Are You a Victim of Toxic Living?

Now, what did you think about that title? Does that describe you in some way, now or at one time? Are you on a Journey to healthier, Greener Living?
Where are you on your journey?
-Not doing it,
-Thought about it,
-Don't know where to start,
-Don't know who to believe or what to think,
Took my first step,
-Started integrating greener/healthier living, or
-Full-fledged Green?

What exactly is a victim of toxic living? How can you tell if you are one?
Well...here is something to think about.The unimaginable amounts of toxins that we are exposed to every day can manifest through different health problems such as allergies, headaches, low energy, depression, bowel irregularities, digestive problems and skin issues.
Everyone has a different reason to get started, and in the end, there are no wrong reasons. The biggest regrets I've heard are that people didn't realize the impact of their choices sooner.
So what are or would be your reason for looking at greener, healthier choices?

Many women or parents will tell you that the moment their children entered their world, everything was thrown on its head and they had to re-think their way of living. Others, sadly, come to the healthier choices after health issues escalate. Thoe good thing is, whether you get there by choice or consequence, you made it! So pat yourself on the back and take comfort in knowing that our bodies are amazing, and given the right conditions, can do some pretty incredible things in the way of improving and even restoring our health. 

So just where are these chemicals? EVERYWHERE.
They are in our food, our clothing (thanks to flame retardants on children's PJ's, the laundry soap and softner we use, and let's not forget dyes and such), our toothpaste, shampoo, soap, shaving cream, creams and lotions, hair products, just to name a few. When we talk about perfumes and fragrances, either the ones we apply to our skin or the ones used in our products, well that's even scarier, because there are literally hundreds of chemicals used to make a fragrance or perfume, and the companies don't have to list them anywhere. 
When it comes to our food, in my home we eat organic. When you think about the amounts of pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, larvacides, and such that are sprayed on our food crops, it's not something I want to put into my body, or my family's. Consider that they use 250lbs of chemicals for one acre of coffee...(I'm even happier not to drink it, but I do love my ground date pit 'coffee' so I can make pumpkin spice lattes).

pic from the link I gave you

Do you remember doing an experiment in school with food dye and celery or flowers? Here's a link to check out one such experiment. So you'll understand that even if you wash your produce, you cannot remove what is inside the plant. It soaks into the ground and is absorbed by the plant. The other issue with non-organic produce is the soil. Healthy soil has 52 minerals and micro/macro-nutrients, whereas conventionally grown produce has 3...the ones they keep spraying on the depleted soil. Crop rotation was there for a reason.

OK, back to the point of the post! WHAT can you do to take control of your health and well-being? Take a step, fall into action, make a change. If you don't want to go full-on organic, then take time to look up the "Dirty Dozen" and avoid those foods unless they are organic. Learn about the "Clean Fifteen" and add them to your routine. Start reading labels. If there are more than 5 ingredients on the list, most of which you can't even pronounce, you might want to look them up or find better products. That goes as much for food as for moisturizer, laundry soap and any product going in or on your body. What you apply to your skin gets into the bloodstream in as little as 26 seconds.
Another thing you can consider is adding essential oils to your routine. (Not the cheap ones bought at the grocery store, but pure oils that you know contain no chemicals added in along the way.) 

According to Health Canada, essential oils have been proven and accepted to be used in aromatherapy;

• for symptomatic relief of acne/boils,
• to relieve minor skin irritation/cuts/bruises/burns,
• for symptomatic relief of eczema/dermatitis,
• as a nervine/calmative,
• to help relieve joint/muscle pain associated with sprain/strain/rheumatoid arthritis,
• to help relieve a headache,
• as a carminative/antispasmodic for symptomatic relief of digestive discomfort, and
• to help relieve colds/cough.

And if you take a few minutes to look up the benefits of the individual oils, you're in for a nice surprise. Every oil you add to your routine is a toxic product you've left behind. It literally takes me a minute to make a bottle of foaming hand soap, enriched with essential oils, and costs less than a dollar a bottle. I use, trust and love Young Living essential oils and their products. Their Thieves household cleaner amazes me every time I use it. My husband is now a believer as well.

All you have to do is give it a try. You will notice the difference when you lower the amount of toxins in your daily life. I was reading somewhere where they pointed out that someone who added smoothies to their morning routine improved 1/3 of their diet. 
My husband eats vegan/organic here at home and uses the non-toxic products we have, but he also eats out every weekday, and no...it's not organic or vegan. Nonetheless, he realized that he no longer suffers from allergies. Imagine how he'd be feeling if he embraced this full on! 

If you want more info on Essential oils, give me a shout. I'd be more than happy to help you begin your journey. Young Living offers you an amazing deal, a starter kit of 11 essential oils and a diffuser, plus a whole slew of little goodies on the side for $199.75 Canadian, or $160 US. (You get 24% off all following purchases for a year, so it's even better than a Costco card! No offense to Costco, but I paid cash just to get my card, here you get a great kit in exchange!)

Debbie Brown: Young Living Independent Distributor #11073874

The Veggie Burger

 Since going gluten-free, bread has been pretty much ousted from my diet. I actually liked white bread sandwiches, (with peanut butter or those crust-free buffet sandwiches), way back when...but then in came GF, and there is no GF substitute that comes near to a slice of white bread...and then in came the choice to go vegan. Honestly, it was easier to replace the filling from a tuna salad sandwich or an egg-salad sandwich with vegan options -which actually taste better than the original version, than finding decent bread.

So, (yeah, yeah, I'm getting to the point), eating a hamburger in a bun was a memory that was tossed into the category "never gonna happen again" until now! YES, I have a solution. Kamut hamburger buns, Earth's Choice provolone cheese slices, and the burger recipe I'm going to share with you in a moment, cooked on the BBQ, I might add. OK, I bought a plaque I put on the BBQ grill because I wasn't sure if they'd hold together, but wow....it was awesome! Ready to try it?

Step one:

The night before, get these things soaking, all night.

1/3 cup sunflower seeds,

1 cup pecan nuts,

1 ½ cup oats,

Yes, covered with water, in a glass dish if possible, all night. You will want to rinse and drain well before use.

Make a flax egg and set aside until it thickens:

2½ Tbsp ground flaxseed mixed with ½ cup warm water

In one pot,

¾ cup (uncooked) red rice, rinsed, drained and cooked, (I suppose you could use white or brown)

The Grilled Patty

In another pot,

1 cup (uncooked) green or brown lentils, rinsed, drained, and cooked

Add a veggie broth cube to the water, or 1 Tbsp veggie broth powder

1 red onion (about ½ cup),

1 medium-sized Portobello mushroom (about ½ cup),

IF you don't do mushrooms, you can use zucchini instead)

½ a red pepper

a handful of fresh parsley,

½ tsp baking powder

Now you can add about ½ Tbsp of steak spices or add the following to taste

¼ tsp Freshly ground pepper

½-1 tsp Fresh ground pink salt

½-1 tsp Garlic powder

1-2 Tbsp tamari sauce

Put the vegetables, sunflower seeds, and pecans into the food processor and pulse a few times, you want small pieces.

Then add the rice, lentils, oats, and seasoning. Pulse some more. I like to really give it a go because I don’t want to see chunks of vegetables or seeds. Add the flax egg and mix well. We’re trying to get it to look like a burger.

This makes a good-sized batch, so you can shape and freeze some patties for use at a later date. They freeze really well, and you can put them on the BBQ plaque frozen.

We had more than enough to feed 5 people, twice. ( 3 adults, 2 kids)

Oh! If you are not going to BBQ them, you can add a drop of liquid smoke or a 1/2-1 tsp of smoked paprika, then adjust to taste. You don;t want it to overpower the taste.

Happy, Healthy Family

Routine is back in full swing now, work and school as vacation time becomes a memory. Sadly, after the first few days of being back at work or in school, the first signs and symptoms of a cold tend to appear. As you all know, I am a big fan of essential oils, having used them for over 25 years, but ever since I've been introduced to Young Living oils, I'm over the moon.

Now, I am a learning junkie...reading something new every day, learning more and more on so many different topics, from teaching to crafts, sustainable living to health topics, science and nutrition, and then there are my language studies and writing...to name a few.

So with my in-depth hunger for oily knowledge, I have horrifically discovered just how toxic daily living can be. And I thought I already knew! (Making me even more determined to remain on an organic, toxin-free lifestyle). Did you know the average woman has applied or come in contact with over 300 chemicals by the time she leaves her house in the morning? In a nutshell, if you can't pronounce the ingredients in your soap, detergent, shampoo, deodorant, perfume (most ingredients are secret), laundry and cleaning supplies, then you probably don't know what they are, and neither does your body. You wouldn't eat them, so why should you breathe them in or apply them to your skin?

As you may have read, I  had been primarily using essential oils (EO) in my homemade products. I was never much of a candle burner or incense user, so aromatically was more of an occasional thing, and I turned more often to nutrition, herbs, and homeopathy before I'd have used EOs for health-related issues. I have since learned some pretty great things. Oils are amazing! I've heard that in Romania, the government pays doctors to treat their patients with EOs.

By putting a drop of oil on your skin (with a carrier oil like coconut or almond oil for children and those with more sensitive skin), the teeny, tiny molecules are absorbed into the body in a matter of seconds....can be found in the blood after 26 seconds, and will have made it to every cell in the body after twenty minutes. Crazy! Now if you are using a diffuser, the process is slightly different, but the oils still get into the body and work their magic. Yes, magic.

I'm going to share over a few posts just how easy it is to leave the toxins behind, giving you, your family, home and environment a clean start. Every oil you add to your lives is a toxin (or toxins) you've kicked to the curb! Yeah! It's that easy.

The Young Living Premium Starter Kit


There are three ways to get started in the Young Living, natural, healthy, vibrant lifestyle. How cool would it be to get up every morning and feel jazzed about the day ahead? To have more energy than you can remember having in a long time, knowing that your home, environment, and body are on a path to wellness...Young Living offers it all.
So if you're on a path to green living, are looking to improve your overall health and well-being, want to provide a toxin-free environment for your family, then hear me out. You might just like what I have to offer.

The photo on the left shows you the three starter kits. Let's go through them one at a time, and I will even share some cool recipes on the other pages, too. For now, let's start with the oil starter kit.

Let's start with What are Essential Oils?

Essential Oils are the very essence, the lifeblood of the plant that initiates regeneration into the cells. Anything that our blood does for us is pretty much what the essential oils do for the plant. Our blood cells carry nutrients and oxygen to the different organs in our body and can effectively combat the damaging effects of toxins, impurities and harmful substances in and around our body. But you knew that, right?

Oh, and pure Essential Oils will NEVER expire, what expires are the carrier oils mixed into the blends.

Essential Oils have a unique ability to penetrate the cell wall and are made up of very tiny molecules that have the ability in its chemical structure to penetrate the cell membrane and transport oxygen and nutrients inside the cell, thus giving more support to the immune system. Essential Oils are very powerful antioxidants,  which create an unfriendly environment for free radicals that our bodies are in contact with daily. Free radicals come from sources outside your body, such as tobacco smoke, alcohol, toxins, or pollutants, and can damage your body's cells, proteins, and DNA by altering their chemical structure. We come in contact with these elements every day, whether we are aware of them or not. And to give you an idea of just how potent an antioxidant EO's can be. Let's look at Clove oil, its ORAC* level is off the charts, coming in at over 1,000,000 ORAC, compared to blueberries which are at 9,000 ORAC. Now that puts things into perspective!

In a nutshell, Essential Oils are:

• Immune-enhancing
• Support the body’s natural defenses
• Aid in maintaining normal cellular regeneration

• Are mood elevating
• Are high in antioxidants
• Are aromatic
• Are oxygenating
• Boost stamina and energy
• Help you relax
• Help manage stress and frustration
• Improve mental clarity
• Promote overall health, vitality, and longevity

Premium Starter Kit- PSK

Young Living put these 11 oils together so you can do just about everything with this one kit. Using them on their own, or combining them will not only make your space smell better, but you will benefit from their many attributes.

Your PSK comes with these oils:

Lavender, Peppermint, Lemon, Frankincense, Copaiba, Black Spruce, Thieves, R.C.,  Pan Away,

Purification,  and DiGize, 

Then you get The Dew Drop Diffuser, A roller-ball top, 10 mini Sample bottles to share or travel,

2 NingXia Red Singles, A non-toxic hand sanitizer, and all sorts of information.

The PSK is sold for 199.75

Health Canada recognizes that Essential Oils are in fact, beneficial, and many of the Young Living essential oils have been classified as Natural Health Products.

In fact, this is what Health Canada says in regards to Aromatherapy...
Essential Oils are used in aromatherapy;

1. for symptomatic relief of acne/boils.
2. to relieve minor skin irritation/cuts/bruises/burns.
3. for symptomatic relief of eczema/dermatitis.
4. as a nervine/calmative.
5. to help relieve joint/muscle pain associated with sprain/strain/rheumatoid arthritis.
6. to help relieve a headache.
7. as a carminative/antispasmodic for symptomatic relief of digestive discomfort.
8. to help relieve colds/cough.

Now there are many studies on the benefits of essential oils, and with the world wide web at our fingertips, it's worth it to take a few moments to look into them. Of course, once you start to use them yourself, you'll know what all the hype is about. BTW, this is not a new fad or craze. Essential oils have been around for about as long as man has been documenting things...and we can find references dating back thousands of years, first recorded in China between 2687-2597 BC. You can find over 600 references in the Bible as well.

I fever you would like to know more about Young Living and their products, don't hesitate to contact me...I would love to have a chat about oils. I am an independent distributor for YL, sharing my passion, one drop at a time.

Debbie Brown
YL Member # 11073874


*Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) is a method of measuring antioxidant capacities in biological samples in vitro. Wikipedia definition.

Medical Disclosure: None of the comments or opinions expressed here are meant to treat or diagnose any disease or illness. The information found on this site is for educational purposes only, and neither intended nor implied to act as a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider when it comes to any questions you may have or decisions you intend to make regarding your medical condition or treatment.

Vegan Souvlaki

OK, so I was not going to post this, I wanted to try it out first, but Oh, my....I was so excited, I decided, what the heck! I had been telling my husband that I had a craving for souvlakia...but that was a meal from my past life, so I had to do something about it.

Jackfruit...have you ever heard of it? Most recipes on the net suggest BBQ pulled pork sandwiches. but I wanted Souvlaki.

I was ecstatic to find Jackfruit, canned in brine. Well, I do live in Canada, and not a single tree around here produces Jackfruit. Then I watched a youtube video of someone taking one of those monsters apart...not gonna happen. So, canned it is.  This was the first time I came across Jackfruit in brine. In syrup was much easier to find in Asian markets.

Next time, and yes, there will be a next time, I'm going to toss them on the BBQ and they will be perfect!

Vegan Souvlaki

(6-8 skewers)

Ingredients:

2 cans of Jackfruit in brine
2 lemons
2-4 cloves of garlic (crushed)
1 onion broth cube
Oregano
Salt and pepper
Water

Olive or Avocado oil for basting (do not simmer the oil)

Directions:

Rinse the jackfruit and remove any seeds. Place in a pot and add all the ingredients. Cover with water.
Simmer on low heat until tender and separates easily. You want the water to be all but gone to make sure the pieces are flavorful and somewhat lemony. Don't let it stick and add water if the jackfruit is not as tender as you'd like.

Place the pieces on wooden skewers. You might have to cut some pieces. Baste with oil, oregano, and garlic. Place on BBQ or on parchment paper in the oven. If you have a BBQ mesh, you might want to use it. Only one or two smaller pieces fell off in the oven, but the others held fast, so they might be fine right on the grill. I'll let you know the next time I make them.

Is there any downside to this recipe? Believe it or not, It's a little too much like meat! So depending on where you're at in your life, be it Meatless Monday's, vegetarianism, or veganism, you might love this, or not. (I plan on trying a raw souvlaki version with this...as well as 'chicken nuggets' and a few others). I'll let you know how it goes.

While I'm at it, I'll throw in the recipe for Cashew Tzatziki.

Cashew Tzatziki

Ingredients

3/4 C soaked cashews  (90 min to 4 hrs)
1/2 a large English cucumber or 1 field cucumber
3 cloves of garlic
a handful of fresh dill sprigs
Juice of 1/2-1 lemon (according to personal taste)
Salt

Directions

Drain and rinse the cashews.
Place all ingredients in a high-speed blender and using the tamper, push down the ingredients until well blended. The water from the cucumber will be more than enough for the recipe. IF you don;t have a high-speed blender, you can blend the cucumber first, then add the rest and it should work out just fine.

Note: If ever you don't like the sweetness of the cashews in this recipe, feel free to substitute brazil nuts for the cashews.

Greek Salad Dressing

Ingredients

3/4 -1 C Olive oil
1 clove of garlic
1/2 C lemon juice (juice of 2 lemons)
1/2 tsp dried Oregano
Salt & Pepper

Throw everything into a blender or magic bullet and blend it well. This brings out all the flavors, even if the dressing has just been made. No waiting!

For the salad, you can mix diced tomatoes, diced cucumber, whole or sliced black olives, thinly sliced red onions and (this will be for another post) vegan feta. I like it with mixed greens as well.

I'll share my recipe for Greek potatoes later on as well.

Vegan Pad Thai

This is another family favourite that I am excited to share with you. What I love about this recipe, is that aside from lightly sauteing the onions, I add my veggies into the mix raw, stir to warm them and serve. My family gets the benefits of raw food, bursting with the enzymes and nutrients without even realising they're eating raw.

There are no peanuts in the picture, simply because I forgot to add them before I took the picture. I usually put a bowl with spices, another with peanuts and yet another with extra cilantro and shallots for those who would like to add them to their plate.

So let's get on with the recipe! Oh, normally I would have used a red pepper, but my grocery guys were out and only had orange ones, so the colour is not as pretty as it could have been.

Ingredients:

1/2 package of rice noodles (not the vermicelli)

2 zucchinis
2 carrots
1 red pepper
1 large onion
4 shallots
1/2 cup of fresh cilantro
chopped peanuts
1 lime

Sauce:

1 mushroom broth cube (I use Go Bio)
1 veggie broth cube (or 2 Tbsp)
3 Tbsp maple syrup
2 Tbsp rice vinegar
2 Tbsp Tamari sauce (I use San-j -gluten free)
1/4 tsp sriracha powdered spice

Instructions:

Heat water in a pot until boiling. Remove from heat, place the rice noodles into the water and let sit.
When they have reached the desired tenderness, drain and rinse. Set aside.

While the noodles soak, thinly slice the onion into perfect slices (as though you wanted onion rings), and then cut a line from the centre of the onion out. This will give long, thin strips of onion. Set aside.

I use a mandoline to make 'noodles' out of my carrots and zucchinis. You could use a spiralizer too, but the mandoline makes vermicelli sized noodles. Put the 'noodles' in a separate bowl.
Thinly slice the pepper and add them to the carrot, zucchini bowl. The zucchini noodle will blend right into the rice noodles, you won't even know they're there. I do not peel my zucchini.

Chop the cilantro and the shallots, place in a small bowl.
Chop the peanuts and place in yet another small bowl.
Slice the lime into wedges.

To make the sauce, place all ingredients in a bowl and whisk together.

Saute the onion until transparent. Pour the sauce mixture over the onions and heat until bubbles start to form. Add the noodles and toss to coat.

Add the carrot, zucchini and peppers. Mix well, remove from heat and cover the pot for a few minutes.

Sprinkle with cilantro, shallots, peanuts and more spice if you so desire.
Yields 4 large portions. (more than enough for us, 3 adults and 2 children.)

Enjoy!

Curried Red Lentil Veggie Soup

Late nights working at my computer are sadly something that happens too often. Every now and then, I feel like having a little snack to tide me over and tonight, this is what I chose. A thick soup with red lentils cauliflower, carrots and sweet potatoes. Add ginger, garlic and curry, and oh, what a treat.

Curried Red Lentil Veggie Soup

1 cauliflower, chopped into bite-sized pieces
4 carrots, thinly sliced
1 sweet potato, cubed
2 cups of red lentils
1 large onion
2 cloves of garlic
1-inch chunk of fresh ginger
curry powder (I use Simply Organic) but like to change once in a while to try different blends.
veggie broth, OR powder or vegetable broth cubes (enough to fit your pot size)
water

Preparation:

Dice the onion, crush the garlic and finely grate the ginger. (I have this old ginger peeler grater Yukie, a Japanese exchange student, gave me 20 years ago...hoping it lasts another 20 years).

Saute onion lightly until transparent.

Add salt and curry powder, then garlic and ginger.

Before the garlic and ginger start to stick to the bottom of the pot, add the other veggies and fill the pot with water and vegetable broth powder (cubes) or veggie broth.

Once the broth comes to a boil, add the lentils and lower the heat.

Let simmer until the vegetables are tender. The lentils will be done by then.

Add salt, pepper and curry powder to taste.
You can always use powdered garlic and ginger in a pinch, but I always have fresh on hand.

Until I had this soup, I was not a fan of curry. Now, I have several dishes that call for curry, and I am happy to say, bring it on. I love it. The blend of curry, garlic and ginger is heavenly.

Cauliflower Goji Berry Salad

Oh, my....what an awesome recipe. My daughter asked me if it was a raw 'potato' salad, and I realised that it could easily replace a picnic favourite. No cooking, not worries about keeping it cool when eating outdoors. So yummy you'll be swatting them away as they try to eat right out of the bowl.

This is so easy to throw together, and so yummy that you'll want to make it over and over.

Cauliflower Goji Berry Salad

1 cauliflower
1 medium red onion
1/3 cup goji berries
1/4 cup pine nuts

3/4 cup soaked cashews (soak 30 min -2 hrs. try not to soak more than 4 hours)
1-2 Tbsp raw apple cider vinegar
1 clove of garlic
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste


Coarsely chop up the cauliflower into bite-sized pieces and put in a bowl. Dice the onion and add to the cauliflower. Add the goji berries and pine nuts. Lighty salt and toss. Set aside.

In a high-speed blender, Nutribullet or Nutribullet Rx (I'll show you the ones I use at one point), blend the cashews, garlic, vinegar, salt, pepper, and a bit of water. You will want to add water very slowly because we are looking for a thick, creamy consistency.

Add the cream sauce to the cauliflower mixture and stir to coat. Adjust the salt and pepper to taste. If you let it sit for a few minutes, the flavours will really come out.

You will not be disappointed and neither will those you share it with...if you do decide to share. I wanted to add another post, but now I think I'm gonna take a few minutes and go make this. My mouth is watering just writing about it.

If you do try this, let me know how it turned out and if you liked it!

Sun, Summer and Bugs...

If you are like me, and probably most people on the planet, you despise the little creepy-crawly, flying, stinging and biting critters that pop out half an hour after the onset of warm weather.
My friend went out to collect her laundry and had to run back inside to take cover from the swarm of black flies that immediately targeted her. Fortunately, I had just shared this recipe with her, and she applied this mixture of essential oils to her skin, went back out, and was able to fold the entire load outdoors without being harassed.
Interested?

You have 2 options, either a roller ball or a spray. I say this because although I had a spray recipe, I was fresh out of spray bottles, so she did the next best thing, and put them in a roller ball with fractionated coconut oil (liquid).

So, to make this beautiful, 'make the outdoors fun again', roll-on or spray, you only need a few ingredients.

Fractionated coconut oil, avocado oil or sweet almond oil are great carrier oils. (You can choose your favourite oil, these are just a few suggestions)

Just realised that I forgot to put the witch hazel and glycerin into the picture

Fill your bottle with the carrier oil, leaving a little space for the essential oils. This will reflect a 15 ml bottle. Adjust your essential oils accordingly, using 3-5 drops of each.

Basic oils:
Purification essential oil,
Lavender essential oil,
Peppermint essential oil,

Pop on a roller-top and voila!
If you hop on the internet you can find specific oils for specific lil buggers.

By the way, I spent a few days in the bush with my cadet unit. Bug infested bush -enough to drive you crazy bush. I am pleased to say, I made it through without a single bite. Now if you look closely at this picture, every single white speck is a black fly, gloriously lit up at sunset. Yes, I'm being sarcastic. What you don't see is that there are easily twice as many bugs on their clothing.

Save me from 'em spray:

Glass bottles are always the best, but in a pinch, even the dollar store can set you up with a travel sized plastic spray bottle.

Spray bottle
pinch of salt
3-5 drops of Purification, Lavender and Peppermint essential oils.
an inch of witch hazel (regardless of bottle size, I use an inch or 2,5 cm high)
1 tsp glycerin or liquid coconut oil
filtered water is best to not clog the spray nozzle, but not absolutely necessary.

Add a pinch of salt to the bottom of your bottle and add the essential oils to it. This will help you keep the oils blended into the liquid, rather than have them float on top.
Pour an inch of witch hazel into the bottle and swirl the mixture around.
You can add a teaspoon of glycerin or coconut oil (liquid) to the mix.
Fill the rest of the bottle with filtered or distilled water. Cap, shake and spray.

Keep in mind that wearing light coloured clothes helps. Black or dark colours attract those annoying little pests.

If anyone was wondering what was in Purification, I got the list for you:
Lemongrass, Rosemary, Melaleuca (M. Alternifolia), Myrtle, Citronella. Which is why it's an awesome choice in our mixture.

Vegan Fettuccine Alfredo Primavera

My daughter requested this for supper tonight. I had planned on making veggie burgers, but I often let the family members choose what they want. So, tonight, I will be sharing this super fast and easy recipe. How fast? Well, in the time it takes to cook the pasta, all you'll have left to do is throw it all together, set the table, and eat.

Are you ready?

Go!

Step 1: Get a cup of cashews and cover them with water. Let them soak until you are ready for them. If you can soak them in advance, that's the best (2 hrs) but the time you need to prep the rest is acceptable as well.

Step 2: Get your pasta cooking. Fettuccine, linguine or of you're looking for a more raw version, you can use zucchini, carrot or even sweet potato noodles. Simply spiralize them and set aside.

Step 3: Prepare your veggies of choice. Here are what I usually use, but get creative and pick whatever you have on hand or what you feel like eating. I put them all in a bowl and set aside until I need them.

2 carrots -finely shredded,

1 zucchini -coarsely shredded, 

1 red pepper -diced into small pieces,

1 cup frozen peas,

3 thinly sliced scallions (shallots or green onions),

1 cup of broccoli florets, chopped. ( I didn't have any this time)

Step 4: cashew cream sauce

Rinse and drain your cashews,

place in a high-powered blender or Nutri bullet Rx 

add 2 1/2 - 3 cups water

2 cloves of garlic

1 cube of veggie broth (or equivalent)

salt and pepper to taste

Blend the cashews and other ingredients until no pieces are left. Pour into a large pot and heat slowly. You want to bring this to a boil, stirring often so that it doesn't stick. It thickens quite quickly. 

Once it is as thick as you want it, add the veggies into the pot, and remove from heat. Stir the vegetables into the sauce, coating well, and then add the pasta to the pot. 

That's it. I don't cook the vegetables, they soften in the hot sauce and that's just fine for us. They are not crunchy so no one has noticed that they weren't really cooked.

My daughter has made this using a can of full-fat coconut milk to replace a cup of the water. I prefer the more neutral cashew taste, which was good tonight since we had coconut milk ice cream for dessert.

Smoothie, Smoothie, Smoothie

Gooood Morning!

Almost every morning in our home, we start the day with a yummy smoothie. My 3 yr old used to call it a "soumie" which has since evolved to a "smooty." We're getting there.
It's one of those, 'everything but the kitchen sink' recipes, but we wanted to make sure we got all our nutritious superfoods in there. This time-saving post is to share the brilliant idea of making portion sized superfood jars.

Some time ago, I started making mini-mason jars of superfoods, because when I was hurrying to get the morning smoothie done before running out the door, opening every bag n jar was a pain. This has made my life much easier. Now I am not giving out nutritional advice here because we are all different and so are our needs. I researched every single one of these ingredients before deciding to add it to our routine. I suggest you do so, too.

My choice of superfoods is listed below. Keep in mind that we are five people drinking this every morning (and my oldest would go off with a 1l mason jar for her day). You'll need to adjust your quantities to your needs. See that blender jar on the left? -well, we fill it to the top.



You can find all sorts of lists on the internet on fruit n veggie combining to make sure you have your greens. (I threw in Amazing Grass -Green Superfoods) but we'll be sprouting wheatgrass again and juicing our fresh greens.

Cacao nibs,
hemp seeds,
chia seeds,
sesame seeds (usually the black ones, but they were out),
flax seeds,

pumpkin seeds (my jar is now empty in the pic...)
maca
lucuma
mesquite
camu camu
spirulina
moringa
raw honey
coconut oil
coconut water or maple water
I squeeze 2 lemons, 3 oranges and a grapefruit,
banana
mango

pineapple

My Nutribullet Rx or my Kenmore Pro blend this to a silky smooth drink. Don't let the seeds 'n chunks scare you. (My bullet had died at one point, and while we waited for its replacement to arrive, I used my intermediate sized bullet. My hubby asked if I had put a granola bar into the mix that morning...yeah, not as silky smooth as usual, lol.

I love seeing my girls enjoying their smoothie. I am thrilled knowing they are getting something good into their bodies to start the day.  If you try it, let me know what you think of it!

Since I've discovered Young Living's Ningxia red, I think it's a great alternative for someone who doesn't want to break the bank stocking up on all these superfoods, or simply doesn't have the time to go through this whole process every morning. BTW wolfberries and Goji berries are one in the same. You can either get the 60 ml packets or the 750ml bottles. Feel free to contact me if you want any.

This is from their website:  NingXia Red® is a delicious drink that contains whole Ningxia wolfberry puree; a super blend of blueberry, aronia, cherry, pomegranate, and plum juices; natural stevia, grape seed, and pure vanilla extracts; and orange, yuzu, lemon, and tangerine essential oils. NingXia Red provides a whole-body nutrient infusion.

Vegan Chocolate Cake

My cousin was over for dinner the other night, and I had made this for desert (after an amazing vegan lasagna with cashew ricotta). I had to laugh when she said it was just like her favorite deep n delicious cakes. That's a good sign, right?

Anyway, you are absolutely going to LOVE, love, love this fast and easy recipe. You mix it right in the pan, you don't even have to grease it before hand, it'll pop right out on its own. I usually just ice it and serve from the glass baking dish.

It's gluten-free and totally organic too.

I use Cuisine -Soleil GF all-purpose flour mix, it's a blend of chickpea, rice, and tapioca flour. I also weigh my flour, so if you are NOT using a GF blend, or have a 'cup-for-cup' blend, 120g  of flour is a cup. If you are not weighing, but are using a GF blend, you should fluff it up with a fork before measuring. Never pack the flour down either, unless you want a hockey puck instead of a cake.


INGREDIENTS:


180g GF flour (1 1/2 C)
2/3 C cane sugar
4 Tbsp cacao powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp xanthan gum
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 C chocolate chips
(we use dairy-free, soy-free, allergen-free)

Mix all the above right into your baking dish. I have never greased my glass dish, and the cake has always easily come free.

1 C water
6Tbsp oil (avocado or grapeseed is fine)
1 tsp vanilla
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar (I'm pretty sure white vinegar would work too)

You can either mix them all together before adding to the dry ingredients, or pour them as they appear on top of the dry ingredients. Mix well with a spoon.

Bake in the oven at 350 F for about 18 min....my best advice is to check it with a toothpick. GF flour is not like regular flour and cooking times vary.

If you want to ice the cake:
1 C icing sugar (I put organic cane sugar into the blender and grind it myself)
1-2 Tbsp cacao
1 Tbsp vegan butter or coconut oil
1-3 Tbsp cashew milk
1/2 tsp vanilla



If it is too thick, add more milk, if it is too thin, add more icing sugar. I like to ice the cake while it is still warm....but not hot.
Let me know what you think!

Enjoy :)

Fizzy Bath Bombs

We made this as a group project not long ago. While researching the different recipes, I found that the fizz was caused by citric acid. The first thing that put me off of this ingredient was a comment "...don't worry if it if it strips off your nail polish, that's normal..." Ugh....now I don't even wear nail polish, but did I want to put my kid's bottom in water with something that was strong enough to do that??? And then I came across a post explaining that citric acid actually came from GMO black mold. That was it. More research needed.

I finally settled upon cream of tartar, crystals formed during grape fermentation -wine making.

The recipe I finally settled upon, (and tweaked to my needs), may not be as fizzy as commercial bombs, but it fizzes for quite a while and smells great.

I didn't have any fancy molds, and I was doing this with more than 20 kids, aging from 4-12 years of age, so I decided to use Dixie cups to put them in. It worked out really well, and it was easy to pop them out once they were done.




Bath Bombs

1 C baking soda
1/2 C cream of tartar
3 Tbsp corn starch (optional)
1 C Epsom salts
8 tsp of oil (olive, coconut, almond or avocado)
8-12 drops of essential oil
water

Mix all dry ingredients in a glass bowl until well blended. (The cornstarch is supposed to make the bomb dissolve slower than without it. I haven't tried it so I can't tell you if it makes much of a difference).
Add the wet ingredients on top of the dry ingredients and either drizzle a bit of water at a time or use a spray bottle to spritz the mixture.
Knead the mixture by hand so you can see if it starts to stick together or not.
Stop adding water when you can press some of the mixture together in the palm of your hand and it keeps its shape. If you add too much water, it will start foaming in the bowl.
Press it into the bottom of your dixie cups or molds. You can fill the cups up as much as you want, but if you are making bombs, you will need to fill each half of the mold tightly, and then press the two halves together. You can immediately unmold the dixie cups and use a bomb in the bath...if you can't wait for them to harden, but I suggest you wait a few hours if you are making round bombs so that they don't come apart when trying to unmold them.

As for the essential oils, we only use Young Living, because I know where they come from, that they are chemical and pesticide free, and that they are pure, undiluted oil. Lavender or lemon oil are great choices. (If you use a citrus oil, do so before bed, because you want to avoid having citrus oils on your skin if you plan on going out into the sun.)
You might want to avoid peppermint if these are going to be for your kids.

Don't forget Stress-away if you need to unwind. 

The great thing about essential oils is that you can find a scent that not only pleases you but is beneficial as well. 

If  you get yourself a re-usable mold from Amazon, you can make the pretty round bombs. Like this one. I don't use food coloring in my cooking or crafts, but I will use natural vegetable juices to dye things. Beets give a pretty pink color, just saying. You can also add some dried flower petals if you want to be fancy. They make awesome gifts, and the kids can help.

If you do try, let me know how it goes. Share a pic!

Creamy Potato Soup

This is one of our favorite winter soups. Years ago, we'd go out to Tim Hortons and have a hearty bowl of  potato, bacon, cheddar soup. but since going vegan, there's a whole lot about that soup that just didn't work anymore. So, I set out to create a vegan version, and oh, my....what an awesome recipe.

This was a small bowl for my three-year-old

5 lb bag of potatoes, peeled and cubed (save 2 medium potatoes)

2 finely grated potatoes

2 carrots, finely grated

1 onion, chopped 

3 Tbsp veggie broth powder and 5-6 cups of water (or use 5-6 cups of veggie broth)

3 Tbsp nutritional yeast

1-2 Tbsp liquid smoke

½ C soaked cashews (you want to soak them between 20 min to 2 hours, but not more)

Salt and Pepper to taste

Sauté onions until golden brown.

Add water and/or broth, potatoes, carrots, liquid smoke, and yeast

When potatoes are tender, blend the cashews with ¾-1 cup water to make a light cream. 

Add to the soup and stir to blend in.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Hmmm, you're going to love it!

Foaming Hand Soap

You can't get any easier than this quick and easy project. No heating, melting, blending, setting...so come on, check it out!
It makes an awesome foaming hand soap you can either use as a waterless hand cleaner, as a soap if you have water on hand, or even on a baby's bottom for a diaper change. My girls bring their to the gym. After their gymnastics class, they insint on having a snack...and this does the trick.

I put Thieves oil in the recipe, an awesome oil well worth looking into! (Filled with a mix of clove, eucalyptus, lemon and rosemary oils that Health Canada regards to be 'naturally occurring substances that are used to restore or maintain good health). You might want to check out the legend behind the oil as well, some good stuff there.

The products on the left will be covered in upcoming posts, lip balm, soothing after-workout balm, chest rub, deodorant, roller-ball mixtures, and MORE! We may even touch on make-up...if you feel up to it.

DIY Foaming Hand Soap

Ingredients:

Foaming Pump Bottle
Castile soap (Dr. Bronner's or Green Beaver)
Vit E oil
Water
Pink Himalayan Salt
Essential Oils (Lemon and Thieves)

Now bear with me for the quantities...
If you only want a bottle like the one pictured above, then visually, divide up your bottle into fourths.
Put 1/8th of a tsp salt in the bottle, and add 4 drops of thieves and 2 drops of lemon oil to the salt and shake. (This prevents the oil from floating on the water and allows it to blend into the mixture).
Fill 1/4th of the bottle with Castile soap. (Normally, I'd use unscented, but I had citrus on hand.) Add 2-3 drops of vit E oil, and fill with water to the 3/4 fill line. Do not fill your bottle, because once you add the pump, it will likely overflow.

If you want to make more, you can do this:
Pink Salt
1/3 C unscented castile soap
2/3 C distilled water
3-5 drops vit E oil
10 drops of Thieves oil (or a Lemon-Thieves combo)

If you would like more information on Young Living Essential Oils, don't hesitate to contact me:
Debbie Brown, YL Independent Distributor, Member No. 11073874
yukifuri001@aol.com

Vegan "Mac 'n Cheese"

I am going to keep it simple for the first post, well, simple for you because this recipe came after a long list of rejected attempts. (...either Savannah or Zoey had not approved of previous recipes). You, get the one with all THUMBS UP!

Ingredients:

GF pasta (I use Rizopia or Go Go Quinoa)

2 medium-large yellow potatoes
1 large carrot
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1/3 C nutritional yeast
1/2 C raw cashews (soaked 30-90 min)
1 tsp smoked paprika


Peel and cut the potatoes into chunks.
Cover with salted water and boil until soft. (You will need to keep the water for the sauce recipe).
Add veggies, water, cashews, and all other ingredients to a high-speed blender.
Blend until you get a creamy sauce.

Add to cooked pasta and mix well. Now, feel free to tweak the spices to taste.

*The GoGo Quinoa pasta has more of a neutral flavor that the girls prefer.
**The sauce does not harden in the fridge like some other pre-packaged form of Mac n Ch...
it stays yummy and creamy.