Saturday, May 19, 2012
Lactation Boosting Cookies
Big thanks to Bellies N Babies Doula Services for the recipe!
Ingredients
1 c butter
1 c sugar
1 c brown sugar
4 tbsp water
2 tbsp flaxseed meal
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 c flour (I use whole wheat)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
3 c oats (thick cut)
1 c chocolate chips (or rasins)
2 tbsp Brewer's yeast (be generous)
Directions
Preheat oven to 375. Mix together flaxseed meal and water and set aside for 3-5 minutes. Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time. Stir flaxseed mixture and add with vanilla to butter mixture.
Beat until blended. Sift dry ingredients together, except oats and chips. Add to butter mixture. Stir in oats then chips. Scoop onto a baking sheet and bake 8-12 minutes.
6 dozen
Sunday, May 13, 2012
Becoming Green
Courtesy of "The Green Goose"
When those surrounding me realize how literally hippie I am, they tend to balk.
Majority of them are past the whole "too cool to be green" thing that was going on for a while, but no one is immune to the sticker shock! Today's major corporations are banking big on the fact that we genuinely WANT to be more conscious about how we treat the earth. The "green" products are generally priced a noticeable amount higher than the other cleaning products, and sadly, it causes many people to shy away from them.
I was a bit more stubborn than most. Growing up, I was always told I could argue with a fence post and win... and I fully intended to use that to my advantage. We definitely couldn't go completely green with the price of the products available, so we just had to find a solution. As I began researching this online, I learned quite a few interesting things. One that really made me angry, and definitely motivated me... most of these "green" products were really only normal cleaning products, with a few drops of essential oils in them, and a fancy new label... now I was really motivated! I started in the kitchen, and worked my way through the whole house.
Cleaning Products:
My absolute favorite cleaning products is Vinegar. Hands Down. I use it for EVERYTHING!
I simply reuse a spray bottle, and put 1 part vinegar to 3 parts water. Safe for any and everything! Windows, Glass, Counter tops, Showers, Baths, Floors, anything you can think of :)
If I want a little more sanitizing action, then a few drops of Tea
Tree Oil in the mixture does the trick. The best part? Vinegar costs
$2 a gallon.
When I need a little extra scrubbing power, I take a little salt, or baking soda, or both, and sprinkle them over the tough spot. Scrub a little, and voila! These 2 ingredients are probably already in your kitchen, and part of your household larder, cant get better than that!
Okay, so I know your probably a little skeptical about these, right? Surely they cant cut it all! What about soap scum? Easy peasy! I scrub my shower with lemon. Just take a lemon, cut it in half, and have at it! works like a charm!
What about paper towels? They were one of the first things we cut out. I went to the local dollar store(family dollar had the best deals for us) and bought giant packs of wash rags. I paid something like $5 for 25 cloths. $10 dollars later, our paper towel problems were solved. Make sure you buy enough that you don't have to wash on a schedule to avoid running out. My drawer was always full, and often overflowing, so I never missed not having paper towels. I kept a small laundry basket, and later a hanging wet bag in the kitchen and just tossed the dirties in there, and into the wash.
At the sink is where it gets tricky.
I have yet to try making my own dish soap, but this blog: http://frugallygreen.blogspot.com/2008/06/how-to-make-your-own-dishwasher.html has me inspired!
Normally for dish soap I go to our nearest health food store, and get super concentrated dishwasher soap out of the bulk bins. its $3 or so dollars a lb, and you mix 1 part of it, to 2 parts water. I usually do 1 part mix, 1 part vinegar, 1 part water. This goes in the dishwasher as well.
For the spot free rinse for the dishwasher, I simply use vinegar. I'm telling ya, this stuff is good for EVERYTHING.
In the laundry room we use soap nuts for our laundry detergent. Soapnuts are dried nuts that contain natural sopanins. They are great for sensitive skin, cloth diaper safe, and clean just about anything:) They generally sell for around $15 for 150 loads.. which isn't bad! But they tend to last me much longer, more like 200- 215. On top of being amazing for laundry, You can boil a few with water and have all purpose cleaner. When we run out, I will be trying this recipe: http://moneysavingmom.com/2011/05/2011-do-it-yourself-experiment-4-homemade-powdered-laundry-soap.html Combined with a few coupons, its a super cheap option! Remember, washing on cold saves you money on your electricity bill, and helps keep the earth a little greener!
As for laundry softener.... get ready for it.. Vinegar! Seriously.. it works amazing! I know a few of you might be thinking vinegar stinks, but no worries, once it dries, the smell is gone. Needless to say, we use a lot of vinegar! and love it!
How about other things around the house? We have been eliminating them one by one, and its truly an adventure!
Household Items:
Believe it or not... Cooking supplies are big on my list of pet peeves. We all know non stick isn't a long term option. It seems that no matter how expensive a set you buy, they don't last long enough. Which means they go right out to the dump. Its a waste all the way. All that energy, all those resources to make them, all that plastic to package them, and then how long do they last? And if we are speaking the truth here.. they really are bad for you. The non stick coating leaches into your food, and flakes off as they get old. My family made the switch to Cast Iron and Stainless Steel. We hunted garage sales, thrift stores, and waited for them to go on sale. If properly cared for, they last forever. Literally, you can pass them on to your kids.
The same goes for Utensils! go metal! By switching to these, you are saving money in the long run. One investment, a lifetime of use.
ZipLoc bags, and Saran Wrap. Yeah, I know they are brand names, but its what we all call them(: We just recently phased these out at our house. The replacements are definitely an investment. But, they save so much money, and the earth!
As for baggies, try etsy: http://www.etsy.com/search/handmade?ref=auto&q=reusable+sandwich+bag If you can sew, try making your own! remember though, PUL is not food safe, so stick to rip stop nylon, and keep the shiny side away from your foods. http://lizzylanefarm.wordpress.com/2009/05/27/cloth-snack-bags/
Plastic wrap is bad for the earth, bad for your wallet, and bad for you. We replaced ours with rip stop nylon lined covers. I love em, and they work so well! http://www.etsy.com/search/handmade?search_submit&q=+bowl+cover
Now, I know this isn't for everyone, but give it a shot: Family Cloth
We switched to family cloth a while ago. Don't get me wrong, we still use toilet paper, and most certainly have it available for our guests... but we dig family cloth! Old t-shirts make great cloths, they don't fray, and are easy to cut. We keep a basket above the toilet full of cloth, and a trashcan with a lid next to it. every 2-3 days we toss it into the wash on sanitize, and they come out clean as new. Don't knock it before you try it.
Cloth Diapers are definitely the way to go for babes needs! They seriously rock! I wont spent much time here, because Christy has a post on it if you scroll down a tad(: She is absolutely right! Better for babies, better for earth, and much better for our wallets! Want a few more statistics to convince you? read here: http://thedirtyhippie.blogspot.com/2011/04/sposies-vs-cloth-diapers.html
Mama Cloth is also something to consider.
I buy mine from www.randumosity.com, but I have made a few too. Trust me ladies, you WILL save money here if you properly care for your pads. And your cramps, wallet, and the earth will thank you! Its simple, just wash every other day, and reuse. www.keepercup.com is another great option. I will spare you the details, at the sake of embarrassing anyone, but please read up on them!
And mama's.... Please use your Clothes Lines.
They save electricity, which saves your budget, and the earth! On top of that, no scented laundry soap can ever top the smell of a fresh clean breeze. Sunshine also is AMAZING at getting stains out, no elbow grease required! And if you use cloth diapers, you already know its your best friend! If you must use your dryer, use dryer balls. Wool ones tend to work best, and a handful of them can cut your drying time in half.
I'm going to end this novel now, before I find myself on a epic dialog about chickens, cars, and clothing, but I hope you found some hinters on how to make your life greener, and more affordable. Don't ever forget that corny old saying your mother probably told you growing up. Where there is a will, there is a way. You don't have to be made of money to be kind to the earth. And in fact, being green is usually the cheaper option! Have fun finding new ways, and don't let the big corporations scare you away(:
-the dirty hippie
Love what you see?? Go check out more of The Green Goose on Facebook, her blog at www.thedirtyhippie.blogspot.com, and her own handmade items in her Etsy store http://www.etsy.com/shop/adbayer
Many of the things The Dirty Hippie (or The Green Goose) talks about here are things our family has tried! Cloth Diapering, mama cloth, reusable bags, vinegar for laundry (and cloth diapers) and dryer balls and I have to say I am soooo glad we switched! I have to add that as far as mama cloth goes, I thought I would be completely grossed out, but just read up on it! You will find that moms that use it experience less menstruation related symptoms and shorter cycles!
The Green Goose has many of her handmade items available for you to purchase! Head over to her Etsy store and browse the wonderful items she has at a great price!! We have used her dryer balls and reusable snack bags and LOVE them !! She also made some woolie's for our little Collie Pollie, but by the time they reached our house he had already grown out of them!!!!! While you are browsing think of celebrations coming up; green items make a wonderful gift for those you love!
When those surrounding me realize how literally hippie I am, they tend to balk.
Majority of them are past the whole "too cool to be green" thing that was going on for a while, but no one is immune to the sticker shock! Today's major corporations are banking big on the fact that we genuinely WANT to be more conscious about how we treat the earth. The "green" products are generally priced a noticeable amount higher than the other cleaning products, and sadly, it causes many people to shy away from them.
I was a bit more stubborn than most. Growing up, I was always told I could argue with a fence post and win... and I fully intended to use that to my advantage. We definitely couldn't go completely green with the price of the products available, so we just had to find a solution. As I began researching this online, I learned quite a few interesting things. One that really made me angry, and definitely motivated me... most of these "green" products were really only normal cleaning products, with a few drops of essential oils in them, and a fancy new label... now I was really motivated! I started in the kitchen, and worked my way through the whole house.
Cleaning Products:
My absolute favorite cleaning products is Vinegar. Hands Down. I use it for EVERYTHING!
I simply reuse a spray bottle, and put 1 part vinegar to 3 parts water. Safe for any and everything! Windows, Glass, Counter tops, Showers, Baths, Floors, anything you can think of :)
If I want a little more sanitizing action, then a few drops of Tea
Tree Oil in the mixture does the trick. The best part? Vinegar costs
$2 a gallon. When I need a little extra scrubbing power, I take a little salt, or baking soda, or both, and sprinkle them over the tough spot. Scrub a little, and voila! These 2 ingredients are probably already in your kitchen, and part of your household larder, cant get better than that!
Okay, so I know your probably a little skeptical about these, right? Surely they cant cut it all! What about soap scum? Easy peasy! I scrub my shower with lemon. Just take a lemon, cut it in half, and have at it! works like a charm!
What about paper towels? They were one of the first things we cut out. I went to the local dollar store(family dollar had the best deals for us) and bought giant packs of wash rags. I paid something like $5 for 25 cloths. $10 dollars later, our paper towel problems were solved. Make sure you buy enough that you don't have to wash on a schedule to avoid running out. My drawer was always full, and often overflowing, so I never missed not having paper towels. I kept a small laundry basket, and later a hanging wet bag in the kitchen and just tossed the dirties in there, and into the wash.
At the sink is where it gets tricky.
I have yet to try making my own dish soap, but this blog: http://frugallygreen.blogspot.com/2008/06/how-to-make-your-own-dishwasher.html has me inspired!
Normally for dish soap I go to our nearest health food store, and get super concentrated dishwasher soap out of the bulk bins. its $3 or so dollars a lb, and you mix 1 part of it, to 2 parts water. I usually do 1 part mix, 1 part vinegar, 1 part water. This goes in the dishwasher as well.
For the spot free rinse for the dishwasher, I simply use vinegar. I'm telling ya, this stuff is good for EVERYTHING.
In the laundry room we use soap nuts for our laundry detergent. Soapnuts are dried nuts that contain natural sopanins. They are great for sensitive skin, cloth diaper safe, and clean just about anything:) They generally sell for around $15 for 150 loads.. which isn't bad! But they tend to last me much longer, more like 200- 215. On top of being amazing for laundry, You can boil a few with water and have all purpose cleaner. When we run out, I will be trying this recipe: http://moneysavingmom.com/2011/05/2011-do-it-yourself-experiment-4-homemade-powdered-laundry-soap.html Combined with a few coupons, its a super cheap option! Remember, washing on cold saves you money on your electricity bill, and helps keep the earth a little greener!
As for laundry softener.... get ready for it.. Vinegar! Seriously.. it works amazing! I know a few of you might be thinking vinegar stinks, but no worries, once it dries, the smell is gone. Needless to say, we use a lot of vinegar! and love it!
How about other things around the house? We have been eliminating them one by one, and its truly an adventure!
Household Items:
Believe it or not... Cooking supplies are big on my list of pet peeves. We all know non stick isn't a long term option. It seems that no matter how expensive a set you buy, they don't last long enough. Which means they go right out to the dump. Its a waste all the way. All that energy, all those resources to make them, all that plastic to package them, and then how long do they last? And if we are speaking the truth here.. they really are bad for you. The non stick coating leaches into your food, and flakes off as they get old. My family made the switch to Cast Iron and Stainless Steel. We hunted garage sales, thrift stores, and waited for them to go on sale. If properly cared for, they last forever. Literally, you can pass them on to your kids.
The same goes for Utensils! go metal! By switching to these, you are saving money in the long run. One investment, a lifetime of use.
ZipLoc bags, and Saran Wrap. Yeah, I know they are brand names, but its what we all call them(: We just recently phased these out at our house. The replacements are definitely an investment. But, they save so much money, and the earth!
As for baggies, try etsy: http://www.etsy.com/search/handmade?ref=auto&q=reusable+sandwich+bag If you can sew, try making your own! remember though, PUL is not food safe, so stick to rip stop nylon, and keep the shiny side away from your foods. http://lizzylanefarm.wordpress.com/2009/05/27/cloth-snack-bags/
Plastic wrap is bad for the earth, bad for your wallet, and bad for you. We replaced ours with rip stop nylon lined covers. I love em, and they work so well! http://www.etsy.com/search/handmade?search_submit&q=+bowl+cover
Now, I know this isn't for everyone, but give it a shot: Family Cloth
We switched to family cloth a while ago. Don't get me wrong, we still use toilet paper, and most certainly have it available for our guests... but we dig family cloth! Old t-shirts make great cloths, they don't fray, and are easy to cut. We keep a basket above the toilet full of cloth, and a trashcan with a lid next to it. every 2-3 days we toss it into the wash on sanitize, and they come out clean as new. Don't knock it before you try it.
Cloth Diapers are definitely the way to go for babes needs! They seriously rock! I wont spent much time here, because Christy has a post on it if you scroll down a tad(: She is absolutely right! Better for babies, better for earth, and much better for our wallets! Want a few more statistics to convince you? read here: http://thedirtyhippie.blogspot.com/2011/04/sposies-vs-cloth-diapers.html
Mama Cloth is also something to consider.
I buy mine from www.randumosity.com, but I have made a few too. Trust me ladies, you WILL save money here if you properly care for your pads. And your cramps, wallet, and the earth will thank you! Its simple, just wash every other day, and reuse. www.keepercup.com is another great option. I will spare you the details, at the sake of embarrassing anyone, but please read up on them!
And mama's.... Please use your Clothes Lines.
They save electricity, which saves your budget, and the earth! On top of that, no scented laundry soap can ever top the smell of a fresh clean breeze. Sunshine also is AMAZING at getting stains out, no elbow grease required! And if you use cloth diapers, you already know its your best friend! If you must use your dryer, use dryer balls. Wool ones tend to work best, and a handful of them can cut your drying time in half.
I'm going to end this novel now, before I find myself on a epic dialog about chickens, cars, and clothing, but I hope you found some hinters on how to make your life greener, and more affordable. Don't ever forget that corny old saying your mother probably told you growing up. Where there is a will, there is a way. You don't have to be made of money to be kind to the earth. And in fact, being green is usually the cheaper option! Have fun finding new ways, and don't let the big corporations scare you away(:
-the dirty hippie
Love what you see?? Go check out more of The Green Goose on Facebook, her blog at www.thedirtyhippie.blogspot.com, and her own handmade items in her Etsy store http://www.etsy.com/shop/adbayer
Many of the things The Dirty Hippie (or The Green Goose) talks about here are things our family has tried! Cloth Diapering, mama cloth, reusable bags, vinegar for laundry (and cloth diapers) and dryer balls and I have to say I am soooo glad we switched! I have to add that as far as mama cloth goes, I thought I would be completely grossed out, but just read up on it! You will find that moms that use it experience less menstruation related symptoms and shorter cycles!
The Green Goose has many of her handmade items available for you to purchase! Head over to her Etsy store and browse the wonderful items she has at a great price!! We have used her dryer balls and reusable snack bags and LOVE them !! She also made some woolie's for our little Collie Pollie, but by the time they reached our house he had already grown out of them!!!!! While you are browsing think of celebrations coming up; green items make a wonderful gift for those you love!
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