In our home, we've lately been getting rid of all processed foods, including white flour and sugar. We're baking everything ourselves these days and slowly adding new healthy alternatives each week. I had a favorite pancake recipe that called for white flour and sugar, plus milk and butter (we're also cutting out all dairy, with the exception of small amounts of goat and sheep cheese), which I could not make anymore. So instead, I came up with this! It is very light and fluffy and yummy, we really enjoyed it.
Whole Grain Pancakes
1.5 cups of whole-grain, finely ground flour (wheat or spelt)
1 tsp. sea or kosher salt
1 tbsp. baking powder
1.25 cups almond milk
1 tbsp. raw honey
1 egg (or 1 tbsp. ground flax seed and 3 tbsp. water)
3 tbsp. extra-virgin unrefined coconut oil
1 tsp. vanilla
Directions: Mix dry ingredients together; set aside. Heat almond milk until warm, around 100 degrees. Add to the milk honey, coconut oil, and vanilla. Beat egg (if using) in another bowl (otherwise add water and ground flax to milk mixture). Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the wet, stirring until just combined. If desired, add 1 cup fresh blueberries or other fruit. Heat pan until warm on medium heat. Spray with olive oil cooking spray or melt a bit of coconut oil in the pan. Cook pancakes until golden brown on each side. Serve warm, plain or with a bit of raw honey or real maple syrup.
A few notes on ingredients -- I used whole wheat flour this time, but spelt is healthier and I've had good success with it in other recipes. I would use it in the future if I had it. If the pancakes aren't sweet enough, feel free to add more raw honey (or agave nectar, which is actually what I used this time). I did mine with egg but I think the flax seed would be even better and definitely healthier (but my daughter needs the protein). Nutiva makes a nice coconut oil; we've enjoyed using it in baking lately, and you can sub it for butter anywhere, even on bread (though I think we're going to go with unsweetened preserves for that purpose...which, by the way, you could also spread on your pancakes for a sweet treat).
With this, we served Bekah's favorite smoothie:
1 cup orange juice (or pineapple, or a combination of both)
1/2 cup almond milk
1/2 banana
3 - 4 frozen peach slices
3 - 4 strawberries
Blend all until smooth. It makes 12 oz. or so. I sometimes add 1 tbsp. of flax oil, and if I have any powdered probiotics, I add those too. It's very versatile, sometimes we leave out the strawberries and sometimes we add some blueberries. We didn't need blueberries today because they were in the pancakes.
Enjoy your breakfast!
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Diaper Pattern!
My diaper pattern is done, and available to try! If you are interested in trying it, you can join the yahoo group I run, Learn to Sew Cloth Diapers. Available now are x-small, small, medium, and medium-long.
I am very excited about this! Feedback so far has been positive and I am planning to sell this someday, once it has been tested thoroughly.
Now, back to sewing. I have many diapers to make myself, as I found out a few weeks ago I am expecting another baby. :) Baby #2 is due 7-26-09. I am sewing 24 x-small pockets (plus 1 doz. NB prefolds), 3 small pockets (I already have 21 from Bekah), and 18 medium pockets (I have 6 med. pockets and 18 med. fitted pockets, and DH does NOT like having to use a cover).
Anyway -- sewing for real this time!
I am very excited about this! Feedback so far has been positive and I am planning to sell this someday, once it has been tested thoroughly.
Now, back to sewing. I have many diapers to make myself, as I found out a few weeks ago I am expecting another baby. :) Baby #2 is due 7-26-09. I am sewing 24 x-small pockets (plus 1 doz. NB prefolds), 3 small pockets (I already have 21 from Bekah), and 18 medium pockets (I have 6 med. pockets and 18 med. fitted pockets, and DH does NOT like having to use a cover).
Anyway -- sewing for real this time!
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Cheap Home Cleaner and Deodorizer
For those of you who are trying to cut costs and go green, I have a simple recipe for you that will smell great and work wonders in your home. Here it is:
*1 small box baking soda
*6 - 8 drops essential oil(s)
You can combine scents of essential oils, using a total of 6 - 8 drops. I used rose and lavender. Stir it up, making sure to mash the little bits where you dropped the oils, to get it all through the baking soda. If you don't think the scent is strong enough, you can add a couple more drops. I did the first time and it was a little too strong.
I store this inside an "all purpose shaker" I've had in my kitchen for years and never used. Any kind of shaker can is a good place. Failing that, store it in a plastic container with a lid.
What are the uses for this? Lots!
*Sprinkle on metal bathroom fixtures and rub to shine it and make it smell nice at the same time
*Sprinkle in the wetbag to contain cloth diaper odors
*Place in a decorative container with holes to use as deodorizer and "potpourri" for a bathroom
*Use in the diaper laundry to help diapers get cleaner and smell nice
Pretty much anywhere you'd use baking soda, you could use this! If you vary the EOs, you could do even more with it. Put a few drops of lemon EO in it and use it to deodorize the fridge. Use some eucalyptus and put it in a sick person's room to aid breathing (of course, you could just put the eucalyptus in a humidifier, too). Whatever you can dream, you can do!
And -- the best part -- this is super cheap, customizable, and totally chemical-free!
Let me know what you think if you try it!
*1 small box baking soda
*6 - 8 drops essential oil(s)
You can combine scents of essential oils, using a total of 6 - 8 drops. I used rose and lavender. Stir it up, making sure to mash the little bits where you dropped the oils, to get it all through the baking soda. If you don't think the scent is strong enough, you can add a couple more drops. I did the first time and it was a little too strong.
I store this inside an "all purpose shaker" I've had in my kitchen for years and never used. Any kind of shaker can is a good place. Failing that, store it in a plastic container with a lid.
What are the uses for this? Lots!
*Sprinkle on metal bathroom fixtures and rub to shine it and make it smell nice at the same time
*Sprinkle in the wetbag to contain cloth diaper odors
*Place in a decorative container with holes to use as deodorizer and "potpourri" for a bathroom
*Use in the diaper laundry to help diapers get cleaner and smell nice
Pretty much anywhere you'd use baking soda, you could use this! If you vary the EOs, you could do even more with it. Put a few drops of lemon EO in it and use it to deodorize the fridge. Use some eucalyptus and put it in a sick person's room to aid breathing (of course, you could just put the eucalyptus in a humidifier, too). Whatever you can dream, you can do!
And -- the best part -- this is super cheap, customizable, and totally chemical-free!
Let me know what you think if you try it!
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Apple Pie Filling
The problem with most desserts is that they're full of sugar. If they're not, they use chemical sweeteners. Neither is good! So, I came up with a new option to make a fairly healthy and tasty dessert. This apple pie filling is yummy, but has NO sugar or chemical sweeteners!
Ingredients:
4 medium apples, peeled, cored, and sliced thinly
1 tbsp. agave nectar
1 - 2 tbsp. lemon juice (1/2 lemon)
1 tsp. cinnamon
Directions:
Place all ingredients in a saucepan and cover it. Simmer on low heat for about an hour, until apples are soft. Stir occasionally. If you wish, add a bit of whole wheat flour or cornstarch towards the end of cooking (mix with cold water first) to thicken the juice surrounding the apples. Use for apple crisp or pie or simply eat as is!
I did try to make this into crisp, and I used whole wheat flour, agave nectar, and cinnamon for the topping. It didn't quite work. I needed a tiny bit of brown sugar and butter to make it good. But if you start with the whole wheat flour and agave nectar, you won't need as much butter or brown sugar and it would still be healthy. :)
Ingredients:
4 medium apples, peeled, cored, and sliced thinly
1 tbsp. agave nectar
1 - 2 tbsp. lemon juice (1/2 lemon)
1 tsp. cinnamon
Directions:
Place all ingredients in a saucepan and cover it. Simmer on low heat for about an hour, until apples are soft. Stir occasionally. If you wish, add a bit of whole wheat flour or cornstarch towards the end of cooking (mix with cold water first) to thicken the juice surrounding the apples. Use for apple crisp or pie or simply eat as is!
I did try to make this into crisp, and I used whole wheat flour, agave nectar, and cinnamon for the topping. It didn't quite work. I needed a tiny bit of brown sugar and butter to make it good. But if you start with the whole wheat flour and agave nectar, you won't need as much butter or brown sugar and it would still be healthy. :)
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Cloth Diaper Pictures in Action!
I promised they would come, and now that I finally got my camera at the same time as I happened to be changing my baby's clothes, I got some pictures! I have some pretty funny shots actually.
This is Rebekah (6 months; 26.5" and 14 lbs. 10 oz. as of yesterday's check up!) modeling a size small. The rise is just below the belly button and fits well across the hips.
Rebekah's sitting up here to see a different view of it. The cloth tabs stretch with her.
Here's a back view. The diaper is a little off center and isn't quite covering her on one side. And that's because....
She was trying to do THIS the whole time! lol. She did not want to be on her tummy. Of course, as soon as I dressed her and tried to get pictures of her on her back, she tried to roll back onto her tummy. She wants what she wants! (I was getting pictures of her dressed because she is wearing 12-month shirt and 18-month pants today and they are NOT big...well, the pants are too big in the waist but they aren't too long. Sigh.)
If you have any questions please let me know!
This is Rebekah (6 months; 26.5" and 14 lbs. 10 oz. as of yesterday's check up!) modeling a size small. The rise is just below the belly button and fits well across the hips.
Rebekah's sitting up here to see a different view of it. The cloth tabs stretch with her.
Here's a back view. The diaper is a little off center and isn't quite covering her on one side. And that's because....
She was trying to do THIS the whole time! lol. She did not want to be on her tummy. Of course, as soon as I dressed her and tried to get pictures of her on her back, she tried to roll back onto her tummy. She wants what she wants! (I was getting pictures of her dressed because she is wearing 12-month shirt and 18-month pants today and they are NOT big...well, the pants are too big in the waist but they aren't too long. Sigh.)If you have any questions please let me know!
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Feeding Mommies: Organizing Meals
One of my awful habits is skipping meals. Whenever I am busy, I tend not to take the time to eat anything. Whatever I can grab is usually okay (as we don't keep junk food in the house), but not great. This is a huge no-no, especially when you are breastfeeding (which I am). The good news is at 6 months postpartum I am 10 lbs. below pre-pregnancy weight; the bad news is this is affecting my mood, energy level, and more. So what's a busy mom to do?
I've found a solution! It comes from my need to be turbo-organized. I know that if there is something healthy that is easy to grab, I'll get it and eat it. I also know that if I decide in advance exactly what I'm going to have, I'll have it. So there is an easy solution....
When I was still in college and working, I always packed my lunches. I would spend Sunday making some yummy, homemade soup or pasta, salads, fruit, bread, and some kind of drink (often tea). These turned into very well-balanced meals filled with lots of fresh fruit and vegetables (I usually managed all 9 recommended servings in a day). Once I started staying at home with my daughter, though, I stopped doing this. Why bother when I was home to cook something everyday?
Please! What kind of woman with little kids has any time or energy to cook anything during the week? I sure don't. So, back to the way I used to cook for myself when I worked. I do it all on Sundays, while the little one sits and eats crackers and bangs on her highchair tray, or while she's sleeping. (Which I should just do during the week...but somehow don't.) This weekend I prepared salads (4 servings of vegetables in each), 100% juice in bottles, tea, and chocolate milk. This covers maybe 25% of my daily required calories, has plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables and vitamins, not too much fat (though fat isn't so bad for a breastfeeding mom). To this I can add any of the following items that I have on hand to "make" last minute:
*Tuna fish sandwichs on whole wheat buns (fresh baked over the weekend)
*Chicken or cheese quesadillas
*Lasagna (meat or vegetable; homemade and frozen)
*Spaghetti or cheese/spinach tortellini
*Chicken chili
*Ham and swiss cheese on whole wheat
*Omelets
*Whole wheat waffles (homemade and frozen, toasted to eat)
*Turkey burgers
*Meatloaf (ground turkey)
*Chicken noodle soup (lots of veggies)
There are more choices but I can't think of them. I do prepare and freeze MANY meals that only need thrown in the oven before I eat them. It is very convenient! But I need those staples ready NOW so that I don't have an excuse to eat nothing because I don't have even 5 minutes to let the baby play in her exersaucer while I grab lunch. Oh well -- I'm working on it!
I recommend this system to busy moms. Prepare your meals (and your kids' meals) in advance. For you it may mean cutting up fresh fruit and vegetables for snacks, putting crackers in small baggies, or whatever else you like to have. But have something healthy and easy to grab because you WILL snack on whatever you've prepared. If it's healthy then you're that much further ahead in a day. And now it's late, and the baby's new wake up time is between 5:30 and 6 so I should not be awake right now....
I've found a solution! It comes from my need to be turbo-organized. I know that if there is something healthy that is easy to grab, I'll get it and eat it. I also know that if I decide in advance exactly what I'm going to have, I'll have it. So there is an easy solution....
When I was still in college and working, I always packed my lunches. I would spend Sunday making some yummy, homemade soup or pasta, salads, fruit, bread, and some kind of drink (often tea). These turned into very well-balanced meals filled with lots of fresh fruit and vegetables (I usually managed all 9 recommended servings in a day). Once I started staying at home with my daughter, though, I stopped doing this. Why bother when I was home to cook something everyday?
Please! What kind of woman with little kids has any time or energy to cook anything during the week? I sure don't. So, back to the way I used to cook for myself when I worked. I do it all on Sundays, while the little one sits and eats crackers and bangs on her highchair tray, or while she's sleeping. (Which I should just do during the week...but somehow don't.) This weekend I prepared salads (4 servings of vegetables in each), 100% juice in bottles, tea, and chocolate milk. This covers maybe 25% of my daily required calories, has plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables and vitamins, not too much fat (though fat isn't so bad for a breastfeeding mom). To this I can add any of the following items that I have on hand to "make" last minute:
*Tuna fish sandwichs on whole wheat buns (fresh baked over the weekend)
*Chicken or cheese quesadillas
*Lasagna (meat or vegetable; homemade and frozen)
*Spaghetti or cheese/spinach tortellini
*Chicken chili
*Ham and swiss cheese on whole wheat
*Omelets
*Whole wheat waffles (homemade and frozen, toasted to eat)
*Turkey burgers
*Meatloaf (ground turkey)
*Chicken noodle soup (lots of veggies)
There are more choices but I can't think of them. I do prepare and freeze MANY meals that only need thrown in the oven before I eat them. It is very convenient! But I need those staples ready NOW so that I don't have an excuse to eat nothing because I don't have even 5 minutes to let the baby play in her exersaucer while I grab lunch. Oh well -- I'm working on it!
I recommend this system to busy moms. Prepare your meals (and your kids' meals) in advance. For you it may mean cutting up fresh fruit and vegetables for snacks, putting crackers in small baggies, or whatever else you like to have. But have something healthy and easy to grab because you WILL snack on whatever you've prepared. If it's healthy then you're that much further ahead in a day. And now it's late, and the baby's new wake up time is between 5:30 and 6 so I should not be awake right now....
Sunday, July 27, 2008
My Ideal Cloth Stash
The thing about cloth diapering is, it's addicting. So is the sewing of cloth diapers, in particular. Once you start, you can't stop. It also makes you think more about the environment. How much good are you doing by CDing instead of using disposables? That's thousands of diapers (for multiple babies) that are NOT in landfills because of you! So that makes you think (or at least, it makes me think) about all the other stuff that can be made from cloth...hmm.
So, I'm writing about my ideal cloth stash. I'll start with diapers, but that's hardly where I'll stop. I've got all kinds of projects in mind. My goal is to finish them all ASAP (hopefully within a month) so that from here on out, my sewing projects are fun (like clothes) and a little less frequent. My ultimate goal is to have most things in my house be cloth, but to be complete so I can spend my time on really fun projects, like making messes with my daughter! Oh, I can't wait until she is big enough to "help." I don't care how much more time it takes or how much mess she makes, it's going to be great!
Enough procrastinating. Here is my ideal cloth stash:
Cloth Diapers
2-doz. newborn prefolds
4 newborn covers (PUL with FOE and touchtape)
20 small pockets (to be stuffed with NB prefolds)
1-doz. infant prefolds (we use these as night diapers)
5 infant covers
Misc. small diapers (I have 10 fitteds, 4 pocket fitteds, a handful of AIOs...all part of my evolution in CD sewing)
18 medium pocket fitteds (still can't decide if I like real pockets or pocket fitteds better)
4 medium covers
Large diapers as necessary (so far my daughter is extremely skinny so I doubt we'll need them)
1-doz. pairs of pocket-style training pants per kid (each kid will get to choose his/her own fabric as part of our motivation to train. They'll also get to pick their potty. When we decide it's time...it's TIME!)
2 doz. cloth wipes (so far I'm using scraps of terry cloth, but I'm thinking of making some 2-layer terry-flannel wipes)
1 large PUL wetbag (to be near the changing table)
2 small PUL wetbags (1 to travel; 1 to stay on the other floor of the house for random changes)
Kitchen
2-doz. cloth napkins (more as the family expands...not sure what to make them out of yet)
1-doz. dishcloths
6 large reusable grocery sacks
For the Adults
2-doz. large mama pads (to be used PP and during heavy days)
1-doz. small mama pads
4 doz. cloth "wipes" for family cloth (haven't totally come around to this one yet...and DH really isn't sure...lol)
1 medium wetbag (for family cloth and mama pads)
Misc.
4 large rice-filled heating pads
4 small rice-filled "cool" pads (these are made of flannel and they stay in the freezer...they get cool but not too cold, and if you rotate between them every 15 - 20 min. one is always cold)
1 giant denim blanket (DH calls it the "magic blanket" and has been begging for one for a couple years)
Random quilts and blankets (I like at least 4 light and medium flannel blankets for babies)
Fun toys or clothes or whatever I can dream! lol
So that is my ideal stash. I have completed my rice-filled heating and cool pads. I have completed part of my cloth diaper stash (I need to finish my small pockets tonight, then finish my medium fitted pockets and covers, and NB covers, and that's it). Most everything else is still in the dreaming stage, though. Something fun about me -- I am TURBO ORGANIZED, but not at all neat. My stuff is everywhere but I always know where it is. A little mess doesn't bother me, but I hate not having things streamlined and easy to clean, grab, fix. So soon enough I'll post on my obsessive need to have things organized and how I'm managing with a 6-month-old.
I'll also post a pic of my new pocket diapers in action, just as soon as I finish them all. I meant to do it awhile ago, but just when I thought I was done with at least one, I noticed there was a small stitching problem on one of the tabs (easily fixed). Plus, I needed cross over tabs added since my daughter is so thin. It's done, it's been washed, and as soon as they are ALL complete I will post that pic, I promise!!
So, I'm writing about my ideal cloth stash. I'll start with diapers, but that's hardly where I'll stop. I've got all kinds of projects in mind. My goal is to finish them all ASAP (hopefully within a month) so that from here on out, my sewing projects are fun (like clothes) and a little less frequent. My ultimate goal is to have most things in my house be cloth, but to be complete so I can spend my time on really fun projects, like making messes with my daughter! Oh, I can't wait until she is big enough to "help." I don't care how much more time it takes or how much mess she makes, it's going to be great!
Enough procrastinating. Here is my ideal cloth stash:
Cloth Diapers
2-doz. newborn prefolds
4 newborn covers (PUL with FOE and touchtape)
20 small pockets (to be stuffed with NB prefolds)
1-doz. infant prefolds (we use these as night diapers)
5 infant covers
Misc. small diapers (I have 10 fitteds, 4 pocket fitteds, a handful of AIOs...all part of my evolution in CD sewing)
18 medium pocket fitteds (still can't decide if I like real pockets or pocket fitteds better)
4 medium covers
Large diapers as necessary (so far my daughter is extremely skinny so I doubt we'll need them)
1-doz. pairs of pocket-style training pants per kid (each kid will get to choose his/her own fabric as part of our motivation to train. They'll also get to pick their potty. When we decide it's time...it's TIME!)
2 doz. cloth wipes (so far I'm using scraps of terry cloth, but I'm thinking of making some 2-layer terry-flannel wipes)
1 large PUL wetbag (to be near the changing table)
2 small PUL wetbags (1 to travel; 1 to stay on the other floor of the house for random changes)
Kitchen
2-doz. cloth napkins (more as the family expands...not sure what to make them out of yet)
1-doz. dishcloths
6 large reusable grocery sacks
For the Adults
2-doz. large mama pads (to be used PP and during heavy days)
1-doz. small mama pads
4 doz. cloth "wipes" for family cloth (haven't totally come around to this one yet...and DH really isn't sure...lol)
1 medium wetbag (for family cloth and mama pads)
Misc.
4 large rice-filled heating pads
4 small rice-filled "cool" pads (these are made of flannel and they stay in the freezer...they get cool but not too cold, and if you rotate between them every 15 - 20 min. one is always cold)
1 giant denim blanket (DH calls it the "magic blanket" and has been begging for one for a couple years)
Random quilts and blankets (I like at least 4 light and medium flannel blankets for babies)
Fun toys or clothes or whatever I can dream! lol
So that is my ideal stash. I have completed my rice-filled heating and cool pads. I have completed part of my cloth diaper stash (I need to finish my small pockets tonight, then finish my medium fitted pockets and covers, and NB covers, and that's it). Most everything else is still in the dreaming stage, though. Something fun about me -- I am TURBO ORGANIZED, but not at all neat. My stuff is everywhere but I always know where it is. A little mess doesn't bother me, but I hate not having things streamlined and easy to clean, grab, fix. So soon enough I'll post on my obsessive need to have things organized and how I'm managing with a 6-month-old.
I'll also post a pic of my new pocket diapers in action, just as soon as I finish them all. I meant to do it awhile ago, but just when I thought I was done with at least one, I noticed there was a small stitching problem on one of the tabs (easily fixed). Plus, I needed cross over tabs added since my daughter is so thin. It's done, it's been washed, and as soon as they are ALL complete I will post that pic, I promise!!
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