Edible Crayons

I saw these fun edible crayons on Kitchen Corners and just had to share them! So cute and creative, and if your feeling super industrious you could try making them ( it's on my 'to do list' ) !
I'm not sure if this is the best solution for little kids who eat crayons since it won't discourage them from eating 'real' crayons in the future, but they sure are cute regardless! Maybe for fun party favors/party activity for kids old enough not to eat real crayons.The best part is, most of the ingredients are made from dried fruits and veggies, healthy!

Other healthy ingredients in each color are bee pollen which is thought of as a fountain of youth for it's numerous health benefits.

The green crayon ingredients: peas, green beans, dried kiwi, green fruity pebbles, dried pumpkin seeds!

 Bee pollen

Marshmallows keep them 'glued' together!

Original idea and pictures found at luxirare.

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Berry Stella Cookies from Eden Kitchen!

Why do you blog? To share stories and pictures, to journal your thoughts or travels, for a creative outlet?

I started Simply Healthy family just a few short months ago. I have always loved cooking from scratch. I love how I can create so many wonderful, savoury meals from so many cultures in my very own kitchen. I also wanted to catalogue our family's favourite recipes and maybe make a recipe book someday for me and my friends and family. Lastly, I am passionate about healthy eating and wanted to share just how easy it is to make home made, healthy meals in hopes that people will see that I have 4 children who actually eat healthy and be inspired to give healthy a try.

Those are the reasons I started this blog. In the last few months I have grown to LOVE all of the wonderful foodie sites out there and meeting some really wonderful people. Some of whom I really feel like I know and consider friends. Weird huh?

Lately, I have been cooking quite a bit from fellow foodies blogs and have come across some seriously wonderful dishes and snacks! I feel fortunate to have come across these recipes from all over the world that I would never have otherwise tried.

This brings me to my point. Stick with me....

 I so appreciate that these people have taken the time and love to share their recipes, I know how much time goes into food blogging! I have read about some fellow foodie friends frustrations with people who comment without even reading the posts let alone with the intention of actually trying the recipe. If your anything like me, I really would love people to try my recipes and let me know what they think. In return, like I already mentioned, I cook at least once a week from others blogs/sites and love to let them know how wonderful it was and especially to give a "shout out" on my blog so that others can find these recipes too. I try to only post recipes on Simply Healthy Family that are "family friendly".  This means, they are fairly simple, inexpensive and my kids will eat them (some days are better than others). This does NOT mean that they are bland or boring or your typical "kids foods" like chicken nuggets and mac n' cheese, I don't want to eat that crap.

So, I hope your still with me!! I usually try to keep it short so as not to lose people's attention.
THIS IS THE BEST PART OF THE POST, I PROMISE!!!
 I recently came across a wonderful site with so many amazing recipes I just had to share. Joe from Eden Kitchen who shares my passion for healthy yet delicious foods and I really wanted to do a Shout Out or Guest Post or Simply Share The Love.

Fellow Foodie Friends, meet Joe. I sure hope you check out his wonderful site!

Hi there, my name is Joe Rich. Based in Auckland, New Zealand, edenkitchen.com is all about my favourite recipes and food discoveries.


I am passionate about healthy food. I love cooking with natural, whole foods and fresh produce that's in season - creating food that has real flavour and natural goodness. Thanks!


I wasn’t sure what to call this recipe. I don’t usually go for gimmicky names; I much prefer to call out the predominant or unique characteristics of a recipe and work that into the name. But these oatmeal cookies have a lot of good things I just can’t squeeze into the name. First, they’re about the healthiest cookie you can make before it really stops tasting like a cookie. I used a little maple syrup in place of cane sugar and a good dose of coconut oil, macadamias, flax seed and berries. So these cookies pack in a lot of goodness; protein from the nuts, fibre from the oats and flax seed, lauric acid from the coconut oil, and phytonutrients in the berries. Whoa!



Then there’s the wonderful crunchiness thanks to the medley of oats, desiccated coconut, macadamias and flax seed. And finally, each cookie is bejeweled with a small handful of raspberries and black currants, giving them a lip-smackingly good berry tang. Trust me – they are as good as I’m making them sound.

So what should I call them? Macadamia Berry Oatmeal Cookies? Coconut Macadamia Berry Oatmeal Cookies? You get the idea… It just won’t all fit. So I settled on Berry Stella Cookies. I think it has a nice ring to it and seems to sum up both the flavor and the health(ier) factor.



Berry Stella Cookies Recipe


My cookie cutters didn’t cut through the oats very well and made the edges crumble a little so I ended up pressing the dough into each cutter and working it into the desired shape. It is a little time consuming but gives a much better shape. If you don’t have OCD you could simply roll them into balls, flatten them a little, and be done with the cutters altogether.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour (or zentrofan fine wheat flour or all-purpose flour)


• 1 cup desiccated coconut


• 1 cup rolled oats


• ½ cup macadamias


• ¼ cup flax seeds, ground


• ½ teaspoon fine ground sea salt


• ¾ teaspoon baking soda


• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract


• ½ cup maple syrup


• ½ cup virgin coconut oil


• ½ cup black currants and/or raspberries (fresh or frozen)

Preheat oven to 350°F/ 180°C. Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Pulse the macadamias in a food processor until they resemble coarse breadcrumbs. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, desiccated coconut, oats, macadamias, flax seed, salt and baking soda.

Add the vanilla extract, coconut oil, and maple syrup and mix until well combined. If using cookie cutters scoop 2 tablespoons of the dough into each cutter following the instructions above. Otherwise simply roll the scooped dough into balls and flatten them a little.

Lightly press and small handful of frozen berries onto each cookie and bake in the upper third of oven for 13-15 minutes, or until golden on top and bottom.

Makes about 20-25 cookies.

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Apple Slaw

Simple, old fashion recipes. These are my favorite. My kids too! This is the best blend of flavors, tangy, sweet and wonderful. This reminds of a leisurely day outdoors. If the weather isn't always as sunny as it is here in Phoenix, you could always make this simple apple slaw alongside these home made cornmeal fish sticks and have an indoor picnic! Yay!

Celery seed, if you've never tried it is really good and gives even more flavor to this dish.

I use plain, fat free yogurt as a base instead of mayo so it's much healthier for you. Yogurt's smooth, creamy texture and tanginess (is that a word?) is perfect in coleslaw... I mean appleslaw.

The cider vinegar gives it the classic tartness of coleslaw.

The apples give it some sweet crunch.

Sweet golden raisins make this a sweet treat.

Agave nectar is a perfect compliment to the tartness.

Sweet and tangy! Yum!

Serve it with homemade baked garlic fries and cornmeal crusted fish sticks.

recipe:SERVES 6 TIME 10 min
5 cups cabbage mix (green cabbage and shred carrots)
3 cups pre shredded purple cabbage
2 cups plain, fat free yogurt
1 tablespoon unfiltered apple cider vinegar (filtered/refined foods are over processed and have less nutrients in them.)

2 tablespoons celery seed
2 tablespoons mayo (did you see it hiding in shame in my photo? ;-)
2 tablespoons Agave Nectar
2 green apples, sliced thinly ( I used my KitchenAid thin slicer attachment)
1/2 cup golden raisins
1 tsp ground black pepper

Mix it all together, chill for an hour before serving.
Impress your family and friends by serving this at your next BBQ!

I am posting this on Kitchen Corners for the November Cook off featuring Apples!

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How to Eat a Pomegranate and why you really need to.

I have walked passed pomegranates for years in the markets and not given them a second thought. If you can't pick it up and take a bite out of it well, who has the time for that? Not until my mom {again with my mom and her influence on my healthy eating habits} brought home a few from a farmers market.... maybe it was Sprouts, anywhoo, I watched her break one open and pop out the  crimson  colored translucent seeds and was fascinated. I've been hooked ever since. Waiting patiently, not a virtue of mine, for October when pomegranates begin to show themselves on the produce stands.

For 3 short months through the Fall and Winter holidays you can enjoy this amazing fruit. It's gorgeous crimson color makes it absolutely perfect to show off in holiday meals, making any salad or dessert POP with color and tang. But it's the health benefits that made me a fan for life.





Pomegranates date back hundreds of years as all good food does. Hippocrates himself used to recommend them to treat a number of disorders and ailments like eye infections, digestive health and morning sickness.
Nowadays pomegranates are known for their amazing antioxidant properties probably in part to POM juice. They are vital to a healthy immune system ridding the body of all sorts of toxins and free radicals. Sounds hokey? Free radicals are attributed to early signs of aging, persistent illnesses, cardiovascular disease and most cancers.

O.K. so if you're anything like me maybe you too have never bought or eaten a pomegranate. 

Here is a quick tutorial on how to easily eat one without making a big mess of it.

First, cut open the pomegranate lengthwise down the middle. (not from top to bottom)
Admire how pretty it is.
Use a cutting board that won't stain, the juices are pretty but hard to remove.

Fill a large bowl with cool water. Place the cut pomegranate into the bowl. Gently break apart the sections, the seeds easily pop out. It is easiest to do this under water so you

a)  Don't make a huge mess with the juice
b) the seeds are much easier to get out under water
c) the white skin will float to the top making it easy to scoop out. 

This is just showing you what you will be doing under water so you can see easier. 

The seeds will sink to the bottom of the bowl and the white 'skin' will float. Gently swish the seeds around to release any more skin. Using your fingers or a small sieve, scoop out the skin.

Drain the water and pop the tart and sweet seeds into your mouth!
My mom chews the seeds in the middle, but I can't get past it so I spit them out.
My 5 and 6 year old boys love pomegranates!

I've seen recipes in the past where people sprinkle pomegranate seeds onto salads and baked goods or even pastas. I like to eat them all by themselves or on the side of my salad.

I love the contrast between the tangy sweetness of the pomegranates paired with this chicken-fennel salad. 

Enjoy!

Have you ever eaten pomegranate? Will you now?

What produce have you not tried that you think you would like to?

sources:
Pomegranate Nutrition

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Arm Up Your Natural Defenses

Got the Sniffles, Allergies or Sinus Infection?

Some people say that the beginning of cold and flu season starts at the beginning of Winter. Health professionals will tell you that March is is the real flu season. I say it starts the first week of school and lasts until school lets out for the summer break!

With four kids in our home, someone always the sniffles or a cough. I'm here to save you a ton of grief not to mention Kleenex! 

Colds and the flu are caused by a virus. There are many different strains of the influenza virus' making it difficult to prevent by getting a flu shot IMO.  New strains of influenza viruses appear and replace older strains. This process occurs through antigenic drift. When a new strain of human influenza virus emerges, antibody protection that may have developed after infection or vaccination with an older strain may not provide protection against the new strain.  I can obviously not tell you whether or not you should get a flu shot, that's a personal choice based on several factors. I personally don't get one and neither do my children. I prefer first and foremost to use prophylactic (preventative) measures such as healthy eating ( lots and lots of fresh, raw veggies, fruits and plenty of water)  and being very active.









When one of us does get sick it is almost always very mild and very short-lived.  I use these wonderful ALL NATURAL products which have more than proven themselves to me over the years and honestly, I don't know how I ever lived without them! They are easy to find at grocers such as Sprouts and Whole Foods etc. and there are health and naturopathic stores popping up everywhere these days with friendly knowledgeable staff there to help you.




1. Wellness Herbal Resistance Liquid:  with Echinacea, Goldenseal & Yin Chiao complex for a super dose of Immune system support. Put a small droper full directly under tongue or mix in a small amount of water or juice.


2. Elderberry: I LOVE this stuff! It is amazing how quickly this makes us feel better when we have a bad cold! I can't say enough about this wonderful herb, just make sure you click on the link for more info! and then run out and buy some before your next cold!


3. Tei-Fu Essential Oil: This little bottle is gonna be your best friend the next time you have a stuffy nose or sinus problems. It contains pure essential oils from wintergreen, camphor, menthol and has safflower oil for skin conditioning. It smells a little like 'Vapor Rub' but much much better. Put a few drops behind your ear for immediate relief of congestion!


4. Tea Tree Oil:  I use this stuff ALL the time for so many things. It is readily available at Walgreen's, Walmart and many other places.
Tea Tree Oil is a natural antiseptic, antibacterial, fungicide and germicide. Many people use tea tree oil for: athletes foot, cold and flu relief, oral thrush, cancar sores, cold sores, ringworm, candida, head lice, gum problems, mosquito bites, bug repellent, cockroaches, deter flees, mouth ulcers, herpes, cuts, abrasions, after shave, sunburn,anorectal or vaginal yeast infections,  unwanted body odors, acne, toe nail infections, and many other uses. 


5. Last but not least, lets not forget about the Neti Pot!:  You can find these at Walgreen's!
Many people myself included, with sinus symptoms from bacterial infections, allergies, and environmental irritants have turned to the Neti pot or other nasal irrigation devices, claiming that these devices alleviate congestion, facial pain and pressure, and reduce the need for antibiotics and nasal sprays. Research backs up these claims, finding that nasal irrigation can be an effective way to relieve sinus symptoms when used along with standard sinus treatments.








I have suffered from allergies my entire life and also sinus infections. They are horrible and I can tell you, drugs not only don't work but cause so many other harmful problems in your body! Did you know that when you have a " stuffed up" nose and can't get anything out from blowing, it is from irritation and inflammation of the delicate mucous membrane lining of the interior of your nose? Usually, decongestants won't solve this, In comes the neti pot! It washes out and soothes your nasal passage w a gentle saline solution.

What are you doing to prevent getting sick this year?

Do you take any supplements or use any herbs or other 'Natural' 

medicines?

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Produce in Season: Fall

This is a quick guide to Fall produce. Of course it varies slightly depending on your geographical location.

Eating in season saves money, fossil fuels and tastes better!

Check out my link to what's in season in your area under " My Favorite Resources"

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Tropical Fruit, Nut and Seed Granola Treats... Not for the Birds!

I've been on a mission to feed my family way less flour, sugar and processed foods and eat  more whole grains, nuts and seeds. It's almost impossible to find all natural goodies at the market and when you do, ouch, it costs a small fortune. Why is it that most healthy foods are so much more expensive? It's no wonder so many people grab pre-made, pre-packaged, over processed junk. Well I'll let you in on a little secret I've discovered..... being healthy is in fact NOT more expensive but it does require a bit of effort, just a bit! In fact, if you do the math, it's cheaper to make your own goodies, after school snacks etc from scratch. Just keep your pantry stocked with whole grains (not whole wheat), a variety of nuts and seeds and a bit of dried fruit for adding natural sweetness.


So these chewy, tropical whole grain "cookies" are a perfect snack, morning or afternoon. Great to pack in your kids lunches or take with you for an mid-hike energy boost. By using orange juice,dried fruit and coconut, you don't have to add processed sugar. Of course fruit contains fructose, which is a natural sugar that is good for you in moderation. If you want these a bit sweeter you can add a little Agave nectar.

You Will Need:

1 1/2 cups 5 grain cereal or whole grain oats

1/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon allspice

2 tablespoons  orange juice

1/2 cup unsweetened, shredded coconut

2 tablespoons toasted flax seeds

1/4 cup unsalted pistachio nuts,  chopped

1/4 cup walnuts, chopped

1/4 cup each; dried date pieces and dried apricot, chopped

3 ripe bananas

1/4 cup coconut or canola oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract





TIME   30 MINUTES     YIELDS  15-20 squares

Putting it all together:

Preheat oven to 300F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.


In the bowl of a stand  mixer, combine oil, bananas, juice and vanilla extract. Beat on medium-high spread till mashed. Add flax seeds, salt, spices and oats, mix till combined. Add nuts and fruit, mix till combined.

Spread the batter evenly onto the baking sheet, about 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch high. Sprinkle coconut on top, press down gently .

Bake for about 15 minutes or until edges are golden brown.  Place baking sheet on cooling rack. Let cool slightly, cut into bars or fun shapes with cookie cutters. Store in airtight container and keep in the fridge.

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Tofu-Berry Morning Smoothie

If your anything like me, you get completely bored with breakfast every once and a while. I don't like to give the kids cold cereal very often because most all of them are laden with sugar and processed flour. Also, if you could see how much these 3 boys eat you would know that they easily scarf down a big box of cereal and well, boxed cereal is like $4 ea. That adds up fast. So that leaves the old reliable oatmeal. Even though we doll it up with pecans, flax, honey and dried fruit you can only eat so much oatmeal. That goes for eggs too.
Smoothies are always a fun treat and perfectly nutritious when made with healthy ingredients. You can always use plain, non-fat yogurt or Greek yogurt as a base, then add fruit of choice.

This time I used some soft Organic Tofu instead of yogurt for the protein. I freeze fresh blueberries when they are in season and chopped up frozen banana so the smoothies are nice and cold. That's it, blend it all up, add a tablespoon of flax meal for added Omega's and you have a super power breakfast smoothie!
These will wake you up and keep you energized much longer than cold cereal. Perfect breakfast for kids going to school!

Baby Mona gives her smile of approval!

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Berry-Orange Julius Smoothie

Isn't it funny what you remember from your childhood? Things that scared you half-to-death that you laugh at now. Things that you thought you absolutely, positively couldn't live without that seem so trivial in retrospect. Small things that brought you such happiness as a child so as that they imprinted a certain magic of sorts on your soul. And when you come across them years later you are flooded with nostalgic happiness. Few things bring such memories rushing me back to my childhood and Orange Julius' are one of them. We didn't get many sweet treats when I was little. A fact that I tolerated belligerently then but appreciate greatly now. A tradition that my children have begrudgingly been placed upon. Once or Twice a month at most my healthy conscience, and looking back budget conscience mother packed all four of us up and we went to the market or the mall for a sweet treat.

Orange Julius' were my absolute favorite, hands down. I could hardly contain myself as we stood in the always endlessly long line waiting for our Icy, sweet Julius treat. It's funny, back then I thought they were good for you, they were full of fruit right? Hmmmmm. Good thing I didnt' have to worry about that then.

Well , Orange Julius has long since been gone, replaced by another fad of the moment. I've been making my own various tropical smoothies and juices for my family for special treats and had all but forgotten about Orange Julius'. Then, last week, my mom handed me what I thought was our usual mixed berry-yogurt smoothie.  I took a sip........ and schazaaaam, was blasted into my childhood via my taste buds!

What was this magical concoction that has eluded me all these years? This simple recipe that brings back memories of happiness and childhood bliss. I'll tell you, and only because not only is it tear inducing delicious, but contains NO sugar! This may not mean much to you if you've never had a sugar-laden Orange Julius, but let me tell you, it's BIG TIME!


Berry-Orange Julius Smoothie 


1 cup mixed frozen berries

2 cups non-fat, plain yogurt

1 ripe banana

1 tablespoon Flax Meal ( ground, toasted flax seed)

3 small pieces frozen orange peel 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine all ingredients in blender and blend on high till smooth. That's it! Simple, yummy happiness!!

Frozen orange peel is the key ingredient, vanilla too I guess. I've been giving my mom a hard time for peeling and saving orange peels. She gives a small amount of them to my kids as snacks occasionally and boasts that they contain super levels of vitamin C and antioxidants, only found in the peel. My little ones chomp them up to my amazement and now they have found an even greater purpose as far as I'm concerned!

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Granola-Quinoa Fruit Bars - GF

These were great. More like a soft granola bar with just the right amount of peanut butter. Great after school snack or grab and go breakfast! Can you tell we like those around here? It's so much cheaper and healthier to make your own snacks in bulk like this. I always double my recipes and freeze some if necessary, but they usually get gobbled up within the week. These are gluten free and full of good-for-you things. Quinoa is a super healthy whole grain, it's actually a complete protein all by itself. It has a slightly nutty taste making it perfect in granola bars.


adapted from 101 CookBooks

TIME   5 minutes active, 25 minutes baking    Makes about 15 bars

You Will Need:

1 cup dried date pieces or 10 dates, diced
1 cup water, more or less
3/4 cup peanut butter
1 cup shelled pistachios, roughly chopped

1/2 cup Agave Nectar or Honey

1/2 cup old fashioned oats ( I use Coach's Oats)

1/2 cup uncooked quinoa

1 cup dried fruit, chopped (I used craisins, apricots, blueberries and strawberries)

1/4 cup flaxmeal (ground flaxseed)

parchament paper or 1/2 teaspoon coconut oil

*you could also use peanut oil, almond oil, walnut oil or grapeseed oil. I would stay away from Canola, vegetable and olive oils since any oil will absorb into your food and thus aquire their taste.

Putting it all together:

Lightly coat inside of an 8x8 baking dish with oil or line with parchment paper making sure parchment comes above all sides of the dish. Preheat oven to 350 F.
 In a saucepan over low heat, heat peanut butter, water, quinoa, oats, fruit, pistachios and flax. With a big, sturdy wooden spoon, stir to completely mix. If the mixture is too thick, add more water. If it is too thin, add more peanut butter.

 Remove from heat and press into baking dish using spoon. Bake for 20-25 minutes if desired, or just chill for an hour for more sticky bars and to make theese Raw (make sure to chill for an hour even after you bake them). Remove from pan and slice into bars. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.













This post is linked to 'Make it with Monday's' featured ingredient, Quinoa.

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Calling it Quits! Why I Started Really Caring About What We Eat.

Salmonella, e-coli, PBC's, mercury, antibiotics, injected artificial hormones, ammonia based fillers, nitrates, additives and preservatives, pollution, environmentally destructive, fossil fuel hoarders, Chicken and Cow "Farms" that make Federal Prison look like a Day Spa.


I'm trying to reason with myself. Tell myself I'm over-exaggerating. Make rationalizations. It's not working.

Maybe the vegans have it all figured out. Maybe the rest of us are being naive. Denial can be bliss. I consider myself more aware than the average person when it comes to health. Partly because I'm in the health profession, although you could easily argue that medicine and health don't always go hand in hand. Partly because I'm a mom and a worry wart and partly because I'm informed, I read a lot, obsessively almost when it comes to natural health. Maybe it's genetic. My mom is a true naturopath in every sense. You can't help but be affected when your mom lives with you and lives so naturally and healthy that she hasn't been sick in.... well since I've known her. Not to mention we are starting to look closer and closer to being the same age.

BTW, my mom has a great nutrition and herb/spice blog; Nutrition Queen you should really check out, she knows her stuff!

Most people, myself included are somewhat aware of the abuse and filth that goes on within the animal factories. It's been in the news more and more. However, when the subject of meat comes up, peoples attitudes vary widely. Most are aware of the health, environmental and humane benefits of vegetarianism but push it to the back of their minds in a what are you gonna do attitude. Some simply don't care. Some are meat-o-holics (those are the ones who refer to my everyday salad I have for lunch as " Lawn shavings". Some are in varying stages of denial with excuses galore. I myself float between "I can't afford it."  "What the heck am I going to make for dinner if it doesn't include meat?'" and  "It's to much work/effort." And my personal favorite, " My family would rebel, rebel Big Time."

I've never liked red meat or pork in the first place. As a matter of fact beef and pork churn my stomach at the mere sight and especially the smell of it. Chicken is in my house only to appease my husband and boys, a sort of compromise in my refusal to cook beef or pork. I could most definitely live without it. After the most recent "Egg Scare" and in viewing the utterly horrific conditions in which chickens are kept, I am somewhere in between banning all chicken then setting these "farms" into a bonfire, and maybe, possibly just buying an Organic, Free Range hen and eggs once every month or so...... maybe.

UPDATE..... Once a month chicken for dinner was absolutely do able. In fact, we eat it less than that now and don't miss it one single bit. 

"CAFOs house them as tightly as possible where they never see grass or sunlight. If you can envision one thousand chickens in your bathroom, in cages stacked to the ceiling, you're honestly getting the picture. (Actually a six-foot by eight room could house 1,152)." — Steven L. Hopp (Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life)

Honestly, besides the fact that my family would rebel I really, truly am not now, not in the near future about ready to give up seafood. I love it. Luuhuuuuve it. I mean fish is good for you right? Right?......

Geeeesshh, even seafood has it's issues. PBC's, Farm raised, antibiotic, corn fed, genetically "enhanced", environmentally dangerous, mercury levels that would kill a small dog.... but it's o.k. to eat once a month fish. Urrrggggghhh!! Maybe I should wait to post this until I've regained some composure. Oh who am I kidding, what composure?

Is veganism really the answer to total health safety and well being? I mean even supposedly harmless things like spinach, lettuce, jalapenos, pistachios, peanut butter, apple juice, canned foods and baby food have been linked to many instances of food poisonings, not to mention genetically engineered seeds and toxic pesticides. Some of these are the result of the foul water runoffs from these
for mentioned animal factories, some are simply from poor hygiene and over handling. The average item on your grocery market shelf has traveled further than most people travel on vacation. This being a result of us wanting everything now. Forget about seasons and geographical planting zones, we have scientists who've figured out how to bypass the natural scheme of things, hooray.

"If every U.S. citizen ate just one meal a week (any meal) composed of locally and organically raised meats and produce, we would reduce our country's oil consumption by over 1.1 million barrels of oil every week." — Barbara Kingsolver and Steven Hopp (Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life)

pictures from CBS and MSNBC news

P.S. I was going to post some pictures of the chicken, cow, pig "farms", but it was to upsetting.

I encourage you to do some research and see for yourself where the food your feeding yourself and your family comes from. Food Inc. was eye opening to say the least. I'm not an emotional person by nature, but this had me in tears.

What are your thoughts?

Do you eat meat? Do you buy anything Organic or Free Range?






some information gathered from: CNN.com

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Thai Garden Veggie Wraps with Peanut Sauce

This is my new favorite lunch! I ate a big whole grain wrap stuffed with fresh veggies and herbs and was satisfied but didn't feel heavy and stuffed . I love what living in the Arizona heat does to inspire me to come up with these quick, light meals. I suppose there's not much else to do other than sit around indoors and think about food since it's to stinking hot to go outside!

At first I was simply going to toss the veggies with lime juice and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and hot chile flakes for some kick, but then I started craving a peanuty sauce. It was so perfect and was my favorite part. It helped the little guys gobble them up too!

*Flavor with fresh herbs and citrus instead of mayo, salt or jarred marinades.

What you will need: 

2 carrots, julienned
1 seedless cucumber, peeled and juliened
1 red bell pepper, seeded and juliened
broccoli slaw
big handful of flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped
handful of fresh basil, thinly sliced
whole grain wraps/tortillas
toasted sesame seeds
hot chile flakes ( optional) 

* mint or cilantro would be good too, I just used what I had on hand.

For the peanut sauce: 

2 big spoonfuls of All Natural peanut butter or Tahini paste
2 tablespoons Tamari (similar to soy sauce, minus the additives and less sodium)
2 limes, juiced
dried onion flakes

Whisk all ingredients together in large measuring cup. Fill the wraps with veggies and herbs and drizzle sauce over the top.

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Soap's Dirty Little Secret

photo via CNN Health

Have you ever given a second thought to the type of soap you use? Do you like a pretty floral or fruity smelling soap? Do you prefer an anti-bacterial one? Is price your main concern?

I've seen people over the years stock up on anti-bacterial soaps and hand sanitizers in hopes of evading illnesses and germs.  I thought I'd touch base on the truth about anti-bacterial and other soaps. I'm glad to see more people steering clear of anti-bacterial soaps these days because they are just not necessary and cause more harm than good. 


Why?  

Antibacterial products leave surface residues, creating conditions that may foster the development of resistant bacteria and lower the resistance of your immune system.  Keeping things clean is great, but all these antibacterial products are overkill and counterproductive. Furthermore, they are chemical laden and extremely drying and harsh on your sensitive skin.


Antibacterial soaps don't work any better than regular soap. They do prevent illness in health care settings, where patients are more vulnerable to germs. But the antibacterial ingredients in hospital-strength soaps are up to 10 times the concentration of store-bought soap.

Also, antibacterial ingredients don’t kill viruses, which cause the vast majority of minor illnesses people experience. That includes colds, the flu, and stomach bugs.

Most soaps contain synthetic ingredients such as fragrances, added color and stabilizers.

Did You Know?

Soap in and of itself does not rid your skin of germs. The act of friction and length of time you wash is what gets rid of dirt and germs. I have my kids slowly sing the ABC's while they wash their hands as fast as they can, then we say goodbye to the germs as we wash them down the sink. Aim for at least 30 seconds of vigorous scrubbing before you rinse.


So what kind of soap is best?

Any mild, natural or Organic soap is best for your skin, the environment and your long-term health.



What is glycerin soap?

Glycerin absorbs water from the air and attracts moisture to the skin. When used in combination with the proper essential oils, you get a moisturizing soap which can also restore and heal damaged skin and hair.

Glycerin itself is more valuable than soap because it acts as an emollient and humectant, which means it moisturizes skin and draws moisture to the skin's surface.

Organic soap makers usually leave the glycerin in the soap, which makes it considerably less drying than non-organic soap. Companies that mass produce soap generally remove the glycerin to use it in more profitable cosmetic products such as face creams and body lotions.

So does that mean it's more expensive? Not really. Especially if you are buying those pretty fragrance soaps at the mall or any liquid pump soap. Sorry to burst your bubble {pun intended}.

I switched to bar soap which has saved us a TON of money. Especially with 4 kids in the house

 who seem to go through a bottle of soap in a few days. Bubbles are fun.
A bar of soap lasts much longer than liquid soap and works just as well.

Bar Soap - $1.89   vs.   Liquid - $3.99

Clearly Natural Soaps

  

Three of my favorite brands:

Tom's of Maine   Runs around $3.00 for a bar.  I've seen Tom's at most grocery stores that have a 'specialty' section.

Trader Joe's  Liquid Glycerin Soap - Runs around $2.80 for a 12.5 oz. bottle. I love how incredibly gentle and moisturizing this soap is! It smells so fresh and clean too. Trader Joe's is an extremely
eco-conscience retailer as well so you just can't go wrong here.

Trader Joe's  Oatmeal and Honey Bar Soap.  Not only is this all natural, eco-friendly, moisturizing and smells wonderful, it cost less than $2.00 for TWO bars!  Score!  

Some information gathered from

Asparagus Soap
Pioneer Thinking
Livestrong
Scientific America
WebMD

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