Eating Healthy is "Green" Too: One Veggie Recipe Equals Spaghetti w/ Meat Sauce

This recipe is Part 2 of the Eating Healthy is "Green" Too: One Veggie Recipe Equals Four Meat Dishes (Part I) series.  This is a recipe for spaghetti with a meat sauce that is full of veggies without anyone even knowing that the veggies are there. :)

1 jar of the Lauren Daniels "No Worries" Veggie Base
1 box of Thin Spaghetti Noodles (cooked, please follow the instructions on the box)
1 package of Publix Green Wise Italian turket sausage (or your favorite sausage or ground beef)
1 jar of Newman's Own Sockarooni Sauce (or your favorite spaghetti sauce)
1 organic Onion (cropped)
1 organic Bell Pepper (cropped)
2 tbs of Olive Oil
Italian Seasoning (optional)
Black pepper (optional)

1. Squeeze the sausage out of the casing into a bowl. 

2. Pour 1/2 of the  "No Worries" Veggie Base over the sausage. 

3. Using your hands, mix the sausage and the  "No Worries" Veggie Base together.

Note: You are done mixing when you no longer see the  "No Worries" Veggie Base
and it is completely incorporated with the sausage.  The objective is to add as much of the  "No Worries" Veggie Base into the mixture without the sausage becoming completely watery so you can add more.  The meat should basically still have its normal consistency.

4. Put the sausage and  "No Worries" Veggie Base mixture aside.

5. Turn the stove on medium heat and put the olive oil in a 12" iron skillet. 

6. Once the oil is hot, put the onions and bell pepper in the skillet and sauté.

7. Put the sausage and  "No Worries" Veggie Base mixture into the skillet.

Note: The objective is to have crumbles of sausage so you must let the sausage cook for two minute then stir/chop with a fork for a minute.  Do this until the sausage is brown and it is done.  NOTICE that you can not tell that the veggies are in there!!!  No one will ever know.  ;)

8. (Optional) Drain the remaining liquid from the sausage.

9. Pour the spaghettil sauce into the skillet with the sausage.  Mix well.

10. Let the meat sauce heat up.

You are ready to serve your meat sauce with your cooked spaghetti noodles.

Tell me what you think.  I will post pics of this recipe next time I make spaghetti.

Enjoy!


Resources:
(Image) http://www.lunchtruckparts.com/main%20mobile%20food.htm

Eating Healthy is "Green" Too: One Veggie Recipe Equals Four Meat Dishes (Part I)

You want your family to eat healthier, right?  But they only want to eat meat.  Well,
let them eat MEAT.  They will never know that they are also eating two servings of
vegetables at the same time.  Sounds impossible?  Well, do they like spaghetti, meat
loaf, hamburgers, or stuffed shells?  If the answer is yes, then it is very possible
for them to eat these favorite meat dishes and eat the vegetables that you want them to eat.

Review the recipe below and see how I take the impossible and turn it in to a possible
task:

Lauren Daniels "No Worries" Veggie Base
2 Organic Carrots (chopped)
2 tbs Minced Garlic
1 Organic Tomato  (cut in four pieces)
1 Organic Onion   (yellow or white, cut in four pieces)
1 Organic Zucchini (cut in half)
1 Organic Squash   (cut in half)
1/2 Organic Bell Pepper  (cut in four pieces)
1/2 Organic Red Bell Pepper    (cut in four pieces)
1/2 Organic Yellow Bell Pepper (cut in four pieces)
1/2 Organic Poblano Pepper (cut in four pieces)
1/2 carton of Organic Baby Portabella Mushrooms (washed)
1 cup of Vegetable Broth

Using a VitaMix Blender, I did the following:

1. Put all of the ingredients in the blender.
2. Blend until smooth.

Note: It should have the consistency of a creamy soup.

The Lauren Daniels "No Worries" Veggie Base is the basis for making a wonderful meat spaghetti sauce, meat loaf, hamburgers, and stuffed shells.

I will post the recipes for all 4 meat dishes in a 4 part series, so stay tuned.

Makes 1 jar of Lauren Daniels "No Worries Veggie Base.

Note: Let's REUSE (as in REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE, RENEW) and pour the base in an old spaghetti jar.

Dapple Giveaway: Celebs Got "Dappled" and You Can Too for Free!

“Dapple is a line of natural-based cleaning products for households with children. Dapple products are baby-safe and baby-specific-using ingredients found in nature that are also proven to tackle unique baby cleaning challenges, from dried milk on bottles to sticky fingerprints on toys.”

Six times a year, The Lauren Daniels Company has a campaign that analyzes a company that makes "green", natural, eco-friendly, biodegradable, and/or organic products.  For the March/April 2011 Campaign, we are going to analyze and test...***drum roll***...Caldrea and Dapple, http://www.caldrea.com and http://www.dapplebaby.com.

Our goal is to test their home care products, but other reviews about their products are welcomed.  Send us an email to info@bylaurendaniels.com with the subject line, "March/April Campaign" and become a friend/follower on Facebook, Twitter, and/or this blog.  Find us on Facebook, type "Lauren Daniels Assistant Services".  On Twitter, type "LaurenDanielsCo".  As always, I am taking suggestions for the next campaign.

Strange Fruit: A Reason to Stop using Plastic Bags #4, #5 and #6

These trees should be called "Bag Ladies" because that are collecting all of our plastic bags.


Listed below is information from an organization called "Earth Resource Foundation", http://www.earthresource.org/; they list why plastic bags are a problem plus a list of solutions:

The problem
Plastic bags are:

• Made from petroleum, a nonrenewable resource.
• A serious litter problem since they are lightweight and hard to contain (blow around).
• Non-biodegradable, breaking into smaller particles BUT never fully disappearing.
• Mistaken for food by marine animals (particularly sea turtles).
• One of the most numerous items of litter along with cigarette butts and Styrofoam.
• A major part of waste in our landfills.

"I'm the problem, I'm the solution"

The solution

• Bring your own cloth [or burlap (jute)] bag.
• Ask for paper bag (holds 5 to 6 times more than a plastic bag).
• Ask your merchant to promote cloth bags (charge for plastic or provide incentives for cloth).
• Encourage development of bags made from natural products such as cornstarch and soy.
• Write your elected officials regarding the hazards of plastic bags.
• Participate in a community/beach cleanup.

It's a global thing!

Other countries are ahead of the United States in finding ways to reduce the impact of plastic bags on the environment!


Bangladesh: Polythene plastic bags have been banned completely - the government is promoting bags made of jute, a natural fiber.


Ireland: Individual consumers are required to pay a 15c tax per plastic bag - this has resulted in an estimated 90% reduction in plastic bag use in the first year.


The European Union: Member countries require manufacturers/producers of plastic bags and other plastic waste to take them back and recycle them.


Taiwan and South Africa:Both countries prohibit the thinner plastic bags - this encourages people to bring their own bags since retailers can't afford to provide the more expensive, thicker plastic bags for free.


Resources:
http://www.earthresource.org/campaigns/capp/capp-sea-turtles.html

Green Bee Reviewed: J.R. Watkins Naturals Home Care Products

The results are in and the "Green Bees" have spoken!!

"Nestled in the Mississippi River Bluff town of Winona, MN., Watkins has been America's pioneer in natural living since 1868. As America's original natural apothecary manufacturer, Watkins uses only the finest natural ingredients in its diverse lines of personal care, home care, remedies, and organic flavorings."

                                          

All Purpose Cleaners

         




           Green Bee Jenn writes;

I would like to provide feedback for a product I have been using:  J.R. Watkins Lavender Natural All Purpose Cleaner. I typically use your everyday all purpose cleaner but I liked this product better because it does not smell of strong chemicals.  It smelled great.  The product did a great job cleaning and was not harsh on my countertops and appliances. I would definitely purchase this product again and recommend it.

____________________________

            Green Bee Ania of The Lauren Daniels Co. writes;

           

I use the J.R. Watkins Orange Citrus Natural All Purpose Cleaner in my home as well as clients’ homes.  Not only does this cleaner has a great scent; it does not make me cough and I do not have to fan out any fumes before I clean my bathroom.  This point is very important to me because my son has breathing problems and the fumes would always get to him.  Before my search of finding natural but effective household cleaners, I would have to put him down for his nap, close his door, and open his window before I could begin cleaning the upstairs bathroom.  I will be purchasing this product again and after reading the other reviews from the “Green Bees”, I will be purchasing other J.R. Watkins’s products as well.

Ingredients / Contains:
water (aqua), ethanol (corn derived / issu du maïs), decyl glucoside (plant-derived surfactant / agent de surface issu de plantes), cocamidopropyl betaine (plant-derived surfactant / agent de surface issu de plantes), glutamic acid N, N-diacetic acid tetrasodium salt (naturally-derived biodegradable chelate /chélate biodégradable dérivé naturellement), preservative / agent de conservation, fragrance (contains natural oils / contient d'huiles naturelles), citric acid (food-grade / de q ualité alimentaire)

    

Bathroom Cleaners

Green Bee Karin of Prospect Images writes;

    

I tested the J.R. Watkins Toilet Bowl Cleanser.  I normally use bleach, pour it in the toilet and  leave. I was surprised that this product actually cleaned the toilet, the only difference is I had to scrub. :)...Call me lazy...It was definitely effective, I was actually surprised the toilet bowl was white.  There were no odors, fumes or any discomfort caused by this product…Never touched the product since it had a perfectly shaped nozzle to squeeze the contents into the toilet bowl without having to come in contact with the product.

Would you purchase this product again? DEFINITELY....PLEASANTLY SHOCKED WITH THIS PRODUCT...ESPECIALLY FOR CLEANING A TOILET...

Based on the performance of this product, would you like to try other
products from J.R. Watkins? Totally opened to the idea of trying other J.R. Watkin products.

How would you rate this product on a scale of 1-5? I would rate this product a 5 for sure.

Ingredients / Contains:
water (aqua), decyl glucoside (plant-derived surfactant / agent de surface issu de plantes), glutamic acid N, N-diacetic acid tetrasodium salt (naturally-derived biodegradable chelate / chélate biodégradable dérivé naturellement), ethanol (corn derived / issu du maïs), cocamidopropyl betaine (plant-derived surfactant / agent de surface issu de plantes), sodium citrate (natural sequesterant / agent séquestrant naturel), preservative / agent de conservation, fragrance (contains natural oils / contient d'huiles naturelles), citric acid (food-grade / de qualité alimentaire), tea tree oil / huile de melaleuca

____________________________

Green Bee Denaya writes;

I tested the Watkins Tub and Tile Cleaner and the all natural Laundry Detergent. I believe both products worked better than the products I normally purchase. The detergent didn’t have the harsh chemical smell I usually encounter and I was able to use less in each load of clothes, unlike my normal purchase, and still have my clothes smelling fresh and looking clean. The tub and tile cleaner didn’t have the harsh chemical smell as well and I only needed a few sprays to get the tub clean.

Both products were effective at performing its task beyond my expectations. I truly thought that natural products needed harsh chemicals to get the job done, but I was truly mistaken. I used less and still was able to get the same or better effect.

Neither of the products made me cough, sneeze or choke. Usually I’m holding my breath when I use a cleaning product to make sure the smell doesn’t affect me. I didn’t have to worry with these products. I was still able to use it and breathe freely and neither of the products was harsh to my skin and there was no leftover residue in the tub after cleaning.

Would you purchase this product again?

I would definitely purchase these products again. It saved me money because I didn’t have to use a large amount of the products for it to be effective and I didn’t have to worry about any harsh chemicals.

Based on the performance of this product, would you like to try other products from J.R. Watkins?

I would love to try other Watkins products.

How would you rate this product on a scale of 1-5?

Both are a 5

Ingredients / Contains:
Water, citric acid (natural chelate), coconut alcohol ethoxylate (plant-derived cleaner), cocopolyglycoside (plant-derived cleaner), xanthan gum (natural thickener), lemon fragrance (contains lemon oil), preservative

Dish Soap

Green Bee Lynn writes;

I tested the J.R. Watkins Natural Aloe & Green Tea Liquid Dish Soap.  This Dish
soap is really thick and has a beautiful scent.  It works as well as the Dish
Washing Liquid I currently use.  It seemed very effective at cleaning dishes. 
The Aloe & Green Tea scent was very nice but I was slightly disappointed to read
on J.R. Watkins’ website that they do use a small amount of synthetic fragrance
in their Aloe & Green Tea products.  I would have preferred it if they had used
a natural fragrance.  I didn’t have any adverse reactions to the scent.  I use
rubber gloves when washing dishes and did not notice this product being harsh to
my skin.  I would definitely recommend this product to others.  The total cost
to receive (including shipping) would be a factor in purchasing this product
again.  I would be more willing to purchase additional products from J.R.
Watkins based on the performance of this product.  I would rate it a 5.  It
performed as it was supposed to with a really delightful scent.

            ____________________________

Green Bee Kat writes;

Which product did you test?

J. R. Watkins Dish Soap/Orange Citrus scent

Did the product work better, the same, or worst than the product that
you would normally purchase?

We currently use Ultra Palmolive dish soap whose slogan is "tough on Grease, softer on hands."  I felt that the JRW was effective in cleaning my dishes and cutting through grease. However, the soap suds quickly dispersed which is often an indicator (to me) that the water is dirty especially when adding additional water to the sink doesn't bring the suds back. I often found myself adding more of the JRW soap to get the suds going again. I found the JRW soap a bit harsh on my hands as compared to the Palmolive. I had to use lotion more frequently when washing the dishes with the JRW soap.

Was the product effective at performing its task? Yes

Did the scent of the product make you cough, sneeze, or choke?

The scent was what I liked the most about the product.

Did the product feel harsh to your skin or the object that you were cleaning?  My hands were noticeably drier using the JRW soap.

Would you purchase this product again?  Probably not the dish soap, but I would try some of the other products.

How would you rate this product on a scale of 1-5? 4

____________________________

Green Bee Jamie writes;

Which product did you test? Lemon Dish Soap

Did the product work better, the same, or worst than the product that
you would normally purchase? It worked worse than my typical dish soap.

Was the product effective at performing its task? It cut the grease ok, but I feel that I had to constantly reapply the soap since the sud washed away easily. Since I used more, I would have to buy the product more often. So I would choose not to buy this product for the economical factor.

Did the scent of the product make you cough, sneeze, or choke? No

Did the product feel harsh to your skin or the object that you were
cleaning? It dried my hands a little.

Based on the performance of this product, would you like to try other
products from J.R. Watkins? Perhaps...maybe a counter spray next versus a soap product.

How would you rate this product on a scale of 1-5? 3.

Ingredients / Contains:
water, sodium laureth sulfate (plant-derived surfactant), sodium chloride (salt), cocamidopropyl betaine (plant-derived surfactant), glycerine (humectant), fragrance (contains natural oils), citric acid (food grade), preservative

Laundry Detergent

Green Bee Denaya writes;

I tested the Watkins Tub and Tile Cleaner and the All Natural Laundry Detergent. I believe both products worked better than the products I normally purchase. The detergent didn’t have the harsh chemical smell I usually encounter and I was able to use less in each load of clothes, unlike my normal purchase, and still have my clothes smelling fresh and looking clean. The tub and tile cleaner didn’t have the harsh chemical smell as well and I only needed a few sprays to get the tub clean.

Both products were effective at performing its task beyond my expectations. I truly thought that natural products needed harsh chemicals to get the job done, but I was truly mistaken. I used less and still was able to get the same or better effect.

Neither of the products made me cough, sneeze or choke. Usually I’m holding my breath when I use a cleaning product to make sure the smell doesn’t affect me. I didn’t have to worry with these products. I was still able to use it and breathe freely and neither of the products was harsh to my skin and there was no leftover residue in the tub after cleaning.

Would you purchase this product again?

I would definitely purchase these products again. It saved me money because I didn’t have to use a large amount of the products for it to be effective and I didn’t have to worry about any harsh chemicals.

Based on the performance of this product, would you like to try other products from J.R. Watkins?

I would love to try other Watkins products.

How would you rate this product on a scale of 1-5?

Both are a 5

Ingredients / Contains:
Sodium Sulfate (processing aid / additif technologique), Sodium Carbonate (natural water softener / adoucisseur d’eau naturel), Sodium Percarbonate (whitening agent /agent de blanchiment), Sodium Alkyl Aryl Sulfonate (cleaning agent /agent de nettoyage), Primary Linear Alcohol Ethoxylate (cleaning agent / agent de nettoyage)

Window Cleaners

           Green Bee Heather writes;

Which product did you test? Glass Cleaner

Did the product work better, the same, or worst than the product that
you would normally purchase? Better

Was the product effective at performing its task? Yes

Did the scent of the product make you cough, sneeze, or choke? Definitely had a strong scent but wasn't unbearable

Did the product feel harsh to your skin or the object that you were
cleaning? No

Would you purchase this product again? Yes

Based on the performance of this product, would you like to try other
products from J.R. Watkins? Yes

How would you rate this product on a scale of 1-5?

            5 being the best I would rate it 4

Ingredients / Contains:
Purified Water, Plant-Based Surfactant and Natural Lavender and Rosemary Oil.