Laundry soap recipe and something else I'm super excited about!!

Hi~

Sorry I've been missing for a couple of days but it's the week of Christmas and like everybody else I've had a lot going on. Let's get to some exciting things..
FIRST~ Do you know who easy and inexpensive it is to make your own laundry detergent & Fabric softener?? SUPER EASY & INEXPENSIVE!! There are recipes for both liquid and powder detergents. For my first time I choose to try the powder. It was more convenient and less money up front for me. I have always washed my clothes with cold water. I always thought, "well it costs less money".. but after reading this article I've changed my mind.. I was really grossed out!! Here's the link, http://www.laundry-alternative.com/lurking.htm

Here's the recipe for Laundry detergent ~ I tripled this recipe...I found all these ingredients at my local Fred Meyer


1 bar Fels Naptha soap $1.33 x 3
1 cup 20 mule Borax $3.72
1 cup A & H Washing Soda $3.17
container
Tablespoon

This is what I did, I used my food processor to grate the soap then I took it out and added my processor blade, added the grated soap back into the processor and then added the borax and washing soda. Then I pulsed it a couple times to really break up the grated Fels Naptha soap.

This is what you end up with. I recommend you give it a shake before adding it to your washer. You use 3 tablespoons per load. I'm really bad at math so I haven't figured out how much this is saving me per load and I also haven't figured out how many loads I will get. But feel free to figure it out if you'd like.

Now for the Fabric Softener recipe ~
I have 2 recipes for you. One is for fabric sheets and the other is for liquid fabric softener.

Liquid Fabric Softener ~  I got the ingredients at Walmart

1 64 oz bottle of distilled white vinegar (I bought a gallon)  $2.38
1 55ml bottle of essential oil $2.00

if you get the gallon like I did just get two bottles of the essential oil, I got Vanilla Lavender. It smells so yummy! It's made with natural and essential oils. They do carry a bigger variety of fragrance oils if you want that.

pour the essential oil into the vinegar bottle and shake to mix. It's that easy. add it into the fabric softener slot in your washer or add it into your downy ball and put in your load of laundry just like you would if you were using downy or snuggle.
Now don't freak out, your clothes will NOT smell like vinegar!!




Fabric sheets ~ bought materials at Walmart

1 yard of 100% cotton jersey fabric  $5.97 per yard
essential oil $2.00 for 55ml
dropper free from pharmacy

Cut your fabric into 4x4 squares, but they shrink in the laundry so if I had thought about it I would have made mine more like 6x6. I got 104 squares out of a yrd of fabric. Then place 3-5 drops of essential oil onto each square. Be careful not to use more because it could damage your clothes, or so that's what I read. Keep in an air tight zip lock and throw into your dryer just like a regular store bought fabric sheet. You can use these twice before needing to be laundered and resmelled.. if that's a word. LOL. I will use 2 sheets at a time because 1 just didn't do it. But I only used about 3 drops on each sheet b/c the dropper was a larger one. It's a learning process.


The reason I 'm doing all this make it myself stuff is because it's cheaper, better for me and the environment, I have the time. And if I can save a few bucks on stuff I can make myself than I can spend more on Organic meat and produce. Which is VERY important to me.

Enough about laundry! I found a recipe that I was thrilled about!!

Microwave popcorn!!! Do you know how bad microwave popcorn is for you... it's horrible, the coating inside the bag leaches into your popcorn and causes cancer. so when I saw this I had to try it.. and it worked great!! I was so fricken thrilled I could have jumped up and down.

all you need is a brown paper lunch bag.. I got a bag of 100 at Fred Meyer for maybe 2 bucks.. then I already had a bag of organic popcorn.. remember corn is a GMO crop here in the states, so make sure your buying organic...

put 1/2 cup popcorn ( I might play around with this, there were a lot of unpopped kernels in the bag) into your brown paper lunch bag and fold top over twice. Put into microwave and pop just like you would a store bought microwave popcorn.

Then add whatever topping you want. I love mine with butter, salt and parmesan cheese, so TASTY!!








now here's my workout for 12/20/11 my hip was still bugging me so I did a core and arm workout.. I'm calling this one Tank Top Ready Workout
15 secs rest/35 secs work/24 rds/3x thru/ total of 20 mins

1. Jumprope
61, 73, 72

2. Plank knee tucks on bosu.. using the round side do a plank then bring in your knee to the opposite elbow
34, 36, 40

3. Medicine ball slams w/ 12lb ball
21, 21, 21

4. Push ups I did these on my knees. My pushups aren't very good so instead of struggling I decided to do the easier version so I could perfect my form and work my way up
7, 9, 11

5. Jumprope
45 ( rope malfunction) 83, 83

6. Bench dips with feet on Stability Ball
14, 11, 13 these are a killer

7. Curl & Press on rounded side of Bosu w/ 12 lb weights
8, 9, 6 my shoulders were screaming by that last round

8. V sit with 10 lb kettle bell
39, 26, 40

I really try to push it on the last round... no matter how gassed out I am. I have finish strong playing like a broken record in my head!!

I really hope everyone who is reading my blog is enjoying it.. I'd love to hear from you guys! Don't be shy!!

Sherice oxoxoxox

Saturday Chili

Hey guys ~

I hope everyone's Saturday has been good. Mine's been ok. We've been going through a tough time with our daughter and it's been taking it's toll on all of us here at home. With Christmas around the corner I'm just not feeling it this year, I know it's multiple things and I try to be positive but sometimes I get bit by the blue bug!! I've been really depressed and I'm trying to just snap out of it!! So I'm telling you this because I've been naughty and haven't worked out in about 3 days... so today I said ENOUGH!!! I know it will make me feel better and I just need to get it done! So of course accident prone me... I did a leg lift, just messing around. (I'm weird ) and I fricken pulled something in my hip.. (this is why stretching is VERY important) I didn't hurt it bad, but enough to put a giddy up in my workout. I will ice my stupid 38 yr old hip muscle and by tomorrow it will be good as new.

I had planned on doing 28 rds/4x thru my workout but I'm really trying to listen to my body and it said "whoa lady, your only doing 3x thru today" so I complied!  I had to switch up the cardio part also. By the 2x thru my hip muscle was NOT liking the high knees so I improvised, because I can!!!

 15 rest/30 work/21 rds/3x thru = about 15 mins which is still long enough to get a good sweat going!

1. High knees

me after this workout.. see I was sweating!

82, 72, 40 (jumping jacks)

2. Push up w/ knee tuck across to opposite elbow
8, 8, 6

3. Lat raises with a med resistance band
7, 9, 9

4. High knees
76, 54 (mt climbers) 44 (jumping jacks)

5. Fire hydrant w/ leg lift (R)
9,10,12

6. Fire Hydrant w/ leg lift (L)
8, 10, 12

7. toe touches w/ reverse crunch
9, 10, 11

I ended up doing this workout at home which my husband enjoyed.. anything to get a laugh! He enjoyed the fire hydrant/leg lifts.. (perv)

I know I didn't push myself to my max during this workout but at least I did it. I hate it when I have to many days in between working out because it just seems so much harder. I know you lose endurance really quickly so I'm trying to be more consistent about everything I do in my life! So don't be hard on your self!! It's never to late to make changes! :)

Now for a delicious and healthy Chili recipe
This Chili has some kick so if you don't want it spicy then leave out the cayenne!

Turkey Chili~serving size 1 1/2 cups makes about 6 servings (I'm guessing) about 490 calories per serving!
1 Tbls coconut oil
1 cup cooked Quinoa Or 1 lb Ground Turkey Breast
1 onion chopped as big or small as you like
1 yellow or orange bell pepper chopped
1 red bell pepper chopped
2 cloves minced garlic
3 Tbls chili powder
1/2 tsp paprika
1 tsp dried oregano
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt.. any is fine but I use celtic sea salt.. I'd recommend using at least sea salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 cups water
1 28 oz can crushed tomato
1 15 oz can tomato sauce
1 15 oz cans red kidney beans... low sodium kind 

1 15 oz can pinto beans

1 10 oz pkg of frozen corn 

saute onions, peppers, and garlic, remove from pan, if using turkey, brown at this point. once turkey is cooked add sauteed veggies back into pan. Then add in your tomatoes and spices. If making this recipe Vegan.. add in your cup of cooked Quinoa now.

Let simmer for at 30 mins to an hr. Add in your kidney beans and let simmer another 30 mins. This recipe stated to cook at least 30 mins, so if your in a time crunch you could add the kidney beans in when you add all the rest of the ingredients and cook it for 30-45 mins. But it will taste so much better cooked a bit longer!

Garnish however you like... I usually garnish with a little Better than sour cream, a little pepper jack Daiya cheese, cilantro, and don't forget a few Organic corn chips. For non vegans garnish with Sour cream & cheese...

I really hope you enjoy this as much as my family.. the turkey takes it to a whole new level.. it's melt in your mouth delicious!

Ciao
oxoxoxo Sherice