"The Good Granola Bars"

I clipped a recipe out of the USAWeekend a few years ago for granola bars. My husband really likes these. As in he thanks me every time I make them. So I thought I'd share the recipe. ^_^

Granola Bars with Almonds, Chocolate, and Dried Cranberries

2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup wheat germ (for GF use 1/2 cup rolled oats ground in a food processor)
1 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk

Mix.

Line a 9x9 pan with foil (you'll thank me for this) and grease it.

Bake for 30 minutes at 325 F.

Pull foil out of pan and cut. Can be stored in airtight container for 1 week or frozen.

Enjoy!

New Dishwasher Soap Recipe

I had previously blogged about a Homemade Dishwasher Soap. And it worked really well. Then I discovered that borax is a main ingredient in Terro.  *pause* Wait...if that's used to kill ants, do I really want it washing my dishes? So I searched the internet for a borax free version and found this.

From "My Healthy Green Family."

So here is the borax-free dishwasher detergent recipe:

• 1 cup washing soda (old recipe used  baking soda)
• 1/4 c. citric acid (old recipe said 1/3 c.)
• 1/4 c. coarse salt (old recipe said 1/3 c.)
• 10-15 drops of citrus essential oil (Optional.  Orange, grapefruit, or lemon essential oils have great cleaning as well as antibacterial properties.)
• Homemade citrus vinegar cleaner

Mix first 3 ingredients well in an air tight container. Add essential oil.  Mix again.  Fill your rinse aid compartment with undiluted citrus vinegar cleaner.

Use 1 tsp. detergent for average loads.
Use 1 tbsp. detergent for extra greasy, dirty loads.

UPDATE:  More is not better!  If you are having any build up issues use less! 

And Frugal Omma gives it two thumbs up. Works great! Maybe even better than the old dishwasher soap!

Hydrogen Peroxide

I love cleaning with vinegar or hydrogen peroxide. H2O2 is great for so many things including getting rid of armpit stains on shirts (pretreat before washing).

I found a great list of more uses from naturalsafeweightloss. Enjoy!

Wash vegetables and fruits with hydrogen peroxide to remove dirt and pesticides. Add 1/4 cup of H2O2 to a sink of cold water. After washing, rinse thoroughly with cool water.

In the dishwasher, add 2 oz. to your regular detergent for a sanitizing boost. Also, beef up your regular dish soap by adding roughly 2 ounces of 3% H2O2 to the bottle.

Use hydrogen peroxide as a mouthwash to freshen breath. It kills the bacteria that causes halitosis. Use a 50/50 mixture of hydrogen peroxide and water.

Use baking soda and hydrogen peroxide to make a paste for brushing teeth. Helps with early stages of gingivitis as it kills bacteria. Mixed with salt and baking soda, hydrogen peroxide works as a whitening toothpaste.

Soak your toothbrush in hydrogen peroxide between uses to keep it clean and prevent the transfer of germs. This is particularly helpful when you or someone in your family has a cold or the flu.

Clean your cutting board and countertop. Let everything bubble for a few minutes, then scrub and rinse clean. (I’ve been using it for this a LOT lately!)

Wipe out your refrigerator and dishwasher. Because it’s non-toxic, it’s great for cleaning places that store food and dishes.

Clean your sponges. Soak them for 10 minutes in a 50/50 mixture of hydrogen peroxide and warm water in a shallow dish. Rinse the sponges thoroughly afterward.

Remove baked-on crud from pots and pans. Combine hydrogen peroxide with enough baking soda to make a paste, then rub onto the dirty pan and let it sit for a while. Come back later with a scrubby sponge and some warm water, and the baked-on stains will lift right off.

Whiten bathtub grout. First dry the tub thoroughly, then spray it liberally with hydrogen peroxide. Let it sit — it may bubble slightly — for a little while, then come back and scrub the grout with an old toothbrush. You may have to repeat the process a few times.

Clean the toilet bowl. Pour half a cup of hydrogen peroxide into the toilet bowl, let stand for 20 minutes, then scrub clean.

Remove stains from clothing, curtains, and tablecloths. Hydrogen peroxide can be used as a pre-treater for stains — just soak the stain for a little while in 3% hydrogen peroxide before tossing into the laundry. You can also add a cup of peroxide to a regular load of whites to boost brightness. It’s a green alternative to bleach, and works just as well.

Brighten dingy floors. Combine half a cup of hydrogen peroxide with one gallon of hot water, then go to town on your flooring. Because it’s so mild, it’s safe for any floor type, and there’s no need to rinse.

Clean kids’ toys and play areas. Hydrogen peroxide is a safe cleaner to use around kids, or anyone with respiratory problems, because it’s not a lung irritant. Spray toys, toy boxes, doorknobs, and anything else your kids touch on a regular basis.

Help out your plants. To ward off fungus, add a little hydrogen peroxide to your spray bottle the next time you’re spritzing plants.

Add natural highlights to your hair. Dilute the hydrogen peroxide so the solution is 50% peroxide and 50% water. Spray the solution on wet hair to create subtle, natural highlights.

According to alternative therapy practitioners, adding half a bottle of hydrogen peroxide to a warm bath can help detoxify the body. Some are skeptical of this claim, but a bath is always a nice way to relax and the addition of hydrogen peroxide will leave you – and the tub – squeaky clean!

Spray a solution of 1/2 cup water and 1 tablespoon of hydrogen peroxide on leftover salad, drain, cover and refrigerate. This will prevent wilting and better preserve your salad.

Sanitize your kids’ lunch boxes/bags.

Dab hydrogen peroxide on pimples or acne to help clear skin.

Hydrogen peroxide helps to sprout seeds for new plantings. Use a 3% hydrogen peroxide solution once a day and spritz the seed every time you re-moisten. You can also use a mixture of 1 part hydrogen peroxide to 32 parts water to improve your plants’ root system.

Remove yellowing from lace curtains or tablecloths. Fill a sink with cold water and a 2 cups of 3% hydrogen peroxide. Soak for at least an hour, rinse in cold water and air dry.

Use it to remove ear wax. Use a solution of 3% with olive or almond oil. Add a couple drops of oil first then H2O2. After a few minutes, tilt head to remove solution and wax.

Helps with foot fungus. Spray a 50/50 mixture of hydrogen peroxide and water on them (especially the toes) every night and let dry. Or try soaking your feet in a peroxide solution to help soften calluses and corns, and disinfect minor cuts.

Spray down the shower with hydrogen peroxide to kill bacteria and viruses.

Use 1 pint of 3% hydrogen peroxide to a gallon of water to clean humidifiers and steamers.

Wash shower curtains with hydrogen peroxide to remove mildew and soap scum. Place curtains in machine with a bath towel and your regular detergent. Add 1 cup full strength 3% hydrogen peroxide to the rinse cycle.

Use for towels that have become musty smelling. 1/2 cup Peroxide and 1/2 cup vinegar let stand for 15 minutes wash as normal. Gets rid of the smell.

Use hydrogen peroxide to control fungi present in aquariums. Don’t worry, it won’t hurt your fish. Use sparingly for this purpose.

De-skunking solution. Combine 1 quart 3% H2O2, 1/4 cup baking soda, 1 teaspoon Dawn dish detergent, 2 quarts warm water. 

Gardens

It is finally warm enough here to get a garden in. The snow is finally all gone and the grass is turning green. The children and I planted beans today. They had a lot of fun.

Some people really enjoy gardening.  They find it relaxing and an enjoyable hobby. My mother-in-law is a wealth of knowledge about all plants. I often can't tell between the plant and the weed. I garden to get organic foods to eat fresh and can/freeze for winter. I'm hoping my children develop a love of gardening. Something we can do together. Maybe I'll learn to love gardening...

Omma Bars - Dairy and Gluten Free Version

Say hello to "Omma Bars."

My son loves these. He eats them every day for breakfast. Sometimes for snacks too. And he nicknamed them "Omma Bars" when he was 2 so that's what they're known as now.

I have tweaked the recipe many times over the years to make them as healthy as possible while still being desired by my children. Something that is important when you have a child who only eats 6 things!

So here is the current version in case you have a promblem feeder or picky eater in your house!

Dairy and Gluten Free Omma Bars
(I doubled what's listed below.)
1/4 c olive oil butter (I used Earth's Best non dairy butter substitute, thus dairy free)
1 c brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 c rice flour (use 1 1/2 wheat flour for non-GF)

1/4 c chia seeds (or flaxseeds)
3 c GF oats
1 Tbl sweet potato (start with 1 tsp and increase as tolerated)
3/4 olive oil (or 1 c grapeseed oil)

Mix - should be moist but not runny
Add 1/2 c of any fill ins such as craisins, raisins, chocolate chips, dates, etc.

Bake 350 for 25 min or until golden brown.

Homemade Dishwasher Soap

This is to be used for your automatic dishwasher. It works just as well if not better than store bought brands, in my opinion.

1 cup borax (found in the laundry aisle)
1 cup baking soda
1/4 cup salt
2 packets of Kool Aid (or 1/4 cup citric acid, found at brew stores...I find the Kool Aid easier and cheaper)

Put 1 Tbl in the the wash compartment and 1/2 Tbl in the pre-wash.

Put 1 Tbl vinegar in the "jet dry" compartment. (Be careful not to spill the vinegar into the wash compartments.)

Vinegar

I know I've probably posted about vinegar before, but I'm adding some more uses for it.

I clean my floors with a little bit of vinegar in a bucket of water (c. 1/4 cup to 1 gallon).

I clean my bathroom and kitchen with a vinegar blend. Take a mason jar and fill it with orange peels, add vinegar to top, let sit 10 days and then it's ready to use.

I clean my coffee maker and pot with vinegar. Take 1 Tbl of vinegar and fill the rest up with water. Run through the maker. Run just water through the maker afterwards as a rinse. Works great!

Vanilla

Oh vanilla, you are wonderful. How I love how you flavor the foods I bake. How I love the way you take the stink out. Huh? Yeah, you read that right, vanilla de-stinks!

Add 1 tsp to a gallon of paint, stir it up, and voila! The excessive stench is gone!

Put a little cup (1/8 cup) of vanilla in the bathroom to help mask the diaper pail smell.

Or put a little cup of vanilla anywhere you'd like a fresh vanilla sent. Yum!

Bake Bread

I make my own bread. After noticing that even the "good bread" had ingredients in it that I didn't understand I took to baking my own bread.  I use the Williams-Sonoma Essentials of Baking cookbook for my soft whole wheat bread but you can do online searches for free recipes as well.  This is not only healthy but it is inexpensive too.  And it doesn't take as much time as you think it does.  I spend maybe 10 minutes letting my KitchenAid doing the kneeding and then it's a mater of moving it from the bowl to the pans when it's done rising and into and out of the oven. Easy peasy right?! The "hard part" is planning a little so that you have time to let the dough rise. But you can still do things around your house while it's rising! You can even go for a walk or play outside with the kids if you want. The dough will still be there!

Baking Soda

Ah baking soda, oh the wonderful things you can do.  So many in fact that long long lists have been written about you.

Here's one: Put up to 1/2 cup of baking soda into your washing machine to get rid of vomit smell.  Works like a wonder!

Buy Local

Find out what's unique about your area, perhaps there's an orchard nearby, perhaps a dairy farm, a farmer's market, etc.  Chances are you can get the best deal around by going there to buy it.  And chances are that it is organic.  How cool is that? Inexpensive and organic?!

60 ways to use baking soda

Thanks to my friend Cheryl and my Grandma S for this post idea!

Bicarbonate of soda or baking soda has many different uses in the household. Although much more expensive products have been developed over the years to do the same jobs, baking soda can work for you just as well, if not better. Use it in the following ways:

1. To make your own baking powder, stir and sift together 2 parts of Cream of Tartar to 1 part baking soda and 1 part cornstarch.

2. Be sure to keep an extra box of baking soda by your stove in case of grease or electrical fire. Scatter the powder by the handful to safely put it out.

3. Keep a container of baking soda in your garage as well as in your car to put out a fire. It won’t damage anything it touches.

4. Baking soda will also put out fires in clothing, fuel, wood, upholstery and rugs.
5. Clean vegetables and fruit with baking soda. Sprinkle in water, soak and rise the produce.
6. Wash garbage cans with baking soda.
7. Soak and wash diapers with baking soda.
8. Oil and grease – stained clothing washes out better with soda added to the washing water.
9. Clean your fridge and freezer with dry soda sprinkled on a damp cloth. rinse with clear water.
10. Deodorize your fridge and freezer by putting in an open container of baking soda to absorb odors. Stir and turn over the soda from time to time. Replace every 2 months.
11. Soda absorbs kitty litter odors. Cover the bottom of the kitty box with 1 part soda; then add a layer of 3 parts kitty litter on top.
12. Always add 1/2 cup soda to your washing machine load.
13. Clean combs and brushes in a soda solution.
14. Wash food and drink containers with soda and water.
15. Wash marble-topped furniture with a solution of 3 tablespoons of soda in 1 quart of warm water. Let stand awhile, then rinse.
16. Clean formica counter tops with baking soda on a damp sponge.
17. Wash out thermos bottles and cooling containers with soda and water to get rid of stale smells.
18. To remove stubborn stains from marble, formica or plastic surfaces, scour with a paste of soda and water.
19. Wash glass or stainless steel coffee pots (but not aluminum) in a soda solution ( 3 tbsp. soda to 1 quart water).
20. Run you coffee maker through its cycle with a soda solution. Rinse.
21. Give baby bottles a good cleaning with soda and hot water.
22. Sprinkle soda on barbecue grills, let soak, then rinse off.
23. Sprinkle soda on greasy garage floor. Let stand, scrub and rinse.
24. Polish silverware with dry soda on a damp cloth. Rub, rinse and dry.
25. For silver pieces without raised patterns or cemented-on handles: place the silver on aluminum foil in an enamel pot. Add boiling water and 4 tbsp. baking soda. Let stand, rinse and dry.
26. Reduce odor build-up in your dishwasher by sprinkling some soda on the bottom.
27. Run your dishwasher through its cycle with soda in it instead of soap to give it a good cleaning.
28. To remove burned-on food from a pan: let the pan soak in soda and water for 10 minutes before washing. Or scrub the pot with dry soda and a moist scouring pad.
29. For a badly-burned pan with a thick layer of burned-on food: pour a thick layer of soda directly onto the bottom of the pan, then sprinkle on just enough water so as to moisten the soda. Leave the pot overnight, then scrub it clean next day.
30. Rub stainless steel and chrome with a moist cloth and dry baking soda to shine it up. Rinse and dry. On stainless steel, scrub in the direction of the grain.
31. Clean plastic, porcelain and glass with dry soda on a damp cloth. Rinse and dry.
32. Remove that bad smell from ashtrays with soda and water.
33. Sprinkle a bit of dry soda in your ashtrays to prevent smoldering and reduce odor.
34. Clean your bathroom with dry soda on a moist sponge – sink, tub, tiles, shower stall, etc.
35. Keep your drains clean and free-flowing by putting 4 tablespoons of soda in them each week. Flush the soda down with hot water.
36. Soak your shower curtains in water and soda to clean them.
37. To remove strong odors from your hands, wet your hands and rub them hard with soda, then rinse.
38. Sprinkle baking soda on your wet toothbrush and brush your teeth and dentures with it.
39. Sprinkle soda in tennis shoes, socks, boots and slippers to eliminate odor.
40. Add 1/2 cups or more of baking soda to your bath water to soften your skin.
41. Putting 2 tbsp. of baking soda in your baby’s bath water will help relieve diaper rash irritations.
42. Apply soda directly to insect bites, rashes and poison ivy to relieve discomfort. Make a paste with water.
43. Take a soda bath to relieve general skin irritations such as measles and chicken pox.
44. Take 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda in 1/2 glass of water to relieve acid indigestion or heartburn.
45. Gargle with 1/2 tsp. baking soda in 1/2 glass of water. Freshens and cleans your mouth.
46. Used as a mouthwash, baking soda will also relieve canker sore pain.
47. To relieve sunburn: use a paste of baking soda and water.
48. Bug bites: use a poultice of baking soda and vinegar.
49. Bee sting: use a poultice of baking soda and water.
50. Windburns: moisten some baking soda and apply directly.
51. Making Play Clay with baking soda: combine 1 1/4 cups water, 2 cups soda, 1 cup cornstarch.
52. Use soda as an underarm deodorant.
53. If your baby spits up on his shirt after feeding, moisten a cloth, dip it in baking soda and dab at the dribbled shirt. The odor will go away.
54. When scalding a chicken, add 1 tsp. of soda to the boiling water. The feathers will come off easier and flesh will be clean and white.
55. Repel rain from windshield. Put gobs of baking soda on a dampened cloth and wipe windows inside and out.
56. Add to water to soak dried beans to make them more digestible.
57. Add to water to remove the “gamey” taste from wild game.
58. Use to sweeten sour dishcloths.
59. Use dry with a small brush to rub canvas handbags clean.
60. Use to remove melted plastic bread wrapper from toaster. Dampen cloth and make a mild abrasive with baking soda.

Cereal

Here's an Omma Brand shout out to Three Sisters Cereal.  All their cereal comes in ziplock bags to save on packaging (part of the savings is passed on to you too).  It's natural cereal that tastes great.  My little girl likes the Three Sisters Honey O's over the name brands.  AND you can really stock up when there's a sale, waaaay cheaper than the regular boxes of cereal.

Proper Disposal

This isn't so much a "frugalite" tip as it is a "natural" tip.

Check your local municipality's water management website, chances are they have a calendar with dates you can drop off you extra/expired medications, paints, household cleaning items, and other hazardous materials.  They can properly dispose of these items for you.  Please don't just dump of flush these items.  They get into the sewer systems and may not get completely filtered out for your (and mine) drinking water.

Places like the "Lions Club" also have drop boxes for old glasses, hearing aids, and will retire your American flag properly.  They send the glasses and hearing aids to people in needs and countries like Africa.

Check your local hospital too because they will sometimes accept unopened boxes/packages of medication to send to Africa too.

Clean it, eat it

Here's a shout out to Shaklee's Basic H.  This stuff is natural, it cleans great, it's safe, you could drink it (that's me saying that, not Shaklee, and I'm not saying you should drink it just that you could and you'd still be ok).

Basic H is strong enough to clean your bathroom and safe enough to clean those nasty pesticides off your apple.  If you buy one natural cleaning product this should be it and you'll never need to buy anything else.

Disclaimer: I suppose I should also say that I don't get any money from my Omma Brands shout outs.  Just want to give my praises where they are due.  ^_^

Freezing Food

I don't like to cook.  I can bake all day long but dislike cooking.  Which is odd for a person who likes food but that's just how things are.

So I make double batches for certain items when I cook.  Then I can freeze them for a quick meal later, usually when we're rushing about and need an "instant" meal.  Instead of grabbing a highly processed frozen meal of some sorts I can grab my home cooked instant meal.

Works great for all sorts of things.  Casseroles, waffles, pancakes, bars, bread, etc.

Buy Bulk

I buy just about everything I can in bulk.  I can get organic flour for less than the prepackaged regular stuff.  You can invest in some nice canisters or just have bags in your pantry.  My DH found some great glass canisters on a great deal for flour and sugar so I don't have to haul out a huge bag every time I want to bake.

Some of the regular grocery stores are getting into bulk items.  Just be savvy about it and know if you are actually getting a good deal.  Just because it is in the bulk section doesn't mean it is automatically less expensive (especially if you're considering upgrading to organic).  I have noticed that my local co-op and natural foods stores have more bulk items and for less money.  I can get just about anything bulk.  Dried fruit, protein powder (great for shakes), pasta, flour of every type, cereal, granola, etc.  In fact, I have shopping list for the three stores I visit based upon where I can get the best deal.  They all have bulk but I can get flour cheaper at one place and another has dried fruit for less.  Being organized helps me save money.


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Word to the wise about flour, put bay leaves in it.  Don't eat them, but they will keep bugs from visiting, living in, and eating off your flour (more common in spring/summer).  I don't know about you, but I have a hard time eating that flour once bugs have been eating it.  Bay Leaves.  Works every time.

When I've Crossed the Line

This post is in memory of my dad who would always remind us "Be frugal, not cheap." 

I usually know when I've "crossed that line" into cheapness.  Like when I bought that value pack of Babies R Us diapers and if I didn't know better I could have sworn that I put the diaper on inside out...(and they weren't all that much more inexpensive than Huggies by the way).  Or that value pack of paper towels of the "Clear Value (R)" brand and they are almost like not using anything at all to clean up messes.  Cheap.  No longer a deal when I have to use twice or more as normal to get the job done.  And I can say that I'm not going to purchase that brand again as I've had a number of bad encounters with their products.  Shortning being another one...

The store brand for many of the same items is only a few cents more and usually of a higher quality so I get that.  But a word to the wise, check the label.  Usually items are very similar but not always.  Sometimes one item will sneak in something nasty like MSG or high fructose corn syrup.  Or maybe they both have HFCS but it is the first or second ingredient for the one and the second to last for the other (thus signifying less of the substance).  I've found that by reading labels I can pick the healthier item and sometimes it surprises me that it is the more generic brand.  So read labels!

There are some things I don't skimp on.  Milk, meat, apples, and potatoes.  All suffer from high levels of something like pesticides, hormones, etc.  Apples and potatoes are the most susceptible to pesticides.  You can't buy everything organic but these are ones you should try to find organic so that you're not feeding your family a vial of nasties with their food.  Both freeze really well too.  I grow potatoes and enjoy them when in season.  When it gets to the end of the season I make a big batch of mashed potatoes and then freeze them in smaller containers.  Lasts until the next season.  Apples work great in sauces, etc.  And those all freeze really well too.  Most areas have a local farmer's market where you can get apples for under $1/lb when in season.

Milk and meat might surprise you.  I have learned through the years, mostly but trial and error, which are good and which are bad.  I have endometriosis and can tell within 30 minutes of eating either of those items if they've had hormones added to them (one of the benefits of having a messed up body ^_~).  I get all my meat from Whole Foods or the Outpost.  I stock up when it is on sale.  If you shop around you can find organic meat for just as cheap as the "other stuff."  I also like Sassy Cow and Whole Food's 365 milk.  And they cost just the same as the "other stuff."  I believe in good milk and meat so much, I will give up most other things before giving these up.  What good is it to save a few pennies or even a dollar if it means feeding your family the equivalent of a birth control pill with every glass of milk or hamburger?  Endo Assoc.

Disposals and Sinks

This is a tip from my Grandma S about garbage disposals.  First of all, if you have one (which I currently don't but wish I had) I hope you know you are supposed to run it on occasion.  Always run it with water.

If your garbage disposal starts to smell, run some citrus peels through it.

If you don't have a garbage disposal and your sink starts to smell, pour baking soda and lemon juice down the drain.  Let it sit for a while before running water through it.  Vinegar will also work if you don't have lemon juice but won't smell as nice (in my opinion).