I the Mom

Meal Plan and Meal Prep

2019-08-30T00:58:00.000-07:00

In the world of high-speed internet, we sure do spend a lot of time either in the kitchen cooking food or at restaurants waiting for someone else to serve us.

Those who cook at home, also spend a considerable amount of time, at stores. A majority number of us, spend a lot of money on groceries and a huge amount of those groceries go to waste. Not only we are wasting resources, but also throwing our money in trash (money spent on trashed food).

We can all benefit from a bit of planning. Meal planning and meal prep are amazing ways of saving time, money and last but not least; our sanity.

Meal plan starts with checking our pantries, fridge, shelves etc. We have to make a list of what we have.

After we have a list of items at hand, we start a meal plan for a week. We usually don't plan for more than a week. Weekly plan gives us a chance to see what was eaten, what we didn't eat and what could be taken off menu/swapped.

Once meal plan was done, we make list for the missing ingredients.

It is good to meal prep once a week. However, we can also do food prep night before and thoroughly cook the food the next.

Following is an example of what I am cooking next week. Some recipes get repeated each week, as my kids love to eat them repeatedly. Others change each week. However, I make only lunch and we eat the leftover for dinner and following day, we make fresh food. Also I incorporate leftovers in my following day meals.

Turmeric/Curcumin as Burn Scar Removar

2015-01-03T23:07:00.001-08:00

When I was 11 years-old, I was given the job of cooking. I was short and the stove was quite high, so every time I burnt my arms and wrists.

My mom, being a concerned parent, told me that the scars need to be taken care of as soon as the skin is not sensitive. She made me a paste of Turmeric and put a thin layer on my skin and let it dry and told me to wash it afterward. The process was repeated about 3-4 times. Now I am in early 30s and I see no scars, in fact scars were gone within a month of the treatment. When you treat your skin with anything, it is better to do it during the night as skin gets sensitive after treatment and sun can damage the treated skin.

Turmeric needs to be pure and not mixed with any ingredients and if it is raw, that is even better. Most turmeric are fried before turning into powder. If you can find raw and make your own powder, more power to you.

Vegetarian Oven-Baked Potato Dumplings

2015-01-02T00:37:00.000-08:00

My kids are picky eater, so trying to come up with something they will eat, is more challenging than I could ever imagine.

They eat a few things: rice, boneless chicken meat, beef patties, beef steak, pasta, fish and chips, potatoes and pizza. Meat pieces should be like meat, if it looks like anything else, it won't be eaten.

So I get creative with our food in order for them to eat more than just a few items. This is one of the few things that my lovelies eat.

Ingredients:

2 large potatoes

1 medium onion

1 tbs oil

1 ts salt

1 ts garlic powder

Other ingredients could be 1 teaspoon black pepper if no one is allergic or picky on spicy food.

1 pack of Medium Wonton wraps (these you can find in most of the Asian grocery stores in the frozen/fridge aisle).

Instructions:

Boil the potatoes until they are soft enough to be mashed.

Grade the onions or chop them into very small pieces.

Mix onion, mashed potatoes, oil, salt, garlic and pepper. Set the mixture aside.

On a dry plate/serving plate, open the Wonton wraps.

Put one wrap (or as many as you want) on the plate and with a food brush, make the corners of the wrap wet with water (this will make it easier to stick the corners of the wrap together).

Then get a small spoonful of the mixture and place in the middle part of the wrap and and then fold the corners together to create the shape of a triangle with the wrap (the mixture will be locked inside of the fold).

Put your folded wraps on a non-stick paper on the baking tray.

Turn your oven on and set the temperature to 375 Fahrenheit

Continue making the wraps.

Once you are done with wraps, brush the wraps with some oil (very gently and lightly).

When the tray is full and the oven is preheated to 375, place the tray on the middle rack and let it bake for 10 minutes.

Once it is done, serve it with Chatni or greek yogurt or any other sauce that you like.

The pictures will give a better idea of what steps you are supposed to take.

Enjoy!

Healthy Way to Reward Your Child

2014-02-23T22:25:00.001-08:00

As a parent, we all go through the ordeal of how to reward/discipline your child without giving them bad habits or breaking their spirit.

Many parents, even at current day and age, use food as punishment/reward. Wrong! Food is a basic need; it should never be used against a child. Either a child gets a dessert sometime or s/he does not, it should not be the result of some action/inaction.

To argue/shout/yell/scream/get angry, does not help much either. Many times, I feel like I am just getting angry at the wall, as children do not respond at all. 7/10 times, it backfires... Keeping that in mind, I have been going around and attending some parenting classes to learn from teachers/experts who deal with children as part of their profession and have years of experience in their back pocket.

In one of the classes, a model was given to us. The idea of the model was to teach children kindness. However, I am using it for more than one purpose. We have discussed at home that whoever gets the most hears on their tree in a month, s/he gets a surprise from mommy beginning of next month.

This is a very cute and creative idea. Basically you print a tree and print 'heart' leaves on another paper and use Velcro as needed.

I add 'hearts' for the times, they do what they are supposed to do and obey the rules and are being kind and do good without being told. And I take heart away for each time they do not listen/ignore/hurt someone. So far, it has worked very well and I intend to keep using it as long as it works.

Thrifty and Vintage Finds

2014-02-04T19:46:00.000-08:00

I have seen quite a few blogs posting about thrifty and vintage finds and reading more and seeing Dagmar's blog, I wanted to share what I found in my today's search.

I saw this and I wanted to buy it right away. It reminds me of old-fashioned bath tubs and also gravy bowls.

I needed something for our dried fruits and now it is sitting on our dinning room table holding the dried fruits and nuts and hubby seemed please as he was snacking through the evening.

Homemade Air Freshener

2014-02-02T10:55:00.005-08:00

Homemade Air Freshener

I have been thinking for quite awhile about making some air freshener, but I did not get around to make any. It is very handy for a family with small children, specially if you are still potty training a couple of the babies.

So today needing a gift for a birthday, I got the courage to make a batch. So far, I have to admit it smells and looks good.

Materials needed:

Small jars (I have plenty of babyfood bottles, so I used those. A good way to recycle ;) )

Wooden spatula (I used waxing sticks)

Measuring spoon

Ingredients:

Unflavored Gelatin (I use Knox gelatin)

Food coloring

Water

Essential oil (I used lavender )

Preparation:

I put my bottles out and open the tops (don't through the caps away, you will need those). I opened my gelatin packages and emptied one in each bottle.

Then poured 60ml of boiled water (had just boiled in teakettle) in each bottle and quickly stirred the gelatin in the boiled water (if you can get all the gelatin mixed, it would be good. I got some lumps in the water, I could not melt all the gelatin in the water. I think next time I might use a small whisk or fork for mixing).

I put three drops of food coloring in each bottle and stirred. And added 60ml of cold water in each bottle and stirred some more with spatula.

As you can see from the picture, there are some lumps in the liquid.

Since the mix is not too hot and not hard, it is the best time to add the essential oil. I added 10 drops of lavender in each bottle. Then I placed my bottles on a tray and put them in the fridge as I needed them to cool off and get jellied sooner (the upcoming party in about 2 hours). You can just let them sit over night and it would be jellied in the morning and ready to use.

Now you can see, the mix is jellied and staying in its place, put the cap back and package it however your want it. I just wrapped a strip of gift wrap around the bottle to make it more presentable.

When you want to use it, you can just make holes on the cap for the scent to spread around your bathroom etc or you can just take the cap off.

Psyllium Husk Seeds (Ispaghol Husk)

2014-01-04T22:18:00.000-08:00

So as a young adult I had seen my mom and other use Psyllium husk as remedies, but for the sake of sanity I still can't remember what it was for.

I recently saw the husk at the local Afghan store and thought to give it a try and I saw some information on the back of the container which read:

Ispaghol husk is a gentle Natural fiber to effectively check constipation, acute thirst, bowl irregularities, piles, ulcers, acidity, dysentery and obesity.

Now I know it sounds too good to be true, so I did a quick search on the internet and I found out that at least a couple of the claims on the package are backed by research. Wikipedia has a few things to say about Psyllium husk; it helps to reduce cholesterol and balance bowl movement though long term effects are not studied.

Many of the over the counter digestive products seem to contain psyllium husk. You can look at the ingredients of Meta Fiber here.

I have been using this for a few days and I plan to keep using it for as long as I can handle it as it has improved my digestive health. I am not a big fan of artificial fibers which are added in the food. So this is a jackpot, as two tables spoons has as much as 36% of our daily requirement. Next time you are in your local Indian/Pakistani/Afghan store, you can pick a pack for yourself at a very reasonable price.

Note: One of the readers said that she used the husk and it caused her severe constipation. As the direction on the bottle says, it has to be taken with plenty of water else it will cause constipation and discomfort.
Also, it is wiser to start with small amount, for example use half a teaspoon first week and slowly add more as you and your body gets used to it.

Homemade Flushable Wipes

2013-08-12T19:44:00.001-07:00

As every other person on the face of this planet, I would like to stay clean as well as not spend too much money and not harm the environment with too much waste.

As a mother, you deal with a lot of 'poo' etc here and there. While, you can't just leave the 'dirty' be dirty, you can just make it a bit easier on yourself. So that is what I been trying to do: Clean the lil bottoms with wipes and then wash it.

Though, it gets expensive when you are using flushable wipes (as I mentioned trying to minimize the damage to the environment). I did a bit of search on the web to see the easiest way to make economical and environmentally friendly wipes and the one at Wellness Mama's webpage I found interesting.

So I did take her suggestions into consideration. While I did not have everything she suggested, I just used what I had at home and my wipes works perfectly fine.

What I used:
1 TBSP almond oil
2 TBSP Dr Bronner's soap
1 TBSP Witch hazel
1 roll of paper towel, Target brand
1 empty bucket of gallon ice-cream
2 cups pre-boiled water ( which should be lukewarm when you are pouring it over your towels)

Cut the paper roll in half using a sharp knife. Mix all the ingredients in the water and pour it over your papers and let it sit for 5-10 minutes so the water is absorbed in the papers. Pull out the cardboard roll from inside your wipes to bring the inside part out. Voila, your own flushable wipes for a fraction of the cost!

Homemade Lotion

2013-08-05T21:47:00.003-07:00

As part of my DIY and 'green' project, I made my very first lotion at home and it was not as hard or time consuming as I had assumed.

Ingredients:
Beeswax 1ounce
2 TBSP Organic Shea Butter
2 TBSP Organic Coconut Oil
2 TBSP Organic Olive Oil
1 TBSP Vitamin E
40 drops essential oil of your choice (I used Lavender)

Direction:
In a pot melt beeswax. Then add your oils and once they have are mixed, take your mix off the heat and add your vitamin E. At the end you add your essential oil and mix well and pour it in container of your choice and let it cool down all the way before putting your skin.

I have bought all my products from iHerb.com (gift code: CHG895).

Gelatin Mask or Blackhead Remover

2013-04-27T11:10:00.001-07:00

I have been going through some DIY projects at home and I have been very interested in health and beauty DIYs.

I ran into a site (which of course I do not remember at the moment and will post the link once I find it) which suggested using unflavored gelatin mixed with milk for a facial mask- blackhead remover.

In a box of Knox, there are 4 packages of gelatin and one of the package is enough for a full-facial mask.

Ingredients:
1 pack unflavored gelatin (do not use any flavored gelatin, imagine what your face would like if you used strawberry flavored gelatin)
1.5-2 TBS of milk

Tools:
Microwave
A microwave safe cup
wooden spatula/ popsicle stick

Before you start preparing your mask, wash your face very well with warm water and clean any make-up that you may have on your skin. Hold a face towel under hot water and drain the water and put the towel over your face until it cools off (of course the towel should not be that hot for it to burn your skin). This will help open your pores (I actually put the mask on, after I took a shower).

Mix the gelatin with milk in the cup using your stick/spatula. Place it the cup in the microwave for 15-20 seconds (depending on your microwave's temperature).

Take the mixture out of microwave and mix well with the spatula/stick and let it cool off a bit (it basically boils in that 15-20 seconds and you do not want to burn your skin), but do not let it cool down all the way as it needs to be warm enough to be spreadable on the skin (as you would the wax for hair removal).

Once it is not too hot to burn your skin, start spreading the mix quickly over your skin using your stick/spatula (avoid putting it over your eyes, eyebrows and lips).

Let it sit for 15-20 minutes or as long as it is dry. Then slowly pull the mask off your face (as you would any peel-off mask) and you would see all the dirt/ blackheads come off your skin and leaving your skin feeling soft and smooth and clean.

After the mask is off, you can rinse your face as you would normally do with some warm water and pat dry with clean towel. If you are heading out in the sun after cleaning you face, you would want to use some sunscreen which is also moisturizing (I put my mask on during the night so that I do not need to put anything extra on other than a very organic moisturizer).

Caution: Always test any product in small areas to check for allergies, before putting it on your face or any parts of the body.

What Colour to Wear?

2013-04-04T20:53:00.000-07:00

Advice on colour matching for clothing and what to wear together

When dressing, many people find it difficult to colour match their clothes and so seek fashion advice on colours that go. Some personal stylists base their advice on the colouring of the person being styled but So Stylist says that’s so boring! Why shouldn’t you wear the shades that you love, or that show your personality or how you’re feeling?

There are very few hard and fast fashion rules when it comes to choosing colours to combine in clothing – and many would say that such style rules are made to be broken, as fashion should be about expressing yourself as well as flattering your figure. However, this free fashion advice on colours that go together is here as a helping hand for those that seek it. If you’re clueless at colour matching clothes or never know what to wear together stick with So Stylist’s advice and you won’t go wrong.

First get to know the types of colours:

Neutral Colours

Black
White
Grey

Cold Colours

Blue
Green
Blue tones of purple e.g. lavender

Warm Colours

Red
Orange
Yellow
Pink
Pink tones of purple e.g. plum

Warm Neutrals

Cream
Beige
Tan
Brown

How colour theory affects clothes that go together

Complementary Colours

Complementary colours are found on opposite sides of the colour wheel to each other. The term ‘complementary colours’ can be misleading when it comes to fashion advice on the colours that go as it does not necessarily mean that wearing them together will be complementary on you! Rather it means that they complement each other, they bring out and emphasise each other. Perfect if you want to create a striking poster – not so perfect if you’re trying to create a sophisticated outfit.

How to wear them

Unless you are a very confident dresser it is best to avoid wearing complementary colours together. Instead why not try wearing one colour with a paler tint of its opposite, such as green with light pink or blue with pale gold?

Analogous Colours

Analogous colours are next to each other on the colour wheel. As they are similar to each other and easy on the eye in combination they make a pleasing palette for an outfit.

How to wear them

Limit yourself to no more than three analogous colours in your outfit. Stick to two and a neutral and you can’t go wrong.

Failsafe colour palettes for successful dressing

(Bear in mind combinations from the color wheel)

2 colours and 1 neutral e.g. green,
yellow and white
1 colour and 1 neutral e.g. black and red
1 colour and 2 neutrals e.g. purple,
black and grey
2 or 3 neutrals e.g. black and white

2 or 3 warm neutrals e.g. brown and cream
1 pattern and 1 or 2 plain neutrals
1 pattern and 1 plain colour from within the pattern
1 pattern, 1 neutral and 1 plain colour from within the pattern

General fashion advice on colours that go

If you’re wearing more than one item the same colour, make sure they are either exactly

the same colour, or clearly different shades of the same colour. Nearly the same but not

quite is not a good look as it looks like you’ve tried to match exactly and failed.

If you’re wearing all black don’t wear brown shoes. Black and brown can be tricky to wear

together without looking mismatched so if you do, make sure you pull it together with

accessories to make it into a real colour scheme rather than looking accidental.

Brown and ‘warm neutrals’ look lovely when combined together and make great fashion

colours for fall or autumn. However, they do not mix well with warm tones such as red,

pink and purple so instead team them with cool colours such as blue or green.

A small splash of a warm colour in a cool colour palette add interest without overdoing

it e.g. a red tie on a blue shirt or yellow accessories with a green dress.

Lots of pastel colours together can look too sugary sweet. Try one pastel colour with a

neutral (e.g. pale pink and grey) or a pastel with a deep version of the same colour instead

(e.g. pale blue and dark blue).

Keep to one pattern only per outfit, even if the colours match.

Limit yourself to 3 colours (including neutrals) per outfit, unless the additional colours

make up a pattern or print.

Don’t mix black and navy.

Don’t mix white and cream.

Don’t mix brown and grey.

Source

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

2013-02-26T10:42:00.001-08:00

Whisk together and set aside

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon kosher salt

Cream wet ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 cup sugar

1 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

Then stir in

3 cups oats (not instant)

1 1/2 cups raisins

Directions:

1 Preheat oven to 175°.
2 Whisk dry ingredients; set aside.
3 Combine wet ingredients with a hand mixer on low.
4 To cream, increase speed to high and beat until fluffy and the color lightens.
5 Stir the flour mixture into the creamed mixture until no flour is visible.
6 (Over mixing develops the gluten, making a tough cookie.) Now add the oats and raisins; stir to incorporate.
7 Fill a #40 cookie scoop and press against side of bowl, pulling up to level dough (to measure 2 tablespoons of dough).
8 Drop 2-inches apart onto baking sheet sprayed with nonstick spray.
9 Bake 11-13 minutes (on center rack), until golden, but still moist beneath cracks on top.
10 Remove from oven; let cookies sit on baking sheet for 2 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.

Source

Make Instant Natural Energy Drink

2013-02-11T03:18:00.001-08:00

Caffeinated tea is one of my favorite ways to get some energy, but 9 times out of 10 the whole process of brewing it, waiting for it to be ready (to be strong enough) and then adding ice to make it cold and sweetener to make it sweet just sounds like too much work, so I usually don't do it.

I recently discovered matcha green tea powder and it is awesome! There is no brewing, there is no waiting and if you do it just like I show below, it is a completely natural instant way to get some energy. I have been drinking this throughout the day or right before I go for a run and I can tell a major difference as compared to when I drink coffee. I don't feel jittery and cracked out of my mind. You coffee drinkers know what I am talking about. I feel alert, focused and have a ton of energy to do whatever I need to do.

The benefits of matcha green tea powder:

Boosts metabolism and burns calories.
Does not raise insulin levels. Being a type 1 diabetic I love this since coffee sometimes spikes my blood sugar for no reason at all.
Fights against viruses and bacteria.
Enhances mood.
Has more antioxidants than blueberries or pomegranates.
Provides potent cancer fighting properties.
Helps to safely cleanse and detoxify the body.
I have personally noticed that it helps curb those annoying afternoon snack cravings.
Does not raise blood pressure or heart rate.

What you need:

An empty reusable water bottle. *I used a glass bottle so you can actually see the green tea, but I usually put mine in a BPA free water bottle that I bring with me everywhere.
Matcha green tea powder. You can find this at most health food stores, specialty Asian markets and online here.
Liquid stevia. Optional but I think it makes it taste amazing.

Directions:

Fill your water bottle up to almost the very top.
Add 1/4 tsp of matcha powder for every 8-20 ounces of water. Add a few drops of liquid stevia.
Put the lid on and shake shake shake until everything has dissolved. That's it!
Enjoy :)

So easy right? All you do is add and shake! This is my new favorite thing to drink for energy. It tastes light, refreshing and has the perfect amount of sweetness without any unnecessary calories.

Recipe from here

Flatten The Tummy

2013-02-11T03:05:00.000-08:00

For many women, getting bikini ready means tackling one dreaded area in particular — our tummies.
Most of us still think the best way to achieve a washboard stomach is by doing hundreds of sit-ups. Not so, says A-list trainer and body guru James Duigan.

James, who sculpts supermodels Elle Macpherson and Rosie Huntingdon-Whiteley among others, insists there is no ‘one size fits all’ method for getting a flat belly. Instead, he’s identified five key ‘tummy types,’ all of which require a different approach to achieve successful toning.

Once you figure out your tummy type (mine is the STRESS BELLY), you'll be on your way to getting the perfect midriff...

THE SPARE TIRE TUMMY

The spare tire: This is one of the easiest tummy troubles to eliminate because it's caused by eating the wrong foods and not exercising enough.

HOW TO IDENTIFY THIS TYPE

These people are likely to lead sedentary lives, perhaps with jobs that keep them desk-bound. They may also have an emotional attachment to sugary foods.

Luckily, this ‘spare tyre’ is one of the easiest tummy troubles to eliminate as, according to James, it’s caused by eating the wrong foods and not exercising enough.

TYPICAL BAD HABITS

If you exercise very little, eat lots of sugar and refined carbohydrates in products like biscuits, cakes and white bread, or rely on starchy carbs like pasta and rice, you you probably have an overweight tummy with accompanying fat on your legs and hips,’ says James.

MIDRIFF MAKEOVER PLAN

Cut down on alcohol. ‘Alcohol is a fat bomb for the tummy — pure sugar which goes straight to your waist and stops you burning all other fat until the booze has been processed,’ says James. ‘Just a few glasses three to four times a week will lead to a “wine waist” — a thick midriff and pudgy tummy. ‘If you want to drink occasionally that’s fine, but the bottom line is that you have to cut back on booze to get a flat belly.’
Once you cut out alcohol for two weeks, it’s time to overhaul your diet. ‘In a nutshell, eat well and move more,’ says James. Avoid low-fat and so-called ‘diet’ snacks. ‘These pre-packaged products are often packed full of chemicals, refined sugar, salt and preservatives to give them flavor.
‘Ditch calorie counting in favor of a healthy diet full of unprocessed fresh foods such as fish, eggs, organic meat and vegetables. ‘Start the day with eggs and smoked salmon, or even grilled chicken and vegetables, and snack on sliced lean meats. ‘And don’t be afraid of eating good fats, such as avocados, nuts and oily fish. These encourage your body to burn midriff fat, giving you a flat tummy.’
‘Exercise is the key to helping this tummy type,’ says James. Simply going for a long walk, doing lunges, squats or dips at home or a yoga class will be beneficial. You don’t need a gym.

TOP TIP FOR THIS TUMMY

If you regularly reward yourself for a hard day with a piece of cake or deal with bad news with a biscuit, it’s important to remember that being beautiful is as much about how you feel as how you look. The starting point for any tummy transformation is feeling happy.

THE STRESS TUMMY

Stress tummy: These types are typically over-achievers with perfectionist personalities.

HOW TO IDENTIFY THIS TYPE

Stressed-tummy types are typically over-achievers with perfectionist personalities. They are usually also susceptible to digestive conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), which can cause bloating and make their tummies look far worse.

‘Stress tummies are easy to spot, as the weight is specific to the front of the midriff and the umbilical area,’ explains James. ‘When stressed, we produce cortisol, a hormone which encourages the body to cling on to fat around the stomach.’

Stressed tummies will also be fairly hard to the touch, rather than wobbly.

TYPICAL BAD HABITS

It’s likely you skip meals, abuse your adrenal system with too much caffeine and grab junk food for convenience.

MIDRIFF MAKEOVER PLAN

Get an early night. ‘Stressed women nearly always sleep badly, which disrupts the production of leptin, the hormone which helps regulate appetite and metabolism,’ James explains. ‘This is why we eat more when we are tired and crave fat-depositing sugary snacks for an instant energy boost.’
Combat exhaustion with a relaxation strategy of deep-breathing, meditation and long baths before bed to encourage a good night’s sleep and limit coffee consumption to no more than two cups a day.
Don’t go for the burn when exercising. ‘Excessive cardio which increases cortisol levels isn’t the answer,’ says James. ‘Instead, yoga, long walks and resistance work with weights is perfect for sculpting and building up strength while calming the system.’
Magnesium is a calming mineral to help soothe a stressed belly. James advises eating lots of magnesium-rich foods such as dark green leafy vegetables, nuts and seeds.

TOP TIP FOR THIS TUMMY

Stress-busting stretches and yoga poses at night time can help to lower cortisol levels, while chamomile teas or James’ own Bodyism Body Serenity supplement (bodyism.com) can also help the body unwind.

THE LITTLE POOCH

The little pooch: These women are likely to be busy mums or have demanding careers - hey may even be a gym junkie.

HOW TO IDENTIFY THIS TYPE

These women are likely to be busy moms or have demanding careers. ‘They may even be a gym junkie, but stuck in a workout-and-diet rut, perhaps always eating the same foods and doing the same routine at the gym, which keeps you slim but leaves you with a lower belly that spoils your silhouette,’ says James.

TYPICAL BAD HABITS

‘Doing excessive crunches and using gimmicky gym items such as ab-rollers can place a strain on the hip flexors and the lower back, causing the tummy muscles to protrude so your belly sticks out,’ says James.

MIDRIFF MAKEOVER PLAN

Good nutrition and plenty of fiber are essential to improve digestive conditions such as inflammation, bloating and constipation, which can make a pooch tummy worse. Green leafy vegetables, oat bran and whole grains are good, natural sources of fiber.
Sit-ups done incorrectly increase your lower back curve and accentuate the ‘pouch’ effect. Swap sit-ups for planks. Do these by lying face down on a mat, resting on your forearms. Push off from the floor, rising onto your toes and elbows, so your body is parallel to the floor from your head to your heels. Start off doing ten seconds and build up to a whole minute.
It’s a common misconception that using weights bulks women up. In fact, the opposite is true. Using weights will burn serious amounts of fat in a short space of time, so try introducing circuits — repetitions of exercises like squats or lunges which work individual muscle sets.

TOP TIP FOR THIS TUMMY

Be kind to your tummy, reduce inflammation by drinking lots of water and eating easy-to-digest foods such as green vegetables and lighter proteins such as fish and chicken.

THE MOMMY TUMMY

The Mommy tummy: Women with these bellies have usually given birth in the past few years, and, being a typical mum, have little time for themselves.

HOW TO IDENTIFY THIS TYPE

Women with these tummies have usually given birth in the past few years, and, being a typical mum, have little time for themselves. ‘After giving birth, the uterus drops and is much heavier than it was pre-pregnancy,’ says James. ‘It takes at least six weeks to return to its usual size, so don’t even think about trying to get a flat stomach until after then.

‘You need to re-train your pelvic floor and lower abs to increase blood flow and strengthen loose muscles.’

TYPICAL BAD HABITS

Rushing back to exercise too quickly. ‘I would suggest waiting around two to three months,’ says James. ‘Being stressed about getting rid of your baby weight will only make you cling onto it more. Give yourself a break!’

MIDRIFF MAKEOVER PLAN

‘Fish oil supplements turn on fat-burning hormones and turn off fat-storing hormones,’ says James. ‘Begin by taking three 1,000mg capsules a day with meals and build up to five. I’ve trained Elle Macpherson through two pregnancies and she takes these every day.’
Try to eat good fats — found in sources such as nuts, oils and olives — every day. ‘Not only do they help you burn fat and absorb vitamins from food effectively, they also help combat tiredness — a big help for tired moms,’ says James.
Gentle pelvic floor exercises (known as Kegels) act as a natural corset for the body to flatten your tummy from the inside out. Squeeze and clench your pelvic floor muscles 15-20 times, in five sessions a day.
Steer clear of sit-ups. ‘After giving birth, the linea alba muscles — which run down the mid-line of the abdomen — separate and you need to allow them to recover,’ says James. ‘Crunches are the worst thing you can do, as they will force these muscles farther apart. Instead, breathe deep into your tummy while on all fours, then slowly exhale while doing a pelvic floor exercise.’

TOP TIP FOR THIS TUMMY

Daytime naps (try putting up blackout blinds) and stretching before bed are important ways to restore sleep hormones and boost fat-burning.

THE BLOATED TUMMY

Bloated tummies: These are often flat in the morning, but swell throughout the day with gas or indigestion.

HOW TO IDENTIFY THIS TYPE

Bloated tummies are often flat in the morning, but swell throughout the day with gas or indigestion. Bloating affects both slim and overweight women. It is almost always caused by food intolerances and allergies, or sluggish bowels as a result of a poor diet.

TYPICAL BAD HABITS

You eat the same foods and may have done so for a lifetime without realising you’re intolerant to them.

MIDRIFF MAKEOVER PLAN

‘The most common intolerances I see are wheat and gluten (bread, pasta, pastries, pizza, cakes and cereals), alcohol, yeast (in muffins, beer and pastries) and processed dairy (cheese, milk, butter),’ says James. ‘Gluten in particular can inflame the bowel and make the stomach look bigger.
‘Experiment to work out what bothers your belly as you know your body better than anyone else. Try eliminating key culprits such as gluten for two weeks to see if your bloating reduces, or worsens when you reintroduce foods. Focus on a diet with lots of fresh veg, meat, chicken and fish.’
Sluggish bowels are often a result of eating the wrong foods in the wrong way. Make breakfast your biggest meal, as this is when digestion is at its peak, and avoid eating late at night which leads to bloating. Chew food properly and drink plenty of water to keep the digestive system moving.
Bloating can be a sign of imbalanced gut flora. So to get your tummy really flat you need to repopulate it with friendly bacteria. Prebiotic and probiotic supplements are the simplest way. Natural sources include miso soup, sour cream and some fruit and veg including kale, garlic and onions. A healthy gut means a flat stomach.

TOP TIP FOR THIS TUMMY

Believe it or not, breathing can be the best thing you can do for this kind of tummy. Try this each morning: lay on your back, completely relaxed, and breathe deep into your tummy ten times. After eating, a walk will help the digestive process, too.

Article from here

Recycle the Hazardous Material

2013-02-09T15:21:00.003-08:00

One of the ways we can reduce waste and live greener life is through recycling. We recycle plastic, metal and glass; however, many materials around us can be recycled and should be recycled. Among these materials, hazardous materials come on the top of the list.

Hazardous material pollute the water, air and the land, therefore, we should make it our priority to recycle them first and foremost. While looking through some pages related to early childhood, I ran into list of materials listed as hazardous and interesting enough, many of them were news to me too. Here is the list:

Combustible Items

Alcohols
Antifreeze Compounds
Camphor Oil
Disinfectants
Type Cleaners (fluids containing combustible materials, i.e. spot clothing cleaners, office machine liquid cleaners, etc.)

Corrosive Liquids

Acids, photographic, used in film developing
Etching Acid
Iron/Steel Rust Preventing Compounds
Muriatic Acid
Nitric Acid
Sulfuric Acid

Explosives

Black Powder
Cigarette Loads
Dynamite, Plastic or any other similar explosive
Explosive Auto Alarms
Explosive Flash Bulbs
Fireworks
Small Arms Ammunition
Primers
Smokeless Powder
Souvenir Explosive Instruments of War
Spear Guns Having a Charged Head
Toy Propellant or Smoke Devices
Trick Matches
Trick Noise Makers

Flammable

Adhesives (glues, cements, plastic)
Ammonia
Charcoal Briquettes
Cleaning Fluids
Compound 3 Weed Killers
Denatured Alcohol
Enamel
Gasoline
Hand Signal Flares
Kerosene
Lacquer
Leather Dressing or Bleach
Lighter Fluids (pocket, charcoal, camp, stove, lamp, or torch)
Liquors
Matches
Oil Stains for Wood
Paint, Flammable
Paint/Varnish Remover
Petroleum Products (kerosene, gasoline, oil)
Photographic Flash Bulbs/Lamps
Polishes, Liquid (metal, stove, furniture, wood)
Propane Tanks (nonpurged)
Propane or Other gas Used for Cooking or Heating Purposes
Shellac
Shoe Polish (liquid)
Solvents, Plastic
Stains
Turpentine
Varnish
Windshield Solvent
Wines
Wood Filler

Cases, Compressed

Engine, Starting Fluids
Fire Extinguishers
Cases Used in Welding
Scuba Diving Tanks
Chlorinated Hydrocarbons in Decorative Lamps

The list was taken from this site

Organic/Natural Lip Color

2013-02-09T14:02:00.001-08:00

For those of you concerned about what chemicals we’re putting in and on our bodies, you can’t get more natural than this homemade berry lip stain! We love it because it adds the perfect “just-bitten” hint of color to fake that Snow White luscious lip! Here’s how to do it yourself:

INGREDIENTS: 3 Blackberries (for their bright berry color), 1 Raspberry (for its feminine pink color), 3 Pomegranate Seeds (for their vibrant red color), 1/2 teaspoon edible oil (I used Extra Virgin Olive Oil), a small Bowl + Spoon (or mortar + pestle if you have them), Fork or Sifter to drain, small 5-gram Pot/Jar with screw top from any craft store

STEP 1: Mash the blackberries and raspberry in the bowl thoroughly with the back of your spoon.

STEP 2: Add the pomegranate juice into the mixture by individually squeezing them between your thumb and index fingers over the bowl.

STEP 3: Pour the olive oil into the bowl and stir everything together with your spoon.

STEP 4: Finish by draining the liquid from the mixture into your small portable jar.

For application, use your fingers, a lip brush or a Q-tip. It’ll only be good for a few days so refrigerate it for longevity. Have fun with it and even try different fruits (acai berries, cherries, etc)! You can play with the ratios of each fruit to customize your desired shade but you’ll get the most color payoff from the blackberries.

Recipe from here

Shami Kabab

2013-02-07T04:26:00.002-08:00

SHAMI KABAB RECIPE

Ingredients:

500 gms minced mutton/lamb
2 Eggs
1 meduim sized chopped Onion

2 green chilly chopped
100 gms chickpeas soaked overnight
10 cloves of garlic

1 tsp cumin seed
4 Cardamoms
1 tsp ginger paste

1 tsp coriander powder

Oil for frying the kabab

Boil minced meat in 3 cups of water and a teaspoon of salt till water is absorbed and meat is tender.
Grind the meat into a fine paste.
Take garlic, cumin seeds, cardamoms, ginger, and soaked chickpeas and grind into a fine paste.
Mix both the pastes well.
Now mix well beaten eggs and prepare a uniform dough.
Add finely chopped green chillies and onion to dough and mix well.
Shape the dough into small round flattened patties or kababs.
Heat the oil and deep fry kababs till golden brown and serve hot with sauce or salad.

Cloth Sanitary Towels

2013-02-06T14:39:00.000-08:00

As I was growing up, my mom was a big fan of cloth sanitary towels and I on the other hand, hated the thought of cloth towels. Now I finally realized, it was not the towels themselves that made me sick to my stomach but rather the cleaning process.

Unfortunately, most of the time we are taught something which is beneficial but it could be more efficient if it were performed another way.

Being a mother myself, I know I would prefer clothe pads for my girls once they grow up. They are better for health, it is economical and environmentally.

I have been going through different sites trying to find the easiest patterns and the best one is the following (in my mind):

I have made those simple tools I got at home: flannel cloth, thread and sew-on snaps. I have borrowed the pattern from this site.
There are some interesting designs and patterns on the internet, and I am sure every person can find what they are looking for.

Barter

2013-02-06T14:21:00.001-08:00

Seems as we advance in technology, we realize that some of the basic aspects of life was much better in 'dark ages' than it is today. We had taken very important and beneficial stuff for granted. We have replaced our peace of mind with monetary benefits.

In our everyday life, we notice that we buy some items and at the end of the day we either do not need them or want them. We may know friends/relatives/neighbors who might have an item that we want/need and s/he may want what we have, so why not use this to the advantage of both sides and trade the items instead of letting them get dust on the shelf or go bad or be thrown away.

We save ourselves the heartache of losing an item which we spent the money and at the same time get an item that we actually need/want. Mother Earth happy, we happy, our pockets happy!

Green School

2013-02-03T15:12:00.003-08:00

While I was looking online for some ideas, I ran into a site (http://www.greenschool.org/). I was amazed to find out that they teach children from an early age how to use natural resources.

The whole idea of such school is so amazing that makes me wonder how come there is not one in each country (of course it has to be designed so it works well in that environment).

Till the day we get a school(s) such as this in our society, we can teach our children at home the value of living green.

The first thing which comes to mind is, teaching our children how to grow vegetables in their own environment. Or for example, we teach our children to recycle. We can teach them by example, how to keep the environment clean. Pick the trash off the ground, instead of leaving it there until municipality workers come and pick it up and so on and so forth.

With small steps, we can all make a huge difference for the world and more importantly for our children as they are the future of this world.

Homemade Shampoo

2013-02-02T14:30:00.001-08:00

Homemade Shampoo

Homemade Shampoo

13 cups water or tea
1 cup cold water
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup baking soda
3 tsp xanthan gum
1/4 cup castile soap
30 drops essential oils (optional)

Add 13 cups of water to a large pot. In a seperate bowl mix together the remaining cup of cold water and cornstarch, whisk until no lumps remain. Pour cornstarch mixture into large pot with the water. Bring to a boil and whisk constantly for several minutes until slightly thickened. Remove from heat, whisk in baking soda (very slowly as it will boil over), xanthan gum and castile soap. Let cool completely, mix in essential oil.

Source

Hardwood Floor Cleaner

2013-02-02T14:17:00.003-08:00

Natural Hardwood Floor Natural Cleaner

Using professional products is an effective option for cleaning and maintaining surface-finished wood floors; but, it is possible to use a natural hardwood floor cleaner as well. A natural solution, made at home, is non-toxic, environmentally friendly, and effective. While some substances can cause dullness, or eventually ruin the finish, a homemade recipe using warm water and essential oils will clean and disinfect, without harming the wood or surface.

Vinegar and Lemon for Cleaning Hardwood Flooring

A simple, natural, and effective homemade wood floor cleaner is made from diluting one half cup of vinegar in one gallon of warm water. With an excellent finish, a natural hardwood floor cleaner made with vinegar, or lemon juice, will probably be fine. Over time however, a highly acidic substance may have a negative effect. Acids can wear down the finish, causing a dull floor. Be careful when using this solution on surface-finished floors, and never use on wax hardwood floors. Always mop up any moisture after cleaning.

Oil as a Natural Hardwood Floor Cleaner

Olive oil or vegetable oil can also be used to clean and add luster to a hardwood floor. Either mix equal parts of olive oil and vinegar, or two parts oil to one part of lemon juice. Using a small amount, rub into the entire surface with a dry mop. When finished, go over the entire floor with a clean cloth. The negative of using oil is that over time it can build-up on the surface of the floor, making professional treatment more difficult. Also, be careful of a slippery, oily surface.

Essential Oil Homemade Wood Floor Cleaner

Using essential oils to make a homemade wood floor cleaner offers a natural, eco-friendly product, with no negative repercussions for long-term use. Essential oils are inherently antibacterial, and unlike vinegar, they smell beautifully. As they are highly concentrated, only use a very small amount. Eight to ten drops of essential oil is sufficient for one gallon of warm water. Lemon, eucalyptus, and lavender all work well as cleansing essential oils, although other kinds can be used.

Clean a floor with this natural solution with a damp mop, making sure no excess water is used. Buff the surface after cleaning to ensure there is no moisture remaining, and to enhance shine. To preserve hardwood, do this treatment after sweeping or vacuuming weekly, or every two weeks, depending on how much a floor is used.

Article from here

Dish Soap

2013-02-02T14:06:00.001-08:00

Homemade Liquid Dish Soap

A natural, liquid homemade dish soap is easy to make with simple household ingredients!
Why make your own? Cheaper, less packaging waste and you’ll know exactly what it is made from. After all, you eat from your dishes!

Natural Dish Soap Recipe #1:
liquid Castile soap
water
2-5 drops essential oil of choice*
*Some essential oils options are lavender, lemon, cinnamon, clove, peppermint, tea tree, etc. This is optional and purely for scent – though all of these essential oils do also have anti-septic properties. Purchase a concentrated liquid castile soap which will be dilluted with water in equal parts.

Natural Dish Soap Recipe #2:
1/2 cup grated soap
3 cups hot water
2-5 drops essential oil of choice (optional)
Grate a bar of natural castile soap with a vegetable peeler and add to hot water (boil on stove if necessary) to dissolve.

Tough, Grease Cutting Dish Washing Recipe
1/2 bar shaved castile soap
1/4 cup baking soda
1 tablespoon washing soda
1 quart of hot water
The washing soda (sodium carbonate) makes this solution more caustic and helps to cut grease.

What, no suds?

None of these basic natural recipes will yield a sudsy soap. Why? Because suds aren’t necessary to clean anything. In fact, they actually make soap less effective because it becomes harder to rinse off from a surface. Suds in commercial soaps are from the surfectants that are added because consumers like suds. People think that suds = soap that works. Not true, don’t be duped by this! Not only are surfectants not necessary to clean, they are often nasty chemicals…sodium lauryl sulfate to name a common one.

The recipe is taken from here

Liquid Soap

2013-02-02T13:48:00.001-08:00

Liquid Soap

I do not want to restrict myself, but rather find the most organic and natural type of soap you can find around you would be the safest choice for you. As we are trying to stay on the budget side as well as green, we do not want to break the bank just to buy one bar of soap.

I found the original 'olive' soap in the last place I expected; oriental shop. I did know that I could buy it in our super organic stores, but each bar cost three times more than it costs at this oriental store.

How to make
1. Grate 1 bar of castile bar soap into large container.
2. Add about 1.5 liters of hot water, stir well and cover.
3. Let sit 24 hours, stir some more and voila.

Original recipe

Baby Powder

2013-02-01T13:45:00.000-08:00

Baby Powder at Home

The more I study into our everyday consumer products, the more I am convinced that I should make everything at home. Many of the products either have chemicals that I do not even know how to read the name (which tells me that they are made from other products and are synthetic) or has such chemicals which are very unhealthy.

When it comes to children's products, I have become even more sensitive. I do not even want many of the products around them, as I have seen it how much damage these chemicals have caused to my babies' skin.

So while searching, I found a very simple homemade recipe for baby powder (remember in many countries, baby powder contain talc which has been linked to some disease).

So here it is:

Step One: In a large Ziploc bag, combine together:
- 1/2 cup arrowroot powder or potato starch (I had potato starch so it should work fine and if you do not have any of these you can always find corn starch at most grocery stores.)
- 1/4 teaspoon lavender oil (or relaxing oil of your choice)

Step Two: Work the oil through with your fingers. Then, allow the bag to sit for 3-4 days so the oil can become distributed through the powder. Voila. Easy, all-natural baby powder. And it works wonderfully.

Original recipe here