Wool is a natural carpet fiber known for its high quality. Despite the hefty price and upkeep requirements, people consider it as an investment that will increase the value of their homes. Learning more about its characteristics will help you prolong its lifespan. Take note of the following:
Wool carpet is often considered the premier carpet. Its natural fibers make it extremely strong and durable, so wool carpets typically keep their appearance longer than synthetics. Wool carpets need to be protected from direct sunlight; ultraviolet rays can cause gradual fiber degradation. Source:HomeGuides.SFGate
Flame Resistance
Wool’s flame resistance is worthy of note because it differs significantly from synthetic fibers in this regard. Wool will not burn; rather it will char (blacken). For example, a lit cigarette dropped on the carpet will likely leave a noticeable mark, but will not cause the carpet to go up in flames.
I typically discourage the installation of carpet right in front of a wood-burning fireplace or stove, due to the sparks that may jump out and land on the floor.
However, if you do choose to have carpet installed around the hearth, wool carpet is likely your best option due to its flame resistance. Source:TheSpruce
High Maintenance
Wool has low resistance to abrasion, so it can wear down in high-traffic areas. After long use, wool carpet can develop bald spots. It’s also subject to damage by moths — though most wool carpets are now moth-proofed before you buy them. Wool holds 10 times its weight in moisture, making it susceptible to mildew and mold. It can develop an odor and shrink if it gets wet. Source:Home.HowStuffWorks
The best way to retain the pristine look of your carpet is to have any damage repaired as soon as possible. Call us right away!
People ask us all the time, “What do you really eat?”
It’s easy to look at beautifully styled, Pinterest-perfect photos and think: I could never make that. Honestly, we make everything you see on this website. We’ve photographed and styled it to look its best, but most of it is pretty simple food. (In fact, that’s why we wrote a book about pretty simple cooking.) All of our recipes are crafted with the everyday home cook in mind.
When people ask me, what do you really eat? I say that typically, we eat recipes early in the week. Many of these recipes are inspired by seasonal produce or something we’ve found at the farmer’s market. Others are inspired by something we ate at a restaurant. Sometimes, we make recipes from the loads of cookbooks stuffed into the shelf in our dining room.
But when it gets towards the middle or the end of the week, we focus on spontaneous, creative on-the-fly cooking. It’s like the mystery-basket style of cooking on the show Chopped, where each chef is tasked with quickly devising a way to eat random ingredients. Depending on our week, Wednesday or Thursday are usually times to bust out our creativity and go Chopped-style. Luckily, the food we have around isn’t usually as crazy of combinations as in the show (usually something like kale, gummy worms, and kohlrabi).
This recipe is a non-recipe that resulted from one of our cooking from intuition nights. Some might argue that it should not be posted as a formal recipe on a website. But the more we learn about teaching cooking, the more we find that people want to learn how to cook from intuition. Because that’s what being a home cook is all about! Part of it can be making formal recipes you find in books or online. But so, so much of it is becoming creative yourself, like understanding how to use ingredients that are on hand, how to combine techniques, and how to recreate something you tasted at a restaurant using your pantry and fridge. It’s not something that’s easily taught, especially by simply reading information. Cooking is experiential. You must be hands on and practice, practice, practice. There’s no substitute.
With that in mind, here is an incredibly simple yet gourmet pita pizza that I made in 5 minutes on a Thursday night. The weekend before, we’d had a pizza night and splurged on a can of chopped black truffles & mushrooms we found at our grocery. Black truffle is my favorite flavor in the universe and they’re pretty impossible to find for the home cook. The can was $10, but it was worth it for a special pizza dinner. Plus, we only used a bit of the can for our pizza, so we had it hanging out in the refrigerator. A few nights before, we’d also made our Creamy Vegan Pasta Marinara and had some leftover sauce. Plus, I’d made a few flatbreads from The Middle Eastern Vegetarian Cookbook, which were getting a little stale and needed to be eaten. When I saw there was shredded cheese on hand, I knew a pita pizza was in order. Quickly topped and broiled, this came together in 5 minutes.
If you know the word umami, it’s one of the five basic tastes (along with sweet, sour, bitter, and salty). Umami is described as meaty. Since most of our cooking is with vegetables, finding umami in creative ways is something we think about constantly. Black truffles are full of sensual, delicious umami. Combine that with the shallots, garlic, and capers in our Creamy Vegan Marinara sauce, and the salty umami of melty, gooey cheese, and you’ve got incredible, eye-popping flavor. Hence, the name of this recipe: Umami Bomb. You could make this exact pita pizza, using purchased pita bread and our Creamy Vegan Marinara sauce. Or, use it as an idea template: grab your favorite marinara and use cheese that’s on hand. However, the canned black truffles make the umami of this pizza shine–they’re easy to grab online and perfect for adding flavor to pizzas, pasta, and sandwiches.
Looking for easy dinner recipes?
Who isn’t looking for easy dinner recipes, these days? A few of our top throw-together easy dinner recipes:
If you make our Umambi Bomb pita pizza, we’d love to hear how it turned out. Leave a comment below or share a picture on Instagram and mention @acouplecooks.
The first A Couple Cooks cookbook, Pretty Simple Cooking cookbook is set to release in February. In honor of the book, we wanted to find a way to invite all of you to our table. Introducing the Pretty Simple Cooking National Dinner Party, a dinner party on the same night in homes all over the country (and world). Will you join us?
What is the dinner party? The Pretty Simple Cooking Dinner Party is a national dinner party to celebrate good food and good people. In a time where we need unity and community, let’s celebrate coming together around the table!
What is the date? Saturday, February 17, 2018. It’s close to Valentine’s Day, in a month that is typically cold and dark, perfect for a party to look forward to!
What does a host do? To be a host, just cook dinner for yourself and at least one other person on that night (and use a recipe from our cookbook)! You can eat dinner with your immediate family in your pajamas, or dress up, light some candles, and invite a few friends! Our goal is to make it fit into your lifestyle: it’s nothing more than eating delicious food with people you enjoy. If you’re a party host, you’ll be entered to win a few special giveaways that evening and have exclusive access to chatting with us and other party hosts about planning your night. Alex and I plan to make live appearances that evening on social media so we can say hi to all of you joining us around the table!
How many parties are currently signed up? We have nearly 100 dinner party hosts in 38 states in America; see the map below! If you’re interested in hosting internationally, let us know. Our goal is 500 dinner parties, with at least one in each of the 50 states!
Can I participate if I’m outside the US? Yes! We have a handful of Canadian hosts already. If you’d like to host internationally, let us know!
How can I sign up to be a host? Email sonja@acouplecooks.com and say you’re interested in being a dinner party host.
Thank you to our first 90 party hosts! We want to especially thank you and are so excited to have you on board. Thank you to:
Erin A, Mahdis A, Rob B, Angelina B, Angela B, Tiffany B, Amanda B, Tara B, Lauren B, Jordan B, Kaley B, Genevieve C, Heidi C, Ally D, Sofia D, Elizabeth D, Vicki D, Heather E, Rachel E, Kay E, Sara E, Diana F, Kelledy F, Nicole G, Samantha G, Mia G, Alejandra G, Kristin G, Katie H, Iccius H, Raquel H, Rachel H, Nicole H, Erika H, Christine H, Elyse H, Hillary G, Hannah J, Jen J, Janet K, Kelsey K, Alex K, Elizabeth K, Brittany K, Tiffany K, Molly K, Maria K, Shannon K, Laura L, Whitney L, Cassie M, Rochelle M, Janet M, Kathryn M, Amanda M, Kelly M, Jan M, Christina M, Abbie M, Erin M, Shannon M, Renee N, Katherine N, Andy O, Tiffany O, Stephanie O, Dina O, Dalia P, Lia P, Erica P, Jane P, Emily P, Erin R, Colleen R, Emilie R, Samantha R, Amy S, Aysegul S, Laury S, Emily S, Connie S, Holly T, Paige T, Shannon V, Meg V, Salem W, Emilyn W, Caroline W,and Hallie Y,
I love it. Seriously. Since I was 18 years of age, I've had a deep down desire to stay clean all over. Well manicured hands and feet, shaved torso, arms, and legs. When it comes to my face, I'm one of those guys who's tried to grow a beard, but alas, my face tends to appear more like the patterns on a Holstein cow than any semblance of a beard. So, I've resolved to a life of being clean shaven and it suits me just fine.
At 18, when I discovered ‘manscaping' from a friend of mine (who I liked very much at the time) said she preferred guys that ‘took care of themselves'. As I prodded I learned about the intricacies of pruning, shaving, and shaping. THIS was all new to me. You have to understand, ‘going to the salon' was something that my mother did with her friends every Saturday, it wasn't for guys like me. Realizing the most I ever spent on a haircut up to that point in my life was about $11.99 at the local in-and-out Quick Clips shop, definitely, says a lot. But, I really liked this girl, and attraction does strange things to a man, doesn't it? So I jumped all into this manscaping thing, and you know what I found out? I liked it. I liked it A LOT!
But it goes well beyond just appearances, which I later found out. We sometimes fall in and out of love, but feeling confident in one's skin is timeless if we choose it to be a priority.
It may sound a little superficial but being selfish about taking care of oneself is anything but superficial if we acknowledge why it's truly important to us. In the following article, I share some of my own observations of why I love being clean and smelling my best. Life is a journey, and one I love to travel with friends, family, and my tribes, but as much as I give of myself to these important people in my life, I have to look after me too, otherwise, I compromise my ability to be the best version of me. So enjoy the following…
3 Reasons Why Manscaping will Make You Feel Better in Life (and Love)
1) A clean body makes for a clear mind
I have to say, there's something cathartic about manscaping. I have a routine – like a walking meditation – my shower ritual is a 20-minute energy (and body) cleansing. It starts with a full body scrub with Dove Men+Care's Elements Body andFaceWash (loaded with minerals and sage). I love the feel of my skin after a good exfoliating as it cleanses without feeling tightness or dryness while hydrating my body's largest organ – the skin.
Next, I take a full 5-minutes for a deep, refreshing scalp scrub with the Dove Men+Care Elements Shampoo + Conditioner that's formulated with caffeine and menthol for an invigorating, refreshingly clean, leaving my head tingling with ideas… some of my best and most creative ideas become crystal clear during this hyper-focused, mindful moment.
Alone, in my shower, doing a routine that requires little to no thought, allows my mind to wander. I love the way I feel and cherish this cleansing ritual.
2) A Clean and Healthier You, Means a More Awesome You
Can you remember the last time you spilled coffee on yourself? Maybe some spaghetti sauce while out for dinner with friends? Or maybe you had impeccable luck while out and about at the local waterfront boardwalk and that seagull just happened to target your left shoulder perfectly? Do you remember how you felt in that moment?
There have been many times when I've messed up my clothes due to an accidental mishap or something outside of my control. In the moment, I felt upset, frustrated and more than often self-conscious of the obvious dirtiness on my attire (and body).
In hindsight, I think that's pretty funny. After all, my clothing can be washed and cleaned. It's really not that big of a deal. Yet, a simple bit of off-coloring from a drink, meal or animal can put us in a sour mood. What's even more interesting is many people walk around with body odor, unkempt hygiene both oral and bodily, and this is completely within our control for the most part.
I remember going to an event when I was in my teen's and feeling incredibly self-aware, and not in a good way when I caught a whiff of my own body odor. I shrunk into myself. You know it's a bad day when you can smell yourself so distinctly, right?!? I swore to myself that I'd not allow for that to happen again and have made it a priority to be confident in my cleanliness, especially when attending a function, event, or as simple as being out for an afternoon with my family.
Let's be frank, there's not only an increase in sex appeal but also health appeal through physical cleanliness and smelling good. If you don't agree with me, I'd love to know why. It's near impossible to be our genuine self when in a social environment if we are offending people with our odor. As hard as we try to be our awesome selves, we're not stacking the deck in our favor if our smells are keeping people away from us.
There have been days where I've been out and about, working up a sweat, and don't have time to get home for my pre-event shower. I pack 3 things in my bag, just in case this situation arises: Degree Ultraclear Dry Spray, (no more white and yellow stains on my clothing based on their anti-yellow, anti-white mark technology)Dove Men+Care Elements Deodorant Stick with Minerals + Sage, and Dove Men+Care Sensitive Face Cream.
Trust me, if, in a jam, a quick wash of the face and neck, and application of face cream and a deodorant spray and you're good to go. Smelling awesome and feeling confident in your own skin!
3) Selfish acts of self-care make you a better person
There are a few non-negotiable moments in my life. One, in particular, is my commitment to daily exercise as a way to improve my mental, physical and spiritual fitness. Health isn't just about the body, as anyone who has a regimented routine of moving their body with purpose regularly. Fitness allows me to manage and eliminate stress from my life.
Self-care is like saying ‘I love you’ to yourself. Make it a daily practice. #MindBodySpirit
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Can you remember the last time you had a great workout at the gym, hike in the woods, or run around your neighborhood? How well did you feel afterward? I know you felt awesome. There's something to be said about moving the body with purpose. Study after study has shown that not only is daily exercise a fantastic way to reduce stress, it also increases dopamine in the brain. This is the feel-good neurotransmitter which many of us strive to increase through artificial means. But just moving the body with purpose is the best – and cheapest – way to get a dopamine hit each day!
I encourage moms, dads, business owners and everyone in-between that daily exercise has to be something that takes priority on your schedule above all else. There's no negotiating or compromising this! If your health suffers, you know you won't be able to give your best to those that you love, those that you work with, those that you lead… and especially to yourself. All it takes is one illness or disease to sneak up and throw your health for a loop, and you'll realize how valuable your health truly is. Don't be a martyr, TAKE control of your schedule and MAKE time for your health. Your family will thank you for it, and most importantly, your body will thank you for it too.
In summary
Manscaping isn't a negative. Wanting to take care of oneself is perfectly natural and an important part of self-love. Being the best version of ourselves is also dependent on being confident both inside and outside of our own skin.
What daily rituals or practices do you commit to doing to keep yourself feeling (and smelling) your best?
The Definition of Manscaping: “the removal or trimming of hair on a man’s body for cosmetic effect”
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This post is sponsored by Unilever. The opinions and views are wholly my own…
And to be absolutely clear, this is my disclaimer: “Just so you know, I have been compensated to share my ideas on this topic. Sometimes it is in the form of products, or services or even money… But here’s the thing; I won’t share anything with you that I don’t fully support. It doesn't matter what it is, or how much they are willing to give me if I don’t believe in it, It won’t be on my site. Seriously. You’ll just have to trust me on this.”~ Coach Moose
from Dai Manuel: Your Lifestyle Mentor http://ift.tt/2xbj2rQ
Thinking back to ten years ago when Alex and I first started cooking, the food landscape in America was almost unrecognizable. We had never heard of quinoa. No one we knew ate kale. Energy bars hadn’t been invented yet. Heck, there wasn’t even Pinterest or Instagram. In 2010, we decided to start a website to record some of the vegetarian “real food” recipes we were making at home. At the time, not many people we knew were into cooking or real food. But gradually these ideas started to catch on.
Around that time I made my first raw brownies in our tiny galley kitchen, using a recipe adapted from the blog My New Roots. It was an “ah ha” moment for me, realizing how delicious the simple combination of Mejdool dates and nuts could be. (No sugar? No flour? This is incredible!) This began a long love affair with all things energy bars and bites. They’ve caught on like wildfire; you’ll see recipes all over the internet these days. And of course, a few companies have come along and become household names using the simple equation of blending dates and nuts into a tasty treat.
When we started A Couple Cooks, never did I think it would still be around in seven years. We started it with the raw passion of spreading the love of real food and the joy of home cooking. Most of my first posts were enthusiastically praising the flavor of foods I’d just discovered: kale, sweet potatoes, Brussels sprouts, quinoa, energy bars. Never did I dream that in a handful of years, these foods would start to part of the American consciousness. It’s been incredible watching people all over the country come to love the flavors of real food too.
It was this passion that led us to writing a cookbook to continue to sharing accessible, creative real food recipes in a physical, tangible way. The past few weeks, Alex and I received and have been editing the first pass pages of the book (our recipes and photos that have been set into the graphic design by our publisher). It feels incredible to have the pages in hand, something altogether different from the digital recipes we publish online every week. Though we love every recipe we share in this space, having a collection of 100 recipes bound together on paper is something incredibly special. I’m not sure about you, but now that digital is king, print books seem like an incredible novelty to me. (They actually print things on paper and sell them in stores?!)
We can’t wait to share our final cookbook with you in just 5 months in February of next year! In the meantime, here’s a simple recipe for pumpkin spice energy bars. They’re made with a few pantry spices to create a pumpkin spice blend, toasted in a dry skillet to bring out the flavor. Like many energy bars, the recipe uses Medjool dates, a large variety with a caramel flavor that’s becoming common in grocery stores. The dates and pumpkin spice blend are simply mixed in a food processor with cashews and almonds, resulting in a sweet, spiced dough. Spread the dough on a sheet pan, freeze for a few minutes to set, and then cut it into bars. The pumpkin spice flavor is perfect for the changing seasons, and it hits all the diet categories: vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free.
Looking for healthy snacks?
We reach for healthy snacks on the regular. A few of our other top healthy snacks:
If you make these pumpkin spice cashew energy bars, we’d love to hear how they turned out. Leave a comment below or share a picture on Instagram and mention @acouplecooks.
This recipe is…
Vegetarian, gluten-free, vegan, plant-based, and dairy-free.
Look for Medjool dates, a large variety with a caramelly flavor. Medjool dates are becoming available in most mainstream grocery stores.
by: a Couple Cooks
Serves: 12
What You Need
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 cups Medjool dates (about 20)
¾ cup cashews
½ cup almonds
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 pinch kosher salt
What To Do
In a small, dry skillet, heat the cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and nutmeg over low heat for about 2 minutes until fragrant, then remove from the heat.
Remove the pits from the dates. In the bowl of a food processor, add the spices, dates, cashews, almonds, vanilla, kosher salt, and ½ tablespoon of water. Process until combined and a sticky dough forms, with large chunks of nuts.
Spread the dough into an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Then use a glass to roll over the top to a uniform thickness, about ½ inch thick. Freeze for 15 minutes until set, then cut into rectangles.
This post is sponsored by Unilever. The opinions and views are wholly my own…
