Healthy pina colada

I've been adding coconut oil and heavy cream to my smoothies for the extra nutritional fat. Today I had fresh pineapple so I changed up my usual pineapple smoothie (pineapple, water, and aloe vera) and ended up with a delicious pina colada.

For two servings.

1 medium pineapple, skinned, cored, and chopped.
1 1/2 tbsp of coconut oil
1/2 cup of milk (can use coconut milk)
3 tbsp of cream (can use the cream from canned coconut milk)
1 to 2 tsp of honey if your pineapple is on the tart side.
Optional 1 aloe vera stem de-skinned

If you use coconut milk and coconut cream then you may want to cut down on the coconut oil.

Blend and serve.

The easiest sauerkraut recipe

This sauerkraut recipe is so simple and takes very little time. You can make this recipe with just cabbage, or with other vegetables and greens or even fruit. Also, you can make it with or without salt. The salt does give it an extra bit of crispiness. No water, culture, or whey is needed. 

Fermenting your vegetables makes them more nutritious, unlocking nutrients and culturing beneficial bacteria to help your body thrive!

For one batch

Prep time: 10 min Fermentation time: 5-10 days

Equipment:

Make sure all equipment is sterile, you do not want to introduce bad bacteria. 

1 bowl

1 mason jar

a knife

a cutting board

something to press your kraut into the jar with (optional, if your hand fits in the jar you can just use your fist/knuckles)

Ingredients:

1 head of cabbage

1 tsp of sea salt (optional)

I like to make mine with cabbage, carrots, beats, and swiss chard, you can also add in apples, dried berries, spices such as caraway, ginger, garlic, celery zucchini, basically whatever you feel like. 

Adding more veggies, herbs such as parsley, and garlic and ginger make for an awesome immune booster. Not only are their going to be more nutrients from the food by fermenting them, the beneficial bacteria are going to make you have a better immune system also. The probiotics, or beneficial bacteria, in our guts protect us from parasites, harmful bacteria,  and toxic substances including mercury! 

Directions:

• Wash your cabbage. 
• Take of the first 1 to 2 layers of leaves off your cabbage and discard.
•  Take off another layer and save it for later.
•  Take out the core of your cabbage and shred it by slicing it thinly with a knife (I do for one batch) or with some sort of cheese grater. If you are adding any thing else you will want to shred it as well, except for greens like swiss chard just chop those finely. 
• Place all ingredients in a bowl with the salt if you are using it.
• Using your hand, squish and kneed the mixture until the juices are getting released. 
• Press the mixture into some sort of jar with a lid that will seal, such as a mason jar. You want this to be packed tight!
• Using your reserved leaves, cover the top to take up any extra space.
• Cover and keep in a pantry or some place similar. You want the area to have little to no light, be dry, and not to warm or cold. 
• Let it sit from 5-10 days. A week usually works perfect for me but if it is unusually warm or cold it may take less or more time. You may want to keep a tray underneath because it has a tendency to bubble and leak. 

Middle eastern type tomato chicken stuff... or something like that

This was something that I made the other day trying to use up the chicken and couscous that I had, and it turned out really well for such a simple recipe.
Chicken in a tomato and turmeric sauce with vegetables and couscous.

Prep time: 3-5 min Cook time 8-15 min Serves 2

Ingredients:

1 chicken breast, cut into bite sized pieces.

1 14 oz can of diced tomatoes

2 tbsp curry seasoning or 1 tbsp each of coriander and turmeric (you can fiddle around with the spices)

2 tsp to 1 tbsp of garlic powder

1 pound of fresh or frozen veggies, cooked (I used broccoli) 

1 cup of couscous 

1 1/2 cups of chicken or vegetable broth (water will work if need be)

salt and pepper if you used tomatoes and broth without salt

Directions:

Bring the broth to a boil. Add in the couscous, cover and turn to low cooking for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat, fluff the couscous, cover and let sit for another 10 minutes.

Cook the chicken breast in a bit of oil in a pan. Add in the tomatoes (with the juice) and the seasoning. Let that heat up. You can cover it and let it cook on low for a bit to let the spices integrate more if you would like. Put down the couscous first, then the veggies, and then the chicken and tomatoes layered on your plate. Now you have dinner for two. 

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Easy creamy tomato pasta

This is really delicious and so easy to make. It can easily be made vegetarian by omitting the chicken.

Takes about 20 minutes to cook, 10 if you make the sauce while the pasta is cooking, and serves 4.

Ingredients: 

1 pound of pasta cooked, drained and buttered or oiled so that it doesn't stick.

2 tbsp of butter

1 red onion, minced

1/2 pound of chicken thighs or breasts cut into small pieces, about 1/4-1/2 inches

2-4 cloves of garlic, minced
4 large tomatoes chopped (Don't get rid of the juice! This goes in too) or a can of diced tomatoes (you might want to chop them up a bit more)
1/2 cup of cream cheese
1 Tbsp of oregano
1 Tbsp of basil
1/2 cup of olives, chopped
1/2 cup of chopped artichoke hearts
Parmesan or asiago cheese to taste
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Melt the butter in your pan (I left the pasta in the colander and did this in my pot to save of dishes but you can just as easily do this in a saute pan or skillet with high sides.) Cook the onions in the butter with some salt to help them sweat for a couple of minutes or until they soften up and start to become translucent. Scootch the onions to the sides of the pan and add in the chicken. You can season the chicken if you want. Since they are small pieces they should take 2 to 3 minutes to cook. Add in the herbs and tomatoes and let them cook a bit, don't forget to add in the juice that was released when you cut them up. Add in the cream cheese and let it melt into the sauce. Add in everything else but the pasta and let it mix up then combine it with the pasta. Whala you are finished.

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Easy Diy Perfume

I love to use essential oils and hydrosols for perfume instead of that toxic nastiness that you get on your fingers when turning the page in a magazine for a perfume add. Instead of messing up your endocrine system, giving you headaches, and causing cancer in your body, you can actually help your body out with perfume made from essential oils and hydrosols. 

You can make perfume 3 ways, one as a roll on with a carrier oil, 2 as a solid perfume (find my tutorial for that HERE) and 3 as a spray using hydrosols for the carrier instead of alcohol. 

I like to keep things simple with rose hydrosol and chamomile oil in a spray bottle, but you can get as complex as you would like. Bellow I have oils in groups to give you ideas.

For a roll on take a bottle with a roll top and drop in your essential oils first. you will want the oils to go probably about 1/8th to 1/3 of the way up. Experiment with just a little first so that you can test out combinations without wasting any oils. Then fill the bottle up the rest of the way with a carrier oil such as almond.

For a spray perfume choose your mixture of oils and add them to a spray bottle with a hydrosol of your choosing. Hydrosols are the water left over from making essential oils, so they still have the smell and small particles of the essential oils suspended in the liquid. You will want to play around with the ratio of oil to hydrosol because every oil has a different strength to it. 

You can even use floral waters, like orange blossom and rose water that you can get at the grocery store with extracts like vanilla and almond. 
 
Blend ideas for women:
 *Neroli, chamomile, and bergamont are refreshing and relaxing.
*Jasmine, ylang ylang, vanila, cardamom, orange create a romantic scent
*Lavender and vanilla is simple and sweet.

Oil ideas for men: Sandalwood (calms and soothes but also increases testosterone and balances hormones) Frankincense, spruce, fir, cedarwood, vetiver, sage, vanilla, hints of cardamom are nice, basically anything manly. You can go woodsy, or more spicy. 

My favorite is sandalwood with frankincense and cedar with a bit of orange and vanilla. 

You can put oils in a roll on and use them for various problems that you might be having to rub directly on where you need the oils. 

Sore muscles/back pain: Peppermint and clove work marvelously together. You can also add other warming oils like wintergreen, cypress, basil, marjoram, and elemi can be added as well as calming oils like lavender and chamomile.

Endocrine system rosemary, cinnamon, Black pepper, dill, geranium, and frankincense.
  
Fatigue:  Ginger, Peppermint, White Fir, melissa

Help you think: Rosemary, basil, sage/Clary sage, peppermint.
  
Hot Flashes: Peppermint, Geranium, citrus oils, and Clary Sage.  
  
Low Blood Sugar: Cinnamon, clove, thyme,

 Mood: Bergamot, Clary sage, fennel, geranium, lavender, lemon, peppermint, rosemary, sandalwood, blue spruce, ylang ylang, melissa

 PMS: bergamot, Clary sage, fennel, geranium, grapefruit, lavender, Roman chamomile, melissa,

Have fun being creative and smelling fabulous!

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My snack food favorites

It is so difficult to find good alternatives to junk foods but I think that I have come across some pretty good ones that I am going to share with you today.

Find them HERE

I really like Inka Plantain chips. They taste like potato chips, and they have 3 ingredients, Plantains, sea salt, and palm olein. They also have roasted corn, broad beans, and potato chips all made with palm olein instead of canola, sunflower, or safflower oil. Palm olein is much healthier for you, read more about why this is HERE. Palm olein is liquid palm oil. It has been more processed, but so far I haven't found anything showing it to be harmful.

As far as corn chips go I look for one that is organic,  made with sprouted ingredients, and doesn't have canola oil. Late July's corn chips are delicious but their are lots of brands that are like this. Unfortunately I haven't been able to find any made with a good oil, but since I don't eat them often I choose ones that I will actually get nutrition from and don't have toxic canola oil. Even Tostitos has blue corn chips that aren't made with canola oil. They aren't sprouted but they are better than gmo's.

Back to Nature, Late July, and Annie's brands have fairly decent ingredients. You just need to pick and choose what you want to omit and all three brands can be found at most grocery stores. They have chips, crackers, cookies, and bunches of other stuff.

I really like Pamela's shortbread cookies. They are gluten free, buttery, and delicious.

Heavenly organics have these chocolate patties that are just three ingredients  Chocolate, honey, and peppermint oil. They also have pomegranate and almond ones. You can find those HERE

I love Justin's nut butters. They have such a delicious alternative to nutella, and they also have yummy nut butter cups and candy bars. They do have sugar, but it is less than other brands and it is organic. 

I love, love, Love SunDrops. They are such a good alternative to MnM's. They don't have all those nasty artificial colors.

I'm not that into snack food, I mostly get the plantain chips, the chocolate patties, and dried fruit, but every once in a while it is nice to have alternatives that although they aren't healthy, they aren't terrible for you. My list isn't that extensive, but as long as you read labels then you should be able to find some favorites too. 

Things to watch out for, Artificial colors and flavors (which come from beaver butts (serious), and petroleum. the ones from petroleum can cause hyperactivity and cancer.) Hydrogenated oils, canola oil, cotton seed oil, soybean oil, to much sunflower and safflower oil, high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, agave nectar (some healthy-er alternatives have this sweetener that has more fructose than corn syrup) gmo's, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium benzoate, sucralose, artificial sweeteners,  BHA, BHT, propyl gallate, sodium chloride and salt (but not sea salt), soy, potassium sorbate, soy lecithin (mostly if it isn't organic). 

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Kefir, yogurt, and prebiotics

We have all heard of yogurt, but maybe not kefir, and quite likely you have not heard of prebiotics (not to be confused with probiotics). They all have to do with intestinal health, and consequently the health of your entire body, but they all have different functions.

Prebiotics are the food for your intestinal flora, or the beneficial bacteria in your colon. Prebiotics consist of fiber that our bodies can not digest, but the flora can. Not all fiber is food for the probiotics, the fiber that isn't basically just cleans out the colon. Where fiber that isn't a prebiotic is still beneficial, if you aren't getting a wide enough range of fruits and veggies you may be hindering the health of your intestinal flora. 

You can take prebiotic supplements, but foods like asparagus, Jerusalem artichoke, leeks, onions, cabbages (including broccoli, cauliflower, and brussels sprouts) radish, rutabaga, leafy greens, bananas, kiwis, etc.

Yogurt contains probiotics, but not very many and different kinds of probiotics than kefir. The probiotics in kefir do NOT colonize the colon, but rather provide food for the beneficial bacteria already in your intestines. If fiber is the broom that sweeps out your colon, then yogurt is like a mop that cleans and makes everything happy. Yogurt is so easy to make, my cousin has a marvelously easy recipe that you can find HERE.

Kefir is awesome. Let me tell ya, where yogurt fails, kefir succeeds at colonizing the intestinal tract with over 30 types of beneficial bacteria. It also has way more of the bacteria in the actual amount of product. Where 500 ml of yogurt contains close to 1.5 trillion organisms, kefir has 5 trillion in 500 ml. Not only that but it also has beneficial yeast that take out the bad yeast and parasites. The kinds of  yeast and the probiotics in kefir create more nutrition as well. Kefir has many amino acids, calcium, magnesium, loads of B vitamins, phosphorus (the second most  abundant mineral in the body which is critical in helping our bodies utilize what we put in it).

Kefer is so good at what it does, that when E.coli is put into kefer the beneficial bacteria obliterate it within 24 hours. Kefer also creates a protective lining on the intestines that keeps parasites from going through, and creates an environment where harmful bacteria can't thrive but beneficial bacteria can. Kefer is also a natural antibiotic because it protects the body from harmful bacteria. Various medical reports have shown that Kefir has been helpful in the treatment of psoriasis, eczema, allergies, migraines, gout, rheumatic arthritic conditions, candidiasis and colitis. The World Health Organization has

reported that Kefir has been effective in treating tuberculosis and typhoid fever. 

Some of the known health benefits of live Kefir made from live Kefir grains (from http://www.orhaolam.com/uploads/KefirInShort.pdf):
1. Strongest natural remedy against any allergy
2. Strongest natural antibiotic without side effects
3. Treats liver disease
4. Treats gallbladder, dissolves gall bladder stones
5. Clears the body of salts, heavy metals, radionuclides, and alcoholic products
6. Cleans the body of chemical antibiotics
7. Treats kidney stones
8. Good bacteria in kefir are able to fight off pathogenic microorganisms
9. Lowers level of LDL cholesterol
10. Cleans the gastrointestinal tract
11. Treats Irritable Bowel Syndrome
12. Treats gastritis
13. Treats pancreatitis
14. Treats ulcers
15. Prevents and treats colon cancer
16. Improves digestion
17. Improves the body functions
18. Improves the human immune system
19. Cures Candida
20. Cures hypertension
21. Stops growth of cancer cells
22. Speeds up healing process
23. Treats psoriasis
24. Treats eczema
25. Treats inflammatory diseases
26. Reduces size of tumors
27. Treats heart disease
28. Reverses calcination of blood vessels
29. Clears the blood vessels
30. Boosts the bodies energy
31. Natural “feel good” food
32. Treats lung infections
33. Normalizes metabolism thereby can be used for weight loss
34. Cures acne
35. Has anti-oxidants and anti-aging properties
36. Nourishes hair
37. Treats the gum disease parodontosis
38. Lessens side effects of medicines
39. Replenishes body of good bacteria after antibiotic
40. Balances the microflora of the body’s digestive system
41. Regulates blood pressure
42. Lowers blood sugar
43. Lowers blood lipid levels or cholesterol and fatty acids
44. Treats diarrhea
45. Treats constipation
46. Promotes bowel movement
47. Anti-stress properties
48. Treats sleeping disorders
49. Treats depression50. Treats attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
51. Improves the brains neuro functions like reflexes, memory retention, attention, the five senses
52. Reduces flatulence
53. Lactic acid fermentation enhances the digestibility of milk-based foods. People who cannot otherwise digest milk, can enjoy the vital calcium rich Kefir.
54. Treats yeast infection
55. Eliminates vaginal odors
56. Cures wrinkles
57. Treats arthritis
58. Treats colitis
59. Treats gout
60. Cures migraines
61. Treats rheumatism
62. Treats other stomach disorders
63. Detoxifies the body
64. Improves protein quality of milk, and enhances absorption and digestion
65. Good bacteria manufacture B vitamins such as B3, B6 and folic acid.
66. Aids in treating tuberculosis
67. Treats stomach cramps
68. Treats chronic intestine infections
69. Treats liver infections
70. Treats asthma
71. Treats bronchitis
72. Treats sclerosis
73. Treats anemia
74. Treats hepatitis
75. Healing effects on catarrh, digestive nodes, astral nodes, bilious complaints
76. Treats leaky gut syndrome
77. Prevents metastasis

You can make kefir from patruized or raw milk, although the raw milk will be better for you, and if you have any feer of "bad stuff" in your milk the kefer grains will kill it. You can also make it from nut milks, coconut water, juice, and sugar water, however kefir from dairy milk has the most benefits.
How to make Kefir
How to make almond milk kefir

http://www.kefir.net/kefir-vs-yogurt/
http://simplyhealthyfam.blogspot.com/2011/03/kefir-vs-yogurt-put-this-on-your.html

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Easy cream cheese dip/frosting/filling

This recipe is amazing. I have been looking for the perfect fruit dip for ages and finally figured one out. Before I go any farther I should probably tell you that unlike most of my recipes this is not helthy. I don't have any substitutes for the sugar in the condensed milk but all the fat in the milk and cheese will give you more time to use up that sugar before it turns to fat. Haha! However I do suggest you use a sweetened condensed milk with just milk and sugar, no carageen or other additives.  

You can use this as a dip, a frosting or a filling. If you want a carmel-ie flavor you can substitute dulce de leche. You can also use just milk and powdered sugar but that would be more frosting-ie. But it is easier to substitute the sugar that way. And depending in your taste you can use less sweetened condensed milk. Oooo! Also if you fold in some whipped cream; let me tell you. That, is delicious. Its more fluffy that way.

Ingreedients:

8oz (1 package) cream cheese, softened
1 small can of sweetened condensed milk (or dulce de leche)

1tsp vanilla

1tsp of lemon juice (don't use if you use dulce de leche)

*optional you can fold in a cup of whipped cream or a couple tbsp of blended up fruit. (Pineapple and strawberries work nice but not with dulce de leche) 

Directions:

Beat with an electric mixer until combined.

Use as a frosting, filling, or dip for fruit, gram crackers, or pretzels.

I post recipes, diy's, healthy living tips, and urban farm type stuff usually twice a week so if you want more check out my posts which have been organized for the most part in the categories above or you can subscribe via email or google and I think I have another option on the sidebar.  Also you can follow me on Twitter (sneak peeks to new posts) and on pintrest. Have a fantastically marvelous day!

 

Chicken curry

This is a very easy recipe for chicken curry and it is so tasty. It works best to use a cast iron pot (dutch oven) or a deep saute pan but this can also be done with a frying pan and eather a crock pot or a baking dish.

Ingredients:

4 chicken legs
Palm oil
1 onion, chopped
1 clove minced garlic
Chicken or vegetable broth (enough to cover chicken legs)
1 can of tomato sauce
1 tbsp curry powder
1 tsp turmeric
3-5 cloves
1 bay leaf
Whatever veggies you like. I used carrots, frozen mixed veggies and okra. The okra helps to thicken the sauce.
Some maple syrup, molasses, or honey is optional to sweeten things up a bit.
Corn starch mixed in cold water is also optional to help thicken it.

Directions:

Pan fry the chicken legs and saute the onion and garlic in the palm oil. Salt the onion a bit to help it release the water and soften faster.
Add in everything else. You may need to add in a bit more broth to cook the veggies.  Just keep in mind that if you use frozen veggies they will release water as they defrost. If the chicken is already cooked through then the dish is ready to eat when the veggies are cooked, but the flavor improves greatly with at least 2 hours of cooking.
Cover it and cook on low. Make sure to stir it every once in a while and make sure it has eniough liquid. 
If you want to cook this all day in a crock pot throw everything in and turn it on high untill everything starts to get heated up. Leave it on low all day. Just make sure you give it enough time to cook the chicken.

Sorry I haven't posted in a while, but my computer has been out of commission. I usually post recipes, beauty DIY's and health tips twice a week so if you want more then subscribe over on the side bar. :)

Carbohydrates

picture from https://m.ufhealth.org/carbohydrates

What is a carbohydrate? Carbohydrates are made by all plants. These carbohydrates are broken down into Sugars and starches. Sugar comes in a variety of forms, the basis of these forms are glucose, and fructose which are what is known as simple sugars. Disaccharides, which include sucrose, Malt sugar, and lactose, are made from 2 sugars and are broken down in the body fairly easily. The exception being lactose which many people can have problems digesting if the proper enzymes to digest it are lacking. (more on lactose in the dairy post) However more complex sugars such as stachynose and raffinose which are found in legumes (beans) and seaweed are not easily digested by most people. Most people lack the necessary intestinal flora to break down these sugars that are made up of several simple sugars. Cooking and/or fermenting them helps to break them down so that the body is able to use the nutrients better. Click HERE for a great little article on how to prepare beans to be easy to digest.

Starch is a complex sugar, but one that is digestible by the body because it is only made up of glucose. Glucose Is the sugar that your body runs off of. When you ingest glucose it is taken through the small intestine to wherever the body needs it. If their is excess sugar then insulin levels rise to compensate and excess sugar is stored in the liver. Eating fat and protein with the sugar makes the sugar take longer to digest so that you wont have a spike in blood sugar or a huge rise in insulin levels. Instead the glucose is slowly released into the body keeping everything more balanced that it would have bean without the fat and/or protein. 

Refined carbohydrates such as white sugar and flour are striped of all their lovely nutrients making them white, last a very long time, and terrible for you. In their unrefined state starches have vitamins that are very important to being able to actually digest starch properly. Refined carbohydrates however actually take minerals and vitamins away from your body to be able to digest themselves. Instead of providing your body with nutrients, refined carbohydrates are more of an anti-nutrient. As well as being removed of their vitamins and minerals, refined carbohydrates are also stripped of fat and fiber that help to slow their digestion to give the body more time to adjust for the added sugar. 

Refined carbohydrates have bean linked to many, many health problems. HERE is a big long list of them. In 1821 Americans ate 10 pounds of sugar per person a year. Now it is more like 170 pounds per person making up 1/4 of their caloric intake. Nutritionist say that we should only be getting 10% of our calories from sugar. In my opinion, this is crazy! Especially when you consider that tumors feed on sugar. Cancer is positively shown to be associated with cancer in humans and test animals! Not only that but it causes fungus growth in the body, diabetes and hypertension which leads to a host of other problems, heart disease (their have bean more studies that show refined sugars causing heart disease rather than fat), kidney disease, and liver disease. So I ask, Why? This is totally ridiculous that as a society we are doing this to ourselves. Dr. Melvin Page demonstrated in many studies that sugar consumption causes phosphorus levels to drop and calcium to rise. The calcium rises because it is being pulled from the teeth and bones by the sugar creating an imbalance that causes the excess calcium to not be absorbed because their isn't enough phosphorus. He concluded with his studies that it isn't the bacterial growth that causes tooth decay but actually the loss of calcium. 

It is important to sprout and/or ferment your grains so that the enzyme inhibitors can be neutralized. Whole grains are very nutritious and have lots of good vitamins and trace minerals that can be utilized by the body as long as they are prepared correctly. I really like sour dough bread, and if you make it yourself with a starter from your area it will be so good for you and so tasty. The first four links below are for books, the first being nourishing traditions which is a super awesome cookbook that can really help you out, especially if your new fermenting, sprouting, and eating how we used to before the 1900's. The second one has really easy and simple to follow recipes for most every fermented food, such as bread, sauerkraut, and ginger ale, and the third is a food preservation book that goes along with the first two. The fourth is just a health book. 

http://www.amazon.com/Nourishing-Traditions-Challenges-Politically-Dictocrats/dp/0967089735\\

http://www.amazon.com/Wild-Fermentation-Flavor-Nutrition-Live-Culture/dp/1931498237
http://www.amazon.com/Preserving-Food-without-Freezing-Canning/dp/1933392592

http://becomeawellnesschampion.com/

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=carbs-against-cardio
http://www.westonaprice.org/abcs-of-nutrition/health-topics

2 Recipes with Summer tomatoes

Summer tomatoes are the best. They are so ripe, and have such incredible flavor and I have bean using them like crazy.  

For the first recipe I took 3 medium-small tomatoes (2 red and 1 yellow) from our greenhouse and one sweet pepper from farmers market. I sliced them and roasted them with olive oil, salt, pepper, kalamata olives, and basil on 2 slices of bread (I used a sprouted grain bread) then topped them with some raw monterey jack and some herbed goat cheese. You can either roast everything separate from the bread and then top the bread with it later, or you can put the bread on a sheet pan with some olive oil on the bottom and put all of the toppings on it minus the cheese and broil it for 10-20 minutes in the middle of the oven then top with the cheese and let it melt.The 2nd option is a little more tricky to get the bread toasted and the veggies roasted just right, but either way you are left with deliciousness. 

This next recipe is even easier. Cut up some sweet peppers, tomatoes, and cucumbers (I used lemon cucumbers) and toss with olive, a bit of vinegar (balsamic or red wine) goat cheese, basil and/or other herbs, salt and pepper. This recipe is so easy to change that it makes a great salad to start with if you are wanting to start branching away from recipes to make your meals more personal.

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The Truth About Fat.

I'm starting a series on food. Specifically posts that will focus on a food group, but I'll probably decide to  post about some diets and whatever else informational that comes to mind. Today though I am going to focus on fat. This is probably one of the most difficult concepts for people to grasp now days, but FAT IS GOOD! Yes it makes food taste good, but it is also so good for us! Isn't that exciting? Also, not to blow your minds or anything, but fat can help you LOOSE weight! YES! I am totally serious and this is based from science people, SCIENCE! 

When you eat fat with sugar it makes it so that you don't have a crazy sugar spike that raises your insulin levels and makes you gain weight. Saturated fat plays an important roll in the communication of your metabolism and for your body to know how much insulin to produce. (If your not getting enough saturated fat, then your metabolism gets all whacked out) Also, when you eat fat, especially fat with longer chain lengths (molecularly speaking) they take longer for your body to use, giving your body longer to use the calories in the fat and the other food you eat with it as well as keeping you full longer. Don't focus on the chain lengths, it's pointless and if you do get it all figured out your body is going to get unbalanced from you trying to eat just one type of fat. If you eat healthy fats from  meats, dairy, and healthy nut oils you will get a good variety of short to long chained fatty acids. 

The shorter chained fatty acids absorb quickly into the body, giving you an initial boost of energy. They also have anti-microbial properties to them which kills viruses, yeast, and harmful bacteria, protecting your body from whatever you put into it from the start. Medium chained fatty acids also have anti-microbial properties. 

You must have fat for brain health. The brain can consist of as much as 60% fat. The calories in mothers milk is 50% from fat, most of that is saturated fat. Children need good fats and cholesterol for proper development, especially for the brain. If your brain isn't healthy then the rest of you isn't going to be ether. Fat is important for the absorption of vitamins A, D, E, and K. If  you have a vitamin deficiency may be you might just need more fat to be able to absorb that vitamin.

Lets talk a bit about saturated fat. I know what you'r thinking, "Run away! It's evil! It's going to give you heart disease!" Well, no, it's not. Before the 1920's heart disease was extremely rare in America. How can this be when it is now the main cause of death? Heart disease has bean the main cause of death since the mid-1950's even.  From 1910 to 1970 the proportion of animal fat in the American diet went down from 83% to 62%. American used to eat 18 pounds of butter per person a year, and now it is only 4. The cholesterol intake has only increased by 1% so it can't be that, but vegetable and refined oil consumption raised 400%! The consumption of sugar and processed foods increased by 60%. I doubt that this is the only reason for heart disease, but all of the studies of people groups that I have seen show that the groups that eat only healthy fats mostly from animals and some from nut and olive and none from processed vegetable oil such as from corn, soy etc show that the people who eat a lot of saturated fats and good cholesterol had less heart problems, were a healthier weight, happier and generally healthier in every way. I know that this seems really weird to you, but their is very little proof that diets low in saturated fat or cholesterol lowers heart disease. 

Here are some nifty facts that I pulled out of Nourishing Traditions:

• Cell membranes consist of at least 50% saturated fatty acids giving them integrity. 
• For calcium to be effectively incorporated into your bones, at least 50% of your fat intake needs to be saturated
• Saturated fats lower LP, a substance in the blood that indicates a proneness to heart disease
• Saturated fats protect the liver from Alcohol and toxins
• Saturated Fats enhance the immune system
• Saturated fats are needed for your body to be able to use other fatty acids properly
• Saturated fats surround the heart for it to use in times of stress. Yes, your heart loves saturated fat, it is its the best food for it.
• Short and medium chain saturated fatty acids protect us from harmful microorganisms in the digestive tracts.
• People who live in the tropics that use coconut and palm oil have less intestinal and bacterial problems than people in the tropics that use processed vegetable oils because coconut and palm oil kill harmful bacteria and fungus.
• Cholesterol actually protects from free radical damage
• Like certain oils, cholesterol can become damaged by high heat such as high temperature frying, which can cause damage to arterial cells and plaque buildup in the arteries. 
• Bile salts are made from cholesterol, which is vital to digestion.
• Dietary cholesterol is important for maintaining the health of the intestinal wall. 

The countries where people live the longest (Japan, Switzerland, Greece, and Austria) eat healthy fat, and little processed foods. Japan has increased in longevity since World War II along with an increase of fat and animal protein in their diet. The Swiss eat one of the fattiest diets in the world, but are second in longevity. I seriously think that we really used to have a good thing going for us, and as evidence shows, people in Japan, Switzerland and other countries can be healthy eating the way our forefathers ate, why cant we? Their is all this nonsense about diets and what is best and what isn't. and so much confusion when we just need to get back to our roots. Being healthy, and eating healthy isn't difficult. It isn't bland, and tasteless. It's full of fatty goodness, rich spices, and beautiful herbs that give our bodies so much nutrition and vibrant health. 

The good fats:

(I am not including shellfish, pork, or other unclean meets simply because... well, parasites are nasty.)

Fats from grass fed beef, goats, mutton/lamb, etc.

Fats from grass fed dairy products (better if raw)

Flax seed oil (high in omega 3's)

Macadamia nut oil (balances your omega 3's and 6's)

Olive oil (has a long fatty acid chain so it can make you put on more fat than butter or coconut oil. Odd isn't it?)

Peanut oil (in small amounts because of its high omega 6 content)

Sessame oil (in small amounts because of its high omega 6 content)

Palm Oil (very good for you, can be used at high heat, and is high in lauric acid which is anti microbial.) 

Coconut oil (also extremely good for you, can be used at high heat, and is high in lauric acid)

Oils to not ingest:

Safflower, Corn, Sunflower, Soybean, Cottonseed, and Canola oils. These oils go rancid easily. They can not be heated, or they go rancid, creating free radicals that damage your cells. Canola can cause a deficiency in vitamin E which is necessary for a healthy heart, and can also cause heart lesions from its erucic acid content. 

I hope you found this beneficial. You can subscribe over on the side bar with either email, blogger, or google. 

further reading

On coconut oil. Highly recommend you read this!  http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/10/22/coconut-oil-and-saturated-fats-can-make-you-healthy.aspx

http://wellnessmama.com/1265/why-you-need-saturated-fat/

Stretchmark cream and face cream

This is my favorite recipe for stretch marks, it even works for getting rid of older ones and their are no expensive ingredients; even better it smells like white chocolate and roses. The coco butter and the castor oils are both great for stretch marks, by themselves and the castor oil works for cellulite too, but it needs another oil to make it work better and that's where the coco butter works again! The face cream is light and works for even cleaning of makeup and washing your face. 

For the stretch mark cream:

The castor oil makes this a bit sticky, so it's kinda weird at first but it's so awesome at working well.

(variation for an even easier version after directions)

1 oz of beeswax

3.5 oz of coco butter

3.5 oz of castor oil

1 tsp of vitamin E oil

5 oz of rose water or just water 

dissolve a heavy pinch of borax into the water to make it easier to mix everything together. You need a good borax that is specifically for cosmetic uses. I get mine from mountain rose herbs. 

Melt the beeswax in a double boiler, melt the coco butter, then add in the castor oil and the vitamin E oil. Once all of that is melted, take the mix off of the heat and slowly mix in the water with a beater. You can whisk it really quickly but the beaters are much easier. You can add in a few drops of rose oil or other repairative oils to make it more potent, but if you are pregnant make sure that they are safe to use. Lavender and rose are both good choices.  And your done! Massage into the skin daily after a shower when your skin is more receptive for best results.

Variation to make it even easier: Melt two parts cocoa butter and mix with one part castor oil. Add a few drops of rose oil or rosewater concentrate if desired.

For the face cream:
For this face cream you will need to use whatever type of oil you use to wash your face. Click HERE to learn more about the oil cleansing method. I use macadamia nut oil.
1 part beeswax
3 parts oil
2 to 3 parts water (you can use a hydrosol too)
a pinch of borax and arrowroot powder dissolved in the water (optional)

Melt the beeswax, add in the oil and make sure everything is melted, then mix in the water.

Use as a face cream or even as a light hand cream. Since you will be using the oil that works best for your skin then it will work to help it out wherever you put it. 

Acid/Alkaline

Unfortunately I wasn't able to do the stretch mark cream diy that I had planned for this week, but it will be up by the end of next week, so keep an eye out for it. In the mean time I am posting a video by Markus Rothkranz that explains the alkaline diet myth. Which, the alkaline diet not working makes SO much sense! Especially if you payed attention in science class, but then again I am a bit of a nerd that way; haha! I found it very interesting that your saliva adjusts to the ph of food, even if you'r just thinking about it! So crazy! Thank's mom for showing this to me, xo!

Restful tea recipe and how to brew and store tea

I have been making this blend to help my husband sleep. This tea is flavorful and nicely calming. For my husbands tea I use chamomile as a base, but since I have read quite a bit that pregnant women shouldn't use chamomile, I use Red Bush tea for my base. (consult with your Midwife or Dr. before trying any herbal teas.) Red bush tea has many health benefits to it and is so sweet and delicious on its own. Read about red tea HERE.I buy all of my herbs in bulk because I like to make my own tea blends and also make herbal infusions to put in my beauty products. If you have a store that sells herbs in bulk you will likely be able to purchase only the amount you need rather than huge quantities.

2 Tbsp of chamomile flowers
1 1/2 Tbsp of passion flower
1 tsp of lavender flowers
1 Tbsp of rose flowers (optional)
1 Tbsp of Red Bush tea (optional)

This will be enough to make a 4-6 cup pot of tea. Bring your water to a roaring boil, the hotter the water the more nutrients are extracted. Steep for at least 5 minutes, serve and enjoy.

When brewing tea I go by teavana's brewing times. White tea will be 3 to 5 minutes depending on the quality; green tea will take less than 1 minute to 3 minutes, and black tea will take 2 to 5 minutes. White, green, and black teas will become bitter if you use to hot of water or steep the tea for to long.
If you want a stronger flavor use more tea. Do not extend the brewing time.
You always want to follow the times recommended on bagged teas because they are often times in cardboard boxes instead of tins and are from scraps or "tea dust". However, not all boxed teas are inferior. There are plenty that are supper yummy, you will just need to use them up much sooner or transfer the bags to a tin.
To properly store your tea keep it in a sealed airtight container in a cool place. If it is in a glass container make sure it is from amber glass or stored in a dark spot. Tins work marvelously at preserving tea. I have a couple of teas that I keep in the refrigerator because they are very high quality and refrigeration helps to keep them better preserved. If you do put any dried teas in the refrigerator make sure that is is air tight so that no moisture gets in. You don't want moldy tea.

Happy brewing, and don't forget to subscribe via email, google, or blogger over on the side if you want more diy's, recipes, healthy living tips and whatever else I decide to post.

8 tips for healthy hair

Many of us want hair that is thicker and longer, or maybe we just have problems with breakage or just need a few tips on how to detangle those unruly locks.  Hopefully this post will have some tips to help you out.

My number one tip is to brush your hair really well morning and night and to braid your hair every night. This may seam like a lot of work for some of you, but once you get the hang of it it is a really great way to relax and de-stress before bed. At night, start by brushing your hair from the ends working upwards so that the knots from the top don't tangle with the knots near the bottom. Once the knots are out brush from the roots of the hair down to the ends. This distributes your hairs natural oils so that your hair is less greasy and the ends stay healthier and conditioned. Brushing the scalp also stimulates the hair to grow. Try to brush your hair with 50 to 100 strokes. Then braid your hair so that it doesn't get pulled and tangled during the night to prevent breaking. I prefer a side braid for comfort. In the morning brush your hair just to stimulate the scalp and to distribute the hairs oils, about 20 to 50 strokes.

A biggy for preventing breakage is to not brush your hair when it is wet and to only use a wide tooth comb to comb your hair when it is wet. Brushes and smaller toothed combs pull and stretch then break the hair when it is wet.

Rosemary and peppermint stimulate the scalp and promote hair growth. Rubbing these oils into the scalp help to combat baldness as well as helping your hair to grow longer.

Another fabulous agent for promoting hair thickness as well as strength is gelatin. You can take it as a supplement by mixing a tablespoon in water and drinking it. Click HERE to read more about the many benefits of gelatin.

Use sulfate free shampoo. Sulfates remove the hairs natural oils and dries it out. This makes the scalp produce extra oil to compensate leaving your hail oily. This makes it so that you need to wash your hair everyday. Your hair needs its natural oils to be able to stay healthy, you will be more likely to have dry ends which will need to be cut off removing the length that you have gotten. Perhaps not all of it but if your goal is to grow your hair longer then you might as well use a shampoo that will help you rather than hinder your growth. Hair conditioners help, but they don't work nearly as well as your natural oils.Click HERE for more on sulfate free shampoo and the no poo method.

I rinse my hair with apple cider vinegar for conditioner. This makes my hair so soft and shiny. If you want to make it help your hair grow, add in some rosemary and let it sit for 3 weeks so that the rosemary infuses with the vinegar.

If your ends are dry or you have fly aways use a nourishing oil such as olive, coconut, or jojoba. I like macadamia and jojoba because they are similar to the hairs natural oil and they just work best for me.
Styling your hair with heat such as blow drying, curling irons, and flat irons damage your hair making it more prone to breaking. Back combing your hair also makes your hair more prone to breaking.

If you have any questions leave a comment or email me, also if you want more diy's, recipes, health tips, and more every week don't forget to subscribe at the side via email or through blogger or google. 

A book and a recipe

I read "The Fault In Our Stars" By John Green yesterday. Let me tell you, it is one of the best books I have ever read. Though it is a young adult book, adults would love it too. This book is narrated by a 16 year old girl with terminal cancer who meets a boy at a cancer support group. The two make a hilarious and insightful duo that ask and attempt to answer so many questions that most of us don't think about because we oftentimes like to think ourselves invincible or at least years from death. Yes, their is a lot of melancholy to this book, some might even call it down right depressing, but it is beautiful non the less. This book had me laughing even during the darkest moments. Truthfully I laughed far more than I cried, which really helped to give it a balance that left my heart feeling light.

Now for a recipe. This is just a simple way to cook eggplant, zucchini, bell pepper, onion, and tomatoes.
Slice up your veggies width wise so that you form circles. You will want them to be about 1/4 of an inch thick, but my husband likes them to be more like 1/2 an inch thick.

For the sauce you will need to pure 8 ripe tomatoes with 5 sun dried tomatoes that have bean soaked, 1/4 cup of olive oil, salt, pepper, 1-2 cloves of garlic, and a small handful of basil.

Pore a thin layer of sauce on the bottom of a pan and put down a layer of veggies. A layer of sauce, a layer of veggies. Continue until you have reached the top but make sure you have sauce on the top. Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 45 min to one hour.
*When preparing eggplant make sure to drain the bitters. Put down a layer of paper towel with salt on it, and your eggplant, more salt, and more paper towel. Make as many layers as needed and put some bricks or canned food on top to squeeze out the bitter juices. Depending on how thick the slices are it takes usually takes 1 to 4 hours.