Green Break: Losing It While Giving Back to Mother Earth!

One of the things that helps in weight loss is having a good kitchen area to prepare your meals for the week, especially when you have a full schedule of work and school, much like myself.  An important part of making such a kitchen prep area work is to make sure that one stays green.  In a larger kitchen this is a bit easier as there is more space to put recycling bins and install energy efficient lighting.

However...this is my kitchen:

It has been the thing of amazement and mockery from my friends ever since I moved in and showed people.  My apartment is in a vintage building dating from the early 1920s.  Thus what we have here is a galley kitchen, which gives you the feeling that you're on a boat without the luxury or fun of having a boat.

**not included: boat, hipsters, tuxedos or T-Pain.

So when I moved it, the biggest problem I really saw, other than trying to cook my dinner in a closet, was where the hell was I gonna put my recycling?  In other apartments I had lived in I was able to set up a recycling station in smaller kitchens.  This is, by far, the smallest kitchen I've ever had to deal with, but I love a challenge.

As one can tell, the only feasible place for my recycling bins are under the sink.  Impossible?  I think not, kids!  A little Tetris-style arranging gives you this:

Paper recyling bin in white and refuse bin in green

Plastic, glass and metal recycling bin in blue

 So we have the recycling under control, but in the way of energy efficiency, sustainability and reuse this could be better:

Aluminum discs under burners keep the stove clean and are recyclable.

Plastic wash bin controls the amount of water used for washing dishes and makes a good substitute for a double sink for easy rinsing.

A fluorescent bulb in an antique lamp makes up for the lack of windows in the kitchen and provides much needed light so that kitties can find their food and water during the night.

Dumpster-diving saved these canisters from an afterlife in a landfill.

A small collection of sake bottles from our favorite sushi bar make a simple and colorful decoration in the corner.  Taking them home kept them from simply being thrown away.

So there you have it!  An eco-friendly galley kitchen to get started with!  Proof that small green kitchens are indeed possible whether you're in a cracker-box apartment, a camper or even a boat.

Alright, now they're just mocking me...

Lose Weight + Saving the Planet = ECO RESPONSIBILITY AWESOMENESS!

I just picked this little doo-dad up the other day:

Wow, what the hell is that thing?  What the hell, indeed.


Well, it's a Wrap-N-Mat, that's what!  And it's quite the snazzy little item.  It is a plastic-lined placemat that acts as a sandwich bag, doing away with the need for all those little plastic zip-topped bags we all use on a daily basis.  This one holds one standard sandwich, or as in my case today:

My entire lunch!  What's better is that this hand-washable and you let it air-dry.  A bit pricey at about six bucks a pop, but well worth it.  I found mine at my local Dominicks, but you can also order them off their site that I linked to above and they even have larger mats to choose from!


So, here we have portion control, sustainability and little to no waste going back into the environment.  It's enough to make you wanna hug your lunch!  Not too hard, though; don't want your tuna salad to leak.

Healthy Double Down Possible? Survey says YES!!

Ever since KFC released the nightmarish beast known as the Double Down, people have been decrying the unhealthiness of it.  They see a horror, I see a challenge!  For the past few months I've been batting an idea in my head for how one can make the Double Down into something healthy.  The basic premise is something that is high in protein and low in carb, which is good.  It's just that fat and sodium issue to be dealt with.  Last night was my first attempt mainly as a way to get rid of some stuff outta the fridge and freezer.  I took two turkey burgers, a piece of low-fat ham, a slice of low-fat Swiss cheese, whipped up a simple pesto with some fresh basil, walnuts and cheese in the fridge.  The result was this:

Turned out pretty good and even my husband became intrigued.  I will definitely be doing this again, probably with chicken breasts.

Look Ma! It's a BLOG!

Alright, this is something new to me, but I think as a service to myself it's something I need to do.  I have decided to make a blog chronicling my weight loss.  I maxed out at 210 pounds last year and I became determined to get back down to 150 at the very least.  I weighed myself this morning and I am at 190!  I plan on sharing my weight loss tips and express my feelings during this time that has been hard and rewarding!


Ciao, bellas!