-flow shower head A low-flow shower head will only fill the pan about 2.5 grams per minute or less.

If you do decide to invest in a low-flow shower head, you don’t have to shell out a fortune. Most low-flow shower heads cost $10 or less, and they’ll save you hundreds of dollars in the long run. Because low-flow heads deliver less water, there is a chance to scald if your toilet is flushed during use. However, scalding shouldn’t occur in newer or updated homes where newer pipes have been installed.

Dry, itchy, flaky skin – it’s a sure sign that colder weather is upon us. As you get older, your skin produces less of its moisturizing natural oils. And dry indoor air this winter can cause your skin to become extremely dry. But you don’t have to suffer through the dry skin blues this season, there are a few ways to avoid and repair dry skin during these colder months.

First off, when bathing, avoid long, hot showers. Hot water strips the skin’s natural oils that help hold in moisture. Also, try to reduce the number of showers and baths during cooler months, one a day is best and will help prevent skin irritations. Milder soaps such as Dove or Cetaphil help calm sensitive skin. Avoid excessive scrubbing with loofahs, mitts or face clothes. When drying off, pat your skin with a towel instead of rubbing. And apply moisturizer while your skin is still a bit damp, this will help trap in moisture and help prevent dryness throughout the day.

When you are outdoors, be sure to cover any exposed skin. You can also use petroleum jelly on your face, lips and ears to help prevent dryness. And don’t forget the sunscreen on any exposed areas, even in winter. A sunscreen with built in moisturizers will help prevent dry skin and help keep you protected from the sun’s harmful rays.

While spending time indoors this season, try to use a humidifier in your home. This will raise the level of humidity and help your skin maintain it’s natural oils. You can also lower your thermostat to a cooler, but comfortable temperature. This will not only help you save on energy, but will also help prevent exposure to excessive dry heat.

If you do find yourself dealing with dryness, there are a number of things to help relieve the symptoms and help rejuvenate your skin.

Keep the itchy area well moisturized. Itching it will just make it worse. If dry skin is a problem in several spots on your body, try an oatmeal bath. Just wrap a cup of oatmeal in a cotton cloth and boil as you would to cook it. Use this as a sponge with warm, but not hot water. There are also a number of oatmeal bath products on the market.

For dry hands, try applying a thin later of petroleum jelly at night and then cover your hands with a thin pair of cotton gloves. Dry feet can also benefit from this treatment.

Your diet can play a huge roll in your skin health. Be sure to drink plenty of fluids each day and avoid caffeine and alcohol which have diuretic properties. Foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids such as seafood, nuts and oils can also help prevent dryness.

If you find yourself still suffering and nothing seems to help, call your doctor. He or she can prescribe creams that will help treat small, itchy areas.

These might possibly be the best brownies I’ve ever made.  They’re thick, gooey, and really rich.  They do contain cherry preserves, but honestly, I don’t really taste the cherry.   Enjoy!

Dark-Chocolate and Cherry Brownies

3. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, 1 cup sugar, unsweetened cocoa, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl; stir with a whisk. Combine cherry preserves, 1/3 cup water, and butter in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Add preserves mixture to flour mixture; stir well. Add egg and egg white; stir until smooth. Stir in semisweet chocolate chips. Scrape batter into prepared pan. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Cool in pan on wire rack. Garnish with powdered sugar, if desired.

Yesterday we had some friends over and I decided to try a few Mexican dishes.  These two were new ones, that went over really well, and both were easy to make.  I was able to get both of them ready in the morning, then just store them in the fridge until they were ready to go in the oven.  We were hoping we’d have lots of leftover, but it didn’t quite workout that way.  But that means they were a hit, right?

Chicken Enchiladas with Salsa Verde

Pour remaining salsa mixture over enchiladas; sprinkle evenly with queso fresco and chili powder. Bake at 425° for 18 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Serve with lime wedges. Garnish with cilantro sprigs, if desired.

Chipolte Black Bean Dip
Yield

**I used a can of fire roasted tomatoes for this.  I also used Pepper Jack cheese instead of the Mozzarella.

I love Asian food, and I always enjoy lettuce wraps.  The only thing wrong with lettuce wraps is that they can get really soggy and messy, tonight was no different.  But these things taste excellent.  One factor is that my store was out of Bibb lettuce, which would really hold up better than the iceberg I ended up with.  Lesson learned.  But these are a great quick meal, and would make a great appetizer.

Ingredients

3/4 pound flank steak, trimmed
1/3 cup thinly sliced green onions, divided
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
4 cups hot cooked short-grain rice
1 cup kimchi
16 red leaf lettuce leaves

Preparation

1. Cut steak across grain into 1/4-inch slices; cut slices into 1/2-inch-wide strips. Cut strips into 3-inch-long pieces. Combine steak pieces, 1/4 cup onions, sugar, soy sauce, garlic, and sesame oil.2. Heat a 14-inch wok over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon canola oil to wok, swirling to coat. Add half of steak mixture to wok; stir-fry 2 minutes or until lightly browned. Spoon cooked steak mixture into a bowl. Repeat procedure with remaining 1 tablespoon canola oil and remaining steak mixture. Sprinkle with remaining onions and sesame seeds. Spoon 1/4 cup rice, about 2 tablespoons steak mixture, and 1 tablespoon kimchi onto each lettuce leaf; roll up. Serve immediately.

Yield

4 servings (serving size: 4 filled lettuce leaves)

I have exactly one week left at my current job, then I’m happy to announce I will be staying at home and freelancing writing and helping my husband out with some of his projects. 

I feel like I’ve been slacking lately, but work has been crazy, and we’re just getting  ready for the transition of going from full time work to freelance.  It’s exciting and nerve wracking at the same time.  But it will all work out.

So there are plenty of great recipes to come.  I haven’t been cooking much lately due to the busy schedule, but I have a stockpile of great looking things that are just waiting for me in my kitchen.

I can’t believe it’s the end of August already.  Today during my weekly trip to the farm market, I loaded up on corn, peaches, spinach, and tomatoes.  I just pulled a peach-blackberry cobbler out of the oven, although it’s more of a crisp than a cobbler.  Here’s the recipe, I used 5 cups of peaches and 1 cup of blackberries.

Ingredients

6 cups diced peeled peaches (about 2 3/4 pounds)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon peach schnapps (optional)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Topping:
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup regular oats
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons butter or stick margarine, melted
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°.Combine first 7 ingredients in a bowl; spoon into a 10-inch cast-iron skillet.

To prepare the topping, lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup, and level with a knife. Combine flour and remaining ingredients in a small bowl, and toss with a fork until well-blended. Sprinkle topping evenly over peach mixture. Bake at 350° for 40 minutes or until bubbly.

Note: Cobbler can also be made in an 11 x 7-inch baking dish.

In other news, I got up at 5:15 this morning and had a great 8 mile run followed by a mile walk back to my car.  It was a beautiful morning, even though it was a bit chilly at first - just 49 degrees.

Tomorrow, I have to find something to do with a dozen ears of corn.

I’ve had a craving for baked beans lately, so since we had company this weekend I decided to make some to go with burgers and corn on the cob.  They turned out well, despite me changing up the recipe a bit. 

Instead of baking these, I just dumped all the ingredients in a crockpot in the morning.  I used mostly Great Northern Beans, but also used a can of kidney beans and butter beans as well.  I omitted the chipolte since our guests don’t really care for anything spicy.  They were a hit and I’ll make them again.

1/4 pound finely diced bacon slices (raw)
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons finely chopped chipotle chile, canned in adobo sauce
5 (16-ounce) cans navy beans, rinsed and drained
1 (18-ounce) jar low-sodium barbecue sauce
Cooking spray

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°.Cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, reserving 1 tablespoon drippings in pan, and set bacon aside. Add onion to drippings in pan; sauté 3 minutes.

Combine bacon, onion, and remaining ingredients except cooking spray in a large bowl; toss well. Spoon the bean mixture into a 13 x 9-inch or 2 1/2-quart baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 45 minutes.

Yield

21 servings (serving size: 1/2 cup)

My friend Sarah passed this recipe along to me this week.  I think it might also work great with other berries, and maybe even nectarines.  Make sure to press the bottom into the pan really tight so they don’t crumble.  I think they also store better in the fridge.

1 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup cold butter (2 sticks or 8 ounces)
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon salt
Zest and juice of one lemon
4 cups fresh blueberries
1/2 cup white sugar
4 teaspoons cornstarch

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a 9×13 inch pan.

2. In a medium bowl, stir together 1 cup sugar, 3 cups flour, and baking powder. Mix in salt and lemon zest. Use a fork or pastry cutter to blend in the butter and egg. Dough will be crumbly. Pat half of dough into the prepared pan.

3. In another bowl, stir together the sugar, cornstarch and lemon juice. Gently mix in the blueberries. Sprinkle the blueberry mixture evenly over the crust. Crumble remaining dough over the berry layer.

4. Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until top is slightly brown. (This took an extra 10 to 15 minutes in my oven.) Cool completely before cutting into squares.

Anyone who knows me well knows that I love Mexican food.  I’ve often times even joked with my friend Delon (who is Mexican) that I’m convinced I am either part Mexican, or was Mexican in another life.  My love of Mexican food means we have salsa in our house at all times, I am always putting some spice in things (cayenne pepper in chocolate cupcakes anyone?) and we have different Mexican entrees for dinner usually once a week.

Tonight was burritos.  I am convinced that burritos are one of the most perfect foods on earth.  And you can make them healthy, here’s how.

Make some rice, preferably brown.  Throw in some tomatoes, you can even used canned.  Toss in some green onions, some spices, and cilantro if you have it on hand.  Then toss in a can of black beans that have been rinsed and drained.  The rice and beans add a healthy dose of fiber, and you get a protein punch from the beans.  Want some more protein?  Add some seasoned chicken breasts, steak, or even ground sirloin.  Tonight I cooked up two chicken breasts with some southwest seasoning in a pan, and then chopped them up.  Next, add some salsa or chopped tomatoes if you don’t have salsa.  Shred a little lettuce, top with some cheese (mmm, calcium!), a little lite sour cream or guacamole, and wrap it all up in a whole grain tortilla.  I love La Tortilla Factory tortillas, they make big burrito sized ones now that are 80 calories and have 12 grams of fiber!

Yum!