Eco-Friendly to Go

I came across these products and think they are really great. Containers are used for many things in the home so they should be safe, affordable and eco-friendly. Check these few out and support companies that are creating change in consumerism. Not only are they designed in a cool and smart way, but really change how food is contained.

Lunchbots
These containers are great for packing lunches for anyone in your family. They are made of stainless steel, BPA-free and contain no lead or phthalates. Prices range from $12.99 to $14.99 and worth every penny.



Plum Creek Mercantile
The reusable snack fabric bags are made from 100% organic cotton and cotton and are way better than plastic. They have a strong closure that even children can open. You can wash them with soap and water and hang dry. The bulk bags are my favorites! They are made from 100% cotton and the non-toxic plastic window allows you to see what's inside.

You can purchase them at Amazon in sets. For free shipping use this code: PCMFShip



ReUsies
These bags are made out of nylon and 100% cotton. Their velcro closures are easy to open but tough enough to keep everything safe and secure. They come in a sandwich size as well as a snack size and a bunch of adorable patterns. When you buy 4 you get FREE shipping so check them out!



Mimi the Sardine
These reusable cloth lunch bags are so cute. What better way to pack your kids lunch and send them off to school than expressing great design and love for the earth. These acrylic coated cotton totes are 100% lead-free, machine washable and soft to the touch. Your kids will love them. You might want one for yourself too!



Built NY
These bags will brighten up any lunch. Made from neoprene, they are stain-resistant, machine washable and insulates food up to 4 hours. They also come in awesome patterns. This bag is, for sure, the way to keep your adult lunch fun.



To Go Ware Tiffin Set
I love how this set looks. It reminds me of an old school lunch pail. It's made from stainless steel and can carry just about everything. The lid doubles as a plate too! How convenient. It also comes with a smaller container if you have condiments or dressings you need to bring too. At $24.95 it's not a bad deal.



Rebel Green
These bags are awesome. They are stylish, unique and get the job done. Made from 100% certified organic cotton they are a great choice. Their napkins are cool too.



All these items are great picks. If you're curious to know what else is out there, here a few companies and products that are worth looking into:

Envirosax
Ecobags
Simply Green Solutions
Nubius Organics
Snack Taxi
Graze Organic
LunchSkins

Breakfast + Lunch = Brunch

Forget about the eggs and bacon and try to think out of the box when cooking breakfast. I am not a big "breakfast food" person so I like to create a meal fit for a brunch. This morning my cousin Alex was supposed to come by so I cooked up something special. Unfortunately, she had to reschedule and I was left with lots of food! So I had a nice brunch with myself and wrapped the rest up to eat in the morning with Danny. I had to share this recipe with my readers because it came out so good. It just goes to show you that with simple flavors and a lot of love, you can create something easy and delicious.

Black Eyed Pea Cakes and Confetti Corn

The first thing you want to do is prepare the black eyed peas and potatoes. Just rinse the peas and then simmer in water for about one and a half hours. It should list directions on the back of the package. You will only need about 1/2 cup for this recipe. For the potatoes I used little red ones and left the skin on. These are great for mashed potatoes. I would say about 6 -8 would be good. Cut them in fourths and boil in a pot of salted water for about an hour or so until they are soft.

While these are cooking you want to prepare your corn. Its so easy! Just take about 1 1/2 - 2 cups of cooked corn and put it in a bowl. Chop up 1/4 onion and 1/2 of a pepper (red or green) and add them to the bowl. Then for some flavor add some parsley, cilantro, salt and pepper. Put on the side.

Once the peas and potatoes are done, drain both. Mash the potatoes and add salt & pepper, 2 tbsp of butter (Earth Balance), 1 - 2 tbsp of fresh parsley, about 2 tbsp of sour cream and mix all together. Then add the black eyed peas and mix again.

Next, you want to get the panko mix together. Mix about 1/2 cup of panko, fresh parsley, fresh basil (dried is fine too) salt & pepper and some parmesan cheese in a bowl. Make cakes out of the potato mixture about 1/4 cup each. I do this so they are all the same size. They are very delicate so do not treat them as if you were making hamburgers. Be gentle! Cover them in the panko mix on both sides and put them aside on a plate.

Now you are ready to cook. In a large pan put about 2 tbsp of olive oil and wait till its hot. Fry up the potato cakes until they are golden brown. In another pan, put a little bit of butter and saute the confetti corn until the onions and peppers are slightly cooked. I would say about 10 minutes. Make sure you drain each cake when they come out to take the excess oil off. Greasy food is gross!

Now you can finally eat! This meal may be a little time consuming but its really easy and I promise you everyone will love it.