Author: The Urban Homemaker

Celebrating 20 Years of Business by Entering the Contest:

This contest is closed.   Rachel Manchester, entry #226 was the winner.

This contest  winner got a Double Sproutmaster and a 3.5 Pound Container of a Pro-Vita Sprouting Seed Mix. This is a $53.99 value. There are up to five ways to enter the contest!

You get one contest entry for each of the following steps you take and you post that you did it in  the comments section of this blog page below:

1.  Post this article to your Facebook page and tell me you did so in the comments section below.

2.  Post this article to your Twitter page and tell me you did so in the comments section below.

3.  Sign up for receiving The Urban Homemaker blog posts by email above, and tell me you did so below in the comments.

4.  Mention this contest in your blog posting and link back to this page and post your blog link in the comments section below.

5.  Sign up to receive The Urban Homemaker Enewsletter, and tell me you did so below in the comments.

In a time of food shortage or emergency, knowing how to sprout seeds is one of the most important skills you can have and it is very easy.

Related Articles:

Read 10 Reasons on Why you Should Sprout.

On Monday, February 7, I will take the total number of comments and enter the number into random.org and announce the winner in my enewsletter that will be published next week.

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Landmark study finds 43 chemicals — some banned — in pregnant women

According to a story recently published By Michael Winter, in USA TODAY

• More than 40 chemicals, including some banned for three decades, were detected in nearly all 268 pregnant women in a landmark study by the University of California-San Francisco. Most of the substances are found in household products.
• The authors say it’s the first time researchers have tallied the number of chemicals to which pregnant women are exposed, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
• Of the 163 chemicals studied, 43 were detected in the blood and urine of almost every participant in the 2003-2004 study. Their ages ranged from 15 to 44.
• Among the chemicals detected in 99% to 100% of the subjects were such banned substances as cancer-causing PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) and flame retardants containing polybrominated diphenyl ethers, along with organochlorine pesticides, perchlorate and phthalates, compounds found in cosmetics, detergents, vinyl floors, toys, plastic bottles and hundreds of other products.
• Levels were similar to or lower than those found in women who aren’t pregnant but that they were higher in pregnant women when variables were controlled.

How to Reduce your Exposure especially for children

Eating: Eating  a well-balanced diet of real foods prepared from basic ingredients at home, wash hands often.

Microwaving: Avoid microwaving food in plastic. Use ceramic or glass instead.

Cleaning: Keep a clean home using microfiber and water or enzyme based products.  Toxic chemicals are present in household cleaning products, dust and dirt.

Shopping: Choose products wisely – everything from paints, cleaning supplies to cookware and beauty products. Select safer, nontoxic products.

The research is published in Environmental Health Perspectives.

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Homemakers Cultivating Self-Sufficiency Skills for Today

When we started The Urban Homemaker business, twenty years ago, the main skills I had were baking whole grain bread, canning applesauce, basic sewing skills, and the ability to cook.  Thanks to the gentle prodding of customers and readers I have mastered many more skills from the list below.

But there is so much more to learn for the benefits of our family, our community, and our world. I believe there is a growing underground movement of people led of the spirit to master such lost arts as:

• Growing your own fruits and vegetables
• Canning, drying, lacto-fermenting or freezing their produce
• Learning to store your own root crops
• Making your own lacto-fermented beverages and creating herbal teas
• Pressing cider and juices
• Making jams and jellies
• Raising livestock and poultry
• Smoking meats
• Making cheese, yogurt, butter, and kefir
• Making soap and non-toxic home cleaning products
• Keeping honey
• Keeping dairy cows or goats for the family’s own use
• Keeping chickens for meat or eggs or both
• Cutting their own firewood
• Making toys
• Creating their own entertainment rather that dependence on commercial alternatives
• Learning and applying principles of herbal medicine
• Sewing and mending clothes for family and others
• Knitting for family or for profit
• Repurposing used clothing
• Building your own house, barn, shed, or out buildings
• Composting
• Quilting and crafting
• Baking for your family
• Cooking for your family
• Many other skills too numerous to list or even know about yet.

Lost Arts for the 21^st Century – A key to navigating an uncertain future

If you and your family have been led to master some of these lost arts for the benefit or your family or for profit, I would love to have you  email me a short testimonial that could be used to encourage others.

Or perhaps, The Urban Homemaker has played a part in your journey over the years. Can you share a short note with others to celebrate our 20^th Anniversary?

Encourage Others by Sharing your thoughts

Wherever you are in this life’s journey, just starting to consider this idea of self-sufficiency skills or having mastered most of the above list, I would love for you to write to me at marilyn@urbanhomemaker.com so that I can share your thoughts to encourage others.

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In a time of food shortage or emergency, knowing how to sprout seeds is one of the most important skills you can have and it is very easy.

5 Simple Steps to Sprouting Success:

1. Storage: Store sprouting seed mixes in a cool, dry and dark location.  Be sure the seeds are organic.
2.  Soaking seeds: Mix 3 parts water to 1 part seeds in a jar.  Average soaking time should not exceed 8-12 hours.
3.  Rinsing: Pure, filtered water is the best ingredient in sprouting.  Use it liberally.  By using the sprayer, seeds get some oxygen infusion and it keeps the seeds “loose” and better able to drain.  Rinse at least two-three times daily.
4.  Draining: Drain thoroughly after each rinsing.  This is the beauty of the SproutMASTER, which ensures excellent drainage.
5.  Promote good air circulation while sprouting seeds by using the fool-proof Sproutmaster.  The double sprouter will produce enough sprouts for a family of 4-6 people.

The Sproutmaster (pictured above) is the most reliable method of resolving moldy sprout concerns and producing a large harvest efficiently.

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Don’t Panic, the  “What’s for Dinner, Mom?” dilemma is solved with Menu Plans

While The Urban Homemaker is celebrating our 20th Anniversary, we want to tell you about value added special offers.

Today I want to tell you one convenient way to solve the “What’s for Dinner?” dilemma.

Menu Planning Central is offering a subscription to their menu plans by email for 50% off, or Lifetime Access to the menu plans for only $100.  Regardless whether you select the monthly or lifetime option they are including  8 valuable Bonuses that should appeal to busy moms that’s worth more than the cost of a subscription.

Eight Free Bonus Gifts Worth $178!

You’ll get instant access to…

• Bonus 1: Family Brunch Recipes – Enjoy delicious meals with the entire family on the weekend. This mini recipe book features 50 brunch recipes you are sure to love.

• Bonus 2: Family Routines – I put this report together for you after realizing what difference routines can make. Give them a try and see for yourself how much smoother your day will go.

• Bonus 3: Fun Foods For Kids – Featuring enough edible play-dough recipes to keep you busy for months! Along with additional lunch recipes and craft ideas your kids will go crazy for.

• Bonus 4: Healthy Meals and Snacks – Make meal and snack time fast, easy and most importantly healthy.

• Bonus 5: More Energy For Mom – Tips, Ideas and Strategies to help you stay energized and get even through the busiest of days.

• Bonus 6: Quick and Easy Breakfasts – It’s the most important meal of the day, but we often don’t have enough time to fix it. These quick and easy ideas will have you fixing a good breakfast for your loved ones any day of the week.
  

• Bonus 7: Easy Brown Bag Lunches – Kids and adults alike will love these wholesome bagged lunch ideas. We’ve also included plenty of recipes for you.
  

• Bonus 8: Craft Ideas For Kids – Keep your little ones busy throughout the year with these fun and crafty projects.

So if you are a busy mom who needs help with menu plans – check out the 50% off sale from now through February 2.

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Disclosure:  I make a small commission from any class sales.

The Urban Homemaker is celebrating 20 Years in Business

January 1991-2011

Our celebration will include reflections from the past, free downloads, contests, and your memories.  If you have thoughts, special memories to encourage others, please email me at marilyn@urbanhomemaker.com.

Check back here  frequently or sign up to receive blog posts automatically by email as we want this to be a celebration you won’t want to miss!

For a Peak into the Past and Recipes from The Urban Homemaker Download Catalog #39 –

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Real Food and Nutrition

Kristen Michaelis’ class Real Food and Nutrition is designed for those aged 12 and up  who desire to understand what the Real Food and Sustainable Living movement is all about.  In the 10 week ecourse you will:

• Read first-hand accounts from inside the Real Food Revolution,

• Watch video footage of the leading thinkers behind the sustainable food movement,

• Engage the course materials in a critical, thoughtful way

• Participate in an online community learning experience.

• Do experiments at the grocery store, in your kitchen, and (if possible) local farms.

• Watch informative yet entertaining videos

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I make a small commission from any class sales.

I love it when I find an EASY and yummy recipe everyone likes especially when most of the ingredients are already stocked in my freezer.

This recipe is courtesy of my local grocery store!  The original version is all convenience products, but I have changed it to using only canned items that I don’t do from scratch, but you could.

The total preparation time if you have everything on hand is about five minutes, longer if you need to prepare the ingredients.  It’s yummy and kids will love it.

Savory Chicken Tacos

3 Cups shredded chicken (Straight from the freezer or Use Rotisserie chicken if in a hurry)

2 Cups brown rice (straight from the freezer)

1 Cup frozen sweet corn  (straight from my freezer or canned would be OK)

1/2 tsp Real salt

1 cup shredded Pepper Jack or Quesadilla Cheese

1 can diced Fire Roasted Tomatoes (These tomatoes have fantastic flavor, never had tried them before)

1 – 16 oz Jar Green Enchilada Sauce  – You could substitute canned green chili’s whirled in the blender with some water)

1 pkg Crisp Taco Shells, corn or flour tortillas (for soft shell) or Corn Tortilla Chips

Chopped cilantro and Sour Cream, optional

Instructions:

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees.  Lightly grease a 13 X 9 baking dish.

Mix all the ingredients except the taco shells in a large bowl, spread into the baking dish.

Bake at 450 degrees or until bubbling.  Let stand 5 minutes.

Spoon into crispy  taco shells or soft tortillas.

My friend Kelly, from Kellythekitchenkop.com, had a reader send in a link to the EWG scorecard on bottled water I thought you might like to check out.

Why No More Bottled Water?

It has been my opinion, often expressed in this blog, that bottled water is unnecessarily expensive, inconvenient, and not as high a quality as Multi-Pure filtered water and other home filtered water systems.

It takes a lot of energy and resources to bottle and transport the treated water and most of the bottles end up in land fills.

The AquaDome model has been designated Consumer’s Digest Best Buy!

Save even more and consider Filtermania – buy 10 filters and get your system FREE!  Save $59.95 on your total purchase by using coupon code:  Instant Discount.

If you want some facts on bottled water that has been tested by EWG, check out this link:  http://breakingnews.ewg.org/bottled-water-2011-search

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