You did WHAT with the Olive Oil???

I have struggling for what seems like forever with my skin (on my face). It seems like certain products provide the anti-aging properties I am looking for, but cause me to break out...ugh. Other products I've used take care of my (mild) acne issues, but dry my skin out! Well, I've been doing some research and even considering making some organic "concoctions" for lotions, etc. when I stumbled upon SEVERAL web pages where people were talking about the miracle of Olive Oil! I have honestly NEVER heard of anyone "cleansing" with Olive Oil before, but the stories I read were so amazing--even people with eczema said it worked wonders without making their skin oily or causing breakouts! I had just been to my dermatologist that morning for my yearly "skin check" and was discussing facial products with her coincidentally. Well, after reading these posts, I figured, "Why not?"  I have a huge amount of Organic Olive Oil that I purchased at Earth Fare recently, so why not give it a go? Worst case, I break out and stop using it. Best case, it really is a miracle treatment!
So that night I did what others posted they did. I rubbed some Olive Oil all over my face. Then, I soaked a washcloth in hot water and wrung it out. Next, I placed it over my face and let the steam open my pores (which feels really nice too!). I used the washcloth to wipe away any remaining oil which also made me no longer smell like salad dressing! =o) My skin felt SO soft! So here I am 6 days later, and I have to say, my skin is looking better than it has in a long time! No chemicals needed! I have been cleansing with Olive Oil morning and night (which by the way even takes off the most stubborn waterproof eye makeup!), and only using a fragrance free moisturizer with SPF under my mineral powder makeup in the morning. That's it!  It doesn't leave your skin oily. In fact, my skin tends to be on the dry side, so sometimes I'll pat a small amount of the oil on my face even after wiping away.  (I've read of other people dabbing castor oil on spots that are more acne prone before applying the Olive Oil, as well as splashing on cold water after wiping the oil off to close up their pores as well.)
I just wanted to share this bizarre and helpful tip! Give it a try and let me know how it works for you!
Here is a photo of my "Olive Oil Container" that has a little hole for pouring under the cap. I think I got it for $1 in the trial size travel section at Target.

Enjoy!

=o)
Jen

How "clean" is your house?

If you are like me, you have a "product" for every purpose--including cleaning your house. A dear friend of mine from back home told me about a book titled Green Goes with Everything, and after reading portions of it, I realized that there was more that I needed to change in our lives than I had even previously thought!  There are so many unnecessary poisons lurking in our homes that we just simply don't need!  So after much research and reading online, I came up with a few simple, easy-to-make, and effective cleaning mixtures that I wanted to share!

The nice thing about using nontoxic ingredients in your cleaners is that everyone at home can help clean!  I would never have felt comfortable handing over a bottle with a big skull and crossbones on it to my daughter to help me clean--no way!  With some simple concoctions made mostly out of household ingredients, I feel so much better about not only having my family help me clean, but I no longer worry about their skin coming in contact with these cleaners or about them getting sick from them.

The first very basic cleaner is a mixture of 50% vinegar and 50% water.  This can be used on pretty much  EVERYTHING!  I gave my daughter a little spray bottle of this and she went around the house and cleaned all the windows and windowsills and they looked beautiful!  AND...she totally enjoyed helping out!  Win-Win!!

If you want a mixture that is a little bit stronger, simply add about 30 drops of Tea Tree Oil to your vinegar/water basic cleaner.  (I used a 32 oz. empty spray bottle to make mine.)  Tea Tree Oil is known for its natural antimicrobial, anti-viral, and anti-fungal properties.  When cleaning in general, I'll use the basic vinegar/water cleaner, however, if I'm cleaning anything meat has come in contact with (or the bathroom!), I use the Tea Tree Oil mixture.

Recently, I decided that I also wanted to find an alternative to the usual floor cleaner I use that I know is laced with chemicals whose names I probably can't pronounce.  I searched the Internet and found this great "recipe" for cleaning my laminate floors!  SO simple yet it worked so well!  The best part is that it does not require rinsing either!
Here is what I used:

1/4 cup dish soap

1 cup lemon juice

1 to 2 cups of water

2 cups vinegar

I used a 32 oz. empty spray bottle I purchased at Lowe's Hardware to make this mixture (same type of bottle used to make the Tea Tree Oil mixture above).  I bought this great microfiber washable head mop at Walmart for somewhere in the range of $11, and I was now ready to clean my floors!  I just sprayed and mopped--so easy!  The best part of it was that there was no waster, no pads to throw away, and it was all natural!  Woohoo!
Here is a photo of one of the bottles I used, along with the Tea Tree Oil I purchased at Trader Joe's.  I am assuming you could find this at pretty much any health food store.
* I just wanted to add that Tea Tree Oil can be toxic in concentrated form and if taken internally, and it should not be left within reach of children.

Happy Cleaning!

Enjoy!
=o)
Jen

Homemade French Bread Rolls

I was SO excited to make my own French Bread Rolls.  I figured I could make them and my family could use them as hamburger buns!  We picked up all the ingredients and some "bulk yeast"--who knew you could buy it that way?!  Well, it turns out that there is a BIG difference between nutritional yeast and baker's yeast.  Nutritional yeast does not contain active yeast therefore will not make your bread rise--OOPS!  Live and learn, right?
Well, I had the whole batch mixed up and put in a warm place to rise--but it didn't.  That's when I pieced it all together.
I searched on the Internet and found that you could substitute baking soda for the yeast in a 1:1 ratio and add a teasoon of lemon juice.  The baking soda was to be mixed with the dry ingredients and the lemon juice was to be mixed in with the liquid ingredients...yeah, that was a problem for 2 reasons.  One, I had already mixed the batch of dough together, and two, I had no lemon juice or lemons in the house.  Out of desperation I juiced an orange and used a teaspoon of that.  Worse case, I would toss the rolls and be out the cost of the ingredients.  Luckily, they didn't turn out so bad!  They could have been a bit "fluffier" and "lighter", but they were definitely edible.  My two biggest critics, my kids, actually liked them--hooray! 
Here is the recipe I used (and botched up) from Food.com!  I'm sure that it will turn out even better if you actually have the correct ingredients on hand!

French Bread Rolls to Die For

1 1/2 cups water
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
4 cups bread flour

Directions:Prep Time: 30 mins
Total Time: 50 mins

1. Mix together warm water, yeast and sugar and let stand for about 10 minutes.
This is what it should look like except with ACTIVE yeast! 

2. In large bowl, combine yeast mixture with oil, salt and 2 cups of the flour.

Oh, and I had trouble finding organic bread flour, so I used this Arrowhead Mills flour! 

 

3. Stir well to combine.
4. Stir in remaining flour 1/2 cup at a time, beating well after each addition.
5. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic.

I had some help!

 

6. Lightly oil a large bowl and place dough in and turn to coat with oil.

 

7. Cover with cloth and let rise in warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.

Twirl and perform ballet while waiting!

 

8. Deflate the dough and turn out onto floured surface.
9. Divide dough into 16 equal pieces and form into rounds.
10. Place rolls onto lightly greased baking sheet at least 2" apart.
11. Cover rolls with cloth and let rise until doubled, about 40 minutes.
12. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and bake rolls for 18 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.

And with all my adjustments, voila!  Here is the finished product!!!

And here is how they looked served with Organic french fries (not homemade) with a mini grassfed beef patty!  Oh, and yes that is Organic Ketchup WITHOUT high fructose corn syrup!!

Enjoy!
=o)
Jen

Sweet Beet cookies can't be "beet"!

I found this interesting recipe on Weelicious that I thought was worth trying.  I'm pretty lucky in that my kids are pretty great vegetable eaters, but still, it can't hurt to add a bit more to their diet, right?  These cracker-like cookies actual have a 1/2 cup of raw grated beets in them!!  Crazy, huh?  What's even crazier is that my kids actually REALLY liked them!!!
Here is the recipe:

Sweet Beet Cookies (Makes about 50 – 1 inch square cookies)

1 Cup All Purpose Flour
1/2 Tsp Baking Powder
2 Tbsp Sugar
1/4 Tsp Salt
1/2 Cup Raw Beets, shredded fine*
2 Tbsp Oil

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Here is my peeled and ready-to-grate beet!

 

Grated with my Adjustable Microplane Grater (Pampered Chef)!  I grated more than needed so I divided it up and froze it in portions for future use.

2. Combine the first four ingredients and stir to combine.

3. Using your hands, add the beets to the flour mixture coating the beet pieces with the flour.

 

 

4. Add the oil and work with your hands to bring the dough together (the salt and sugar will fall to the bottom of the bowl so make sure you knead the dough well to combine everything — the outcome will be a smooth dough).

It actually looked like the color of ground beef!

5. Form the smooth, sweet beet dough into a flat rectangular disk and roll it out 1/2 inch thick on parchment paper or a dry clean surface.

I had some help!  =o)

6. Using a knife, cut the dough into squares or use small cookie cutters to cut out shapes.

7. Bake on a Silpat or parchment-lined cookie sheet for 15-17 minutes. 
I had mine in for 15 minutes and burned the bottom of some of them.  I made 45 total instead of 50, but I think I made them too thin.

8. Cool and serve.

*You can only use RAW fine shredded beets for this recipe. Using canned beets will not work because of the thickness of the beets and they are already cooked.
*These cookies are best stored on the counter in an air-tight container.

Here is the proof that they passed the little kid test for tastiness! 

Enjoy!
=o)
Jen

Grilled Cheese Sandwiches with a Healthy Twist!

My kids love eating grilled cheese sandwiches (or "toasted cheese sandwiches" as my husband calls it)!  In fact, these are really the only type of sandwiches they do like.  We use organic cheese, organic margarine--however, my husband is not a fan of organic bread, so we've been buying conventional bread that is free of high fructose corn syrup and hydrogenated oils.  I am hoping to try to start making homemade bread to see how that turns out.  If anyone has any tips on doing so or some foolproof recipes, please share!  =o)
Anyway, back to the sandwiches!  I try to make everything as healthy as I can--even if it means sneaking in some "hidden" ingredients!
Here are some of the things that I use to make my grilled cheese sandwiches (all of which can be found at Earth Fare) :

The twist here is that I like to sprinkle flaxseed over the cheese before I put the sandwiches together and grill them!  The kids NEVER know it is there, and flax is a great way to add some extra nutrients and fiber! 

I always serve lunch and dinner with a side of veggies, and my daughter seems to think that carrots taste better when they've been cut into sticks, so that's the route I went!

Enjoy!
=o)
Jen

Slow Cooker Firecracker Chili! Awwww yeah!

Chili is great when it's hot in the Summer and great when it's cold in the Winter!  So basically, Chili is good any time of the year! 
I dug out my Crockpot because quite honestly, with all the craziness of school starting, I just wanted to have a meal that would cook itself and provide me leftovers all at the same time!  The only precooking involved in this recipe is the ground beef, which, quite honestly, I feel is the way to go so you avoid that thick layer of grease at the top.  When you brown it in the pan first, you are insuring that 1) it is cooked and 2) you've removed and drained any unnecessary fat and cholesterol--win win! Plus, by using grassfed beef, you are adding meat that is healthier and lower in fat to begin with!
This recipe is adapted from the Better Homes and Gardens Biggest Book of Slow Cooker Recipes.

Firecracker Chili

1 lb. ground beef (I used grassfed beef)
1 15 oz. can red kidney beans, drained
1 cup chopped celery
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 cup chopped green sweet pepper
1 to 2 fresh jalapeno peppers, seeded, chopped (I used 2!)
1 14.5 oz. can tomatoes, cut up
1 10 oz. can chopped tomatoes and green chili peppers
1 cup spicy vegetable juice
1 6 oz. can tomato paste
2 cloves garlic, minced (I used 3!)
3 to 4 tsp. chili powder (I added 4!)
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese - 2 oz. (optional)
1/4 to 1/3 cup sour cream (optional)

1. In a large skillet, cook the ground beef until brown. Drain fat.
2. In a 3 1/2 to 5-quart slow cooker, combine beef, beans, celery, onion, sweet pepper, and jalapeno peppers. Add undrained tomoatoes, vegetable juice, tomato paste, garlic, chili powder, and cumin.
3. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 8 to 10 hours or on high-heat setting for 4 to 5 hours. Serve!

Again, I was able to find almost all the ingredients I used in Organic form, with the exception of the can of chopped tomatoes and green chili peppers and the spices. I added an extra garlic clove to my chili--I usually add one more than whatever the recipe calls for because garlic is just that awesome! Also, I added the word "optional" to the cheese and sour cream because quite honestly, the chili is so good that I didn't think they were even necessary.

I used my Pampered Chef Food Chopper for the celery, onions, peppers, and jalapenos--it worked AWESOME! SO quick and easy and so little mess!

The jalapeno peppers that I used were straight out of my garden! I love when I can use produce that I have planted--such a great feeling!
Here are some of the photos that I took of the chili. We served it side-by-side with some Organic jasmine rice.

Jalapenos fresh from the garden!

My Crockpot after 8 hours on the low-heat setting!

Dinner is served!!!

Enjoy!
=o)
Jen

Crepes: a small very thin pancake

I have been so excited to try out new recipes and make them my own by using organic ingredients!  I am starting to realize that just about ANY recipe can be altered and made healthier!  I am proud to say that EVERY single ingredient down to the syrup and peanut butter I used on the finished product was organic!  There is something so satisfying about knowing you are making the best choices for your family.

I have NEVER made crepes before!  I just recently finally mastered making pancakes--well, I don't know if mastered is the best choice of words, but I'm getting better.  My husband is still the "master pancake maker" in this house. 

I found this recipe for crepes on one of my new favorite sites, Weelicious. 
Here is the recipe I used from that site:

Crepes (Makes 14 Crepes)

2 Eggs
1 Cup Flour
3/4 Milk
1/2 Cup Water
1/2 Tsp Vanilla
2 Tbsp Butter, melted
Butter for sauteing

1. Place all the ingredients in a blender and puree.
2. Refrigerate for 1 hour or overnight (this helps the bubbles to settle and the crepes not to tear).
3. Grease a saute pan or crepe pan with butter. Pour in 2 tbsp of batter and swirl to cover the pan.
4. Cook for 1 minutes, flip and continue to cook another 30 seconds or until just starting to become golden.
5. Remove to a plate and continue to make remaining crepes.
6. Spread with apple butter, almond butter, mashed bananas, fruit preserves or any other favorite filling.
7. Roll into a cigar shape.
8. Serve.

*After step 5, allow to cool, place crepes on a sheet tray, layer a piece of parchment paper between each crepe, place in ziploc bag, label and freeze up to 4 months. When ready, defrost in fridge for 24 hours and heat in a dry pan for 30 seconds on each side and follow steps 5-8.

Now I've got to say, the recipe says it makes 14 crepes, and by golly, it makes 14 crepes! Well, that is if you don't count the first two I totally messed up! =o) There is something about the first pancake (or two) that never comes out right for me! 
I started later than I had planned so the batter only sat in the refrigerator for an hour. I just left it in the blender after I pureed it, and stuck it in there. When I made the actual crepes, I poured the batter from the blender into a Tablespoon (twice!) right into the pan and rolled it around to spread it evenly. I am such a rule follower that I set the microwave for each crepe for 60 seconds for the first side and 30 for the second! Needless to say, the timing was perfect!
My kids ate them all but ONE! They loved them! We had a "breakfast for dinner" meal that night, and I served it with some organic bacon that I purchased at Earth Fare. Alexa had some of her crepes rolled up and dipped in syrup, spread with peanut butter and rolled up, and sprinkled with cinnamon sugar and rolled up. Carter preferred his plain.  Either way they were a big hit!
I don't have the best photos of them, just this one, but I think you'll get the idea. They disappeared so fast, I didn't have a chance to take more photos!

Enjoy!
=o)
Jen

Gluten Free Cheesy Meat Organic Lasagna

I had some frozen grassfed ground beef in the freezer and wanted to make something super yummy with it! I purchased some Gluten Free Lasagna noodles (which I didn't realize you didn't have to pre-boil which is NICE) so I wanted to use those too. I searched online for a lasagna recipe and found one written by Dianne Smith on the Suite 101 dinner ideas web site.
I took pictures of the process the whole way through! I am a very visual person so for those out there like me, hopefully this will help!
First off, here is the recipe I used:


Meat and Cheese Lasagna Ingredients

•1 pound lean ground hamburger meat (I used grassfed ground beef)
•3 cloves garlic, minced (I added 4--you can never have too much garlic!)
•1 tbsp whole basil (I added quite a bit more fresh basil!)
•1 1/2 tsp salt
•28 oz (1 lb 12 oz) canned diced tomatoes (the non-diced can can be substituted and then simply diced. Use the liquid in the can, too)--I had one 14.5 oz. can of fire-roasted diced tomatoes (which gave it a little kick) and one 14.5 oz. can of plain diced tomatoes
•2 6-oz. cans tomato paste
•1/2 to 3/4 cup water, to taste, depending on the lack of dryness desired
•10 ounces lasagna noodles (I used Gluten-Free noodles)
•2 eggs
•4 cups cream style small curd cottage cheese
•1/2 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
•2 tbsp. parsley flakes
•1 tsp salt
•1/2 tsp. pepper
•1 pound mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced or grated

All of the ingredients I had on hand were organic except for the GF lasagna noodles and the parmesan cheese which I grated fresh.

Meat Lasagna Recipe Preparation
1.Boil the noodles till tender according to the package directions in boiling, salted water; drain and then rinse. (I didn't need to pre-boil the GF noodles)

2.Meanwhile, brown the ground meat slowly in a large frying pan; spoon off the excess fat or drain it into a container to be thrown away afterward.
3.Add the next five ingredients to the meat and the water.
4.Cover and simmer the meat mixture for 15 minutes, stirring often.

5.Beat the eggs in a medium size bowl; then add the rest of the ingredients except the mozzarella.
6.Layer half the noodles in a 15 x 10 x 2" baking dish (glass Pyrex works great); spread with half the cottage cheese filling; add the next layer of half the mozzarella cheese; add the next layer of half the meat sauce. (I used a 13" x 9" pan)

First , Second, and Third Layers!

7.Repeat the exact same layers.

Ready to bake!

8.Bake at 375* for 30 minutes (or assemble early and refrigerate; bake 45 minutes).
9.Let stand covered tightly for 15 to 30 minutes. (I added some more mozzarella cheese on top before covering it.) Tin foil can be used but be careful to not let the tin foil touch the lasagna as it can adhere to it. Plastic wrap can be used first, then covered with the tin foil to prevent this problem. Serves about 10.

Here is the finished product! 















And...here is my dinner!  We have a LOT of leftovers!!!

Lasagna does take a little bit of prep. time, but the great thing is that it makes such a large amount of food that you are sure to have leftovers!

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Enjoy!
=o)
Jen