Mother's going GREEN Day 97 - Maple Flavoured Sugar Water

Every once in a while my children love pancakes for breakfast. We now use an organic wholewheat pancake mix and my son loves the syrup on it.

His dad will often shout from the kitchen: "Hey Josh, want some Maple Syrup on those pancakes?"

I so often interject, "It is not Maple Syrup!!"

Josh looks at us a little confused and response with "Of course, I want Maple Syrup."

Me again "It is not Maple Syrup!!"

"Dad, What is it then?" his enquiring mind wants to know.

"Well son, it is Maple Flavoured Sugar Water."

And pretty much that is what it is. On my husbands last grocery expedition (that is what it is as he will be gone a good 2 sometimes 3 hours to buy 2 weeks worth of groceries) he brought back some real Maple Syrup.

Lets for a moment just compare the ingredients:

Bottle #1: Glucose; Liquid Sugar, Liquid Invert Sugar (whatever that is), Water, Natural and Artificial Flavour, Caramel Colour, Sodium Benzoate, Sorbic Acid, Malitol and last but not least Sulphites

Bottle #2: Pure Organic Maple Syrup

Now when my husband offers Maple Syrup for the pancakes, he is offering the real deal!

Mother's going GREEN Day 83 - Greening my Baby Food

You would think by now I would be a pro at this - now starting my 3rd child on solids... well I think we are getting close to perfecting it.

I remember with my son (our first) - my husband and I would spend one day a month making his food from scratch and then freezing it (in plastic containers and non organic food). We thought he was lucky and getting the best food ever. Our second unfortunately ate everything from a jar (well she hardly ate - did not like much of anything and still doesn't - I am constantly amazed that she survives on what little she does eat - but that is whole other subject). Now our third... they say practise make perfect.

First off we have not purchased any of those fun little plastic dishes to serve their first meals in. One with lids, multiple colours and all those fancy plastic spoons that change colour when the food is too hot. We are using stainless steel teaspoons and little glass containers.

Secondly we are not spending hours preparing her food from scratch and then freezing it. She is basically eating what we eat. If we have carrots - I cook some extra well done - puree it and then serve. Same with peas, potatoes, beets, etc. Fruit like bananas are again pureed and then served. All my kids love apple sauce and we purchase a large container of organic apple sauce and I serve that to her. No need to stock up on those tiny little jars of food (which are not necessarily all recycled by many families out there). I will admit that I do purchase the organic baby cereals - as I do not think I have the time to make those from scratch or even know how - so if you do - please share your thoughts on this.

I am finding my new way of preparing food for my little one to be very simple, easy, fresh organic and 'green' - and she seems to be loving it. Perhaps too because it is my third child I am not being overly concerned about he possibility of allergies and am serving her something different each day (they say you should serve the same food several times to rule out any allergies - since none of my other children have allergies - perhaps I am hoping for the best).

The World Health Organization also suggest that you breastfeed exclusively for 6 months before introducing solids - again as with my first I am not sticking to this. She seems interested and has her first tooth at 4 and half months and is enjoying the food - so I feed her. My philosophy is - if you have teeth you can start on solids - but this is a personal choice.

In closing I would like to say that feeding your baby 'green' is quite simple - I wish I had done so with my other children. But live and learn.

Mother's going GREEN Day 35 - Body Wash and so much more

Body wash- something I have been researching for sometime. Knowing that I would soon run out of my regular chemical ladened body soap - and need to replace it with an environmentally friendly soap.

My search turned up many options some turned out to be quite expensive and then others I questioned how green friendly they were.

Finally I came to a decision. Dr.Bronner's Magic Soap. The bottle lists 18 different uses, but according to their website it has many more. Some uses include: dish washing, car washing, pet washing, laundry washing, deodorant, shampoo and the list goes on.

I purchased the lavender scent for my children and it can be used as a body wash, bubble bath, shampoo you name it. You only need 2 drops of it so I am sure it is going to last much longer than the regular stuff. Lavender I choose for my children to calm and soothe them before bedtime.

For my husband and myself I purchased the peppermint scent - this one because of it peppermint scent you can even use it as toothpaste. We will use this as a face wash too. I chose the peppermint as a fresh lively scent that will get us up and awake it the morning.

I know that I am going to enjoy these soaps. Oh and did I mention that it is Fair Trade too.