Making ends meet

Welcome to the “New Normal”

As you no doubt will have noticed, I have not posted anything in the longest time. The two years or so have been a time of great change and upheaval for myself and the whole world in general.

I, like many other people have been struggling to cope with uncertainty, new pressures, and the general increase of existing pressures.

Many people have lost their income, their home, and their lives too. It’s been a scary time for all of us.

Hope has faded into non-existence for myself and uncountable others. It’s hard to get up in the morning with any sense of hope for the future, when tomorrow may bring new changes and terrors with it.

Life has certainly not gone on as usual, for all of us.

The question is – where do we go from here? Do we just give up, crawl into a corner and quit? Or do we find a new way of doing things, a new future, new possibilities?

I prefer the latter, even though I don’t feel very hopeful or optimistic. I am depressed, tired and anxious, and hope is something I don’t even feel a spark of anymore.

The vast majority of us are definitely feeling the pinch – food prices have rocketed, fuel prices are ludicrous, rolling outages are upon us, and in general the whole world seems to be filled with despair.

So where to from here? I believe the answer lies in the problem. Just as we had to adapt to a new “normal”, we need to adapt to a new normal in the way we do every day things. Look at the situation you find yourself in, and see if there is any way to get a positive out. For example, I have been trying to sell kombucha scobies for the longest time, but no luck. All of a sudden, my sales have increased – I have actually managed to keep us going with the income from the cakes, edible prints and scobies.

There was my positive – people started seeing that they needed to make lifestyle changes and are more concerned with boosting their immune systems and living healthier lives.

Never let anyone tell you something won’t work – it may very well not, but there is always the possibility it will. You won’t know until you try.

I was told my cake business wouldn’t work, and it’s been going for over ten years. That business has meant long hours, hard work and sometimes a lot of frustration, but it has helped keep a roof over our heads all this while.

I made the mistake of listening to people, and several ideas I had have been tossed due to that, but I firmly intend to try them now. I am tired of living this way – never having enough money to do the things that need to be done, not being able to buy proper food and constantly feeling stressed and tense. So, I will try my wacky, unrealistic screwball ideas. They may work, and they may not, but at least I will know either way!

Do you have a screwball idea that you feel may work? Feel free to let me know what it is, and if you have tried it. Has it worked? Or do you need to go back to the drawing board? I’d love to hear from you!

Peppermint bath salt

These are so pretty, and make a great present for Mom, Grandma, or your BFF. You can colour half the salt pink and the other half white, and do a layered effect, although this will work with pretty much any colour. You’ll need:
• A bowl to mix everything in
• 20 drops peppermint essential oil
• 3 tablespoons coconut oil (or baby oil, or any oil you like)
• A spoon to mix with
• 1/2 cup Epsom salt
• 1/2 cup salt
• A glass jar – the small Melrose bottle with label removed works great
• food colouring (optional)

Mix the oils together, then add the salt and Epsom salt. Add food colouring (if using) and mix well. Scoop your mixture into the jars you will be using. Put a pretty label and some ribbon on. Voila – your gift is done.

This is good for four baths – you use around a quarter of a cup per bath. If you want to make more, simply double or triple the recipe as required.

Peppermint bath salts

How to make a Herbal Tincture

We all know tinctures, even though we are not aware of it. Remember the Lennon’s drops we were all doctored with as kids? That is a tincture!

Essentially, herbs are placed in (usually) alcohol, and the medicinal properties of the herb are infused into the alcohol over a period of time. The drops are then used diluted in water for medicinal purposes.

To make a tincture, you will need:

A clean glass jar with lid
Consumable alcohol like vodka or rum- at least 40% alcohol per volume (or apple cider vinegar or food grade vegetable glycerine)
Herbs of choice – please ensure that the herbs are clean, and most importantly, edible! If you are not sure that the “herb” you have is actually a herb, DON’T use it. Better safe than sorry.

How to Make a Tincture

Also called an extract, alcohol tinctures are the most common type and the easiest to make.

First, pick which herbs you plan to use.

Fill the jar halfway with loosely packed dried herbs.

Pour boiling water to just moisten the herbs. (This step is not absolutely necessary, but helps to draw out the beneficial properties of the herbs)

Fill the jar with your alcohol and put the lid on. Store in a cool, dry place, shaking two or three times a day, for a minimum of three weeks. Strain the herbs out through a clean tea towel or something similar.

Store the tincture in a coloured (not clear!) bottle. The dropper bottles work well, as you only use a few drops at a time.

NOTE: You can use apple cider vinegar or glycerine to do this, but it won’t be as strong, and the shelf life is much shorter – around three months if stored in the fridge. Also, you have to be very careful with the glycerine based tincture, as it can go bad very easily.

How to Use Herbal Tinctures

Adults can take ½ to one teaspoon up to three times a day, kids can be given a quarter to a third of the adult dose.

For those who don’t want to, (or can’t) consume alcohol such as children, or pregnant women, the tincture can be poured into a hot liquid like tea to evaporate the alcohol before taking.

Easy DIY Kinetic sand

Given that Christmas is just around the corner (or so I’m told!), I thought it would be fun to do a series of DIY posts that could potentially result in some cool, money saving gifts.

My daughter went gaga for kinetic sand, and nagged endlessly for more and more of it. She loves anything she can mould or shape (probably why she is so keen to help me with cake decorating!). The major downside of her obsession is the cost – the kinetic sand was R 100 per bucket at the time (not sure what the cost is now, we bought the sand some years ago).

Problem solved – here is a recipe for you to make your very own:)

What you will need:

2 ½ cups fine sand – play sand works well, as does the coloured crafter’s sand

1 ½ cups cornflour (Maziena)

Half a cup oil – any oil that you have on hand will work: sunflower, canola; coconut etc

Method:

Mix the sand and cornflour together thoroughly (if you want coloured sand, add a few drops of food colouring at this point)
Now mix the oil in really well. When it has been completely mixed in, your sand is ready for playtime!

Homemade Golden Syrup

If you have ever run out of syrup in the middle of a baking session, I share your frustration. It looks like there’s enough syrup, and it turns out it’s not enough. You have two choices – put the baking on hold, or run out to the shops. Here’s a simple recipe that will solve the problem, and save you a buck while you’re at it!

Ingredients

3 tablespoons water
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/4 cup boiling water
2 1/2 cups sugar
1 lemon slice

Instructions

Pour 3 tablespoons water and 1/2 cup sugar into a saucepan or pot.
Bring to a simmer over medium heat.
When the mixture turns a caramel colour, slowly and VERY carefully add 1 1/4 cups boiling water.
Add 2 1/2 cups sugar and bring to a low simmer.
Add a slice of lemon. The lemon will keep the syrup from crystallising as it simmers. Turn the heat down to low and let the syrup simmer for about 45 minutes.
Remove the candied lemon slice. Let the syrup cool down for a few minutes before pouring it into a sterilised glass jar. The syrup will be thin, but will thicken up as it cools in the jar.
Store in a cool, dry place.

Homemade Baby Bum Cream

Lets’ face it, everything is expensive these days – food, electricity and especially petrol. If you have small children or babies, you know you are going to be paying through the nose for some things – nappies, bum cream, wet wipes etc. for quite some time.

The problem with many products on the market today for nappy rash is the amount of chemicals in them – many people are becoming more conscious about what ingredients are in the products they buy. The other problem is that not all bum creams work on all babies or children, and given the cost, it is quite expensive to try all available products until you find one that works.

Personally, I struggled with my oldest daughter – nothing seemed to work, and she got terrible rashes. A lady at the clinic saved my sanity, by telling me to use cornflour (Maziena) on the rash, either as a powder, or a paste. Well, I didn’t have cornflour, but I went home and tried with flour. I was amazed! I saw a difference from one nappy change to the next, and within days, the rash I had been struggling with for weeks disappeared. Naturally, with my second daughter, I used cornflour, and got great results – she never had a nappy rash, ever!

So, for those of you struggling with nappy rash (and the cost thereof!), why not give this bum cream a try? It may work for you, and if it doesn’t, it won’t break the bank.

Ingredients:

¾ cup coconut oil

¾ cup cornflour (Maziena)

Method:

Whip the coconut oil with a mixer or food processor. Add the cornflour and mix slowly until there is no powder flying around. Then mix on higher speed until everything is well combined. Place in containers and use as needed.

Variations:

You can add a few drops lavender oil to the coconut oil before adding the cornflour. Lavender oil is soothing and helps skin heal (I would suggest around 5 – 10 drops)
You can add some zinc oxide to the mix, just reduce the amount of cornflour by the amount of zinc you are using. One or two tablespoons should do the job.

Homemade Tepache

Anyone who reads my blog will know that I constantly try to find ways to re-use what would ordinarily be thrown away, and to save a buck or three.

Something as delicious as Tepache is a terrific example; not only you do use the pineapple peels that you would normally throw away, you get a great tasting drink that saves you money, and best of all, is actually is good for you.

Tepache originated in Mexico, and was originally made with maize. The recipe has changed somewhat over time, but now is made with pineapple peels, sugar, water, cinnamon and usually cloves. It has vitamin C, vitamin B, vitamin A and magnesium, probiotics and acts as a diuretic too.

Ingredients:

Peels from one pineapple, and top and bottom. Wash the pineapple thoroughly before peeling!

250g sugar

2 litres water (filtered or boiled and cooled)

One stick cinnamon (optional, but I like the light cinnamony taste it gives the drink)

2 cloves (optional)

Method:

Place all ingredients in a glass jar. Stir to ensure the sugar dissolves. Place something on top to keep the peels submerged – I use a ziplock bag, or plastic bag, filled with water to keep my peels under the water. Cover the jar with a clean tea towel or paper towel, secure with an elastic. Now let it ferment for three to five days. Strain through a sieve, and take the peels and blend in a blender or food processor with some of the liquid. Strain, and bottle. Serve on ice, or refrigerate to cool.

Home-made Peri Peri Sauce

Earlier this week, I posted a recipe for lemon and herb sauce, and as promised, here is the hot peri-peri sauce for those who like it hot. The sauce works great for chicken, fish, chips and just about anything you can think of. When making my Nando’s fake-away, this is the hot sauce I marinade the chicken in before cooking. If you baste the chicken while cooking, you get an even hotter version.

INGREDIENTS

300 g red bell pepper, chopped
100 g onion chopped (red onions, if you have them, otherwise, use normal onions)
50 g African Birds Eye Chilli (Use any other spicy variety if these are not available) If you want the sauce milder, use less, and use more to make a hotter sauce.
10-12 cloves garlic (one teaspoon crushed garlic equals one clove, if you don’t have any fresh garlic)
1 tbsp paprika (smoked, if you can get it)
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup white vinegar
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup olive oil (if you don’t have, use sunflower or canola)
1 tbsp dried origano (origanum)
1 tsp lemon zest
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 teaspoon dried rosemary

INSTRUCTIONS

Add all the ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth.
Transfer the sauce into a pot and cook for 15-20 minutes on medium low heat.
Remove the pot from heat and allow to cool.
Pour the sauce in a glass jar and refrigerate for up to 15 days.
Use as required.

***To store for longer periods, sterilise jars, and pour the sauce into the jars, then seal.

Spicy Rice

On Monday, I did a post on Nando’s style lemon and herb sauce. Here is the perfect side dish for the meal – a take on Nando’s spicy rice. I have to say that I am not really a huge fan of rice, but I love this rice. I always make extra, because hubby loves having the rice for lunch the next day.
Every time I cook this, I have a good giggle. I have a friend who told us that when she was newlywed, she called her mom to ask for dinner ideas. Her mother suggested she make Mexican spicy rice. She then made the rice. That night at dinner, her husband, eating the rice, said it was nice, but very crunchy. She didn’t realise that the rice needed to be boiled after being fried! Now I can’t make spicy rice without thinking about her:)

Ingredients:
*1/2 finely chopped onion
*1/2 finely chopped red pepper (you can leave this out, but I think it just adds to the taste)
*2 chicken stock cubes OR chicken stock OR chicken bone broth (you would use 4 cups, and then just add more as needed)
*A handful of frozen peas (or you can just use drained tinned peas, and add it towards the end of the cooking time – say around five minutes before the rice is done).
*1/2 teaspoon cumin
*1/2 teaspoon turmeric
*1/2 teaspoon paprika (I have used cayenne pepper as well, with no real taste difference)
* 4 cups water if not using stock or bone broth
*Chilli powder – depending on how spicy you like it (I have used whole chillies too – we like it spicy, so I add two whole medium chillies)

***Most recipes like this don’t call for garlic, but we love garlic, so I add a quarter teaspoon of crushed garlic to it.

Method:
There are two ways to do this: you can fry the onions and peppers with the spices, add the rice once the onions are translucent and fry the rice lightly. Then add water and your stock cubes, and bring to the boil. Simmer for around 20 minutes, or until all your water or stock is absorbed. You need to keep a fairly close eye on it for the last five to ten minutes, as it does burn easily. Once the water is absorbed, check the rice to see if it is cooked. It should be soft, but not mushy. If it is still a little hard, add some more liquid to it, and cook for a further five minutes or so, until it is cooked.
Method number two: We like the onions and peppers still fairly crunchy, so I fry the onions and peppers, then remove from the pot. Fry your rice and spices in a little oil, and continue with the recipe as above. When the liquid is almost all gone, add the peppers and onions and finish off the rice as above.
Serve with your lemon and herb or peri-peri chicken and a green salad. Yum!

Home made Lemon, Lime and Chilli sauce

We all have our weaknesses – that one thing we absolutely crave. We never eat out, simply because we can’t afford it, and I have an objection to spending 300 bucks on one meal, when I could feed my family for a week on that same amount, or less. Hubby, however, has a huge weakness – NANDO’S! He absolutely loves their food, the hotter the better. He will sit there, sweat pouring off him, and declare the food delicious. While I too have a masochistic streak, it does not extend to having the living hell burnt out of my mouth!

Kiddo and I lean towards the lemon and herb chicken, or the medium for me ( I too like hot food, but not hot enough to kill – I am sure there are less painful ways to commit suicide!:) I have done the whole take-out-fake-out thing, where you try to recreate your favourite take out meal. This is the answer to the Nando’s problem. I usually marinade the chicken overnight (just chuck it in the sauce frozen, place in fridge), and then cook it when I get home from work the next night. I usually serve with my fake-out rice or chips. Hubby gets his Nando’s (his is hot – recipe will be posted later in the week), and I am happy because I don’t have to fork out a small fortune for one meal.

Ingredients:

3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

1 large chilli (de-seeded)

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 medium onion, finely chopped

Juice of 1 lemon (or two tablespoons lemon juice)

Juice of 1 Lime (or two tablespoons lime juice)

1 teaspoon dry or three teaspoons fresh coriander

1 Teaspoon dry or three teaspoons fresh thyme1

1 Teaspoon dry or three teaspoons fresh marjoram

1 Teaspoon dry or three teaspoons fresh oregano

1 teaspoon dry or three teaspoons fresh rosemary

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon of wine (good quality – taste it first, around half a glass – it it’s drinkable, then it’s good for food!)

1-2 tablespoons of water (Depending on the thickness you like)

Method

Blend everything together in a blender/ processor or with your hand blender. If necessary, add a little more water until you reach a consistency that you are happy with.

***The chicken takes on the flavour better if marinaded overnight. You can then pan fry, oven bake or even use the indoor grill to cook the chicken. For the really authentic taste, feel free to start a fire and flame-grill away:)