Green Pizza Fridays - How I survived all the yummy food Facebook posts and did not cave

Green Pizza Friday!

Does this sound familiar? All week, you eat well, watch the sugar intake, work out, your golden. All efforts firing in the right direction. Then Friday hits. Bam! The week is done and you do not want to chop, cook or even think about what is for dinner. The temptation to go out to dinner is strong. You scroll past yummy food posts all over Facebook and Instagram and think, what the heck, let's go out for dinner or order in. 

Well this Green Pizza has saved us many a weekend. It saves our wallet and our waistline. I'm surely not the first person to make a healthier version pizza. But here is my fast, no measure, no fooling around recipe. If it's not quick, I do not cook it. So here we go...

The Secret is to get that crust rising early. You can not start this at 5pm when your hungry. Or chances are strong you will cave and order in the real deal.

Noonish - 3pm
Mix 1 packet fast rise yeast
1 1/2 Warm to wrist water
1 glug of EVO - 2 Tablespoons
1/2 t salt

Mix with fork, add whole wheat flour, until forms dough, about 2.5 cups.
Sprinkle flour on top in bowl, Pop smaller bowl underneath with hot water in it to help dough rise.
Cover with plastic wrap and dark dish towel.

Let rise on counter till ready to bake.

When your ready to bake,
No rolling pin, just spray baking sheet and push out dough with fingers flat. Nothing fancy.
Here is where I pretty much use what I've got. Whatever veggies I have in house. It's a great way to use up what you already have in the fridge. 

Drizzle tiny amount evo on crust if you like, I tend to skip this part.

Add, low fat mozzarella, tiny dollops of skim ricotta cheese,
Then veg it up- Fresh tomatoes, colored peppers, spinach, broccoli, garlic, anything else you have on hand.
Salt and pepper, garlic salt and top with another dusting of cheese if you like.

Bake 400 degrees, about 20 min. 

Your done! 

Mr. Boo the Soap visit The Everett Theater, in our hometown of Middletown, Delaware

It's October which can only mean one thing at Sunbasilgarden Soap, it's time for Tales of Mr. Boo the Soap Ghost! If you don't know who Mr. Boo is, well he's a bubbly little fellow made of bubble gum scented glycerin soap. I cut him and all his little clones freehand out of thin layer of soap and he just happens to be one of my all time favorite creations. I love the fact that he is freehand and each guy is just a tad different than the next. He has been in our line up since the beginning and will continue to float through every October.

Now on with today's tale.

Mr. Boo visits the Everett. 
Home of the filming of Dead Poet's Society.

Mr. Boo wants to show off our biggest landmark here in my home hometown of Middletown, DE - The Everett Theater.  So he took a little visit being sure not to get squished by the heavy traffic on Main Street today. (I personally had quite a few lookers while I photographed him being that I was practically laying on the street but anything for my Boo!)

The Everett is a historic theater still in operation today. It is most known for filming of "Dead Poet's Society" starring the late Robin Williams. The week of Robin's passing we had Tv crews and memorials in his name. The theater currently showcases local plays and still screens movies with The Gibby Arts Center next door.

That is all of Boo, until we meet again!

You can find Mr. Boo and our entire Halloween and Fall line up at our Etsy shop as well.

Spicy Black Bean Burgers Recipe - Make them yourself

I love veggie burgers but the price can get a little bit much and we always seem to run out of them. They often are filled with alot of sodium too. So I decided to give it a whirl for myself and came up with this awesome recipe that is not only packed with protein but great on your waistline and budget. You can make them into actual burger patties but for saving time, I opted for a hash and use a whole wheat pita pocket and whalla!  (Love Arnolds brand Pita Pockets - 110 calories per half and worth it on taste)

Ingredients:

1 cup cooked brown rice and quinoa mix
2 cans of black beans
1 cup grated carrots
1 red pepper - chopped
1 sweet onion - chopped
2 cloves of garlic - minced
1/2 chopped fresh jalapeno pepper - minced (optional)
1/2 t red pepper flake
cumin
1/3 cup bread crumbs (optional) but helps them stick together
1/3 cup flour

salt and pepper

1. Boil your rice/quinoa mix as recommended, 1 cup mix to 2 cups water.
For time saving, I like to make double the night before and use leftovers for this step.

2. Chop your veggies fine, peppers, onions, garlic and I buy grated carrots again to save time.
Saute all of these in 1 T of olive oil- season with salt and pepper and 1 Tablespoon Cumin, 1/2 t of red pepper flake and minced jalapeno  (You can use up veggies in this step- maybe eggplant or whatever you might have on hand. Pop them in there)

3. In a fresh bowl, combined cooked veggies, cooked rice/quiona, then add 2 cans of drained black beans. Again for time saving( notice a theme here) Add beans handful at a time and squeeze so you give them a little mash. You don't need to get everyone. Add 1/3 cup bread crumbs. This will help them stick together. Then get your hands messy and hand mash till well combined.

4. Spray a hot skillet with cooking spray and a dash of olive oil. There is such little fat in this that you just want to make sure they have something to cook in. Take a handful of Black Bean Spicy and toss in flour, then saute. Continue with rest of mixture. Cook for 10 minutes. The flour will help give you a tiny crunch.

5. Serve inside pita pocket with romaine, cucumber and light ranch if you like.

Hope you give it a try and enjoy!

16,000 Etsy Sales Milestone Thank you!

Today we hit a milestone here at Sunbasilgarden Soap. We hit our 16,000 sale on Etsy!  I am so very grateful for all our amazing customers, new and repeat who have received my soapy creations with such love. I can barely remember a day that I didn't start it with a cup of coffee and off to check my Etsy shop. If you sell, on Etsy you know what I mean.

I remember the night I decided to make soap. I ordered a 25 lb block of glycerin and a handful of supplies for $50. When it arrived from Brambleberry, I thought oh my gosh, we will be using that block the rest of our lives. But the ideas kept coming along with many trials and errors and soon enough my little hobby turned into a real business. We are so very blessed to have found a home with our customers and just wanted to say a giant THANK YOU!!!

With that being said, we have 16 COUPON CODES FOR A FREE BAR OF SOAP TO GIVE OUT!

You can use this code with your next purchase at Sunbasilgarden Soap.
Expires at the Dec 20, 2012.

All you have to do is RUN, RUN to our facebook page, and the first 16 folks to post, get a code!

Calling all Soap Makers - Send your Bloopers Soaps to help with hurricane relief!

I have a call out to all fellow soap makers. We have a new home for all your blunder and blooper soaps. You know the ones that might have dings or just didn't turn out the way you wanted. Why not send them to those effected by Hurricane Sandy. When your whole life has been turned upside down, a handmade treat can bring just a little sense of sweetness to a terrible situation.

Many are still without power even two weeks after the storm. Some have lost everything. It won't rebuild a house but every little bit of kindness adds up to alot. Let them know they are remembered.

Here is all you have to do. Grab a $5 Flat Rate Mailer and pop those babies inside.

Email me at sunbasilgarden@verizon.net and I will give you an address to ship to directly. A very dear repeat customer of mine who lives in Long Island is hand delivering your goodies. They will get right into the hands of folks that need a little cheer. Or contact me on my facebook, twitter or Etsy shop. I have a package hitting the road today. Disclaimer: Sunbasilgarden Soap does not ship these for you and does not assume any shipping responsibility or lost packages. Sorry but I have to include.

Don't delay, just contact me and ship those soapies out and help with Handmade!

Looking for another way to help. Maybe you don't make soap but make some other wonderful Handmade items. Handmade with Purpose is back! This blog has been set up to united Handmade to help.  Learn how you can donate a portion of your sales to help those effected by Hurricane Sandy.

Saturday Soap Sale - Grab coupon code below

Could it really be 6 weeks till Christmas?

We are sending out a 20% coupon code today only for everything at Sunbasilgarden Soap! 11-10-2012

Just visit our Etsy shop and enter code SBG20 at checkout.

Remember we are the biggest fans here of combining shipping as well.

So 3-10 items ship for only $5 USA/ $13 CANADA/ and $17 International.
Need more? We have you covered. Up to 20 goodies ship for just $11.50 USA

Thank you so much for supporting Handmade this holiday season. It is so appreciated!!!

Did you know, over 80% of our materials at Sunbasilgarden are made right here in the USA? 

It's snowing at Sunbasilgarden Soap!

We are in full holiday swing here at Sunbasilgarden Soap with snowy pastels.

This year I have been inspired by a pastel Christmas!  It might just be from all my time spent on Pinterest. But it's such a pretty departure from the traditional red and green. Here is our new FLAKE Collection in eye popping soap snowflakes in 4 yummy scents - Candy Cane, Mistletoe, Egg Nog and Hot Chocolate.

We so appreciate you supporting Handmade ~ MADE IN THE USA Business this holiday season!