Do It Gorgeously: How to Make Less Toxic, Less Expensive, and More Beautiful Products (23 page)

HOW TO

1.
If it’s really warm in your house, your coconut oil will be liquid, in which case just stir in the essential oil.

2.
If it’s chilly and the oil is solid, gently heat the jar in a bowl of hot water before you add your essential oil.

3.
It’s best to apply this conditioner to only the ends of
dry
hair. My daughter is too impatient to wait for anything, so I just have to get her to stand still for 10 seconds while I work about ½ tsp. into the ends of her hair. I do this about half an hour before her shower. When in the shower, I shampoo her hair as usual with a gentle, nontoxic shampoo (see “Miraculous Mama”).

Useful Remedies for Little Ones

Head Lice Treatment

Most of the commercial head lice treatments aren’t effective or safe. I always make my own, and I have found this remedy to be 100% effective.

Yields:
approximately 4 oz.

Application:
Comb your child’s hair to eliminate any tangles. Apply to dry hair, making sure you cover the entire scalp, and take the oil down to the ends of the hair. Cover your child’s head with a shower cap and leave it on overnight. In the morning, shampoo twice and condition with a few drops of jojoba oil. Comb the hair thoroughly with a lice comb. Repeat this entire procedure a week later.

Storage:
4-oz. plastic bottle with pop-up cap (an old shampoo bottle is perfect)

Shelf life:
6 months

1.
Strip the rosemary leaves off their stalks and mash them down with a mortar and pestle.

2.
Place the neem and jojoba oils in a metal bowl set over a pan of boiling water and add the rosemary and the garlic. Heat gently for 15 minutes.

3.
Strain the oil mixture through a piece of cheesecloth into a glass measuring cup. Allow the mixture to cool. Add the tea tree oil.

4.
Pour into the plastic bottle.

Earache Drops

These easy-to-make drops are great and are completely safe for babies, kids, and adults, too. As you need to let the flowers infuse into the preparation for a couple of weeks, make a batch now so you’ll be prepared in case of an emergency.

HOW TO

1.
Simply place all the ingredients in a screw-top glass jar (an old jelly jar is perfect). Shake the jar and place it in a cool, dark spot for 2 weeks. It’ll take that long for the flowers and garlic to infuse their healing properties into the oil.

2.
Strain the oil through a fine mesh sieve and decant the mixture into a couple of dark glass bottles with droppers.

3.
At the first sign of an earache, place 2 or 3 drops in each ear and plug with cotton to keep the oil from running out.

Baby Food

There’s no need to buy baby food in jars, cans, or packages. It’s so easy to make and store that if you care about your baby’s health, your bank account, and the planet, you’ll get yourself in the kitchen for a quick hour once a week and get things going.

Alternative to Buying Jars

Buy yourself a set of Baby Cubes (www.babycubes.com). These are BPA-free small plastic containers with snap-on lids. BPA (Bisphenol A) is a hormone-disrupting chemical that can leach from plastic into food and beverages. The cubes are stackable and are a perfect alternative to jars for storing baby food. Each container is a perfect size for one meal, and if your baby is really hungry, you can give him/her two of them. I also use them for storing homemade chicken and veggie stock.

Store-bought jars of organic baby food can be pricey and are obviously less fresh and nutritious than food made by your sweet self. It’ll take you all of 15 minutes to make a batch—so you have no excuse!

The best vegetables for making baby food are sweet potatoes, corn, squash, green beans, zucchini, peas, and carrots. The best fruits are apples, pears, and plums. Try to buy organic if possible.

If you want to give your baby some interesting combos, try these:

Sweet potatoes and corn

Carrots and zucchini

Peas and green beans

Apples and pears

Apples and plums

Apples and squash or pumpkin

Add steamed brown rice to any of the above combos for babies 6 months and older. Add the rice
before
you blend.

HOW TO

1.
Wash and/or peel your fruits and veggies. Use homemade veggie wash (see “Thrifty and Nifty”).

2.
Steam food until soft and tender, but be careful not to overcook until it’s gray and soggy.

3.
Drain. If you’re using soft or watery fruits or veggies (zucchini, carrots, peas, and fruit) use an immersion blender, as it’s so much quicker and easier. I love to skip having to wash up a blender or food processor whenever possible. You may need to use a food processor for the potatoes and green beans.

4.
Spoon into your containers and allow them to cool completely before fitting on the lid.

5.
Chill for a few hours in the fridge.

6.
Place in the freezer. They will keep for up to 3 months.

Organic Teething Biscuits

Making your own organic teething biscuits will cost you way less than the ones you’ll typically find in a health food store.

Yields:
approximately 12 medium biscuits

Storage:
airtight container

Shelf life:
10 days

1.
Preheat oven to 425°F.

2.
Mix the flour and rice cereal in a medium bowl.

3.
Stir in the oil.

4.
Add enough ice water to create a big, sticky ball of dough.

5.
Transfer the ball to a pastry bag or a plastic bag with the bottom corner snipped off (see “Thrifty and Nifty”).

6.
Pipe out onto a greased baking sheet any shape that takes your fancy. I like to pipe out ring shapes.

7.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Baby Berry Cereal

This is delicious and nutritious for a baby 4 to 12 months old.

Yields:
enough for 1 serving

1.
Bring the water to a boil in a small saucepan and add all the ingredients.

2.
Simmer on a low heat for 5 minutes.

3.
Puree in a blender and add more water if it’s too thick.

Apricot and Banana Porridge

This is a warming meal for a baby 4 to 12 months old.