BIG NEWS!!! Our Kickstarter Project is LIVE! PLEASE SUPPORT!

June 21, 2017 by Kristen Suzanne

I’m beyond excited (and a bit crazed on caffeine, chocolate, and adrenaline) to announce that our big Kickstarter project is LIVE and ready to take pledges!

WHAT is our STEAMTeam5 Kickstarter project? And, WHAT is a Kickstarter?

We’re publishing an empowering children’s book designed to excited kids (especially girls) for careers in the STEM / STEAM fields. (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math). The book features five characters — Sandia Scientist, Treeka Technologist, Evelyn Engineer, Ariana Artist, and Mattie Mathematician — who use science, technology, engineering, art, and math to do super-fun, amazing things. This is the first volume in a series of five books that tells the story of how these curious, adventurous girls change the world.

But, this is more than just a book. It’s the beginning of an important movement to attract girls to careers in STEM/STEAM.

This story is so good. Your kids will LOVE it.

Click HERE to learn more and pledge your support

for a first edition copy of “STEAMTeam 5: The Beginning” …

And, please please please share this Kickstarter project with your friends and family.

Thank you so much!!!!

What is Kickstarter?

Kickstarter is an awesome platform to help us bring our project to life! Kickstarter is a site where creators (people like us) create a project to share with others. Projects must have a clear goal. For example, the goal for our project is to finish the illustration and print the first run of the STEAMTeam 5 book.

All Kickstarter projects have a funding goal, which is the amount of money that the creator(s) need in order to complete their project. Backers are the (very awesome) people who pledge money to help creators bring their projects to life. The backer’s reward is based on the amount they pledge.

Funding on Kickstarter is all-or-nothing. This means that no one is charged for a pledge towards a project unless the project reaches its funding goal. This ensures that creators always have the budget they need before moving forward with their project.

Thanks in advance for joining our mission!

Finally – Artichoke in the Instant Pot

June 20, 2017 by Kristen Suzanne

I’ve been wanting to try making an artichoke in the Instant Pot ever since I first got my Instant Pot (my bestie in the kitchen).

Two reasons:

Artichokes are reputed as crazy nutritious, according to one of my favorite books, Eating on the Wild Side. A nutritious edible flower bud. However, in my attempts to find organic, I kept coming up empty-handed – until now.
The instant pot promised, as usual, speed and ease of making artichokes.

While visiting a farmers’ market in California recently, I found organic artichokes. And… they were good ones.

Eating on the Wild Side says:

Buy your artichokes as fresh as possible (keeping in mind that apparently jarred artichokes are still nutritious)
Make sure they’re firm when squeezed
Rub two artichokes and they should squeak
Store them in the fridge drawer
Eat your fresh ‘chokes right away

I brought my Instant Pot with me to California, because who doesn’t travel with their Instant Pot?

Here’s what I did:

Put one cup of water in the Instant Pot along with the trivet.

Slice off a bit of the top of the artichoke as well as cutting off the stem.

Set the artichoke upright on the trivet in the Instant Pot.

Set the Instant Pot to HIGH pressure for up to 20 minutes. Quick Release. I know it’s hard not knowing the exact time, but it depends on the size of the artichoke. I started mine with 8 minutes and ended up with a total cooking time under pressure of maybe 13 to 15? I can’t remember exactly. It’ll take some experimenting, but rest assured that it’ll be easier than using any other cooking method to make them.

Ting Made Me A Better Mom

June 17, 2017 by Kristen Suzanne

Paying attention to my daughter, thanks to Ting.

Ting gave me my life back and made me a better mom.

Ting also made me a better driver.

What is Ting? It’s our new cell phone service.

In an effort to not throw anymore money out the window, I researched Ting as a cell phone service. I’d heard it was cheaper… Something about paying as you go.

After looking into it, it was intriguing and attractive to only pay for the service I was using. When I thought about it, I wasn’t using my cell phone in a smart way anyway…

Checking it at stop lights. Using it for stupid things while out and about – always connected, always hopping from one app to the next, from one site to the next.

Why? Well, because I could.

I paid for a plan with AT&T where I had so much data and unlimited texts, etc, that I might as well use it. Doesn’t everybody?

Not anymore, now that there’s Ting.

Distraction has a mighty cost.

I wish I could say that I was a bigger person. I wish I could tell myself “no” and have better control with my cell phone. I tried. I really did, but the attempts never stuck. A connected cell phone was addictive. So damn hard to put it down. I had a bad habit. My life felt overly fragmented. Exhaustive, really.

But, I’m on a mission to be financially independent / retired early / have a stash of “f-you” money, and that means taking a hard look at all of my expenses.

Inspired to save money on my cell phone bill, I imagined a life where…

I only used data if I really needed it, which is rare if I’m honest with myself. I don’t need to constantly check yelp, twitter, Facebook, or anything.
I could use wi-fi for most things cell phone related, which wouldn’t cost me anything from my cell service.
I could text less.
I could use my cell phone less.
I could text other iPhone users for free over wi-fi.
I used my phone mostly at home with wi-fi.
If I’m out running errands, I can hop into any cafe with wi-fi if I really need to.
And, if desperate, I can just use the data with Ting, paying as I go. Again, that rarely happens.

Those are all reasonable.

Then… why pay so much for a cell plan? I even tried to reduce the AT&T bill, but their “minimum” was still overpriced for my needs.

Hello, Ting!

I was drawn to Ting for the cost savings, but immediately realized many more important benefits.

I became more mindful. I became more present for myself and my family. I started driving better. And, that brings me to my post today. Ting made me a better mom. When I stopped looking at my phone so much, because I couldn’t use it (by choice) without paying for the data, I started seeing my daughter more.

We went to the beach in May, and instead of constantly using and checking my phone, I simply sat on the beach and watched my daughter. I took it all in. I absorbed the moment. It was powerful. I’ll never forget that.

Now those “moments” are regular occurrences and my life is much richer (literally and figuratively).

BTW: Our cell phone bill (for both my husband and myself) went from $140 a month to less than $25. Yeah. For real. Obviously, we’re extremely mindful of our usage in order to accomplish this, but the benefit goes way beyond the money savings. Here’s a TING affiliate link. I’m a proud person using Ting and encourage you to check it out. We both get a deal if you sign up using it. You get an initial savings of $25 off your first bill as a service credit or $25 off a new device.

Blender Banana Bread (Gluten-Free Recipe)

June 16, 2017 by Kristen Suzanne

Yeah, I’m blending my banana bread ingredients.

If I can do everything in one appliance, then I’m game. In fact, I often try to do just that – kind of a challenge to myself.

Enter: Blender Banana Bread

I blend it all and bake it.

Wait… I guess that’s two appliances (blender and toaster oven – f*#k – I thought I was on to something here). Oh well, you get the drift. Minimal use of appliances, bowls, etc.

And, it’s easy.

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons coconut oil or grass-fed ghee, melted*
3 ripe bananas, peeled
2 cups rolled oats
2 eggs
6 tablespoons honey, maple syrup, or sweetener of choice
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Optional ingredients:

1 to 2 teaspoons ground turmeric
2 to 3 grinds fresh black pepper (helps body assimilate turmeric better)
1 to 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
cocoa powder
chopped nuts (for stirring in post blending)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. (I love my toaster oven.)
Lightly grease your banana bread loaf-pan (I use coconut oil).
Add all of the ingredients to the blender. Blend. Pour batter into loaf pan.
Bake 35 to 45 minutes – give or take 5 minutes. You know the drill, stick a knife in. Does it come out clean? Done. Not clean? Not done.
Let the luscious loaf cool in the loaf pan. Eat. Eat. Eat.

* Technically, this could require yet another appliance if it’s not already soft and liquid-y. But if you’re in my hot home right now, saving money by not blasting the a/c, then it’s totally melted for you and waiting to use.

PS. Notice anything new? I’m sure you did. My blog has a facelift. It’s about time. It’s now mobile-friendly, too. In truth, it’s not completed yet as I have some very minor changes to make, like adding photos to the header and changing out some of the affiliate ads.

Simple Baked Granola Recipe

June 15, 2017 by Kristen Suzanne

I make this simple baked granola recipe almost weekly.

I love saving money by making my own recipes like this, and I prefer using healthier ingredients than I find in most granola on the shelves of stores (specifically the oil and sweeteners).

Ingredients:

2 cups oats
4 tablespoons grass-fed ghee or coconut oil (melted/liquid)
3 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup dried, unsweetened, shredded coconut
big handful raisins (or more)
big handful hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, or chopped nuts (or more)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F.

2. Combine the oats, oil, sweetener, and salt, making sure the oats are coated.

3. Place the mixture onto a baking sheet and spread evenly.

4. Bake for 30 minutes. Take it out if the oven and let it cool.

5. Add the coconut, raisins, and seeds. Store in an airtight container.

Young Girls Lack STEM Role Models in Books So These Parents Created Their Own

April 26, 2017 by Kristen Suzanne

STEAMTeam5: The Beginning – A children’s book to get girls excited about STEAM: Science, Technology, Engineering, Art & Math.

Announcement from SteamTeam 5
April 26, 2017

Young girls lack role models in children’s books and toys that depict girls being interested in and focused on careers in science, technology, engineering, arts, and math, so these parents created “STEAMTEAM 5: The Beginning,” a children’s book that’s about to hit Kickstarter.

Monsoon Publishing announces the June 21st, 2017 launch date of their Kickstarter campaign to publish STEAMTEAM 5: The Beginning, a children’s book aimed at empowering young girls for careers in STEM/STEAM.

The book features five characters — Sandia Scientist, Treeka Technologist, Evelyn Engineer, Ariana Artist, and Mattie Mathematician — who use science, technology, engineering, art, and math to do amazing things.

The book’s authors, Greg Helmstetter and Pamela Metivier, embarked on the project for personal reasons.

“When my daughter was born,” said Helmstetter, “like all parents, I wondered what the world would be like when she grows up. Would she get the education she needs to be competitive in that world?” When Helmstetter noticed a lack of books and toys oriented to girls in STEM, he started making up his own stories to teach his daughter during directed playtime.

“When other parents heard about these stories I was telling my daughter,” said Helmstetter, “they asked for copies to read to their own kids. That’s when I asked Pam Metivier to join with me to help write and publish the stories to make them available for everyone.”

Co-author Pam Metivier had her own personal reasons for publishing the book. “When Greg asked me to help him write and publish his amazing stories, I couldn’t wait to get involved,” said Metivier. “As a female co-founder of two Silicon Valley tech startups, I was well aware of the shortage of women in these fields. There are many structural reasons for the gender asymmetry, but one of the obvious solutions would seem to be hooking girls’ interest while they’re still very young, and providing role models intended specifically for them. And not just girls — we want boys to see girls in these roles, too.”

Initially, the writing duo set out to publish a series of short storybooks about each of the characters. But they soon realized that crowdfunding a larger, single volume through Kickstarter made more sense. STEAMTEAM 5: The Beginning is expected to be over 150 pages long and full of color illustrations. The first half of the book tells each character’s backstory. The second half shows how the girls came together to form STEAMTEAM 5 and sets the stage for future, large-scale, epic adventures.

“This book’s basic concept is a perfect fit for crowdfunding,” said Metivier, an online marketing expert. “We naturally expected some support from parents, educators, and girls-in-STEM advocates, but the response has far exceeded our expectations. With that kind of energy, Kickstarter is the perfect vehicle to help us launch not only a more ambitious first title, but a whole new character universe.”

Kickstarter is JUNE 21, 2017! Stay updated at STEAMTeam5.com

STEAMTEAM5 website

STEAMTEAM5 on Twitter

STEAMTEAM5 on Facebook

About SteamTeam 5

STEAMTeam5 is a book series about a team of five girls who use Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math to do amazing things!

Press Contact:

Pamela Metivier

pam@steamteam5.com

(480) 319-0623

Interview Availability

Authors Pamela Metivier and Greg Helmstetter are available for interviews. Please contact Pamela Metivier to schedule.

Kristen Suzanne's

BIG NEWS!!! Our Kickstarter Project is LIVE! PLEASE SUPPORT!

Click HERE to learn more and pledge your support

for a first edition copy of “STEAMTeam 5: The Beginning” …