2.03.2014

{DIY} Cooking Spray & Veggie Wash

As time goes on and I read new magazines and scavenge Pinterest for the latest crazes, I glean more and more tips on how to eliminate chemicals from my kitchen. I've long been a fan of Seventh Generation's dishwasher tabs (we used them for all the baby bottles we used to wash!), their dish soap and their plant-based anti-bacterial cleaning spray. (For those wondering, I typically buy all their products at Target or Kroger, but a quick search revealed you can order them on Amazon, too!)


So I'd seen a few pins about making your own olive oil cooking spray versus using something like Pam, that contains a lot of added chemicals. I vowed to try it for myself as soon as I'd finished using up what I had and that day came this morning. I grabbed a clean, empty spray bottle and filled it with one part olive oil to five parts water. So, for instance, my spray bottle held 1/2 cup olive oil and 2 1/2 cups water.



The oil and water definitely stay separated in the bottle, so you just have to shake it up real good before you spray anything. I tested it out on some cinnamon rolls I baked for the babies' breakfast this morning and it worked great! They didn't stick to the foil at all and weren't crusty or burnt. I look forward to using this healthy alternative for all my stove-top cooking as well!


For the past several months, I've been making my own fruit and veggie wash as well. It's really complicated, though. Are you ready for this? Fill a spray bottle with half white vinegar and half water. Like I said... complicated. ;) I thoroughly spray down all the fruits and vegetables we eat, including potatoes, and then rinse them in cold tap water. There's no taste of vinegar left behind and I've read that it kills 99% of bacteria on the food. You can use it on salad greens, berries, anything.


I even pour a half cup or so of vinegar into my washing machine sometimes when I've got some bibs or baby clothes that are smelling a little rank and they come out super fresh. It's also great for getting the musty smell out of towels and bed linens. And, again, there's no vinegar odor left behind as you long as it's rinsed!

What's your favorite chemical-free kitchen product?
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9 comments:

  1. I skip cooking spray altogether and use parchment paper to line the dishes that I use in the oven. It works really well for everything; cookies, roasted potatoes, chicken, nothing sticks to it.

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    1. A good idea! I usually have some of that lying around...

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  2. Your math is a little off for the cooking spray. Your directions make it one part olive oil and three parts water. The correct proportions would be 1/2 cup oil and 2 1/2 cups water to make it a 1:5 ratio.

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    1. Ah yes, thanks for catching that! I updated the correct measurements.

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  3. Well you got me using the "Method" and "Generations" cleaning products, you once posted about the many uses of vinegar and wrote how you washed the fruit,now Thanks to you I will be making my own cooking spray..Gee you can teach a "old gal" new tricks:)
    Were the cinnamon rolls homemade? Sound yummy with a cup of coffee:)
    Thanks for sharing:)

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  4. Thank you! I NEED to try these!! I'm on an anti-chemical kick!

    www.chibistk.com

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  5. I love using vinegar for all sorts of different laundry or cleaning. What I do with fruits and veggies is fill the clean sink with water and the vinegar, let them sit a bit and then rinse with cold water. Makes me feel so much better about eating the foods!

    I'm a blogging friend of your Mom's. She is really a special lady! I don't have a clue how you do everything with 4 but I guess it's an "auto" thing when you have multiples. You are an incredible mom!

    xo
    Pat
    P.S. I almost forgot...I absolutely LOVE using Shaklee's Basic H. It can be used for every type of cleaning and is chemical free.

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  6. I use the vinegar/water too but haven't tried the olive oil/water...so thanks! I too am on a mission to rid our home of chemicals! I've been using young living oils for 2 months straight now & am amazed! My goal is to also elominate any medicine I can. Highly recommend checking them out!
    ps...long time stalker, just never take the time to comment...sorry! I've been following you since you were in the hospital & I was too! My youngest is a tad older than your 4. So fun!!! Thoroughly enjoy your blog!

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