I have been making my own kitchen cleaners for years but it never occurred to me until recently to make other kinds of every day home products as well. I’ve always used essential oils around the house but only recently began buying the really high quality, truly pure kind that actually retain their medicinal and/or cleansing properties. The more I began experimenting with oi … [Read more...] about DIY Laundry Detergent
Food/DIY
Preparing The Winter Garden
As winter slowly slips in we are starting to transition into the internal senescence of the season. The leaves are falling, blanketing the world and garden for a rest. As a human being I too will rest, though I continue to eat all winter long and love to provide at least a little fresh food for my family. I believe in letting go, but I also like to hang on, just a little. The … [Read more...] about Preparing The Winter Garden
6 Easy Meal Swaps Kids Love
Can’t give up some bad habits? Do you love a sneaky soda or do you get the tub of ice-cream out for just two (six) scoops? Well what if you could still enjoy them? You just have to be a little inventive and make some small changes. Have you ever tried frozen banana in the blender? Well it is a game changer, tastes exactly like ice-cream! You can learn to make some simple c … [Read more...] about 6 Easy Meal Swaps Kids Love
The End of Summer Salad
I'm always looking for ways to eat more greens. When I couldn't find a salad mix at my local co-op, I realized I could make my own. I used beet greens, arugula and leaf lettuce because they were what I had on hand. I didn't think I liked raw beet greens until I created this salad. Try them when they are young and fresh. I tore the beet greens and arugula off their stems, and … [Read more...] about The End of Summer Salad
Baked Pear Crumble
I want to share this sweet and crunchy dessert that's become a favorite with our family. It's easy to prepare and it's a good time to make it as pears are starting to come into season. INGREDIENTS 2 ripe but firm pears. 2-3 tablespoons olive oil 1/4 cup sliced almonds 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds 2 tablespoons brown sugar 1 tablespoon black sesame seeds … [Read more...] about Baked Pear Crumble
Tips for Easy School Lunches
We all know that the middle meal of the day is important. In my mother’s family it was the most important meal of the day, called dinner not lunch, a common practice among midwestern farmers. Supper was the evening meal. We all want to make sure that our children have a healthy lunch when they're away from home so here are some ideas to make this easier to figure out. Make a … [Read more...] about Tips for Easy School Lunches
Belly Butter for Stretch Marks
To help prevent stretch marks and enhance the natural resilience of your skin, add essential oils to your skin-care preparations and massage yourself regularly. Lavender and neroli are particularly helpful in preventing stretch marks. Don’t forget that essentials oils are concentrated and should not be applied undiluted to the skin. Always add essential oils to a carrier oil … [Read more...] about Belly Butter for Stretch Marks
Raw Veggies: the Perfect Snack
My mom used to keep a container of cut up raw vegetables in the fridge: carrots, radishes, celery. She would put them in a bowl of water and they would stay cold and crispy and were just perfect for crunching on the run. RAW VEGGIE BOWL Ingredients: celery carrots radishes Recipe: Cut up the carrots into long, thin spears. Cut the celery stalk into thin … [Read more...] about Raw Veggies: the Perfect Snack
Cucumber Gazpacho
It's hot outside. This is the time of the year for cold soups and my favorite is Cucumber Gazpacho. Here are two easy recipes. QUICK EASY GAZPACHO 3 peeled cucumbers 3 pickled jalapeño slices. 3 Tablespoons sour cream or yogurt Big handful of cilantro Fresh mint (optional) Blend first 4 ingredients in a blender or Vitamix. Don't blend too much: keep the … [Read more...] about Cucumber Gazpacho
Make Your Own Calamine Lotion
Ordinary calamine lotions may contain worrisome chemicals like zinc carbonate, iron oxide, zinc oxide and fragrance. Oftentimes, there are other added ingredients like parabens, alcohol, pramoxine HCl, polysorbate 80 and propylene glycol as well. YIKES! So let’s take the safer route and make our own calamine lotion. Just 5 ingredients provide the same effective and soothing r … [Read more...] about Make Your Own Calamine Lotion