4 Reasons To Use Cloth Dinner Napkins

Crimson Vine Cloth Napkins by Anna Joyce

According to the EPA, American's produce 4.5 pounds of waste-- daily. This is astounding.

The smallest lifestyle changes can really help to cut down on the waste we produce. We've been using cloth napkins for about a year now and I couldn't be happier that we made the switch. It was an easy change to make and the cloth napkins not only look better, but they are so much more effective.

Consider these four reasons to purchase cloth napkins, it really is worth it!

1. Class it up: Cloth napkins add class to any dinner table.

2. Reduce waste: On average, an American uses approximately 2,200 napkins per year. If each person used one less napkin a day, it would save a billion pounds of waste from landfills each year. 

3. Reduce pollution: Pollution causing machinery is used to produce paper napkins. This includes diesel machinery, trucks, boats, paper mills, planes, trains and automobiles. 

4. Save money: Purchasing paper napkins can cost any where between $300 to $2,600 a year for a family of four. Cloth napkins will cost somewhere around $20 to $100 a year for a family of four + $8 in washing costs.

We already have about 20 cloth napkins on hand for just the two of us-- but after finding these little beauties, I've seriously considered purchasing some more.

Oxford Black, Blue Stripe and Red Cloth Napkins by Suzuya

Organic cotton, Striped Dinner Napkin Set by Shilpa Rathi 

Sky Map Linen Napkins from Anthropologie

Grey Chevron Linen Napkins found at Pottery Barn

Lost & Found Tie-Dye Napkin, no two are the same!

Root Vegetables on Natural Linen and Cotton blend napkins by The High Fiber Co.

A Minute in the Life: Popcorn + Pizza

// Grey Block's Delicious Salad Pizza + Cheese Flavored Popcorn //

My husband just loooves food that's not-so-healthy. I tried to compromise with a salad pizza, which he so nicely went to pick up...and brought home with a bag of extra salty, cheese flavored popcorn. 

I have to admit, it was quite a killer combo.

Try it sometime :)

xo

Maria

Bocaditos with a Twist

 

If you ever find yourself in a situation where a good friend of yours is throwing a Havana Nights themed birthday party and you're not sure what to bring...boy, do I have a solution for you-- Bocaditos!

These tasty, little, cuban party sandwiches are perfectly small (and filling) and are sure to be real crowd pleaser. I found the recipe here on Mmmm...Cuba and made a couple of changes to add some more flavor and spice.

BOCADITOS (makes 24 sandwiches)

3/4 lb smoked ham

2 (8 oz) packages of Philadelphia Whipped Cream Cheese 

1 bottle Mezzetta Hot Chili Peppers 

1 bottle or can of Sliced Jalapeño Peppers

2 dozen soft dinner rolls (I used mini-bun or slider rolls which are pre-cut)

1. Slice & Dice

Slice the ham and dice the amount of Chili Peppers and Jalapeno Peppers you'd like to use depending on how spicy you want your sandwiches to be. I used about 6 Chili Peppers and 7 Jalapeno Peppers.

2. Mix

Mix the sliced ham and diced peppers with the cream cheese until smooth.

3. Spread the Love

Spread mixture on rolls.

I'm so glad I learned about these little gems-- they make for great small bites to bring to a party or picnic. I'm sure I'll be making a lot more of these this Summer.

Enjoy!

Sweet and Smoky Almond and Pumpkin Seed Brittle

Rich in zinc, iron, magnesium, potassium and calcium, shelled pumpkin seeds (Pepitas) are a nutritious snack. Add in a little sweet and a little spice and now we're talking about a nutritiously, delicious addictive snack! This recipe was ridiculously easy to make and supplied me with a week's worth of afternoon snacks that I didn't feel guilty about eating since they were a) homemade b) not containing high fructose corn syrup and all those other unnecessary ingredients c) healthy (minus the sugar)!

Before we get to the recipe, you must check out this eerily, beautiful, perfect for Halloween video:

Sweet & Smokey Almond and Pumpkin Seed Brittle
Prep Time: 10 min
Cooling Time: 30-40 min

Ingredients to make approximately 5 Cups:

vegetable oil or cooking spray for baking sheet
(
1) cup sugar
 (adjust accordingly, for me, this was too much, I used 3/4 cup)
(3/4) cup water
(
1) teaspoon coarse salt, divided
(2) tablespoons adobo sauce (from one 7-oz can chipotle chiles in adobo)
(1) cup unsalted roasted pepitas (green pumpkin seeds)
(1) cup almonds (or any other kind of nut that you want to use)
(
1/4) teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper and lightly brush with oil or cover with cooking spray. Make sure to measure out all of your ingredients because once you start, it all happens really quickly, so be prepared!

Cook sugar, water and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a heavy medium saucepan over high heat, stirring, until sugar just dissolves.

Continue to cook, without stirring, until golden which will take about 4 minutes. Then cook about 1 minute more, swirling the pan, until syrup is light amber.

Carefully stir in adobo sauce and cook 30 seconds.

Remove pan from heat, Add pepitas, almonds, and cayenne, stirring to coat.

Immediately pour onto baking sheet and sprinkle with remaining salt. I didn't do this, but if you want your Brittle to be a little more salty, go for it.

Let cool completely, and break into pieces. 

Brittle can be stored in an airtight container up to 2 weeks.

Recipe from Martha Stewart Living, August 2012

Caramel Apples

// The Sweetly Salted Caramel Apple
(Salted Caramel, Dark Chocolate & Peanuts)

Sweet, salty and crunchy, who can say no? //

Halloween is days away and the weather is just now cooling down here in Los Angeles. With the weather finally acting its season, I decorated my apartment with pretty Fall paintings and flowers and whipped up a couple of Halloween treats-- including these Caramel Apples.

I searched the internet for some ideas. Mouthwatering and inspired I decided to come up with my own creations:

Salted Caramel, Dark Chocolate & Peanuts

Caramel, White Chocolate Chip & Rainbow Sprinkles

and

Dark Chocolate, Cayenne & Cinnamon

(recipes are at the bottom of this post)

To work I went; tasting, testing, eating and enjoying. I have to say the The Sweet Heat Candy Apples are my fave with just the right amount of sweet and heat. Caramel Apples are really easy and fun to make. Give it a try and let me know what you come up with!

 

// The Party Time Caramel Apple

(Caramel, White Chocolate Chip & Rainbow Sprinkles)

Colorful and sweet, this treat is a party in your mouth //

 

  // The Sweet Heat Candy Apple

(Dark Chocolate, Cayenne & Cinnamon)

More on the savory side, this treat pack the right amount of sweet and heat //

In case none of these strike your fancy, here are some other awesomely delicious 

Caramel Apple recipes I found.

// The Apple Pie Caramel Apple  //

// Ghostly Coconut Covered Apples //

// The Reese's Caramel Apple //

// The Snickers Caramel Apple //

// Triple Dipped Smores //

// The Rocky Road Caramel Apple //

- - - - - - - - - - - R E C I P E S- - - - - - - - - - - 

Each of these Caramel Apples start out the same. You want to pick out proportionate, healthy looking (organic if possible) apples and wash them really well.

Cut out the stem of the apple and insert a candy apple stick, a cleaned stick from a tree or a chop stick (what I used).

Take a baking sheet and spray with cooking spray or wipe down with a little vegetable oil.

There are many options when it comes to how you want to make your caramel. You can make it from scratch, or, being new to this, I opted for ready-made caramel dip which you simply heat over the stove. Once the caramel is warm, tilt the pot and roll your apple, coating it in an even layer of caramel. Follow one of the recipes below from here or come up with your own creation!

The Sweetly Salted Caramel Apple

(Salted Caramel, Dark Chocolate & Peanuts)

Sweet, salty and crunchy, who can say no?

Coat apples in melted caramel.

Put back on the baking sheet and let it cool in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.

Melt dark chocolate over medium to low heat, stirring constantly. This part can be kind of tricky. There's a thin line between melting and burning your chocolate. If it becomes doughy, you've burnt it and your going to have to start over. Once it starts to melt, keep stirring and lower the heat.

Take your caramel covered apple and dip it in the melted chocolate.

Transfer apple to a plate and sprinkle with coarse sea salt and peanuts (or any other kind of nut you want to use).

Put back in the refrigerator for 30 minutes, then enjoy! 

The Party Time Caramel Apple
(Caramel, White Chocolate Chip & Rainbow Sprinkles)
Colorful and sweet, this treat is a party in your mouth.

Coat apples in melted caramel.

Transfer caramel coated apple to a plate and sprinkle with white chocolate chips and rainbow sprinkles.

Put in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes and eat!



The Sweet Heat Candy Apple
(Dark Chocolate, Cayenne & Cinnamon)

More on the savory side, this treat pack the right amount of sweet and heat.

Melt dark chocolate over medium to low heat, stirring constantly. This part can be kind of tricky. There's a thin line between melting and burning your chocolate. If it becomes doughy, you've burnt it and your going to have to start over. Once it starts to melt, keep stirring and lower the heat.

Transfer chocolate coated apple to a plate and sprinkle with desired amount of cayenne pepper and cinnamon.

Put in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes and then it's ready to eat!

Toffee Bars

I saw these bad boys on Made Just Right and just had to give them a try. These Toffee Bars are really easy to make and only take 20 minutes to bake making them the perfect go-to dessert for when unexpected guests stop by or a delicious homemade treat to bring to a dinner party. 

Before we get to the recipe (below), here are a couple more treats for you to enjoy :)

♥ Food Porn at it's Finest: 

The teaser to Taste Explosions a new show on Tasted

♥ Awesome Blogging Tool!: 

Watch the Tutorial then find the app here ---> Olivia Tech

♥ Such a beautifully inspiring video: 

Each of us has a unique gift that we are here to share with the World, what's yours?

Don't forget to order your Halloween cards! It's almost Halloween! 

Toffee Bars

Prep Time: 15 min

Bake Time: 20-25 min

Ingredients to make approximately 9 Bars:

(
1/3) cup nuts (almonds, walnuts, pecans)


(1/2) cup (1 whole stick) butter

(
1/2) cup light brown sugar


(2) tsp. vanilla extract


(1/4) tsp. salt


(1) cup unbleached all-purpose flour

(
6) ounces dark or semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350F. 

Line a 8x8 baking pan or glass dish with foil. You want to make sure you have enough to come up on the sides forming a 'handle' in which you will pull the dessert out with later.

Spread nuts on a baking sheet. Bake 4 to 6 minutes, until lightly toasted. Cool, then chop and set aside.

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat and stir in sugar and vanilla, salt and flour. Make sure all ingredients are mixed together throughly.

Spread mixture evenly on the bottom of the pan.

Bake 20 to 25 minutes, until golden brown.

Once golden brown, remove pan from oven and sprinkle chocolate chips evenly across the shortbread. Put back in oven for 2 to 3 minutes to melt chocolate chips.

Remove from oven and using a spatula or back of a spoon; spread the chocolate evenly over the shortbread then sprinkle with toasted nuts.

Set your Toffee Bars aside to cool. 

Once they are completely cool, remove the dessert from the pan using the ends of the foil as handles to pull it out. Cut into squares or refrigerate for a cool treat.

Parsley Scallion Hummus

Have you ever tried the Parsley Scallion Hummus from Whole Foods? I know, the name is not that appetizing. A couple of months back, intrigued, I bought it only to be blown away by it's deliciously fresh taste. I'll go through a tub of this hummus in less than a week, by myself, I put it on everything! 

Recently, partially motivated by the steep cost of this hummus at Whole Foods and partially motivated to make it even fresher than it already is, I searched for the recipe online and came across Kid and Nancy's recipe for this oh so addicting Parsley Scallion Hummus. It's spot on! I made a couple of my own tweaks, here's the recipe.

Parsley Scallion Hummus
 

Prep Time: ~20 min

Ingredients to make ~2.5 Cups

(2) 15 oz. cans garbanzo beans (chickpeas)

(4-5) scallions sliced thinly


(2.5) cups parsley leaves chopped

(
2) tbls tahini

(
3) tbls lemon juice


(3-4) sprigs of dill

(1/4) teaspoon cumin powder


(1.5) teaspoon kosher salt

~1/3 cup 
olive oil

In a food processor or blender, finely chop the scallions and parsley.

Add the chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, cumin, and salt and blend, stopping to slowly drizzle in olive oil until mixture is near smooth.

Add more salt, lemon, cumin or olive oil to taste. Serve at room temperature or refrigerated.

You can serve this hummus with flat bread, crackers, pita bread, chips, spread it on a sandwich or dip veggies in it. It goes amazingly well with anything!

Kale Chips

Quick, delicious, nutritious and addicting, kale chips are high in fiber and low in fat and calories making them the perfect snack. Some girlfriends and I went to go see Florence + The Machine at the Hollywood Bowl this past weekend and decided to pack a picnic dinner to enjoy before the show. I decided to make two kinds of kale chips and one of my summer (it's been in the 80's-90's here in LA, so yes, it's still summer here) favorites, a Chickpea Salad. 

Never made kale chips before? They're super easy to make. Here's a recipe for:

Sea Salt & Pepper Kale Chips

Ingredients (to serve 2-4 people)

Prep time: ~10 min

Cook time: 20 min

(1) bunch of kale

olive oil

sea salt or table salt

pepper

smoked paprika (optional)

nutritional yeast (optional)

Pre-heat oven to 300F.

Wash and dry kale. Remove any ribbing or hard parts and tear the kale into medium size pieces. In a bowl, drizzle about 1tablespoon of olive oil over the kale and then using your hands, mix, making sure each piece of kale has a nice even coating of olive oil. Season with sea salt, pepper and smoked paprika (optional) and mix again. 

Next spread the kale out evenly in one layer onto a cookie sheet or baking pan lined with foil. At this point, if you also want to season your kale chips with nutritional yeast flakes, go ahead and sprinkle that on before it goes in the oven.

Bake at 300F for about 20 minutes or until kale chips are crispy. You'll see that they shrink down a decent amount, lay the kale chips out to cool and enjoy!  

 // Picnicking in the park //

 // Kale chips, Chickpea Salad, Cheese, Crackers, Salami and Fruit //

A Minute of Deliciousness: Avocado and Tomato on Toast

Avocado

Tomato

Smoked paprika

Freshly ground pepper &

Sea salt on toast

+

coffee.

Possibly one of the best breakfasts ever.

Recipe Roulette: Black Pepper Tofu and Green Beans

I can hear the wind outside as it rustles through the bamboo...a cold front is blowing in. 

The air now is warm and very dry. 

With the heat of this dish still burning my lips, I write this post for one of my new favorite dishes; Black Pepper Tofu and Green Beans, the perfect combination of heat, sweet and salty. 

Enjoy!

 Serves 4

Ingredients

1 pound green beans, trimmed and halved

2 tablespoons lime juice 

2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce

1 teaspoon pepper 

14 ounces firm tofu, drained and patted dry

2 tablespoons canola oil 

1 tablespoon packed brown sugar 

1/2 cup sliced shallots

Preparation

1. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil, add green beans, and cook until bright green, about 3 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water. 

2. In a small bowl, mix lime juice, soy sauce, and pepper, then set aside.

3. Cut tofu into 1/2-in.-thick rectangles. Heat oil in a nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add tofu, sprinkle with sugar, and cook, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. 

4. Stir in shallots and cook until browned, about 3 minutes. 

5. Add green beans and cook until warmed, about 3 minutes. Pour in soy mixture and stir to coat.

via Kate Washington, Sunset 
September 2011

Nutritional Information
Amount per serving
Calories: 285
Calories from fat: 37%
Protein: 17g
Fat: 12g
Saturated fat: 1.1g
Carbohydrate: 30g
Fiber: 8.6g
Sodium: 276mg
Cholesterol: 0.0mg