Yearly Archives: 2010

Reasons to Eat Dark Chocolate

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Did you hear about the American Academy of Neurology’s analysis that eating chocolate may lower our risk of having a stroke because of the flavonoids?  Probably not.  I wouldn’t have known either except I got an email that had something about it.   Those who did the study say they need to do more research because it may be that healthier people just tend to eat more chocolate.  Hmm…I think most people  like and eat chocolate whether they’re healthier or not, that’s my opinion.   Whatever their conclusion, it sounds like a good reason to eat dark chocolate to me.   Although the article didn’t state what kind of chocolate, it’s well known that dark chocolate has the health benefits and the flavonoids, so it would be safe to assume they are talking about dark chocolate.   As you can see in the picture, I’ve already stocked up on dark chocolate that I use to make a healthy and tasty trail mix.
I read two interesting articles from the Hersheys website about preserving cocoa flavanols during cooking and baking and another article about the polyphenols in cocoa.  Did you know that a serving of dark chocolate has more antioxidants that blueberries and that “Dutch” cocoa  uses a process called alkalinization which reduces the amount of flavanols in the cocoa.  So it’s best to use natural cocoa which is non-alkalinized.

There are many great brands of chocolate such as Godiva, Ghirardelli, Dove, and more.  But you know what, for the price Hershey’s is a good buy, tastes great, and the chocolate chips are so versatile to use.  Remember that whatever brand you choose, just a little chocolate goes a long way as far as health benefits.

*Note – I was not compensated in any way by Hersheys for this post.  This is strictly my opinion.

Welcome to Friendly Friday!

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Hi!  I’m Charla, and I’m the blogger here for those of you who are new to Healthy Home Blog.   Since Friday Follow ended this last week, Christi at The Frugal Novice , Xenia at Thanks Mail Carrier and I have teamed up to create something new for each Friday called Friendly Friday.  We wrote Lynn at Midday Escapades and she’s wished us the best with this new venture.  We hope you’ll participate so we can continue to get to know more of the great bloggers that are out there!  There’s still something fun to be a part of every Friday and still an opportunity to meet more awesome bloggers and make new friends, which is what it’s all about!

We’ll post the link list each week at 11pm on Thursdays CST. Include your link in our list, start blog hopping and be sure to comment and follow through Google Friend Connect.  This is a great way to show blog love and get to know each other.  By the way, I’m new to Friend Connect, and I appreciate everyone who follows me.  I will follow you, too!  We bloggers need to help and support each other.

If someone from Friendly Friday comments on your blog, be sure to return the favor and follow them back.  I like to remember the Golden Rule, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”  This way, everyone gets traffic and followers.  We all help each other out.   If you’d like to make a Friendly Friday post, you can include this with a link back to Friendly Friday.

Also, each week we’ll select three blogs at random and will feature links and a write-up for those blogs in the next week’s Friendly Friday post. There are so many awesome blogs out there, and this will be a great way to highlight some of those each week.  I’m excited about that!

We hope you’ll be a part of Friendly Friday and spread the word to your friends! We look forward to getting to know you and provide a great way for bloggers to support each other.

Here’s a little bit about the three of us:

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I’m Christi. I’m 28 years old, and have lived in Texas all my life. I’m a Christian and love the church family we’ve found in our town. I do advertising sales and design, and do a lot of freelance work on the side. I’m married to Brian, a graphic designer, and we have two adorable little boys – J, who will be 3 in August, and C, who turned 1 in April. My other “baby” is our 6-year-old miniature dachshund, Josie. I love spending time with my friends and family, baking, crafty things, shopping (for bargains), and working on fixing up our 1972 house bit by bit. I’ve had a family blog since 2007 when J was born, but started The Frugal Novice more recently after my mom encouraged me to give it a try. I love blogging and all the friends I’ve made through the process. I started my blog focusing solely on ways to save money, but quickly decided that if I’m going to write I want it to be about all sorts of different things I love, so it’s expanded a little since its start.

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Hi everyone, I’m Xenia. I apologize right off the bat that your brain is wondering how in the world to pronounce my name, but I’ll just blame my mom for wanting me to be unique. Try not to let the X throw you off, it’s Za-knee-a, with the stress on the second syllable. Now that I’ve gotten that out of the way, it’s nice to meet you! Over at Thanks, Mail Carrier, my wonderful husband, 3 and 1-year-old daughters and I love the vrooooom sound the mail truck makes when it heads down our block. Who doesn’t get excited about receiving mail and wouldn‘t like to know what the best products are that they could have their mail carrier deliver right to their door? I love knowing that the information I give to readers helps peak their interest and hopefully aids them in becoming a better consumer and I take a lot of pride in my thorough, honest reviews of items of all kinds. When we’re not trying out great new products, my girls and I love to spend time with good friends and fit as much laughter into the day as possible. Stop by anytime and say hello!

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Hi!  I’m Charla, definitely the oldest of the three.  In fact, I’m Christi’s mom, and I can tell you that it’s such a blessing to have a daughter who is also one of my best friends.  Here are some things about me: I’m not only a Christian wife, mother of two, mother-in-law, and grandmother to Christi & Brian’s two precious little boys, but also a teacher.  I taught school in the Texas public school system for 19 years, and this past year I’ve been doing substitute teaching, hoping to get a full time teaching job again in the fall.  I was encouraged and motivated by our son (a college student) to start blogging back in the summer of 2007, and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed it.  Sure, the money helps out, but what I value most is the connection to all my blogger friends.   My favorite thing to do? Spend time with my wonderful family!
Now, on to the fun part – add your link! Thanks so much for being a part of the very first Friendly Friday!

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Going Back to School

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Many people in today’s world are going back for additional job training or maybe even switching to a whole new field.   Some are going to medical assistant school, some to get their alternative certification for teaching in the public schools, some to get training in computer skills, etc.   People are trying to get an edge in today’s competitive job market by increasing their level of skills.   Going back to school is a good way to do that.

Door Mats for Father’s Day?

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I was just thinking how Father’s Day is just around the corner.  What do you get a guy for a gift?  Girls are usually easier to shop for, but sometimes I have a hard time coming up with a creative idea for my husband.  There’s always something for his car like door mats or some kind of accessory.   Maybe I should have him make a list and then choose from that.

Defragmenting Computer Hard Drives

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When it comes down to defragmenting my computer hard drive, I usually never think about it.  That’s bad, isn’t it!   Fortunately, my husband does it for me when my computer starts running slowly, etc.  I just don’t think about hard drives and what needs to be done to keep my computer healthy.  Instead, my mind is on what ideas I have for writing posts and trying to get the ideas written down in my “Blog Notebook” so I don’t forget. I’m thinking about creating on the computer rather than the maintenance of it!

Menu Plan Monday 5-17-10 & Recipe for Rotisserie Chicken Tacos

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Well, my menu planning has changed from planning for two people to planning for three now that our son is home from his freshman year in college.  No longer will a rotisserie chicken last for three meals, but now it will be for two meals which is still great.   I will also be incorporating some of our son’s favorite dishes from time to time.  Plus he may cook every now and then.  Here’s our menu:

Monday Crock pot creamy chicken breasts with veggies

Tuesday Left-overs from Monday

Wednesday Rotisserie chicken with salad and veggies

Thursday Rotisserie Chicken Tacos  (using left-over rotisserie chicken)

INGREDIENTS:

  • Rotisserie chicken (take chicken off the bones and cut in bite-sized pieces)
  • EVOO
  • Fajita Seasoning
  • Taco shells
  • Black beans, drained
  • Romaine lettuce torn in small pieces
  • Tomato, chopped
  • Avocado, chopped
  • Sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
  • Salsa

Heat chicken in EVOO and sprinkle with Fajita Seasoning.  Heat black beans and taco shells.   Fill shells with chicken, black beans, avocado, tomato, lettuce, and shredded cheese.   Add salsa if desired.

Friday Home-made Pizza




Pesticides Kill Living Organisms…So We Eat Pesticides Anyway?

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Something about the fact that pesticides kill living organisms makes me wonder what effect they have on humans.  Of course, they’re not going to kill us, but logic tells me they can’t be good for us.  It only makes sense to me that they would affect us negatively in various ways.   When you read articles online, there is a considerable amount of concern about high levels of pesticides being on some of our food.

According to the Environmental Working Group’s Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides, there are twelve produce items they call the “dirty dozen” because of the high amount of pesticides on them.  This list was based on test data from the USDA.  If at all possible, the EWG says to buy these 12 in organic form or buy in a very limited quantity from time to time.  If organic is too expensive, then choose something off the “Clean 15” list on the Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides.  Here is a list of what they consider to be the twelve worst fresh produce items as far as the amount of pesticides on them:

  • Celery
  • Peaches (check farmer’s markets and ask if pesticides were used)
  • Strawberries (I watch for Krogers to put organic on sale)
  • Apples  (I buy organic either at Target or Brookshire’s.  The peeling is so healthy, and it defeats half the reason for eating apples if they have to be peeled because of pesticides.)
  • Blueberries (we buy organic at Sam’s)
  • Nectarines
  • Bell Peppers  (I buy organic at Central Market or when Krogers puts them on sale)
  • Spinach (we buy organic on sale either at Central Market, Krogers or Tom Thumb)
  • Kale
  • Cherries
  • Potatoes (I try to buy organic at Central Market, whichever kind of organic potato is the best price)
  • Grapes (imported)  (I don’t buy imported, only domestic)

Organic produce can be expensive, but if you watch the grocery ads then you can usually find it on sale, especially during the summer, at one of the grocery stores that carries organics.

We have been so busy, but our plans are to start a small garden using something similar to the Square Foot Gardening Method.  We hope to plant potatoes, okra, zucchini, yellow squash, tomatoes, and green beans.  So, we’ll see how that goes!

A Healthy Diet

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I weighed last week and was happy to see that I have lost all of the weight I put on during the Christmas holidays.  I won’t need any thermogenic fat burners, but I will continue to try to eat healthy and still allow myself treats now and then.  White flour products are rarely eaten, and mostly whole grain products are in my diet as well as low-fat meats, extra-virgin olive oil, and lots of fruits and veggies.  That’s a healthy diet!

Clothing

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Now that I’m doing substitute teaching, I’m slowly trying to build up my wardrobe for work.  Before, when I worked from home and did volunteer work, I wore jeans most of the time.  But now I can’t do that!  If  I get a full time teaching job, I will definitely need to get some new clothes.  I won’t be looking for urban clothing, but I will be looking for suitable work clothes.

Happy Mother’s Day!

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“Happy Mommy’s Day” is what our son guesses that his nephew, J (our grandson), is probably saying today.  I can imagine J saying that.

To all of you mothers out there, hope everyone has a Happy Mother’s Day and can enjoy being with family.  To all of you young mothers like our daughter, Christi, there is hope for sleep in the future.  I was thinking this morning how Christi has not had a full nights sleep in the past two and a half years (actually 33 months) except for maybe a dozen times.  (Is that accurate, Christi?)  That shows the love and commitment of a mother.

Mother & Daughter, Now & Then

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Here’s a picture of Christi (Frugal Novice) and me taken a couple of weeks ago.  Thought it would be appropriate to have a picture of mother & daughter bloggers for Mother’s Day. Thinking about Mother’s Day brings back happy memories not only of my own mother but also thoughts of how proud we are of our own two children and son-in-law.  They’re all such a blessing!  Our daughter, Christi, is a mother herself of two of the most adorable, most precious little boys (our grandsons). And that reminds me of a song my husband used to sing before Christi was born and throughout her life.  I must admit the song brings tears to my eyes sometimes.  Here’s part of the song:

Where are you going, my little one, little one

Where are you going, my baby my own.

Turn around you’re two, turn around you’re four

Turn around and you’re a young girl going out of the door.

Turn around, turn around,

Turn around and you’re a young girl going out of the door.

Where are you going, my little one, little one.

Where are you going, my baby my own.

Turn around… you’re small, turn around… you’re grown.

Turn around and you’re a young wife with babes of your own.

Turn around, turn around

Turn around and you’re a young wife with babes of your own.“

Here’s a picture of Christi and me taken 28 years ago.  Isn’t she precious!

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY TO ALL THE MOTHERS WHO ARE READING THIS!