Organic Housekeeping Chapter 7

Indoor Air Quality

Pollution Prevention is key. Good ventilation in the fire place and kitchen. No incense. Natural beeswax candles. 

Radon Testing
www.epa.gov/radon/pubs/citguide.html (Environmental Protection Agency)
www.neha.org (National Environmental Health Association)
www.nsc.org/issues/radon (National Safety Council- inexpensive radon testing kits available here)


Ventilation
open windows whenever whether permits
only use strong scented products in very well ventilated areas like outside


Air Purification
Air purifiers, air conditioners and dehumidifiers
Put mechanical pleated filters in ac ducts
vacuum with HEPA filters 
don't use filters treated with microban
clean gutters regularly
musty smell= mold spores
evaporative humidifier or steam vaporizer (clean with hydrogen peroxide)
Read How to Grow Fresh Air: 50 house plants that purify your home or office By: B.C. Wolverton. Top rated were: areca palm, lady palm, bamboo palm, rubber plant, Boston fern


Sounds easy to me!

Next up is hazardous materials and fire safety which I happened to know a lot about and I'm going to apologize now if I don't go into too much detail. I'm skimming since I've taken fire classes and haz mat already.

Organic Housekeeping Chapter 6

Woo hoo, General Cleaning for the well-tempered house.

"Sick Building Syndrome" Indoor air pollution is worse than outdoor pollution. SBS is when the building actually causes people to be sick. "We can no longer act as if interior decoration is frivolous and irrelevant" Choose low-emissions furniture, carpeting, paints and varnishes, cleaning products and personal care products. So, here we will go through different products and give suggestions of low-emissions products.

Floor
Recycled wood, bamboo, natural cork, linoleum, slate, granite, brick, ceramic tile, concrete, natural rubber.
Best Carpet- wool, rugmark label means no child weavers. Or choose a low-emissions carpet that meets the Carpet and Rug Institute's Green Label criteria for indoor air quality or recycled or reconditioned carpet. Padding underneath should have a moisture barrier and made of 100% recycled material, (1) multicolored synthetic pad or (2) felted recycled (nonvirgin) wool or odor-eaters carpet cushions. Highly suggested is refurbished carpet tiles, you can replace a single tile after a bad stain, not the whole thing. Recommended manufacturers: Milliken Floorcovering, Earth Squares; C & A Floorcoverings; Green Floors; J&J Industries; Lees Carpets; Mannington Mills.
Work baking soda into carpet with a broom before vacuuming
Work salt into the carpet to keep away fleas and moth eggs
Rain wash knitted wool rugs
For bad carpet stains: spray with vinegar and wipe with dutch rubber broom and cloth
Homemade foam cleaner for spot treatment: 1/2 cup vinegar, 1 tsp dish soap in an electric mixer to foam
Easiest is prevention: no eating in carpeted rooms

Windows
Insulated window covering, Reflectix
Self-cleaning windows
     www.activglass.com
     www.ppg.com
     www.afgglass.com
Clean with vinegar as suggested in earlier chapters

Furniture
Solid wood or ten year old furniture
Go for natural plant-based fabrics and stuffing materials
Med-dark fabrics and carpets will hide stains best
White and light colors for the bathroom
Natural Fibers and tightly woven fabrics
Felt on furniture feet 
For water rings on wood: 1 tablespoon white vinegar in a cup of olive oil, clean cloth to apply, let it sit for a few minutes,  then rub with a clean cloth, polish the rest of the wood with the used rag to even out the color.

Kitchen
smooth, shiny, light colored finishes
faucet- white, gun-metal or satin

The Whole House
smooth and washable paints- water-based (latex) paint with low VOC
Reflective insulated paints (at least for the bathrooms)
     www.hytechsales.com
     www. heatshield-r20.com
     www.koolcoat.com
Large rubber backed mats at all entrances
Keep a shoes off policy
Dusting- use a few drops of oil in a 1/4 cup of vinegar




 

Organic Housekeeping Chapter 5

I'll be honest, this book is a little lengthy and has a whole lot of information, it kinda reminds me of a text book sometimes. At the same time, I am so excited to get my house free of these chemicals, and go more organic, while saving money and hopefully helping my husbands allergies and asthma! So, the Laundry chapter, was way long and a lot to handle. And to be honest I skimmed through the different types of fabric and how to wash each because if it can't go with all the rest, I'd rather not own it. If we're making things more complicated, and adding more steps than I'm not used to, I'm out. I read tags of clothing when it's new, and dry clean only if I must, or hand wash if I think the color will spread, but everything else gets washed pretty much the same. But here goes her suggestions.

The best washing machine: ASKO, uses less water and less energy. Use an extra spin cycle and less dryer time, dryers eat energy. Get a dryer with a moisture sensor, so it stops when the clothes are dry. Go further than looking for energy star, compare the amount of water used and energy needed. Make sure to empty the lint in your dryer every time you use it and get sheet metal exhaust pipes that you clean once a year. It will save you from dryer fires. Warm/cold cycle uses less energy.

Sort laundry by color: (1) white and light pastels (2) black, blue (3) red, pink, orange and purple
Sort delicates from tough fabrics
Sort (1) filthy clothes (2) nasty work clothes (3) kitchen laundry (4) cleaning rags (5) fuzzy items


"If it ain't dirty, don't wash it."


Only true laundry soap left on the market is Fels Naptha. Detergents have a lot of harmful additives. Alkphenol ethoxylates, phosphates, sodium hypochlorite, fragrances and perfumes, chlorine, fabric brighteners, petroleum products and dyes. For allergy prone people and babies use unscented. Useful website- www.greenmercantile.com. For liquid detergent: Restore Laundry detergent or Shaklee's Liquid-L laundry concentrate. For powder: Earth Friendly ECOS powder, Natural Choices Oxyprime or Country Save. 


The life of a Snow Whites shirt should go as follows: Snow White dress shirt to functionally white office shirt to off-white work shirt to gardening shirt to paint shirt to rag to the compost bucket or trash. First for whites with stains try color reducers like RIT Color Remover or RIT white wash. If the alternative is trash for colored clothes try color remover. For cooking grease also try color remover. Use cold water wash for the wash cycle except for greasy clothes and rags.


Protein based stains (food, mud, vomit, blood) soak in cold water and dish detergent or liquid laundry detergent. For sweat stains soak in a bucket of warm water and a cup of vinegar or soak in hydrogen peroxide for a half hour. For oil based stains (food grease, machine oil) use a paste of powder detergent and water and rub. For cooking oil use dish detergent. Veggie pigment (red wine, beer, fruit, ketchup, coffee) wash in hot water with detergent. Table linens: stretch over a bowl and pour boiling water through it. 


Dry cleaning: www.hangersdrycleaning.com or www.greenearthcleaning.com for find a place near you. Liquid carbon dioxide is the preferred method and runner up is silicone based solvent. 

The best type of clothes to buy are plant fibers, cotton, linen, ramie, rayon or acetate. 
Cloth diapers: 3 or 4 dozen. Soak the diapers in a pail of water and vinegar with a lid as soon a you remove them from the baby (obviously rinse or scrape out solids first). When the bucket is full: 1st spin cycle to remove access water. 2nd heavy clothes setting and hot water, detergent and vinegar in the rinse cycle. Hang dry plastic part and cotton fryer setting for the cloth. 


Baby clothes: stains- soak in cold water and detergent. Rub milk stains with baking soda and water.


And if that's not enough, you'll have to read the book yourself. There is more, I just didn't find the rest very relevant to my cleaning habits.

Organic Housekeeping Chapter 4

First, let me just tell you, I am almost done cleaning out my house. All I have left is the basement. Although I feel like I could probably just start over and find 3 more car fulls of stuff to take to goodwill (and I drive a trailblazer huge trunk). There were multiple bags of trash leaving my house as well. I really do think it made a big difference. I can keep things cleaner and when I do have to clean, it goes a lot quicker because there isn't as much junk to clean around. It's really strange that I am excited about cleaning, but I am. So anyway, the next chapter.

The Bedroom
For allergy sufferers, clean bedsheets weekly, everyone else, do it when they are dirty. Air out the comforter twice a year and put a duvet cover on it. Baby beds should be a waterproof, nontoxic mattress cover made of rubber or wool. No blankets or pillows in a baby's bed. For crib safety: www.cpsc.gov. Flip or rotate mattresses according to the manufacturers label.

When there are accidents, use a rag, damp with vinegar. Sprinkle it with baking soda, scrub, let dry then vacuum. For poopy accidents, vinegar and baking soda and blot after it stops fizzing. For blood stains, straight hydrogen peroxide, let it dry on or sponge off with water and castile soap.

When buying sheets, these release the least toxins: natural cotton, cotton knit t-shirt, cotton flannel or linen sheets. No permanent press, wrinkle free or easy care cotton or cotton blend.

And that's really the important stuff from the bedroom chapter.

Pumpkin Tomato Bisque

FatFreeVegan.com
Pumpkin Tomato Bisque

From Passionate Vegetarian, by Crescent Dragonwagon

1 large onion chopped
cooking spray (I used extra virgin olive oil instead of spray)
4 cups vegetable stock
4 cups solid pack pumpkin (or cooked squash)(I used canned pumpkin)
1 15 oz can diced tomato (since I have too many tomatoes I chopped fresh)
1 T maple syrup. (add a little extra)

Sauté the onion, add stock and heat, then whisk in the pumpkin. Heat, add tomatoes and syrup and cook till heated through.

Yummy, a sweet alternative, when you just don't feel like being so healthy, but you don't want to mess up the diet!

Good uses for Mushy Bananas

2 new recipes, since I apparently forgot that I bought bananas last week and for some unknown reason stuck them back in a lost corner of my kitchen! I'll probably find another recipe today, maybe muffins, something I can freeze, since I have 4 more bananas. Anyway, my wonderful 3 year old assistant and I made delicious banana cake and banana bread yesterday. Once again, I am happy to be vegan, we can still eat yummy food! And I just want to point out that, these came out of the oven around 4 yesterday afternoon and look how much has already been eaten!

Vegweb.com

Dont-Look-Any-Further Banana Bread

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon vinegar
soy milk
2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons baking powder
1/4 tablespoon baking soda
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 medium bananas, mashed

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease/spray a 9 inch square baking pan; set aside.

Put one teaspoon vinegar in a liquid measuring cup and add enough soy milk to equal 1/4 cup; mix together and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, mix dry ingredients together; set aside. In another bowl, beat oil, vanilla, and bananas. Gradually add in dry ingredients as well as the soy milk mixture. Beat until smooth.

Pour batter into pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes until brown on top and toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Serve warm, if desired. (I obviously used a bread pan, and had to cook it for about 40 minutes.)

*Notes: You can add nuts or desired spices (like cinnamon). This can also be made in a standard size loaf pan (adjust cooking time accordingly).

Serves: 10

Preparation time: 10 min

www.chooseveg.com

Banana Cake

Serves 8

2 cups unbleached all-purpose or whole wheat pastry flour 1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 cup raw sugar or other sweetener 1/3 cup oil 4 ripe bananas 1/4 cup water 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Mix flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.

In a large bowl, beat sugar and oil together, then add the bananas and mash them. Stir in the water and vanilla, and mix thoroughly. Add the flour mixture along with the chopped walnuts, and stir to mix.

Spread in a non-stick or lightly oil-sprayed 9-inch square baking pan. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Recipe from Food for Life by Neal D. Barnard, M.D.; recipe by Jennifer Raymond.

Organic Housekeeping Chapter 3

The Low-Maintenance Bathroom

Because I am possibly buying a new home in the near future, I took notes that are probably not relevant to most. Once again, I will share with you the consumer reports website: www.ecolabels.org/greenconsumers/home.cfm. If you are in the market for new items, a solar water heater (pricey to buy, nothing to run), enameled steel or cast iron tub, porcelain sink, washerless faucet of brushed metal or gun metal and an exhaust fan that sucks out twice the volume of the room per minute. This will make it easier to clean.

Cleaning tools to keep in your bathroom: spray bottle of distilled white vinegar, rags, old toothbrush, scrub brush, toilet brush and shower squeegee. Use castile soap (no soap scum). Vinegar or nothing in toilet, just swish the brush. Boiling or heated vinegar for soap scum removal, or heated Murphy's Oil soap (but I'll find out how organic and safe it is before I try it). To clean the shower head, soak it in heated vinegar. You will be able to get the mirrors and windows clean with a spritz of vinegar, but first you must remove the waxy film left by your old glass cleaner. Use 2 cups of water, 1/2 cup of vinegar are 1/2 tsp of dish soap. Spray on, let sit for 30 seconds and polish clean. For mildew, use vinegar and follow with hydrogen peroxide if there is a dark spot left.

If shopping for a shower curtain, buy a woven polyester/ nylon one that is machine washable. Use cheap vodka for polishing. Avoid product with "fragrance," "parfum" or "emollients" in the ingredients list. Other dangerous ingredients are: acetone, isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol), denatured alcohol (ethyl alcohol), glycol ethers (propylene glycol), formaldehyde and triclosan.

Use plain, unflavored yogurt is a good cleanser for acne-prone skin. Lemon juice and water is a good astringent. Moisturize hands with leftover cooking oil or residue from inside avocado skin. Cooked oatmeal can be used as a facial mask. Vinegar on the skin will restore acid mantle. Rinsing your hair in vinegar will reduce frizz, smooth out your hair and remove residues. If your skin is dry, wash in vinegar water. Epsom salts and kosher salt is a good alternative to bath salts. Read Natural Beauty at Home by: Janice Cox. Other suggested brands for beauty products are: Dr. Bronner's, Burt's Bees and Tom's of Maine.

Vegan Wings

Not so bad, but I am still searching for the brand that the "Skinny Bitches" suggest. Totally eatable.

Another Tomato Recipe

Evan made these. We need to change it up or you get sick of tomatoes quickly. It's fresh basil, tomato, extra virgin olive oil, some seasoning and parm cheese (or vegan topping). Roasted in the oven for a couple min. Yum!!

Surplus of Tomatoes

I asked Gram to teach me to can food since we have a crazy surplus of tomatoes. Evan made marinara, and we made salsa, Shell and I made tomato basil soup, but the kitchen was soooo hot that we decided to freeze that, we just couldn't keep boiling water on anymore. I do not know exactly how Evan made the marinara, I was busy doing dishes and cleaning up the mess, but as for the salsa and soup here you go:

Salsa
Lots of chopped tomatoes
Chopped onion
Chopped jalapeno
chopped green pepper
either fresh or frozen corn
chopped cucmber
minced garlic
dash of extra virgin olive oil
sea salt (to taste)
black pepper (to taste)

Mix it all together and taste, adjust accordingly! Sorry it's vague, but every batch it a little different.

Roasted Tomato Basil Soup (from the Vegan Lunch Box By: Jennifer McCann
Makes 4 servings (of course we did 4 times that)

6-6 ½ lbs plum tomatoes, cut in half lengthwise (about 35)

¼ c. plus 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp kosher salt

½ medium onion chopped

1 large garlic clove, minced

1 tsp red pepper flakes

2 c. fresh whole basil leaves (2 oz bag)

½ tsp dried thyme

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Arrange the cut tomatoes on a large (10x16 inch) baking sheet. Drizzle the tomatoes with ¼ c. olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Toss with your hands until the tomatoes are evenly coated with oil, then arrange them cut side up; they should fill the pan completely. Place in oven and roast the tomatoes for 50 minutes. Remove pan from the oven and set aside.

Warm the rest of the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until soft and slightly golden, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and pepper flakes and sauté for one more minute. Carefully pour in all the tomatoes and their juices. Add the basil, thyme and 1 c water (you may need an extra cup if the tomatoes are on the dry side). Simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from hear and allow to cool slightly.

Blend the soup in batches in the blender, pouring finished soup into a clean saucepan or soup tureen (you may wish to stain the soup as you do this to remove any remaining skin or seeds, depending on the strength of you blender).
All recipes were delicious, and I hope they stay that way because we will be eating them all year!

Organic Housekeeping- Chapter 2

Finally finished Chapter 2. First let me tell you, I thought cleaning out the kitchen would be a quick one day event. Nope, totally wrong. I had to go through cabinets and get rid of food and put things away that I barely used and so on. It took 2 days. Last night, I started my living room, also not as easy as I thought. I went to Bed, Bath and Beyond to get some supplies to help. 2 things that I have learned; We have even more crap than I thought, and Evan keeps a lot of silly junk and if I ask to get rid of it, he freaks. I never would have thought. He usually complains because we have too much stuff. Oh well.

The Kitchen: You Are What You Eat
"A clean surface is just the surface, with nothing else on it; a lingering fragrance, no matter how sweet and pleasant, signals that a chemical has been left behind." Castile soap is made from vegetable oil, no animal fats and lye. Castile soap is gentler, dissolves more completely, and doesnt form a hard scum. Drinking soap is never a good idea, but if my toddler is going to get into soap, I'd rather it be castile than chemicals.
A new cleaning tool that everyone should own (and I looked up reviews and can't find anything bad), The Dutch Rubber Broom (www.euroshine.net). It has a squeegee on one side and a rubber rake on the other side. Put a cloth on the sqeegee and mop, no bucket required, once the cloth is dirty get another, your not pushing dirt around on the floor anymore! Many uses! Ellen also suggests getting a potable steamer and keeping lots of mircrofiber rags on hand!
Use "drought washing" to save water. Remove rust by rubbing it with a peeled potato dipped in baking soda or salt. Keep vinegar and water in a squirt bottle, spray in the air to dispel strong cooking odors. Keep baking soda in the fridge and sprinkle some in the bottom of the trash can.
To unclog a drain: "pour a half cup baking soda down the drain and chase it with a cup of white vinegar. An impressive amount of fizzing will ensue as the vinegar and baking soda react. When the fizzing stops, pout a kettle of boiling water down the drain."
Consumer reports has a page called "Products for a Better Planet." When shopping for new appliances check here. www.eco-labels.org/greenconsumers/home.cfm
Recipes to use when cleaning the fridge, choose one and apply with a clean rag: (1) a dash of dish liquid in 1 quart warm water, (2) 2 tbsp baking soda in 1 quart warm water, (3) 1 tbsp borax in 1 quart warm water or (4) 1 tbsp salt and 1 tbsp baking soda in 1 quart warm water.
After cooking with meat, wipe down with vinegar and chase with hydrogen peroxide.
Ellan suggest buying whatever you can in glass containers, BPA should be banned. Or look for containers labeled HDPE (high density polyethylene) or PP (polypropylene).
I think this was the most important stuff. The rest I either already do, or I learned from Green This! The biggest thing is keeping up. Just wipe up spills right away, and don't let the clutter build up. Keep a recycling container and a paper recycling and a compost bucket near by, then nothing will just sit around.

Next chapter: woo hoo! The bathroom

Working on De-cluttering.

I know I said one room at a time, but I was on a role yesterday. I did my room and the bathroom. And I thought both we going to be pretty easy since I didn't think I kept junk. Turns out I had a lot of stuff I didn't use or need. I have a very large duffle bag full to go to Goodwill and my trash can is full. I am only a little bit into the next chapter, it's a long one. And I'm working on the kitchen today. Before I go grocery shopping, because there is one of those "experiments" in the fridge. I am still using the things I learned from Green This! and it's working out well. Although I think the next book needs to be about being a good Mommy. I feel like I've gotten off track. Or maybe it's just because she's 3 and driving me nuts.

I am also doing well with the vegan thing, too. I love it. I feel so good. I have healthy poops (I know you didn't need to know but I felt like saying it). I am still fighting the nicotine thing. I really am trying. I just get so frustrated and it's so easy to grab smokes. I will get it soon. I have pretty much given up coffee. I only drink it on days that I didn't sleep (when I work overnights) and really just can't keep my eyes open, but have to for Emma. Haven't eaten meat in awhile. Every once in awhile a tiny bit of cheese gets in my dinner, when Evan cooks, because there is cheese left in the fridge and he always has some excuse. I assume in his mind, everything is better with cheese. But I'm cleaning the fridge today and I'm going shopping, so we'll get more vegan cheese and hopefully we can do better!!

Organic Housekeeping; Chapter 1

This book has way too much information. So I'm going to have to do one chapter at a time. I finished chapter one, "First Things First." All about organizing. Ellen states, "It is vitally important to keep materials flowing into and out of the house at a nearly equal rate."

First, she suggests cleaning out. If it's really bad, have a cleaning out party, rent a dumpster or arrange for a recycling truck to make a special trip to your house. If it's not that bad, just go through one room or one closet or one cabinet at a time. I am going to try one room at a time.

Little hints that I liked: get plug in rechargeable flashlights for every room. Get clips that can hang on the front door, to hang things that need to be taken with you when you leave. This way you don't have to rely on your memory to grab the dry cleaning or the late movie or library books, or just to take out the mail. "Banishment does not agree with furniture. No matter how carefully you wrap it or how dry the outbuilding." Give it to someone, or donate it, or sell it while it's still in good condition. Buy in bulk, not individual packaged items. Be careful some bulk may come individually packaged and you will have more waste. Buy recyclable and reusable containers.

It takes 21 days to form a habit. You will have to consciously work at it for a month. Do not use a horizontal filing system, sort mail and file right away. Keep a notebook handy, to jot down notes right away, ideas and chores. Keep calendar up to date. Keep basket on stairs for things to be carried up and down and carry it every time you go up or down. Once your house is clean, do a few little things each day to keep up with it. Don't move things around, put them away. Enjoy your home, overly clean is intimidating and overly dirty is depressing.

Recycle and compost everything that you can. Recycle: glass, tin cans, aluminum, plastics (find out what plastics your local recycle company takes), paper and cardboard. Suggested paper companies to use: Badger Envirographic 100, Encore 100 and Eureka! 100 are all made from 100% recycled paper. New Life DP 100 is from 60% recycled paper. Don't use plastic grocery bags, always carry a cloth bag with you (I keep one in my purse). Electronics are recyclable, too. Try International Association fo Electronics Recyclers at www.iaer.org/search, National Recycling Coalition at www.nrc-recycle.org/programs/electronics, Carnegie Mellon Iniversity's Green Design Initiative at www.ce.cmu.edu/GreenDesign/index.html and Recycler's World at www.recycle.net/computer to find somewhere to take you old electronics. Ink cartridges is another thing that really should be recycled, some companies will pay you for them. Try www.empties4cash.com, http://www.fundingfactory.com, www.inkjetcartidges.com and http://www.c-rep.net. When you get new furniture delivered, ask if they can remove the old one, they probably have a recycling program already. And last thing, carpet. You can recycle this too. http://www.earthwquare.com, http://www.lafiber.com/sys-tmpl/recycleprogram, http://www.antron.net and http://www.infinitynylon.com. Oh, and don't forget to compost, which Ellen promises to discuss in a later chapter.

If this doesn't cut down on your trash, than you are buying the wrong stuff. We already recycle and compost. We still have too much trash if you ask me. So, I'm going to put more effort into it, and I'll let you know how it works out! And I developed a plan. One room a day 3 days a week. So it will take 2 weeks, but I'm not trying to over do, I'll get overwhellmed and won't get the work done. And hopefully tomorrow or Thursday, I'll get chapter 2 to you. "The Kitchen: You Are What You Eat.

Organic Housekeeping By: Ellen Sandbeck (Introduction)

I'm barely through the introduction and some of the first chapter. It's more than I expected. I guess I just want a simple solution. She's going into detail about a labeling system and a roladex so I don't have to look for things anymore. I'll be happier when I get to the section about chemicals, I don't think I have too much clutter, and I am pretty good about knowing where everything is. But here is a list of chemicals (that are harmful to you) that you expose yourself to, just by living in your house.

Living Room: Volatile organic compounds, which can outgas for 5 years from new furniture, carpets, upholstery, carpet pads, curtains and paneling; fabric and carpet waterproofing and stain proofing treatments; furniture polish; and antique Mercury barometer.

Kitchen: formaldehyde outgassing from particleboard in new cabinets and countertops, toxic gases produced by overheated nonstick cookware, mold and mildew growing under the sink, cabon monoxide emitted from malfunctioning stove, polycarbonate milk and juice containers, plastic-lined tin cans, vinyl flooring, chlorine-bleach scouring powder, antimicrobial dish liquid, chlorine based dish detergent, spray disinfectant, microwavable plastic foam bowls, plastic food wrap, all-purpose cleaner, bleach, drain cleaner, floor wax, oven cleaner, metal polish, lead-glazed dishes, lead crystal decanters, and pewter drinking mugs

Utility closet: carpet cleaner, room deodorizer and mothballs

Bathroom: chlorine-based cleaners, toilet bowl cleaners and disinfectants, drain cleaner, room deodorants, antimicrobial soap, body and hair care products, antiperspirants, lotions, cosmetics and perfumes that contain endocrine-disruting chemicals, mold and mildew, PVC plumbing pipes, mercury thermometer

Bedroom: freshly dry cleaned clothing emitting perchloroethylene fumes, mattress outgassing formaldehyde, stain repellent, flame retardant, dust mite insecticide, wrinkle-resistant sheets and curtains and clothing emitting formaldehyde fumes

Basement, garage, workshop: gasoline, solvents, paints, paint thinner, lubricants, antifreeze, caulk, glue, lacquer, pesticides, herbicides, degreaser, spray paint, water sealant, rubber cement, turpentine, mineral spirits, lighter fluid and mold

Laundry room: spot removers, chlorine bleach, perfumed fabric softeners and detergents, spray starch

Older homes: lead paint

Now, I'm just hoping she explains what to replace all these with 'cause now she's got me worried. She goes through the evolution of cleaning, before vacuums and washing machines. So far, it's interesting, I just hope I can keep up.

Coming up soon, more recipes!!

Skinny Bitch Bun in the Oven

Since I'm planning on getting pregnant in the near future, I decided it would be a good idea to read this book. It's longer and goes more in depth than Skinny Bitch but uses the same blunt to the point, calls you names and tells you the truth strategy. I'll sum it up for you.

Your knocked up, Now give it up
No drinking, smoking, coffee, soda, or medicine. Drink 10 glasses of water a day.

Yes, It's normal
Back pain, shortness of breath, extra pee, itchy crooch, very tired, heartburn, extra horney, cankles, weight gain, gas, moodiness and constipation. Some ways to stop these things from being so bad:

• Heartburn- no fried foods, spicy foods, carbonated drinks. Drink chamomile tea and if it's really bad consult an herbalist or naturopath
• Mood swings- up your vitamin B; apricots, avocado, banana, dates, figs, soybeans, peanuts, pumpkin seeds, spirulina, green leafy vegetables and whole grains
• Morning Sickness- bananas, brown rice, corn, nuts, whole grains, avocado, and potato. drink chamomile, anise and ginger teas

Sugar is Satin
Sugar = mood swings, increased risk of preeclamsia and higher chance of gestational diabetes. Stay away from high fructose corn syrup, sweet & low, splenda and aspartame. Peppermint tea will help kick sugar craving. Subs for sugar: evaporated cane juice, sucanat, brown rice syrup, barley malt syrup, rapadura sugar, turbinado sugar, raw sugar, beet sugar, date sugar, maple syrup, molasses and agave nectar.

Carbs: Eat'em, Dumb Ass
No simple carbs (most refined, processed foods), eat complex carbs. It will incread serotonin levels, fruit, veggies, whole grains, nuts, seeds, beans and lentils.

Got Duped?Blind Obedience
Are you familiar with the Milgram Experiment? Well read about it, and relate it to the fact that teachers, tv and doctors tell you, you need milk for calcium. There is no proof, give up that thought. We are the only species to drink another species' milk. The protein casein (found in cow's milk) promotes all stages of cancer. Milk is the leading cause of allergies in children. It has Bovine Growth Hormone in the US, which has been banned in many other countries. We need to pasteurize our milk because the machines keep milking, even if it's pus coming out and not milk. Pasteurization destroys good enzymes and creates radioactive particles. It contains dioxin, PCB, BFR, PBDE and pesticides, all are horrible things for your body. If you need supplements, try vegetarianvitamin.com or veganessentials.com. You need 1,000 mg a day. Drink rice, soy or almond milk, eat soy butter, soy ice cream and vegan cheeses.

Secrets and Lies about Protein
Too much or too little is bad for you. Your weight (in lbs) x .36 is the recommended amount, plus 10 when pregs or breastfeeding. There are a number of diseases that you can get from meat that cause still birth, miscarraige and premature births. 70% of the US's antibiotics are for factory farming. There are growth hormones and other hormones in meat. 65 other nations have full or partial restrictions on importing America's meat, that's gotta mean we suck at this! We have earlier ages for puberty and less than 10% are tested for Mad Cow disease. There are no restrictions on the amount of pesticides that are used on the crop they eat. Protein can be found in fruits, veggies, legumes, whole grains, seeds and nuts. There is a soy contraversy and you'll have to figure that one out on your own. Just buy organic and research before you eat.

You (and your baby) are what you eat
What you don't pee or poop, ends up in your blood stream. Read Slaughterhouse by Gail Eisnitz. You are eating fear, grief and rage. You are eating suffering, horror, murder and cruelty. It is the doncomposing, decaying, rotting, flesh of a dead animal. Even Dr. Spock suggests raising your children vegan. Vegans get a bad rep, but when ever someone strays from the "norm" they are frowned upon. Vegan is also good for the planet!

What the Hell to eat
Everyday get a dose of fruits, raw or lightly steamed veggies, raw nuts and seeds, sea vegetables and legumes. There are 8 pages of suggested foods and a 4 week menu plan to get you started.

Pooping
Some reasons for constipation are out of your control, but some things you can change to lessen the pain. It may be your calcium or iron supplements, change them. Make sure your drinking enough water. Exercise. Lots of fiber, which is important for your overall health, not just pooping. If you really need a "stick of dynamite" go for figs, dates, prunes and raspberries.

Trust No One
How do you know which companies care and which don't? You don't, so for your baby's safety, don't trust them. EPA's laws for pesticides are ridiculous. The USDA's so called organic, can have 38 non-organic ingredients. The FDA allows cloned animal products to be sold with out warning anyone that it came from a very sick animal. Get active at www.congress.org.

Cravings: The Monster Inside
They are not usually a reliable indicator for what your body needs. Um, hello, drug adicts crave drugs and smokers crave cigarettes. Dairy is chemically addictive. There are theories that food addiction is related to food intolerance (you want what you can't have), and that cravings area ll psychological. If you crave ice, you may be anemic, if you have a sweet craving, you may need carb refueling if you crave chocolate, you may be Vit B deficient. The trick is to always have something healthy on hand or you may just need to hydrate.

Skinny Mama?
"If you allow your vanity to affect you pregnancy, you're asking for serious trouble." If you are underweight, your baby will be too and may be born prematurely. If you start at a healthy weight, you should gain 25-35 lbs, 3-5 in the first trimester, and 1-2 per week the rest of the time. If your worried, think about this, your baby weights between 6 and 8 lbs, the placenta 1-2, boobs 1-2, amniotic fluid 2, other fluids 2-4, the uterus 2, blood volume 3-4 and fat and nutrient stores 4-7. Get a half hour of exercise a day and eat well and you will be good.

Stupid, Boring Vitamin Chapter
Be a healthy host for your little parasite. 400 mg folic acid supplement, B vitamins and vitamin D. (Plants don't have B12 or D). Keep your iron levels in check. No more than 10,000 IU or Vit A (from animals) per day. Calcium is abundant in lots of things, and fortified in others. Phosphorous helps in the conversion of fat and carbs to energy, eat nuts, seeds, tofu and whole grains. Zinc helps you carry to term. 400mg magnesium supplement may help you have fewer complications. DHA (fatty acid) lowers risk of post-partum deppression, helps with brain and eye development, and theres a smaller chance your child will develop ADD, OCD and depression. Get DHA micro algae supplements. Avoid saturated fats, white sugar, high dietary cholesterol intake, being malnourished or unnecessary medication. Omega 3 fatty acids- from flax seed oil, but don't over do it. ALA (mama omega 3) is in walnuts and their oil, canola oil and leafy green veggies. During stressful times, add vitamin C (which is in almost every fruit and veggie). Vit E helps us use our oxygen efficiantly, nuts, seeds, their oils, veg oils and whole grains. It also prevents miscarriage. Research chlorella, spirulina and nutritional yeast flakes. And talk to the doc about B12, D and essential fatty acid supplements.

Breastfeeding: Suck it up and do it
There is a long list of benefits from breastfeeding. "Mother nature is much craftier than any chemist." It's also good for mommies, releases oxytocin, contracts urterus and promotes relaxation and nurturing. You are faster to recover, have less periods, and are more likely to return to your pre-pregnancy weight. Breast milk is free, always on tap and the perfect temp. It burns 500 calories a day. WHO and UNICEF suggests 6 months of exclusive breastfeeding and 2 years with the support of food. If you can't for some reason, (but not just because you think it's gross or something) try a milk bank, www.hmbana.org. Do your own research on the differences between soy and milk formulas, if you absolutely must. www.ars.usda.gov and the Arkensas Children's Nutritional Center.

The Companies You Trust Don't Care About Your Children
Read the ingredients of everything! FDA does not require testing before cosmetics are sold, it's voluntary. European Union outlawed over 1,000 ingredients, the US- 8. Sore nipples, rub breast milk, coconut oil, olive oil or shea butter on it. Use phthalte-free bedding. Read Vegetarian Pregnancy and Baby Book by: Amanda Grant and The Complete Organic Pregnancy by: Deidre Dolan and Alexander Zissu and visit www.cosmeticsdatabase.com

Post Push
You will need lost of support, vent, get help with the baby and housework. Get some me time. Watch out for PPD. You are not supermom, don't try to be and don't get upset when you can't keep up.

What makes a MILF?
Loving yourself and your baby. Just be happy. Enjoy your pregnancy and your baby!!

And if that's not a mouth full, I don't know what is. Lets just see if I can do it, I'll keep you posted and I'll try my best.

Helpful Websites: mommysavers.com; vegetarianbaby.com

Quesadillas and Banana Muffins

2 new recipes from Skinny Bitch in the Kitch:

Basic Fruit and Nut Muffins
Makes 12 standard sized muffins
1/4 cup coconut oil
2 cups whole wheat flower
1/2 cup Sucanat
1 tbsp Ener-G egg replacer
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp fine sea salt
1 1/4 cups soy milk (I used coconut milk)
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup fresh or dried fruit (I used banana)
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional, I didn't because my daughter wouldn't like it)

Preheat oven- 375
Grease muffin tins or use liners.
Large bowl, combine, flour, Sucanat, baking powder, salt and egg replacer.
In medium bowl, whisk, soy milk, oil and vanilla.
Add milk mixture to flour mixture, stir until barely combined.
Stir in fruit and nuts.
Transfer to muffin tins dividing evenly.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until toothpick inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean.

Delicious!!! The whole family likes these.

And last nights dinner cause I needed something different.

Quesadilla with Beans, Soy Cheese, Guacamole, and Salsa
1/2 tbsp refined coconut oil
2 whole wheat flour tortillas (I used sprouted wheat)
5 oz vegan cheddar or Jack (i used mozz cause that's what I had)
1/3 cup drained black or pinto beans (I used white beans, cause that's what I had)
1/2 cup salsa (I had homemade, yum)
1/4 cup quacamole, homemade (recipe in the book, but I used my own recipe)

Spread coconut oil on one side of each tortilla, place this side down.
Arrange cheese on top (I used mexican mix shredded cheese on Evan's) dividing evenly, covering only half the tortilla and leaving a 1-inch border at the edge. Arrange the beans and 2 tbsps of the salsa on top of the cheese (Evan suggested next time, leaving salsa on the side and adding peppers and onions to tortilla). Fold in half.

In large skillet, over medium heat, cook quesadillas, covered until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Flip and cook, uncovered, until the second side is browned and cheese has melted (about 2 minutes). Cut in wedges and serve with side of guac, or put guac and the rest of the salsa on top.

Also delicious and totally hit the spot. I needed something, sort of "normal" to stop the cravings for non-vegan food. It worked!

An attempt at fake meat and soy ice cream

First, my strategically placed tower of fruit. This looks like this every week now, and just about empty 7 days later. Em and I are really eating a lot of fruit. I am finding that I love it for breakfast and for something sweet after dinner. Very satisfying.
Not perfect, but good enough. Chocolate and peanut butter, soy ice cream. Vegan safe. Gets my approval.
Not bad, but I probably won't buy it again. Apparently Gardein is one of the better brands, but maybe I should just stick to tofu. No fake meats for me. Last week, I tried the "wings," they weren't so great either. I'm not telling you not to try it, just that I was not impressed. I'm going to try more recipes and less frozen food!

Started the "Green You" book from Deirdre Imus series. She is also vegan, and the book starts with eating organic vegan. Yay, more inspiration! Also reading Skinny Bitch Bun in the Oven!!