In the past year or two, cashew cream sauce has become one of my go-to condiments. I put it on pasta at least one night a week, and also love using it in place of cheese in dishes like enchiladas or lasagna. It’s great as a vegetable dip or salad dressing, too. The recipe below includes nutritional yeast, which gives it a cheesy flavor, but you could omit that and add fresh herbs instead. Or any other flavorings you desire! Smoked paprika might be good…

Cashew Cream Sauce

2 cups of cashews (raw or roasted both work fine)
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast

one / Soak cashews in water. It’s best to soak them for a couple hours, but 20 minutes in boiling water will do in a pinch.

two / Drain about half of the water out, and place the cashews with water in an immersion blender, upright blender, or food processor.

three / Add olive oil, garlic, salt and nutritional yeast to the blender.

four / Process until smooth. At this point, add more water to make the sauce whatever texture you’d like. It will thicken up over time too, so no worries if it’s a bit liquid-y.

five / Enjoy immediately, store in the fridge up to a week, or freeze for later use!

Here in Denver we are so lucky to have a forward-thinking company that is offering city dwellers zero-waste grocery delivery! Infinity Goods launched last fall, and keeps adding new products all the time. I’ve been following them on social media since the beginning, but finally placed my first order last week!

Not to sound over-confident, but I’m pretty darn good at zero-waste grocery shopping. However, it takes a lot of time. A LOT. When I go to the grocery, it’s more or less the only thing I plan for that day. I have to gather my bags and jars, bike to and from the store, shop for an hour or so, come home and unload, and transfer all the food into jars or containers. When you order from Infinity Goods, everything comes ready to be put in the fridge or pantry. Not to mention everything looks beautiful in reusable containers.

On their website, Infinity Goods offers bulk products and loose produce from local Sprouts and Whole Foods stores, as well as other local markets. They don’t carry meat, but aren’t 100% vegan: they offer some dairy products.

But what’s better than that, is that they’re sourcing several products directly from local companies. So you can buy things like ketchup, tofu, cheese, ice cream and pasta in reusable packaging (or compostable packaging, in the case of cheese) from a local company! How cool is that?

They also are working with local companies who will take back their containers to reuse. I tried the salad dressing from Bloombox and Unwrapp’d energy bites. The dressing is GREAT. I won’t get the energy bites again - too expensive for just 6 balls. I make this kind of thing at home for much cheaper. But if you’re buying Larabars or similar, these would be a good choice.

Another win: EGGS. Eggs with no packaging! Look at those beauties below!

The jars and produce bags are given to you with your order, and you return them the next time you place an order. Or you can just request pick up on their website. I loved how on-point their packaging and branding is. A zero-waste nerd’s dream!

They’re still a relatively new company, so they’re ironing out a few details (for example, some of my jars were labeled with dry erase marker which wiped off and could not longer be read). But they were super open to my feedback and helped address some of my concerns!

As with most delivery services, you’re paying a bit more for the convenience. Infinity Goods prices things by item number or jar size, instead of weight, so it’s hard to do a direct price comparison to Sprouts or WF. However, I priced out some of the items by weight and found I was only paying a little bit more per pound. Totally worth it for the time saved, in my opinion.

If you want to try out their service, use the code PLASTICFREE2020 for 10% off an order. Or you can use the code LOVEOVERPLASTIC to get free delivery February 10-13. This post isn’t sponsored; these codes are available to everyone. I just wanted to share this awesome company. Let me know in the comments if you have any questions!

Have you tried them? What do you think? Would you want this offered in your city?

Last week, I took the kids north of Denver to the Broomfield Bike Park by McKay Lake. I’d been on my list for awhile as a great place to let the kids play outdoors. I wasn’t sure how my older two, ages 7 and 5, would take to the “pump track.” Willa expressed some hesitation on the ride up, but once we were there they were eager to try riding.

We explored the playground first though, while we were waiting for friends to join us. I loved the way it incorporated nature; my kids love flinging themselves down the rock “slides:” angled rocks that you could climb or slide down. (I didn’t get a picture unfortunately, but there are also plastic slides built into the landscape.) The playground is right next to the beginner bike track, so it was easy for the kids to go back and forth between the two spots.

The beginner pump track was great. Kids who know how to ride a bike, or are adept at a strider, can do it no problem. Of course there’s a chance of falling, but it didn’t seem overly dangerous in my opinion. Even my 2 year old wanted to get out there and give it a whirl

It didn’t take long before my kids realized there were bigger tracks they could try. The track visible from the beginner one looks HUGE (see picture below), so I wasn’t keen to head over there. But I heard some people talking and realized there were two more beginner (or maybe intermediate?) tracks on the other side of the big track. We headed over there, and my kids enjoyed it so much! It was a tad more challenging than the beginner area but still doable for them.

We had a glorious day at this park. We were there over four hours and the kids didn’t even want to leave when I said it was time. I have never been to a bike park before so I don’t really know how this compares to others, but my sense is it’s a good one. If you live in the Denver area, I highly recommend checking it out, even if it’s a bit of a drive for you!

There’s a challenge I heard about on, ironically, social media. Can you spend 1000 hours outside this year? Every year, really. It is a challenge to spend less time in front of screens and more time in front of trees.

The idea that we all should be more connected with nature really resonates with me. Time outside was a huge part of my childhood. And since becoming a parent, in a city, it’s an issue that’s at the forefront of my mind.

I’ve recently read a few parenting books about the benefits of unstructured time outdoors, and I’m totally convinced. I’m always trying to find more ways to get my kids (and myself!) outside, so the challenge immediately appealed to me. I printed the tracker sheets, and we are seeing how many hours we can clock this year.

Research in child development recommends that children spend 4-6 hours outside each and every day. I know that might sounds a bit crazy to some, but I’m keeping it in mind as an average. We won’t do that every day. We won’t achieve that most days. But there are weekends and summer camping trips and maybe, just maybe, we can get close to 1000 hours this year. My son goes to outdoor preschool twice a week, so that give him a leg up!

Since I started keeping track earlier this month, I’m average about 3 hours outside per day. Much of that is walking or biking my kids to or from school, with a little playground or backyard time sprinkled in. I’m grateful for the time we’re outside getting from point A to B, but I also want to work on finding more unstructured time to just explore in nature. I will be consulting the list I made last summer about places to get outside in the Denver area. The 1000 Hours Outside website has lots more ideas too. Check it out!

How many hours do you and your kids spend outside each day?

Happy 2020! I have been thinking about a few goals for the year recently. I realize that one can make goals anytime, and every moment is a chance for a change in one’s actions or behavior. I can see the argument against resolutions; against trying so hard at something you could have been doing all along just because it’s a new year. But there’s no denying that change from one year to a new one prompts people into a state of personal reflection. For me, this has felt especially true this year. I’ve been craving some changes; some goals. It feels like the right time to set some intentions for the months ahead.

I just reading a New York Times piece about eco-resolutions. The piece noted: “Climate change is not a problem that can be solved or mitigated enough by individual behavior, though it is good, important and a place to start.”

Well, shoot. I guess I should nix my resolutions then.

NO! Duh. The NYT goes on to say:

“We can’t fix this alone. We can’t all do everything. But, we can all do one thing. So just pick one thing — whether it’s eating less red meat, or composting, or riding your bike to work, or cleaning up plastic litter in your community, or buying secondhand clothing — and actually do it.”

This year, I’m picking five things. Four of them have something to do with my environmental impact. One of them might be slightly bad for the earth, but good for preserving and cultivating relationships. One or two of them are actions that I’d consider significant individual efforts to combat the climate crisis.

one // Don’t buy any clothes.
I like to shop. I like new clothes. I like feeling pretty. For years now, I’ve mastered the “art” of consignment shopping. I can find pretty good pre-owned clothes. And because I’m buying $2.99 shirts at Goodwill, I tell myself it’s okay. But, really, I have way too many clothes. I have many things I like, but a lot of items I don’t really like. And too many things that don’t fit quite right. It seems, for a long time now, I’ve prioritized quantity over quality.

Having a small wardrobe of high-quality items is the ideal for which many of us are striving. However, I don’t really know how to get there without (irresponsibly) ditching most of my clothes and buying new items (that have used a lot of resources to create).

I don’t really have the answers right now, but I think a first step is to stop bringing more in to my closet. To wear what I have. Hopefully I’ll wear out a few things. After a year, I’ll reassess. Any and all suggestions and comments welcome!

two // Send a card by mail to someone once per month.
There was a time, long ago, that I was really good at sending letters. As a kid, I was all about pen pals. But in recent years I’ve totally sucked at sending mail to those important to me. I could blame it on technology or kids or both, but really all that matters is that I’d like to change. Each month I’ll send a card to someone. A “thank you” or a “happy birthday” or just a “hi.”

three // Walk or bike for any trip less than 2 miles (one way).
This is more of a “keep” than a “start.” I’ve been aiming to do this for most of 2019, but I’m going to keep prioritizing carbon-neutral transportation for short trips. I’m hoping to expand my range a bit too. If all of us made this change, it would have a huge impact on the amount of fossil fuels we’re putting into the atmosphere.

four // Make homemade pasta at least once.
We have a pasta maker. I never use it. I really like pasta. I want to make it. Hopefully more than once. But at least once this year!

five // Learn some basic sewing skills.
I’m not planning to make my own clothes or anything crazy, but I’d like to be able to fix things and maybe make some simple items like produce bags. I found an old sewing machine for free on Facebook. I’m going to pick it up tomorrow, and hopefully get started soon after that!

//

What are your goals for the year? I’d love to hear! Particularly your “eco-resolutions!”

If you follow me on Instagram, you’ll notice I post a lot about biking. Switching to a “car-lite” lifestyle has been one of the most significant intentional changes our family has made in the past couple of years. I am a huge believer that biking or walking more instead of driving has a profoundly positive impact on one’s life. It also is a change that helps minimize your environmental footprint. Transportation is the largest contributor to C02 emissions in the US. And most of the driving comes from short trips around one’s town or neighborhood. Of course the automobile has opened up so many opportunities to us, but next time you go to jump in the car for a short trip, ask yourself if maybe you could get there by a smaller, cleaner vehicle instead. (Or a larger one with lots of people on it!)

In order to making biking your norm, you need a bike to suit your needs. Enter: the cargo bike. We bought ours two years ago, and as cheesy as it sounds, it has truly changed my life. I get a decent number of questions and comments about my bike, so I thought I’d do a little FAQ here for anyone who’s interested. Let me know if there’s anything you’re curious about that I’ve missed.

What type of bike is it?
Our bike is a Nihola 4.0.

Nihola bikes are made in Copenhagen, Denmark. Their “family” model is the most popular: it has one bench which fits two children. Our model, the 4.0 has two benches so it can fit up to 4 children with seat belts.

Where’d you get it? Is it custom?
We ordered our bike from Practical Cycle, a bike store in Sacramento, California. They import Nihola bikes from Copenhagen and have sold them to customers across the United States. The bike was shipped in a truck directly to our garage! The cost of shipping was minimal relative to the overall purchase.

Why not just use a trailer or bike seat?
We’ve used both of those bike attachments to transport our kids. But when I was pregnant with our third child, I realized I really wanted a bike that I could use in place of a car to go almost everywhere we need to go. I didn’t want to bike just for recreation or occasional use. A trailer and/or bike seat can be heavy and awkward depending on your set-up. I loved the idea of a “bucket bike” where I could just throw everything in the cargo area and not worry about attachments or the kids dropping things etc.

Why a bucket bike instead of a longtail?
Longtail bikes were some of the first cargo bikes for carrying kids available to the American market. I remember over 10 years ago I watched a video about a family using an Xtracycle for errands (they bought a tree at a nursery, haha) and seeing that lit the flame that turned into a burning desire to own a cargo bike. But later, I saw a Madsen bucket bike (basically a longtail with a cargo bin on the back) and thought that would be much better for kids. More research led us to the Nihola, and I love having the kids in front of me so we can talk and I can keep an eye on them. And I love having the ability to just throw everything inside the cargo hold and get on our way. I don’t have to think too much about adding bags or attachments. And I don’t have to worry about the kids dropping their belongings en route!

Why do you like it so much?
This might actually be the hardest question to answer, just because it’s hard to put it into words. Riding a bike gives me a feeling of freedom and excitement while simultaneously making me feel calm and at peace with the world around me. The sensory experience of the breeze in your face and the weather all around you is truly good for one’s soul. I love getting my exercise while also getting somewhere. I like talking with the kids about the things we see around us. When I see traffic, I am gleeful that we’re not stuck in it. Riding a bike makes me feel strong and independent. The most mundane errand, is more fun when you’re biking. At least, it is to me!

When are you going to let your kids bike on their own?
When Denver has more protected bike lanes? ;) Kidding. Kind of. Willa is 7, and her biking skills are improving. Cameron is almost 5 and he’s good on a bike too. They bike on her own for recreation and in parks. But generally, the traffic and roads around our neighborhood do not feel safe for children, in my opinion. Even the large park we live near allows cars on the roads, and the drivers go too fast while looking at their phones. I wish my kids were able to bike more on their own, because I think it’s important for kids to be independent. And I’m a parent who is ok with kids taking on a bit of risk. But I also have to be honest with myself about where we live and central Denver just isn’t the best place for kids to be biking on their own at a young age. I’m hopeful the bike infrastructure will continue to improve though.

All that said, I plan to keep riding the Nihola with the kids for years to come. Often we bike to places that others would drive. This morning I took Willa to her soccer game 5 miles away. She’s not going to bike that on her own any time soon.

Is it hard to ride?
In short, no. It rides much easier than I thought it would before buying it. Even though we have the electric assist, we don’t use it all the time. The Nihola is relatively lightweight as far as cargo bikes go. The challenges with riding it are more related to navigating streets and obstacles in the city. It doesn’t clear steep curb cuts, so I have to angle the wheels to make sure the front doesn’t bottom out. It also doesn’t have the same turning radius as a two-wheeled bike, so I sometimes have to do three-point turns. Locking it up can also be tricky sometimes, depending on what types of bike locks are available.

Where do you ride it?
Pretty much everywhere! We live in central Denver, so we can get to so many places within a mile or two. We use it almost every day for school drop off and pick up, as well as trips to the grocery store, the doctor, friends’ houses, and more. I love having the cargo bike in the garage ready to go at all times, so we can just jump in it without too much rigamarole. I try not to drive unless I’m going somewhere over 5 miles. Last summer, we did swim lessons 4 days a week for 4 weeks about 45 minutes away (biking). I biked most days. It was a great way to spend time together with the kids and for them to decompress after swimming. Last year, I used the bike to bring my son’s classmate home from their preschool a couple days a week. I call it my “bike minivan:” I use it for everything!

Do the kids like it?
Yes! They’ve gotten very used to it over the past two years. They often complain now if we’re going to drive somewhere. But, just like anyone, they can get crabby if it’s hot or we’re on a long ride. They sit pretty close to each other so kicking and yelling at each other is not uncommon. But neither is singing songs or laughing. Mostly, we have a good time when we’re biking around the city.

Is it just for carrying kids?
No way. We sometimes load it up with lawn chairs and a cooler for a picnic in the park. I regularly use it for grocery shopping. Occasionally I’ll ride in it for a date night! (When we were in Copenhagen, that was commonplace!) Whatever kind of cargo you need to move around, there’s a bike for that!

How much cargo can it hold?
The bike can carry 265 pounds plus the rider. People often ask when the kids will be “too big” for it, but going by their weights, it will be a long time before we out grown it!

What about when it’s cold or rainy?
There’s a rain cover for days with inclement weather. We use it occasionally, but thankfully we don’t get too much precipitation in Denver. On days that are just cold, I have the kids bundle up with coats and blankets. The cover makes kids cozy for sure, but it’s hard to get them in and out of their seats and it’s sometimes a bit claustrophobic for them. I stay warm by using no assist and getting my heart rate up!

How much was it?
The Nihola 4.0 was $3500 and we added a BionX e-assist battery for an additional $2000. I sometimes feel uncomfortable when people ask how much it cost, but I also remind myself and them that it was much less than a car! And we are now a one-car family, so we feel like we came out ahead! There are definitely more inexpensive cargo bikes available, but we wanted one with high-quality parts that would last for years. We are hoping to use it for many years to come.

Should I get one?
YES! I’m a big believer that everyone needs some sort of cargo bike. Even if you don’t have kids, we all have stuff we need to carry around. You’re more likely to bike places if you have a way to carry cargo (hello, grocery store!). There are so many types of cargo bikes, there’s definitely one that would suit your needs.

If you’re in the Denver area, I highly recommend MacKenzie at Hardt Family Cyclery in Aurora. In other cities, search “cargo bike shops” and I’m sure you’ll find something not too too far away. They’re becoming more common all the time.

There’s tons of information available online too. Check out Denver Bicycle Lobby on Twitter or Cargo Bike Republic on Facebook; both communities have tons of advice to offer!

Lentil soups are the one of my top choices when I need to make something that’s fast, healthy, hands-off, and cheap. I always keep lentils in my pantry (hey-o, zero waste!) and they can be made into a delectable soup with only a few other ingredients. And often you can throw everything in the slow cooker.

Last fall, I made so many lentil soups that they all started to blend together in my brain. When a friend asked me to send her the recipe for a soup I’d mentioned making, and I hadn’t the foggiest idea which of the myriad of lentil soups that might be.

So, to keep everything straight, for me and for you, here’s a compilation of my favorites. A few are a tad fancier and a couple are quite simple. But they’re all remarkably delicious. And easy. And healthful.

These are listed in order of easiest (or perhaps, simplest) to fanciest. But none are much work relative to many other dishes. I recommend doubling them all; they freeze remarkable well.

Moroccan Red Lentil Stew {Parents Need to Eat Too}
This comes from a cookbook and I can’t seem to find it online. It’s super simple, like most of the recipes in the book, but remarkably good for minimal effort. You put everything in the slow cooker and walk away. I highly recommend this cookbook if you are short on time but want to make healthful dishes to please a variety of palettes.

Red Lentil Soup {the kitchn}
This is one of my go-to recipes. It’s super simple as written, but you can jazz it up by adding other ingredients. I’m always amazed at how delicious it is for such little work.

Freezer Meal Detox Lentil Soup {Pinch of Yum}
Make this. And all of the freezer meals on this blog. So good. I rarely freeze the ingredients together; I usually just make the soup. It’s a good one to take to a friend who needs dinner. Healthy and yummy.

Wild Rice Bowl with Lentil Curry {The Kitchn}
This is easy and tastes great with wild rice or red rice. I add fresh tomatoes and greens at the end.

Glowing Spiced Lentil Soup {Oh She Glows}
Can’t go wrong with this one. A touch fancier than the above recipes, but still quite easy.

Healing Thai Butternut Lentil Soup {ambitious kitchen}
This recipe is a bit different than the others because of the Thai flavors, the coconut milk, and the nut butter. It’s richer but not in a bad way. In a way that is comforting after a long day. I’ve used potatoes (sweet or regular) in place of the squash on occasion and it’s worked out very well.

Spicy Red Lentil Soup with Coconut Milk and Spinach {Milk Street}
Milk Street recipes are amazing. This one is no exception. Definitely double it.

Popcorn is one of our go-tos salty snacks. It’s cheap, easy, and crowd-pleasing. I usually make it in the microwave, but recently decided to re-learn how to do it on the stovetop. The stovetop definitely produces better results, but it takes more time and attention. I need to write down the stovetop method here, so I don’t forget it. But a few friends mentioned to me that they’ve never done it in the microwave, so I’ll share that too. Get poppin’ folks!

Homemade Microwave Popcorn
one / Add 1/4c (approximately) kernels to a paper bag. I save used ones from a bakery or wherever for this purpose!

two / Fold or roll down the top of the bag to close it, but leave plenty of room inside the bag for the expanding kernels.

three / Microwave on high for 2-3 minutes, until there are several seconds between pops.

four / Season and enjoy!

Homemade Stovetop Popcorn
one / Heat 3T olive or coconut oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pan over medium high heat.

two / Once the oil is hot, add a few kernels to the oil. When those kernels pop, it’s go time.

three / Add 1/3c kernels to the pan, cover, and remove from heat. Shake it as you count to 30 (approximately 30 seconds).

four / Return pan to heat, crack the cover just a smidge, and wait for the popping to start. Shake the pan occasionally to keep things moving around.

five / Once there are a few seconds between pops, it’s done. Season and enjoy!

A few years ago, my mom passed along a recipe for an easy overnight-rise yeasted bread. My mom is a fantastic cook. She is not, however, much of a baker. I’m sure she could be a great one if she wanted to be, but sweets just aren’t her thing. This bread, however, was GREAT. Really really good.

I started making it occasionally for dipping in soup or if we had friends over for dinner. But a year or so ago, when I came out of the fog of having a newborn, I started making it regularly as our only bread. I use it for sandwiches for the kids. I doubled the recipe my mom had given me, and played around with the proportions of whole wheat flour until I got it just right.

I make the dough about once a week. It makes two loaves; we usually eat most of one right when it comes out of the oven. Sometimes I freeze a few slices of bread for sandwich backup. Especially important now that school has started and making lunches is a daily occurrence!

Overnight Whole Wheat Bread

375g / 3c white all-purpose flour*
360g / 3c whole wheat flour
20g / 1t salt
1t yeast
3c room-temperature water

one / Mix all ingredients in a mixing bowl with a lid (alternatively cover with a towel or beeswax wrap). Dough will look a bit scraggy but if it’s super dry, add a tad more water.

two / Wait 12-18 hours for dough to rise, depending on how hot your kitchen is. It should have at least doubled in size.

three / Place a large dutch oven (such as a Le Creuset) in the oven and turn the heat to 450 degrees. Leave the empty pan in the oven while the oven heats, at least 30 minutes.

four / Remove dutch oven and line bottom with a small circle of parchment paper.

five / Remove lid from rising dough, and sprinkle the top with flour. Use your hands to divide roughly in half. Make a loose ball with half the dough. Drop in dutch oven on the parchment paper.

six / Bake for 25 minutes with the lid on the dutch oven. Remove lid and bake for 5 minutes longer or until the top is nicely browned. (Make sure your kids are a safe distance when you open the oven; it’ll be HOT!)

seven / Let cook for a couple of minutes, and then grab a bread knife and enjoy straight away.

*You need 6 cups of flour, total. Feel free to change the proportions if you prefer a whiter bread, or you are short on one type of flour.

What about you? Do you bake bread? Do you have a go-to recipe? Do you use the oven or a bread maker?

For way too long I’ve been meaning to look into ways to “green” our energy use. We’ve been limiting our air conditioning use as much as possible this summer, but that’s obviously not enough. 44% of Xcel’s energy comes from coal, so that’s something to consider. Just like where our waste “goes” it’s good to think about where our energy “comes from.”

Xcel let’s you enroll in programs through your account portal online. It’s really fast and easy!

one // sign up for “Saver Switch.”
We’ve been enrolled in this program for years. Xcel installs a small device on your air conditioning unit that can be used to limit your AC use on really hot days. It has your AC cycle on and off at 20 minute intervals and you supposedly don’t notice when it’s in effect. I never have.

two // get on the waiting list for “Renewable*Connect” solar.
This program is full, but if you’re not already on the waitlist, signing up shows Xcel how important solar energy is to its customers. Colorado has plentiful sunshine; let’s make use of it!

three // sign up for “Windsource.”
For just $1.50 extra a month, you can power all your lightbulbs with wind. If you’re able to pay $10-$15, you can get all your electricity from wind. I was originally just going to do a block or two of wind, but opted to get 100% of our energy from Windsource. Again, I think it’s important to tell Xcel what I want as a customer.

What do you think? Have you already made these changes? Will you? If you don’t have Xcel as your provider, does your energy provider have similar options? Ask them!