Making soy milk from scratch
April 3, 2022In an effort to have a more vegan diet, I have recently switched from drinking dairy milk to oat and soy milk. I really only drink milk in my morning latte and with my oatmeal. It has taken me some time to get used to the taste, but now I can drink it without…
My Favorite Homemade Cleaning Products
May 24, 2021One of the first major lifestyle changes of zero waste living is making your own cleaning products. Commercial cleaning products contain many harmful chemicals. Since I have a lot of allergies, it was often difficult to find cleaning products that did not cause me to feel ill. I did try some commercial, “natural” cleaners but…
Homemade Candles
February 3, 2020Like my friend Sandy used to say, I am turning into a pyromaniac in my old age. I love candles! Nothing compares to the soft and soothing lighting emanating from a freshly lit candle, particularly during the cold and dark winter months. I have been buying my candles from Ikea but while the price has…
Homemade Vanilla
November 24, 2019Like I always say, mostly everything that you buy, you can make yourself. When I ran out of vanilla for baking, I decided to investigate how I could make it myself. I was surprised to discover that vanilla consists of two simple ingredients: vanilla beans and alcohol. The majority of the vanilla beans sold today…
Making Luscious Lip Balm
November 5, 2018As fall is upon us and bringing drier weather, my need for lip balm has increased. Unfortunately, much like deodorants, the packaging for lip balms is pretty discouraging: It consists of a lot of plastic and very little lip balm. In reviewing the commercial formulations, I learn that lip balm is typically made of petroleum…