I quite often make a double batch of Rissoles, one night we have them with potatoes and salad and the next as Burgers. However, my husband insists on fresh burger buns and this puts our 'one shop a fortnight' system into disarray.
His brilliant idea was for me to make them, and it really was easy, although my misbehaving toddler made my afternoon, one of those that needed a gin after!
I'm very proud of myself, they were an absolute triumph!
Whats in the basic breadroll dough?
This makes 16 rolls, which for a family of 3 is excessive, I would tend to 1/2 the recipe or par-bake half of them and pop them in the freezer, and then next time we're having burgers I'll just pop them into the oven for 71/2 minutes and viola! Fresh burger buns!!
400ml Spring or Filtered Water
2 Tbs Oil (Olive or Rice Bran)
1 Tspn SeaSalt
4C High Grade White Flour (or wholemeal or a mix of both)
2Tbs Manuka Honey or Sugar
2 Tspns Bread Machine Yeast
2 Tbs Milk Powder
How do you make them?
Throw everything in the order of ingredients into the breadmaker and switch on to a dough setting, once its risen (and I usually forget it about and by the time I've got to it, its risen nearly to the top!) Take out of breadmaker, divide into 16 balls (this mixture is quite wet) and I kneaded in quite a bit of flour so that they weren't so sticky. Bake in a moderate oven 180 degrees C for about 15 minutes.
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Friday, November 5, 2010
Free Computer Recycling Event E-Day Tommorow Saturday 06 November
New Zealand is kicking off its first E-Day event tomorrow, Saturday 06 November, where all unwanted PC's, computer peripherals, mobile phones, game consoles and digital cameras can be disposed of to help divert part of an expected 80,000 tonnes of e-waste from the landfills.
Check out the link for places where you can drop off your unwanted waste!
http://www.eday.org.nz/
Check out the link for places where you can drop off your unwanted waste!
http://www.eday.org.nz/
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Its the small things you do....
The thing about thinking greener is, it really is a state of mind and a way of life, just a total awareness. It means that everything that we do, the thought goes through my head 'Is there a better way of doing this?', 'Can I use less?', 'Do we really need this?'
From when looking for a job making sure I could walk to work, buying a car that was incredibly fuel efficient (and no its not a hybrid!), being a 1 car family, saying no to plastic bags! (If you can carry it to the checkout, why do you then need a plastic bag to take it to the car?!) Hanging the laundry outside and not using the dryer, not using the heated towel rail for more than is needed, composting, worm farming, living very close to amenities so I can walk with the pram, the list is endless! In every way if we can just stop for a moment and be aware of what we are doing and aware that there may be a better, greener and cheaper way.
Not long ago I read an article saying that we (as in the world) have 100 months to make changes to the way we do things before there is no turning back, we will have damaged this earth to the point of devastation (its actually down to 74 months now). And remember there is no Planet B, this is it! You have choices every single day, will you be uninformed or lazy or think that what I do won't count or will you think about small changes you can make?
I know what I'm going to do! I hope you'll join me......
Here is the link for 100months.org with some great ideas.
http://www.onehundredmonths.org/
From when looking for a job making sure I could walk to work, buying a car that was incredibly fuel efficient (and no its not a hybrid!), being a 1 car family, saying no to plastic bags! (If you can carry it to the checkout, why do you then need a plastic bag to take it to the car?!) Hanging the laundry outside and not using the dryer, not using the heated towel rail for more than is needed, composting, worm farming, living very close to amenities so I can walk with the pram, the list is endless! In every way if we can just stop for a moment and be aware of what we are doing and aware that there may be a better, greener and cheaper way.
Not long ago I read an article saying that we (as in the world) have 100 months to make changes to the way we do things before there is no turning back, we will have damaged this earth to the point of devastation (its actually down to 74 months now). And remember there is no Planet B, this is it! You have choices every single day, will you be uninformed or lazy or think that what I do won't count or will you think about small changes you can make?
I know what I'm going to do! I hope you'll join me......
Here is the link for 100months.org with some great ideas.
http://www.onehundredmonths.org/
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Its a lovely day to dry the laundry!
The weather is just beautiful and I always say on days like this 'its a great day to dry the washing!' I absolutely hate using the dryer and only do so if absolutely necessary.
When we sold our old cottage we took our retractable washing line with us and put it up and our new/old leaky garage, needless to say the washing just doesn't dry in there in winter, so off we went and bought a 2nd hand rotary line off Trademe, brilliant!
With the renovations we are building a back porch and will put the retractable clothes line up there, not pretty but our back yard is north facing so it gets all day sun and will be perfect for our cloth nappies as a friend says 'sunshine is like natures disenfectant' and it is brilliant at getting stains out.
Looking for green solutions in the laundry we've found a few different options. For washing nappies we use a nappy soaker from either Ecostore or Next Generation, only 1/2 a scoop as this can degrade the integrity of the cloth over time (don't soak nappies for long periods as this also can eat away at the fabric and render them useless) Another favourite is Next Generation Stain Remover Spray, and I honestly have to say this is better than the chemical alternatives. Ecover or Ecostore Wool Wash are both both great options for your woollens and delicates.
Code Wash Laundry Balls are superb, I've once again found some on Trademe at $30 for 2 sets and they last for approximately 100 washes. Each set comes with replaceable balls to insert so you should get at least 400 loads for $30, which works out at around 7c a load, not bad at all! They have excellent washing power to clean most dirt, the only thing they will not clean is grease because they do not contain toxic enzymes, optimisers, and other heavy duty poisonous grease cleaners (but that's what the Next Generation Stain Remover is for) Here are some questions answered:
How do the Laundry Balls work?Activated molecules (ionised oxygen) are released during the wash; these molecules will raise the pH level of the water and soften the water and fabric. This allows for the movement of water in the machine to penetrate the fabric and lift the soil.
Are they Natural?
It is environmentally safe and the ingredients are derived from natural components and inorganic rock. There is no Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (SLS) or Sodium Lauryl Ether Sulphate (SLES) in the product.
Do they clean well?
It is just as good as any environmentally friendly product on the market. It does not contain bleach or whiteners so don’t expect luminous whites. If you have stains the Multi Purpose Stain Remover can be applied. You can also pre soak the clothes with the balls in a bucket first.
I have allergies and eczema, can I use it?
It is hypo-allergenic and safe to use for sensitive skin. It has been approved by Action Against Allergies in the UK. Our little one gets eczema and I have not had any problems since changing to the Code Wash Laundry Balls. The main reason I use this product is for my children’s skin problems - the money and time saving is an added bonus!!
Can I wash nappies and baby clothes?
It is perfectly safe for babies and contains an anti-bacterial agent and natural softener.
Are the balls fragrant?There is no smell they just give your clothes a ’washed’, but not scented smell when you get them out of your machine. When you take your clothes off the line, they smell clean but not scented. If you want a scent just add a few drops of essential oil to the machine when you load it. I find the best is lemon scented Teatree, as not only does it smell nice it has all the antimicrobial qualities of a Teatree without the nasty Teatree smell. Or better yet is to use Global Soaps Essential Laundry Blend which is a blend of Lemon Teatree, Lemon Myrtle and Lemon oils RRP $16 for 20ml. I only do this for my nappies as its nice to get rid of the 'nappy' smell and has the antibacterial properties as well to get rid of any nasties.
Here are some links if you are interested in getting your hands on some of these products:
http://www.globalsoap.co.nz/soapnuts.htm
http://www.ongalea.co.nz/Ongalea/SPECIAL_OFFER.html
http://www.nextgeneration.co.nz/
When we sold our old cottage we took our retractable washing line with us and put it up and our new/old leaky garage, needless to say the washing just doesn't dry in there in winter, so off we went and bought a 2nd hand rotary line off Trademe, brilliant!
With the renovations we are building a back porch and will put the retractable clothes line up there, not pretty but our back yard is north facing so it gets all day sun and will be perfect for our cloth nappies as a friend says 'sunshine is like natures disenfectant' and it is brilliant at getting stains out.
Looking for green solutions in the laundry we've found a few different options. For washing nappies we use a nappy soaker from either Ecostore or Next Generation, only 1/2 a scoop as this can degrade the integrity of the cloth over time (don't soak nappies for long periods as this also can eat away at the fabric and render them useless) Another favourite is Next Generation Stain Remover Spray, and I honestly have to say this is better than the chemical alternatives. Ecover or Ecostore Wool Wash are both both great options for your woollens and delicates.
Code Wash Laundry Balls are superb, I've once again found some on Trademe at $30 for 2 sets and they last for approximately 100 washes. Each set comes with replaceable balls to insert so you should get at least 400 loads for $30, which works out at around 7c a load, not bad at all! They have excellent washing power to clean most dirt, the only thing they will not clean is grease because they do not contain toxic enzymes, optimisers, and other heavy duty poisonous grease cleaners (but that's what the Next Generation Stain Remover is for) Here are some questions answered:
How do the Laundry Balls work?Activated molecules (ionised oxygen) are released during the wash; these molecules will raise the pH level of the water and soften the water and fabric. This allows for the movement of water in the machine to penetrate the fabric and lift the soil.
Are they Natural?
It is environmentally safe and the ingredients are derived from natural components and inorganic rock. There is no Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (SLS) or Sodium Lauryl Ether Sulphate (SLES) in the product.
Do they clean well?
It is just as good as any environmentally friendly product on the market. It does not contain bleach or whiteners so don’t expect luminous whites. If you have stains the Multi Purpose Stain Remover can be applied. You can also pre soak the clothes with the balls in a bucket first.
I have allergies and eczema, can I use it?
It is hypo-allergenic and safe to use for sensitive skin. It has been approved by Action Against Allergies in the UK. Our little one gets eczema and I have not had any problems since changing to the Code Wash Laundry Balls. The main reason I use this product is for my children’s skin problems - the money and time saving is an added bonus!!
Can I wash nappies and baby clothes?
It is perfectly safe for babies and contains an anti-bacterial agent and natural softener.
Are the balls fragrant?There is no smell they just give your clothes a ’washed’, but not scented smell when you get them out of your machine. When you take your clothes off the line, they smell clean but not scented. If you want a scent just add a few drops of essential oil to the machine when you load it. I find the best is lemon scented Teatree, as not only does it smell nice it has all the antimicrobial qualities of a Teatree without the nasty Teatree smell. Or better yet is to use Global Soaps Essential Laundry Blend which is a blend of Lemon Teatree, Lemon Myrtle and Lemon oils RRP $16 for 20ml. I only do this for my nappies as its nice to get rid of the 'nappy' smell and has the antibacterial properties as well to get rid of any nasties.
Here are some links if you are interested in getting your hands on some of these products:
http://www.globalsoap.co.nz/soapnuts.htm
http://www.ongalea.co.nz/Ongalea/SPECIAL_OFFER.html
http://www.nextgeneration.co.nz/
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Feed the Worms!
We love the three R's - reduce, reuse and recycle. So much so that when our new kitchen was built I finally got my large double rubbish bin drawers! The front one is our recycling because we have so much more recycling than rubbish. I think the key with recycling, composting and worm farming is make it easy for yourself, if its not easy you aren't going to do it!
Under our sink we have our compost container. Into this goes all food scraps, any paper towels or tissues that have non-toxic substances on them (worms love these!). When you have a compost container, make sure its not too large - 2L is a great size. You don't want it sitting around for a week, getting all stinky before you empty it. We have two of these and after we empty one, we spray it out with the hose and into the dishwasher it goes. Then out comes the next one use as the other is cleaning.
What we shouldn't put into our compost container is meat, citrus and anything from the onion family, however, my poor worms get it all, as I cant stand the thought of putting food scraps into the rubbish. And in case you think that food scraps will decompose your rubbish and at the tip, think again. Rubbish at the tip is so compacted and deprived of oxygen that it takes decades to break down. The other thing thing that is as bad for the environment are waste disposals, our waste water systems were not meant for munched up food!
I love our Can-o-worms Worm farm but you get all sorts of worm farms off Trademe for a really reasonable price. Our Earthmaker compost bin is brilliant too, its a continuous cycle 3 stage compost bin, so you are continually making compost and not having to haul the bin over to another site. For more information check out their websites:
http://www.earthmaker.co.nz/
http://www.wormsrus.co.nz/canoworms.html
Under our sink we have our compost container. Into this goes all food scraps, any paper towels or tissues that have non-toxic substances on them (worms love these!). When you have a compost container, make sure its not too large - 2L is a great size. You don't want it sitting around for a week, getting all stinky before you empty it. We have two of these and after we empty one, we spray it out with the hose and into the dishwasher it goes. Then out comes the next one use as the other is cleaning.
What we shouldn't put into our compost container is meat, citrus and anything from the onion family, however, my poor worms get it all, as I cant stand the thought of putting food scraps into the rubbish. And in case you think that food scraps will decompose your rubbish and at the tip, think again. Rubbish at the tip is so compacted and deprived of oxygen that it takes decades to break down. The other thing thing that is as bad for the environment are waste disposals, our waste water systems were not meant for munched up food!
I love our Can-o-worms Worm farm but you get all sorts of worm farms off Trademe for a really reasonable price. Our Earthmaker compost bin is brilliant too, its a continuous cycle 3 stage compost bin, so you are continually making compost and not having to haul the bin over to another site. For more information check out their websites:
http://www.earthmaker.co.nz/
http://www.wormsrus.co.nz/canoworms.html
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Think about what you put in and on your body (even if you aren't pregnant)
There was an article the other day on 60minutes about Phthalates and how it may be causing birth defects in boys genitals, low sperm counts in adult males and low testosterone levels. It was fascinating and just reiterated to me why we need to become so much more aware of what we use on our body but in our body as well.
Most of the Mums out there will be aware of BPA's and know how it should best be avoided. What you may not have heard about is Phthalates which is the new nasty also found in plastics to make them softer and more flexible.
The problem with plastics is that they leech the Phtalates into our FOODS, HAIRCARE, SKINCARE, DRINKS, TOOTHPASTE, but they are also found in GLADWRAP, GREASEPROOF PAPER, KIDS TOYS the list goes on and on - just think about what you use that comes wrapped in plastic.
So not only are we ingesting Phthalates but we are spreading them onto our biggest organ (our skin) which is in turn being absorbed into our systems. Pregnant women have to be extra careful but even if you are not pregnant, maybe take a moment to think about if there is an alternative to what you are currently using.
Look at using foods or skincare that come in glass or metal, wooden toys for your children and stop and think about using super nasties like Bio Oil which is a petrochemical in a plastic bottle, it doesn't get much worse than that, especially for pregnant women! A really nice alternative to Bio Oil is Absolute Essential Maternity Care Stretchmark Oil $39.95 for 100ml, Absolute Essential only use the highest quality oils, this is delicious and comes in a lovely blue glass bottle. I will be stocking this along with their Maternity Care Massage Balm $29.95 which not only helps with strechmarks but also will help to alleviate discomforts of pregnancy that especially affect the lower back, legs and feet. Another wonderful product that I currently have in stock is Verite Spa Nourishing Belly Balm 65ml $19.90 with nutrient rich Shea Butter, Rosehip, Marula and more to help prevent stretch marks.
Avoid BPA and Phthalate ingestion by not using and re-using plastic water bottles. These are probably the worst culprits of all, as the longer you use and refill the worse the integrity of the plastic gets. Look for a stainless steel water bottle or just a cheap alternative is a glass bottle that you can refill.
Most of the Mums out there will be aware of BPA's and know how it should best be avoided. What you may not have heard about is Phthalates which is the new nasty also found in plastics to make them softer and more flexible.
The problem with plastics is that they leech the Phtalates into our FOODS, HAIRCARE, SKINCARE, DRINKS, TOOTHPASTE, but they are also found in GLADWRAP, GREASEPROOF PAPER, KIDS TOYS the list goes on and on - just think about what you use that comes wrapped in plastic.
So not only are we ingesting Phthalates but we are spreading them onto our biggest organ (our skin) which is in turn being absorbed into our systems. Pregnant women have to be extra careful but even if you are not pregnant, maybe take a moment to think about if there is an alternative to what you are currently using.
Look at using foods or skincare that come in glass or metal, wooden toys for your children and stop and think about using super nasties like Bio Oil which is a petrochemical in a plastic bottle, it doesn't get much worse than that, especially for pregnant women! A really nice alternative to Bio Oil is Absolute Essential Maternity Care Stretchmark Oil $39.95 for 100ml, Absolute Essential only use the highest quality oils, this is delicious and comes in a lovely blue glass bottle. I will be stocking this along with their Maternity Care Massage Balm $29.95 which not only helps with strechmarks but also will help to alleviate discomforts of pregnancy that especially affect the lower back, legs and feet. Another wonderful product that I currently have in stock is Verite Spa Nourishing Belly Balm 65ml $19.90 with nutrient rich Shea Butter, Rosehip, Marula and more to help prevent stretch marks.
Avoid BPA and Phthalate ingestion by not using and re-using plastic water bottles. These are probably the worst culprits of all, as the longer you use and refill the worse the integrity of the plastic gets. Look for a stainless steel water bottle or just a cheap alternative is a glass bottle that you can refill.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
What you don't know about your favourite brand of Pawpaw Ointment.......
This is a great lesson on what is not on the outside packaging. A very popular Pawpaw Ointment that I used all the time was in a red tube or pot. What I didn't know was the main ingredient apart from Pawpaw was petroleum jelly which is a petrochemical, as there was nothing on the outside label to state this. If you have a jar at home take a quick look at it!
I have used Pawpaw Ointment for chapped lips, nappy rash and eczema, its also recommended for cuts, grazes and dry and cracked skin. Now how many nurses or doctors have told you that the ointment in the red tube is great for nappyrash? I'm sure it is, but I will do all I can to avoid putting a petrochemical on my baby. As soon as I found this out, I made it my mission to find an alternative with either vegetable or nut base, and I found a great one!
Look for a product called Phytocare Papaya Ointment (previously called Pure Neutraceuticals Pawpaw Ointment) Its in a black tube, and comes in 2 handy sizes 30g and 100g.
Phytocare contains 48% Papaya, also known as Pawpaw and has a far higher percentage of Pawpaw than the red tube. It also contains Calandula Flower extract in a base of Shea Butter, Macadamia Seed Oil and Vitamin E with an absolutely divine fragrance derived from Coconut. They have just reformulated it so it goes on really smoothly and squeezes out of the tube easily. So not only does it smell delicious it is way better for you than the red version.
This is a product I will stock at Rejuvenate 30g tube will be $10.00 and the 100g tube will be $19.50
I have used Pawpaw Ointment for chapped lips, nappy rash and eczema, its also recommended for cuts, grazes and dry and cracked skin. Now how many nurses or doctors have told you that the ointment in the red tube is great for nappyrash? I'm sure it is, but I will do all I can to avoid putting a petrochemical on my baby. As soon as I found this out, I made it my mission to find an alternative with either vegetable or nut base, and I found a great one!
Look for a product called Phytocare Papaya Ointment (previously called Pure Neutraceuticals Pawpaw Ointment) Its in a black tube, and comes in 2 handy sizes 30g and 100g.
Phytocare contains 48% Papaya, also known as Pawpaw and has a far higher percentage of Pawpaw than the red tube. It also contains Calandula Flower extract in a base of Shea Butter, Macadamia Seed Oil and Vitamin E with an absolutely divine fragrance derived from Coconut. They have just reformulated it so it goes on really smoothly and squeezes out of the tube easily. So not only does it smell delicious it is way better for you than the red version.
This is a product I will stock at Rejuvenate 30g tube will be $10.00 and the 100g tube will be $19.50
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
What to do with the leftover bread?
I always keep my old bread crusts save them up and wizz them through the food processor into nice fine crumbs.
I then put them all in a re-sealable bag (which I top up every time with the new lot) and pop it into the freezer. We use breadcrumbs as a coating for Tuna Cakes, in Rissoles and Meatloaf (along with LSA). These are way better than the bought ones, I checked out the ingredients of bought breadcrumbs and there's way more in there than there should be or you would expect.
Just remember, when at the supermarket, check the ingredients - you would be surprised where MSG aka Flavour Enhancer 621 pops up - especially in your kids food! Just be aware and on the look out, don't expect it not to be in there and the biggest culprit are rice crackers!
I then put them all in a re-sealable bag (which I top up every time with the new lot) and pop it into the freezer. We use breadcrumbs as a coating for Tuna Cakes, in Rissoles and Meatloaf (along with LSA). These are way better than the bought ones, I checked out the ingredients of bought breadcrumbs and there's way more in there than there should be or you would expect.
Just remember, when at the supermarket, check the ingredients - you would be surprised where MSG aka Flavour Enhancer 621 pops up - especially in your kids food! Just be aware and on the look out, don't expect it not to be in there and the biggest culprit are rice crackers!
Monday, October 4, 2010
Cloth Nappies - All you need to know!
Ah cloth nappies! People are always surprised when I tell them I use cloth nappies or they said before we had our little one that there was no way I would use them. Friends and family would imply that I had the best intentions but it would all go out the window when the baby arrived, ah nothing like throwing down the gauntlet! My first piece of advice is talk to other Mums who are doing cloth, written below is my personal experience, and other Mums may have different advice, just take it all in, do your research then trial out some cloth nappies (lots of companies do trial packs) and see how you go!
The truth of the matter is we didn't use cloth for probably the first month or so, even though we had a huge nearly 10lb baby, they are just too small for cloth. The other thing is the meconium (baby's first black tar-like poohs) will ruin any cloth nappy immediately, so stay well away and give yourself a few months to settle into parenthood before attempting cloth.
I had always said that if I had a child I would use cloth, but the reality of it is - where on earth do you start? There are so many choices out there today and now a really great source is TradeMe. If you are looking for new or used, this is the place to look first and foremost. But before you look, set your criteria, talk to other cloth nappy mum's, they are a wealth of knowledge as to what you want to look for.
My criteria was, NO Velcro, only snap closures, there is nothing worse than spending all your time de-fluffing (although some people say its very calming!). It’s a personal choice on what type of nappy closures you want, some people love Velcro for its extra snug fit, personally I hate it - even if they have washing tabs (which took me forever to find out how they worked) Firstly you will forget to use the washing tabs (which is an extra piece of Velcro to fold the tab back onto so it’s not open to the washing machine and doesn't get caught up with all other nappies and get full of fluff) Secondly, no matter what, they WILL get tangled with all the other nappies and get full of fluff and that is one extra job that will drive you nuts! I have had to get a nit comb to de-fluff the nappies that I do have with Velcro. And thirdly Velcro wears out – it really does lose its effectiveness over the years, so as I said, stay well away!! The other thing to avoid are nappies with snap in liners, go for the pocket nappy, just way easier to clean – with a snap in liner, the pooh will get all over it, under it, around it, as you can imagine, if you are trying to rinse it off in the toilet it’s a bit of a nightmare!
When my first baby was a newborn I wanted nappies that were organic cotton so they were soft on babies bottom, and it was important that they were one-size fits all (usually advertised as OSFA or OSFM), it will save you thousands as it grows with your baby, you don’t have to buy different sets as they grow! I also decided to go with a system that uses waterproof covers over the top of the nappy, so you can re-use the cover and wash the nappy, covers get washed every few days or when soiled. Now that my son is just over 2 we now use cloth at night and I have now bought huge bulk lots of what are called ‘pocket’ nappies, usually at the back they have an opening that you stuff inserts into (the most absorbent insert is Hemp), these are perfect for overnight use – reason being as the insides are made from microfibre that wicks the moisture away from baby so they don’t ‘feel’ the wet. However with saying that, I intend, with our new baby, to use a biodegradable disposables during the night for the first few months as there will be nothing worse than if the baby does a pooh at night and have to go and spray down a nappy.
You can find all sorts of new nappies on TradeMe and Ebay which are ‘Chinese Cheapies’ usually under the name of Babyluv or something along that line and they come in a huge array of colours and patterns. Get one lot of about 5-10 2nd hand ones, DON’T spend a fortune – try it out, see how you go – you might love using the nappies or you might hate it and not want to do it, the last thing you want to do is spend a huge amount of money on them only to find that cloth is not for you! If you do decide that you can handle cloth and this is the way for you to go, then you will get addicted like me and spend vast amounts of money on the amazing nappies that are out there, ‘Minkys’ are my favourite at the moment (a pocket nappy with a fluffy outside, so cute!) Once I trialled these MCN's made from microfibre, I loved them and now purchase new ones off TradeMe and Facebook, there are lots made by Work at Home Mums (WAHM's), I love that they are a great price, made in New Zealand and it allows me to support other Mums in small businesses.
Now we get to cleaning, when babys' still on breast milk, you will need somewhere to hose them them down, we found the outside hose over the drain was best, but cold in winter to run outside. For number 2 we have a hose by the toilet so we can spray straight in - you can get your plumber to install one of these at very little cost. When he was still on breast milk I would wet pail - fill 1/2 a bucket with nappy soaker and water and soak. I have since learnt that Nappy Soaker can degrade the integrity of the fabric of the nappy - so only do it for short periods. Now that he's older and on solids we dry pail, which means we remove all the solid waste and flush it (biodegradable liners are the best) and it gets sprayed with 'Next Generation Stain Remover' (the best stain remover on the market that is also as naturally derived as possible).
This all goes into a bucket as is, and waits the day or two until we have enough to wash, and no it doesn't get smelly. I would have to say disposable nappies are worse in a bucket, they just stink after 1 day. I went on holiday with him when he was about 3 months old and decided that I would take disposables (OKO biodegradable) after 3 days we had a huge rubbish bag full, I was shocked! It really instilled in me that cloth was the right decision for us. There is the time factor of washing, hanging out, folding, at which stage I place my biodegradable liners in my nappy ready to go. With my liners, if they have only had #1's on they get washed and re-used as well. But I find with a little one there is so much washing to do anyway, this really doesn't add much.
Cost is a huge factor as well, there is this misconception out there that the cost of water, stain remover, nappy soaker, laundry power, time all adds up to more than disposables, but it really doesn't. We also use Laundry Balls (and Dryer Balls) which last over 100 washes, are really effective, super cheap and excellent for sensitive skin, I've done another blog on both of those! And remember Microfibre nappies dry so quickly that even on the coldest, wetest day they will be dry in a few hours maximum, you will very rarely need to put them in the dryer! I think it's more like advertising for nappy companies trying to persuade you that disposables are better. I asked a lady in the nappy shop once why she thought people didn't do cloth more, she said that it was too much of an outlay. Well, my response to that is you have 9 months to buy things bit by bit, and now with Trademe buying 2nd hand has never been better. I think our total outlay has not been more than $400 at the most, which has saved us thousands, and more savings to come as we will use them on the new baby!
My advice is cloth nappies are better for baby (we have had a few instances of nappy rash), better for your pocket and by far better for the environment, as in a babys' first year they will use around 3000 nappies! This all goes into our landfill (which is no place for human excrement) and each nappy takes about 500 years to decompose! Its all about WANTING to do cloth, what I have realised after talking to many people is, although some Mums feel guilty about using disposables, there is no converting someone who just isn't interested - but if you WANT to do it, go ahead and give it a try! Feel free to flick me an email at gemma@rejuvenatebeauty.co.nz if you need any more questions answered I am so passionate about cloth that I would be more than happy to help you!
The truth of the matter is we didn't use cloth for probably the first month or so, even though we had a huge nearly 10lb baby, they are just too small for cloth. The other thing is the meconium (baby's first black tar-like poohs) will ruin any cloth nappy immediately, so stay well away and give yourself a few months to settle into parenthood before attempting cloth.
I had always said that if I had a child I would use cloth, but the reality of it is - where on earth do you start? There are so many choices out there today and now a really great source is TradeMe. If you are looking for new or used, this is the place to look first and foremost. But before you look, set your criteria, talk to other cloth nappy mum's, they are a wealth of knowledge as to what you want to look for.
My criteria was, NO Velcro, only snap closures, there is nothing worse than spending all your time de-fluffing (although some people say its very calming!). It’s a personal choice on what type of nappy closures you want, some people love Velcro for its extra snug fit, personally I hate it - even if they have washing tabs (which took me forever to find out how they worked) Firstly you will forget to use the washing tabs (which is an extra piece of Velcro to fold the tab back onto so it’s not open to the washing machine and doesn't get caught up with all other nappies and get full of fluff) Secondly, no matter what, they WILL get tangled with all the other nappies and get full of fluff and that is one extra job that will drive you nuts! I have had to get a nit comb to de-fluff the nappies that I do have with Velcro. And thirdly Velcro wears out – it really does lose its effectiveness over the years, so as I said, stay well away!! The other thing to avoid are nappies with snap in liners, go for the pocket nappy, just way easier to clean – with a snap in liner, the pooh will get all over it, under it, around it, as you can imagine, if you are trying to rinse it off in the toilet it’s a bit of a nightmare!
When my first baby was a newborn I wanted nappies that were organic cotton so they were soft on babies bottom, and it was important that they were one-size fits all (usually advertised as OSFA or OSFM), it will save you thousands as it grows with your baby, you don’t have to buy different sets as they grow! I also decided to go with a system that uses waterproof covers over the top of the nappy, so you can re-use the cover and wash the nappy, covers get washed every few days or when soiled. Now that my son is just over 2 we now use cloth at night and I have now bought huge bulk lots of what are called ‘pocket’ nappies, usually at the back they have an opening that you stuff inserts into (the most absorbent insert is Hemp), these are perfect for overnight use – reason being as the insides are made from microfibre that wicks the moisture away from baby so they don’t ‘feel’ the wet. However with saying that, I intend, with our new baby, to use a biodegradable disposables during the night for the first few months as there will be nothing worse than if the baby does a pooh at night and have to go and spray down a nappy.
You can find all sorts of new nappies on TradeMe and Ebay which are ‘Chinese Cheapies’ usually under the name of Babyluv or something along that line and they come in a huge array of colours and patterns. Get one lot of about 5-10 2nd hand ones, DON’T spend a fortune – try it out, see how you go – you might love using the nappies or you might hate it and not want to do it, the last thing you want to do is spend a huge amount of money on them only to find that cloth is not for you! If you do decide that you can handle cloth and this is the way for you to go, then you will get addicted like me and spend vast amounts of money on the amazing nappies that are out there, ‘Minkys’ are my favourite at the moment (a pocket nappy with a fluffy outside, so cute!) Once I trialled these MCN's made from microfibre, I loved them and now purchase new ones off TradeMe and Facebook, there are lots made by Work at Home Mums (WAHM's), I love that they are a great price, made in New Zealand and it allows me to support other Mums in small businesses.
Now we get to cleaning, when babys' still on breast milk, you will need somewhere to hose them them down, we found the outside hose over the drain was best, but cold in winter to run outside. For number 2 we have a hose by the toilet so we can spray straight in - you can get your plumber to install one of these at very little cost. When he was still on breast milk I would wet pail - fill 1/2 a bucket with nappy soaker and water and soak. I have since learnt that Nappy Soaker can degrade the integrity of the fabric of the nappy - so only do it for short periods. Now that he's older and on solids we dry pail, which means we remove all the solid waste and flush it (biodegradable liners are the best) and it gets sprayed with 'Next Generation Stain Remover' (the best stain remover on the market that is also as naturally derived as possible).
This all goes into a bucket as is, and waits the day or two until we have enough to wash, and no it doesn't get smelly. I would have to say disposable nappies are worse in a bucket, they just stink after 1 day. I went on holiday with him when he was about 3 months old and decided that I would take disposables (OKO biodegradable) after 3 days we had a huge rubbish bag full, I was shocked! It really instilled in me that cloth was the right decision for us. There is the time factor of washing, hanging out, folding, at which stage I place my biodegradable liners in my nappy ready to go. With my liners, if they have only had #1's on they get washed and re-used as well. But I find with a little one there is so much washing to do anyway, this really doesn't add much.
Cost is a huge factor as well, there is this misconception out there that the cost of water, stain remover, nappy soaker, laundry power, time all adds up to more than disposables, but it really doesn't. We also use Laundry Balls (and Dryer Balls) which last over 100 washes, are really effective, super cheap and excellent for sensitive skin, I've done another blog on both of those! And remember Microfibre nappies dry so quickly that even on the coldest, wetest day they will be dry in a few hours maximum, you will very rarely need to put them in the dryer! I think it's more like advertising for nappy companies trying to persuade you that disposables are better. I asked a lady in the nappy shop once why she thought people didn't do cloth more, she said that it was too much of an outlay. Well, my response to that is you have 9 months to buy things bit by bit, and now with Trademe buying 2nd hand has never been better. I think our total outlay has not been more than $400 at the most, which has saved us thousands, and more savings to come as we will use them on the new baby!
My advice is cloth nappies are better for baby (we have had a few instances of nappy rash), better for your pocket and by far better for the environment, as in a babys' first year they will use around 3000 nappies! This all goes into our landfill (which is no place for human excrement) and each nappy takes about 500 years to decompose! Its all about WANTING to do cloth, what I have realised after talking to many people is, although some Mums feel guilty about using disposables, there is no converting someone who just isn't interested - but if you WANT to do it, go ahead and give it a try! Feel free to flick me an email at gemma@rejuvenatebeauty.co.nz if you need any more questions answered I am so passionate about cloth that I would be more than happy to help you!
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Using your loaf
There is nothing as satisfying as making your own bread. The smell that fills the house in the afternoon as yet another loaf finishes baking. And a sense of relief knowing that the family has breakfasts and lunches for the following day. I know what goes into my bread too and I know what doesn't! (no dairy for our little one) There are goodies that most manufacturers don't put in - organic LSA, organic un-hulled sesame seeds, organic rolled oats, olive oil, manuka honey - now I just have to find a supplier of good quality organic high grade flour (any suggestions are welcomed) as the organic stoneground is just too heavy for bread. There is the price tag and the convenience, no mad dash down to the supermarket to stock up. Every loaf costs around $2 (a fair way off the near $5 for Vogels) This seems to be a no fail recipe now - after many occasions of feeding the birds extremely well (or nearly killing them according to my husband!)
Whats in the basic loaf?
275ml Spring or Filtered Water
2 Tbs Oil (Olive or Rice Bran)
1 Tspn SeaSalt
3C High Grade White Flour (or wholemeal or a mix of both)
1/2C Organic Rolled Oats
2 Tbs Sesame Seeds (I sometimes add, the same amount of LSA, Pumpkin and Sunflower Seeds - play around with what you feel like or what you have in the cupboard)
1Tbs Manuka Honey
2 3/4 Tspns Bread Machine Yeast
How do you make it?
The thing I love about bread machines is that you just throw everything in the order of ingredients and switch on, bingo! (or beep!) I make a well in the dry ingredients for the honey and the yeast and put it on the French bread setting (longer rising time and crunchier crust)
Whats in the basic loaf?
275ml Spring or Filtered Water
2 Tbs Oil (Olive or Rice Bran)
1 Tspn SeaSalt
3C High Grade White Flour (or wholemeal or a mix of both)
1/2C Organic Rolled Oats
2 Tbs Sesame Seeds (I sometimes add, the same amount of LSA, Pumpkin and Sunflower Seeds - play around with what you feel like or what you have in the cupboard)
1Tbs Manuka Honey
2 3/4 Tspns Bread Machine Yeast
How do you make it?
The thing I love about bread machines is that you just throw everything in the order of ingredients and switch on, bingo! (or beep!) I make a well in the dry ingredients for the honey and the yeast and put it on the French bread setting (longer rising time and crunchier crust)
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