New Package Color!

*Takes a deep breath*

I've been out and about this summer, at trade shows and working hard on a new package design and product displays for Bluapple®. In doing so, I've neglected to keep up a few things in my life.

Exercise
Getting enough sleep and...
Blogging.

And with that, I am back on track. A few things have happened since May.  Bluapple® now has a new color to add to it's package choice.  Orange!  We think it looks updated and fresh.  It makes me want to eat something picked fresh from the garden this very moment, and then put the left over produce in my refrigerator, nestle it between a Bluapple® and make myself feel healthy.  Eating fresh is so much more enjoyable when my produce stays fresh!

Check out the new orange packaging and go eat something fresh. My suggestion? Berries. It doesn't matter what kind. Summer is amazing when it includes fresh berries.

Time for Summer Fresh Food!

Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and Hershey's Chocolate Bars. If you are wanting a sugar fix, then this combination might be right up your alley.  It's a good combo. It works.

BUT....what if eating fresh is your thing, eating healthy...yet being completely satisfied.

Tomatoes and Feta Cheese.  De-freakin-licious!
This combination tastes like a sweet and fresh treat, only the calories are low, the fat is low, the good for you, literally, is high, and for me the satisfaction is amazing. Some people take the time to put the tomatoes in the oven and cook them a little, or use the broiler.

I have no patience for such things.  I get home from work and I want to be sitting outside, chatting with my boys about their day, eating summer foods that are quick and easy and take little effort.  I want to spend my time with my kids, not with my cooking pans.  And so, I microwave them.  I slice up the tomatoes, crumble some feta on top, and 60 seconds later, dinner is served.  Well, almost.  Last night we added cooked corn on the cob, fresh strawberries, a green salad and brownies.  I never complain about brownies.

Give them a try.  Eating fresh produce might be the most heavenly thing on earth. If you'd like to follow an actual recipe, I'd give this one a try.

Tomatoes with Feta Cheese

Summer Fruity Drinks

I love having a nice relaxing drink after work.  Especially in the summer.  Why?  Because they are pretty, they are tasty and they are fun to serve.  However, I have kids who want to enjoy a drink just as much as I do; but not a different looking one.  They want one that looks just like mine.  And so, I make theirs first, pour them into their fun glasses and then use my share and add some adult kick to it. The kids love having their drink, and I get to relax and enjoy mine.

Follow the link and try out these fun drinks.  Maybe let the kids help by showing them how to put sugar on the rim of a glass.  Let them add fresh fruit onto a toothpick to add to their drink.  Dinner and drinks with kids CAN be a relaxing and enjoyable time!

Non-Alcoholic Tropical Drinks

Meditation

Physical health is important. Eating good foods like fruits and vegetables in many varieties is important.  Exercising is important. Sleep is important.  And...sometimes, taking a break from all the is important and focusing on our minds, our inner-selves, is important.

What I mean by that is we all need a break.  Yesterday after work, my husband wanted to run up a canyon near our house.  It is one of our favorite canyon runs.  It takes about an hour and has many small challenges along the way, especially when running instead of walking.  I do it quite often with him, racing along the way and trying to get a better time as the summer passes.  And yesterday, I didn't go.  I passed.  He left and I sat down.  And I did, nothing.

The kids were gone, the house was dark and the cat jumped onto my lap and I sat on my couch and looked into her eyes as I pet her head. I wasn't sleepy or hungry and so for the next 30 minutes, I pet my cat and thought about a few things going on in my life. I thought of happy things, sad things, exciting things and even thought of nothing for a bit. I just pet the cat and breathed in the silence.  And at the end of my experience I felt...revived. I had a few clear ideas come to mind and a new determination to accomplish what I have been putting off.  My body didn't get a work out physically, but it got a calm and quiet rest that brought about an energy that a canyon run couldn't have brought.

And my cat was pretty content as well.

Meditation

Photo

Real Food Now - Mint

Bluapple keeps all produce fresher longer.  Even herbs.  Do you use herbs?  Do you know how to use herbs?  Do you have a favorite one?  My son does.  And it is mint.  He loves using it in his tea.  And so we buy it quite often, keeping it fresh with our Bluapple in the fridge.

Here is a link that gives a lot of information about mint, ways to use it and how to keep it fresh.  They don't know know about Bluapple...yet.  Absorbing ethylene gas is so easy with Bluapple!  It is inexpensive and effective.  The site says that mint can last up to a week when stored in water.  The mint in our fridge lasts twice that long by simply keeping it cold, moist (we keep it in a container with hole for the air flow) and a Bluapple in the crisper drawer with it.

Check out their website for some great ideas and information on how to eat real food, now.

MINT

The Bluapple Time-lapse Video

We are working on getting different time-lapse videos up for people to see.  Check out this one!  Does the Bluapple work? See for yourself!

Visit our youtube channel to see more amazing videos!

The Bluapple YouTube Channel

The Benefits of Volunteering

I have volunteered for many things in my life, in my community...in my own home.  And sometimes after I make that first initial commitment, I feel regret.  I think of all the reasons I shouldn't have done it, how I don't have time, or how they don't really need me and it is a waste of my time.  And then after I complete it, I have such a sense of satisfaction.  It feels good to help out.  This past month I helped with a project that made sandwiches for the homeless.  We made sack lunches and handed them out next to the homeless shelter. It felt good to help, gave me gratitude in my life that I have my family to love and love me back, and inspired me to just be a better, nicer and more helpful person.

There are always places in need of volunteers.  Local schools need people who can help with reading, tutoring, or office work. Rest homes and community senior citizen centers welcome volunteers to help with food, activities and travel.  Some places will require you to get a food handlers permit, or special training. That will take time as well, time that you volunteer.

Teaching kids to volunteer will help give them a sense of community.  It can open new doors of opportunity for them as they  meet new people and network, as well as trying out different jobs and having different experiences, which can help direct them to a path that will bring them fulfillment out of life.  They may discover that they love to work with senior citizens, or children.  Working at an animal shelter might spark a love of animals that might send them down the path of being a veterinarian.  There are many benefits to volunteering and it is okay to recognize that.


Reasons to Volunteer

Getting Ready for Easter

Do you celebrate Easter? Do you just like bunnies and baby chickens and pastel colors?  I do, but now that my boys are older, they just don't enjoy a cute cut-out sandwich that looks like a bunny like they used to. :)

But we still dye eggs and then hide them. At least they give me that.  When they were younger, we'd have our Easter gift day celebration the day after, because that was when everything was 75% off! I know, I know that sounds cheap, but they understood why and loved it.  They always got tons of candy and we still had a great time.

I still look at different ideas of fun things to do however, because I miss those old days and I still make little promises to myself that I am going to do at least ONE cute Easter thing.  This year it will probably consist of a fun and bright Easter lunch. They like food. A lot. So fresh salads, fresh fruit  and a great dessert seems to be in order.  Maybe you'll find one of the ideas in the link useful, or it will spark something in you.  I think all the ideas are simply adorable.

Easter Ideas

Simply Your Life

I have missed out on things due to laziness. I have missed out on things due to not getting something done on time.  And I have "missed out"on things, due to simplifying my life.  And the third miss is considered a win in my book.

My husband and I have friends that go out almost every weekend dancing, dinner, drinks or a party of some sort.  And I do enjoy going out.  BUT sometimes we skip simply due to simplifying our life.  We don't have to dress up, spend money, leave the kids, get home late, miss out on sleep...we stay home and enjoy each others company.  We might make a special meal or work on a project together, but we take our weekend activity down a notch by choice, and when we do, we almost never regret it.

There are other ways I have simplified.  I no longer own a lot of shoes.  I looked deeply at my life and was honest with myself and the truth was that I wore about 5 pairs of the 20+ pairs of shoes that I owned.  I now own just two coats. One for the winter snow and one for the light chill of spring.  And I no longer have fancy dinner plates. I just have plates. And room in my cupboard for other things.  I am a much happier girl.

Here are some ideas from Real Simple on ways to simply your life.  Maybe you will use a few?  *hint...The Bluapple is one of them.* :)  6 Ways to Simply Your Life

Creative Ways to Repurpose, Reuse and Upcycle

I am not one to go buy something that looks neat simply because it looks neat.  If instance, I use a plastic bag to hold my other plastic bags, rather than a fancy bag to hold my bags.  That is just me.  I find it a waste of money to purchase something simply because it looks cute, if I have an item at home that functions and does the same thing, regardless of how ugly it is.

I came across this website and I find a lot of the ideas silly, but a lot of the ideas interesting as well.  There are no instructions, so if you find something you like, you'll need to figure it out or go deeper into google.  BUT...there are a few that I am going to try this month for sure.  And in a perfect world, I would have an old piano as a waterfall.  That is just plain beautiful. And I don't even play the piano.

50 ways to recycle

What is The Bluapple and How Does it Work?

A few months ago, I went to a friends house with another friend of mine, to make a simple YouTube video about how The Bluapple works.  What I didn't expect was to make a video that would end up being sent to different stores around the country for people to watch, learn, and hopefully...enjoy.  I thought I'd tell you how it all came about.

I was looking through YouTube one afternoon and was disappointed in there not being a well done video about Bluapple.  And so on a Friday evening, I decided that I would make one.  I called my actress friend and asked if she'd come on over and do it with me.  She was happy to help.  I then called my camera running, video editing, script writing, movie making friend Joe.  He was happy to help film and do the editing on this "simple" YouTube video.

Tuesday morning came and we all met at Joe's house to make it happen.  My husband helped with the video running while I directed the video.  Amy was brilliant and Joe ended up editing the video to perfection.  It turned out so well that we made it into DVD's and offer it for free to stores who would like to run a loop DVD to inform potential customers of The Bluapple on how it works and why they need to get the product.

It took about 13 hours from start to finish and we are all quite proud of it.  My favorite line in the video is, "these cute little apples." Because they are cute.  But I love how Amy says it.

If you haven't seen the video, click on the link below.   It will take you to our website where we have put the video as well.

The Bluapple Video

The Produceology of Produce Storage

In case you missed it, I wanted to post again about our website has a link with valuable information on how to properly care for almost 200 different types of fruits and vegetables.  It is easy to use.  Either scroll down and look for the type of produce you are looking for, or use the search bar at the top of the page and type in what you'd like to find.  Chances are, we have it.

Just go to www.thebluapple.com and click on How it Works and then the Produce Storage Tips tab (or click on this link http://www.thebluapple.com/storage-tips).  We call it "The Produceology of Food Storage."

I'd suggest saving the page in your bookmarks or leaving the tab open for when you come home from the grocery store and start to put away your produce.  If you are using  Bluapple in your crisper drawers, they are going to absorb the ethylene gas from your produce, helping it to last up to three times longer.  But the way you store your produce in regards to temperature and humidity control are important too, and our website will tell you how to do it!

Hope your day is fantastic!

How to Start Tomato Seedlings Indoors

I LOVE fresh salsa.  It really is my favorite food item. I will eat tomatoes purchased at my local grocery store, but I am not very pleased about it.  And I like to purchase them when they are grown locally by the neighborhood kids in my area.  They set up a table with a poor but cute sign, selling Tomatoes at $1 each.  And to be fair, they are worth that $1 until my own tomatoes are ready to be devoured.

BUT this year I am going to get the jump on these kids and make sure my tomatoes are ready to start being turned into salsa by mid June.

I came across this website with step by step instructions on starting tomato plants early.  I have never done it. I usually start around July.  I procrastinate and just never make it happen early enough.  Not this year though.  This year, by the end of April, I will have these beautiful little plants to put in my garden in the back and be making salsa and margaritas in no-time at all!

Starting Tomato Plants Inside

Heart Healthy Foods

I love fresh food.  A plate of fresh fruit and my favorite vegetables can hit the spot much better than a plate of fries and burgers.  There is just something about eating something that is from the earth, that is colorful and pretty, that makes it taste even better to me.

Woman's Day Magazine online has a list of heart-healthy foods.  But I'll be honest.  The photos alone make me want to go home and raid my refrigerator right now. :)

Heart-Healthy Foods

Reduce Your Carbon Footprint

What is a carbon footprint?  It is the amount of carbon dioxide and other carbon compounds emitted due to the consumption of fossil fuels by a particular person, group, etc.  The less each individual emits, the better.  We can all help in small ways to make a big difference.

Bluapple works to absorb ethylene gas that produce naturally emits, which is what brings it to spoil.  Bluapple will extend the life of your produce and leave more time to consume and less food to throw away.  By using Bluapple, you can reduce your carbon footprint.  Food that doesn't spoil before you can eat it means you are making less trips to the store to buy replacement produce. This saves you time, money and of course, less trash on the curb come trash day. 

There are other ways, easy ways, to reduce ones carbon footprint as well.  Using a filter for your tap water rather than buying water bottles, recycle your paper and plastic, unplug appliances when away on vacation, take the bus or train, carpool, wash your clothes in cold water and line dry instead of a dryer.  If we all do a little, it can really add up to a lot.  Below is a link with a few more easy ways to help make the planet a better place for all of us now, and for the future.

Ways to reduce your carbon footprint

SPRING BREAK!

It is Spring Break in my neck of the woods in Utah and both my boys have been loving it.  One teen sleeps all day and the other snowboards. They really are in heaven...until today. 

We didn't go anywhere due to work, that their dad is out of town and finances. I opted to spend money by taking them out to eat at different places around the city, rather than spend money on gas and hotel and activities.  They were really quite pleased with the idea, since one didn't want to miss out on the slopes and then other likes sleeping in. 

We've had 4 days of eating out while our food hung out in our refrigerator, forgotten.  This morning I opened my refrigerator to see what I was going to make for dinner tonight and if I needed to stop by the store.  I was delighted, as I always am when I see this, that my produce was still fresh and yummy looking, sitting ever so nicely in the cripser drawers. It almost seemed a shame to disturb them, and so I closed the door and made the decision to add one more day of eating out to the list, since school isn't back in session for two more days.  And I know it will be fine...I have Bluapples in my refrigerator.  The milk, however, I had to toss this morning.  I wish there was a product out there to save that!

And so, I headed off to work with a list of jobs for my teens to do while I was gone.  And the looks on their faces was priceless.  WHAT?  YOU WANT US TO CLEAN ON OUR VACATION?!?  Yes. Yes I do. Because sometimes when a mom gets home from work, she'd like to grab a slice of pizza, sit down on the couch and watch a movie with her kids in an already clean house.  I am actually looking forward to tonight.  It has made my Monday feel so much more exciting. :-)

This weekend is when they are really going to freak. It has been a long winter and our home is in need of a fresh start. The weather is beautiful, my husband is out of town and it seems like the perfect time to get some real deep cleaning done. And of course, it goes along with Spring Break...right?  Spring Cleaning!  I am excited for this.  There is just something wonderful about knowing your light switch plates just had a bath.

The link below is a website that gives a very useful list of what to clean. I find it to be helpful and will be using it this Saturday.  Maybe you will too.

Have a fantastic Monday everyone!

Spring Cleaning

Bluapple 101

You may have clicked on this link and wondered what in the world is Bluapple 101.  The picture explains that exactly, but in short...it is how to effectively extend the life of your produce by using the product, The Bluapple. It gives information on what ethylene gas is and how to eliminate it.   Read below to find out more.

How to Store Fruits and Vegetables

How do you store an organic green apple that was purchased at the farmers market on a Sunday, so that it has the highest chance of survival past one day? Use a Bluapple, of course!

But what about questions on WHERE to store it, and at what TEMPERATURE?  Should it be stored in the refrigerator, or on the counter top with other produce?

The Bluapple website has those answers and more.  We have almost 200 different fruits and vegetables listed with information on how to store them properly. It is easy to use. Either scroll through the list and click on the item you see, or use the search bar and find what you are looking for.

We call it  PRODUCEOLOGY, understanding how to store your fruits and vegetables.

Head on over to our website to learn more.  Save the link for future reference when putting away your fresh produce. Lean how to save money, reduce waste, eat better at www.thebluapple.com.

http://thebluapple.com/storage-tips

Dips Dips and more Dips

Last night I had a mango salsa dip with tortilla chips for dinner. That's it.
I sat down with a bag of chips and a bowl of salsa, turned on Mad Men, and ate "dinner."

This isn't necessarily a bad thing. Not in the summer, anyway. Why?  Because if it was the end of June I'd be eating my fresh homemade salsa, rather than (sorry Costco, I suppose it is better than nothing) my store brand plastic container with a black screw on lid salsa.

I love salsa. I love dips. I love the crunch and the wide variety of choices when it comes to dips, and what you can dip in them!

In my search for something delicious, I came across Sam the Cooking Guy. He has some great recipes, a fun and active Facebook page, and even a radio show.  Check him out!
http://www.thecookingguy.com/eat-this


*And of course, what tastes better in dips? Fresh Produce! Brought to you by a Bluapple.* :)

Yummy Fresh Lunches

I have packed my kids their school lunches since 2nd grade. My now 18 year old son was diagnosed as a type 1 diabetic when he was eight. And so, I started packing him his lunch to ensure that he was getting a healthy low-carb meal.  Son number two came along, and since he'd always seen me packing his brothers lunch, he knew no different. Brown Bags were as normal as a back-pack.

I have probably purchased at least 9-10 different lunch boxes per kid over the years, due to them being lost or just worn out, or not as cool because "6th graders don't take space aliens on lunch boxes mom."  They were almost always dirty, with food stains and sometimes a terrible smell for a few days as the left-over milk carton that didn't get thrown out on Friday smell goes away.

But...I discovered these cute lunch boxes at a trade show over the weekend.  They are eco-friendly, reusable, safe, fun, creative and above all...very useful.  Had these been around back when my boys were little, I would have used them! I could have put some ketchup in with some baked potato fries and kept a salad fresh and looking yummy to eat, rather than a boring PBJ sandwich a a piece of fruit.

Check out their website and FB page. I got a set to give to my little niece this weekend. It is nice enough now for us to take our lunch to the park.  And how perfect are these little boxes? Perfectly perfect. 

http://www.laptoplunches.com/