Favorite Things

Cooking

• Immersion Blender – indispensable for making mayo and smoothing things out without dirtying a blender or food processor.  I love mine. It’s the Kitchen Aid 3-Speed (in silver) and it comes with some perfectly sized accessories. Seriously, mayo is a breeze in this bad boy!
• Coffee – This is a must have in my house!  I have the 3-pack of Whole Bean Equal Exchange Organic, French Roast delivered once a month. For Keurigs I like the San Francisco Bay Brand.
• Coconut Oil – Umm, this is a paleo-ish food resource.  I would be remiss if I forgot to mention it!  This one by Carrington Farms is good and reasonably priced.  Honestly, prices have come down so much you can get some great options in the store, but I like ordering online and avoiding the grocery store as much as possible…
• Coconut Flakes – If you like coconut and you like munching on the toasted flakes this is the deal for you! Those little 3.5 oz. bags at the grocery store are like $5 each! Let’s Do Organic has a 12 pack of 7 oz. bags for a very good price – usually under $35 dollars.  That’s legit.

Household

• Natural Cleaners – Distilled White Vinegar, Alcohol, Baking Soda, Essential Oils (if you’re into that sort of thing), some spray bottles (I like the smaller ones, they seem to hold up longer) – you can clean it all with these.  Nice and cheap, it’s just how I roll….
• Wool Dryer Balls – Have you tried these yet?  They’re so awesome!  Even my dog loves when they accidentally bounce out.
• Surface Wipes – Yes, you can pretty much clean everything with some variation oF vinegar, alcohol, and/or water, but sometimes you need something quick easy and child-friendly.  Sure a spray bottle is child-friendly, but I actually want them to help clean – not saturate the house.  So Sun & Earth Wipes are cool beans to keep on hand.  Watch the price on these though it fluctuates wildly – don’t buy them for $18 – they are not that cool! (Update, these have been out of stock for-ever so I’ve switched to the Seventh Generation ones – beware the smell is distinct, not bad but definitely strong and not anything like Lemon Pledge if that’s what you’re going for 🙂 but I’m okay with the kids touching them and rubbing them on whatever kids rub them on…the counter, the chair, their faces, their brother’s face…whatever)
• Sponges – For when you’re not being lazy (see above).  I like these little guys, by Twist.  They last a really long time, easy to sanitize, eco-friendly, and have a scrubby side that’s abrasive, but not too abrasive.
• Composter – If you’re really going for this whole food thing then you will have by-products – so you may as well put them to work for you!  I got the Yimby Tumbler a year, or so, ago.  It’s super easy to use and works quickly.
• Recycling Container – Did you know you don’t have to use that tiny box they give you?  The Rubbermaid Commercial 50-Gallon Container is so much easier to use.  We more than fill it up each week. If it’s crazy expensive (Amazon get your prices under control!) then you can still probably replace your box with a larger can.  Our HOA gives stickers to residents to put on them so an alternate container can be used.
• Dog Food – For my furry friends I wanted something better than a fluff and filler food, but the ones that are super protein and grain free are super expensive – especially when your dog is over 50 lbs.  Diamond Naturals is a good mix of quality and affordability.  And, I know it’s different than the norm because every time the vet takes a fecal sample they always ask about her food. Plus, Prime NOW delivers it to me – it’s the little things!

Personal Care

• MSM – This one isn’t for me, but for the guy in my house who used to get sinus infections a lot. Like a lot, a lot. Like so bad that he had an adult ear infection that the doctor said, “Wow” about.  This stuff is a great addition to the arsenal: NOW Foods MSM, 1500mg.
• Conditioner – I know this is a bit of an odd one, buuuuuuut I really like it Yes to Carrots Scalp Relief Conditioner  I did “no poo,” I did “co poo,” I did baking soda and vinegar, and after all that sometimes it’s just nice to have a bottle of something ready to go.  This is a good one not too light, not too heavy, helps with flakes, and leaves a nice shine.  It’s not 100% hippy love, but sometimes you need a little modern science on your side.  P.S. this has gotten crazy expensive on Amazon, I don’t know if it’s been discontinued – if you ever find it for around $10 let me know!  We’ve switched to this one.
• Vitamin C – For your Face! – I have no idea if it’s wiping away the wrinkles but it’s a nice serum.  I like that down here, in the land of sweat and humidity, I can use something after I wash my face that isn’t as heavy as lotion, but doesn’t leave me feeling dry.
• Toothpaste – We have fluorinated water so I don’t really need that in my toothpaste.  I like the taste and texture of the Tom’s Spearmint Gel (I know it’s oddly specific, but I accidentally bought the one that didn’t say gel and it was more like a regular paste and waaaay too foamy – I am not a huge fan of foamy toothbrushing practices – I feel a little nauseous just conveying the message to you peeps).  Again, weird prices on Amazon – unless you want 6 at a time or you do Prime Pantry.
• Toothpaste (Kids’) – ditto all that stuff, but the JASON Kid’s Only in Orange

…thanks for checking in, feel free to ask anything else!