Well let me tell you!! That is the aroma of á la garbage! I’m totally kidding!! It’s not garbage like you might be thinking.
You would never know that I have a pile of rotting food on my counter- top right now! Feeling inspired after watching Cowspiracy on Netflix, I purchased two different pieces on Amazon to help me embark on saving the earth one piece of rotten banana at a time! I’m composting!
Wait a minute, rewind…Cowspiracy? It actually was a very interesting movie on how livestock are causing so many of our environmental issues today. It was a little disturbing, and honestly, I’ve contemplated becoming a vegan after seeing it.( Read more about it here.) If not a total vegan, could I be a vegan until 4:00 each day? Or, could I eliminate meat out of my nightly meals, maybe a few days of the week? Could you? Would you? If you have time you should check out the movie and then I’d be interested in your answer! Big things to ponder.
The bottom line is that I do want to help save the planet!! So I will start with baby steps and at least I can compost, right? Every little bit helps. Maybe you too will consider changing your diet or at least composting too!! Read some interesting facts about trash here!
Let me explain how it works. The Compost Pail (pictured on the left) sits on the counter and as you are preparing a meal, you can drop the items into it easily. It is completely sealed with charcoal filters on the top to prevent the smell from permeating your kitchen. Trust me, you don’t want to leave it open! After the pail becomes full, I can transport the items to the larger EcoBin Composter (pictured on the right,) which is outside in my yard. How easy is that? It really requires very little effort. As I tell my first graders, “You just need to train your brain!!”
Items that you should compost are: kitchen scraps, fruits, vegetables, used coffee grounds, tea bags, and egg shells. You should not put in fish, dairy products, animal fats, or oils. These items are harmful to plants and they may cause odor, which of course, would attract rodents and flies. You do not want to add diseased or insect ridden plants as they might infect your new plants when you transfer the compost to your garden. I also read that you do not want to add black walnut leaves or twigs since they will omit harmful compounds to plants.
In the outside bin, in addition to your kitchen scraps, you would add grass clippings, green leaves, flowers, vegetables from the garden, dry, brown leaves (other than black walnut), dried grass, straw, hay, sawdust, coffee filters, paper napkins, or shredded newspapers. For the best results, you want to alternate layers of greens and browns. You would not add coal or ashes, pet waste or coated paper products either. You will want to bury and mix in food scraps so the local critters don’t chow down. You want to remember to break the items down for quicker decay.
Of course winter is not the ideal time to start this process but, what the heck! At least I got started!!! The compost needs heat to break down. You will need to aerate the pile by turning it at least once a month. The more you turn it, the quicker the items will break down. A well maintained compost will have temperatures of 140-160 F. If you decide to take a break from composting the outside bin folds up for easy convenience.
I’m excited about using the compost soil in my flower pots once spring time comes!! I can’t wait to plant some Impatiens and geraniums on my porch! I know they are going to be vibrant with color and add that nice pop!
Now on to something else totally trendy: A smoothie bowl. You may ask, “What is a smoothie bowl?” Well it is actually a nice twist on a basic smoothie. You add the ingredients you would typically add in your smoothie, but instead of sipping it out of straw, or a cup, you would pour it in a bowl. I know, that sounds really weird and crazy, but I have to tell you, they are awesome! You are able to add toppings and eat it with a spoon. It is like ice cream or frozen yogurt, but way simpler. No waiting time to freeze! On top, I added my homemade Earthy Girl Granola and some fresh strawberries, bananas, blueberries, and coconut pieces. I was excited to throw all the toppings from the strawberries and banana peel into my new counter-top compost pail!
Strawberry Banana Smoothie Bowl Recipe
1/4 cup yogurt (vanilla or your favorite) *Vegan omit yogurt
1 cup berries of choice (I like strawberries) can be frozen
1 banana (best if frozen)
Chia seed 1 tsp
Flax seed 1 tsp
Maca root 1 tsp ( find out about it here)
1 scoop Trim Shake protein powder vanilla (contact me if you want more info on this product)
Coconut water ( just enough to get it in a liquid state)
I used a frozen banana and fresh strawberries. It gives the smoothie a good consistency. You could use ice cubes too.
Mix in a blender, pour into a bowl. Add toppings. I put blueberries, Earthy Girl Granola, and toasted coconut chips on mine in the photo.
The best thing about smoothies is how easy it is to change them up. You can tweak the amount of any of the ingredients to suit your taste. Be creative with your fruit choices!! Find a combo that you like!! Just try it!
Check out how pretty these things are and not to mention absolutely delicious too!
