Eat Clean Remix

DIY Plant Markers

You don't need to be Martha to pull this off; it truly is a piece of cake!

So I bought these cheap-o white, "easy to write on", plant markers from my local Home Depot. I had visions of a neatly marked container garden on my balcony but when I tried to write on them I found out (even with a sharpie) the ink of the pen would smear. Not a hwat look. After messing around with a couple possible solutions, this is what I came up with: 

Paint!

I'm not sure if you tried this when you were a kid, but I did and it's called "scratch boarding". In school you'd cover a piece of drawing paper with different colored crayons. Then you colored over the entire paper again, this time with just black crayon. Then (and here's where the fun begins) using a pointed wooden stick or a lollipop stick, you etched a drawing, scraping away the black crayon, exposing the bright colors underneath. NEAT!

In a nutshell, this is exactly what we're doing except we're using paint and allowing the white of the marker to come through.

What you'll need:

Colored paints in what ever colors you desire (if you have acrylics that works.)

Weather resistant, clear coat paint made for plastics

1- wooden skewer

1- paint brush

Step 1:

Mix a very small amount of paint (depending on the number of markers that need to be in said color - if using multiple colors) with a single drop of water. You should achieve a very thin consistency of paint.

Note: don't add too much water. We need to thin the paint. If it starts looking like  watercolor paint simply add more paint to the mix. Work in tiny increments; a bit at a time until the desired consistency is achieved.

Step 2:

With clean plant markers, paint starting just above the hole on the marker toward the end that's squared off or not pointed (see examples). Paint should go on thin but it should cover the marker evenly. If some of the marker comes through, apply a second coat. Allow the markers to dry (30 -60 mins depending on your paint instructions) before moving on to the next step.

Step 3: 

With dry, painted markers take your wooden skewer and write (ie: scrape or scratch off) the paint. You could write out the name of the plant or draw an image... the choice is yours.

Step 4:

Once you're done with all your markers, cover with clear coat to seal and protect. You don't have to cover the entire marker, just the area with the paint. Allow the markers to dry for 24 hours before use.

Tips:

Since all colors come from only a few, to save money, I bought white, black, red, blue, and yellow paint then simply mixed them to make the colors I needed.

If you find that you make a mistake you can scratch off all the paint using a large coin.

Paint clumping when you scratch? You might have too much paint on the marker. Scrape off all paint and start over making sure you thin the paint with more water.

Next up: DIY Plant Markers....

Progress: Re-grown Store Bought Celery

Week 3:

So a few days back, weeks rather, I started re-growing store bought celery...and here's the progress; teeny, tiny stalks (not ready to be cut..yet).

They are thriving in my homemade self-watering containers (tutorial coming soon).... next to the garlic I planted (also store bought).

More updates to come.

DIY: Easy, Portable Seed Starter Tray

You see that black tray with all my little seedlings in it. It has a lot of space, but it was cumbersome to move (as it would buckle in the middle when lifted from the sides). Sick of this tray, I devised this very simple solution to make seed starter trays that were easy to transport and take care of. Here's how I did it:

What you need:

1 - 16" Plastic Planter Tray (I purchased mine from Home Depot and they have a bevy of colors to choose from)

1 - 8" Plastic Planter Tray (I got these from the 99 cents only store)

Clean, washed river rocks (it's important that the rocks are relatively flat)

Step 1:

Drill holes in to both of your planter trays. Make sure you drill from both sides to make the holes smooth. This will improve drainage so that there is no standing water leftover in the tray. Standing water will allow mold to grow on your seedlings and once mold grows, the seedlings are trash.

Step 2:

Add the rocks and spread them out, evenly, onto the outer portion of the tray. Leave the inner section open and free from rocks (you won't need them here. Besides adding a bit of visual interest, the rocks help with drainage and elevate the seedlings from the bottom of the tray, allowing them to dryout. They also help the pods stay in place; just incase you need to transport them.

Step 3:

Place the seedlings into the tray and onto the section with the rocks. Next add the smaller tray to the center and place the remaining seedlings. I added the smaller tray to stabilize the seedlings that are along the outer rim and it also keeps the seedlings in the middle from moving around. You can place the seedlings without it but do what works for you.

And that's it! A simple solution that will hold 20 seedlings, allow you to display them nicely and transport them easily.

I remember my college days like it was yesterday. I had various jobs, piles of homework and barely any time or money to cook let alone eat healthy. Not always satisfying, Top Ramen was my saving grace. Sure it was a quick, easy, cheap meal but it wasn't the most healthy option either. Those noodles, other bad habits and stress helped me pack on the freshmen 15 and I'm still paying for it. Thank goodness those days a over and I can afford to choose the healthy option. My ramen remix is healthier, flavorful and 100% satisfying. Here's how you make it.

Better Beef Ramen

For the noodles:

1 tsp of Peanut or Olive Oil (do not use EVOO)

3 Tbs of Organic Tamari (Gluten Free - Soy Sauce)

1-2 Bags of Miracle Noodles (**drain and wash, thoroughly!)

1 Lemon

1/2 Green, Orange OR Yellow Bell Pepper

1/2 Poblano Chili Pepper

3/4 cups of diced Yellow Onions

For the Sauce

2 cups of Low Sodium Beef Broth

1 tsp of Organic Better Than Bouillon Beef Base

1 cup of water

The meat

(1) 4oz Lean Top Sirloin Steak (trimmed of visible fat)

Preparing the noodles:

Wash, wash and wash again your Miracle Noodles using a strainer. When you feel they are clean (IE: light to no fish smell), combine noodles and the juice from 1 lemon in a bowl and cover tightly with a lid. Shake and toss the noodles in the lemon juice for a few seconds. Note: it will appear that the noodles have sucked up all the juice. Lastly, strain noodles again lightly rinsing the lemon juice away. Now your noodles should be 100% fish smell free and have a hint of lemon to their sent.

In a large non-stick skillet, heat the peanut oil on medium high until hot.

Add Miracle Noodles, Tamari and Yellow Onions. Cook until noodles turn brown and onions are slightly transparent.

Next, add peppers and saute for 5-7 minutes then set aside, covering with a plate to keep noodles, veggies and sauce warm.

Preparing the Meat:

Salt and pepper both sides of your Top Sirloin.

Using the broil setting on your oven, lightly brown both sides of the meat but don't cook it all the way through. (about 2-4 mins each side).

Once seared, remove from the oven and dice meat into cubes.

Cover with a plate and place into the microwave.

Bring it all together:

In a medium sized sauce pan, combine broth, water and Organic Better Than Bouillon Beef Base and bring to a boil.

Add beef and noodle/ veggies mix (with all their juices) to the ramen base.

Allow the soup to boil for 5 mins then simmer for 10 minutes.

Once done, allow the ramen to sit for a few minutes, then ladle into a soup bowl or soup cup.

There you have it. It's a few more steps than making the traditional bagged ramen, but it way more flavorful and well worth the effort. The best part is that the Miracle Noodles are ZERO calories, ZERO fat, gluten free, fat free and packed with soluble fiber; which expands in your stomach making you feel full. Traditional ramen will cost you 190 calories per serving (that's 1/2 the pack of noodles).

My ramen remix is 110 calories with the meat or 53 calories without! The calories are coming from the meat, sauce and veggies and NOT the noodles meaning that if your feeling extra hungry you can pile on the noodles and not have to suffer the consequences of adding to your waistline. AWESOMESAUCE!

You can learn more about Mircle Noodles here http://www.miraclenoodle.com/default.aspx