Beginners Essential Oils!? What!? Who!? Why!?

 Essential oils seem to be the newest thaang going on or maybe its an old fad but new to me. Either way they are worth talking about! I recently purchased the doTERRA family physicians kit and have been using them for a while now. They are a daily in our home now and its so true when people say, "I don't know what I did before oils?" Seriously what did I do? Sometimes I think its all in my mind but other times seriously these oils are amazing. I AWAIT THE DAY I CAN GO TO MY FAMILY DOCTOR AND CAN LEAVE WITH A PRESCRIPTION FOR PEPPERMINT ESSENTIAL OIL!!!  Come on so called "modern medicine" lets get with the real program.

I just want to soak in on "modern medicine" for a minute. This term makes me giggle. There is nothing modern about medicine when most of the country with this so called "modern medicine" is sicker then most other developed nations!! Forget this modern stuff, I want that old time medicine, you know that stuff that actually brought healing without all the side effects.

On a side note, the technology today has helped many including myself and I am thankful for it when its used rightly.

What!? So back to essentials oils, what are they? Essential oils are as cited by Google: a natural oil typically obtained by distillation and having characteristic fragrance of the plant or other source from which it is extracted.

Here is a video to further explain from doTERRA.

Plants, herbs, flowers, weeds have been used for who knows how long to heal our body, provide relief from pain, and fight illness. Just by watching nature you can see that animals do this. I was watching a Wild Kratts show with my boys the other day and they were talking about a certain monkey that uses a plant to heal wounds. The animal took the plant, smashed it, ad used it saliva to create a balm of some kind to rub on the wound. It was so cool!

Who!? Personally I have experience with doTERRA essential oils. There are so many companies out that I am learning about. doTERRA is neat because they offer ways to become a wellness advocate and share these oils with others. They also have third party testing to make sure their oils are pure. You don't want to have oils that are diluting or have dangerous chemicals in them, especially if you plan to take them internally. I have heard good and bad about other companies but I will not go into any detail. My experience with doTERRA has been good and I will continue to utilize these oils and share them. I do plan on looking into other companies because any good investigator checks out what else is available and compares.

Why!? Why should I use essential oils? What currently are your biggest health concerns? Weight loss or gain, headaches, back pain, fevers, rashes, etc. I can list almost all problems we face as humans and say there's an oil for that! Personally I get headaches, and i refuse o take Tylenol or any over the counter. I'd rather suffer through it then take something that will mask my symptom and actually make it worse. So when I first used peppermint oil for my headache and within about 5 minutes of putting it on I felt relieve, I knew why I wanted to use essential oils. Some of you might be okay taking over the counter stuff but I would say why use chemical laden cleaning spray when you only needed water to clean it up. More simply don't use what you don't have to when you have a natural method of healing yourself. Less is more, and no side effects.

This is a basic post about essential oils, a beginners read. Remember not all oils are created equal, do your homework, and don't use more then you need to when you spill water :)

If you have questions, concerns, comments please let me know. If you are interested in purchasing oils please contact me so I can tell you about the ways you can save. You can go to this link to check out doTERRA and look at the oils, My doTERRA Store. For specific health concerns let me know so I can give you the information about recommended oils. Check back for future essential oil posts.

Have a wonderful night!

~Honest Motherhood

I am not a physician and am only speaking from personal experience and investigation.

Crock-pot Cranberry Orange Sauce! ~Only 4 Ingredients~

A simple recipe that's a great treat, snack, or tag a long to a meal. I honestly didn't know that this would turn out as amazing as it did. I thought this recipe would be a good substitute to the alternative, which is a can filled with who knows. But it turned out so filled with flavor and zest! I will honestly make this again just for a snack. My kids really enjoyed it as well. I can't wait to learn how to put recipe printouts on my blog. I love that about other blogs.

Crock-pot Cranberry Orange Sauce

2 bags fresh whole cranberries (12 ounce bags)
3/4 cup orange juice
1 tsp cinnamon
1 cup sweetener, I used xylitol. ( You can also use honey, coconut sugar or stevia)

1. Place all ingredients in crock-pot, stir to blend together.
2. Cook on whichever setting you choose, I used high for 3 hours
3. Serve warm or chilled


Enjoy!

~Honest Motherhood

Am I Eating GMO's Part 3

Happy Friday! I've had a pretty good week and I'm glad to have some time to write the LAST post. We have talked about what GMO stands for in PART One and as a recap it means Genetically Modified Organism. GM food is food that had been altered in its DNA. For more check outAm I Eating GMO's Part 1 . In PART Two, I talked about some of the dangers of GM foods. You can check that post out here: Am I Eating GMO's Part 2. Like I said earlier this week there is so much information about GM foods coming out its hard to compile it. There are tons of other sites and blogs that do a better job for sure. If my posts can bring awareness and curiosity to further investigate then I'll be a happy camper :) I hope you enjoy this last post!

Have you ever watched FOOD, Inc, or Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead?? I have watched both and I noticed at the beginning of the movie they have these horrific details of the problems we are facing with our food and health. They go into great detail with words and pictures of how gruesome our problem is. By the end of that part it seems like there is no turning back. AND then the last twenty minutes of the two hour documentary has cheery music with tons of hope and solutions. Well, I feel like that's how I want to end these blog posts. I want to give hope, solutions, and real life ways to make a difference. The truth is there are ways at this time that we can make a difference for ourselves and family's and communities. Thankfully we do have options and have the ability to choose.

Currently there is a ongoing battle between the people of this nation and the major food corporations of America. The food companies who produce genetically modified food are refusing and fighting labeling food that has been genetically engineered. Sad thing is, they introduced genetically modified foods into out food supply back in 1996 without ever telling us. Sure, they wrote it in some document that only a few number of agencies saw but the people didn't have a voice in it. That is not democracy at all. Also I would like to add that 26 other countries have already BANNED GMO's, so why hasn't the US. READ MORE HERE: 26 Countries Ban GMO's, Why not US

My first ray of hope against this monster food aka genetically modified foods is signing up to receive emails from Organic Consumers Associations. They provide a weekly email newsletter which provides info for petitions we can sign and also to stay aware of the bills in our own states. I would encourage you to join the mailing list if your interested in helping that way. Our food supply is a big issue, so please don't look at this as just another email sign up from another blog...lol. This is OUR FOOD!!!

Step 1: Go to the link, Here is the link: Organic Consumers Association

Step 2: On the right side of the blog there is a Subscribe tab, write in your email and submit.

I personally have signed up for there emails and enjoy the information this send. I have also signed petitions to fight for labeling of GM foods.

Next, I would like to talk about this AWESOME independent third party company that verifies food and tests it for GMO's. They have a specific logo that is placed on all products they test. Here are some pictures and I circled the logo in black. The website is here: Non GMO Project. I'm so thankful for this company because at least I can find food that have been tested and I do know if it has GMO's in it. This is also awesome since like I said above the food corporations that grow this tainted food is refusing to have it labeled. Check out this website for more food that has the #nongmo logo! 

Since everybody's situation is different I'd also like to recommend farmers markets, and buying from a local farmer. Our farmers work so hard and make so little. Most small farms are the ones producing this nutrient dense, non gmo food. We need to back them up. Here is a website to find a local farmers market: USDA Farmers Market Some farms have CSA's aka community supported agriculture. I am not part of one at the moment but would love to in the future. Its a system where you pay ahead for the season or year and receive a fresh box of produce weekly or biweekly. Check out more and find a farm near you at this site: Local Harvest

I hope I have given you enough information to get you started. This is where I began and I'm still learning so much. Of course we can't believe everything we see or read but there are a lot of people sharing personal experiences which can help us understand how to take control of our health. Eating food is life or death among us, so what we put in our bodies needs to be the right fuel.

Before I go I wanted to post a picture of a product that contains questionably ingredients. While I cannot assume this product has GMO's, since its not labeled I cannot not assume. Also this product contains three major ingredients in which is associated with being genetically modified.  You probably have this in your fridge, so go check your bottle now. If it contains these ingredients, most likely your eating GMO's. And honestly the GMO's is just the beginning. The eggs that are in here are probably from a chicken that ate GM corn feed. I taught myself how to read food labels a few years ago. At the grocery store it takes me forever because I'm always reading labels.

Possible GMO ingredients: Soybean oil, High fructose corn syrup, and cornstarch

I always encourage independent research. Someone can tell you all day long about GMO's, but its doesn't hit home until you check it out for yourself. Many documentaries have been made that you can watch on Netflix or rent. I will list some below. There are also sites that list problems associated with eating GM foods. Have you ever went to the doctor and they said your fine but you don't feel fine?? Your not crazy!

I would love any feedback! I also am excited to say that in January I will have had my blog for 1 year!! I'm so excited! Although life didn't allow me to write for all the months of the year, I have made a FB page and pinterest, and instagram. Have a wonderful GMO-free weekend, I'll try too :)

Here is a movie about GMO's: SEEDS OF DEATH

Here is the EWG's Shopping guide to avoid GM foods: EWG 2014 Shopping Guide to Avoid GM Foods

Am I Eating GMO's? PART 2

In PART 1 of, Am I eating GMOS's?, I talked mostly about what the letters GMO stand for. To recap it stands for genetically modified organisms. I also talked about what genetic modification is and the argument for its purpose. For a recap or if you didn't read PART 1 here is the link Am I eating GMO's? PART .

I have had a week to ponder on what my next post would be about. There is so much information that I'm having a hart time gathering my thoughts and organizing them to present it in simple terms. It almost feels like a report for school.

When I was in college, we had to present a persuasive speech. I love to talk but not necessarily in front of huge groups. BUT I do enjoy talking about things I'm passionate about. So I wrote about genetically modified foods. Most people had never heard of GM foods or any of the information I presented. I was thankful for the opportunity to use a simple class project to educate my college class on GM foods. There was however a young man in the class who happened to be a farmer, and was very familiar with GM foods. He wrote a speech opposing mine, which made for an interesting debate. After I poured my heart out about the dangers of GM foods I felt like I had reached some. Then the young man got up and talked about how GM foods will stop world hunger. Thankfully in my speech I addressed that argument. Nonetheless, everyone walked away with good information and the sides of both.

With that said, I decided to talk mainly about the dangers of genetically modified foods for today. Specifically the side effects in animals and humans. The list of dangers of GM foods is exhaustive, but this is a great beginning to understand. If we know the side effects, and the actual evidence against it we will be more educated to make decision for ourselves about it.

The first side affect of GM foods that I began reading about was tumors, specifically tumors in mice fed a diet of genetically modified corn. The scientists fed the rats genetically modified corn for a long term period. They found that even when exposed to the smallest amount of GM corn they

developed mammary tumors, severe liver damage and kidney damage in as little as four months for males and seven months for female rats. This was so disturbing for me because my first thought was, am I eating GMO and how long will it take to affect me.

The best part about the research I read was it was conducted by independent scientists. This is highly recommended because independent scientists have no bias towards the results.  Any company that is willing to use outside independent scientists to test or research their product is highly reputable in my eyes.

I would like to add that after this study came out there was a lot of controversy. Immediately the company that makes GM corn, Monsanto, was ready to sue. Monsanto discounted the research of course. The scientists that work for Monsanto have determined that GM foods are safe, but like I said these scientists work for and are paid for by the company. To me of course a red flag goes up.

After this research I began wondering what does this mean, and what can I do about it? I started to think about food differently and wondered if some of my health problems were because of gmo's. Or even just my diet. That opened a ton of doors for me and my health isn't exactly where I'd like it but its better because of the knowledge I've gained about our food and GM foods.

Personally, anytime I ate wheat I felt bloated, and sick. I stopped eating wheat for awhile until I found a brand that said GMO-Free, I tried it and the symptoms were less, but still there. Eventually I went to organic only and immediantley I noticed a huge difference. Not all organic food is equal BUT organic food is not allowed to contain GM food at all.

I'll leave you with that for now.  I hope I was able to clearly present this research and will continue to work on that. Not sure what the next post will be about but hopefully it will be up in a week or so. Have a great week!

Here are some articles from the study.
Natural News GMO Study
CBS News GMO Study

~Honestmotherhood

“Was the government to prescribe to us our medicine and diet, our bodies would be in such keeping as our souls are now.” (Often paraphrased as): “If people let the government decide what foods they eat and what medicines they take, their bodies will soon be in as sorry a state as are the souls of those who live under tyranny.” ~Thomas Jefferson, 1781

Am I Eating GMO's? PART ONE

Are you eating GMO's? I'm not talking about Grandpa's Organic Oreo's. I'm talking about the food that makes up more then half of Americas supermarkets. This is food that has been genetically altered. Its DNA has literally been tapped into and changed by man. The reasoning for producing GMO's is hid behind statements like "We will be able to provide more food to stop world hunger", yea okay. Do you notice that most lies come as if they are so good and helpful for us? We have to become comfortable with an idea to accept a lie and to do that we need to be programmed to think its helping, doing good, or its comforting. Here is an example from history, Agent orange or herbicide orange was used in the Vietnam War to destroy an enemies food crops. How evil is that?? Seriously. Okay back to to my topic. The same chemicals used in agent orange are now used to spray our genetically modified crops. But the EPA(environmental protection agency) says its fine to use. So do we trust the same government that used these chemicals to hurt people because they say its safe now?? NO!  I'm paraphrasing so much because I could say more but I hope your understanding the basics. This is the first part of, I'm not sure how many posts, so stay tuned in!

 So what is a GMO? A GMO is a genetically modified organism. We are particularly talking about GM foods, which means genetically modified foods. Wikipedia says this "Genetic modification involves the mutation, insertion, or deleton of genes....physically inserting the extra DNA into the nucleus of the intended host with a very small syringe" and "Genetically modified foods (or GM foods) are foods produced from organisms that have had specific changes introduced into their DNA using the methods of genetic engineering.

In simpler terms, a scientist takes a gene from an apple and inserts this gene into a salmons DNA. Why do they do this? Companies like the GMA, Grocery Manufacturers Association says this is safe and it will help yield larger crops. Do you see how comforting that is? Always investigate comfort...LOL They say that GM foods are helping and will help, yet the evidence is opposite. America is sicker then ever, we now have super bugs, and we are having massive crop problems. The comforting words of "It's safe" have basically keep us from fighting this long enough, but now we are speaking up. 

So are you eating genetically modified food? Most likely you are, and so am I. WHY? Because its not required to be labeled and right now there's a huge battle and petition going on in numerous states for it to be labeled. And guess who is fighting it? GMA, Grocery Manufacturers Association. Read more here Dr. Mercola, Grocery Manufacturers Association 

If you eat soy, cotton, canola, corn, sugar beets, Hawaiian papaya, alfalfa, and squash(zucchini and yellow) you are most likely eating GM Foods. Are you asking why didn't I know this?? I did too. Many of these items appear as added ingredients in a large amount of the foods we eat. Now is a great time to investigate what you just read. Go to your pantry and read the ingredient list. Sometimes we can't tell if these ingredients are in a product because there are more then one name for them. 


I will be posting part 2 soon! Stay posted. If you have any questions or topics you'd like covered please share and let me know! I will do my best. Check out my blog for good recipes and non-gmo foods. I have pictures that show food products with the label non-gmo. 

Here's a great link for more info Non-GMO Project

Also follow me on instagram Honest Motherhood Instagram

Facebook page Honest Motherhood Facebook

Pinterest page Honest Motherhood Pinterest

Cauliflower Pizza Crust {Gluten Free}

I finally received my food processor! YAY! AND I used it for making cauliflower crust. BAD NEWS, Seth dropped it the next day and it broke :( The "I don't think its fixable, glue-able broke". I'm glad I used it to make one thing at least. The worst part is this was a gift and it cost someone else money.

Good news, you don't NEED a food processor, you can use a cheese grater too, even though its a bit more work. 

On a better note, the cauliflower crust tasted better then I thought. It held up together better then I thought and everybody really liked it. My husband joked and said that I can make recipes out of anything. He was shocked when I told him the crust was made of cauliflower. He said I could make a meal out of weeds from outside. Lol.

The process was a bit longer, but the result was worth it.

Cauliflower Pizza Crust
1 head of cauliflower {Buy a medium/small for one crust OR large for 2 crusts}
2 eggs
1cup cheese
2 TSP Oregano
2 TSP Basil
2 TSP Salt

1. First you will need to cut the cauliflower up into pieces. You can either add cauliflower to a food processor or if you do not have a food processor you can use a cheese grater.

2. Use a dish towel and place all of the cauliflower inside it. Then pull four sides of dish towel together so the cauliflower is locked inside, squeeze all the water out. Get out as much as possible. Husbands can help with this step or a strong older son. lol

3. Next, add cauliflower to a mixing bowl, add eggs, seasonings, and cheese. Mix well.

4. Shape into a ball.

5. Gently press out the ball into a crust, I pushed up the edges so when I put the sauce in it would stay inside crust when cooking.

6. Then preheat oven to 350 and bake crust until golden, about 5-7 minutes. Not long.

7. Pull out crust and top with ingredients, cook until cheese is melted. 5-7 minutes @ 350

Enjoy!

PB&J Oatmeal {Gluten Free}

My kids already really like PB&J sandwiches, and I really like peanut butter or some kind of nut butter, so I decided to see what I could come up with. The jelly is a great sweetener for oatmeal without adding tons of sugar. I used my homemade jam with chia seeds. The peanut butter gives a BLAST of protein and the yogurt makes it creamy goodness.

My kids always seem to be hungry like right after breakfast, so I really try to give them something filling that will hold them off until a small mid morning snack, or lunch time. When the boys eat TOO much before lunch then lunch doesn't get eaten. And at our house we really strive to have everybody eat whats on their plate before they can have a snack, dessert, or even a next meal. So if my child is full and doesn't eat lunch, I don't force him but I will save his plate until he says he is hungry again. If he refuses the next time he is hungry, I know that he probably just didn't like what I made, BUT he will have to eat it this time. Even though food grows on trees, its still not cheap!

My children are not very picky eaters but they are used to what mom makes, just like any child. I do try to make foods healthy and kid friendly. That is why I thought PB&J oatmeal would be a great filling breakfast, and something they would continue to ask for. Oatmeal is not necessarily one of our favorite breakfast foods, and so that's why being creative and coming up with better ways to eat it is a goal.

Breakfast always seems like a challenge to me, I'm trying to use little to no cereal BUT cereal is convenient when we don't have time to cook. AND its definitely better than fast food OR a bakery.  Eggs are wonderful almost everyday! BUT not everyday..lol :( Oatmeal is a nice once a week thing. Pancakes always come with syrup SO that is a treat and I rarely make that. It should actually be more of a dessert. Same with cinnamon rolls and other carby breakfasts. Rice cakes with nut butter or jelly on top are good for a fast breakfast too. We don't eat to much breakfast sausage, because its expensive for quality organic meat.

Also when choosing a PEANUT BUTTER its best to ALWAYS buy ORGANIC, peanuts are HEAVILY sprayed with pesticides and CHEMICALS more then other nuts. So if you have to go conventional its BEST to buy ALMOND BUTTER or make your own almond butter at home. Also try SUNFLOWER SEED BUTTER and CASHEW BUTTER.

Please post some of your breakfast favorites!

PB&J Oatmeal 
Oats {Gluten Free}
Peanut/Nut Butter
Jelly/Jam {Make homemade Jam Here}
Yogurt {rBST Free}
Honey to taste

*I decided not to put amounts because everybody's family size is different. Make enough oatmeal for your family, and let everybody add desired amount of toppings, OR when your oatmeal is done, place about 2TBSP of peanut/nut butter, Jelly, and yogurt PER 1 cup of oatmeal made.

1. Make desired amount of oatmeal.
2. Either place cooked oatmeal in separate bowls and let everyone add toppings, OR add 2tbsp of each topping per 1 cup of oatmeal.

Frozen Elsa Cape {tutorial w/ pictures}

I bought the movie Frozen this last week because we all enjoyed it so much. I was kind of upset at myself though, because I rented it from family video the week prior, and ended up keeping it overdue. I paid almost $20 in late fees. No bueno :( I should have just bought it right away since it would have cost the same amount!

You live and you learn :) My sister in law saw a pin on pinterest for making an Elsa cape rom the movie Frozen, for my niece, and asked if I could make it.  I said yes, of course! This project was actually really simple, and easy to make. I looked at a bunch of tutorials to find ideas and then went to work. I think this tutorial is one of the best. It turned out great and I'm so excited for my niece!

I found my fabric at JoAnns Fabric Store, and it was really on sale. I always look at the sale stuff before I pay full price because fabric can get costly.

1. To start fold your fabric in half. I folded the widest part of the fabric, so it would make a longer train for the cape, but it would be smaller around the neck.

2. I started by sewing the top part of the cape where the neck would go. I used my iron to press the fold I made for a hem. I folded it twice because this fabric is very thin and you need a good amount for the string to really hold it nicely.

3. I then pinned my hem, and got to sewing the hem. I made sure to sew over the ends of the hem twice, just to make sure it would hold nicely.

4. Now, I took thread and a needle and went about 2 inches from my hem. I just weaved in and out of the fabric and when it was though to the end, I just pushed the fabric down the string to make frillies :)

5. Next I carefully held my frillies as I guided them through my sewing machine to make the neck piece of the cape.

6. I took my pins and pinned a piece of ribbon on my sewing line over the frillies that I did. I left about half a foot (6 inches) of ribbon hanging off each side of the cape, so my niece would have a way to keep it tied on.

7. After that, I hemmed the bottom of the garment the same way I hemmed the top. I made a double fold, used my iron to press it, pinned it and sewed it.

8. Then just like above I pinned a piece of ribbon along my hem line and sewed that on, but without leaving any hanging off. I just pinned it underneath and sewed it on so the end were secure. And I made sure to double stitch the ends.

9. Lastly, I used my sharpie paint marker and made the snowflakes! They are so pretty!

Sorry if my sewing lingo is bad, I don't really know many terms and am just learning myself! I hope I explained it enough to understand and if not hopefully the pictures fill in the gaps. Have fun making your Elsa cape!

While I was sewing, my little guys were outside enjoying the beautiful weather and getting muddy! At first his face was so serious because I told him he was to messy to walk in the house, then I said smile! It was really cute. We also had beautiful walk to the park and got to play. It was a nice day.

Roasted Veggies Mexican Casserole

This is such a great one dish meal. All of my family really enjoyed it and it will be going in my recipe book that I'm working on. Its fairly easy, and inexpensive to make. You don't have to use meat but I choose to put in chicken because my husband is serious meat man. To him no meal is ever complete without meat BUT to me I could be a vegetarian some days.

My kids eat almost everything I make, sometimes they say it takes a little different but if they are hungry enough they will eat it. Also, in our house we have a rule that if you don't finish your meal you have to eat it before you eat anything else. Food is TOO expensive to be picky and waste.

Last week at the butter I buy was $2 more! Now that is some serious inflation. Food prices are rising everyday, so its important to me to find healthy recipes that I can afford.

Roasted Veggies Mexican Casserole
1 can corn OR one bad frozen corn
4 sweet peppers
1 onion
1 can black beans, rinsed, and pureed or smashed up
1lb shredded chicken or ground beef, cooked {optional}
2 cups cheese
2 tbsp cumin
2 tbsp chili powder
corn tortillas to layer, I  used about 6
2 cups enchilada sauce
salt
avocado and sour cream to top it

1. Place some oil in your pan and let it warm up.
2. Chop up your sweet peppers and onion,open bag or can of corn, put into pan with warmed up oil.
3. After about 10 minutes add cumin and chilli powder, mix up.
4. When veggies are roasted, slighly browned turn off pan, keep veggies in pan until ready to put casserole together.
5. Preheat oven to 350. Either use blender and puree black beans or smash them up if you don't have a blender.
6. Cut tortilla's in half, pour a little enchilada sauce on bottom of baking dish, then cover the bottom with the cut in half tortillas {I cut in half because I think you can cover more of the pan}
7. Pour and spread out black beans on top of tortillas in baking dish.
8. Layer half the chicken, veggies, cheese and enchilda sauce.
9. Then, layer the tortillas, other half of chicken, veggies, cheese and enchilada sauce.
10. Place in oven for about 15-20 minutes, really just until cheese is melted and everything is warmed.
11. ENJOY a warm homemade meal with your family.

We always strive to sit together at least once a day and share a meal. I remember reading about how important it is for families to sit down and eat together. I can tell you that when we sit down together it really has a calming effect on our day, helps us to all be in the same place at the same time, doing the same thing, and enjoy each others company :) Are some meal times kinda crazy, YEP! But by the time everybody has their plates filled with food, everything calms down and peace sets in, at least for a little bit ;)

!Kombucha! {Helpful Video Link Tutorial}

Kombucha is a raw, fermented tea, but don't run away from it yet! It is filled with good gut bacteria called probiotics. Its known and said to have many health benefits even beyond your precious tummy.

I really liked this article for What is Kombucha, if you have more questions. the article goes into more detail about its origins.

Fermented foods used to be a part of our ancestors diet, but in these days we have such accessibility and refrigeration that fermented foods have been put on the back burner. I believe its part of the reason our GUTS are so torn up! With our American diets killing us, we need to check back into history and see what our ancestors did. 

When you make kombucha you will need a culture called a scoby.

What is a SCOBY?  
SCOBY stands for symbiotic culture of friendly bacteria and yeast and thats just what it is.

Where can I get a SCOBY?
1.You can buy a starter culture from Cultures for Health. 2. You can ask a friend that brews kombucha if they have a SCOBY, since a new SCOBY is made everytime you make a new batch of kombucha.
3. Or you can start your own using a bottle of store bought raw, unflavored, original kombucha. { I found mine at woodmans}

I really like this videa by holistic habits and used it to make both my own SCOBY and my kombucha. She does a great job explaining exactly what to do and how to make kombucha and also how to make the SCOBY.

Its easy to make kombucha regularly after you have your SCOBY, so try it out and see what goodness you can come up with! You can make flavored juices with it, sodas, popsicles, and I'm sure more then what I know. I hope this little article helped. These are all the questions I had when I first learned about kombucha.

Have Fun!

Tostones {Fried Plantains}

The people in your life are definitely an influence, especially when your young and impressionable. Where you grow up, the foods you've eaten, the culture around you all impact your ways of thinking about life. Young minds especially need to be nurtured and disciplined when young, so they will grow with the ability to be respectful, honest, and moral adults.

My childhood took place mostly in a large city, with a melting pot of culture. My school was bilingual, as many children only spoke Spanish. The way I talked, dressed, acted was all influenced by the lifestyle around me. My father lived in a different town then my mother and I, so when I went to his house to visit, I remember him asking me why I talked like that. He was referring to my south side accent that I acquired. At times it still comes out without trying. I responded to my father by saying " talk like what". To me it was normal.

In that time of my life I spent a lot of time with some amazing Puerto Ricans I'll never forget! I pretty much lived with them. They were my family and by marriage are permanently now! Their Mother was an amazing cook, and I really feel like she has helped me learn a lot about being a woman. Now that I look back, she was always teaching me something. She took care of her home, children and cooked. When I think of her, I can hear her saying "Limpia la casa!", meaning clean the house in Spanish :)  Stern yet loving, kind, and beautiful.

She would always make the most delicious food, and I still today crave it. She would make these banana like things called "tostones", a fried plantain, and they were my absolute favorite! They went perfect with rice and beans. Yum! I should have just paid attention better and I would know how to make this stuff, BUT its always better coming from a loved one.

I finally did learn how to make my "tostones". I'm still learning and I'm sure I'll get the rice and beans down soon :) Here is my recipe for healthy homemade tostones.

 Tostones {Fried Plantains} 

1 plantain
1-2 TBSP Coconut Oil
Salt for taste

Cut the ends off your plantain, and carefully slice the peel of the plantain. Take out the plantain and cut into thin slices.

Heat 1-2 tablespoons of coconut oil in your pan, then add plantains, making sure they are not overlapping.

Cook on medium heat until slightly browned or darker, however you like them. {I like mine a bit more browned, it has a good flavor}

Cover a plate with a paper towel and place the tostones on the plate, sprinkle with desired amount of salt.

¡Buen provecho!

I may not be puerto rican in decent but the culture runs through my veins and in my heart!

DIY Picture Frame Chalkboard {Craft Time!}

How many times do your kids ask, "Whats for dinner?". Mine ask everyday, sometimes multiple times a day, and sometimes I get a bit annoyed. I know I shouldn't because if I wasn't the cook I would want to know too!

So I saw this awesome picture for using chalkboard paint and it gave me an idea! I can make a chalkboard out of a old picture frame, SO I can write the weekly menu out AND hopefully I will be asked less about whats for lunch AND the kids will know whats for lunch more! And honestly, sometimes I forget what I'm making that day so this will help me too :)

I'm sure this will take some adjusting, so I do expect to be asked, but I will be able to direct them to the chalkboard. Well, at least I can direct my 6 year old and he can relay the information to his 2 year old brother ;) This will ALSO help my 6 year old expand his vocabulary, and read aloud! Mom's are geniuses!!

DIY Picture Frame Chalkboard

-1 large picture frame from thrift shop or one you have {I used an old picture frame I already had}
-chalk paint {I found mine @ walmart for $5}
-sponge, OR something with a smooth surface to paint on chalk paint

 First thing you need to do is clean the glass with vinegar water, OR whatever window cleaning product you use. {Vinegar water is non toxic, cheaper and works just as good!}

Next you will use your sponge, paint brush, or whatever you have to paint on the chalkboard paint.

After you paint on the first coat let it dry for 1 hour.

Once the first coat has set for one hour, you will apply a second coat.

Let the painted glass sit for 24 hours before use.

You can then put your frame back together and get your chalk!

 

I used mine like I said above for a weekly menu but you can use yours for a grocery list, any kind of list, reminder board, chores bored, time outs, home school, whatever you can think of!

Hope you enjoyed this and it inspires you to create something new!

No Bake Delightful Granola Bars {Gluten Free}

 

I have made granola bars in the past, but they were crumbly, and just not good. So I went back to buying store bought bars, but now that I'm eating gluten free it became more expensive to find quality gluten free granola bars. I also wanted to make them kid friendly. When I make something, my goal is to make something the whole family will like. Sometimes this momma's house does feel like a restaurant with all the good food, but this momma's restaurant only has one thing on the menu per meal ;) Lol.

Delightful Granola Bars


2c Rice Cereal
2c Gluten Free Oats
1/2c Peanut Butter
1/4c Light Brown Sugar {I used Coconut sugar}
2/3c Honey {Or Brown rice syrup}
1tsp Cinnamon
1tsp Vanilla
1c Nuts {I used Walnuts}{optional}
1/2c Mini Chocolate Chips or cocoa nibs {Optional}
1/2c Cranberries {Or your dried fruit of choice}
1/2tsp Salt



First you need to pour honey, peanut butter and brown sugar in a sauce pan and cook on low heat until mixture is melted together.

 Next, add your oats and crispy cereal to a bowl and pour warm honey mixture on, mixing it all well.

 Add your vanilla, cinnamon, cranberries, and nuts.

 Lastly add your chocolate chips, BUT be careful not to mix them to much or they will melt!

 Next line a large pan with plastic wrap, and spray plastic with non stick spray OR spread some oil on it, so your bars won't stick to it when they are done. {I used coconut oil to spread on it}

 Then place the pan in the freezer for about 1 hour.

 After the hour take out the pan, and VERY CAREFULLY pull the bars out using the plastic wrap.

 Slice the bars with a sharp knife, carefully. {You can taste test any that break ;)}

Cut into desired size bars.

I individually wrapped my bars and placed them in a baggie for a quick snack. I placed some in the fridge and some in the freezer, there were quite a few. I made these a couple weeks ago and they are almost gone now!

These bars turned out great and I'm really thankful to have found a gluten free recipe for some good granola bars! Here is a link to where I found the base of this recipe, Averie Cooks, Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Granola Bars.