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Author Archive | Jennie Lyon

Eco-Friendly Halloween Dinner Party

February 24, 2009 7
We usually have a Halloween party, but this year decided to have a Halloween dinner. We wanted it to be a sit down dinner so we invited our closest family friends. I spent all morning preparing our home for our guests and setting the table. Mr. Sweet Greens was in the kitchen all afternoon, preparing a feast. He prepared everything from scratch and only used organic or all natural ingredients. Our guests loved the meal and it was a fun night full of laughing, chatting and spooky movies for the kids.

The Menu
Appetizer

  • Organic baguette with organic Gouda, Le Gruyere and Brie 

    • Dinner:

    • Homemade Organic New England Clam Chowder
    • Organic salad of fresh greens, golden delicious apples, Bermuda onion and honey mustard vinaigrette.
    This salad with it’s yummy dressing was a hit with the kids and I think it was the first time that I have heard children ask for seconds of salad. 

    • All Grass-Fed prime rib roast with a red wine reduction Gorgonzola sauce
    • Organic horseradish mashed potatoes
    • Organic broccoli and Le Gruyere gratin.
    •  Organic rolls
    Dessert:
    • Organic pumpkin cheesecake and organic homemade vanilla ice cream. Eben and I made the pumpkin cheesecake together. I will be sharing this recipe in a couple of weeks, it is perfect for Thanksgiving.
    • Eben and I also made organic carob covered vegan marshmallow sticks for the kids.
    ** Tonight, we are going to a chili and cornbread get together before Trick or Treating. Then, the Dad’s are taking the kids trick or treating while the Mom’s stay home, greet trick or treaters and enjoy wine together.

    What are your Halloween plans?

    Eben’s Costume: The Angel Of Migraines From The Far Side

    February 24, 2009 8

    This year Eben really blew our minds with what he wanted to dress up as for Halloween. In his exact words, he said, “Mom, I want to the be The Angel of Migraines for Halloween.” I had absolutely zero idea what he was talking about. He then brought me his Far Side books and showed me the above comic.

    I about fell on the floor laughing. I said, alright – we can do that. It is a simple costume considering you can find Grim Reaper cloaks at the thrift store a dime for a dozen. I picked one up for $1.99 and while it was very large, it worked out wonderfully because we were able to cut it down and make a train in the back. (like the picture) The boxing gloves, again easy, because we already had a pair that Eben plays with in the dress up bin. I photocopied the comic and will attach it to the front of his costume – since we will most likely have a lot of questions about what he is dressed up as.
    Costume complete: Introducing Eben as ‘The Angel of Migraines.’

    What do you think?
    What are you going to be for Halloween?

    Fab Green Find:: Green Your Halloween Candy with Yummy Earth. {Coupon Code!}

    February 23, 2009 0

    I love Halloween, it is one of my favorite holidays. Can you tell? What I don’t love though is the amount of waste that is produced from Halloween. The disposable party ware, paper decorations, costumes and the tiny candy bars wrapped in plastic and then enclosed in a larger piece of plastic. Not to mention, the ingredients in those mini candy bars. I personally think this is the ‘scary’ part of Halloween. There are other options out there to make giving out treats, well a treat.

    Check out Yummy Earth. Yummy Earth was invented by two Dad’s who wanted to share treats with children that are free from chemical colors, artificial flavors and corn syrup and also gluten-free, peanut-free and tree nut-free. Their solution? Delicious organic lollipops and gummy bears. Yummy Earth has 21 yummy flavors of handcrafted lollipops with real fruit extracts and natural colors.

    Jayson, Eben and I received a package of Organic Lollipops and Organic Gummy Bears to try. We really love the Organic Lollipops and thought they were the best lollipops we have ever tasted. We really enjoyed the flavors that we received; Pomegranate Pucker, Too Berry Blueberry, Mango Tango and Wet Face Watermelon. Eben loved them all, Jayson and I were partial to the Pomegranate Pucker. The Organic Gummy Bears also come in fun flavors, we received; Pomegranate Pucker, Sour Apple Tart and Strawberry Smash. We really enjoyed the firmness of these gummy bears and that they have 100% vitamin C per serving.
    I think Yummy Earth’s goodies would be perfect for Halloween, birthday parties, get togethers or stocking stuffers.

    Yummy Earth is offering all of my readers 20% off your purchase of $25 or more with the coupon code ‘mysweetgreens‘ valid through November 20th.

    What are you handing out to the trick or treaters this year?
    XO.

    DIY:: Sock Skeleton

    February 23, 2009 4

    I love, love, love Martha Stewart. Especially when she or her guests make Eco friendly crafts. I saw this Sock Skeleton cutie created by the always lovely Robert Mahar and will be making it this afternoon for Eben. I think he will delight in receiving it as a Halloween gift. It will go along with the adorable cat pillow that Willow Spring Sparrow sent him. {Thank you girls!} Click here to watch the video on how to make one for your special someone.

    Do you have a special someone you could make a sock skeleton for?

    XO.

    5 Ways to Green Your Halloween Costume.

    February 22, 2009 8

    Have you decided what you are going to be for Halloween this year? How about the kids, have they decided? Jayson and I have decided to reuse our costumes from last year and make a few adjustments to make them “seem” new. Eben has decided on a costume that is not only hilarious but easy to make, since we have everything that will be needed. {More to come on that soon.} If you haven’t purchased a costume, here are some alternatives.

    1. Rent A Costume:: Have you considering renting a costume? Many Halloween and speciality shops rent Halloween costumes. This is a great alternative, especially if the costume you want is expensive or elaborate. Jayson, Eben and myself rented ‘Star Wars’ costumes for Eben’s 7th Star Wars Birthday Party. Jayson was Obi Wan Kenobi, I was Padme and Eben was Luke Skywalker. Jayson and I rented our costumes from a Star Wars collector and I had a friend make Eben’s, so he could keep it and use it again and again, which he does. {This was THE most elaborate party I have ever thrown and I am exhausted just typing about it.}

    2. Reuse A Costume:: Use your costume from last year and make a few changes. Switch out pieces of the costume, to make it seem “new”. Jayson and I decided to use this idea this year. We really wanted this Halloween to be a ‘buy nothing new Halloween.’
    3. Swap A Costume:: Did you love the costume, your best friend or sibling wore last year? Ask them if they would be interested in swapping with you. You can also swap costumes for your children, since kids rarely want to be the same thing two Halloween’s in a row.
    4. Make A Costume:: There are tons of costumes that you can make yourself that are easy and fabulous. Last year for a Halloween party, I made Eben and myself bat costumes. We already had black clothing, and I used an old umbrella to make the wings and glued felt ears onto a headband {for me} and a snow cap {for Eben}. Check out your local thrift stores for fabric and enjoy making a costume yourself. This year Eben is going to be something completely new and different, but the items used to make the costume we already had from previous Halloweens or just laying around the house.

    5. Give A Costume a 2nd Life:: Visit your local thrift store and check out their Halloween costume section. I guarantee they will have one this time of year. We have found fabulous costumes at our local thrift store that have only been worn once and cost a fraction of the price the 2nd time around. The costumes Jayson and Eben are wearing here cost me a total of $10. I threw them both in the wash on the gentle cycle and they were ‘brand new’ again. The fun idea here is when you find the costumes at a thrift store, you get to decide what it is. Eben was ‘certain’ this was a Lochness Monster, which was exactly what he wanted to be that year.

    What are you and your little ones going to be for Halloween?

    How are you going to get your costume?

    Enjoy.
    XO.
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