Dandelion Path

Carrot-Cake Cookies

May 28, 2009

Mmmm, desserts! What would life be like without them? Eating healthily is a huge passion of mine but to be honest, I enjoy the act of making sweets more. This may come as a shock, but I don’t actually “healthilize” my desserts. I figure I’d rather indulge in the real thing and do it only occasionally than compromise on taste by adding whole-wheat flour or breaking the bank my using a cup of honey. There is one thing that I always use though, and that’s butter (rather than margarine or processed oils). We actually go through a LOT of butter in our house. :)

My favorite desserts are ones that incorporate veggies or fruits into them such as banana bread or zucchini bread. I recently came across another recipe that I really like by Martha Stewart. They’re called “Carrot-cake cookies” and while they don’t totally taste like carrot cake, they ARE delicious! With a cream cheese “filling” they’re a bit fancier than the average cookie and totally scrumptious! I did substitute raisins for the currants.

Martha Stewart: Carrot-Cake Cookies

Here’s another version that I’d like to try that includes crushed pineapple:
Allrecipes: Carrot-Cake Cookies

Posted In: In the Kitchen • Comments (0)

Cloth Diapers

Apr 22, 2009

Diapers. It’s a reality every parent faces (unless you’re doing infant potty training). For an eco-friendly and cost-efficient option, cloth diapers can’t be beat! There are SO many different options available now.

With my first daughter I used the traditional pre-fold diapers and pins. It lasted for awhile but I couldn’t stick with it. I admire our mothers who raised all their kids on rubber pants that are a pain to get off and pins that poked them! Some women still use these! If you’re one of these women, way to go! :) With my newest daughter I decided to try what they call, “modern cloth diapers” and they have turned out to be so easy! I actually prefer them to disposables! They breath a lot better so they don’t smell quite as bad.

If you are considering cloth diapers, here are a few recommendations that I’ve been using:
Diapers: Crickett’s Diapers I absolutely LOVE these diapers! I feel like I’m wrapping my daughter in a nice blanket every time I change her! They’re really easy to put on with snaps that create a custom fit for your child as they grow. There are two sizes with this diaper, one for infants, and one for toddlers. The best part is their diapers are made with hemp. Hemp is naturally anti-bacterial and more eco-friendly than other fabrics. The Bummis covers that they recommend didn’t work well for me though. They leaked a lot and didn’t fit my daughter well. I recommend Thirsties diaper covers instead.

Waterproof diaper covers: Thirsties Thirsties diaper covers have been the best investment I’ve made with cloth diapering! Thanks to their design incorporating leg gussets they work extremely well. Combined with Crickett’s diapers my daughter can go all night without leaks no matter how full the diaper is! I wouldn’t use anything else! There are a lot of online stores that sell these but I got mine on sale at Teeni Banini.

Wet Bags: These are a must with cloth diapering on the go. I bought a couple of large ones from Sarah’s Stitches that have worked very well and were inexpensive. You can also find a variety of wet bags on Etsy.

Detergent: After doing a lot of researching I decided on getting a cheap store brand. It works great at getting out the smell without harming the diapers. Here’s a chart to help you find the right detergent:
Detergent Choices

Diaper Rash Salve: Northern Essence This diaper “ointment” is great because it doesn’t cause buildup on the cloth diapers, it smells great, works well and is in a convenient push tube so you don’t even have to get your hands dirty!

As to how I care and launder my diapers, I follow the procedure suggested at this Cloth Diapering University. Doing the “dry pail” method has worked out really well for me. It’s SO much nicer than the “wet pail” method where you have to rinse the diapers and soak them in poopy water.

If you’re interested in trying cloth diapers and have any questions, just let me know.

Posted In: Green Living | Parenting | Pregnancy • Comments (0)

Companion Planting in the Vegetable Garden

Apr 03, 2009

Spring is here and it’s time to plan out our gardens! If your hope is to grow an organic vegetable garden I highly recommend looking into using ‘companion planting’ to help. Basically when certain veggies, herbs or flowers are planted near each other, they can compliment each other by producing larger yields or controlling bad insects. There are a lot of companion planting charts online but I found the following guide to be particularly helpful:
Companion Planting Guide

Posted In: Gardening • Comments (1)

Health and Wellness Fair - Grand Rapids

Mar 25, 2009

If you live in the Grand Rapids, Michigan area you should know about the Genesis Health and Wellness Fair this Saturday, March 28th from 10am to 3pm. This free event will feature over 50 exhibitors as well as several workshops by holistic & natural health experts. There will even be some events for kids! I have connections with several of the exhibitors so I’m super excited about going! My midwife will even be one of the exhibitors! I think it will be great not only to get more information concerning health but also just to be around like-minded people. Living a natural lifestyle can be lonely sometimes in our current culture. It will be good to be with others who value whole foods, holistic health & sustainable living.