Peace in the Kitchen: Avoid Toxins
I hate to stress about chemicals flying around my kitchen, it is just an extra thing to worry about and plain unnecessary. Having my counter tops covered in chemicals and breathing in toxic fumes while I clean, is a long way from peace and joy for me.
It is easy to avoid harsh, toxic cleaners by making your own. Don’t roll your eyes at me. I’m serious now. It will take about the same time as it does to push your shopping cart down the cleaning isle, decide on what to buy and throw it in the cart. Let me show you….
The recipe shown in the video above is one I use often. The antibacterial and antiseptic properties of lavender and peppermint essential oils are utilized here, creating a pleasant smelling spray that has the power to kill germs and deodorize. As you saw, it can be made in under a minute.
All-Purpose Disinfectant Spray
adapted from the Fresh Disinfectant Deodorizer recipe in The Balanced Plate
by Renee Loux.
What you need:
Spray bottle
¼ teaspoon lavender essential oil
¼ teaspoon peppermint essential oil
1 cup water
What to do:
Mix water and essential oils in a measuring cup.
Pour into spray bottle (you will have a little left over).
Screw on lid and start spraying!
It is also possible to pour the water directly into the spray bottle, then add the oils and shake to blend.
Keep out of eyes – the essential oils are very strong.
Option – sometimes I add a squirt of dish soap to the bottle for added cleaning power. This recipe is intended to be a disinfectant and can be sprayed on without the need to wipe off. However, I usually do wipe it since I use it to clean the counter tops. But if using as a disinfectant only, then leave it one. It’s works very well in the bathroom as well as the kitchen.
Another disinfecting spray I like to use comes from Karen Logan’s book, Clean House Clean Planet
Antiseptic Soap Spray
What you need:
3 Tablespoons liquid castile soap
Water
30 drops tea tree oil
16 ounce spray bottle
What to do:
Fill the spray bottle with water, leaving a little room at the top. Add the liquid soap and tea tree oil.
Screw on the lid and shake to blend.
Use to disinfect door knobs, counter tops, toys, toilet bowls, and so on!
This is definitely a healthy alternative to Lysol!
I purchase most of my supplies from Mountain Rose Herbs. (And have for at least three years now.) They have an extensive selection of essential oils (as well as other products) that are very high quality and reasonably priced.
Links to Mountain Rose Herbs are affiliate links.
Peace in the Kitchen: Use A Timer!
Ah, the kitchen timer. So simple, yet so effective!
Be warned: this post is going to reveal my highly distractable nature 
A few days ago I woke up to the faint smell of bread in the air. I lay there for a minute trying to figure out where this aroma was coming from. Then it hit me…“My sourdough!” I had worked on it the day before and had two loaves sitting under a dishtowel to rise. I had planned to bake them in the evening, but got busy with other things, then eventually tired out and went to bed.
Sadly, my loaves rose and fell over night and looked a little sad (and deflated) by morning:
I baked them anyway and they tasted fine; just not very pretty and a little crunchy on top.
If I had set the timer to go off when they should have been finished rising, I could have avoided this little mishap. It wasn’t the worst thing, at least the bread was still edible. Unlike the almonds I burned a few weeks ago while trying to roast them. I actually thought to set the timer, but figured I wouldn’t forget. I was wrong!
I could feel cranky with myself for being so absentminded, or I could accept the way I am and do something to prevent future incidents. I’m choosing the later.
If you have children, you know you don’t often have the luxury of even completing a thought, let alone remembering how long the almonds have been in the oven and what time they should come out. So give your brain a break and set the timer!
I’m actually considering clipping the timer to myself, because I may take the trash outside, see a bunch of weeds to pull (that should just take a second), call the kids to look at a bug I found while pulling said weeds, then smell the wafting smoke coming from the kitchen! It could happen.
If you are a little more with-it than me, you can still reap the benefits of using a timer in the kitchen. Life in unpredictable, especially with kids. Eventually you will be interrupted.
A simple timer only costs $8
Do you use a timer in the kitchen?
(Amazon links are affilate links)
Peace in the Kitchen: Write In Your Cookbooks!
Have you ever made a meal only to find out it was the same recipe you used last year that no one liked? Or is it just me who does that?
The recipe pictured was one of those occasions. I was so happy to have dinner prepared when my husband came home, the house smelled good, the dishes were out. I took a taste and…crunch! The rice was still hard! I put it back in the oven for a while, and it still didn’t soften. I can’t remember what we ate for dinner that night, but it wasn’t Texas One Dish!
You’d think a girl would remember an occasion like that, but no, it was to be repeated. In my defense, I do cook a lot, so really, how can I be expected to remember little details like that?
As the picture shows, I wrote down the problem so we wouldn’t have crunchy rice for a third (or fourth time).
I’ve adopted this habit now and it really does serve me well. It is such a simple, effective way to avoid mistakes in the kitchen.
You can write all manner of helpful (or sentimental) notes in cookbooks!
Here are a few examples:
- Loved! I like to use this one when we all enjoy a recipe.
- Terrible! This is really helpful when browsing for a recipe Because clearly I will not remember!
- Made for SugarBean’s 2nd Birthday – It makes me happy to see these notes and remember the occasion. I think I won’t forget, but I’m not counting on it!
- Recipe Variations. Do you ever play with a recipe and wish you had written down what changes you made? Yep. I still think about those wonderful enchiladas from 10 years ago. Seriously! I’m on a mission to find the best enchilada recipe. If you have a super duper one, send it to me.
- Alternate Preparation Methods. This kind of goes with the above, but is more concerned with how a recipe is put together. This is something I am working on with adapting recipes to more traditional preparation methods (as I mentioned in the kamut cookie post). For example, with baked oatmeal, I might jot down some notes about adding a little whey or apple cider vinegar to the oat/water mixture and letting it sit overnight.
This is a very simple tip, but it can really save you a lot of time, wasted food, and a big headache.
So tell me, do you write in your cookbooks?
This post is linked to Kitchen Tip Tuesdays at Tammy’s Recipes. Be sure to visit for more kitchen tips and lots of yummy recipes.
Also Shared on Works For Me Wednesday @ We are THAT Family
Kamut Oatmeal Cookies
New grains are fun to try. They are less scary and intimidating than other new foods, but just as intriguing. At least for this ex-vegetarian anyway.
Kamut is actually the brand name of a variety of wheat called khorosan. It is often tolerated well by those with wheat allergies and is frequently substituted for wheat flour in equal amounts. For more information about his ancient grain, visit kamut.com.
These cookies were our first try with Kamut, and we loved them. Obviously it is only one ingredient among many, but we are happy and will try it out in other dishes. Let me know if you have any favorite recipes that use kamut.
Something about these remind me of Anzac Biscuits, a traditional “cookie” from my homeland, Australia. I think it is the sucanat, oat and butter combination that give it that Anzac taste.
These cookies use real food ingredients, but are not soaked. I plan to work on the recipe to make it even more nutritious, and will share it when/if that happens ( I have my eye on Cheeseslave’s healthy soaked oatmeal cookie recipe for inspiration). Our family is striving to eat a real food diet, but are still making changes, many of which include preparation methods. I’m looking forward to sharing our real food journey and food philosophy soon.
We like these cookies and make them often. I hope you do too!
Kamut Oatmeal Cookies
Adapted from Sue Gregg’s Kamut-Oatmeal Cookie in her book, Desserts, page 102.
Ingredients
2/3 cup Kamut flour (freshly ground is best). Can also use whole wheat pastry flour.
1 cup finely ground rolled oats (put about 1 to 1 1/3 cup in the coffee grinder or blender)
1 cup regular rolled oats (not quick cooking)
1/3 cup of shredded coconut
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup Sucanat
½ cup unsalted butter, melted, or safflower oil
1 egg (for egg-free version, use 1 Tablespoon of freshly ground flaxseed and 3 Tablespoons of water. Mix and let sit for 3 minutes before using).
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
Optional add ins:
½ cup pecan pieces – my fav!
½ cup chocolate chips
½ cup raisins or dried cranberries
½ cup walnuts
Or a combination of the above!
Method
Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees F.
In a large bowl whisk the egg, melted butter (or oil), sucanat, and vanilla.
In a separate bowl blend together the kamut flour, ground oats, regular oats, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
Add dry ingredients to the liquid ingredients and stir to combine. Mix in any optional extras you are using.
Drop heaped tablespoons of dough onto a greased cookie sheet. Flatten slightly. Leave an inch or two between the cookies as they do spread. Bake for 8-11 minutes. Less time for chewy cookies, more for crunchy ones.
Remove from cookie sheet immediately to cool.
This recipe is linked to the Two for Tuesdays Blog Hop. Hop over to A Moderate Life to add yours and see a whole bunch of other great recipes.
My Go-to Recipes From Around The Web
It’s Kitchen Week here at Delighting in the Days!
Since the kitchen is often the hub of the home, and also happens to be one of my favorite places, I’d like to dedicate the next few days to sharing a few tips on creating and maintaining a peaceful kitchen!
Let’s kick things off with some link-love to my favorite recipes from around the web. I’m only including the ones I use often and really like. They are family friendly, nutritious and delicious
Without further ado…
Breakfasts
Dutch Puff – from Large Family Logistics. This link will take you to a post titled, Beyond Cold Cereal, it contains some other great breakfast recipes. Scroll down for the Dutch Puff, it is fifth on the list. I make half the recipe and put it in an 8 x 8 dish or pie plate. We usually eat this on Sunday morning. The kids love it and so do I!
Baked Soaked Oatmeal - from Kelly the Kitchen Kop. We often add apple or coconut and raspberries.
Snacks
Basic Soaked Muffins – from Wardeh @ GNOWFGLINS A great basic recipe. Can make many different ways. We like it with raspberries and coconut (hmm, I guess we like that combination).
Almond Power Bars – from Katie @ Kitchen Stewardship. I make this almost weekly now. Everyone loves it.
Mini Apple Pies – from Laura @ Heavenly Homemakers. These are just the right amount of sweet. A healthy and delicious pie you can feel good about eating!
Main Dishes
Cheesy Turkey Sausage Stromboli - from Laura @ Heavenly Homemakers. I usually serve it with a Marinara dipping sauce.
Cheddar Ranch Burgers – also from Laura @ Heavenly Homemakers. A great way to use grassfed beef if you are not yet acquainted with its different taste.
Chili and Corn Bread – from Lindsay @ Passionate Homemaking.com. Hearty and spicy! I reduced the tomato sauce in this recipe a little. This has a very good flavor. Great for doubling and putting in the freezer.
Tomato Soup – also from Lindsay @ Passionate Homemaking.com. Extremely fresh and flavorful.
Favorite Marina Sauce – from Giada De Laurentiis. I use this for pasta and as a dipping sauce. I like it so much I could eat a bowl of it. I guess that would just be tomato soup then…
Cabbage Roll Casserole – from Stephanie @ Keeper of the Home. This is a fairly new discovery, but one we all decided should be added to the regular rotation. I use homemade turkey sausage (not formed into patties) in place of the plain ground beef or turkey and also some leftover marina sauce from the above recipe in place of the tomato sauce.
Fried Potatoes with Broccoli Cheese – from Modern Alternative Mama. I like to bake the potatoes for a little while first, then peel and slice before frying. It leaves me with less time standing in front of the frying pan. I use palm oil and it makes them look pretty! My daughter loves this so much she requests it when asked what dinner she would choose
Dessert
Double Chocolate Torte – from Epicurious. This is the one recipe I make consistently for special occasions. Even for my own birthday once. It is indulgent and rich…splendid…divine… I really like it. A lot. Perhaps it does not fit into the “nutritious” category. But you won’t need to each much of it. Seriously. It’s rich. Oh wait, I already said that. (So now you know I really mean it, right?)
What are some of your favorite recipes from around the web? What recipes do you make again and again that your family loves?
Spicing Up Leftover Pasta
Cold, leftover pasta is often not very appetizing. And unless there is a lot of sauce, it doesn’t reheat very well.
Thankfully, a recent botched recipe led to a delicious discovery. Don’t you love it when that happens? Now I’m happy to have leftover pasta! I make this all the time.
Baked Pasta
This will work with most pasta shapes or sauces. Even though the following reads as a recipe, with measurements and timing, it is very flexible. Feel free to tweak it to suit your tastes and also to use the ingredients you have on hand.
If you think of a clever name for this dish, let me know in the comments! It was inspired by Giada De Laurentiis’ Pizza Di Spaghetti (from her book Everyday Italian)
Ingredients
4 cups sauced, leftover pasta
1/3 cup milk
1/3 cup oil (I use olive oil)
1 egg
1 to 1 1/2 cups shredded cheese – I like to use Parmesan and Mozzarella. But many other kinds would work well. It is nice to throw in a few cubes of fresh Mozzarella instead of shredded.
Method
Mix all ingredients together and place in greased casserole dish.
Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes.
Serve with a little Parmesan.
Notes
If you have leftover pasta with only a little sauce, you may add some canned tomato sauce and a sprinkling or oregano or basil to your taste.
I have not needed to cover the casserole dish because I usually make sure there is a lot of sauce so the pasta won’t dry out and become crunchy. But it wouldn’t hurt to cover it while baking, if you are uncertain.
This is a fun recipe to play with. It is hard to mess up. Different cheeses, leftover meat or vegetables could all be included.
What are your tricks for using up leftover pasta?
Visiting Earthbound Farm
A few years ago I was able to visit Earthbound Farm in Carmel Valley, California. It was fun to go to the farm since I have purchased a number of Earthbound products over the years. I was recently able to go back and had a lovely time yet again!
Spending some time with my family, outside, among fresh, happy plants, is a finer thing!
My favorite part was the organic herb garden. I didn’t realize that so many herbs had multiple varieties. And every herb has a nice little sign so they can easily be identified. It was very educational for me!
You can snip fresh herbs and buy them. But I was inspired to get my herb garden going at home! So many of them grow like weeds, which is prefect for a lazy gardener like me
The kids really enjoyed the Kid’s garden. They ran around and around.
The baby enjoyed being outside and even got a bite of ice cream! She wasn’t sure what to think about it though. We also put a chamomile flower between her toes 
Wish this picture didn’t have my shadow in it!
They have a little store with fruit, vegetables, and some specialty items. I bought some roasted walnut oil for a salad dressing I’ve been wanting to make. Recipe to come…if it’s good
Last time I visited Earthbound farm I purchased co-founder, Myra Goodman’s book, Food to Live By
You can find out more about Earthbound Farm on their website. They also have a bunch of recipes.
This post is part of Finer Things Friday at Amy’s Finer Things.
10 ways to fit in exercise with kids underfoot!
A Mom who feels good physically is better able to handle the stresses of life. Being physically fit promotes happiness and confidence and also gives you energy!
Finding the time to exercise with little ones around can be a challenge. Here are a few suggestions for exercising with little ones at home. Some you have probably tried already. Hopefully there will be a few news ones to motivate you!
1. Get it done first thing in the morning
Exercising in the morning is a great way to start the day. Not only does it give you energy, but it gets the task out of the way. Circumstances can’t cause you to miss your workout, because it is already done. If you can get up before the kids wake, that is the perfect time.
If you have super early risers and are unable (or unwilling) to beat them out of bed, have them stay in their rooms until a specified time or create a signal that lets them know it is time to leave their bedroom…I read about one Mom who slips a piece of paper under the door with a note telling them it’s time to come out. Or you could simply knock on the door and say, “Time to come out now.”
2. After the kids are in bed at night (if they have an early bed time – or you are a night owl).
I can’t do this one, but everyone is wired differently and some come alive at night. If that’s you, then use some of your energy to workout.
3. While the kids are occupied.
I don’t recommend allowing the kids to just play together while you workout if they are fairly young. I tried this a few times and had to pause the workout over and over to deal with arguments, or injuries (my son ran into a wall) J Putting on a 30 minute DVD for them to watch is fine. Especially if they don’t watch much television – they will be glued to the spot!
4. During nap time/quiet time.
Dressing in your workout gear early in the day and being ready to go at nap time or quiet time can work very well. I have done this recently. My baby is still young and taking two naps a day. During her afternoon nap the other kids have quiet time and I do a 30-40 minute workout. By quiet time, I mean each child is in his/her own room or space with something quiet to do.
5. Trade childcare with another Mom or have Dad or Grandma watch the kids.
This could be done once a week for a longer time of focused exercise, or more frequently with shorter workouts.
6. Put the kids in stroller and go for a walk/run
Pack a snack for them and some water and get outside. The fresh is good for everyone!
7. Exercise with the kids.
One set of DVDs I have been able to use with the kids is the Walk Away the Pounds series
workouts). I can always add ankle and wrist weights to make it more intense. Or do it with the baby in the ergo carrier
You can also simply pump up the music and dance around. Kids love it.
8. Do short exercises throughout the day.
This one works in theory, but I have not tried it yet. I figure if you designate specific days for specific muscle groups, write down or find a list of exercises for those muscle groups and post in on the fridge, you could work through the list as the day goes on. Doing a few sets here and there. I think this could work quite well for strength training exercises.
9. Integrate exercise into daily life.
Do stomach vacuums (pulling your belly button toward the spine and holding it there) while cooking dinner? Stand on your tip toes while brushing your teeth. Do calf raises while washing your hair. If you watch t.v., do push-ups during the commercials. But proceed with caution; I think you can see how this couldeasily go wrong!
10. Let go of the all-or-nothing mentality
If you plan to workout in the morning but sleep in and miss it, it doesn’t mean you can’t do something else. It is usually possible to fit in some sort of physical activity. It may not be the kind you really want to do, but something will work. Any exercise is better than no exercise.
I have let this happen to me many times. Especially when I am completing some sort of workout DVD series. The DVD runs for a specific time period, if that time period is not available to me, I have often done nothing. That is when the all-or-nothing mentality is really doing me a disservice. So, do what you can. Look for opportunities, and you will find them.
How do you fit in exercise with young children at home? What would you add to this list?
This post is linked to Works for Me Wednesday, hosted by We are THAT Family.
Links to amazon.com are affiliate links.
Send them flowers…
Image from stock.xchng
My husband is preaching a funeral tomorrow. He is working very hard to consider all things and do a good job. I love him for that.
I expect there will be flowers and tears from those who cared for this lady. Laughter may mingle with heartache as her loved ones recall the good times. Regret may hover over some who left important things unsaid.
I once heard the question asked, “Why do we wait until the funeral to send someone flowers?”
Why do we? Because life is busy? Because we assume we will have more time? Because we feel awkward?
If you love someone, tell them.
Life is short. We don’t know how much time we have. Make the most of it.
Send flowers. Write a note of encouragement. Smile. It will do you and the recipient the world of good!
And don’t forget to write a letter to your loved ones.
This post is linked to Steady Mom’s 30 minute blog challenge.
This blog in a few words….
I am currently taking part in a blogging challenge with the hope of making Delighting in the Days a better and more useful blog. I want it to be more than my thoughts and ideas, I want it to actually be helpful to you as a wife and mother, because you ladies are doing important work (and I love you for it)!
Today we were challenged to write an elevator pitch in which we define our blog succinctly. The idea is to provide a clear overview of our website in a few words.
I think I have been fairly clear on what this blog is about so far. But it was good to consider it again.
So here is what I have come up with…
My tagline:
…peace and joy at home
Short Elevator Pitch:
Practical tips and encouragement for the Christian homemaker striving for peace and joy at home.
(I’m not completely happy with the way this sounds yet. But it does provide a clear outline of this blog).
Long Elevator Pitch:
Delighting in the Days exists to provide encouragement, motivation and practical tips for the Christian Homemaker. My goal is to help you create a happy, healthy home that is filled with peace and joy.
I want women to feel valued here. To see the amazing power they possess to affect their homes and ultimately the world.
Here we talk about making our lofty goals a reality, delve into the nitty gritty of crafting the home we desire, and cheer each other on as we do it.
I hope that explains my goals for this little place on the web and communicates my love for the wives and mommas who visit here!
Find out more by reading my about page and my vision for this blog!
Connect with me
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