After spending nearly 6-months in oppressed land, no dedicated electricity, and hardships beyond acceptable limits, we returned home determined to keep our habits of living without electricity and apply it to the consumer-driven lives here in America. Conservation goes FAR beyond saving dollars on the electricity bill, or saving the Earth; it’s about appreciating Allah’s creations (people & all living things) SO much that we don’t want to be wasteful in anything: our lives, time, money, and natural resources! Living simple & more green has to come from the core of wanting to worship and praise Allah subhana wa Ta’ala first and foremost. We’ll sustain together!

Jakob details some awesome ways for the entire family to start saving electricity right now, and every day forward!

10 Electricity-Saving Tips

If electricity was like water, it could be collected in buckets and used for various chores around the house, but anyone who pays the bills knows it’s not that simple. That’s why being more conscious about how we use power can help save significant dollars throughout the year. Doing so will also help the environment because the less electricity that needs to be generated by power plants, the less pollution they will spew into the air.

That being the case, there are two main things to keep in mind when trying to start cutting back on household electrical usage. One is to understand a bit more about what machines and devices around the household are energy vultures. The second is simply having a greater awareness of when to flip the switch and turn something off.

The following are a few tips that incorporate both ideas and can lead us towards better savings on home electrical usage.

1. Lights: The standard incandescent bulb is slowly being faded out for better energy saving bulbs called compact fluorescent lights (CFLs). The difference is that CFLs produce less pollution when manufactured and can last hundreds, sometimes thousands of hours longer. If you’re still using an incandescent bulb, switching to CFLs makes sense. Otherwise, as most electricians will suggest, when it comes to lighting, timers and motion sensors are a smart way of cutting down on electrical usage. Utilizing natural sunlight during the day can be another positive factor.
2. Small appliances: Believe it or not, many small appliances in your home like coffee makers, microwaves, and mixers still use low levels of voltage when attached to electricity but not in use. For this reason it’s important to unplug them whenever they are idle.
3. Refrigerators: Refrigerators run 24/7 and attempt to keep food fresh with a constant temperature, yet every time the door opens and as long as it stays open, it loses degrees and must work hard to bring it back up to speed. To prevent extra energy usage, open the door as little as possible and for short moments. Replacing old appliances with newer energy saving ones will also contribute to better efficiency.
4. Stove tops: If you use an electric stove top (even if you use gas), covering pots when boiling water speeds up the process. It’s also beneficial to keep in mind that depending on the situation, boiled water can often be immediately reused before it cools. For example, if you were steaming green beans, use that water for boiling eggs. It takes a little planning but will save some time and most of all energy.
5. Laundry: Do full loads and line dry, or at least hang wet clothing on a drying rack inside your home.
6. In the yard: Instead of using electric lawnmowers, weed whackers, and trimmers, try manual yard equipment. It may require a little extra push, but you’ll be saving in the bank. Also, pick up some solar powered lights for the yard and walkway.
7. HVAC systems: Drafts are the bane of heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems because the loss or infiltration of air forces them to work harder upping the energy usage. Keep windows and doors closed as much as possible, try to only heat or cool rooms being used, and change or clean HVAC filters every few months for better efficiency. To make a further difference, dress accordingly in the summer and have extra blankets readily available in the winter. That way, you’ll touch the thermostat less frequently.
8. Ceiling fans: If you have a choice between installing an HVAC system or ceiling fans, know that the latter uses little electricity, and when set in reverse, blows warm air down. Another simple way to achieve a more comfortable room temperature is utilizing the sun–letting more in when it’s cold and less in when it’s too hot.
9. Computers: Computers not in use should be turned off or put to sleep for the night. To micromanage hard drives, monitors, and other related devices like printers in unison plug them all into one electrical strip that simultaneously turns power on and off.
10. Voltage converters: If you have to use a converter, make sure it’s not left plugged in. Keeping it in the wall can increase energy usage.

Aren’t all of Jakob’s tips doable? What do you find hard, easy or fair? Do you do everything already as an All-Natural-Mama? If so, please share additional tips in the comments below as well.

Jakob Barry is a home improvement journalist for Networx.com. He also blogs for pros across the U.S. like electrical contractors in Cincinnati, OH and Dallas, TX electricians.

photo credit: Nioxxe

Daily Tips for Saving on Electricity is a post from: American Muslim Mom Blog

Natural Storage

Baskets are a great opportunity to introduce a natural storage element into your home.  Storage doesn’t need to be ugly and hidden.  Baskets come in a variety of shapes and sizes and are available in nearly every home store, so you’re bound to find one that suits your budget and style.  Here are some tips to include baskets in your home. 

10 Ways to Use Baskets

1. Entry catch-all.  Set a small basket on an entry table or small shelf close to your front door to hold incoming mail, written messages and reminders, car keys, and your cell phone.  This way you’re ready to get in and out of the house efficiently.
2. Bathroom necessities. A basket set on a bathroom counter is a great place to store rolled up hand towels, bars of soap, or extra rolls of toilet paper. This frees up storage space under the sink. 
3. Toy storage.  Designated playrooms are a luxury for many families.  To give toys a special place in the communal parts of the home such as a living room or family room, house the toys in nice large baskets.  The baskets can be placed under the coffee table, behind a sofa, or simply in plain view.  Cleaning up toys becomes easy when you can bring the basket right to the toys.
4. Extra comforts.  There just isn’t enough space on a sofa for all the pillows I would like to use.  I store additional pillows and comfy throws in a basket that I can dip into whenever I feel like lounging on the couch needs an extra cozy touch. 
5. Craft control.  Some hobbies and crafts require many  pieces and some equipment to complete a single project.  I like to store current projects in a small basket to corral all of the necessary items in one place.  When I need to put away my project, I can simply place the basket on a shelf, then pull it out when time allows with everything I need right at my fingertips.  I also keep a basket of art supplies right on our kitchen table for my girls to use whenever they’d like.
6. All together now.  Some pantries can become disorganized quickly with the amount of food and supplies we store.  House similar items in baskets to quickly find what you’re looking for.  Most used spices, baking ingredients, snacks, and different pasta shapes are all perfect examples of sets that can benefit from basket storage.
7. Breathing room. Potatoes and onions shouldn’t be stored in the plastic bags they come in.  This can produce mold and encourage sprouting.  Instead, I use metal bins to store them in a pantry.  This allows air to circulate and keep your veggies fresh.
8. Accessorize with ease.  Keep your favorite and most used accessories close at hand by setting them out in a shallow basket on your dresser.  A sectioned basket will help sort them and keep order to all your bling.
9. Pray with me.  Praying five times a day, you’re bound to have guests at some point or another at the time of prayer.  Keep prayer clothes and rugs neatly contained in a basket and close by in order to quickly access anything your guest may need.
10. Laundry hamper.  I personally do not have the time to do laundry every day.  Until laundry day rolls around, our laundry is kept out of sight in a tall, lined basket by our dresser.  It keeps dirty socks off of the floor and adds a natural touch to our bedroom.

Do you use baskets in your home? What’s your favorite way to utilize them? Leave us a comment!

10 Tips to Utilize Baskets In Your Home is a post from: American Muslim Mom Blog

Old News?

If you live in a household that still likes to get its 411 the old-fashioned way, chances are you’ve got a pile of newspaper ready and waiting to rendezvous with the blue box by the end of every week. Before you relinquish it, consider reusing the newspaper in your home. Here are 10 ways to do so.

10 Ways to Reuse Newspaper

1. Glass Cleaner: Newspaper is perfect for polishing glass or chrome surfaces. It cleans without streaking!
2. Absorb Odor: Newspaper has an uncanny ability to suck odor out of any given surface. Use it to line garbage pails, the inside of sneakers and boots.
3. Drawer Liner: Place sheets of newspaper at the bottom of cabinets, drawers, under the kitchen sink, in closets and garage shelves. The paper helps to protect surfaces from stains and scratches. It also reduces dust buildup.
4. Ripen Fruit: Wrap each individual piece of fruit in your fridge with half a sheet of newspaper, and watch it ripen to perfection.
5. Vegetable Protector: Placing newspaper under potatoes and onions in your pantry helps protect them from bugs. It also reduces odors and prevents stains in the pantry.
6. Weed Warrior: Place newspaper in between the layers of mulch in your garden to prevent the weeds from springing up.
7. Stuffing: No, not in your turkey! Use newspaper to stuff shoes, purses, and any other object whose shape you want to maintain.
8. Package cushioning: Use shredded newspaper to cushion objects in a box to be mailed. Fragile objects can be wrapped in sheets of newspaper before being placed in boxes. This also works great when you’re moving!
9. Kitty Comforter: Line the bottom of litter boxes with shredded newspaper to keep them clean. Make sure you change it frequently.
10. Art mat: tape newspapers on the floor (or table) for kids to sit on when doing a particularly messy art project. This is great for protecting hard wood and tile from paint, marker, and clay.

Don’t Forget to Recycle

Can you think of any other uses for already read newspapers? Share in the comments below!

Paper for Later: 10 Great Ways to Reuse Newspaper at Home is a post from: American Muslim Mom Blog

The following is an interview with Yvonne Maffei, a Chicago-based Food Writer and the Publisher of MyHalalKitchen.com, a popular food blog focused on halal cooking, eating and halal food topics. She is also a Culinary Consultant to Schools and Businesses.  She can be found offering cooking tips and more on her Facebook page and on Twitter @myhalalkitchen.

Interview with Yvonne Maffei of My Halal Kitchen

[American Muslim Mom] As-salamu alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatu dear sister Yvonne (via Lisa Mabe).

[Yvonne] Wa’alaikum as salaam Ponn, thank you for taking the time to conduct this interview.

[American Muslim Mom] One of the biggest problems and complaints in a halal kitchen during Ramadan is the how much food is wasted after iftar.

Never has Ramadan passed in which this one topic has not been discussed a dozen times with a dozen different Muslim sisters. However, no improvements are made year after year, because they let habit overcome them, even though the great amount of food wasted simply defeats the purpose of fasting, then preparing and eating in moderation.

For example:

• Over-cooking extravagant meals, only to let it sit around, spoil and ultimately be thrown away because one is so stuffed that they never clean the kitchen right after a big iftar,
• The desire to make fresh new robust meals every night, with no desire to eat left-overs because “we didn’t fast all day *just* to eat left-overs”, and
• Having eyes bigger than our stomachs, so when cooking iftar, they easily over-cook out of perceived desire rather than actual need.

What are your top tips to cook efficiently and/or re-purpose certain parts of previous meals so left-overs are not wasted?

[Yvonne] I plan ahead of each Ramadan so that I know pretty much what I’m cooking at every suhoor and every iftar. I may change things according to what I have on hand or what’s easiest, but that’s ok because I’d rather not waste any food than stick to a plan just for the sake of it. A plan is more for helping you to organize your kitchen and helping you have on your radar an idea of what you can put on the table. When shopping in advance, this is such a big help and huge time and food saver.

I make less food than I do for the rest of the year because I’ve learned that we simply cannot eat as much as when we’re not fasting. I freeze leftovers as much as possible and re-heat things that I know we’re most likely to finish. I tell people to use the freezer to their advantage!

[American Muslim Mom] You’re partnering the entire month of Ramadan on an interesting and interactive online campaign with Whole Foods and Saffron Roads. Can you please share details about the campaign and how our readers can get involved?

[Yvonne] It’s a very exciting time for the halal consumer and I’m enjoying being part of such a unique collaboration. I’ve partnered with Saffron Road to help increase awareness of their amazing halal, vegetarian-fed and antibiotic-free frozen entrees, chicken products and broths which are available in Whole Foods Markets.

Whole Foods is partnering with Saffron Road during the month of Ramadan to recognize the Muslim consumer and to show awareness for our month of fasting. They’ve asked me to be a guest blogger on the Whole Story blog where I was able to talk about Ramadan and share an iftar recipe.  Both companies have gone further to sponsor giveaways on the Whole Story blog and five giveaways on MyHalalKitchen.com where they are generously offering a $100 Whole Foods gift card plus 5 coupons for FREE Saffron Road entrees to a random winner throughout Ramadan. Readers can check out my Facebook page, Saffron Road’s Facebook page, or myhalalkitchen.com for the latest giveaways. We also tweet about it quite a bit!

[American Muslim Mom] You recently launched your debut book, “Clean Your Kitchen Green,” can you please share why you wrote this and what it’s about?

[Yvonne] I wrote the book because I felt that I had a lot to share about how I’ve developed cleaning my home, especially my kitchen, without the use of toxic products. I have very sensitive skin, so over the years I’ve developed a plethora of products that I favor as being not only easy on my skin, but also on the environment and happen to clean my kitchen really well. Additionally, I learned that many products contain gels derived from pork by-products and I just didn’t want to use those to wash my dishes, counters, tables or floors. I wanted products that met all of my needs and requirements.  As a result, I developed my own homemade cleaning recipes after much experimentation to see what does or doesn’t work and I’ve shared those recipes along with a list of resources for the products I use.  Your skin is your largest organ and what you put on it matters- just like what you put on your body.

[American Muslim Mom] Sounds like a great Ramadan or Eid gift for Green Halal Chefs [such as professionals by title, and self-proclaimed by their kids, like me, mashaAllah ]. Where can our readers purchase it?

[Yvonne] The book is available on Amazon.com and on MyHalalKitche.com/products.

[American Muslim Mom] Excellent tips that you’ve been sharing so far this Ramadan season are:

• Let Your Freezer Help You This Ramadan
• Kitchen Efficiency During Ramadan
• 4 Tips to Organize Your Ramadan Cooking

[Yvonne] Thank you, and there’s more to come, insha’Allah!

[American Muslim Mom] Besides your blog, how can our readers stay in touch with you?

[Yvonne] Alhamdullilah, I’m really active on my Facebook page and on Twitter. Insha’Allah, I’ll  be conducting a LIVE web chat on my Facebook page wall this Thursday from 12-1pm CT called ‘Keep Cooking Simple During Ramadan’. There are more events listed on my Facebook page where I’ll be doing radio interviews and more this month, but readers can always email me: contact@myhalalkitchen.com. I love to get mail J.

[American Muslim Mom] Jazaka Allahu Khayrun dear sister Yvonne.

[Yvonne] Wa’iyyaki sister Ponn. Thank you for having me.

If you have specific questions for sister Yvonne, about her tips, book, Ramadan campaign, etc., please kindly comment below.

Cooking Efficiently in a Halal Green Home is a post from: American Muslim Mom Blog

That’s what 4 year-old said today.

Here’s the most amazing thing to me…she just hung out with me, and helped me with all my daily chores..by her own choice.

It started off pretty cool, we enjoyed a nice egg breakfast and she helped serve and set the table. “This is the best breakfast mama”.

Then, my hubby and I rejoiced by getting our g-mail accounts. So, we were all on our separate computers, playing, blasting some music, laughing and singing aloud together.

Then she just wanted to help with lunch, danced while we cleaned up…and “really” cooked dinner with me. She kneaded and marinated the meat and was so psyched.

She could not wait to eat and throughout the whole meal she was asking, “Isn’t this great Baba?” to her sisters: “…yummy, right?” “I love this” “Ummm” And, she ate her two-servings, which she never does. She doesn’t have an appetite like her two sisters, but I think I found the “key”.

She even said “Mama, I can’t wait until I’m older so I can help you wash the dishes too” (A Mama’s dream!)

She encouraged her sisters to help out, we colored and played, and we shared many of our ’60-second of love’ tickle-fests.

All of us just fed off each other. We shared many wonderful conversations. We didn’t put on the TV at all, and we said our prayers together. They all feel asleep with so many more hugs, kisses and “I love you’s” that we’ve ever shared before.

Life is good…and I didn’t do anything differently except I let my daughter help me!

Mom’s tedious uninteresting daily chores can be a ton of fun when we involve our children’s independence, love and innocence.

I feel blessed, Masha’Allah.

This is the best day ever! is a post from: American Muslim Mom Blog