Yummy Summer Recipe

No one like cooking when it's almost 100 degrees outside! I like to make meals that don't take time or heat when the heat outside is up. Two of my favorite things require very little ingredients or effort and the best part, NO COOKING!

The first is a recipe for a snack the whole family loves and I love my kids eating because of the health benefits.

Power Balls:
1 c. old fashioned oats
1/2 c. peanut butter
1/2 c. ground flax seed
1/2 c. chocolate chips
1/3 c. honey
1 tbsp. chia seeds
1 tsp. vanilla extract

combine all the above in a bowl. Let it chill in the fridge for 30 mins then form into 1 inch balls.
My kids love these as much as we do, they really love helping me make them. I can eat 2 of these (with some restraint since I can probably eat the whole batch by myself in one sitting) for a snack and my hunger subsides and I feel energized. Enjoy!

The next recipe is for an easy ready to take breakfast:

Overnight fridge oatmeal:
1/4 c. uncooked old fashioned rolled oats
1/3 c. milk
1/4 c. vanilla yogurt
1 and 1/2 tsp chia seeds (I add extra since I love chia)
2 tsp maple syrup
1/4 c. blueberries

Mix ingredients in a small jar, secure the lid and shake until well mixed. Place in the fridge overnight and your yummy breakfast is ready for you to grab and go first thing in the morning.

Summer project- garage

One of the best things we ever did was cleaning out our garage so we could start parking inside a nice organized garage. It is so easy for your garage to become overtaken by boxes, tools, big items meant for the dump etc. One reason people avoid clearing out the garage is how overwhelming it can seem. Having a good plan going in is essential. I asked a friend to come over that would help me get rid of stuff without justifying its purpose or being over sentimental.We stocked up on plastic bins of all sizes and setup some shelves for storage and hooks for hanging items. There are so many options to help make organizing your garage super easy. 

Make sure you give us a call so we can help haul off your junk. 

Fire pit season

I love summer nights spent in the back yard roasting marshmallows for s'mores or cooking a delicious dutch oven. A fire pit can be a back yard favorite, and it doesn't have cost a fortune or take a lot of work to build.

The best place to start is to decide which style of pit you want. Then pick the best location, I like to put my pit in a area my kids or pets don't spend a lot of time to avoid any accidents. We also choice a spot where it wouldn't interfere with the function of our backyard, somewhere that wouldn't require moving sprinklers for example.

There are so many different types of building materials you can use, such as flat stone, or cement blocks. A design I thought looked like a lot of fun was a portable fire pit that used recycled materials. All you need is a couple of pallets, a 2 x 4, and a round charcoal BBQ. With this design you can easily keep the fire pit functional and cost effective. There are so many ideas online its so easy to find the best fit for you and your family.

Yard Cleanup made simple

Yard cleanup can be a lot of work, pruning plants and trees, clearing out debris from winter, hauling dirt, sod, and rock to make room for new projects. Whatever it is that you are doing in your yard our bins are designed to make it easy to haul off your yard waste.
The bins will never touch your driveway which will protect your property. Front opening doors make it easy to load waste. The shape of the bins allow for more space and also for your bins to fit in tight spaces. We offer four different sizes of bins that will fit your project and your budget. Give us a call and we can hep find the perfect bin for you.

Garden Planning

Earth Day has come and gone and now is the time of year most people start thinking about planting gardens and making their yards a beautiful to enjoy the warm summer months ahead.  Taking the time to plan before you start will make for a smoother process. Below is a list of things to consider and plan for before you start your yard project.

1 1-      What type of garden/plants/or trees will you be planting? When deciding what to type you need to take into what type of soil you have, how much water and sun is needed and what the landscape of your yard is. Basically, you want to make sure you are getting plants that will survive and thrive in your yard.

2 2-      How much sun does each section of your get? You can do this by planning to spend some time outside. Grab some ice-cold water, a pencil and piece of paper. Sketch your yard and write down what parts of your yard get full sun, part sun, and shade and the lengths of time each has light. This will really help you to pick out plants that are made for the type of light each section gets.

3 3-      Does the section you are planting in get plenty of water. Some areas will get plenty of water from your existing sprinkler, or you may need to tap into your sprinkler system to add an area. However, make sure you know how much each plant needs, some plants are drought tolerant while others need regular watering.

4 4-      If you have kids or pets that like to put things in their mouths make sure you read up on which plants are toxic and avoid those plants. The best place to check for information on toxic plants is with your local city agriculture depart.

5 5-      What kind of soil do you have? Some areas have soil a good mix of clay, sand or silt but others may have more of one which you need to check for, so you can prep the soil accordingly.

Now you have all the information you need to create a beautiful outdoor area that you and your family are sure to enjoy. If you need help hauling off the yard waste be sure to give us call and we can help pick a dumpster that is right for you.

Simple spring salad

Simple spring salad

I love making my own dressings, it’s a wonderful way to control the ingredients especially if you’re watching your sugar intake, store bought dressing usually contains a lot of sugar. Not to mention you are cutting down on plastic waste.

Two of my go to staples for the base of an easy dressing is olive oil and apple cider vinegar. Both ingredients have great health benefits especially apple cider vinegar. Apple cider vinegar can help with blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar, skin health and acid reflux to just name a few. Unfiltered ACV with all the probiotics is the best but any apple cider vinegar is great.

This dressing works well on any salad but if you’re looking for a super easy salad try crisp romaine and thinly sliced green apple, that’s it, crisp, fresh and so yummy! Or you can sprinkle candied walnuts and shaved parmesan on top for a more dressed up salad. Below is a standard vinegar and oil dressing but feel free to change it up with dill or fresh herbs instead of mustard for a earthier flavor.

·         3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

·         1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

·         1 clove minced garlic

·         1 tablespoon maple syrup

·         1 teaspoon dijon mustard

·         1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Directions: Place all ingredients into a small bowl or jar. Stir until well combined. Store in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Check out the other blogs for more recipe ideas. As always if you’re looking for a bin feel free to give us a call.

Mark your calendar

Mark your calendars.

The Ultimate Home and Outdoor Expo will be coming to Farmington UT on April 27^th – 28^th. Get great ideas for home and outdoor activities. They will be offering Dutch oven cooking classes, outdoor demonstrations and lots of free activities for the whole family.

Check out the website here:

 http://www.theultimateoutdoorexpo.com/

We have a Dutch oven pit in our backyard that we love using almost year-round. Now is the time to start thinking about all the fun things you can do outside as the weather warms up.

Don’t forget that if you are planning a big cleanout project we have the right size bins for you. Feel free to call us and we will hep you find the right size bin for your job.