All About Life Without Maids

[contact12]

micollh:

kitab:

[quote=\"micollh\"]still i cant settle on the dinenr portion as i feel proper meals is very important for my kids.. any more idea...no tingkat (not healthy).. steam all the time.. i will go crazy...

Milcollh, i think soups in slow cookers are good. i boil lots of soup... even vege is cooked in steam rather than stir fry. fish and chicken either stew or baked also can. i think we should share receipes...... i'm sure we can all make it to maidless world. jy

i wish i can go maidless.. cos i dun want to depend on maid during my kids growing up years.. can share more of ur recipess.. like mon to fri what u cook.. heee.. so i have the courage to go ahead..once my maid contract expire this coming July..[/quote]Hi all, the cooking part should not be a problem. You just need to plan ahead for the week. Write down the dishes you want to cook from Monday to Friday. Eat out for the weekends. Use Sunday for marketing and preparing some dishes. For example:
Sunday-Cook a large quantity of spaghetti bolognese sauce. You can add peas and carrots to the sauce to increase the vegetable component. Freeze half the amount. Marinate the chicken using jamie oliver's recipe, reference: http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/chicken-recipes/roast-chicken-with-lemon-rosemary
Menu
Monday-spaghetti bolognese
Tuesday-roast chicken, serve with green salad.
Wednesday-salmon with teriyaki sauce. Put the sauce on the salmon fillets together with spring onion and ginger. Wrap into parcels using aluminium foil and grill. Serve with rice and miso soup. Put green vegetables and tofu into the miso soup.
Thursday-potatoes in bolognese sauce. Wash russet potatoes and prick skin all over with fork. Microwave wet potatoes till soft. Microwave frozen bolognese sauce. Remove potato skin and serve with cheddar cheese and bolognese sauce.
Friday-claypot rice using rice cooker. Reference:http://www.noobcook.com/chicken-lup-cheong-rice/
Reading the food blogs and talking to friends give me ideas for easy and healthy home cooked meals. I want my children to look forward to coming home for dinner.

[micollh]

contact12:

Hi all, the cooking part should not be a problem. You just need to plan ahead for the week. Write down the dishes you want to cook from Monday to Friday. Eat out for the weekends. Use Sunday for marketing and preparing some dishes. For example:
Sunday-Cook a large quantity of spaghetti bolognese sauce. You can add peas and carrots to the sauce to increase the vegetable component. Freeze half the amount. Marinate the chicken using jamie oliver's recipe, reference: http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/chicken-recipes/roast-chicken-with-lemon-rosemary
Menu
Monday-spaghetti bolognese
Tuesday-roast chicken, serve with green salad.
Wednesday-salmon with teriyaki sauce. Put the sauce on the salmon fillets together with spring onion and ginger. Wrap into parcels using aluminium foil and grill. Serve with rice and miso soup. Put green vegetables and tofu into the miso soup.
Thursday-potatoes in bolognese sauce. Wash russet potatoes and prick skin all over with fork. Microwave wet potatoes till soft. Microwave frozen bolognese sauce. Remove potato skin and serve with cheddar cheese and bolognese sauce.
Friday-claypot rice using rice cooker. Reference:http://www.noobcook.com/chicken-lup-cheong-rice/
Reading the food blogs and talking to friends give me ideas for easy and healthy home cooked meals. I want my children to look forward to coming home for dinner.

Thanks dear.. will keep in for my reference...

[kitab]

contact12:

Hi all, the cooking part should not be a problem. You just need to plan ahead for the week. Write down the dishes you want to cook from Monday to Friday. Eat out for the weekends. Use Sunday for marketing and preparing some dishes. For example:
Sunday-Cook a large quantity of spaghetti bolognese sauce. You can add peas and carrots to the sauce to increase the vegetable component. Freeze half the amount. Marinate the chicken using jamie oliver's recipe, reference: http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/chicken-recipes/roast-chicken-with-lemon-rosemary
Menu
Monday-spaghetti bolognese
Tuesday-roast chicken, serve with green salad.
Wednesday-salmon with teriyaki sauce. Put the sauce on the salmon fillets together with spring onion and ginger. Wrap into parcels using aluminium foil and grill. Serve with rice and miso soup. Put green vegetables and tofu into the miso soup.
Thursday-potatoes in bolognese sauce. Wash russet potatoes and prick skin all over with fork. Microwave wet potatoes till soft. Microwave frozen bolognese sauce. Remove potato skin and serve with cheddar cheese and bolognese sauce.
Friday-claypot rice using rice cooker. Reference:http://www.noobcook.com/chicken-lup-cheong-rice/
Reading the food blogs and talking to friends give me ideas for easy and healthy home cooked meals. I want my children to look forward to coming home for dinner.

woah... i like your meals.... i have never been disciplined enough to plan my meals for the week in advance... i always do my cooking and prepn JIT. but its a good habit to plan during the weekend...... for me, i just buy all the usual vege, fish and meat every weekend.... and when i come home from work... i quickly piang piang piang.. .cook the 2 (usually) dishes for dinner. usu i have a meat and a vege. usu my meals include a wet dish so either the meat or veg will be soupy or have gravy cos my kids dont like dry rice.

Like yesterday's dinner is baked red grouper fillet and chai sin soup served with rice. today i have planned baked salmon and cabbage stir fry.... with more water so that can have cabbage gravy over the rice. hehe..... hubby always said one day, our kids will come home and say they want to to go their frens house for dinenr cos their mummy cooked the same thing everyday. so, milcollh, you are not alone.....

[micollh]

kitab:

woah... i like your meals.... i have never been disciplined enough to plan my meals for the week in advance... i always do my cooking and prepn JIT. but its a good habit to plan during the weekend...... for me, i just buy all the usual vege, fish and meat every weekend.... and when i come home from work... i quickly piang piang piang.. .cook the 2 (usually) dishes for dinner. usu i have a meat and a vege. usu my meals include a wet dish so either the meat or veg will be soupy or have gravy cos my kids dont like dry rice.

Like yesterday's dinner is baked red grouper fillet and chai sin soup served with rice. today i have planned baked salmon and cabbage stir fry.... with more water so that can have cabbage gravy over the rice. hehe..... hubby always said one day, our kids will come home and say they want to to go their frens house for dinenr cos their mummy cooked the same thing everyday. so, milcollh, you are not alone.....

if i were to spend time cooking when i come back from work.. i will nt have time to teach them school work.. if i were to cook then teach school work.. it'll be late.. minimum 830pm onwards.. now they sleep before 9pm..so lots of adjustment need to be done..

Hubby objected my idea to forgo maid. he said will end up arguing who do housework.. im still thinking hard..

[jnj0910]

Does anyone do housework like washing dishes and hand-washing clothes , wearing long plastic gloves?


I need to buy them as I have skin allergy, but can’t find suitable ones anywhere.
the short plastic disposable ones are too short and trap water, making my
allergy and rash worse…

cannot have latex gloves, or wool inside…

help please?
thanks in advance!

[beanstalk]

Have you tried Scotch Brite’s Alore Vera gloves? My ex-helper, who has sensitive hands, say they are good. More expensive though.


Also switch your cleaners to gentler ones (organic or environmentally friendly formulas); avoid the anti-bacterial ones. You don’t actually need strong cleaners on a regular basis, unless your family members have filthy habits or clothes.

[jnj0910]

beanstalk:

Have you tried Scotch Brite's Alore Vera gloves? My ex-helper, who has sensitive hands, say they are good. More expensive though.


Also switch your cleaners to gentler ones (organic or environmentally friendly formulas); avoid the anti-bacterial ones. You don't actually need strong cleaners on a regular basis, unless your family members have filthy habits or clothes.

Thanks for your suggestion! will go look for scotch brite gloves
am already diluting the dishwashing liquid but still doesn't help.

part of the problem is also the constant contact with water... in fact, my feet just
developed the rashes too as my toilets where i do laundry, are wet toilets
going to get slippers to wear in the toilets

appreciate more input from anyone else?
tks!

[Angelight]

One way to solve meals prob is to get the Philips airfryer. I've cut down my cooking time since I got one. It's very convenient, user friendly and best of all healthy cos it doesn't need oil. I bought it as a long term investment for the time comes when I go maidless.

micollh:

kitab:

[quote=\"micollh\"]still i cant settle on the dinenr portion as i feel proper meals is very important for my kids.. any more idea...no tingkat (not healthy).. steam all the time.. i will go crazy...

Milcollh, i think soups in slow cookers are good. i boil lots of soup... even vege is cooked in steam rather than stir fry. fish and chicken either stew or baked also can. i think we should share receipes...... i'm sure we can all make it to maidless world. jy

i wish i can go maidless.. cos i dun want to depend on maid during my kids growing up years.. can share more of ur recipess.. like mon to fri what u cook.. heee.. so i have the courage to go ahead..once my maid contract expire this coming July..[/quote]

[1amber]

jnj0910:

beanstalk:

Have you tried Scotch Brite's Alore Vera gloves? My ex-helper, who has sensitive hands, say they are good. More expensive though.


Also switch your cleaners to gentler ones (organic or environmentally friendly formulas); avoid the anti-bacterial ones. You don't actually need strong cleaners on a regular basis, unless your family members have filthy habits or clothes.

Thanks for your suggestion! will go look for scotch brite gloves
am already diluting the dishwashing liquid but still doesn't help.

part of the problem is also the constant contact with water... in fact, my feet just
developed the rashes too as my toilets where i do laundry, are wet toilets
going to get slippers to wear in the toilets

appreciate more input from anyone else?
tks!

I also have sensitive skin. Since not having a maid, besides the latex gloves that were recommended, I have also tried those (pink and bright green ones - I think the brand is pandex or something) from Giant and Cold Storage. Bear in mind that your hands must be dry before wearing them and the gloves must also remain dry inside. As you have found out, feet must remain dry so proper footwear must be worn. Whatever it is, I must dry myself if any part of my body is wet. If splashed with soap or dirty water I must wash it off and dry myself immediately and change to dry clothes. Immediately after washing things use Cetaphil wash to soften hands and apply a moisturizer. So these items are be placed at my sink. I know it is very lecheh but what to do.

I also rely heavily on magiclean and am now moving towards iRobot and a dishwasher.

[Vevey]

jnj0910:

Does anyone do housework like washing dishes and hand-washing clothes , wearing long plastic gloves?


I need to buy them as I have skin allergy, but can't find suitable ones anywhere.
the short plastic disposable ones are too short and trap water, making my
allergy and rash worse...

cannot have latex gloves, or wool inside...

help please?
thanks in advance!

My 3rd anniversary w/o maid is coming! :rahrah: :boogie:

I'm v problematic, so hv to wear gloves (rashes), rubber slippers (heel pains) & disposable masks (allergic to dust) when doing housework.

Gloves - Giant brand is cheap & good but I think it is latex.
Tried long gloves up to elbow but find them too thick, hot & cumbersome.

In general, check for leaks often (as these r the main culprits for my rashes when wearing gloves) by filling gloves w water (also wash their inners at same time) & then turn them inside out to air dry.

Turn them right side out by trapping some air to \"pop\" the fingers out (I used to spend so much time trying to get each finger right side out until i figure this out!). Then squirt some powder into inners b4 wearing them again.

Dishwashing Liquid - I find diluted Mama Lemon is still too strong 4 me when i don't feel like donning gloves just to wash a cup. Try diluted Ligent. Cheap & good but think they come only in refill packs.

Handwashing collars, cuffs etc b4 machine wash - Fab bar soap for v dirty bits, else normal/hotel bar soap.