Good Eats: Roasted Veggies

Whew!  With last week being Thanksgiving - full of traveling and family time - I took the week off.  But I'm glad to be back!  I've wanted to share this with you for quite some time.

There weren't many vegetables I liked as a child.  Mainly corn, potatoes, and sweet peas.  All starch.  Oh, and baked beans.  But do those even count?  I have no idea.

This year, I've learned the reason why I didn't really like vegetables.  They were hardly ever prepared correctly.  (sorry mom!)  That's not really fair...simmering or boiling vegetables is an acceptable method.  Especially if you like mushy, bland veggies.  In the retirement communities I managed, they were all the rage! :)

If you are trying really hard to like vegetables, I implore you to try roasting them.  Seriously.  You may not love all of them, but they get much more edible.  I get excited about eating them now.  I sometimes crave certain veggies.  C calls my roasted green beans "green bean candy".  Anytime someone refers to a veggie as candy, you know it's good. 

Here's the secret:  It's not difficult!  In fact, it's super easy!!

Fresh or frozen veggies work wonderfully well for this.  I've never tried it with canned, because I don't buy canned veggies anymore.

You will need vegetables, some sort of baking dish or sheet, an oven, oil (preferably olive or coconut), and seasonings.  Preheat your oven to 450*. 

 This time, I roasted asparagus.

 I break off the yucky ends.  They end up in my vegetable broth. 

The top ends get washed and chopped. 

I always drizzle olive oil over the veggies, and I season them with sea salt, fresh ground pepper, and minced garlic.  Occasionally I add in onions and Greek seasoning.

Look at that caramelization!  (And please don't look so closely at my rusted, $5 grocery store special baking sheet.  I was trying to hold out for wedding gifts!)

This was a different night, with frozen green beans and red onions...and a new baking sheet!  I couldn't wait. 

Green bean candy!


The 450* oven has worked for green beans, zucchini, squash, broccoli, asparagus, onions, and carrots.  The cook time will depend on whether you use fresh or frozen veggies.  Usually, in my experience, the fresh veggies will crisp up better than the frozen.  Fresh veggies take, on average, 20-25 minutes; and frozen veggies can take 35-45 minutes.  It's completely subjective.  If they look nice to you, they're done!

Good reads?

I mentioned last time a couple of books that I'd been reading for our pre-marital counseling, and they're both amazing. I've since finished Real Marriage, and I can't say enough good things about it. So good. So real. So hard.

I'm now reading Taking Charge of Your Fertility, because I'd rather use a natural and non-medicinal form of contraceptive (and then later, to conceive). It is so incredibly informative and well-written. I really wasn't looking forward to reading it, thinking it would read like a textbook. But Toni Weschler does a great job of adding humor and wit just when you need it. And seriously, there's so much I didn't know about my own body, I'm kind of ashamed. I personally would suggest every woman read this book. I hope there is/will be a teen version, in case I ever have a daughter. My teen and early adult years would have been much less stressful and awkward if I had known some of the stuff in this book.

Now, here's where I need your help. I would like to read a (some) good book(s) on biblical wifehood. The partnership, I think I have a good library to choose from. But I'd really like to find good perspectives on being a biblical wife, specifically. I have been lucky enough to know several Godly women, but you rarely ever see the inter-workings of another person's marriage. Not the really real stuff. That's what I need. I definitely want to do my homework, because living biblically doesn't come easily or naturally for any of us!

Suggestions of great reads greatly appreciated!

Gonna wash that oil right outta my hair!

This week's Do-It-Yourself/Scrounge-Up-What-You-Can-Without-Going-To-The-Store-So-You-Don't-Blow-Your-Grocery-Budget comes to you out of my sheer necessity and desperation.  See, I had my hair highlighted this past weekend, so I wouldn't have 4 inches of roots in my upcoming engagement photos.  I am also growing out my hair for my wedding (5 months from today!!).  As a result of these genius ideas, my hair is dry like 007's martini.  Or like the Sahara desert.  You get it.  Anyway, it's dry.  It looked and felt like hay.  Bad news.  Wouldn't make for pretty memories.  I had to find a quick, yet effective solution.

So I, of course, asked the internets.  The internets always knows.  There was a googleplex of various recipes including things I could find in my kitchen.  I could have used (seemingly) any combination of mayonnaise, avocado, honey, eggs, beer, and oils of all sorts.  While all that sounds lovely, and I'm sure they would work, I did not go with any of the recipes I found.  I seriously considered the honey and oil formulations.  But call me maybe lazy, I didn't want to clean all that out of my hair or my bathtub.  And I didn't want to go buy coconut oil.  Well, I did, but I've disallowed myself any extraneous shopping trips.  Budget.

Here's what I did. I have argan (just organic, no fancy name-brand with all sorts of additives and chemicals) and jojoba oils.  I know they are both amazingly moisturizing and nourishing.  I pored equal ratios of the two oils in my sweet little hand and added a few drops each of tea tree, lavender, and eucalyptus essential oils.  I warmed the oils in my hands and massaged the mixture into my hair, ends to roots.  (I have extremely long and incredibly thick hair, so I used two handfuls to coat my hair)  I then spritzed a hair towel wrap with water and microwaved it in 30 second increments until it was toasty warm.  The towel stayed on all night, locking in all that lovely heat and moisturizing ability.  In the morning, I shampooed and conditioned as normal.

The result was amazing!  I now have gorgeous, soft, smooth locks.  Seriously.  I wouldn't lead you astray.  I'm weirdly obsessed with my hair.  And I loved this.  I WILL do this again.

Sorry for the lack of pictures of the actual process or results.  Just trust me that it was awesome.  And I don't want bathroom-mirror-self-pics all over the interwebz.  No one needs that in their life.

I'm joining with Frugally Sustainable, Creating Naturally, and Adorned From Above again this week.  Check out all the other great ideas on each of these, and feel free to give my post some love!

Link it up!

Today I was able to make guest appearances at Frugally Sustainable and Adorned from Above, with my DIY body wash, and Creating Naturally, with my DIY Laundry Detergent!

All the blogs have great lists of all sorts of links for recipes, DIYs, and all sorts of eco-friendly, sustainable, and healthy tips.

Check them out!

Domesticity: DIY Body Wash

First, I'd like to give you some insight into where my head has been for quite some time.  For months now, I've been toying and warring with ideas of what I'd really like to do with this blog.  I have moments where I'm super afraid of being "really real" for fear I might turn people off or offend some.  While I don't think I'm particularly offensive, I have thoughts I would very much like to share, but I've been afraid of sharing too much or being too transparent.  This turns some off, for certain.  But I've thought and prayed and sought guidance in all this, and I believe I need to share what is in my mind and heart.  Things that help me will help others.  I've only been able to find solutions and tips because of helpful others, and it is my turn to pass that on!  Anyway...on with the show!



As most of you know, I have sought out many ways to save money, save the earth, and save our bodies from harm.  I've shown you how to make laundry detergent, I've failed at making dishwasher detergent, I've made a carpet cleaner I should show you (along with an all-purpose cleaner, hardwood cleaner, and a glass cleaner), and I have even made some personal care products that I don't yet have the courage to share :)

Since Chris was out of his body wash I make for him, you get to witness the process!  It's really simple, and so adaptable to your preferences.

First, you'll need to gather (or possibly purchase?) your supplies.  Please note, I use some additional and optional supplies.  The only supplies needed are liquid castile soap (Dr. Bronner's peppermint is what I use for Chris, lavender for myself) and aloe vera gel.  Gel, not juice!  I also add essential oils, Vitamin E oil, and some sort of moisturizing oil...such as jojoba or sweet almond oil.

You will also need a clean, empty container.  We reuse!

I always add the castile first, but it doesn't matter the order in which you add the castile and aloe.  The important part is that the castile and aloe are added in equal ratios.  If you would like exact measurements, find out how much your container holds, subtract about 10% and divide that in half.  That is the amount of castile and aloe you will need!  I just eyeball it.  Almost half full of castile...

 And nearly fill the rest with the aloe vera gel.  (I found my aloe vera gel at Whole Foods.)

Next come the optional ingredients.
The sweet almond oil adds moisturizing benefits and allows nutrients from the other ingredients to be absorbed easily into the skin.  It also has a nice, light fragrance.  Add just a little...nearly fill that 10% you have empty.  Obviously, if you felt you needed more moisturizing, you would cut back on both your castile and aloe gel, in order to leave more room for your moisturizing oil(s).  Sometimes I add more than one type.  It depends on what mood I'm in and what I feel like dragging out and putting away.

I did not take picture of each of these ingredients, but I added a few squirts of vitamin E oil, lavender essential oil, eucalyptus essential oil, and lemon essential oil.  The vitamin E oil is incredibly beneficial for the skin.  It soothes and can help with things like scars, stretch marks, and other bruises and skin irritations.  Lavender is also very soothing topically and aromatically.  Lavender provides more benefits than I can list!  It's also maybe my favorite essential oil scent.  The eucalyptus and lemon are both very astringent and wonderful for clearing the sinuses!  Chris also loves mint and citrus scents, so those are my main reasons for adding those and using the peppermint castile.  I usually add around 8 drops of each essential oil, as a little goes a long way!  They are very concentrated, and different essential oils can be irritating to the skin from direct, undiluted contact.  Always use essential oils carefully, and only after you've done some personal research!

Whew!  And now, you should have a full bottle of body wash, made to your own specifications!  It will always need to be shaken before use.  Don't be alarmed if it separates between uses...a nice shake will mix it all together again :)

Don't be afraid to ask any questions!  And try it, you'll probably love it!

Domesticity: Homemade Laundry Detergent

Last time I posted a picture while making my homemade laundry detergent, I had lots of questions.  Therefore, I am blogging the process this time.  Personally, I only need to do this once every few months.  I've lived in this house since September 2011, and this is my third time making laundry soap...so you do the math.  But, I don't have lots of children, and I use towels more than once.  I tend to wash sheets once per week.  Just for a frame of reference.  I'm usually washing clothes for 2 people and 2 dogs, including one that sheds enough for 4 dogs.

For the record, I have nothing against store-bought soap...for the most part.  When I was still buying laundry soap, I only bought organic, earth-friendly products.  Yes, I'm one of those people, concerned with all the chemicals and hazardous materials in commercial products.  But I won't go into that here...much.  I will say that right before I made this the first time, I tried to go back to conventional, store-brand laundry detergent, to try to save money.  It was the most horrid acid green color I've ever seen, and the one load I washed with it had to be washed 2 more times with my organic detergent to get rid of the terrible chemical smell.  It's nothing personal if you like those scents, I just can't tolerate them.  Maybe I'm a brat.  It wouldn't be the first time I've heard that.  I ended up giving it away.

To start, you will need a large pot (large enough to hold a few gallons), a bar of soap, a grater, Borax, washing soda, a measuring cup, a stirring utensil, a funnel, tap water, and some empty containers.  Use whatever soap you would like.  Personally, I only use soap I would feel comfortable using on my skin, which is Mrs. Meyers basil scent, in this case.  I know people that use all sorts of brands...Ivory, Dial, whatever.  Use something you think smells good, because this is what your fragrance will come from.  The Borax and washing soda are both easy to purchase, usually at your local Walmart.  I have not had luck finding them at Target or any grocery stores in my area, but yours may be different.  They will both be located in the laundry aisle.  And yes, washing soda is different from baking soda.  But baking soda is not a bad thing to add to your laundry.  Depending on the price of your bar soap, the ingredients are very inexpensive, and they can be used for several batches, making the detergent very cost-efficient. 

There are many questions as to whether you can use your pot and utensils for other things after making the laundry detergent, and I say yes, as long as you feel good about your ingredients.  Other than my bar soap, my ingredients are the same as the homemade dishwasher detergent I made (that I hated, by the way), so I don't see a problem with it.  You may have another view, and that's fine.

Ok, to start, you will need to grate your soap.  I used half of an 8 oz. bar.  So that's 4 oz.

Then, you will need to gather your pot and empty containers.

Fill the pot with one gallon of water and add the grated soap.

Heat the water and soap until the soap dissolves.  Feel free to stir to help this along.

Once the soap dissolves, you will need to add 1 c. of Borax and 1 c. of washing soda.  Again, you may stir.

Allow this to come to a rolling boil, and let it boil for about 1 minute.

After it boils, remove the pot from the heat, and add about 1.5 gallons of cool water to the pot.  Stirring is, again, fine...even encouraged.

(the original recipe I followed called for just 1 additional gallon of water, but I found that it made a very lumpy, gelatinous detergent.  I prefer a more liquid detergent, much like you would purchase.)

At this point, I strayed from the traditional recipe a bit.  I chose to add a container of store-bought detergent.  I did this because I wanted a bit more scent, and more stain-fighting power.  **Note:  this detergent cleans and deodorizes clothes well, but it does not whiten or remove stains.  You will need to pre-treat stains and/or use whitening products (bleach, oxy-clean) for whites.

If you choose to add additional ingredients, add them to the pot of detergent, right after the cool water.  Stir well to combine everything.  My very large pot is quite full at this point.

Have your containers ready to be filled.  As you can see, my funnel is ready and waiting.  From previous experience, I have prepped the area with one of our microfiber dog towels, because the detergent is easy to spill or overflow, and even when you're being careful, the foam tends to cascade all over the floor.

Since this is a two-person operation (for me), I don't have pictures of the actual filling of the containers.  But as I said, foamy cascades are not uncommon.

And there you have it!

Your very own, homemade laundry detergent, set to cool in your very own little pantry.  Or at least that's where mine goes, because that's where the washer and dryer are.  Using the water and extra detergent I used, I ended up with over 3 gallons of laundry detergent. 

You certainly can use it right away, but it's best to give it 24 hours to congeal a bit.  As far as the containers, I just use the last laundry detergent container I bought and 2 gallon size distilled white vinegar bottles I washed out.  I go through quite a bit of white vinegar.  I use vinegar as fabric softener in my towels, and with my sheets...but I add a few drops of lavender essential oil to the vinegar for the sheets.  With clothes, I use organic fabric softener, because I love the scent and the softness.  I just can't give that up yet.  I've tried.

To use the laundry soap, again, it's really your preference.  In my front-load washer, I use around 1/4 c. for a normal load of laundry.  If it is a really dirty or large load, I might use 1/2 c.  For top-load washers, 1/2 c. should be just fine. 

I have issues with constantly spilling or splashing olive and other viscous oils on myself.  The best solution I have found to combat this problem is to add 1 Tbsp. of dishwashing soap (just my regular Seventh Generation dish soap) per gallon of laundry detergent.  So for myself, I added 3 Tbsp.  If the spill (or set-in stain) is particularly bad, I pre-treat with a drop of dish soap rubbed in to the oil spot, and it has always come out.  If you have a front loader HE machine like I do, this has not caused any sudsing problems, since it's such a small amount of dish soap. 

Any questions, I'll try my best to answer!