Archive | August, 2009

Safe Paint for Your Home

By on August 28, 2009 in natural & green

I love how a fresh coat of paint is such a simple way to transform your house more into a home. Whenever we have painted rooms in our home in the past, we have always been overwhelmed by the intense smell of fresh paint, to the extent that you just knew it was bad for you. Did you know that while adding color to a room, you are also slapping on lead, formaldehyde, benzene, toluene and xylene-all potentially hazardous to your health? These neurotoxins are powerful enough to vaporize into the air you breathe. After automobiles, paint and its companions are the second highest source of VOC (volatile organic compounds) emissions. The smells tend to stick around upwards of a week as the paint dries but can last up to three months. That is three months of exposure to toxic chemicals!

We recently painted our children’s bedroom and were thrilled to discover that there are several high quality chemical free paints on the market that are safer for your home and the environment. We were also pleasantly surprised to find these alternatives to be comparable in price to the conventional brands. Now that it is finally painted (it has been white walls for three years now!), we truly feel more settled in to our home and I love it!

What to Choose & Understanding the Labels

  • Natural paints and finishes: Using a paint that is made from natural raw ingredients will produce a paint that gives off no smell. This is the ideal and safest choice if you have access to it (see sources below), but will be more expensive than the other options. Ingredients include: plant dyes, oils and resins; minerals such as clay, chalk and talcum; natural oils and waxes such a bee’s wax; milk casein and natural latex.
  • Zero-VOC (volatile organic compounds) : This paint meets the EPA Standard of 5 g/L (grams per litre) or less. It appears that it can still have some chemicals though (learn more about this debate here). Pigments will increase the VOC ratio.
  • Low-VOC: This paint meets the EPA minimum requirement of no more than 250 g/L and no more than 80 g/L for oil based paint to be consider low-VOC. These paints, stains and varnishes use water as a carrier, contain no petroleum-based solvents and have very low levels of heavy metals and formaldehyde. So it can still have an off-gassing effect, just not as significant as conventional paint. Look for paints with the Green Seal Standard (GS-11) certification or the Green Guard Air Control label. Pigments will increase the VOC ratio.

    • So next time you are considering doing a little redecoration in your home, check out these safer alternatives.

    Safer Paint Alternatives

    Acro Pure by Miller Paints (Oregon & Washington) is described by the company as being “free of anything inappropriate, contaminating, extraneous, polluting, or impure.” A buy 1 get 1 free coupon is available in the Chinook book, which was an incredible deal, saving us $30.  Acro Pure is green seal certified and contains ZERO-VOC. The label says absolutely 0 g/L. There was a very slight smell when originally applying but it went away within a few minutes. I was told the smell would be a result of the pigments but not the base.
    Horizon     by Rodda Paint (Alaska, California, Idaho, Oregon & Washington) – A buy 1 get 1 free coupon is available in the Chinook book as well.
    Old Fashioned Milk Paint – All natural milk casein based paints with earth pigments. Completely natural option that I will be trying next time.
    Green Planet Paints – Another mineral based paint.
    Homestead House Paint Company (Canada)

    For a complete guide on 35 eco-friendly paints, visit Eco-Friendly Paint, The Complete Guide.

    Have you used any of these alternatives? What were your results?

    Comments { 19 }

    Simplifying Your Book Collection

    By on August 27, 2009 in frugal & simple

    Christina asked: I had a question on how to simplify my bookshelves. I went to conferences on the value of collecting and keeping godly books and lets just say I’ve gotten quite a collection! How do you determine what books should be saved? My Aunt said the likelihood of my reading a book twice is minimal so I should just get rid of all of my books. But others say there may be books I want my future children to read for a “generational library” and that godly books are hard to come by! I definitely want to de-clutter my shelves but I really have no clue how to go about it! Any advice you can give me would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!!!!

    Books! Oh glorious books! I am a huge fan of reading myself and it can be easy to amass a large collection, especially if you practice frugal book reading and buying practices. It is definitely very wise to collect books, especially if you can choose them carefully. Books can be very dangerous as well. It is best to take wise precautions and ask thoughtful questions before even purchasing a book. These same questions can be asked as you simplify your collection.

    Is this book beneficial and edifying?
    Would I or did I grow as a result of this read?
    Or is/was it fluffy (light in truth and not really stretching my understanding)?
    Would I read it again?
    Would this book help build mine or my children’s intellect as a result of this read?
    Did it stretch me?
    Does this book truthfully retell history?
    Does this really deserve a place on my shelf?

    Books you will find on my bookshelf include: Christian living (not just light weight books but books that really challenge and grow me spiritually), Bible-study helps, historical books (learn from history or we shall be doomed to repeat it – books that truthfully detail the past), good solid classics (that we enjoy as a family and/or my children will benefit from in the future), and lots of biographies. I love learning about the lives of those who have gone before me, especially missionary biographies. I honestly have only a few select fictional books.

    There is definitely a place for fun and light reading, especially on those nights when you can’t sleep, but those books can easily be found at the library and do not need to take up space on your shelves.

    If a book really truly deserves a place on your shelf, make sure it gets good use after you have completed it. Loan out your books to family and friends. Start a loaning library or donate books to your church’s library. Share your books and see others be blessed as a result. This is one simple way of being generous! Don’t just let them sit and collect dust for years…make them worth the purchase!

    If a book does not deserve a place on your shelf, pass it on! Sell it on Cash4Books or Ebay or simply give it away.

    Simplifying the Home School Resource Collection

    For all the home school mommies out there, consider giving your input on simplifying the home school resources collection. Some of the above evaluation questions may be helpful, but I would love to hear from those with a bit more experience than I.

    Heather asked: I have 7 children and we are relaxed homeschoolers, so the education of my children partially depends on the material we have just hanging around our house, so I keep alot of books. I do use the library, but I also purchase many. There is no telling what the children will be interested in the next day. So getting rid of books is tough. Do you have any helpful guidelines on keeping/getting rid of books?

    What tips do you have to share on managing the book collections? Do you have any specific tips for managing home school resources? Please share!

    Comments { 13 }

    Natural Housecleaning Carnival – Friday, Sept 4!

    By on August 26, 2009 in news & giveaways

    I am excited to announce an upcoming carnival that I am hosting here at Passionate Homemaking on all things related to natural housecleaning! Come and share your favorite recipes, tips and tricks that you have discovered in cleaning your home without the use of chemicals. I want to hear all about how you have solved problems such as mildew, mold, toilet bowl rings stains and the like! Have you found good frugal solutions for everyday cleaning issues? What tools have you found useful? You can share you favorite books, websites, or reviews on natural cleaning supplies on the market. This carnival will be live on Friday, September 4th. You will be able to contribute via your own blog and link up using Mr. Linky or by writing a comment with your tips or links.

    This next week will be natural housecleaning theme here in preparation for the carnival. I will be sharing some of my favorite finds and how I have simplified housecleaning at our home!

    Stay tuned and start preparing your tips and tricks! Looking forward to it! Pass on the word!

    Comments { 24 }

    When You Can’t Soak…Choose Sprouted Flour!

    By on August 25, 2009 in health & nutrition, recipes & kitchen tips

    What do I do if I can’t soak the flour for my favorite cookies or cake? What if the recipe doesn’t have the liquids necessary to soak? As you may very well know, soaking your grains is extremely beneficial for breaking down the phytates that prevent proper digestion of whole grains, as discussed in detail here.

    Soaking, fermenting or sprouting are the recommended alternatives in order for our bodies to fully benefit from all the nutrition in whole grains. Over the last few years I have been exploring and experimenting with adapting all my favorite recipes for soaking and I have been successful with my whole grain bread, tortillas, pizza crust, granola, bagels, and some of our favorite muffins and biscuits. I have chosen soaking methods over sprouting because of its simplicity. But there remains a few baked goods that I haven’t had success with, for one reason or another, no liquids in the recipe or certain temperature requirements. Or there has been other times when I needed just a wee bit more flour to roll out my dough or prevent stickiness. I have come to the realization that the best recommendation here is to use sprouted flour.

    Why sprouted flour?

    Sprouting your grain transforms it so that your body recognizes it as an easily digestible vegetable rather than a starch! It changes the composition of starch molecules, converting them into vegetable sugars. Through the sprouting process, phytates are broken down allowing your body to digest calcium, magnesium, iron, copper and zinc, and enzymes are created that aid digestion. Complex sugars are dissolved which can help eliminate painful gas, and vitamin and mineral levels are increased – vitamin B6, folate, and niacinand to be precise.

    Jenny at the Nourished Kitchen shares, “When examining the nutrient density of sprouted wheat to unsprouted wheat on a calorie-per-calorie basis, you’ll find that sprouted wheat contains four times the amount of niacinand nearly twice the amount of vitamin B6 and folate as unsprouted wheat.  Moreover, sprouted grain contains more protein and fewer starches than unsprouted grain and is lower on the glycemic index than its unsprouted counterpart.”

    Sally Fallon in Nourishing Traditions points out, “The process of germination not only produces vitamin C, but also changes the composition of grains and seeds in numerous beneficial ways. Sprouting increases vitamin B content, especially B2, B5, and B6. Carotene increases dramatically-sometimes even eightfold.”

    So sprouted flour is more digestible and nutritious!

    There are two choices when it comes to using sprouted flour. You can make your own (with the use of a dehydrator) or you can buy sprouted flour from many online sources. (See below for details)

    Having a quantity of sprouted flour in your freezer readily available is the most convenient option to provide your family with easy digestion. We recommend you store it in the freezer to preserve the nutrients in the flour. I would also not recommend buying a huge quantity at a time unless you have the freezer space. We now intend to use sprouted flour for pie crusts, desserts, my favorite banana crumb muffins, pretzels, donuts, and whatever else our heart desires!

    Sources for Sprouted Flour

    To Your Health Sprouted Flour - an excellent company that produces organic sprouted wheat, spelt and rye grains and ground flour. I love this option because they offer sprouted grain that I can grind myself at home. This will help preserve the nutrients more.

    Shiloh Farms – they sell both sprouted wheat & spelt flours as well as various sprouted baking mixes
    American Spice – sprouted whole wheat flour
    Local Harvest     – offering sprouted spelt flour

    Resources – How to Sprout

    Mini E-book on Sprouting – a very useful little guide on sprouting all your grains and seeds!
    Sprouted Grain - a helpful tutorial on Sprouting by The Nourished Kitchen
    Why Sprout? – a very thorough explanation of the benefits of sprouting from The Nourishing Gourmet
    Making Your Own Sprouted Flour – a pictural tutorial on sprouting flour by Keeper of the Home

    Do you sprout? Have you tried sprouted flour? What was your experience?

    Comments { 23 }

    Save on Soap Nuts!

    By on August 22, 2009 in news & giveaways

    If you missed a chance to win the soap nuts (the great natural laundry solution that grows on trees!) samples over the last month, NaturOli is graciously offering a special promotion for my readers! For every $20 (pre-shipping) in product that you buy, you get a free trial sample of either raw soap nuts or the liquid Extreme 18X version. So for every $20 you spend you get one freebie! You can get as many as you like and mix and match!

    When you enter the checkout, include the following in the comments section: Passionate Homemaking promo plus your selection. For example, “Passionate Homemaking promo – 1-raw soap nuts or 1-18X”. Your free sample with be included in your order but it will not show on your order form.

    This promotion runs till August 31, 2009 so order some for your family soon!

    Comments { 21 }

    Slowing Down

    By on August 21, 2009 in building the family, frugal & simple

    Karis & Aaron enjoying the quiet streams..Aug 08

    “The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need. He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams.” Psalm 23:1-2

    He lets me rest in green meadows. Did you hear that? God desires for us to slow down and take time to rest. He designed it that way! He calls us to rest! Everything is damaged by hurry. Speed does not yield devotion. The more hurried our pace, the less intimate we will feel in relationship to God or any other relationship. Hurry damages intimacy in every relationship. Jesus was never in a hurry. You never hear about him running. He was always sitting down to teach or reclining at meals. You even hear about him sleeping in a boat while a storm ragged around him.

    Richard Swenson says in his book The Overload Syndrome, “I have thought long and hard about the issue of speed and have come to believe that it is as much responsible for the problem of personal and societal dysfunction as any other single factor. Virtually all of our relationships are damaged by hurry…I think I would not be far wrong if I were to postulate [say] that our sense of the presence of God is in inverse proportion to the pace of our lives.”

    Nancy Leigh Demoss shares in her radio program, titled Slowing Down, “Hurry just is not conducive to godliness. It’s not Christ-like. It’s not conducive to healthy relationships. It’s not conducive to spiritual growth. Godliness and intimacy with God are not cultivated on the run. They require time, meditation, focused attention.”

    I encourage you to read the full program or listen to it here.

    Let’s not get too wrapped up in that to-do list. Take time to just enjoy your family. Spend time sitting at the Master’s feet rather than being the busy Martha in the kitchen. I’m preaching to myself today!

    This is another call to the simple lifestyle…

    Comments { 11 }

    Frugal & Fun Makeshift Kiddy Pool

    By on August 20, 2009 in bellies & babies, frugal & simple

    We decided to be creative while trying to bear the heat of the summer this year by making our own kiddy pool. We took a under the bed plastic storage bin which had been storing random pieces of clothing and filled it with water for our own makeshift pool. Karis loves it and has a blast in it for most of the day during a few heat waves we have had this summer. Works great for small spaces as well as we are limited on our condo patio. We replace the lid when not in use to prevent the water from getting dirty, but also to save the water! In the winter, I want to transform it into a sand box. We will probably keep it on the deck but may also experiment with bringing it into the kitchen for some winter fun.

    Have you been keeping cool? How are you enjoying the summer?

    Comments { 18 }

    Setting Up & Harvesting Your Own Worm Composting Bin

    By on August 19, 2009 in frugal & simple, natural & green

    My good rich compost!

    I began my own composting bin this past February using the helpful starting kit offered through Azure Standard. It is actually a very good deal and an easy way that kicked me into gear to start saving my food scraps and turning them into lovely new nutritious soil. But, you can easily set up your own bin with a few basic supplies. I have finally gotten around to figuring out a simple method of harvesting my bin as it was definitely overdue. I wanted to share a few tips with you that I have learned in the process.

    Why Worm Compost?

    1. No waste! You can use the majority of your food scraps (no meat or dairy) and put them to good use. Composting is all about re-using and recycling! Since beginning composting, we have decreased our garbage quantity significantly. Previously we would fill up the kitchen garbage in one week, but now we can easily stretch it to every two weeks. So it saves money!

    2. Turn your food scraps into rich organic soil. If you don’t have a garden or can’t use it all yourself, this rich soil can be a great gift to a neighbor or local farmer. Your offer will not be turned down.

    3. Worms are fast, efficient, and odorless. The only cause of odor in your bin will be if you add meat or dairy scraps. Avoid these products, bury your scraps well, and your bin will be perfectly odorless!

    4. Worms are self-propagating. You only need to purchase worms once and then they will multiply on their own! You will have a continual supply of good rich compost.

    Continue Reading →

    Comments { 20 }

    Chicken & Bacon Shish Kabobs

    By on August 18, 2009 in recipes & kitchen tips

    We had a fun time hosting a neighborhood BBQ at our home on Sunday evening. We served these delicious shish kabobs and I just had to pass on the recipe to you all. They include marinated chicken chunks wrapped in bacon and barbaqued on the grill. You can skip the marinade if desired. We recommend a naturally fermented soy sauce (learn more here) and add more vegetables (cherry tomatoes, green & red peppers, yellow onions). They were awesome! Try the recipe here. We use apple smoked nitrate free bacon from Trader Joes’s, which is fabulous! We also picked up the fresh vegetables (green peppers, onions, mushrooms and cherry tomatoes at our local farmer’s market. This was a fun company meal!

    Comments { 14 }

    Healthy Appetizers: Bruschetta

    By on August 18, 2009 in recipes & kitchen tips

    I love making fresh bruschetta as a delightful appetizer during the summer months when fresh tomatoes and basil are coming off the vines. This is traditional bruschetta with a marinating twist. We served this while having a neighborhood BBQ party at our home on Sunday and everyone loved it! Enjoy!

    4-5 tomatoes, roma is preferred
    2-3 Tablespoons fresh basil
    1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
    2-3 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
    1/2 red or yellow onion, chopped (red onion is best!)
    2 Tablespoons olive oil
    2 garlic cloves, crushed
    salt & pepper to taste
    Serve alone or on bread of your choice – We love serving it on baguettes that have been lightly pre-toasted in the oven with olive oil brushed on them. You could also use flatbread or french bread.

    In a mixing bowl, combine all of the ingredients above and allow to marinate for several hours, preferably overnight. If using baguettes, thinly slice baguette bread and brush with olive oil. Toast in the oven at 425 degrees for 5 minutes or so. Remove bread from oven when it is slightly firm to touch. Scoop a spoonful of the marinated bruschetta on each slice of bread. Return to oven and allow to broil for another 5-8 minutes, until warm. Top with additional parmesan, if desired. Enjoy!

    Comments { 9 }