Homemade How To : Cleaning Spray

One of the first things I tried making myself was this cleaning spray. We've been using it for about a month now and it's doing it's thing well. We've also gotten used to the unique aroma. I was a bit dubious about using vinegar to clean with, as my other craft is candle making and so the scent of my home is important to me. Although the scent of the spray is different from the chemical clean smell I was used to, it certainly doesn't make my house smell like a chip shop! No one has yet visited the house and commented on the pong, except to pick out the lavender in it.

To make this cleaning spray you will need:

• tap water
• white vinegar
• lavender essential oil 
• empty spray bottle

Get yourself an old spray bottle and wash out all residue of whatever was in there previously. Fill half the bottle with water. Fill the rest of the bottle with vinegar and add a teaspoon of lavender oil. That's pretty much it!

The oil will separate, so remember to upturn the bottle to mix it again before you spray.  

Make it your own! You don't have to use lavender oil, you could consider something fresher such as pine or lemon. I find these remind me too much of public loo cleaners, so I prefer to avoid them, but that's just personal preference. (If you're using any essential oil I would advise you to research it a little first. Some people have allergies toward different ones and some are to be avoided while expecting etc.) 

I'm sharing this info as it's part of my journey to have an eco-sensitive home. I'm still learning, so there is no wrong or right way to go. I've found this works for me, but if it doesn't work for you, do some research online. There are hundreds of variations out there, with different cleaners for different things. I am trying to keep things as simple as possible, so I'm using this for pretty much everything. I use a diluted version as a floor cleaner which had pleasing results. We have tiled floors and giving them a rinse with this and a rub down with a damp cloth did a good job. Try to avoid disposable kitchen towels and cloths. Like most things that are labeled as biodegradable, they only biodegrade efficiently when exposed to light and oxygen, which doesn't happen in landfill. I cut up old bath robes and towels to use for cleaning. They can be used and laundered many times, whilst withstanding the odd boil wash for good measure. 

The first time I made this I reused an old plastic spray bottle as I didn't want to invest in a glass one until I knew I wanted to keep making this stuff. Once I found that it was suitable for my needs I purchased a reusable glass one in amber. As with anything containing essential oil, amber or darkened  glass is advisable as they are light sensitive. A good quality spray nozzle is worthwhile too, as the one on the plastic bottle I tried to reuse had a tendency to block. I buy all of my amber bottles from Baldwins, a London herbalist, as well as many other ingredients used in my homemade products. You can buy a separate spray nozzle to fit their syrup bottles. You should be able to find similar products online with a little internetting. 

I use this spray in my kitchen and bathroom on work surfaces and ceramics. Don't use on wood as essential oils can be damaging. While on the subject of wooden surfaces, I no longer use furniture polish. Since spending some time volunteering in the conservation team at a country house I realized that they never used furniture spray. Most of my furniture is vintage or antique, so now I just give them a wipe over with a soft cloth to remove the dust. Occasionally as a treat I use a traditional solid polish, but day to day a simple wipe over works fine. With an open fire, this needs to be a daily job anyway, though I confess it rarely gets done that frequently!

As with any cleaning products, engage some common sense when using and don't get in your eyes or ingest. Seek medical assistance if this happens. Also be careful of the surfaces you're using them on. Although this is a far more natural alternative to the chemical laden cleaners you buy in the shops, it does require some care when using. 

We used to spend several pounds (£) a week on our various cleaners and sprays. The most expensive element of this mix is the lavender oil, but now I'm using this all the time it's worth buying it in bulk and it works out much cheaper. Although this exercise was more to do with being less reliant on branded products in disposable containers (both the vinegar and lavender oil come in glass bottles, so can be easily recycled) the savings when it comes to money are indeed,  a happy accident. 

Living in Sympathy with Our Planet - Where To Start

Someone said to me today 'you're really getting into this 'eco' thing, aren't you?'. 

Well, yes. It's rather important to me. It makes me sad to think that my friend's children and grand-children will suffer because our generation didn't want to compromise on our way of life to offer them a better one. There's a plethora of articles out there predicting just when the world will become uninhabitable or when we will start to run out of things we take for granted. Mostly they're read by people who already have some awareness of these things and are probably not the ones causing the most environmental damage. I guess this article will be one of them! I hope that some of my friends will read this, but I doubt very much the ones living the least sustainable lives will click that link from my facebook page or twitter feed. (If you are one of my friends and you did click that link, I thank you and let it be known that I think the world of you and your friendship!) 

I decided that to help those that perhaps haven't read my blog before or chatted about some of the changes in my own life, I'd compile a little list of ideas that you could start adopting in everyday life. Everyone knows that building an eco-house or only eating your own home-grown organic food is great for the environment, but lets face it - the majority of people aren't able to do this! It doesn't mean you can't do your bit though. There are many ways you can slowly start living a life with less impact and start improving the fortunes of our future world. If we all do a little bit, maybe just one change to our habits a month, we can give our descendants a fighting chance of a good life.

This list is in no particular order. Some have more immediate results than others, while some require more effort on our part than others. The way I look at it, if you're doing none of them at the minute, then any change is going to help and inspire others to do likewise. 

• Saving energy around the house and at work. Start switching off appliances at the wall. Turning off lights and portable heaters when you're not in the room. If you can do something manually, then don't use an appliance for it!  
• Start eliminating plastics. Buy goods or food loose where possible and favour stalls and shops that use paper bags or allow you to take your own. Natural packaging tends to be more sustainable and easier to recycle. Paper, fabric or glass are preferable to plastic! When you need to replace a plastic item because it's worn out or broken, see if you can replace it with one crafted in a sustainable material. Typing the work 'eco' or 'sustainable' in front of a word often helps find things on the internet!
• Avoid processed food. If you have time one day, take a look at some of the things in your food cupboard. Have a look at the ingredients and ask yourself if you really know what all those additives and unpronounceable ingredients really are. Every time you buy one of those branded, processed foods you're giving big manufacturers power to control your health as well as your purse strings. If you don't have time to cook fresh every day, then be prepared to have the same meal a few days in a row and batch cook. It'll save you money and you'll know exactly what you're eating. If you can't do this all the time, then try  changing your habits gradually.
• Don't support companies that offer free toys and gimmicks. All those free-bees have to be manufactured and are completely unnecessary. If a company has to bribe customers with the offer of free toys, then they obviously don't get enough custom by way of superior customer service or value for money. It also shows that the company concerned doesn't care for the environment, as it's willing to manufacture unnecessary products to increase their own profits. 
• Buy vintage or pre-owned. Every time you buy something new it has to be manufactured somewhere in the world. A factory is spewing out pollution and natural resources are being used, all because someone somewhere has a fancy for something 'new'. Naturally there will always be some level of manufacturing necessary, but all too often people buy new when they don't really need to. Clothes, furniture, household items and gifts - all can be bought second-hand. The damage caused by these things has already happened and can't be undone, so use them until they can no longer serve a purpose (then try to upcycle them  into something new!!)
• Like modern style and can't cope with vintage? Buy handmade!. If you can afford it, you can easily support small, local and sustainable businesses by buying items that are handmade. A quick search on the internet and you'll find many gifts and homeware items that are natural and eco-friendly. Buying from local fairs also means that you can reduce travelling distances, and therefore the need to have pollution causing planes, cargo carriers and lorries bringing them across the world to your door.
• Be happy with who you are. That's right. If you're reading this and wanting to do something amazing for future generations, then you're a wonderful human being! You don't need validation from anyone else, so stop worrying about what others think of you. Keeping up with trends and following fashions stops us being individuals; being an individual means you can wear your charity-shop bargains with pride, display our homemade creations for all to see and get on with enjoying the natural world in all it's glory. Lose the plastic nails, fake tan and oh-so obvious 'status' symbols. The real you doesn't need them. If you can make your home clean, safe and comfortable then you have everything you need to be happy. We're not celebrities, no one cares if our shoes are last season. Seriously, no-one! If you're friends don't want to be friends with you if you're not 'on trend', then they're not friends and they'll probably not even be in your life a few years from now. If they care about you they'll accept you, even if they think this 'eco-friendly thing' is a bit weird!
• Go meat-free. Surely the most contentious item on the list! Easy for me to say, but with population reaching crisis numbers, an omnivorous diet simply isn't sustainable. Regardless of your view on animal rights, the meat and dairy industry contributes MASSIVELY to global environmental problems. If you're interested in how, then I suggest you search out the 'Cowspiracy' documentary and check out the facts and figures. These days living on a plant based diet is easier than ever before. We have dairy free cheeses, milks, puddings, chocolates, protein filled meat substitutes and an alternative to most things you could want for a 'normal' diet. You can even get fake egg for baking and hundreds of internet pages telling exactly where your protein will come from! Follow this blog for weekly vegan recipes!
• Make your own if you can. With a little bit of looking, you can find DIY, all natural recipes for everything from household cleaners to face-creams! Pinterest is a treasure trove of excellent ideas!
• Lower your expectations. Modern life is full of instances where we expect things to be instant, easy or affordable. Sometimes things are worth waiting for or doing without entirely. Look at things and ask 'do I want this or do I need this?' Life is just as good when things are waited for, saved for or worked for.
• Do something for nature.Biodiversity is vital to our planets existence. Every living thing contributes something to our world, whether it's the way it lives or the food chain it's part of. Whether your house has three acres or a single window box, you can do something to help wildlife. Ditch the chemicals and go organic. Don't be so precious about your lawn and don't be offended if a nettle appears in your patch, embrace your weeds for they are loved by bees and vital pollinators. Gardens aren't for show, they're living spaces where things thrive and survive. Just because you don't like something doesn't mean it has to die! Let it be and get on with your day. You'll soon find that a natural balance appears and suddenly your garden is beautiful anyway. If your neighbours complain at your weedy plot tell them you're doing it for nature and to mind their own business! Consider putting up a bird feeder, sowing some wild seeds or making an insect hotel!
• Think about your actions. While carrying out an ordinary routine, take a moment to think about the suggestions above and decide the impacts your actions are having. Are you using something that requires manufacture and when you're done with it can it be recycled? 
• Find out what your environmental footprint is. Using the WWF footprint calculator you can gauge how you're doing in general. It's not an exact science, but you can get a rough idea about how sustainable your lifestyle is.  I thought I lived a fairly sustainable life, but I found out that if everyone lived as I do we'd still need 1.49 planets to meet demand! I still have some way to go, even after all these changes I've adopted.
• Teach your kids not to be wasteful and appreciate what they've got. They are the ones in whose lifetime the natural resources will start to run dry. If you bring them up to follow a few of these suggestions their lives will surely be easier in the future and they won't have to make such big changes to their life somewhere down the line. 
• Start buying things which can be re-used instead of being disposed of after a single use. There are alternatives you wouldn't eve consider out there. Ladies, did you know that there are re-useable sanitary products for that time of the month?  and what do you think babies wore before disposable nappies? Yes, it all requires a little more effort, but take a moment to think about how many used items end up in landfill (or worse, our oceans) every year?!? If you have, or are having a baby, have a little read of this article and consider a re-usable alternative.After all, it's their future we're all working to protect.
• Chose the natural world over commercial entertainment. Leave the shops, theme parks and artificial amusements behind and start exploring what Mother Nature has to offer. Get out in the fresh air and start exploring. Many organizations have activities to introduce all generations to the natural world, so check out your nearest National Trust, RSPB or local nature reserve has to offer this summer! 

There are many other ways of doing your bit and these are just a few of the considerations I've made on my personal journey so far. I'm sure I will share more thoughts in the future. By far the easiest thing you can do is keep an open mind and start paying attention to the decisions you make. 

Every single thing we do has an environmental impact. It's up to you whether they are positive or negative impacts. Only you can be brave enough to turn the negative ones into positive one, so please share this post with your friends and start making a difference today! 

The internet is cram-packed with articles on all manner of environmental concerns. Some are warnings of impending doom and some make fun of those trying to make a difference against such hopeless odds of success. Here are a few I've read in the last few months that are worth a little look :

The Environmental Impact of Disposable Diapers

A child born today...

Our Generation Does Give A Damn

Cowspiracy  and the California Drought

China's Toxic Lake

Potato and Haggis Pasty Recipe (Vegan)

Yeah, I know! Who'd have thought it. Vegan safe haggis! I first discovered Macsween's Vegetarian Haggis when I moved to Scotland a few years ago and decided to hold a Burns' night celebration. Since then I've used it as a very filling addition to our roast dinners (when able to get it, that is; now I'm back in England and our local Waitrose only seems to stock it between Christmas and Burns' night, which is frustrating!) Have a look online if you can't get it locally, or take a holiday in Scotland and stock up - it freezes well! 

I am fond of a good pasty and the haggis seemed like a good consistency to try out in one. My boyfriend seems to think these are rather good too, as they are a little more peppery than I would usually make and have a meatier texture for those who miss it. He went from full-on meat eater to vegan overnight after watching the  Cowspiracy documentary, so didn't give himself an easy task when it came to transitioning. He was most annoyed when he found out that the only meat substitutes he'd heard of (Quorn) weren't even safe for vegans!  

This recipe makes about ten pasties, though that rather depends on how big you make them! I find that pastry doesn't always hold together very well at the edges without the beaten egg 'glue', so I make rectangle ones with the edge underneath. You may prefer to make proper pasty shapes though, it really doesn't matter.

Ingredients

2 packs puff pastry (making vegan puff pastry is a skill I haven't mastered, so I prefer to by it!)

12oz potato, cut into small cubes

1 litre boiling water

1 medium red onion, cut into small chunks 

1 medium white onion, cut into small chunks(I'm sure leeks would work just as well if you didn't want two types of onion)

3 oz vegan hard cheese, grated (I use a strong cheddar style one from Tesco's own range)

1 Macsween Vegetarian Haggis, chilled but not frozen (other brands of vegetarian haggis are available, but you'll need to check that they're vegan as I've not tried them out)

1 tsp dried sage

1 tsp dried oregano

Olive Oil for frying

Soy Milk for glazing

Flour for rolling out.

Preheat your oven to 200C

In a saucepan put the boiling water and potato on to simmer until soft. When they're done, drain them well and sit them to one side. It doesn't matter if they cool, so this can be done a little in advance.

Fry the onions in the olive oil using a small frying pan until they start to soften, but not colour. (they will finish cooking in the oven, so don't overdo it)

Get a large mixing bowl and break open the haggis. Give it a mash with a fork just to break it up and then mix in the onions, drained potato and grated cheese. 

Flour your pastry board and sprinkle it with half of each herb. Roll out one slab of pastry, so that the herbs press into the pastry as you roll. Repeat the same with the other slab of pastry. Cut the pastry into rectangles about 6 x 5 inches or use a saucer to cut around for traditional pasty shapes.

Pile a good spoonful of mixture into the centre of the pastry and press lightly with your hands to get more in if necessary. This makes milking the pastry edges neater and wrapping the pasty into it's final shape less messy. It also makes sure you get the maximum about of filling in per pasty. The filling will shrink on cooking and you want to try and avoid having those ones where it's all air and pastry! 

Here's one I was making in a more traditional pasty shape!

Fold the pasty into your preferred shape and press any edges together with a fork. Place onto a baking sheet and brush with milk before placing in the middle of your oven and putting on for 30 minutes. For anyone who has read my blog before, you'll know I have a very temperamental oven! I always urge you to keep a watch on your food while it's cooking as your appliance may be more efficient than mine and you may prefer to adjust your cooking temperature or times accordingly. 

Any Veg Creamy Soup Recipe (Vegan) aka The Only Soup Recipe You'll Ever Need!!

Well, that title may not appeal to everyone, but for me it is true. This is the ONLY soup recipe I ever use! Using basic quantities, you can make a creamy soup, using whatever vegetables you have to hand. It doesn't matter what you put in, so long as the overall weight to fluid ratio is about right. It doesn't really matter if you use slightly more or less vegetables to fluid, as it just means your overall soup will be thicker or thinner, which is largely down to personal taste anyway. It freezes well, so you can make up a cauldron full and have some on hand for lazy days.

Ingredients

16oz diced vegetables (It doesn't matter how much of each, or what selection use use) I use potato, sweet potato, leek, onion, cauliflower, parsnip and brocolli. Generally speaking, the more parsnip use put in the sweeter it will be; the more potato and cauliflower the creamier it will be. I like to have a good variety if I have it. This is especially useful for using up all those veg that are starting to get a bit rubbery in the bottom of the store :-)

2 pints of vegetable stock

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp dried sage

Olive Oil

Make sure you weigh the diced vegetables, not the natural weight and remember that the smaller you dice, the quicker your vegetables will cook.



Put the vegetables into a large saucepan and add enough olive oil to  lightly coat the vegetables (usually a couple of tablespoons). Turn up the heat and sear the vegetables without burning. Once all the vegetables are coated and have had a go at the bottom of the pan, add the boiling stock water. Add the herbs. Give the pan a stir and bring to the boil, then simmer with the lid on until the vegetables are cooked through.

Pour the vegetables and the cooking liquid into a blender and blitz until smooth. Return to the pan and reheat if necessary. This can be cooked in advance and left in the pan for re-heating later.

Serve with bread or oatcakes.

If you make too much then leave it to cool and freeze.

Imam Bayildi Wraps - Sweet Spiced Auberine/Egg Plant (Vegan)

This dish is usually served in aubergine shells, however I prefer to use it as a hot wrap filling.

You will need to make or buy some tortilla wraps to serve. (At some point I'm going to try using these as baked wraps, as I do with my chili-wrap filling, but not today)

Ingredients for the Imam Bayaldi to serve four

2 tbsp Olive Oil
2 Onions, very finely chopped
4 small or 2 large Aubergines (or Egg Plants for my American friends)
4 tinned Plum Tomatoes, finely chopped
2 oz Sultanas
2 tsp Ground Mixed Spice
2 tsp Sugar
2 Garlic Cloves, crushed or finely chopped
2 Bay Leaves

Add the olive oil and the onion to a pan and gently cook until just soft.

Finely chop the aubergine and add to the onions, along with the remaining ingredients.  Cook (covered) over a medium heat for 15 - 20 minutes. It's at this point you may see where this dish's other name, The Fainting Imam, comes from. The smell is divine and definitely worth a little swoon! Traditionally this mix was scooped into aubergine shells and served cold, however I prefer it still warm. Pull out the bay leaves, then divide your mixture between the tortillas and wrap them up in the usual way for serving. 

Basic Flapjack Recipe with Damson & Spice Variation (Vegan)

This is one of my favourite sweet treats! I start by making a basic flapjack mix, which can then have anything you want added to it. In this version I'm adding fresh damsons and warming spices. 

Damsons are one of my favourite fruits, but are not widely available, so dark-skinned plums are the next best thing. I'll come back to the damsons at the end of this post, but for now lets get cooking! 

Usually I measure ingredients in lb and oz, but for this recipe we'll be using cup measures as it makes it all so much easier.

Ingredients for basic flapjack

1 1/2 cups Vitalite (You can probably use any dairy-free spread, but I haven't tried them!)

9 tbsp Golden Syrup

5 cups basic porridge oats

1 1/2 cups soft brown sugar

Sunflower/Vegetable oil for greasing the tray

For the variation

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp mixed spice

4 damsons/plums cut into 1/8 sections 

You will also need a shallow tray-bake type tray, oiled and lined with grease-proof paper. 

 Start by gently melting the Vitalite on the hob. Take care not to cook the stuff, so it's better to put on a very low heat and wait patiently :-) 

When it's melted you mix in the oats, syrup and sugar. It takes some stirring and after a time you'll see that it gets a good gooey consistency. 

At this point you have your basic flapjack. If you want, you could cook it plain or take the opportunity to add your favourite dried fruits, nuts, seeds or spices. (A few ideas I'm going to try are listed at the bottom!) 

To the plain mix you now add your spices and fruit, combining well.

Tip out into your prepared tin. I use a tin slightly larger than I need so that the mixed can be poured and pressed in the centre, leaving the ends away from the tin. This isn't vital, but you'll find that the flapjack gets very crunchy where it touches the metal and I prefer to have as much soft flapjack as possible! 

I find that there is a huge variation in ovens and their efficiency. I'm going to share how I cook these according to my temperamental oven, but you may find it prudent to keep an eye on your flapjack while cooking as you may have to adjust cooking times according to your own equipment! 

I place my tin in the bottom have of my oven, which has been preheated to 180 C. I'll turn the tin around a few times during cooking as my oven doesn't cook evenly and I have hot spots! For me it takes 30 minutes to cook these, but I would check often after about 20 minutes to make sure they're not getting too well done. When it's cooked it should be firm but not crunchy. You should be able to score your cutting lines without them merging back together! 

Allow to cool completely before cutting the flapjack into sections. Flapjack is one of those things that everyone seems to like done differently. I like mine quick soft and gooey, not at all like the crumbly stuff you often buy in the shops. It's worth experimenting a little and adding different things to perfect this recipe to your own tastes. 

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I chose damsons for this recipe as I find they work so well with spices (try making a spiced damson oaty crumble!) but as I said they tend not often to be stocked by supermarkets. They are a subspecies of plum, but with a different flavour to most plums you can buy. I'm a great fan of orchards, so if you have a sunny space why not consider growing one? They're a little bit different and, I believe, worth the effort. My current plot is too small, but when I can spread my wings a little I intend to have several different varieties (along with greengages, another favourite of mine!) 

When it comes to using fresh fruit in flapjack some care should be taken, but I think it's worth a little experimentation. I am going to try fresh raspberries in my next batch, maybe then drizzled with dark chocolate!

Other ideas for varied flapjack could be stem ginger or dried fruits such as blueberries, crimson raisins, cranberries, apricots and apple. 

If you have a go at any variations I'd love to hear about them!   

Our Summer Break in Scotland

Well we're home now from our little break in Dumfries and Galloway. We had a great time walking and nature watching, admiring bluebell woods and sitting up at sun-set to spot otters.

For me it was an inspiring trip too. As we visited various places I picked up many ideas that I can use in future projects and we both had to overcome the challenges of finding vegan food while we were out! 

One of my favourite parts of the trip was the visit to Samye Ling Tibetan Monastery in Eskdalemuir. There you can go to relax and be at peace. The environment is perfect for escaping modern life! We had a happy hour in the little vegetarian cafe, where they prepared a cheeseless toastie and hot mug of chai tea for us. A walk around their kitchen garden made me a little envious of the space. They has large, orderly beds of various herbs. I've never seen such a lot of horseradish in one bed! The chives and mint looked wonderful too and made my army of little pots look a little feeble.

We also had a good walk along the riverbank there and left feeling like we'd had the perfect start to our holiday. Over the course of the next week we did much walking, mostly through bluebell woods and with many stops at hides to watch wildlife. The red squirrels were a highlight as we don't get them in Cambridgeshire. It reminded me of the delight in welcoming wildlife into my garden.. Nature is a wonderful thing and sorts itself out without our meddling. This little squirrel was at Threave House and Gardens, which is owned by the National Trust for Scotland. We also saw them at Ken Dee Marshes and Eskrigg Reserve. Other wildlife highlights were seeing Osprey at Threave Castle, sitting out at 11pm to see otters at Wood of Cree and watching a wonderful show by the Swallows and House Martins at Wigtown Bay.

The wildflowers were looking lovely everywhere we went and I'm pleased to have seen some happy bees along the way. If I'm honest I didn't see as many bees as I would have expected for the amount to blooms that were out. We found some beautiful coastal flowers down by St Ninian's Cave, on the Wigtownshire coast. The walk to the coast is a scenic one at the moment, being through a woodland with bluebells and wild onions. We heard many birds in the trees on the mile long path between the car park and the pebble beach; the highlight for me was seeing a tiny Goldcrest! When we got down onto the rocks we were treated to this beautiful array of colourful flowers.

If you're looking for an unspoiled area, with massive amounts of interest then you can't go wrong with a trip to Dumfries and Galloway. The people are more than welcoming and there are so many things to see, you'll be booking your second holiday in no time! We were lucky with the weather and didn't really have to change our plans to accommodate it.  If you'd like to view my holiday snaps you can see them on facebook.

As ever the only downside was the lack of freedom when it came to finding places to eat out. We made ourselves picnics everyday, but it was noticeable how difficult it is to just pop in somewhere for a cup of tea and a cake after a long walk. We found a couple of places that had maybe one or two vegan options, and another that was happy to change one of their snacks to make it suitable, but there is a long way to go yet! We did find a cafe in Wigtown called ReadingLasses that had soy available and a couple of vegan options, which was welcome. There is definitely a need for more suitable cafes with the amount of people getting clued into the damaging effects of a non-vegan diet! I did stop into my favourite little health shop, Sunrise Foods in Castle Douglas, while I was there and stock up on a few things I can't get easily in England. It's a great place to buy loose teas, coffee, herbs and spices! 

For me it's back to work and my little eco-mission. No more holidays for us this year! Over the coming weeks I'm going to be experimenting with various recipes in my continuing attempts to replace my store bought products with homemade alternatives... follow the blog or like us on facebook to see how I get on!