Make your own lalundry detergent

We had been using products from this website Cal Ben soap products which I do like, but we ran out of laundry soap so I just started using Arm and Hammer and then Sun. Meanwhile, my skin was so itchy and I had a bit of a rash on my back, I thought it was hormones, but then my lower arms started itching too when I wore a long sleeve top and I started to notice that some of my kids were itchy too, so I realized it must have been the detergent. So I did a little research and found this great site on making your own and it is cheap and easy. So far, so good for us. I feel a lot better and my skin is healing although I still itch sometimes.

Here's the site I used from tip nut, but it looked like most the recipes are pretty similar.

This is what I did:

I bought a bar of Fels-Naptha soap and washing soda from Arm and Hammer both found in the detergent aisle.

I grated half of the bar of soap and boiled it in water until it dissolved, then I poured that mixture along with 1/2 c. of the washing soda into a cleaned out honey bucket and added a few drops of tea tree oil and a gallon of hot tap water. I mixed it all together and started using it!! It geled and it was kind of fun. The kids grated the soap and thought it was pretty fun. I'm going to try Ivory soap next time. Pretty cool!!

Easy Vegan Tofu Lasagne

This is a family favorite. It is pretty rich and filling. It is a good transitional recipe for those trying to cut down on meat and dairy. Be sure to eat lots of salad along with it!!

Spaghetti sauce:

2 28 oz cans of diced tomatoes
1 6 oz. can of tomato paste
garlic powder, onion powder and italian seasoning to taste

Mix all ingredients together with a whisk, warm if desired. This is the first layer.

Tofu Ricotta:

1 1/2 cartons of organic tofu
2 t. dried basil
2 t. dried oregano
1 T. mixed Italian seasoning
1/2 t. Real salt or to taste
1 t. freshly ground black pepper

Mix and smash all together or process in the food processor. This is the 2nd layer.

Whole Wheat Tortillas:

5 C. whole wheat flour
1/2 t. Real salt
garlic powder, onion powder and herbs to taste
1 1/2 C water
2 t. olive oil

Mix all ingredients together by hand or in the food processor ( which is very easy) until it forms a ball of dough. Flour a smooth surface and roll them out with a rolling pin whichever size you want. Then cook on ungreased griddle or pan at around heat #6 on the stovetop. Flip over when they start to bubble, then cook on the other side 'til done. This is layer # 3. I can roll out a whole batch in about 15 min. and then I cook them while I chop my salad and get other things for the lasagna ready.

If you do everything from scratch, start with tortillas. Make your spaghetti sauce next, then the tofu ricotta. To make it even more convenient, use premade sauce and tortillas, then all you have to make is the tofu Ricotta. Layer your favorite spaghetti sauce first, then whole wheat tortillas to cover the bottom of the pan and spread the tofu ricotta cheese over that and repeat the layers as many times as you like, ending with sauce on the top. Bake at 375 F for 20- 40 min. It just needs to heat up since the ingredients are all thoroughly cooked. I will sometimes sneak extra veggies in too, but my family prefers it plain. I usually double the recipe because my family eats a lot and I always hope for leftovers. Serve with corn and salad. Enjoy!!

Household tips

These are some household tips that may seem like common sense, but I have not realized the importance of them and the huge benefit they bring for the same amount of effort done ahead of the curve instead of behind it. Here they are:

Tip #1 -- Keep up on the laundry. When a load is done, fold it and put it away or have your kids do it, but keep up. I have been doing well at it for about 2 months now and it is amazing how much smoother the household runs. It's the same amount of work without the enormous pile of clean or dirty clothes blocking the pathway everyday and the house just seems more orderly. I know some of you already knew this tip, but have patience with those of us who have had to learn it the hard way!!

Tip #2 -- Start making dinner at 4 p.m. so that your family sits down and eats by 5 or 6. I get interrupted a ton when I'm making dinner so it usually takes me twice as long to actually get it on the table. Because everybody is fed no later than 6:30, they are not too grumpy to help with the dishes and cleaning the kitchen afterwards. The after dinner kitchen help goes a long way in runnning a well-kept house. Then I can spend my time on the deeper cleaning organizing chores and the kids start to form good habits of cleaning up after themselves right away, which I am still trying to develop in myself today! Definitely have the dishwasher loaded before you go to bed. A clean kitchen makes for a smoother morning.