January 18, 2013

clean it up

January 18, 2013/ Libby Hickman

The kids are home sick from school today. Just some sniffles and coughing- nothing horrible. We've thankfully been remarkably healthy so far this season. But, whenever there are germs floating around here I get motivated to clean everything! How about we make some cleaner?

All Purpose Cleaner:

In a large glass measuring cup mix together: 1 tsp Baking Soda, 2 tsp Borax, a few drops of Liquid Dish Soap, a splash of Lemon Juice, several drops of Essential Oil (Lavender/peppermint is one of my favorite combinations) and 2 cups of very Hot Water. Stir, stir, stir. Then use a funnel to pour the cleaner into an empty spray bottle. Wah lah. Lemony freshness coming right up!

Lavender Scouring Scrub:

Fill a shaker jar (found mine at the Dollar Tree) with baking soda. It's helpful to use a jar funnel. Add 10-15 drops of lavender essential oil into the jar. (You could also use tea tree oil, or sweet orange oil- whatever scent you like best.) Screw on the lid, and place your hand over the holes. Shake it up to distribute the oils. Then, just sprinkle and scrub. I use this in my sinks and tubs. It works wonderfully, smells great, and best of all... it doesn't have any scary chemicals in it, which means the kids can use it too! I love kid-cleaned bathrooms! Oh wait, they're sick...

Floor Cleaner:

Pour 2 cups of vinegar into a large bucket or tub. Add a small squirt of dish soap and several drops of essential oil. Fill the tub/bucket up with hot water. Now you're ready to mop!

I'm off to sparkle and shine. Germs be gone!

January 14, 2013

granola

January 14, 2013/ Libby Hickman

I love granola. Always have. I love it by the handful, with milk as cereal, and on yogurt... always will. I know it seems to have lost some of its favor with today's paleo and "clean eating" crowd, but I don't care. I am still eating it. It's delish. My kids love it too.

I like to make my own granola in big huge batches (I usually double the recipe below). MMMMM it makes your house smell wonderful while it bakes. If you can stop yourself from munching munching, it keeps well in lidded jars. The ingredients are simple and there is A LOT of room for creative license. Almost anything goes. Are you ready for the basic recipe? Here goes:

Printable Version

4 cups rolled oats

1/2 cup sesame seeds

1/2 cup sunflower seeds

1/2 cup blanched/slivered almonds

1/3 cup honey

1/3 coconut oil (melted)

2 T vanilla

1 tsp cinnamon

3/4 cup raisins (I love dried figs, apricots, cranberries, cherries, blueberries- you get the idea. Branch out. Raisins are merely a starting point. Even little bits of crystalized ginger are good!)

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In a large bowl mix the first four ingredients. Then pour honey, oil, and vanilla all over the oat mixture. Spread out into a thin layer on baking sheet. Bake for about 35 minutes stirring granola often (every 5 minutes.) Remove from oven, allow to cool, add dried fruit, and mix together. Store in a sealed jar to maintain freshness.

Example for enjoyment: