No Bake Key Lime Pie

Pie Crust
   2/3 cup raw walnuts
   2/3 cup unsweetened, shredded coconut
   2/3 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
   4 Medjool dates

Grind walnuts, coconut and oats in a high speed blender. Drop in dates one at a time until mixture hold together. Press into a 9 inch pie plate.

Pie Filling
   3 avocados
   16 Medjool dates
   3/4 cup fresh key lime juice (can use regular limes)
   1/2 cup raw cashews (or 1/4 cup cashew butter)
   zest from 1 lime

Combine filling ingredients in a high-powered blender and blend until smooth. Pour into crust and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or freeze until ready to use.

No-Fail Kale Salad

This one is really good. I got it out of the cookbook "Everyday Detox" by Megan Gilmore

Lemon Dressing
 3/4 c. freshly squeezed lemon juice (of course that may be hard to come by so you can use realemon)
  1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil
  2 Tbsp. raw honey
  1 clove garlic, minced
  1/4 tsp sea salt

   Combine all the ingredients in a shaker jar and shake vigorously to mix. Set aside.

Salad
  1 pound kale leaves, stems removed, chopped into small pieces (the smaller the better)
  1/4 cup red onion, diced
  2 carrots, shredded
  1/4 cup craisins
  1/2 cup slivered almonds

Place kale, carrots and onions in a bowl. Pour dressing over the salad and massage the salad until well coated with dressing. Add craisins and almonds and toss. Store in fridge until ready to serve.
Lasts a long time in the fridge!
 

Key Lime Pie Recipe!

I know some of you have been waiting to have this down on a digital copy! So here it is! Super yummy and nutritious! 

Avocado Key Lime Pie!! YUM!
(Recipe from Stacy Stowers)

3/4 cup raw almonds
1 cup raw walnuts
10 medjool dates (1 cupe pitted and packed down)
pinch of salt

Process ingredients in a food processor using the "S" blade until ingredients stick together.  Do not over process or you will make nut butter.  Press into pie plate.  Chill while preparing the pie filling.

Pie filling:
3/4 c. squeezed lime juice
1 1/2 cup avocados 1/2 c. honey
1/8 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 c. coconut oil
2 T. lecithin (I use about 1.5 T chia seeds soaked in 2-3 T. water and add to the blender mix instead)

Blend all ingredients except coconut oil and lecithin.  Now add the coconut oil and lecithin.  Blend all until creamy.  Pour it into pie crust and chill for 4-6 hours or until firm.  You can decorate with a kiwi and colorful berries.  Freezing it and enjoying it slightly thawed, but still pretty firm is also delicious too! One of our favorite desserts!

Basic Hummus

Basic Hummus

Ingredients

·        2 cans chickpeas (other beans can be used but garbanzos are the classic)

·        1-2 cloves garlic, or 1-2 tsp minced garlic

·        2-3 tablespoons olive oil

·        up to ½ cup water (optional) or 1 Tbsp lemon juice

·        ½ teaspoon salt

May add other flavors such as red peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, cumin, curry, tahini etc....

Instructions

Place chickpeas in a blender or food processor with garlic, olive oil, ¼ cup water (I don't use water), and salt. (Add any other ingredients for flavor such as red peppers.)

Blend or puree until very smooth, adding water one tablespoon at a time if the mixture is too sticky to move through the blender. (Go easy on the water as it can make it runny) - You can also use lemon juice for a Tbsp or so.

Once the mixture is going, you can stream in a little bit more olive oil to help achieve a super creamy texture.

GRANOLA made easy

Yummy Fruit & Nut Granola

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup quinoa flakes (optional)
• 3 cup rolled oats
• 3/4 cup puffed Kashi cereal
• 1/4 cup sesame seeds
• 1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds
• 1/2 cup dried unsweetened cranberries
• 1/4 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
• 1/2 cup dried chopped fruit (pineapple, apricots, blueberries, cranberries)
• 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
• 1/3 cup puffed millet cereal (
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts, almonds or pecans
• 1/4 cup coconut oil
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2- 1 tsp extract of your choice- vanilla, almond, or anise.

Variations: (optional) orange zest (I like this one the best)

powdered or candied ginger 

unsweetened chocolate shavings

Directions

1. Put the oats, quinoa flakes (if using these) and coconut on cookie sheet and spread out.  Toast at 350 for a few minutes to lightly brown.  Watch! They burn fast!
2. Put the sesame seeds and pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds and nuts on a separate cookie sheet and do the same.
3. Dump the quinoa flakes, rice cereal, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, cranberries, coconut, pumpkin seeds, and millet cereal into a large bowl.
4. In a separate smaller bowl, add the honey, coconut oil, salt and extract. Heat over low heat so that it melts and mixes together (I just micro-waved it for about a minute or so).
5. Pour the mixture over the seeds and cereal, and mix until everything is covered. May take a few minutes.
6. Spread the mix over 2 cookie sheets and roast in the oven for about 10 min at 350 (keep an eye on it so it doesn’t burn).
7. Done! Serve with berries and rice milk, or munch on by the handful as a tasty snack :)

Butternut Squash Soup

http://www.ourbestbites.com/2009/10/butternut-squash-soup/

I just modify using coconut oil instead of butter and homemade vegetable stock instead of chicken stock.  But both would work and this soup is so yummy! The kids even like it too! YUM!

Butternut Squash Soup

Recipe by Our Best Bites
serves 6-8

1/2 T olive oil
1 T butter
1/2 C sliced carrots (abt 1 med carrot or 12 baby ones)
2 stalks celery, diced
1 C diced onion
4 large garlic cloves, minced
1 medium butternut squash, (abt 4 cups peeled and diced)
1 medium potato, diced (about 2 C diced)
32 oz chicken broth (that’s one box/carton)
1 T brown sugar
1 1/2 t kosher salt
3/4 t dried sage
1 pinch cayenne pepper or a douse of hot sauce

In a large stock pot, heat olive oil and butter. When butter is melted add onions, carrots, celery, and garlic

Saute for 2-3 minutes or until onion is tender. Add the squash.

Then add potato, sage, salt, red pepper, and chicken broth. Bring to a boil and then turn down to a simmer. Simmer with the lid on for 30-40 minutes or until everything is tender. Check a piece of squash and also a piece of celery and potato to make sure they area fork tender. Stir in 1 T brown sugar.

Use an immersion blender, or transfer soup to a regular blender and puree until smooth.

I topped mine with a little parsley so it didn’t look so plain! A small drizzle of heavy cream or sour cream is also tasty.

Another Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce! YUM!

Here is the one we made when you were here Jessica! :) Taken from detoxinista.com
http://detoxinista.com/2013/05/creamy-cauliflower-alfredo-dairy-free-nut-free/

Creamy Cauliflower Alfredo 
makes 2 cups

Adapted from Pinch of Yum

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon coconut oil, or butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
12 ounces cauliflower florets
1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon fine Himalayan salt, or more to taste
black pepper, to taste

Directions:

Saute the minced garlic in the coconut oil or butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Allow to cook for a few minutes, until the garlic is tender and fragrant, but not browned. Add the 1 cup of water to the saucepan, along with the cauliflower, and bring the water to a boil. (The water will not cover the cauliflower, and that’s okay.) Once the water is boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer and cover the pot for 8-10 minutes, until the cauliflower is fork-tender and very soft.

Transfer the entire contents of the saucepan into a blender or food processor, and season with salt and pepper. Process until very smooth and creamy, with a texture similar to traditional cream sauce. (Always be careful when blending hot liquids– the steam pressure can blow the lid off your blender!) Season with additional salt and pepper, if desired, and serve hot.

Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce

Cauli-power Fettuccine "Alfredo" from ohsheglows.com

http://ohsheglows.com/2014/01/20/cauli-power-fettuccine-alfredo-vegan/

Vegan, refined sugar-free, soy-free

A decadent-tasting, but super light and energizing vegan alfredo pasta sauce made with a base of cooked cauliflower! You have to taste this to believe it. The nutritional yeast gives this sauce a lovely "cheesy" flavour while the blended cauliflower creates a luxurious (but light) creamy base. If you don't want to serve it over pasta, try serving it over your favourite roasted vegetables or stirred into cooked rice. Thanks to Pinch of Yum for inspiring this tasty recipe!

Yield
4 servings (or 3 cups sauce)

Prep Time
20 Minutes

Cook time
30 Minutes

Ingredients:

• 4 heaping cups cauliflower florets (1 small/medium cauliflower)
• 1/2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic (from 2 med/lg cloves)
• 1/2 cup unsweetened and unflavoured almond milk (or non-dairy milk of choice)
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4-1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 3/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt, or to taste
• 1/4-1/2 teaspoon pepper, to taste
• Fettuccine pasta of choice (I used one (8-oz) box of Eden Organic Spelt Ribbons)
• Fresh parsley, for garnish

Directions:

1. Add cauliflower florets in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a low boil. Once boiling, cook for another 3-7 minutes until fork tender. Drain.
2. Meanwhile, add the oil into a skillet and saute the minced garlic over low heat for 4-5 minutes until softened and fragrant, but not browned.
3. In a high speed blender, add the cooked and drained cauliflower, sauteed garlic, milk, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Blend until a super smooth sauce forms. If using a Vitamix use the tamper stick as needed. The key here is to get a really smooth sauce so don't be afraid to let it run for a minute or so. Set aside.
4. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add your desired amount of pasta and boil for the time instructed on the package. Drain pasta.
5. Add cauliflower sauce into the pot (you can use the same pot!) and add the drained pasta. Heat over low-medium until heated enough to your liking. Salt again to taste (the pasta dilutes the flavour).
6. Serve with fresh minced parsley and black pepper. Feel free to add in your favourite sauteed or roasted vegetables. I think peas, spinach, or broccoli would work very nicely! I added mushrooms, but I wasn't overly crazy about them in this dish.

Read more: http://ohsheglows.com/2014/01/20/cauli-power-fettuccine-alfredo-vegan/#ixzz37lB1I2WI

Amber's Granola Bars
-super yummy and nutritious! We bake these in bulk and they are great homemade "Nature Valley Honey Oat" type bars! yum!

4 c. oats
1 c. raw sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 c. shredded coconut (I substituted sunflower seeds and sesame seeds)
1 c. chopped nuts
3/4 c. melted coconut oil
1/2 c. raw honey
2/3 c. peanut butter
1/4 c. wheat germ

Combine all ingredients.  Mix well, pack into well greased 15 1/2 x 10 1/2 baking sheet.  Bake 9 minutes at 450* convection.

Snickerdoodles 

Recipe taken from ohsheglows.com, at this link http://ohsheglows.com/2010/11/24/my-favourite-snickerdoodles/.  These vegan Snickerdoodles have a crisp edge with a soft centre and they are a breeze to throw together. Instead of all-purpose flour, I amped up the nutrition in these cookies by using whole wheat pastry flour. I also reduced the sugar substantially while still creating a delicious tasting cookie. If you prefer, you can use 1 cup of all-purpose flour for a more classic Snickerdoodle. This recipe makes about 10 cookies, but it can easily be doubled if you’d like a bigger batch. Inspired by Joy of Baking.
Ingredients:

• 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour (I doubled the recipe and used 1 cup ground oats and 1 cup ground millet instead b/c we are currently out of wheat, plus the gluten free probably does the body good every now and then)
• 1/3 cup + 1 tbsp raw or turbinado or coconut sugar
• 1/4 tsp cream of tartar* (see note)
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• Pinch of cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 flax egg (1/2 tbsp ground flax + 1.5 tbsp warm water)
• 1/4 cup Earth Balance (or coconut oil)
• Cinnamon sugar: 1 tbsp sugar + 1 tsp cinnamon, mixed together

Directions: In a small bowl, mix the 1/2 flax egg. Set aside. In a medium sized bowl cream the sugar, Earth Balance (or butter), and vanilla until incorporated. Add in the flax egg and beat for about 60 seconds. In another bowl, whisk the dry ingredients together (cream of tartar, baking soda, flour, and pinch of cinnamon). Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture and stir well. Use your hands to knead together the dough. Shape the dough into a ball and wrap it in plastic wrap. Place in the fridge for 1 hour.
After 1 hour, preheat the oven to 375F and take about 1.5 tbsp of dough and shape into a ball. Roll in cinnamon sugar and then press the ball with a fork to flatten slightly. Repeat 9 more times to make 10 cookies.
Bake for 10-12 minutes. (If you want chewy cookies bake for 10 minutes and if you want crispy cookies bake for 12 minutes.) Cool for about 10 minutes. Makes 10 cookies.
Note: I have heard that you might be able to get away with substituting the cream of tartar and baking soda with baking powder. However, I have not tested this out myself. If you try this leave a comment and let me know how it worked out.


Read more: http://ohsheglows.com/2010/11/24/my-favourite-snickerdoodles/#ixzz32mjAduHh

Banana Oatmeal Muffins

I used seasome milk instead of almond milk. 

• 3 mashed bananas (the more ripe the better!)
• 1 cup vanilla Almond milk (you could use skim but you may want to add a little sweetener)
• 2 eggs
• 1 tbsp Baking powder
• 3 cups (240g) Old Fashion or Rolled Oats
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 tbsp (42g) mini chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Mix all ingredients except the chocolate chips together, and let sit while you prepare the muffin pans. 
Spray a muffin pan and/or liners with with non-stick spray.
Stir the chocolate chips into the oatmeal batter.
Divide batter into 15 muffin cups. They should be just about filled.
Bake 20-30 minutes, you’ll see the edges just starting to brown and they will be firm to the touch. 
The muffins may stick when hot but are removed easily when cooled for a bit.

DIY Remedies for Sore Muscles

Natural Remedies for Sore Muscles

Massage

While massage just plain feels good, it’s doing good for your sore muscles on a cellular level. Massage reduces certain compounds that cause inflammation. It also stimulates mitochondria, which aid in cell function and repair.

Try massaging those sore areas with the muscle relaxer balm peppermint essential oil.

Essential Oils

Several oils are analgesic (pain relievers)

Essential oils you can use for sore muscles include: 

Birch: Analgesic (pain relief), reduces inflammation

Lavender: Analgesic, relaxes tension

Peppermint: Analgesic – avoid during first 4 months of pregnancy

Marjoram: Relaxes tension – avoid if pregnant

To use, put 1 tablespoon of carrier oil like coconut oil or jojoba oil in a small bowl and add 3 drops of essential oils (you can use one or a combination). Use to massage sore muscles.

Find high quality carrier oils and 100% pure essential oils for sore muscles here.

Magnesium

Magnesium is a mineral essential for the body and a deficiency can cause a wide variety of symptoms, including sore muscles. Magnesium is found in Epsom salt or magnesium chloride flakes, that you can add to a bath for a nice sore muscle soak – my favorite remedy. (Find magnesium flakes, lotion, gel or Epsom salt.)

Movement

Sometimes your muscles are sore because you’ve used them when they’re not used to it. Like when you decide it’s time to get active and go run 3 miles or do 50 squats when your normal routine consists of a lot of sitting and little activity. You’re going to feel it the next day. And, in most cases, probably worse the day after that.

One way to remedy this is with movement. It might not feel like the right thing to do, but it can actually help your muscles to loosen up and feel better faster. Just move slowly.

Ice

Sometimes, ice can be helpful for sore muscles. The best time to use ice is when you have an acute injury (something that’s happened recently due to a sprain, fall, etc.). Ice can help reduce pain and inflammation.

When you ice a sore muscle, be sure to put a barrier between the ice pack and your skin, like a thin towel, and only keep the ice on for about 10 minutes at a time. Wait until your skin returns to its normal temperature before icing again. Repeat as needed for a few days.

Check out our post on how to make a flexible ice pack.

Rest

Sometimes the best thing you can do is rest. There’s nothing wrong with giving your body a break when it needs it. This rest time (be it a day or a week) can give your body time to heal so you can resume your activity (more carefully). Be sure to ease back into using that muscle(s) slowly so you don’t hurt yourself again.

INFO found @ http://www.diynatural.com/natural-sore-muscle-relief/

DIY Flexible Ice Pack

How To Make A Flexible Ice Pack

Everyone should have flexible ice packs available for quick injury treatments but at $10-$15 a pop, making a homemade ice pack is a much better proposition. They are super simple to make, and cost around $1.25 in materials. These homemade ice packs are soft, flexible, and comfortable for icing down body aches and pains. The other bonus is that you know the ingredients – no crazy chemicals, just a few common household items.

Flexible homemade alcohol water ice pack

·        2 cups water

·        1 cup rubbing alcohol, isopropyl or everclear 

·        Food coloring for the blue tint (optional)

·        2 zip-top bags – quart or gallon-size or vacuum sealer bags

Mix the water and alcohol together in one of your zip-top bags and add food coloring, if desired, until you get that perfect blue tint. Release as much air as possible and seal the bag. Double bagging for strength. (If you have a vacuum sealer use a vacuum seal bag for the outer layer to further prevent accidents.) Foodsaver works like a charm. 

Stick your new flexible homemade alcohol ice pack in the freezer for about 12 hours before using it for the first time. It will be icy, a little slushy, and perfectly flexible for any body injury that needs the cold treatment.

A few tips…

If you use a quart size zip-top bag, your ice pack will be more square shaped, and a gallon-size will give you a longer more narrow pack. Use whichever you prefer. The gallon size wraps around body parts better.

Different alcohols will give different results. Rubbing alcohol is around 70% alcohol, and the Everclear is about 95% alcohol. So, you may want to freeze the inner bag first to make sure you like the amount of flexibility before committing to permanent double-bagging. The general rule is – more alcohol = slushier ice pack.

*Cost savings breakdown

The savings for making your own homemade ice pack is significant. Flexible ice packs generally run between $10 and $14 apiece. The approximate material costs for the homemade pack are:

·        Water – $.02

·        Rubbing Alcohol – $.75

·        Gallon zip top bag – $.13

·        Food Vacuum Sealer Bag – $.38

Total Cost: – $1.28
Total Savings: – $8.72-$13.72, or 87%-91%.

The ice packs are reusable indefinitely (unless punctured) and can be used just as a commercial ice pack.

There you have it… a quick, easy, and inexpensive recipe for homemade ice packs. The project is fun and well worth the 15 minutes for a 90% savings.

Give away as a cool gift

Get it, a “cool” gift? Hee hee. This is a fun family project that yields a universally functional item that saves money and provides comfort with each use. What’s not to love?

found on http://www.diynatural.com/how-to-make-an-ice-pack/

Minestrone Soups with Quinoa and Kale

Minestrone Soup With Quinoa & Kale

By Silvia Bianco (Mind Body Green)

Minestrone is a thick vegetable/bean soup, usually with the addition of pasta. It has a long history dating back to pre-Roman days, and it used to be made primarily with leftovers by poor families looking to stretch their food resources. It's considered a part of la cucina povera, or poor kitchen. It evolved over the years, as any good recipe does, reflecting the economies and eating habits of the people making it, so I thought it fitting that I add quinoa (instead of pasta) and kale to this classic soup.

Don't let all the ingredients scare you. All you're really doing is chopping the veggies into a medium dice (about the size of popped corn) and putting everything in a big pot. It's fast, easy and ready to eat in about 40 minutes without much fuss from you, and it's good for more than one meal. Make a really big pot and freeze what you don't use in quart containers. They last for months and will be a lifesaver when you can't or don't want to cook.

In celebration of this time of harvest, when fresh local vegetables are available almost everywhere, go explore the farmer's markets, stop at farm stands, or just grab your favorite fresh veggies wherever you can, and make a minestrone. Express yourself!

Ingredients

• 1 sweet onion - medium diced
• 2 celery stalks - medium diced
• 3 carrots - medium diced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil - or enough to cover the bottom of the pot
• 2 cloves garlic - finely chopped
• 2 cups fresh zucchini - medium diced (about 1 medium or 2 small)
• 2 cups green beans - cut in 1 inch pieces
• 1 bell pepper - medium diced
• 1.75 lbs of fresh tomatoes or 1 x 28 ounces can crushed tomatoes
• 4 cups of water
• 1 15-ounce can of cannellini beans
• 1 15-ounce can of chickpeas
• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 cups kale - stems removed
• 1 teaspoon turmeric (or to taste)
• Pinch of red pepper flakes
• Salt and pepper to taste

Optional:

Garnish with parmesan to taste
Garnish with slivered basil or finely chopped rosemary

Directions:

1. Place a large stockpot over medium heat and add the onions, carrots and celery. Cook for about 5 minutes or until softened.
2. Add the garlic and a pinch of red pepper flakes and cook for about one minute or until garlic begins to color.
3. Add the zucchini and the green beans, season with salt and pepper, add the turmeric, stir and cook for about 3 minutes.
4. Add the tomatoes and the water, raise heat to high and bring to a boil.
5. Lower the heat to medium/low and allow the soup to gently boil (uncovered) for about 20 minutes.
6. Add the quinoa and cover for 15 minutes.
7. Remove the cover, add the kale and the canned beans (more water if needed) bring back to a gentle boil and cook for another 5 minutes or just until the kale is tender.

Found @ http://www.foodmatters.tv/articles-1/warming-minestrone-soup-with-quinoa-kale-free-recipe

Green Juice

Perfect Green Juice Recipe

 Recipe sourced from The Food Matters Recipe Book.

Ingredients

• 3 organic sticks celery
• 1 lebanese cucumber (peeled if not organic)
• 2 stems kale
• 1/4 fennel bulb
• 1 lemon, peeled
• 1 green apple (peeled if not organic)
• 1/2 slice of ginger, peeled

Tools You'll Need
A cold-pressed or centrifugal juicer.

Method

Put all ingredients through your juicer. Strain through your sieve to remove all residual pulp. Have straight away but sip slowly and enjoy.

Special Note: 
This juice is an excellent source of easily digestible alkaline minerals, such as potassium which is particularly helpful when cleansing.
Make sure to get your celery organic if nothing else, as conventional celery is renowned for being heavily laden with chemical residues.

Found @ http://www.foodmatters.tv/articles-1/perfect-green-juice-recipe

Create Windshield Wiper Fluid

Non-toxic Windshield Wiper Fluid

You will need:

• 1 empty (clean) gallon jug
• 8 oz. isopropyl rubbing alcohol (high proof vodka can be substituted)
• 1 oz. liquid castile soap (where to buy liquid castile soap)
• 4 drops of blue food coloring (optional)

Pour the rubbing alcohol into the empty jug. Fill the jug with water, leaving room for the soap. Slowly add the soap and optional food coloring to the jug. Cap the jug and gently tip upside down a few times to mix ingredients. Pour windshield wiper fluid into the correct compartment under your car hood.
UPDATE: If you live in a colder climate, use 90% isopropyl alcohol in the winter to prevent the washer fluid from freezing. 

Make your own Natural Mold and Mildew Spray

Powerful Mold and Mildew Spray

1 Cup Distilled Water
1 Cup Alcohol
10 drops Tea Tree Essential Oil
10 drops Eucalyptus Essential Oil
10 drops Lavender Essential Oil
Combine all the above ingredients and pour into a spray bottle. Spray this powerful mold and mildew spray directly on your mold or mildew problem. If it is really a bad problem leave on for 30 minutes or more before you wipe clean.

Create your own toothpaste

Natural Tooth Powder Recipe

· ½ cup baking soda

· 10 drops pure peppermint essential oil (this is not the same as peppermint extract or fragrance oil.  Also, it should be a high quality food grade essential oil, which is available from many health food stores)

· 5 drops pure myrrh essential oil (optional, also available in many health food stores)

Mix all ingredients in a small jar with a lid, cover, and shake well to disperse oils throughout. Use a small amount on a damp toothbrush the way you would use toothpaste.

The peppermint essential oil helps freshen breath, kill bacteria, and clear sinuses.  The myrrh oil is highly antibacterial and anti-fungal.  It is often used in the ancient healing arts of Ayurvedic Medicine.  The baking soda restores a natural, slightly alkaline pH balance to the teeth and gums and helps to whiten teeth.

*Most toothpaste contains sugar, fluoride, artificial colors, and other harmful ingredients that are best avoided.  Instead of using the toxic commercial varieties, why not make your own?  It’s simple and quick.  Once you have the essential oils needed you can use them to make the toothpaste or tooth powder, which more accurately describes it, for years to come.  

Info found @ http://www.foodmatters.tv/articles-1/make-your-own-natural-toothpaste

Gardening ideas for areas without good soil

Check it out...

Here's a website that discusses gardening in buckets with an automatic watering system, which is perfect for those who don't want to waste water in the garden.

http://www.globalbuckets.org/

August Family Reunion 2013!!

Our Family Reunion on my dad’s side after my sister Sarah and her great friend Jeremy flew in for a weekend, we had lots of fun together! We went swimming at the local rec center, went to one of our favorite places of all time- Monterey, CA to Dennis the Menace Park, Del Monte Beach, and they made a trip to the Oakland Temple, and San Francisco, including the Golden Gate Bridge as well.  Hooray, we were so glad to have you here and share in some fun memories, sand-burying, mermaid-making, frisbee in the water, gym kickball, banana birthday cake with banana ice cream for Jonathan’s birthday and more! We loved it and getting to catch up and all those smiles that lit up our days! :)