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Lentil Quinoa Chili in the Slow Cooker Vegetarian
Food

Lentil and Quinoa Chili in the Slow Cooker

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Hi friends. Well with about three feet of snow on the ground (it snowed yet again yesterday) I have been looking for comfort food. To date, I have not been as healthy as I should be with snacks… This time, chili fits the bill so well with its satisfying heartiness and a touch of heat. The bonus with this recipe for Lentil and Quinoa Chili in the Slow Cooker is that it is healthy (and practically effortless) too! The recipe is actually vegan, although I like to add some grated cheese and sour cream so in that case it would be vegetarian. You could skip those toppings of course if you are following a vegan diet.

My vegetarian diet

I was a vegetarian for two years when I lived in California (definitely influenced by the Southern California get healthy vibe) before getting married. As Mr. SB is an avowed omnivore I have transitioned our household to more of a meatless Monday or even Tuesday, Wednesday type of diet.

Why? Plant based diets are so good for you even if you may need to plan a bit to ensure you are receiving all of the nutrients you need. Vegetarian recipes are also flat out cheap (meat is always the most expensive part of the grocery bill here) and so much better for the environment. I heard on a podcast recently that skipping meat for just one day of the week actually equals saving the carbon emissions for one cross country trip (coast to coast). Wow! Imagine if the entire country committed to at least a meatless Monday?

Benefits of lentils and quinoa

Often I find that some vegetarian recipes lack texture and sometimes I am still hungry – not this recipe for lentil and quinoa chili. It is full of texture and flavor. The combination of the nutty lentils and the quinoa which naturally thickens the sauce makes it super satisfying.

The recipe is full of health benefits too as both lentils and quinoa are considered superfoods. Lentils have been associated with improved digestive health, sustainable weight loss and healthy blood sugar levels. One cup of lentils has about 18 grams of protein and almost a full day’s worth of folate. A serving of lentils is also high in manganese and potassium. Quinoa is another superfood and is actually not a grain but is a seed. It is also a complete protein possessing all 20 amino acids which is key if you are following a vegetarian diet. One cup cooked quinoa also offers tons of health benefits.

How do you make lentil and quinoa chili in the slow cooker?

This recipe is one of what I call, “On my last nerve” recipes. I keep the ingredients on hand in the pantry. I use both black and red kidney beans for some variation. Cans of beans are fine but if you have pre-cooked beans that would work too. I like the Costco quinoa which is already pre-rinsed to save a step. Trader Joe’s chili lime spice is a wonderful addition if you have a TJs on hand. If not, regular chili powder works just fine and then feel free to squeeze some lime on top at the end. Basically you stir everything together and let it slow cook for eight hours or four on high. Add your favorite toppings. Mine include cilantro, lime, avocado and a small dollop of sour cream. So without further ado, here is the recipe. Enjoy!

Lentil Quinoa Chili in the Slow Cooker Vegetarian
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Lentil and Quinoa Chili in the Slow Cooker

Hearty, healthy and just what you need on a cold winter's day. The recipe is vegan but you may want to add some sour cream, grated cheese too. Fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime perfect this protein packed, superfood-rich dish.
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword budget friendly, lentils, Perfect Slow Cooker Pot Roast, Quinoa, Superfoods, vegan, vegetarian
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Servings 8
Cost $5

Equipment

  • Slow cooker

Ingredients

  • 1 yellow onion
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 15 oz can petite diced tomatoes with liquid
  • 1 6 oz can tomato paste or I like the tubes of past and I use two tablespoons
  • 1 15 oz can black beans drained
  • 1 15 oz can red kidney beans drained
  • 1 cup brown lentils uncooked
  • ⅔ cup of quinoa
  • 1 Tbsp chili powder or if you can find it 1 and ½ Tbsp of Trader Joes Chili Lime powder
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • A pinch freshly cracked black pepper
  • 4 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 cup of water
  • Fresh chopped cilantro
  • Sour cream guacamole, avocados, lime juice or other toppings you desire

Instructions

  • Dice the onion and mince the garlic.
  • Add the onion and garlic and all ingredients to the slow cooker. Stir to combine.
  • Place a lid on the slow cooker and cook on high for four hours (or low for 8 hours).
  • After cooking, the lentils should be tender. Taste the chili and add salt to taste.
  • Serve hot with your favorite toppings.
Instant pot no soak white bean and ham soup
Food

Instant Pot (no soak) White Bean and Ham soup

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Hi there from snowy CT! We have about three feet of snow on the ground and it is still snowing…dreaming of summer days around here. Last weekend we headed up to NH to ski at Gunstock Mountain Resort which has the most lovely views of Lake Winnipisaukee. Yours truly was taken out a by a teen skiing out of control. Fortunately just a few bumps and bruises…I was worried about my knee but it seems fine a few days later (phew). Sunday, I decided not to ski (but still enjoyed my favorite apres ski recipe for buffalo dip) and instead made this perfect, easy, no-soaking the beans instant pot ham and bean soup. Trust me on this one – it comes out perfectly every time and not having to soak the beans saves time and allows this soup to be a last minute dish. So here is to snowy days and hot soup.

Tips to making no soak instant pot white bean and ham soup

I recommend Northern white beans for this recipe. You can use Cannellini or other white beans too but Northern beans really hold up well to pressure cooking. Also, this soup is very versatile. With my French husband, I tend to use a generous tablespoon of herbs de Provence. If you prefer though you could Italian seasoning or any mix of herbs that you like. I also recommend chopping the onion, celery and carrot roughly (mirepoix) for some texture against the creaminess of the beans. Lastly, if you want a vegetarian option, skip the ham, add more salt to taste and use vegetable broth instead of water. Serve the soup with some crusty bread and a salad and your winter day will be that much warmer!

Instant pot no soak white bean and ham soup
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Instant pot no soak white bean and ham soup

Super easy and relatively fast recipe as there is no need to soak the beans. Tender white beans in a rich stock and plenty of vegetables and salty bits of ham make a delicious and economical soup. Freezes well and heats up too for lunch or supper now or when you need it.
Course Main Course, Soup
Cuisine American, French
Keyword Beans, Instant Pot, No soak beans, Soup
Prep Time 35 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Servings 8
Cost 5

Equipment

  • Instant Pot

Ingredients

  • 1 pound dried Great Northern White Beans picked over and rinsed. Cannellini beans would work here too but reduce the cooking time by five minutes.
  • 1 tablespoon cooking oil olive or I like avocado oil
  • 1 white or yellow onion diced
  • 3 stalks of celery roughly chopped
  • 3 medium carrots peeled and chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic finely chopped
  • 1 heaping tablespoon of herbs de Provence or another seasoning mix you like such as Italian seasoning
  • 1 bay leaf
  • ¼ pound of ham or a ham hock bone (with some meat on it). If going for the vegetarian option then leave out the ham.
  • 4 cups of chicken stock or vegetable and 4 cups of water (if using a very meaty ham bone you may want 2 cups of stock and 6 cups of water as the ham will be salty).

Instructions

  • Turn Instant Pot on sauté setting and heat olive oil in the insert.
  • Add onion, celery and carrots and sauté until starting to soften, a few minutes (keep an eye on it as they can burn if you are not careful…stir occasionally).
  • Add garlic, stir a few seconds until you can smell the garlic.
  • Then add herbs and bay leaf, stir and turn off the sauté function.
  • Add the dried beans to the pot along with the ham shanks.
  • Pour in the stock and water and combine gently.
  • Close lid and seal pressure cooker.
  • Cook on high pressure and set timer for 35 minutes. It will take about 25 minutes to reach pressure and then the timer will start. When finished cooking, let pressure naturally release for 20 minutes.
  • Manually release any remaining pressure, carefully open pot (only after all pressure is released).
  • If using a ham bone or shank, then remove ham shanks to cutting board and shred/cut meat into bite-sized pieces. Add back to soup and season with kosher salt and black pepper to taste.
  • Serve with a salad and some crusty bread for a delicious lunch or supper.
Perfect slow cooker pot roast
Food

Perfect Slow Cooker Pot Roast

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Happy Monday! Did you enjoy the big game? I fell asleep after eating waaaay too many chips and queso as well as stuffing myself with my delicious (if I do say so) buffalo dip. I am not much of a football fan but I am 100% about the snacks! We have had so much snow in the past week in CT. I had all kinds of plans and frankly tossed them all, cozied up by the fire and read a book (After the War). As it was a lazy kind of weekend, I also had the good sense to make my perfect slow cooker pot roast which takes all of ten minutes to prep and then cooks all day making the house smell delightful and come dinner time – you have a delicious meal all cooked.

History of pot roast at the SB house

Apparently pot roast has been a staple in our family for decades. My grandmother made it every Sunday evening. My mom did too more often than not. I tried using the family recipe but if I am being honest, I must have done something wrong as it came out terrible (Mr. SB told me that, “he had limits”…when I served it to him). So after fiddling around with my slow cooker, I created this easy recipe which I have been making for at least ten years. It literally comes out perfect every time. It hardly qualifies as a recipe (as it is so simple to make) but you would not know it by the results. I think the secret is a bit of red wine and some rosemary both of which add so much flavor.

Steps to making perfect slow cooker pot roast

The first step is a good quality piece of beef. If you have been reading my blog for some time, you know I am a fan of Walden Local for grass fed beef from local New England farms. Pot roast at the supermarket is often called pot roast. Other cuts of meat that work are bottom round, round roast – really any of the less expensive, thick cuts of beef.

Root vegetables work so well with this too. I love turnips, potatoes and carrots. You will want to slice them all about the same thickness for the best results. Turnips and whole carrots are usually thin enough that I slice them in half lengthwise and then cut them again so I have four pieces from the original vegetable.

A few notes on the ingredients

The recipe calls for cream of mushroom soup too. I use the Pacific brand or Trader Joe’s as both brands are simply cream, mushrooms and salt. I recommend reading labels carefully if you go the standard supermarket route as some brands contain a great deal of preservatives. Perfect slow cooker pot roast also calls for a packet of onion soup. I like Simply Organics for a good brand (again without dozens of ingredients I can not pronounce!).

Lastly, a small tip is to lightly grease the slow cooker for easy clean up. I like to use Choice Foods spray avocado oil.

Grab a loaf of fresh bread and an easy salad and dinner is done!

Perfect slow cooker pot roast
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Perfect Slow Cooker Pot Roast

No-fuss recipe for an unbelievably tender pot roast with a savory, flavorful gravy and perfectly cooked vegetables. Serve it with some crusty bread and a green salad for a delicious meal.
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword Beef, Crock pot, Perfect Slow Cooker Pot Roast, Slow cooker
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 9 hours
Servings 8 servings
Cost 10

Equipment

  • Slow cooker

Ingredients

  • 1 3 to 4 pound Beef roast (chuck roast, pot roast, bottom round or other large, lean cut of beef)
  • 1 Container Cream of mushroom soup (see notes above on brands)
  • 1 Packet Dried onion mix (I like Simply Organics brand)
  • 4 Carrots Cut in half vertically and then again in half
  • 4 Parsnips Prepare as you do with the carrots above
  • 1/4 Cup Dry red wine
  • 1 Tbsp Dried rosemary leaves, crushed

Instructions

  • Combine cream of mushroom soup, soup mix, dried rosemary, red wine and stir. Place mixture in the slow cooker (you may want to coat the slow cooker with a thin spray of oil for easy clean up).
  • Place roast on top of mixture and turn to coat so that all sides are lightly covered.
  • Place sliced vegetables around roast (I like to coat those too in the soup mixture).
  • Cook for 8 to 9 hours. Enjoy with a green salad and a fresh loaf of bread if you like.

52 places to organize in your home in the new year
Lifestyle

Top Spaces to Organize in Your Home

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Hi there! Phew, we had quite a snowstorm in CT yesterday with at least two feet of snow from what I can tell. How did you fare? With all of the time indoors, I have continued the decluttering and organizing and have more places to share with you along with a few tips and ideas. This is the second part of a two part series about top spaces to organize in your home. If you missed the first post, you can find it here.

Digital decluttering: email and files

Your digital space can be easily over run (I am looking at you 3,000+ emails in my unread inbox!). I find that being able to read the email without opening it is my downfall. So, I can see the “Thanks” reply so I don’t bother to open it. As I become busy, the emails just pile up.

I have taken a “look at it once” approach. When reviewing emails, right away I determine if I need to either delete it or put it in a folder. I like to organize folders by year or client/person. For example, I usually can remember an email by who sent it to me and the general time frame so this strategy works well for me. I recommend organizing by however you think. An easy way to deal with Gmail organizing when you want to delete emails is to do a search and then it allows you to delete anything in that search.

For files on your desktop, I like to do the same. I usually set up a year folder and then subfolders within such as:

Girls Activities

Clients (and then subfolders with each client’s name)

Financial (and then subfolders such as tax preparation)

You get the picture. This way, my desktop is clean and orderly which is a mood boost when I am getting started in the morning. Here is a screenshot.

How to organize your digital files
Organized inbox by calendar year

We also organize pictures the same way – by year and then month. This has worked so well as I can recall generally when a vacation or event happened so when I want to create a photo book or look back on a memory I know exactly where to look.

Also, do not forget to create back ups of any digital files. I like Microsoft One Drive for a cloud version. There are also free versions of Dropbox and other cloud storage that work well too. Nothing worse than having your computer malfunction and losing all of your work and other files!

Organizing your car

The car can be a magnet for clutter. If you have young children it may accumulate toys, empty wrappers from snacks and sippy cups. Older kids tend to leave sports equipment, books, water bottles and wrappers too. I seem to have an issue with reusable shopping bags multiplying!

The first step is to remove everything from the car. Give it a good vacuum and wipe down and then put back in what is really needed.

  1. Papers. Insurance cards, registration and if you belong to a Triple A, make a copy of that card and put in the glove box of every car so it is easily handy.
  2. Emergency water/snacks. I always keep water bottles in the car. I am not a fan of plastic bottles but this is the one place that I do keep bottles handy. Occasionally my girls will forget a water bottle for sports practice or as they head to school so keeping a stash is key.
  3. Shovel and ice scraper. If you live in a climate where there is snow and ice this is a must.
  4. Blanket. I always keep a blanket. This has been handy for kids becoming cold or even our pets.
  5. Trash bags. A store of trash bags makes it easy to keep the wrappers and other unwanted items at bay. When I get gas, I use the time to empty the trash if needed.
  6. Money. Have you ever found yourself wishing you had a spare $20 for ice cream or a cool drink? Or maybe the sports team is collecting money for the coach’s gift? I find a spare $20 in the glove box has been so handy.

Children’s art

  1. Children’s Art. As I mentioned, I did look into Artkive. I realized I can do the same with my own iPhone for much less money. To keep it manageable, I am taking a few pictures a day. I will allow myself to keep one small folder of originals. So far, it has been so much fun to review the girls’ art. With one recently off to college, it is bittersweet and seems like yesterday that she was at her little table painting with her glitter paints and making all kinds of projects! Eventually I will take the photos and make a collage on Shutterfly with the favorites. At any rate, I will have all of them stored digitally which is so nice!

So, I will leave you with one last thought. Organizing is like an exercise program. You do not just do it once and that is it. We move through various stages of life and that movement requires us to re-examine our possessions.

Start a new job working from home? Well the old job’s clothes may not be right anymore and it may be time to donate many of those formal clothes. You child is now in kindergarten? Toys that were once useful may not be in this new phase. You get the picture. Similar to an exercise program, it is wise to start out slowly. Tackle one area at a time. You have the year to do it.

Happy organizing!

woman in black long sleeve dress standing on brown concrete pathway
Lifestyle

My Child Leaving For College

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Hi there. I have been completely pre-occupied these last couple of weeks for two main reasons. First, I have a client in the political space (non-partisan, non-profit). With the events of January 6th plus inauguration, it has been non-stop. I am so happy that the inauguration was held without event. I particularly loved the poet laureate, Amanda Gorman. I will be re-reading her poem for days to come.

Second…drumroll…college girl left for actual (versus online in the dining room) college. So today’s post is about my child leaving for college. I promise to be back soon with organizing and food (so much to blog about!).

Getting ready for college (me not her!)

Folks, first, I want to say that the pandemic has made this experience so different than the typical send off. Through the years, I have read Facebook posts of friends who were distraught about their child leaving for college. They counted the days. They wept. I get it. My little pumpkin with braids in her hair who was just tackling her ABCs at the kitchen table is now off to college? What? Time plays tricks on us as those moments seemed like yesterday. So, yes, I had some sadness (and wait towards the end of this post for the full details). However, honestly after watching her not have a full life all fall term due to the pandemic, well I was happy that she could finally experience college life – in all of its good and not so good, but learning moments.

Getting her room ready

I was so excited to have her pick out a color palette for her dorm room (yes as a blogger it should not be a surprise that color palettes can be part of the dorm room!). We had fun, donning our double masks and equipping ourselves with plenty of hand sanitizer, as we hit Target, Ikea and Homegoods for just the perfect mix of throws, pillows, sheet sets and accessories. I also went into full mom mode, packing a first aid kit and “dorm doctor” set of medicines just in case. We picked out the essentials – electric tea kettle, Brita filter and of course some nice clothes too. I am not sure how we fit all of it into the car, but somehow we managed (with a Thule on top of course).

A walk down memory lane

At the same time, I was full into organizing her art going back to toddlerhood (yes, I did not throw all of it out…I had an art portfolio for my favorites). Mr. SB and I had a good chuckle at some of the cards with funny sayings, misspellings and portraits of us all drawn by our little artist. A favorite was one of the Disney princesses after seeing Disney on ice. Funny how those memories come rushing back to you. So come the day to drive there, I felt like I had fully gone through a walk in time but was generally happy to see her off on her great adventure.

Get ready for water works

Then came my youngest daughter’s video, which compiled special moments from all of our home videos. As high-school girls said to her sister, “I made it for you last spring but since you did not leave, I am giving it to you now.” She put together the sweetest mix of scenes of she and college girl when they were tikes. Yup, there they were dancing together on a vacation to Mexico. Hugging each other as little girls. All dressed up for Easter, Christmas and Halloween. Oh sure, I was ready to send pumpkin off…really, I am truly happy. I promise. Just fine.

Ladies (and gentleman if I have any male readers:) I bawled my eyes out…I had to head to bed early “to read a book” so I could cry by myself. I played that darn video at least ten times until I am pretty sure I had no tears left.

A few observations about my child leaving for college

When I finally pulled myself together I realized that you know what? It was a gift. Am I still happy that my gal is all grown up and in a wonderful university where I know she will thrive? Of course. Am I so happy that she can have a full college experience. Yes! But trying to pretend that time has not passed, that my own life will not be changing dramatically (even with just one out of the nest) or that life is frankly short, is not a good way to live. Appreciating all that she has become, all of those moments that make a wonderful life and make being a mom so gratifying, is not something to sweep under the rug so to speak. No matter how painful it can be! So maybe I did not do a month’s worth of Facebook posts, or document the drop off with dozens of photos, but I had my own way of thinking about it.

At that last moment where she had to leave, I gave her a big hug. I shed a few tears which I did wipe away quickly and drove off. My little girl flapped her wings and flew pandemic restrictions and all. Mom could not be prouder.

Did I text her a few hours later? You bet I did!

52 places to organize in your home in the new year
Lifestyle

Organizing Challenge!

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Hi there, so 2021 is well under way and like most of you, I have organizing on my mind. I thought I would share a few tips and plans as well as my list of spaces to organize in your home in the new year.

We are on the second week, but some are small (intentionally) so if you double up one week then at the end of the year you will have tackled at least one a week and have an organized home! This will be a two part blog post and you can find the second post here.

A note on organizing large spaces

For larger spaces, I recommend breaking into multiple areas and feel free to go as micro as you wish. One organized shelf is better than none. I use my 5 steps to organize anything for every space. As I mention in that post, a large space can be daunting to empty out all the contents as some pro organizers recommend. I find tackling one shelf or area that you can comfortably organize in a day or weekend is better. Making a bigger mess trying to organize is not the goal!

Disposing of unwanted items

Also, there are multiple ways of decluttering and disposing of your unwanted items. Here is a short summary of what I have found helpful. I plan to add more detail in a coming post.

  1. Discard. The first and easiest is trash. Keep a trash container close to you when tackling a space. Packaging, broken items and other unwanted stuff goes right into the bag.
  2. Donate. I have a wonderful thrift shop in my town where I donate items and then the thrift shop sells them in a lovely shop. All proceeds go to charity. For anything of value that I simply do not want I tend to donate here. Goodwill is also a good option. I find they take everything. Of course friends and family may want your items. But they may not! Be careful about giving old items without asking.
  3. Sell. Selling for me is a good option for items such as sports equipment or children’s toys and furniture. We have a local Facebook group that connects to Facebook marketplace. I would recommend you proceed carefully. I tend to stick to my town and it is easy enough to check out a person’s profile to make sure they actually live locally. For clothing, I have found that teen clothing does very well at Plato’s Closet and there is minimal work involved. Thred Up is another online thrift shop. As you receive little for clothing, I prefer to donate most clothes.

I also give myself a set time to remove the items from my home. I used to struggle with this – I was great at identifying what to get rid of but not so good at actually taking it out! A week is a reasonable time frame in my case.

Also, I recently added a donate box in my laundry room. I try to either identify 5 items a day to either donate or discard. When the box is full I give myself a week to remove it and either donate or sell. So far, it has worked very well. My children also add to it as they outgrow clothing.

Top spaces to organize in your home

With the above in mind, here are my top places to declutter and organize in your home this year.

Office

  1. Desk files. This one could be broken into as many weeks as you need. A few categories I am tackling include old credit card statements, (I keep a year on a rolling basis and organize by month so when the new year’s month is here I throw out the year before), car repair files and medical. Once I get through that I will go through files from former jobs. There is debate on whether to keep these items at all? I prefer to at least have the last year on hand for most categories.
  2. Desk drawer. I have two desk drawers that tend to collect items and plan to go through all the odds and ends, pens (do they work?) and office supplies. I love rewarding myself after decluttering and organizing and have my eye on some coordinated blush pink pens and this acrylic, monogrammed pen holder to display them on my desk. Another organizing tip: if it is pretty you will likely want to keep it that way!

Kitchen

  1. Pantry. This can be a big job. I tend to do a review and clean out every November before the holidays start. On a monthly basis, I take a look at staples to see what is short on supply and buy new items as needed.
  2. Junk drawers. I have three junk drawers. They are actually no longer used for “junk.” One holds cooking related items such as recipes I prefer to have on paper (if they tend to be long, I would rather look at print), chip clips and fridge liners and drying mats for the dishes. The other one has our note pads used for shopping lists, pens, scissors, and a space for take out coupons. The last one stores electronics. These general groupings make it easy for me to go through quickly and remove any items that no longer work or seem out of place.
  3. Tupperware/Storage. This is a big one too. I finally donated any pyrex without lids. We also instituted a system where the lid goes on the container when storing out of the dishwasher. I had a rack for lids but that system did not work at all! Have you found that to be the case?

Attic

  1. Attic. So this one is almost complete for me and it took me three days. I need to add some labels so that the rest of the family knows where to put luggage, extra storage containers etc. I also finally donated my girls’ stuffed animal collection (four bags!) and will confess I just could not do it the first time I faced that the girls were no longer playing with stuffed animals. So I stored them and this time I was more than happy to donate to a place that wanted them. Sometimes you may need a little time mamas…do not be hard on yourself if you do.

Basement

  1. Basement. I tackled the basement over holiday break. It took me three days and like the attic it was a refresher. Post holiday it always tends to accumulate as we decide which Christmas decorations are going up and which stay stored. This time I went shelf by shelf. I labeled areas for each appliance and if something did not fit, donated it. I also tackled some gifts that we simply do not use and gave those to our local thrift shop.
  2. Holiday decorations. This one I tackled a few years ago but every year I do a review. This year I identified items for donation. My girls loved colored lights when they were little. We now have white lights. The thrift shop will be getting some very nice colored lights next year:) I put the box on top with a note to myself, so next season I will remember to bring it over.

Bedrooms

  1. Closets. This one is an ongoing project. I plan to break it into 1) shoes 2) clothes (work and casual) 3) miscellaneous. So far, I have tackled my and Mr. SB dress shoes. I donated shoes we were not wearing. My rule is that if shoes do not fit into the existing racks, then I need to find a few to donate.
  2. Under the beds. Do you store items under the bed? I find this space to be a terrible place to store anything because I forget about it! One solution, is to either not store anything or use clear storage containers. I also will leave myself a note in a prominent place that reminds me that I stored my summer shorts or whatever under the bed!

Living room

  1. Bookshelves. I have two book shelves in our living area and books all over the house. We are book worms. I want to tackle the books as well as display them and other objects from our travels in a beautiful way. I look forward to sharing that project.
  2. Coat closet. We have two coat closets. I bought two new coats at the J. Crew holiday sale (and they are on sale now!). One in pink (The Lady Coat) and one in green (I love them both!). That means I need to donate two of my existing coats. I do try the one in one out for clothing as much as possible. Once you hit your max on storage, that is the only way to maintain an organized, decluttered space. I have also plan to identify any shoes that no one wears any longer and store the summer shoes in the attic.

Garage

  1. Gardening supplies. I have this on the calendar for Spring. We store gardening items in our garage. Every year I seem to accumulate a few more pots so I try to donate some as well.
  2. Tools/Workbench. This may be more my husband’s area but I did buy a pegboard set of attachments on Amazon which will help organize the rolls of tape, wire and other odds and ends.
  3. Cars. Yes, I include cars. In each car, I store snow removal items (during winter), sunscreen (during summer), water bottles, a warm blanket, a bright yellow, reflective vest and some protein bars in case of an emergency. I also have $20 in the glove box where I also keep the insurance and registration. Other items I store include masks (#Covid19), reusable shopping bags and hand sanitizer. That said, there always seems to be other items that are not needed. A regular review of items is warranted every few months.

Check back in for the remaining spaces to organize in your home in the new year. It may just inspire your own decluttering and organizing journey for 2021.

Why Your Past Matters When Decluttering and Organizing
Lifestyle

Why Your Past Matters When Organizing

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Hi there! A new year is prime time to talk decluttering and organization. Like many of you, I like to start the new year with a clean and organized home and will be writing more about that and how to help you in coming posts. Before I get into tactics though, I want to start with some retrospection. Your past matters when organizing. Why? Because just like in relationships, marriage, parenting and finances and more, much of your behavior may be rooted in the past. In fact, psychology plays a large role in why decluttering can be so hard. So let’s take a moment to think this one angle through.

What was your home like growing up?

Did you grow up in a spotless, perfectly organized home? Every item had a “home” put in its designated place at all times? Or was it the opposite? Maybe it was tough to find the kitchen table because of all of the papers piled on top? Or the dining room was not a dining room but a storage unit? Did your parents save everything or throw it all out?

How the Depression and the War influenced family organization

In my case, my dad grew up in the Great Depression. My mom was also born at the tail-end of the Depression and was growing up during World War II. People had far less stuff, whatever was purchased was bought very carefully and nothing was discarded without thought. Characteristic of that era, my parents tended to save items and were reluctant to throw them away. It turns out my French husband had the same dynamic. His parents grew up shortly after WWII when there were real shortages of necessities in France.

Growing up

How did this impact our homes? Both of our families had lovely homes for which we are grateful. My mom kept a spotless, beautiful home, and the clutter was mostly confined to the hidden areas. That said, over the years, these items tended to accumulate so I became used to seeing a space (especially a closet or “junk drawer”) full of items. In other words, no one wanted to throw anything out! Sure we would get new decor (but the old decor was stored for someday). I am not criticizing my family for these ways – it went along with the times. Also, even when I was a kid, we did not have the explosion of cheap items created abroad. We tended to buy more carefully and keep what we bought.

How does that impact my organization journey?

Fast forward to now

If you have been following my blog, you know I started an organization journey (Project O) a few years ago. I had some of the typical obstacles that kept me from throwing anything out:

  1. “I might need it someday”
  2. “My children (or sub in nieces/nephews/their children may need it someday.”
  3. Sentimental
  4. It was a gift
  5. “It cost a lot/or it is worth a lot.”

I promise to write more on these challenges. That said, the biggest obstacle for me has been overcoming the past and what has been engrained as “normal.”

What is “normal” varies for each person

Your past matters when organizing because it sets up your “normal.” Here are a few habits/behaviors that may be setting you up for failure as you try to declutter and organize.

  1. Your family saved everything for someday. You may need that rope (yes, I come from a family of avid sailors…we had plenty of ropes around the house/garage!), tennis racket, window treatment, fill-in-the-blank. This is a big one. In my house, we often had lovely new curtains or a rug…but the old ones were not discarded but stored. I can not remember when an item that had been replaced was used again…
  2. Your family and friends shopped a great deal. Shopping was big in the eighties and nineties. Many of us grew up going to the mall just for fun. Shopping was entertainment and bargain hunting was a practical sport in my family. Frankly I still enjoy a trip to my favorite boutique or discounter. That said, shopping and especially impulse buys can really add to your stuff and make your home unmanageable. Retailers are masters at luring you in with sales and then making it very hard not to buy. Social media and the Internet, with hyper targeting, has made it even more likely you will buy on impulse. Buyer beware.
  3. Your house was a mess/super organized/cluttered. I have a friend who grew up in a very cluttered home. Her mom never saw a garage sale she did not love and came home with dozens of “finds.” My friend today has the opposite approach. Her husband calls her the “terminator” as she throws everything out. It can work both ways. She could have also become immune to clutter and that would become her normal for now. Neither is inherently bad but if clutter is something you want to avoid then be aware of how your home growing up may impact what you are comfortable with now.

Where am I today (and how do I deal with it?)

So dealing with my past has helped me really understand the obstacles that face me when decluttering and organizing. Here are few:

As I noted, my mom kept a very clean and lovely home. I actually am also very particular about cleanliness which I no doubt inherited. Enjoy cleaning…but decluttering is another story.

I have tendencies to keep items too long (I am looking at you Restoration Hardware window treatments…) with the idea I may need them someday, they were costly, it was a gift etc.. Questions I ask:

Am I keeping this because of my past? What part of my past? Frugal, depression era parents (usually a good thing especially when it comes to finances but not so much when decluttering).

Do I feel guilty because perhaps my modern day values do not align with the values of my family growing up (but are OK today as we are not in a depression, items are readily available etc.)

Is a closet that is stuffed to the gills a result of too much stuff or the fact that I am used to seeing closets looking that way? While Pinterest and Instagram may present unreasonable or unrealistic organization, both platforms woke me up to what is possible. As I have decluttered and organized I have discovered how calm and freeing it can be to have fewer items.

Have you examined your past and how it may impact your decluttering and organizing journey?

Lifestyle

Welcome 2021

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Hello 2021. Am I glad to see you! I am up early today as 2020 New Year’s celebrations went the same as the rest of 2020. Small, low-key and at home. We ordered sushi takeout and Mr. SB made some steamed clams. I think I was in bed by 10!

The upside is I am up bright and early this morning and thinking through my hopes and plans for 2021. I thought I would share instead of keeping them in my head.

Organization and Home Plans for 2021

I will start with the house. If you have been following my blog you know I started Project O (O is for organization) years ago. I learned a great deal and will be sharing more this January on how you can declutter and organize. I am in a good spot but have the following to tackle in 2021.

  1. Archiving all kids artwork. Yes, I have teens. Yes, I still have artwork that I want to preserve. I am going to use a free app from Artkive and put all of the actual art into a book. If you would like Artkive to do the task you can. For me, by the time I organized the art (it is one large folder) I may as well do it myself.
  2. Tackling sentimental clutter. I found an excellent podcast over break, called the Sustainable Minimalists She recommends making appointments with your sentimental clutter and going through it in 15 minute increments. I love this idea. My goal is to take two packing boxes and consolidate into a scrapbook or one memory box.
  3. Creating photo books. I usually create a photo book and calendar every year. This year was no different. I created a calendar of our time at the shore in CT. However I never created a book for our three week trip to Bretagne and Normandy France or our tour of the Pacific Northwest. On my list for this winter!
  4. Refreshing our kitchen. Our kitchen screams late nineties. Everything works and I am grateful for all of the yummy meals we make there. However having spent so much time in it this past year, I really want to paint the cabinets white, install new countertops and refresh certain appliances.
  5. Deck redo. Our deck has been an afterthought until this year. In 2020 our girls loved laying out in the sun and we started entertaining on the deck. The table, which is 19 years old, has seen better days. I would like to paint it a Nantucket grey and buy some comfortable deck furniture. Aiming for this spring.

Well am sure there will be more plans to come but these are some of the more pressing ones that I hope to tackle. How about you? Do you have certain projects and goals for 2021?

Chocolate hazelnut cake with Nutella frosting
Food

Chocolate Hazelnut Cake with Nutella Frosting

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Hi all. I could not wait to share this special recipe with you. Chocolate. Toasted hazelnuts. Nutella. Need I say more? Yes, today I am sharing the most spectacular chocolate hazelnut cake with Nutella frosting. I was looking for a decadent cake for our Christmas Eve celebration. This recipe fit the bill perfectly. Both girls sighed after the first bite and then mumbled through mouthfuls…”really, really yummy mom.” Coming from two teens that is about as good as it gets! Trust me this recipe will be on rotation for all of your special events.

Tips for making chocolate hazelnut cake with Nutella frosting

This cake is not hard to make but it does have a few steps.

  1. I bought roasted, unsalted hazelnuts at Trader Joes (you can buy these anywhere of course). I took a cup and about an 1/8 of a cup and spread them out on a cookie sheet with a non-stick pad. Roast the nuts at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes. Watch the nuts carefully as they cook fast and can burn. I also turn them over by shaking the cookie sheet gently about halfway through.
  2. Do not add hot chocolate to your cake batter or it will melt the butter and not come out properly. I let the chocolate cool (I used my microwave to melt the chocolate) and then added the Nutella (I took a little sample to make sure it was the right temperature:).
  3. If you would like even cake layers you can slice off the top with a serrated knife. For this version I made the cake in tiny pans but I have made it as both a bundt cake and a layer cake. The layer recipe is below.

Recipe for chocolate hazelnut cake with Nutella frosting

Chocolate hazelnut cake with Nutella frosting
Print Pin

Chocolate Hazelnut Cake with Nutella Frosting

A spectacular cake full of toasty hazelnut flavor topped with a Nutella chocolate frosting. A perfect cake for any occasion. Enjoy the accolades!
Course Dessert
Cuisine American, French
Keyword Birthday, Cake, Chcocolate, Dessert, Hazelnuts, Holiday, Nutella
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Servings 18 servings
Cost $8

Equipment

  • Cookie sheet
  • Cake pans or cupcake pan
  • Electric or stand mixer

Ingredients

  • For the hazelnut cake:
  • 1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
  • 1 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 1 1/2 cups milk
  • 3 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 1/4 cups ground toasted hazelnuts see notes above
  • For the frosting:
  • 6 ounces about half a bag of semisweet chips or semisweet chocolate, chopped
  • 3/4 cup Nutella
  • 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
  • 3 cups confectioner’s sugar sifted
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 3 Tbsp heavy cream the cream should not be cold
  • For decorating:
  • Confectioner’s sugar for dusting
  • White chocolate optional for decorating
  • 1/4 cup ground toasted hazelnuts

Instructions

  • For the hazelnut cake
  • Preheat oven to 350F. Butter two 8-inch cake pans and line the bottom of the pans with a circle of parchment paper. Note: make sure your cake pans have full 2 inch sides to accomodate this cake batter. You can also use a springform pan or even make cupcakes. Make sure you thoroughly grease pans. Non stick pans also work well.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer or with electric beaters, cream the butter and sugar together until very light and fluffy (4-5 minutes).
  • Add the eggs and vanilla extract, and beat for another minute, scraping down the sides of the bowl to get everything incorporated.
  • Add the baking soda, baking powder, and salt, and mix briefly to combine.
  • Next, add the flour in a few stages, alternating with the milk, mixing until all of the ingredients are combined. Then mix in the ground hazelnuts. I like to finish mixing by hand with a silicone spatula to make sure everything on the bottom and the sides of the bowl is well mixed.
  • Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans and bake for about 35-40 minutes, until risen, golden on top, and the cake springs back when pressed lightly.
  • Allow the cakes to cool for 10 minutes or so in the pan, then remove the layers and place on a baking rack to cool completely before frosting. (Cake layers can also be made a day ahead, and wrapped and kept in the fridge until ready to frost.)
  • For the frosting
  • Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave using short bursts. Stir until smooth and allow to cool to room temperature before adding to the frosting. Note: this is important because you don’t want warm chocolate to melt the butter. Once warm. Add in the Nutella and mix.
  • Cream the butter and confectioner’s sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or mix with an electric mixer.
  • Add the salt, the cooled melted chocolate mixed with the Nutella, and beat together until the mixture is smooth and uniform. Add the cream and mix until smooth. Make sure the cream is room temperature.
  • Frost between the cake layers, and then frost the sides and top of the cake. Decorate with curls of white chocolate, a dusting of confectionary sugar and the hazelnut crumbs.
Gold and white wrapping paper is tied with green velvet and gold satin ribbon
Decor

It’s A Wrap: 5 Creative Ways for Wrapping Holiday Gifts

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Hi there.  It is countdown to Christmas around here, and I can’t wait to share with you a few creative ways for  wrapping holiday gifts.  Wrapping gifts is one of my favorite things to do.  Growing up my mom used to have me wrap all of the presents. I gladly took on the task!  Every step is fun from picking out the look + color scheme, wrapping paper, ribbon, trimmings – not to mention watching my family and friends open the gifts.  I hope you enjoy these ideas, and that they spark some creativity while you wrap your own gifts.

Please note, this post contains affiliate links (but I only recommend what I love and would use!).

The steps to creative ways of wrapping holiday gifts

Creative holiday gift wrapping steps:

  1. Establish the look and feel.  Rustic?  Cozy?  Formal?  Vintage?  Farmhouse?  Just as you would pick a look for decorating your home, the same can be done for wrapping gifts. 
  2. Choose the container.  I often re-use boxes year to year (eco friendly).  I keep a selection of different sizes.  Further, the assortment of box sizes also adds some visual interest when you group the packages together.
  3. Select wrapping paper.  Wrapping paper really sets the tone with the color palette, texture, pattern.  I also prefer to buy some wrapping paper that is not only for Christmas.  The colors can evoke holidays without an obvious holiday theme.  Bonus:  You can use that paper year round. 
  4. Choose ribbon or trim.  Trim also can add that special detail and again give a look and feel.  Of course, velvet has a very different feeling than straw raffia.  Both can be lovely if paired with the right paper and embellishments.
  5. Embellishments.  This is where I have some fun.  I love using ornaments, natural items like pine cones or fun details such as greenery.  Additionally, ornaments are also a second gift.  I include gift tags here too.  I use everything from cut out holiday card images to photos for my gift tags.

How I wrapped my gifts this year

This year I had several themes:

  • La Belle France:   I used a deep red cranberry and cream toile wrapping paper with coordinated velvet and gold ribbon.  If you have read my blog, you know I am a Francophile.   So it is no surprise that French toile would be one of my favorite ways to wrap gifts.  The touch of gold adds some sparkle too. It says holiday without being obvious.
  • Shimmery gold and white:  For this theme, I selected cream and gold wrapping paper patterned with holiday messaging.  I tied the packages with heavy, dark green velvet ribbon or gold satin.  I embellished one gift with a beaded, gold star ornament for some additional holiday cheer.
Cream and gold gift wrap decorated with a holiday star ornament
A sparkly star adds a nice touch
  • Candy cane land:  With a few younger children to wrap for, I opted for a cheery bright red wrapping paper embellished with candy cane inspired trimmings of red ribbon, white string and ornaments or bells.
  • Brown paper packages tied up with string (could not resist the Sound of Music tie in!):  Here I chose rustic patterned craft paper trimmed with holiday ribbon and pinecones from the yard.
  • Nautical “Take me to the sea” (or seafood as the case may be): I used plain craft paper with a natural straw, raffia ribbon embellished with sea ornaments and real sea shells.

Details on wrapping ideas

La Belle France

Deep cranberry red and cream toile wrapping paper is the base.  This toile is not necessarily a Christmas print but the deep cranberry paired with the cream works so well for holiday wrapping.  I picked up the ribbon at Costco ages ago but this here.

Cranberry red and white toile gift wrap for holiday gift wrapping
Cranberry toile evokes the holidays without an obvious theme

The small tree you see has fairy lights on it with miniature vintage inspired cranberry heart ornaments.  I put the tree in our formal living room (our real, fresh tree is in our more casual family room).

Tiny Christmas tree with white lights and toile wrapped gifts
Fell in love with the vintage heart ornaments
Toile Gift Wrapped Holiday Packages
Cranberry and cream toile wrapping paper with gold and velvet ribbon wraps presents under a fresh evergreen tree

Shimmery Gold and White

Cream and gold paper with holiday script makes a great canvas.  The “Merry Christmas” pattern came from Home Goods.  Home Goods has a lovely assortment of papers and the quality is excellent.  If you can find what you are looking for, I would think you will be happy with the weight and handling of this paper. 

That said, I also picked up the other pattern at Walmart for 97 cents a roll!  Once you decide on your look and feel you can often find papers even the drugstore.  This one was a perfect example.  Since I had chosen the gold and cream color palette as an overall theme, it was easy to find gift wrap at Walmart that fit the bill.  I also found another pattern at Caspari which has gorgeous papers. This dark green velvet ribbon drapes beautifully and was easy to tie.

Gold and white wrapping paper is tied with green velvet and gold satin ribbon
Gold and white wrapping paper is tied with green velvet and gold satin ribbon

Candy Cane Land

Candy cane inspired.  The cheerful bright red paper was actually from my local drugstore and was reversible with a peppermint stripe. 

Red and white gift wrap decorated with ribbon and bells
Red and white gift wrap decorated with ribbon and bells

I added ribbon and embellishments of a candy cane ornament, some bells from Michaels and a glittery red ribbon I had on hand.  If you use double sided tape to secure the ribbon to the back of the package it is seamless. I can’t wait to drop these specially wrapped gifts with the little girls who will be receiving them!

Red and white striped wrapping paper tied with red ribbon and decorated with ornaments
Candy cane inspired presents for little girls

Brown paper packages tied up with string  

I had the patterned craft paper on hand but added the cute truck/Christmas tree ribbon and tied some pine cones (from the yard) on top with raffia string.  I love the rustic feel. Additionally, candy canes (and other candy) are also an easy and inexpensive way to decorate a gift.

Craft paper with natural embellishments make perfect wrapped holiday gifts
Craft paper with natural embellishments make perfect wrapped holiday gifts

Take me to the sea  

Last summer we spent so much time sailing, kayaking and enjoying the beach on northern Long Island Sound, I was excited to purchase nautical gifts and wrap them up accordingly.  My husband is a huge seafood fan so I could not resist the lobster and crab ornaments. These ornaments are from Christmas Tree Shops but you can find a similar lobster here – I also used real seashells that I had on hand for additional embellishments. 

Nautical gift wrap ideas
Craft paper gift wrap decorated with sea ornaments and real seashells
Nautical gift wrap ideas
A lobster holiday ornament makes a great gift embellishment
Nautical gift wrap ideas
A blue crab adorns this gift

Next step I put wrapped gifts around the house and in the places where the gift wrap really accents the surroundings.

How about you? Do you like to wrap gifts? Any special creative ways for wrapping holiday gifts that you would recommend?