Homemade Raw Chocolate

I am a total chocolate addict, I used to have chocolate every week before getting on my healthy buzz. When I changed my eating habits I was so gutted about not being able to have my fave sweet treat anymore...until I discovered RAW chocolate. Now raw chocolate is like "normal" chocolate, but a healthier more nourishing version which has natural sweetener, raw ingredients, and no additives or preservatives. It is still a treat which I only allow myself a small portion of once a week, but it is great to have an alternative so I feel like I'm not missing out. It is super easy to make so enjoy my recipe!

Ingredients:

1/2c Raw Cacao Butter
1/2c Raw Cacao Powder
1T Coconut Oil
1t Vanilla Extract (the real stuff) 
2T Agave Syrup or Honey - you can use more or less depending on how sweet or bitter you like it.

Method:

• In a bowl over simmering hot water, add the cacao butter, oil, and agave syrup or honey. Let the oil and butter melt, stirring a couple of times. Add the vanilla.
• Take off the heat and add the cacao powder, whisking in until well combined.
• Pour into greased moulds, or pour onto a tray lined with baking paper.

Note: You can also scatter chopped cashews or almonds, dried cranberries, or seeds over it before it sets.
This needs to be stored in the fridge or freezer as it melts quickly.

Bliss Balls

These bliss balls, or brain balls as some people call them, are my sweet treat now that I have cut out processed foods and refined sugar. What makes them sweet is the medjool dates, which you can buy in most supermarkets. They are full of healthy fats and are a healthy snack for you and the whole
family. 

Ingredients:
2c raw nuts - walnuts, almonds, or cashews are best (I do half & half)
1c sunflower seeds
8 fresh medjool dates, roughly chopped
1c desicated coconut
2/3c raw cacao powder (cocoa powder is fine if you don't have this)
Pinch of sea salt
1/4c water
1T honey or agave syrup (optional)

Blend all ingredients in a food processor until it forms a dough. If it looks too dry and crumbly then you may need to add more water.

Roll the dough into little balls, and store in a lined, airtight container in the fridge. 

Creamy Goat Feta & Caramelised Shallot Dip with Honey, Lemon, & Thyme

We had some friends over for dinner last weekend, and I wanted to have the usual nibbles before dinner, while keeping things gluten free, dairy free, and as non-processed as possible. I came up with this delicious creamy dip using Goats Milk Feta and it was a huge hit. My husband even said he liked it better than the usual "Kiwi Dip", (New Zealanders will know what I mean by that!) which is quite a statement to make! Because Goats cheese is made from animal milk it is technically dairy, but as I am cutting out cows milk products I class goats cheese as "dairy-free" for me. I also made a tasty Kale and Basil Pesto which is dairy-free also. They went really well together, perfect for serving as a layered dip.

Ingredients:

150g-200g packet of Goats Milk Feta Cheese
4 shallots, diced
1 clove of garlic, crushed
2T olive oil
1T honey - I use Active Manuka Honey for it's health benefits.
The zest of 1 lemon
The juice of half a lemon
Fresh thyme, roughly chopped.
Extra olive oil, honey, and thyme for garnish

Method:

Put 1T of the olive oil in a pan, and cook the shallots and garlic at a moderate heat until golden brown and caramelised.

Break the block of feta into large chunks and put them into a food processor (or a bowl if you don't have one). Add the cooked shallots, honey, the rest of the olive oil, zest and juice of the lemon, and the thyme.

Process until the mixture becomes blended and creamy - it won't take long. If it looks a bit dry, add another drizzle of olive oil and process until well combined. 

Pour out into a serving bowl, giving it a quick mix if it needs it. Drizzle with a little olive oil, honey, and top with a sprinkling of fresh thyme. Serve with homemade pita crisps, and vegetable sticks, or use on homemade burgers or in pita pockets instead of mayonnaise.

You could season with some freshly ground pepper, but don't add any salt as the feta is salty enough.

My Journey To Better Health

I have been having health problems for about 8 months now. I have had test after test, and my Doctor still hasn't been able to figure out what is going on. So I decided to take matters into my own hands. I figured that my body has to be reacting to something I'm putting into it, and for a while it was reacting quite badly but it didn't seem to be to anything in particular - it was everything. So I researched and researched and began stocking up on foods and products that would be good for my body, and as natural as possible. I made healthier choices and upped my exercise as I find that I need it for good mental health as well as physical.

Then through a friend I came across ForeverFit. Nicola is amazing! She educates people about their bodies, and about what food and exercise you need to live a healthy well balanced life. She asks you to fill out a questionnaire and  then she goes over your answers and guides you to get the results you need. She has an Online Gym with workout videos you can do in the comfort of your own home - everything from high intensity workouts, to yoga and stretching. It was exactly what I was looking for. I knew the basics from doing my research but I needed a plan that was clear and easy to follow. I have learnt so much more from her and the changes already have been amazing. 
My symptoms have gone, and I have so much more energy. I am sleeping better, feeling lighter and cleaner, and a bonus is that I lost 3kgs in my first week.
I no longer eat processed foods, gluten, dairy, or refined sugar, and at times it can be challenging to figure out what I can eat in place of the things I used to eat and love. I have a real sweet tooth so I was worried that I wouldn't have the willpower, I don't miss out though! I can still have things that I love to eat, they are just a bit different and take a bit more time and planning. Basically I make everything I eat from scratch so I know there are no nasty additives or high amounts of salt and refined sugar.

Everyone's journey is different. Other people may be able to handle certain foods with gluten, or be ok with dairy, or just not want to cut certain things out, and that's absolutely fine! 
This is my journey, it helps me to be able to write it all down. I'm no expert, and I am still learning every day. If I can share tips, recipes, and advice that has helped me, with other people which helps them, then that's awesome. And if you have any tips, or advice that has helped you then I would love to hear them!

Things that have helped me:

1. Not being too strict. I have chosen to make this complete lifestyle change to improve my health, but I need it to be a goal that is achievable. I believe in moderation of all things, and I know if I deprive myself of things I love then I won't be able to keep it up. 
Example: I limit my alcohol intake now. Before I would have had a glass or two of wine a few nights during the week and on the weekends. Now I don't drink during the week, but allow myself to have a couple of drinks on the weekend if I really feel like it. Most weekends I don't, but if we get together with friends then I want to be able to relax and enjoy myself, so I will allow myself a few drinks then. Red wine has great health benefits, so when I do drink I choose red wine. I want to enjoy my life, so not completely depriving myself helps me to stick to my plan.

2. Take baby steps. Make small changes, one at a time. If you change everything overnight it will be daunting, and really hard. To make it easier I stopped one thing at a time, first sugar, then a couple of days later gluten etc etc. I still haven't been able to give up my cup of tea in the morning and at night - but I have cut down (I used to drink up to 6 cups of tea with sugar per day), and I no longer have sugar in it. I would eventually like to cut out caffeine, but for now there are other things that are more important for me to cut out. Taking everything away at once would be too much for me.

3. Be organised. Planning is a huge part in making this kind of change, and it being a successful long term change. Some friends have said they don't know how I find the time when I have 3 kids and a household to run. Organisation is the key. When you know what kind of foods you need to be eating, you know what you need in the cupboards. I make sure my pantry is stocked with everything I need to make a healthy meal or snack. If anything is getting low I go and get more. I try and make a couple of things a day when I know the last batch is almost gone. 

• Once a fortnight I make my own peanut butter and cashew butter, and I know if I have all of the ingredients then I can whip some more up in no time at all when I run out. 

• I make sure each week I have bliss balls, and birdseed bars made up in case I feel like a sweet treat - they don't take long to make, and having them there already made means that I will make a good choice instead of a bad one. 

• I always have a green salad and a brown rice salad in the fridge ready for lunches and dinners, and some chicken or salmon defrosted and ready to pop in the oven for meals. 

• Once a fortnight I buy 2-3 free-range chickens, which I butcher into different cuts of meat for meals for the next two weeks. I then use the carcasses to make stock which goes into the freezer all ready to be used in soups and stews.

• I make sure once a week or fortnight I make some condiments like tomato sauce, mayonnaise or aioli, pesto, hummus, or feta dip. I know if I have these healthy, non processed options ready to go in the fridge, then that's what i'll grab instead of something I shouldn't. 

• I always have raw nuts and seeds in stock for when I feel like a snack, or to add to my meals. And I always make sure I have plenty of fruit and vegetables at hand.

4. Be educated. Do your research in the right places. Know what you need in each meal to give your body what it needs to function correctly eg proteins and good fats. Once you know these key facts you will know what foods to buy, and you will be able to plan your meals and have the appropriate ingredients available.

5. Don't be too hard on yourself! I am a work in progress. I have slipped up at times, but that doesn't mean I've failed, it lets me know what I need to change so I don't slip up further down the track. 
There is always something to learn when you are on a journey like this. In the beginning I was feeling great with the clean eating I was doing, and then I learnt about the benefits of buying organic. It was overwhelming and a little disheartening when I thought I was doing so good with my healthy eating, and hadn't realised that if everything has been sprayed and is covered in toxins then I'm not really getting the benefits for my body that I wanted. So now I buy organic. I was buying gluten-free, dairy-free bread, and then realised that it's highly processed and contains more refined sugar and nasty additives to make it work without gluten and dairy! I still have changes I know I can make to improve what I'm putting in my body because I'm learning more everyday. There is always something to learn. Do the best you can, and any change in the right direction, no matter how little, is a good change. 


Note: I am not an expert! If you are thinking about making a change in diet like I have, make sure you talk to a health professional first to find out what works for you.

Tasty Homemade Peanut Butter

My family loves peanut butter, so we go through quite a lot of it. It is a great source of healthy fat and protein and can be used in so many different ways. 
As I have become more aware about what is in our food, and about reading labels, I have found it can be hard to find a peanut butter which doesn't have more than 3 ingredients, a high amount of salt, and other additives and preservatives I would rather avoid. There are other peanut butters on the market which are better for you, but often come with a bigger price tag to match. So I researched how to make my own, had a couple of trial runs, and have come up with an easy, and delicious recipe which cost me just $3.90 for a 500g jar.

Ingredients:

A food processor
500g bag of blanched peanuts
1-2T good quality oil (I use coconut, light olive, or rice bran oil)
1t sea salt

Pre-heat the oven to 160°C.
Put the peanuts on a baking tray, sprinkle the salt over, and roast slowly in the oven for about 30 minutes of until they are beginning to turn golden. Take out and let cool.
Put the roasted peanuts in your processor and process on the lowest setting for about 10 minutes, slowly adding the oil as you go. You may need to stop and scrape down the sides with a spatula every now and then. The longer you process it for, the more wet the mixture will become. 
Taste as you go, and as you check the consistency you may like to add another drizzle of oil. When it is a wet consistency and not too oily it will be done. Store in an airtight container.

You could use any type of nut - I also made a cashew butter using this method which was amazing!

Five Easy Ways To Get Your Kids To Eat Good Food - And Love It!

As the days get colder and we head into winter, it's more important than ever to make sure our kids get as much good food as possible, to ensure they have a strong immune system ready to fight off those winter bugs.
If your kids are like mine, it can sometimes be hard to get nutrient rich fruit and vegetables into them. I have an 8 year old who has always been a great eater, but has decided to start being picky in the last 6 months. I also have twins who are almost 2, and are still trying to get their taste buds around certain foods - most nights it's the veggies which end up on the floor instead of in their bellies!!
Here are some great ideas and recipes I use to sneak fruit, vegetables, whole grains, and other nutrients into my childrens meals, including soups, smoothies, porridge, pizza, and pasta sauces.

• Smoothies

Smoothies are a great way to get loads of goodness into your kids, and kids LOVE smoothies. They are easily absorbed by the digestive system, and easy for your little (or big) ones to drink. 

There are 4 components I like to put into a smoothie,  the base, fruits, veges, and optional extras.

1. Every smoothie needs a base. I like to use about 1/2-1c of oat, almond, or rice milk, and about 1/2c natural live yoghurt. You could also give it a natural fruit juice base (no added sugar) - pineapple is amazing, or you could use coconut cream or coconut water.
2. Then I add my fruit. Banana is always great for energy, also frozen or fresh berries, mango or pineapple.
3. Now time for some veges. I always add a good handful of baby spinach, or kale. You can also do celery, lettuce, or cucumber. Avocado is amazing in smoothies, it's beautifully creamy and works well with pineapple juice and mango.
4. Lastly I always add some of these extras to make it really good for you. Some ground or freshly grated ginger, fresh mint leaves, a tablespoon of honey, LSA (linseed, sunflower seed, almond), chia seeds.

My little smoothie lovers!

• Homemade porridge.

Most packet porridge mixes contain loads of refined sugar, so I like to make my own at home and add lots of yummies. It's super easy and my kids love it.

Take some natural rolled oats, or quick oats (which are smaller), and put into a saucepan with water or milk - according to the instructions on the pack. I like to use rice or almond milk which results in a creamy, nutty porridge. I also add these extras to my porridge - 1/2t cinnamon, 1/2t mixed spice, 1T honey, 1 grated apple, 1t vanilla, chopped dried apricots, dried cranberries.
You end up with a tasty, creamy, naturally sweetened porridge which your kids are guaranteed to love. Perfect for those cool winter mornings!

• Homemade Pizza.

What kid doesn't like pizza? When you make it yourself at home the result is a tasty meal which is actually good for your family, and doesn't contain all of the preservatives and additives you will get with store bought pizza. You can hide loads of veges in pizza, and your kids will always eat it - because it's pizza!
Start with a good base. There are plenty of recipes out there for pizza bases, but many of them contain yeast so you have to wait for them to rise etc. Here is the recipe for my pizza base. It's so quick and easy, and uses wholemeal flour instead of white to make the pizza just that little bit healthier.

I also make my own tomato sauce when I make pizza, here is my recipe. You can use a store bought one if that's easier, try and go for one with no added salt, as it's better for the little ones. 

So now you have your base and your sauce, it's time to add some other ingredients. A sprinkling of cheese is essential - I use Edam cheese, but mozzarella is always fun for the kids!
You can use any kind of lean meat for your pizza. I usually use chicken or mince (yes mince!). 
If I'm using chicken, I chop a chicken breast into bite size pieces and cook in a pan with a little oil. 
If I'm using mince, I cook it in a little oil in a pan, until it is browned and broken up into little pieces that you can easily sprinkle over your pizza.

Then comes the vegetables - diced capsicum, diced mushrooms, diced onion, chopped spinach or kale, cauliflower (blitz in the food processor until it looks like breadcrumbs and sprinkle on the pizza), or any other vegetables you want to use. Then top with a final sprinkling of cheese, and some more herbs, and in the oven it goes. A great way to get lean meat, and vegetables into your kids.

Wholegrain Pasta & Sauces:

Wholegrain pasta is a really easy way to get goodness into your kids without them noticing. Our kids, like so many, love pasta dishes - especially macaroni cheese, and pasta bake. These dishes can be full of good things, and your kids will still like them.
I use wholegrain pasta, and if I'm doing a pasta bake I will make a tomato based sauce (see my basic tomato sauce recipe here), and include lots of vegetables which I roast first.
Another option for a pasta sauce is one I use all the time since one of my girls became dairy free. We wanted another sauce we could use for mac & cheese which didn't have any dairy, and we started using veggies! You can use pumpkin, kumara, or both. Boil until soft and then puree in a food processor until smooth. We always add other veggies to mac & cheese, as well as a little chicken, and along with these sauces you have a healthy pasta dish packed full of goodness.


Soup:

My kids aren't a huge fan of vegetable soup - I think because they can see all of the veggies! But they love my pumpkin soup. Pumpkin soup is so easy to make, and there are so many variations - everyone has their own pumpkin soup recipe. Here is mine.
I think the key to making a great healthy soup your kids will eat is to puree it, so they can't see everything in it and it isn't a funny texture. Add anything and everything - root vegetables, green vegetables, celery leaves, herbs, loads of garlic and fresh ginger which are always needed in the winter months! Even a squeeze of citrus is a great addition. A homemade stock is a great thing to be able to make, they have so much goodness in them and you know exactly what's in it. Here is my homemade stock recipe. If you are using a store bought stock, make sure you buy a good quality one and one that has no added salt, or reduced salt.

Rose Water & Sweet Almond, Hand & Body Cream.

I have just made my first batch of hand and body cream. It took about 5 minutes and was super easy! It is quite a thick, greasy cream, and would be best used before going to bed at night so it has plenty of time to be absorbed. I would avoid using this cream on your face.

You will need:

200ml Sweet Almond Oil

8T beeswax - grated (about 50g) 

120ml Rose Water

10 Drops of essential oil (rose, vanilla, or lavender are nice)

A large jar, or x2 medium sized jars. (Makes about a cup) 

• Put the almond oil, essential oil, and beeswax into a saucepan. Heat on a low temperature until the wax has melted. Take off the heat and cool slightly.
• Whisk the rose water in, one drop at a time. If the droplets start to stay on top of the mixture, stop adding the water. 
• Once the rose water has been added, whisk for 30 seconds and then pour into the jar/s. Wait until it has completely cooled before putting the lids on. 

Note: I found my rosewater very hard to find. Don't buy it from a pharmacy as they usually have nasty additives. You need food grade rose water. I bought mine here and it was only $6.50 for a 300ml bottle. Beeswax can be found at your local health shop and I bought a 100g bar for $4.20.

*As this has no preservatives in it, it may not last that long - I have yet to find out exactly how long as this is my first batch. I am going to store one jar in the fridge and one at room temperature. I will update this recipe with how long it keeps and how you should store it once I have found these out.

Paper Butterfly Canvas

I made one of these a couple of years ago when I was decorating my twin girls room before their arrival. Recently one of my closest friends, who is about to have her first baby, saw it and asked if I would make one for her little girls nursery. She wanted pinks & purples, so this is the one I have made for her.
It is really easy to make, you don't have to be good at crafts or have all the gear, and it's a really beautiful and original piece of art for your little girls room. It's great as a gift, I guarantee nobody else will be turning up at the birthday or baby shower with the same thing, and really inexpensive to make.


You will need:

• x1 Canvas Frame in the size you want. (I used a 40cm x 50cm sized canvas)
• A range of craft/scrapbooking paper (try to choose a colour theme and work around that)
• Double sided tape
• Scissors
• Cardboard (small piece for making a stencil)

Start by finding a picture of a butterfly you like, online or in a book/magazine. It can be whatever size you want - depending on how many butterflies you want on your canvas. Mine were about 6cm x 8cm. 

Once you have found a picture, cut it out and trace around it with a pen or pencil onto your piece of cardboard. Cut the cardboard butterfly out and there is your stencil.

Using your stencil, trace around it onto your different craft papers, and cut out each butterfly so you have a pile of paper butterflies. I cut about 5 butterflies out of each paper so I had a good range of patterns/colours to work with.

Start placing your butterflies onto your canvas (not sticking them down yet) to see what kind of pattern/colour combination you think works, and to see where each one should be placed, how many, how far apart etc. 

Once you are happy with your placement, cut small strips of double sided tape and stick one side onto the back of the butterflies body. Unpeel the other side of the tape and stick the middle of your butterfly to your canvas. Slightly fold the wings forward towards you so it has a 3D effect. Continue with the rest of your butterflies. 

Hang it on the wall and check they are all lined up and even - it is harder to peel them off and re-stick them back down the longer you leave it.

Finding Happiness

Today is the United Nations International Day of Happiness. 

I have read posts on facebook, blogs, and articles all day about what made people happy today. For many it was their children, having the day off or coming home from work, or spending time with friends or family.
Everyone finds happiness in different things, and I'm sure most of us at some point in our lives have felt it hard to find happiness at some point. Some of us are very fortunate in the way we live, and others less so. Many people look to others, or objects in order to seek happiness, and can't understand why the feeling doesn't stay. We sometimes get stuck on what other people have, and what we don't have.

I have experienced my own struggles finding happiness in the past. It took a long time, and a lot of work on myself before I could consider myself truly happy with the person I am and the life I have. It goes without saying that I find happiness in my children, my husband, family and friends. But I have realised that happiness comes from within. It doesn't get given to you, you have to find it, work for it, and appreciate it when you have it. 

I believe that there is happiness in the smallest most insignificant everyday things, and this is where I find many of my happy moments. The moments that make me feel truly lucky to be me, and have what I have, and just appreciate the things that are so often taken for granted and overlooked. Sometimes we feel we need a big moment to feel happy, when high expectations can often lead to disappointment.

I am happy when I am snuggled under my warm, soft duvet on a cool morning; I lie there and think about how nice it feels in that one little moment, warmth, comfort - something I am grateful for. I am happy when I have that first sip of my hot, sweet cup of tea in the morning, and I can feel it warming up by whole body. I am happy after I have a shower. I smell nice, and feel fresh, with soft skin and my hair is clean and silky.

The little, tiny moments that we don't usually dwell on, you need to dwell on! When you get that feeling, and think "this is nice", that one second feeling, hold onto it and enjoy it. 
So when you feel like you can't feel any happiness one day, find something, something little, because it's there. There will always be somebody in this world worse off than you, so take pleasure in the little things.

        Image from Etsy.

Breakfast in a Jar

My husband leaves for work really early in the morning. Half the time he either skips breakfast because he runs out of time, or he is running out the door with a piece of toast in his hand. After I made my Easy Toasted Muesli the other day, he said "yum, I can take some to work in a jar". Light bulb moment!

The rage for a while has been the salad in a jar. This is the same concept, an easy way to take your breakfast (or snack) to work or anywhere you are on the go.
You could add some blueberries or other fresh fruit, and put some yoghurt in the bottom of the jar like I have done here. >>>

If you prefer your muesli with milk, you could take along your jar of muesli and fruit, with a spoon, and a small glass bottle of milk. Just pour the milk in the jar and enjoy!

My favourite place to get jars and milk bottles is Maisy & Grace.

Recipe: Easy Toasted Muesli

I am pretty fussy when it comes to my muesli. I have tried many different types and brands, only to be dissapointed. I know raw muesli is better for you, but I can't help being a toasted muesli fan! I think it's the crunch that gets me.
The recipe I'm going to give you can be doubled if you want more. I didn't really measure my ingredients, so the amounts I am giving you are an approximate. There are no real rules to making this - add what you like in the amounts you like. I can think of so many more yummies to add if I had them in my pantry at the time! 

Ingredients:

2c rolled oats
1/2c shredded coconut
1/4c sunflower seeds
1/4c chia seeds
1/2c sliced almonds
1/2c chopped dried apricots
1/2c chopped dried medjool dates
3T coconut oil
1-2T honey

Method:

Pre-heat the oven to 180°C, and line an oven tray with baking paper.
Melt the oil and honey in a saucepan. Mix the other ingredients together in a large bowl, then drizzle the oil and honey mixture over the dry ingredients. Mix well to coat.

Spread the mixture out in the oven tray and bake for about 20 minutes, stirring the mixture after 10 minutes when it's golden, and again after 15 when the rest is golden.
Store in an airtight container and enjoy!

Note: I am already onto making my second batch of this, it got gobbled up so quickly in our house! Super delicious!

Painted Antlers

I think this must be my favourite project I have done so far. I have always loved the idea of deer antlers in home decor, but when I saw some that had been painted I just knew I had to paint my own set. I am going to mount these on my wall and use as a coat hook or for my jewellery.

I am lucky in that my husband is a keen hunter and he had some that he didn't mind me using. 

If you don't have your own hunter to supply the antlers, you may be able to ask around at hunting clubs, or a deer farm. You could also try looking on buy/sell websites.

You will need:

• Deer antlers
• Basic craft paint suitable for use on most surfaces. I used a three colour combo but you can use as many or little different colours as you like
• Primer which you can get from any craft shop - I used Gesso
• Paint brush

First of all I gave the antlers a wipe down to remove any dust or dirt. 

I then painted on two coats of primer, letting the first coat dry before painting on the second. When the primer is completely dry you can go wild with your chosen paint colours! 

I tried using tape to wrap around the tips so I got a clean line when doing the black stripes, but the paint leaked through because of the uneven surface, so I just did it without as well as I could.  

Teacup Succulent Garden

Today I combined two things I absolutely love...pretty teacups and succulents.
I have quite a few vintage teacups in my collection, and I'm always on the lookout for more. I love to bring them out and use them, and I'm always looking for a new way to display them.
Succulents are about the only plant that I can't kill, which is part of the reason I love them! I love their simplicity, texture, shape, and the different colour combo's are just gorgeous.
Now i'm no expert, so follow my instructions at your own risk! But this is how I made mine:

• x1 Pretty teacup
• Selection of succulents
• Cacti & Succulent Potting Mix if you can find it. I used regular potting mix.
• Gravel or small stones 

I placed some small stones in the bottom to give the soil some drainage. Succulents like dry soil and you need some drainage to prevent rot.

Then I placed some potting mix on top, and made small holes with a pencil which I then planted each succulent into.

Place more small stones or gravel on top of the soil - this keeps any moisture away from the base of the plant which may cause them to rot. Only give your succulents a little water when the soil feels dry.

Place your teacup succulent garden in a sunny spot and enjoy your pretty, easy-care garden!

DIY Cleaning Products

We have (for what seems like forever) been struggling with one of my girls who gets eczema. It seems like we have tried everything - changing her diet, changing bath products, trying every cream there is, and nothing seems to work. It always comes back. I believe that healing her eczema has to come from the inside out, but there are definitely irritants in our everyday life which make it worse and that I want to try and eliminate. 

So I became a little research crazy as I do when I get into something I'm passionate about, and couldn't believe what companies can put in their products - and don't even have to tell us about! They don't have to put the ingredients on the product which to me screams we have something to hide. This scared me a bit, and I have become really interested in natural alternatives now. I don't want to use anything that might harm or irritate my daughters skin, or that might be harmful to my family in any way. I understand it's not for everyone, but for me it gives me peace of mind that I'm doing this one little thing for our health. Especially when my daughter has a flare up, I will do anything if it may have a positive effect on her.

Through all of my research I have found some great recipes for making my own products. The two I am sharing with you today are using the ingredients I found in most recipes and that I found worked the best personally. They are so easy, and real money savers, as well as being natural and you know exactly what is in them - no hidden nasties. Once you stock up on the ingredients you need you can easily whip up more when you run out.
The first two I am sharing with you are a Washing Powder, and an All Purpose Kitchen Spray. Make sure you read my notes after the recipes for some product tips.

All Purpose Kitchen Spray:

800ml Water
1t Baking Soda
Few drops of Liquid Castile Soap (see notes below about my fave)
10 Drops of Essential Oil - lavender or vanilla are nice

Pour all ingredients into a 1L spray bottle. Shake well before each use to disperse the oil.

I just love this spray, I find it works much better than my store bought chemical cleaner, and smells much nicer too! You can use other essential oils if you like.


Washing Powder:

1 cup Washing Soda Ash
1 cup Baking Soda
60ml of Liquid Castile Soap 
6 drops Essential Oil - lavender is nice

Mix the baking soda and washing soda together in a food processor, then drizzle in the liquid soap and essential oil. Process until it is well mixed through and it will look just like store bought washing powder. Store in an air-tight container and use about 2T per wash.


Notes: Washing Soda Ash can be purchased in most health shops. I bought mine on Trade Me (New Zealand buy/sell website), a 2kg bag for just $9.

You can use 1/2 bar (grated) of soap instead of the liquid soap if you like. The brand I used is Dr Bronner's Castile Liquid Soap Baby Mild - as I know it's ok for my girls and has no nasties. You can purchase it here.

You need to use the real deal essential oil (the expensive stuff!) I found a great range at the local health shop for around $12-$15 a bottle. It may pay to avoid the essential oil if anyone in your family has eczema - fragrance can often be an irritant. 

Welcome to my nest

Hi all! Welcome to my blog, which is generally about everything in life! I am wife, and mother to three girls, and I live in beautiful New Zealand. I have recently begun making some changes in our family and the way we do things as we try to live a healthier, happier, more organised and stress-free life. I thought it would help to set up a blog - somewhere I could write about my experiences, recipes, ideas, current projects, basically anything I find to be helpful, inspiring, or just love in general. I hope you enjoy my posts!