Less packaging, more fun! Home made honey gingerbread biscuit
My daughter loves the organic gingerbread biscuits you can buy packaged in the supermarket. She would eat one everyday if she could!
But in trying to be an Eco mum I’m turning to easy cooking that is fun as well.
Making my own biscuits saves on:
1. Unnecessary packaging.
2. One less trip to the shop
3. Money – buying raw ingredients would out cheaper.
4. Preservatives-none in home cooking!
5. Toddler boredom-cooking with your bub is messy & fun and they learn so much.
So here is my attempt at home made honey gingerbread biscuits:
Ingredients:
1&3/4 cup flour
2 tsp baking powder
4 tsp milk
60g butter
Honey (I just poured until I thought enough was in-maybe 3/4 cup?)
2 tsp crushed ginger.
Mix
Roll
Cut out biscuit shapes
Place in an 180 degree oven for about 5 mins or until golden on base.
Enjoy!
Almond meal Mother’s Day pancakes
It’s my second Mother’s Day!
What more could I ask for-new pyjamas & healthy pancakes for brekky that we can all enjoy without feeling bloated after.
Cut down on unnecessary packaging too by creating your own quick pancakes. It really isn’t that hard and I’m unsure why those plastic shaker pancakes were invented.
Happy Mother’s Day to all & I hope you can use this easy recipe.
2 cups almond meal
1/2 cup soy milk
2 tsp baking powder
3 drops vanilla essence
4 eggs
Mix in a bowl the fry with coconut oil in a pan.
Top with fresh fruit or honey!
Yum!!
No added sugar slice
Looking for some delicious healthy Australian made snacks?
Here is my Aussie date slice:
500gm Australian dates
3 cups shredded coconut
3 tablespoons of cocoa or cacao powder.
3 tablespoons of coconut oil.
Soak the dates in boiling water for half an hour.
Either mush up dates with mortar and pestle or food processor. I used half the water that covered the dates in the mixing.
Add all ingredients slowly. Make sure coconut oil is melted.
Place in a cake/slice tin in the fridge to set! ( still a little squishy-wont b hard)
Enjoy yourself & for your toddler knowing it is sugar and preservative free!
Home made bath crayons
Looking around the stores I wasn’t happy with the price or ingredients of bath crayons so I made my own!
It was a little messy & this recipe is my first attempt so will update with other attempts.
My toddler loves drawing on the bath walls with these crayons & both her & the bath come off clean after a wash.
Double boiler rebatching soap:
500gm rebatched soap-grated.
Use a double boiler in stove.
Add soap and 1/2 cup liquid (coconut milk) and on low heat boil and stir until melted.
When melted divide into bowls and add a couple of drops of food coloring to each bowl.
Pour soap into molds ( I used an ice cube tray but there are plenty of others out there)
Set in fridge or freezer!
Enjoy!
Simple soap
Trying to find simple Eco products can be difficult & expensive.
I have decided to simplify my Eco living (and by buying less products that is more Eco!) by creating my own products.
I stumbled upon Castile soap a few months ago-I highly recommend others look into where you can source your own-most probably will be online.
I found mine at willows natural products.
I’m yet to add to this list but here are a couple of things I have used this soap with:
– bubble bath for baby. Less bubbles but no irritation!
– mild cleaning product for benches & tables. You can mix in an essential oil & water.
– bath crayons (in rebatched soap form) will post soon on this.
– washing up liquid.
That’s just a start!
Watch this space for a bath soap recipe!
Eco play dough
Afternoons are a great opportunity to stay at home, not use the car and use the fresh air and natural sunlight!
Playdough that is store bought can contain chemicals and artificial ingredients not friendly to children or the environment.
So….make your own!
It’s a great activity for you and your child to take part in as they can enjoy making the dough, adding the colours & then creating with it!
Here is a great recipe I found on the natural parenting website:
1 cup flour
1/4 cup salt
2 tsp vinegar
2 tbsp oil
1/2 cup water
Food coloring
Mix all dry ingredients together
Whisk in water and vinegar over low heat ( I used a fork so less mess and sticking)
Mix until good texture
Remove and let cool
Add colour of your choice and divide mixture if you want several colours.
Wear gloves when mixing!!
Enjoy making this Eco friendly recipe
Puffy painting
One warm autumn day we decided to get puffy!
Craft is so simple and fun with a toddler and exposing them to different colours & textures is important in their exploration.
I decided to try puffy painting instead of just normal painting this week!
Here is the recipe:
1/2 tablespoon flour
1/2 tablespoon salt
Food dye of your choice.
Water
Mix together-add enough water so it is runny.
Children (and adults) paint whatever they wish and then….
Microwave for about 20secs and tada! You have a puffy painting!
My daughter loved this activity.
So simple…the microwave isn’t so Eco but the ingredients are!
Enjoy.
Open hand mummy
My daughter is only 19 months old but I think it’s important to expose her to as much outdoor activities as we can.
This week I decided to have a car free day and stay at home. Rather than our usual painting, playdough or water play I decided to plant some seeds.
Together we dug some small holes and used old seedling punnet trays to hold the small seeds in place in the dirt (also so they wouldn’t get run over by a lawn mower)
My daughter loved holding the small seeds for different vegetables and placing them in the dirt then sprinkling dirt on top.
Such a simple activity but so much learning take place and it was so much fun!
Hopefully the corn, carrots and rocket will grow over the next few weeks as we ritually water the plants in the morning or afternoon. 
Sugar free pikelets
Here is a great sugar free pikelet recipe:
1 cup self raising flour.
1 tablespoon of honey
3/4 cup milk
1 egg
1 tablespoon butter.
Mix up & cook per tablespoon!
Enjoy with seasonal fruit!
Yum!!
Fantastic graphic. Have a,look and make a change!
Save water by switching selected meats, groceries and appliances.
While we’d all like to be conscious of our water usage with baths, showers, household appliances and general plumbing concerns, it’s easy to overlook the amount of water that goes into the production of items.
This great little infographic from Loch Ness Water Gardens serves as a welcome reminder that water required to produce and process everyday home and kitchen items.
The bottom is particularly useful, showing easy ways you can save by simply switching certain groceries.
ecosydneyliving 