Fat fat fat

The topic of eating fat is very controversial. People’s perception of ‘fat’ isn't quite up to

science. Science is way ahead. Kind of reminds me of smoking. My mother smoked in the maternity ward when I was born, it’s taken a long time for the science of smoking to convince people to quit. Some still aren't convinced. I think eating fat will be the same. Some will never be convinced. Others started eating good fats decades ago and didn't need the science. 

Before I write about my own personal beliefs about fat, it is important for me to point out that not everyone will agree with this. Just like sugar. Some people think it's crazy cutting out refined sugar and some people will think that eating fat is never going to be good. Like the old saying goes, "you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink". I'll write my thoughts on fat and hopefully you can use this knowledge to make more informed decisions about what healthy eating means for you.

For me, fat is a huge part of my diet. It has been ever since I started this 'sugar-free' journey, especially after reading "Eat Fat, Lose Fat" by Dr Mary Enig and Sally Fallon (authors of the nourishing traditions - another GREAT book). David Gillespie and Sarah Wilson are obviously two well known advocates for eating good fats and their websites, blogs and books are a wealth of knowledge.

Here are a few facts about fat.

There are 3 basic types of fats found in food; saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated. There is one artificial fat also found in our food and is the one to be completely avoided; Trans Fat.

To sum it up quickly, saturated fats are found mostly in animal fats and tropical fats such as coconut oil. LOADS of websites will tell you that this fat will lead to high cholesterol and blood pressure but I beg to differ. Monounsaturated fats are the main component of olive oil and sesame oil along with being found in almonds, pecans, cashews, peanuts and avocados. Polyunsaturated fats are so-called vegetable oils that go rancid easily when heated. Most of these oils go through a hydrogenation process, which is what makes them unusable to the body. Trans Fats are artificially made and found in manufactured foods, such as baked goods, some frozen foods, margarine, chips, fast-food fries and countless other products. Trans Fats are dangerous because they can be made cheaply and because their inclusion helps packaged foods to last nearly forever. Sarah Wilson says that she'd prefer to eat sugar over trans fats - that says a lot. 

Now to coconut oil. 

Coconut Oil is the queen of saturated fats. Coconut oil is a medium chain fatty acid (MCFA)

that does not need bile salts (secreted by the gallbladder) to digest it. That is why, if you are reintroducing fats into your diet, it’s best to begin with coconut oil.  

The main MCFA in coconut oil is lauric acid, a proven antiviral, antibacterial and anti fungal agent which is also found in mothers milk. Lauric acid is then converted to a substance called monolaurin, which has antimicrobial properties and will help your body fight disease organisms including viruses, bacteria and parasites.  

Coconut oil has also been linked to weight loss by boosting your immune system, reducing your appetite and helping you lose fat (especially that dangerous abdominal fat). 

This website is full of anecdotes of people using coconut oil as weight loss. Click here to view the forums.

This is exactly what I have

Apart from coconut oil being good for you internally, anyone who knows me well, will know that that I have a love affair with coconut oil. I use it to make my toothpaste and as an all over moisturizer. I have some in my bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, my handbag and in my car. I mix it with sunscreen to use on my face and also use it to kill head lice (in conjunction with vinegar) in my daughters hair. Infact, I use it in my daughters hair just to brush it. I use it on stings, bites and scratches and it makes a great massage oil on its own or with a drop of essential oil added. I love this stuff. It goes in shakes, I shallow fry in it, add it to stews, use it on BBQ's and nearly everything  (although I don't like it in my tea). I buy it online here in 2 x 5L containers. I simply put it in the shower or the bath with my kids during colder months to liquefy it so I can refill my other containers. In February I paid $154 for 10L and this INCLUDED delivery to a remote community. 

All of this stuff can be hard to remember. I've read it a million times but still need to clarify what a long chain fatty acid is, where the atoms are, does it bend, is it stable, does it go rancid etc etc  

To make life easier in my house, I have this printed and in my pantry. 

Personally, I avoid palm oil for ethical reasons. This facebook page; 

'PALM OIL - Products on Australian shelves that contain Palm Oil' gives me constant reminders of the products I need to avoid in Australia if I want to avoid palm oil.

Another great poster, which makes a lot of sense is this one.

Making breakfast count

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, yet I put more energy, effort, money and planning into what I'm cooking for dinner and what the kids will be eating for lunch instead of how they start their day. Not anymore. This blog is all

Getting off to a good start

about making breakfast count in a refined sugar free house. This blog is all about me sharing with you how to make breakfast count. How to make it healthy, affordable, practical and how to manage this in a busy household.

I should start by saying that my sister and I grew up eating cereal for breakfast. It normally consisted of coco pops, fruit loops or weetbix sprinkled with sugar. My parents loved my sister and I dearly, but like most people in the 80's, eating white sugar for breakfast, lunch and dinner along smoking in the maternity ward and on aeroplanes was the norm. Thank goodness times have changed.

I am now 32 years old, have kicked my refined sugar habit and have 2 beautiful children. Ruby is 5 years old and William is 2 years old and they both live refined sugar free lifestyles. My partner and I are both primary school teachers so our views on eating breakfast are those from a parents perspective and also an educators. 

Being a primary school teacher, I have seen first hand the implications of a poor breakfast - or none at all. Students who come to school with no breakfast (or those that ate 2 hour earlier) are clearly distracted, tired, sluggish, off task and they simply struggle to concentrate and complete set work. Students who come to school after eating a poor breakfast such as boxed cereals or junk food normally arrive excited, attentive, slightly hyperactive and fidgety before plummeting to defiant, off task, angry, upset and exhausted. These are general observations over my 8 years of being a teacher. Watching students drink their flavoured milks while eating a sausage roll from the tuckshop only means that this cycle will start again after lunch. I have seen this over and over and over again. Food effects learning. Simple.

Imagine if every student had a healthy nutritional breakfast

This is why I believe more attention needs to be given to breakfast, especially for those who have children. 

Time for me to practice what I preach. Breakfast in my house needs an uplift. I wouldn't say that it 'bad' at the moment, but I know I can do better. For us, a normal breakfast consists of either pancakes made with wholemeal flour served with bananas and cream, eggs (cooked all different ways), bacon, sausages, porridge, homemade muesli or vita weets. We rarely have bread in our house so toast is never really an option (I don't even know where my toaster is) but that is about it and it's getting boring.

So over the last few weeks I decided to change just one thing, knowing that it was going to improve how breakfast was eaten in my house. What did I change? My thinking. Yes, my thinking; I have changed how I think of breakfast. I have said goodbye to the perception that to have breakfast one must have a bowl, spoon, milk and a box of commercial cereal. 

In order for this to work, for me, in my house with a husband who works full time and with me working 2-3 days a week, I needed to actually start some new routines. I now;
1. Plan breakfast in advance. On my fridge every week is a meal plan identifying breakfast and dinner along with the 2-3 snacks I prepare for school lunches. After the plan is written, I compose a shopping list, which means I visit the shops once a week and the markets once a week for local fresh produce. I always have what I need because my shopping covers all my meals.
2. Invest more energy into breakfast. Instead of making a bowl of cereal, which takes 30 secs, I spend the time preparing, cooking, serving and eating a wholesome meal, which is why I get up earlier.
3. Think outside the box (excuse the pun), which means I need to let go of commercial breakfast foods and start eating traditional meals. 

Put the love back into breakfast

Left over curry from the night before, is now breakfast. Sausages, eggs, tomato and avocado wraps are now breakfast. Savoury muffins are now breakfast. A hearty full beef and vegetable soup is now breakfast. Meat and noodle stir fry is now breakfast. One of the best things about this, is that I can put any leftovers into a pre-heated thermos for my kids to take to school for lunch.

So, if you are at home and you're thinking that you want to improve breakfast and ditch the boxed commercial cereals, there is only one thing you need to do and that is change your thinking. Accept that it will take time, effort and maybe a little planning but the rewards and benefits are far worth it and it will soon become routine. 

Simply plan breakfast, invest the energy by spending more time in the kitchen or getting up earlier (yes, I am already up early with a 2 year old, however, i make sure I go to bed very earlier) and think of things that you've never considered in the past. Don't forget, that it may also take some time for the family to adjust to this new style of breakfast so you may need to take things slowly.

To get you started, I've listed a few breakfast ideas that you may enjoy.

- Cook extra at dinner so that you have leftovers the next day for breakfast. If there is not enough, serve with brown rice, wholemeal cous cous or make a wrap out of it. 
- Precook a batch of brown rice and have it in easy to thaw serving size portions in the freezer. You can mix rice with so many things.
- Fry, grill, mash or mix leftovers
- Cook stews and soups and serve with crusty wholemeal bread or croutons. This is a great way to use up vegetables in the bottom of your crisper. Perfect for cold days or to boost immunity
- Bake savoury muffins (sweet or savoury) cooked in advance and heated in the morning served with

Breakfast Pizza. Scramble the
eggs if the kids prefer it that
way.

butter 
- Prepare eggs, bacon, sausage, mushrooms, tomatoes served in many ways - muffins, wraps, as a stir fry with rice noodles, baked etc
- Make Vegetable bakes
- Bake quiches
- Experiment with homemade muesli
- Cook a batch of pancakes (can cook quite a few at once on a BBQ) - lots of options for these - sweet pancakes such as blueberry or banana compared to savoury pancakes such as corn and grated zucchini. Left overs are great for lunches.
- Try a breakfast pizza - eggs, bacon, tomato, mushrooms - do mini or large ones
- Prepare a risotto
- Make chia puddings the night before - they'll be ready in the morning
- Blend smoothies and shakes - add oats, eggs, spinach, nuts etc. My kids LOVE these.
- Try homemade breakfast bars
- Bake homemade breads - sourdough/ banana/ carrot etc - can toast this and serve with ricotta, cottage cheese or mascarpone

I hope that this blog has ignited a little spark that may lead you or your family to give your breakfast an uplift, just like I'm doing with mine. 

Thanks again for all the sweet comments and positive feedback and don't forget that you can find some great recipes on my sister and mine Sugar Free Recipes Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/groups/218481978278096/


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When is a recipe sugar free?

Sugar Free Recipes (or not) - you be the judge!

Thank you to the valued Facebook group members of 'Sugar Free Recipes' who have questioned whether some recipes are actually sugar free. Because of this, I thought that I’d clarify exactly what sugar is to try to help you determine whether a recipe is suitable for you and your lifestyle.

Stevia Plant

First, let’s clarify exactly what sugar really is. Sugar is a food carbohydrate obtained from various plants. There are many ways it can get from the plant to your plate - and that is the problem. There are millions of pages on the internet dedicated to this stuff we call 'sugar', written by people from all sorts of demographics from all over the world. There are blogs, fact sheets, books, science articles, ebooks, posters, apps, programs and social media sites all about sugar. If you're quitting sugar or thinking about it, you can listen to Jamie Oliver talk about it at a TED convention, read Sarah Wilson and David Gillespie blogs, buy their books, follow plenty of 'sugar free detox' programs, join Facebook pages and that'so just on the Internet, not to mention the information available at your local library, newsagency, local playgroup or coffee shop. Sugar information is everywhere. Some may call it a sugar overload. Facebook pages such as "Sugar Free Recipes' is one of many pages where like minded people are encouraged to share recipes with the common interest of being sugar free - or is it?

Refined Sugar - highly processed
and full of chemicals

Sugar comes in many forms and some of these are included in recipes labelled 'sugar free'. These may include agave syrup/nectar, honey, fructose, rice syrup, refined sugar, date sugar, can sugar, molasses and raw sugar.  You can even grow stevia, which is a plant native to tropical and subtropical America. The leaves are sometimes used as calorie free substitute to sugar. 

For me, sugar comes in 3 groups; refined, unrefined and natural.

Unrefined sugar such as raw honey

Refined sugars are those that are highly processed, full of chemicals and have been through very dangerous processes such as bleaching. Unfortunately, refined sugars are the most popular and found in pre packaged junk foods, baked goods, soft drinks and sweets.  This sugar contains absolutely no nutritional value and you may have heard of these sugars being referred to as ‘empty calories’.   

Unrefined sugars include raw honey and raw maple syrup.  Some may include store bought syrups and honeys however this title can be a bit misleading as honey and syrups normally go through some kind of refining process, but just no-where near as much as refined sugars. For this reason, unrefined sugars still maintain some of its nutritional benefits including potassium, phosphorus, calcium and iron. Unrefined sugars also bypass the bone char step as bleaching is not required. Chemicals are not used in unrefined sugars.

Natural sugars

Natural sugars are the best kinds of sugars. These are the types that occur naturally in many types of plants that we eat. Don’t be mislead by processed sugar being labelled ‘natural sugar’. Even white table sugar started from mother earth, it is the process of getting it into the store which makes it refined.

This brings me to labels. Be careful not to be persuaded, tempted or lead to pick up a product because it contains a label such as organic, biodynamic, eco-friendly, all natural, sugar free, no added sugar, made with real fruit, lightly sweetened or 100% real. ALWAYS read the label including the nutritional panel and the ingredients list and forget anything else that is written on the box!

For me, I kicked refined sugar completely from my life nearly 3 years ago. Yes, I eat unrefined sugars by using honey and natural sugars are also consumed in my house.  Through my reading, I have learnt that our bodies are designed to eat 2 pieces of fruit a day; however, I am able to substitute a piece of fruit for honey on my muesli or in my baking.

Dried fruits - be careful of
added sugars

Dried fruits and juices are extremely concentrated sugar and should be consumed with caution. I can make my own dried fruit at home, which means that I know that although the sugar is more concentrated, there is no added sugar. Lots of store bought dried fruits can have added sugar to it to help remove any tartness from it. Just remember, you’re going to consume more sugar in a handful of sultanas compared to a handful of grapes simply because you can fit more sultanas into your hand rather than the grapes.

Sugar Free Recipes Facebook
Page - I just love it!

Recipes on this Facebook page may contain unrefined and natural sugars. What type and how much you consume in your lifestyle is a personal choice and will depend upon your own personal preferences. That is why you will see many recipes on here containing only natural sugars, however some may contain unrefined sugars.  Enjoy the recipes on my 'Sugar Free Recipes' page and remember that your choice of sweetener may be different from somebody else’s. Feel free to modify any recipe to suit your lifestyle and feel free to share your version as others may like to do the same thing.

In conclusion, we welcome all recipes as long as refined sugar is not included. This appears to be the general consensus and I have seen this same approach taken on every sugar free book, blog, internet site, recipe and magazine I have read to date.

Thanks for reading my blog. Feel free to leave some sweet comments below. 

Moving on and still going strong

I'm so happy to be back blogging. Where have I been you ask....well,  I've moved 1937kms with my husband and two children away from the hustle and bustle of the Sunshine Coast to a little country town by the sea known as Cooktown.

Ready to move

Cooktown is approximately 3 hours to the nearest major shopping centre (such as Woolworths) and although Cooktown is well established with plenty of facilities and services, staying sugar free here means being more organised and thinking outside the box. Especially now that my daughter has started school and I need to keep her lunchbox meals tasty, healthy, sugar free and fun.

Cooktown

Living on the Sunshine Coast meant that I had a lot of choice in terms of purchasing sugar free ingredients (especially in bulk) and also cleaning products such as liquid castile soap and bi-carb soda. Being here means that I need to shop around, ask around and although I do my best to support local business, I've also had to do a lot more searching online. Living in this digital age means that there is so much competition online and alot of goods can now be posted relatively cheap or even free. If all else fails, getting a family member or friend to do some shopping for me and posting it up is also quite cheap. You can send a full fruit box for $20!

By searching online, I have been able to buy some high use items straight from the source. This cuts out the middle man meaing that it is cheaper (it's also better for the environment). My Banaban coconut oil is now bought straight from their website and I just bought 10L for 1.5c/ml including postage. It is the same price that I paid when buying it from the health food store on the Sunshine Coast. Regular blog followers would know that we use coconut oil for everything from cooking to cleaning our teeth to soothing our bites so this is must have for us and I was really excited when I saw that I could get it at this price delivered and all. 

Mountain bread varieties

 I also buy my Mountain Bread (flat bread) straight from their website. Instead of paying $3.99/pkt in the supermarket, I am able to buy a box of 8 (or more) paying $2.70/pkt with free postage. These can be frozen and kept sealed for up to 12 months. We aren't big bread eaters, so these are used to make wraps for the kids, burritos, corn chips and they can even be used in sweet recipes. Their website has two recipe book - free!!!

Living here has also given me more time in the kitchen. Because I need to be more organised, I create a weekly meal plan including what I plan on making for my daughters lunchbox (she helps with the planning) and also other items I'd like to have a go at such as fermenting vegetables. We shop from a local butcher and we enjoy a visit to the local markets every Saturday to purchase locally grown produce. 

Fish for fruit?

Fortunately,fishing is pretty good here and my husband loves it. He's had some fun and success catching some local reef fish and mudcrabs since arriving, which is fantastic. Ben strongly believes in sustainable fishing and he only ever brings home enough for the family leaving the rest to swim another day. This is now going to change, slightly. I have managed to find a lovely local lady who isn't so keen on fishing, but has an abundance of fresh fruit that she is willing to trade. This is only in the beginning stages and she has already delivered a bag of fresh homegrown bananas straight from the tree and my husband will now endeavor to catch some fish for her and her family in return (a bit of pressure there).  The idea of bartering really excites me. I'm already starting to think about who else might be keen on bartering, trading fruit, baked goodies, fish, fermented veges, homemade nutbars etc We don't have chickens yet, so i'm hoping to find someone who will trade some farm fresh eggs for something. Fingers crossed.  I'm also wondering if it's possible to barter services as well - guitar lessons for child minding or cheese making workshops? 

This blog has been short but hopefully sweet. I've got so much more to share but I'll save that for another time. I'm enjoying this change. My family and I are still going strong in terms of our 'sugar free' lifestyle. It's really changed our lives for the better and it has ignited a passion and interest in healthy eating and living. 

Let's Clean!

The purpose of my blog so far has been to share how I have adopted a very low sugar lifestyle. Refined sugar is no longer part of my life or that of my family’s. For natural sweetness we enjoy fruit and honey with a very rare occasional treat. My kids and I also enjoy the natural sweetness of full fat milk (which is unbelievably sweet after kicking sugar - thanks to lactose) but my husband has decided to stick to low-fat milk.

This blog is not about sugar. It is about my use of homemade cleaning products.  When Ruby was born four years ago, it made me think about the use of chemicals in my home. The bathroom always stumped me. I didn't want to clean the bath with chemicals only  for me to fill it up that night and have her sit in it. Even though it was thoroughly rinsed, it just didn't sit right with me. This was the turning point for me when I realised that I didn't need chemicals for a clean house.

 Four years later, my 'cleaning' cupboard comprises of hardly anything at all as I am now experimenting with making my own. Not only do I have the benefits of now knowing exactly what is being used in my house, but I can also breathe a sigh of relief knowing that it is ok for my children to be in the same environment before, during and after I’m cleaning.  To top it off, making my own cleaning products has saved me some cash too, which has been an added bonus.

I have also discovered that the cleaning aisle is just insane - and expensive. We don't need that many cleaning products comprised of that many chemicals - all going down the drain and into our oceans. I use 4 ingredients to do all my cleaning - bi carb soda, soap, washing soda and vinegar. I do add essential oils for scent and antibacterial properties and nothing beats hot water and elbow grease!

 

Cheap, Safe and Environmentally friendly = win win win!

 

Five basic ingredients - coconut oil (for toothpaste), bi carb soda, washing soda, soap and vinegar. I use these (in conjunction with some essential oils) to make

 Toothpaste

Laundry powder

Dish liquid

Hand soap

Floor cleaner

Multipurpose spray

Mirror/glass cleaner

Bathroom cleaner

Toilet cleaner

Moisturiser

 

I buy the bi-carb, washing soda and white vinegar in Coles. I also buy the lux flakes there but have realised it would be cheaper buying the bar soap and grating it myself. Don't stick bar soap in your food processor - it killed mine :( Woolworths don't sell bi-carb in 1kg boxes and neither do IGA, which is why I get it in Coles. The Castile Liquid soap I bought at Forest Glen Health food Store for $19.95 for 1L (it goes along way). You can buy liquid Castile soap in Health food stores or online.

 

 

 

$20 for 1L from Forest Glen Health food Store

 My coconut oil with the melon scoop

 

 

Optional: Essential Oils (Lavender, Peppermint ($14 small bottle), Vegetable Glycerin ($6 bottle from health food stores).

Some of my essential oils - a little goes a long way

The zest and juice of a lemon, lime and orange can also be used in these products instead of essential oil.

 

All you really need to invest is your time.

Toothpaste

TIME TO MAKE: 5 mins
 

INGREDIENTS

Coconut Oil                                         (antibacterial properties for your mouth and your bristles)

Bi-Carb soda                                       (whitening, stain removal, freshens breath)

Optional:

Peppermint Essential Oil               (for scent & taste)

Vegetable Glycerin                        (naturally sweet but wont contribute to tooth decay, also makes it smoother and softer in Winter)
 

METHOD

Mix coconut oil and bi-carb until you have a consistency you are happy with (try 1 part coconut oil to 2 parts bi carb). Optional: Add 5 – 20 drops of Peppermint Essential Oil and a splash of vegetable glycerin.
 

Our toothpaste dish & scoop

EXTRA INFO

This toothpaste does not bubble or froth like commercial pastes. I have learnt over time that cleaning products do not need to bubble or froth to be doing their job. This applies to a range of homemade cleaning products including this toothpaste.

THIS TOOTHPASTE CHANGES DEPENDING ON THE WEATHER

In warmer weather, this toothpaste will be runny as the coconut oil melts. In colder climates, this toothpaste will be firm as the coconut oil solidifies. The vegetable glycerin will help make it softer during this time. I have mine in a small dish with a paddle pop stick for a scoop.

NOTES FOR THOSE WITH KIDS

Initially, I made a separate one for my daughter decorating her dish with Dora stickers and adding some ‘normal’ toothpaste to help her adjust. With every batch I made, I decreased the amount of ‘normal toothpaste. Months later she now uses the same toothpaste as us from the same dish.

 

 

 

Laundry Powder

TIME TO MAKE: 5 minutes
 

INGREDIENTS

Bi-Carb soda                                       (brightens, whiten and remove odour)

Washing Soda                                    (softens water)

Soap -flakes, liquid or grated          (cleaning power)

Optional:

Lavender or Tea Tree Essential Oil            (scent & antibacterial)
 

Use Vinegar as a fabric softener. It will not leave a scent!
 

METHOD

Mix equal parts of bi-carb, washing soda and soap in a container. Use ¼ cup for each load. Add more bi-carb to a load of delicate items, more washing soda will clean more. 
 

My laundry powder - you can see the soap flakes

EXTRA INFO

If you have any leftover laundry powders at home, you can add this to your mix.

Do not put vinegar in with your mix, it will bubble and go hard and you'll need to put it in your processor to convert it back to a powder.

I am VERY impressed with this mix. It has removed stains and my clothes come out of the wash so soft!

 

 

Dish Liquid

TIME TO MAKE: 10 mins
 

INGREDIENTS

¼ cup Soap (liquid is better)                        (cleaning agent)

2 tbsp Vinegar                                                (grease cutting)

2 tbsp Washing Soda                                     (soften water)

1 ½ cups Water                                                

Optional:

Essential Oils: Tea tree (antibacterial), Lemon or lavender for scent.
 

METHOD

Dissolved flaked or grated soap in hot water on stove – DO NOT BOIL. Add vinegar and washing soda.

OR

Mix liquid soap with water, slowly heat up but do not let it boil, add vinegar and washing soda.

Let mix naturally cool. Store in an old dish liquid container or squeeze bottle.
 

EXTRA INFO

Like the toothpaste, this dish liquid won’t bubble up like commercial detergents.

If you use grated soap or lux flakes, your detergent may go hard. In this case, I just use a melon scoop to put it in sink. I do prefer the liquid version so I now use liquid castile soap to make mine so that I don't have to worry about it going hard.

Although this works and I am happy with it. I'm still looking for a better one that will cut through the grease a bit better. This is my starting point. Will keep you updated.

Hand Soap

TIME TO MAKE 5 mins
 

IINGREDIENTS

¼ cup Soap                                        (cleaning)

Water                                  

Optional:

Essential Oil                                        (scent)

METHOD

Dissolved flakes or grated soap in hot water. Add essential oil for scent.

OR

Liquid castile soap can be added directly to warm water, shake to mix. Add essential oil for scent.

EXTRA INFO

If you use grated soap or lux flakes, your hand soap may go hard; in this case, add more water or vegetable glycerin or oil. Using liquid castile soap assures a liquid product at the end.

Adding coconut oil, Vitamin E, jojoba oil or other oils will give your hand soap a moisturising property and help keep in liquid form. Remember that coconut oil solidifies when cold.

Floor Cleaner (tiles/vinyl)
I don't 'store' this in a bottle, I just make it up when I mop the floors.

TIME TO MAKE: <5mins
 

INGREDIENTS

1 cup vinegar                                     (cleaning, grease cutting)
1/4 cup liquid castile soap

Hot Water                                          

Optional:

Essential Oil                                        (scent/antibacterial)
 

METHOD

Mix one cup of vinegar and 1/4 cup castile soap in your mop bucket and fill will hot water. Add essential oil for scent and/or antibacterial agent.

EXTRA INFO

This is soooooooooooooooooooo easy and I haven’t had any problems at all with cleaning my floors. William can also crawl straight onto it, even if it is wet and I don’t have to worry. No vinegar scent is left.

A TIP PASSED ON FROM A FRIEND

My friend Jo, who is a mother of four boys, told me years ago how she adds lavender oil to her mop bucket for a ‘calming’ effect on the house. I’ve done this ever since. Citronella will help keep bugs at bay, peppermint will give you an uplifting atmosphere, and lemon is great when there are colds or flus in the house. The list is endless!

Multi Purpose Spray – benches, cupboard doors etc

TIME TO MAKE: 5 mins

INGREDIENTS

1 Tb sp Bi carb                    (mild abrasive scrub)

1 Tb sp Vinegar                 (grease cutting)

1 Tb sp Soap                       (cleaning)

Water                                  

Optional:

Essential Oil                                        (scent / anti bacterial)

METHOD

Dissolved soap and bi carb in a little bit of water (shake in cold water or heat in warm water). Once dissolved add vinegar and fill remaining bottle with water. Add essential oil for scent.

Mirror/Glass Cleaner

TIME TO MAKE: 2 mins
 

INGREDIENTS

Vinegar                                               

METHOD

Spray vinegar directly on glass and mirrors and clean with newspaper
 

Vinegar: Weed killer & window/glass cleaner

EXTRA INFO

Use this spray as a weed killer. Spray directly on weeds in dry weather. Salt can also be used as a weed killer.

Bathroom cleaner - crème cleanser (as the shops will call it!)

TIME TO MAKE: 5 min
 

INGREDIENTS

Bi-carb                                         (abrasive cleaner)
Water
Optional:
Add essential oil for scent or jojoba oil for extra softness
 

METHOD

Mix bi-carb with water (or you can mix with shampoo, liquid soap, condition - whatever you have in the shower) and scrub away! I use this for my shower/bath, basin, toilet seat etc and just rinse off.
 

 

Toilet cleaner

TIME TO MAKE: 5 min
 

INGREDIENTS

Bi-carb                                         (abrasive cleaner)
Vinegar
Optional:
Add essential oil for scent or jojoba oil for extra softness
 

METHOD

Tip bi-carb into toilet - Add vinegar and it will explode like a volcano - scrub toilet. To remove hard water stains from the bottom of your toilet turn off the water at the back, flush the toilet and you will have water left at the bottom of the toilet. This stops sewer fumes from coming back up the pipes. Scoop water out with container or use a syphon hose (as I do) to syphon water out. Leave bi-carb and vinegar mix in the bottom for 30 minutes then scrub with toilet brush.

 

 

Moisturizer

TIME TO MAKE: instant
 

INGREDIENTS

Coconut Oil                                         (antibacterial, moisturising)

Optional:
Add essential oil for scent or jojoba oil for extra softness
 

METHOD

Apply directly to skin for an instant moisturiser. I use this everyday from top to toe. I have a separate jar of coconut oil in the bathroom for beauty use. I also have a container next to Williams change table for nappy changing only. After steaming up the bathroom with a hot shower, the coconut oil on the basin is always nice and soft straight after my shower.
 

This is the coconut oil I keep in the bathroom

EXTRA INFO

Pure Coconut Oil is the most powerful item in my house. It can be used for 100’s of things both in cooking, cleaning and beauty.  The benefits are far too many to list or name.

I have a jar next to my stove and as it goes very hard in Winter, I use a melon baller to scoop it out. I just leave the melon baller in there. It works a treat. When I need to top it up, I sit my 5L tub of coconut oil in the bath with the kids, so that it will turn into a liquid and I can top up my jars.

I also use PURE unrefined cold pressed coconut oil for….

·         Eye makeup removal

·         Lip balm

·         Limit frizz in my hair!

·         Cuts, abrasions, fungal infections

·         Baby lotion for William

·         As a nappy cream – anti fungal when he has a red bum

·         Massage oil (add lavender to it) - great for massaging William

·         Cradle cap

·         I use it as an all round moisturiser from head to toe

·         Leave in condition – put on dry hair, put shower cap on, leave for 30-60minutes. Wash out.

·         Add to a bath for a moisturiser

·         Deodorant – rub under arms or use in spray bottle when it’s a liquid (can mix with bi-carb too)
 

I cannot talk enough about coconut oil. Its natural powerful properties are like no other.  If I’m going on holidays I never leave without a jar of it, It will solve any problems while we’re away both for myself, my husband, my 4 year old and 1 year old.  It melts when at a temperature of more than 17°C and solidifies when less than 17°C.

This stuff can do EVERYTHING!!! 

 

Next time….

I hope that you have enjoyed this blog and will have a go at making something. If any of these recipes don’t suit you or you’re not happy with them, simply use Google to find lots of other recipes and variations. I am looking forward to blogging soon with some other products that I make for around the home including insect repellent and a natural pesticide for the garden. I’ll also be sharing my findings on some beauty recipes I'm playing with like lip balm and soap.

 Remember, to save extra money and help the environment keep old containers, jars and bottles as they will come in handy when storing your new products and ingredients. Remember to remove all old labels  and clearly label with new contents to avoid accidents.