Homemade.
For a variety of ever-present reasons, I’m trying to do better with my family’s eating, overall health and budget. Sometimes, those three things have a hard time coinciding. Why is that? Why can’t we all buy inexpensive products and foods that contribute to our good health?
I think that will be a question we will be asking for a long time.
In the meantime, I am going to do my part to make my home a better place, a more healthy place.
One step at a time.
My philosophy has always been a “homemade” one, and I am turning to it even more now and it is so rewarding.
Last week I made my own laundry detergent. The recipe is courtesy of the Duggar family (you know who they are right?). Here it is:
4 Cups – hot tap water
1 Fels-Naptha soap bar (You can find this at ACE Hardware)
1 Cup – Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda* (I found this a meijer!)
½ Cup Borax (Meijer, ace hardware – almost anywhere – in the detergent aisle)
Grate bar of soap and add to saucepan with water. Stir continually over medium-low heat until soap dissolves and is melted.
Fill a 5 gallon bucket half full of hot tap water. Add melted soap, washing soda and Borax. Stir well until all powder is dissolved. Fill bucket to top with more hot water. Stir, cover and let sit overnight to thicken.
Stir and fill a used, clean, laundry soap dispenser half full with soap and then fill rest of way with water. Shake before each use. (will gel)
Optional: You can add 10-15 drops of essential oil per 2 gallons. Add once soap has cooled. Ideas: lavender, rosemary, tea tree oil.
Yield: Liquid soap recipe makes 10 gallons.
Top Load Machine- 5/8 Cup per load (Approx. 180 loads)
Front Load Machines- ¼ Cup per load (Approx. 640 loads)
Be sure to use *Arm & Hammer “Super Washing Soda” Baking Soda will not work, nor will Arm & Hammer Detergent – It must be sodium carbonate!
I also made homemade yogurt in my crock pot! Crazy huh? It sounds crazy, but let me tell you, my children LOVE yogurt and could eat it by the buckets full. I know it is so good for you, but have you ever looked at the ingredients of store bought yogurt? Even the organic has so. much. sugar. Its gross! Not to mention the more popular brands marketed to kids are full of junk. So I made my own plain organic yogurt and I sweeten it with organic strawberry jam and a little agave nectar. My kids are still eating it by the buckets! Topped with homemade granola – it can’t be beat!
You may end up reading a lot about my journey toward a more healthful way of cooking and living, and I hope you enjoy what you read and are inspired to make your life just a bit more homemade.
It takes a little more planning and a little more time in the kitchen, but the payoff is worth it!
Start here. Flour-less peanut butter chocolate chip cookies!
OOh I need to get the yogurt recipe from you! I hate buying it from the store too – even the best I can find still has some junk in it and oh so expensive!
Does the one you make still have the active cultures?
Hey Chris – I put the link to the recipe right there in the post. Go check it out – and yes, it does have live active cultures, because you are using a ’starter’ which has that in it. I bought Trader Joe’s organic plain whole milk yogurt and used the amount called for as the starter. It is really great!