My (almost) organic household cleaners : ))

So, I have taken a brief hiatus from the blogging world the past few months but definitely not from my Organic all natural lifestyle!! Busy with the Holidays, Birthdays, and family fun but am now back to share some recipes that I love!! They are not for food though, but instead a way to naturally clean your home without paying the ridiculous price tags for 'organic all natural cleaners' that easily run you 4 to 5 dollars per bottle. However, an herbal alternative will cost mere pennies to make. I buy pure essential oils for an average of 3 dollars per half ounce, and since I only use 2 to 20 drops per cleaner (depending on the particular recipe) that half ounce bottle goes a long way indeed!! Other all natural ingredients, such as vinegar, baking soda, water and castile soap are also inexpensive : ))

This will probably be explained between two posts, since this is the rare occasion that BOTH of my two children (2 years old and under) are sound asleep......ahhhh, is this what it's like to actually hear your own thoughts during the daylight hours??? I don't know, but I don' hate eht!! (said with a saucy Columbian accent haha!!! ...don't judge me) O.K., back to the point ;))

This is not just about cost......the REAL reason I switched to all natural organic homemade cleaners is because of the chemicals that were being distributed into my home while I cleaned the floor my baby crawled on, and the toys they put in their mouths!! I used to be addicted to bleach....really, my husband said his eyes burned when I went on my cleaning sprees. Even though I would always open windows and allow venting of the smells, they were still strong. I just didn't realize how DANGEROUS they were to me and my family until just recently. I was a blind cleaner. I purchased what said 'removes dirt and grime in ONE easy application' or 'wipe that mildew right off with just 3 sprays' or 'streak free shine in minutes' but I never turned my products around to read the ingredients.....when I did, I was confused because one, I didn't understand half of the words on the bottle, and two, I thought why is all this necessary when my Grandmother cleaned with vinegar and baking soda for years??!? I then did some research and threw out my harmful products. Let's talk about bleach for a moment... Bleach, or sodium hypochlorite, is a combination of chlorine and sodium hydroxide and is perhaps one of the most difficult commercial cleaning products to relinquish. Technically speaking, household bleach is not considered corrosive or toxic, it is just classified as a skin and eye irritant. (haha, understatement??) It can burn human tissue, internally or externally, especially in small children. In fact, the accidental swallowing of bleach is the MOST FREQUENT received call at Poison Control Centers involving children under the age of six. If household bleach can do such damage then why even keep it around the house when there are soooo many natural and most importantly NON TOXIC solutions for removing stains and keeping your whites, white*

O.K., now I am excited!! I looooove sharing natural recipes whether they be for food or cleaning products, so let's get to the good stuff!!!

Step one: What you'll need : )

white distilled vinegar
baking soda
tea tree essential oil
lavender essential oil
peppermint essential oil
dr. bronner's organic castile soap (LOVE THIS!!!)

the castile soap also comes in many different fragrances for different purposes. I keep tea tree castile soap in my kitchen and bathroom for disinfecting, lavender castile soap in my bathtub for washing, and ultra mild baby castile soap in the kiddies tub for their sensitive body wash* you don't use it full strength. If you did, you would just be wasting money when it is recommended to dilute your castile soap about 60 percent to 40 percent. 40 percent soap, 60 percent water, and you can add some lavender essential oil or citrus oil for added smells and relaxing spa affects. I LOVE cleaning and getting high on natural sweet smelling aromas rather than LITERALLY getting high on bleach. LOL!!

here are my 4 favorite cleaning recipes, hope you decide to try them out : ))

Lauren's Awesome All Purpose Disinfecting Cleaner
(can be used on any surface, kitchen, bathroom, toys, fridge, garbage can, walls, literally anything you can think of....except the floor!! it has a lot of essential oil and you don't want to slip and break your neck, I have another recipe for fabulous floor cleaner!!! ;))

16 oz trigger spray bottle*
1/4 cup dr. bronner's castile soap (whatever scent you decide on)
6 tablespoons Vinegar
10 drops Tea Tree Essential Oil
5 drops Lavender Essential Oil

shake up and fill the rest up with water....that's it!! the tea tree and vinegar are natural disinfectants that work as well as clorox!! when you spray this on, let it sit for a minute to ensure all of the bacteria is killed and harder stains are then SO EASY to just wipe clean : )) this works so well, and smells great!!
regular all purpose cleaner, 3.89
my all natural cleaner that works better with a great smell?? 31 cents.....yea, can you say score!!?? you will also save over 3 dollars for every refill you make : )

Lauren's Fabulous Floor Cleaner
this is great for hard floors!!

1/2 cup vinegar
1 gallon water
1/8 cup dr. bronner's lavender castile soap

mix, mop and glooooow (I know, I know, I crack myself up too ;)) mop and glo floor cleaner, 3.80 our all natural almost organic alternative?? about 8 cents!!! =D

Lauren's Spectacular Soap
(for hand and body) use this in all of your soap dispensers around the house, and in your body wash containers in the bath : ))

8 parts water
2 parts baby mild castile soap (or whatever fragrance you enjoy)
10 drops favorite essential oil (I use lavender and chamomile melon yumm)

That's it!! now this is not a thick cleaner, but your skin will be left so soft and smooth after using castile soap. It really is different than anything I've ever used and I love it! since it is thinner, you just need a small amount on your loofah then create a lather and use as much as you need*

Lauren's Wicked Window Cleaner

This will leave your windows and mirrors streak free!*
16 oz trigger spray bottle
1/2 cup vinegar
1/4 cup lavender castile soap
fill to top with water
shake, spray and wipe down with newspaper to reduce lint being left on your mirrors : ))











QUICK TIPS OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD...
-to keep your drains clear and not clogged, pour 1/2 cup baking soda and 1/2 cup vinegar down your drains every week*

-if you want THE BEST smelling air freshener without any chemicals being released into your air try this!!
get a pot and put it on the stove.
add 4 whole cinamin sticks
1 orange peel....eat the orange, it's good for you ;))
10 whole cloves
fill to the top with water and let it simmer all day! smells WONDERFUL* just keep refilling the water so it doesn't burn : )

Alright, I hear my son rolling around in his crib, I must venture LoL Next blog I'll explain my laundry, dishes, haircare and body lotion recipes YaY*

Have a blessed day. Put God first, your family second and the earth third*
smile : ))

I'm an (almost) organic cooking MACHINE!!! LoL ;))

Hey all, so tonight I made a delicious dinner that consisted of homemade organic wheat pita bread, organic humus, and organic chicken shawarma. I was feeling mediterranean what can i say ;)) the dish turned out WONDERFUL, and my husband was very pleased....brownie points for me YaY (baby, if you're reading I'd like to redecorate the playroom....now that you have a happy full stomach I'm sure we can discuss this otherwise dormant issue HAHAHA, I kid ;)) Alright, here is the recipe and pictures of the cooking process for my organic mediterranean evening : ))

Yummy organic wheat pita bread*

step 1: gather ingredients... what you'll need: (makes 8 pitas)
2 1/4 cups Organic Wheat Flour
1 tablespoon Organic Sugar
2 tablespoons Extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons Sea salt
1/2 cup Warm water

 Step 2- combine 1 cup flour with all other ingredients and mix vigorously for 6 minutes ( it works better with a wooden spoon but unfortunately I don't have one at the moment...hmm, note to self, purchase wooden spoon. . .) after mixing for 6 minutes slowly combine rest of flour with mixture*

 this is what your dough should look like before kneading*

 aaaand, after LoL* (kneed the dough for about 8 minutes or until smooth)

 cut dough into 8 pieces......you can try to make them a little more even than mine ;))

 roll the 8 pieces into balls

 Cover with damp rag and let rise for 20 minutes. This is a good time to preheat the oven to 500 degrees**

 take dough balls and flatten them with your palm into circles. then place on 8 squares of aluminum foil* bake for 5 to 6 minutes, (they'll be slightly puffed and golden when done)

 YaY, homemade pita bread =D

 *tear* it's so beautiful... LoL!! cut a little slit into the sides of the bread to make an opening for whatever you chose to fill with.

Whew* that was a lot of work, but didn't they turn out scrumptious!?! Yes, I will be making this twice a week as well as a loaf of organic wheat bread with flax seed...so I figure I might as well get accustomed to the baking process ;))

Now on to the humus!!

What you'll need:
organic garbanzo beans*
tahini
extra virgin olive oil
fresh parsley chopped
sea salt
1/3 lemon ( squeeze the juice into the humus before blending*)
1/2 clove of garlic minced

 This is very simple to make. just combine all ingredients and blend....I don't know the exact measurements, I just blended until I liked the texture LoL also add sea salt, pepper and garlic powder at the end if you need more flavor* a little tip from me is to not use too much tahini. the first time I made this it tasted a little peanut buttery since tahini is ground sesame paste...similar to peanut butter. Just use a little while blending to start since you can always add more : )) This turned out DE-LISH, excited to make my own organic humus from now on!!*

Last but not least....My variation and take on the mediterranean classic, chicken shawarma (organic domestic diva style ;))

What you'll need:
2 free range chicken breasts
Extra virgin olive oil
Tahini
Parsley chopped
Sea salt
1/2 clove garlic, chopped
Green onions, chopped
fresh basil, chopped

Slice chicken breast as thinly as possible without exposing an artery. . .in your index finger

 See, now that wasn't so bad....make sure you count them, 10 fingers??? We're good to go. . .

 Simply chop up all of your ingredients and throw into the pan. (Prior to doing so you're going to want to put the olive oil in so it can saute your herbs before you add the chicken)

 Combine all ingredients, and cook for about 12 minutes* It will start to smell pretty irresistible but defy the urge to take a bite prior to completion, salmonella is so not in this season~

Then when it's all done make your plate and ENJOY!!! =D I added a side of my homemade organic ranch from a couple days ago for dipping....it was truly fabulous let me tell you, a delectable decadence of worldly taste and organic greatness....Thanks for reading!! I hope your meal was as good as ours :))

Now ready to enjoy my Friday night....a glass of Merlot, my love and mentally stimulating conversation* I truly, could not ask for more. Happy Organic Cooking!!! =D

Smile*

You are what you eat*

You are what you eat.... we all remember our mother's and father's uttering that statement during weak moments of extreme sugar consumption or an evening complaint about eating all of our vegetables...but do you ever really think about the truth behind it? They have an interesting quote amongst the raw food community that simply states, 'live food, live body. dead food, dead body' and while i don't COMPLETELY agree with this, i do see it's partial truth. obviously we can thrive on 'dead' food....such as chicken and other meats, with great nutritional value, but what about the vegetables and fruits that are sprayed endlessly with toxic chemicals found in pesticides. does this not essentially 'kill' them, too?? apparently the chemicals are to kill the bugs and keep them away..um, HELLO if they're a deterrent for pesky insects what makes you think they are safe and healthy for us to consume? in a recent sunset magazine it said how apples have the equivalent of 1/4 can of pesticides on them. even after you wash, rinse and repeat (no this isn't a pantene commercial LoL ;)) you are still left with the 1/8 of the bottle that was soaked into the flesh of the apple itself.....and you bite, chew, swish from one cheek to the other letting the toxins marinate in your mouth and then finally swallow, ingesting the harmful chemicals to be reabsorbed by your body. see, that worries me. i suppose i'd never thought of the whole growing process before....you know, how your food is grown and taken care of before it gets distributed. to me, knowingly ingesting pesticides is no different than going into my garage and spraying an infinitesimal amount of ant killer on my tongue day, after day, after day....no matter what you think, eventually it will take a toll on your body and health. and it's not just one pesticide either. the average apple has a total of 30 different ones, GaG!!* now that i have children this is something i think about often. like any mother, i want what is best for them in every aspect of their existence, so why not start with what i bring into my home and offer them at the dinner table. this is my main reason for going all natural and organic. most organic food is said to contain 50 percent more nutrients, minerals and vitamins than the regular produce that has been intensively farmed. and yes, organic costs more but realistically i can justify the extra spending because i would have to purchase and consume twice as much as the regular produce to equal the amount of nutrient i'd get in my organic selection. am i making sense? because it is very late at night and i'm semi rambling LoL!! i'm simply saying, i choose organic because food today just isn't what it used to be* i know i am only 24 and don't have much past to compare it to, but the research i've done indicates the amount of vitamin C in today's fruit bears no resemblances to that found in the fruit of say the WWII period. i just don't see how people can think it's ok to eat chemicals and not expect some form of reaction from their bodies...

soooOo with all that being said, i went to sprout's farmer's market today and LOVE LOVE LOVE it! i got plenty of organic bread flour, wheat flour, pastry flour, unbleached regular flour and some great organic produce. tomorrow my plan is to make a loaf of organic wheat bread with honey and flax seed* i'll post pictures of the process and the recipe, just in case anyone is interested ;)) i feel it necessary to share the knowledge given to me with others, especially when it comes to something as precious and intimate as their own bodies. food affects everything in your make up. if you put the wrong gas into a car it will break down...i don't see our bodies as much different*

Kk loves, it's nearly midnight and i'm super tired....enough for now* tomorrow will be a more fun and uplifting blog i promise ,,,with lots of pictures ;)) excited to bake my bread (woOp) and make some delicious concoction with organic butternut squash, organic green beans, organic potatoes and free range chicken for dinner....still thinking of a recipe but will definitely post when it's complete!!!

sleep well all, remember to think for yourself and not be easily influenced. whether by the media or me, just do your own research and you will surprise yourself with what you find. nighty night* : ))
smile <3

Picture Perfect Tuesday!!*

Hey dolls!! Here are some pictures of the Homemade Chicken Nugget recipe process in my previous post* I made these this morning, using about 3lbs of chicken. It made a total of 32 nuggets which I separated into 8 nugget servings and put them in freezer safe baggies. Now, when i want to serve them I just take them out and pop them in the oven for about 10 minutes and enjoy the naturally homemade goodness!! =D

This is the process~*

fresh chicken breast*

 homemade bread crumbs, and the extra virgin olive oil and honey mixture for dipping. (this is what holds the crumb mixture to the chicken breast)

coated and ready to bake!! =))

 into the oven they go~ 400 degrees, pre heated*

 FABULOUS!! 13 minutes later, golden crisped and thoroughly cooked (you can see where i cut the two largest pieces just to make sure...no salmonella in THIS house LoL)  ;))

 delicious!! AND all naturally nutritious ;))

I also made some homemade organic ranch dressing to accompany these fine snacks! Here is the recipe and picture process for the dressing~*

Lauren's Homemade Organic Ranch Dressing~ (you can alter all ingredients to personal taste)

What you'll need~
1 cup Organic Mayo
1/2 cup Organic sour cream
1/4 cup Organic milk (or regular buttermilk/milk if you'd like)
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
sea salt, pepper, and chives to taste***


mayo, sour cream, minced garlic

add parsley and green onions to mixture

add seasonings to mixtures, more and less make it personalized to your own taste buds ;))

 

pour in mlik, blend mixture together and voila!! Homemade Organic Ranch, DE-licious!!! : ))

now i will pour this into a bottle and keep in my fridge as my regular dressing. This is instead of purchasing from the store, magnificent!* 

Aaand for the clean up?? Why not use an all natural environmentally safe product since we're on an natural kick anyway ;)) My personal kitchen favorite, the grime fighter all purpose kitchen cleaner made by BabyGanics* It cleans beautifully while leaving my kitchen with a soft Lavender scent. Sweet smelling, calming AND disinfecting....yes, it was made for me there's no denying it*

Alright all, hope you enjoy my Almost Organic Homemade chicken nuggets and my Homemade Organic Ranch Dressing (yea, that's a mouthful LoL!) I'll be back later with my Homemade Organic bread!! ...off to sprout's, ready to stock up on organic flour and baking necessities... Do they have organic flour??? Well apparently I will find out* I think my husband is just as excited about this new homemade organic lifestyle as I am, and that feels good ;))

Hey, hey I have a blog!! =D

I'm a modern, domestic diva!! This blog is about homemaking with a twist~ I'll chronicle my daily attempts to live an (almost) organic, all natural lifestyle while staying true to my traditional values and forever remaining fabulous. I'll talk often about my faith as well, and post my daily recipes, tips, and favorite websites that pertain to organic living and homemaking. I'm seriously ready to go back to the basics people. Back before instant meals packed with MSG, before chemically enhanced cattle, before you saw those dreaded golden arches on EVERY street corner, before the ever growing obesity epidemic and before the modern conveniences that have so conveniently inconvenienced our health!* I'm excited about this, and cannot wait to share my new found knowledge with you all! Here we go America, it's hip to be a healthy homemaker... and I'm out to prove it! ;))

SoOo, let's get started!!

Step 1: Going from Gucci to Green

That statement makes me giggle, only because it is so true!! At least in my life anyway. Before having my two children I drove a bright red jaguar and used bleach like nobody's business...I didn't dispose of batteries the proper way (big oOops) and rarely recycled. I thought 'going green' was a new MAC eyeshadow. Although we did eat healthy and I tried to exercise regularly, I was doing nothing positive for our planet. Now, 3 years and 2 kids later, I want to clean the floor without my baby crawling rubbing his eyes and painfully blinding himself LoL! (Yes I realize that wasn't REALLY funny, the thought of it happening I mean but you have to admit the statement itself was rather witty...but I digress ;)) I'm going to make my own bread!! Yea, I know unbelievable right? Miss domestically challenged has miraculously turned into Martha Stewart. How is this possible?? Well I don't have that answer yet but as we go along I'm hoping to find it LOL! I kid, I actually love to cook and my husband says I'm a pretty good one so I have some wonderful recipes I'd like to share with you! The first is a kid favorite. Good old chicken nuggets!! But not the ground up grissel, toenails and beetle kind. . .the good kind, the all natural homemade kind ;))


***I like to make a big batch of these and keep them in the freezer to pull out for quick snacks. Bye bye Tyson, helloOo mama's goodness!!! =D

Homemade Semi Organic Chicken Nuggets:

~Take any Organic starch (bread crumbs, corn meal, smashed corn flakes, smashed shredded wheat, smashed left over crackers - literally almost any starch can end up being the breading) and season it to taste. I suggest salt, pepper, garlic powder, finely grated parmesan and romano cheeses and oregano but you can also use marjoram, basil, curry powder, ....the list goes on, it's really a personal taste preference : ))

~cut the chicken into strips or cubes and try to make them the same size - then press on the thick ones with the heel of your hand to flatten them out. Flattening them results in even cooking times.

~Dip the flattened strips into some extra virgin olive oil and sweet honey then roll/press the strip into the breading. Try to get as much breading to stick as you can. Arrange the breaded strips on a cookie sheet and bake them at 400 degrees until the meat is just cooked through - it should take about 12 minutes. Then simply cool them and pack them into lunch sized servings and freeze! Voila, homemade all natural, semi organic frozen chicken nuggets =D BAM!!*

To serve I just heat them on a cookie sheet at 400 degrees until lightly browned and crisp. Hope you LoVe them as much as we do!!*

Alright, I'll work on a weekly menu of organic recipes for tomorrow. Night all!! =))