If you're not using essential oils, why you should be.

What?  Essential oils?  Like olive oil?  Something you eat/cook with/grease things with?  Speaking of which, are they greasy?  Will it stain my clothes?

I know by now you've heard me mention essential oils on here but probably lots of you still have no idea what I'm talking about!

FIRST OFF, WHAT THE HECK ARE ESSENTIAL OILS?

Essential oils are the oils from plants - flowers, trees, leaves, stems, roots, peels or seeds.  Here is a peppermint leaf magnified so you can see the oils sacs on it:

 The oils of a plant are where any of it's medicinal or therapeutic benefits reside.  Probably most of us have heard that lavender helps with relaxation - and the part of the lavender plant that does that is in the oil of the plant.  And when you distill the oil from the plant it becomes as much as 70 times more potent than using that plant alone!  For instance, one DROP of peppermint essential oil is as much as 28 cups or more of peppermint tea!

Also, when I say "Essential Oils" I mean not just one type of oil but endless amounts of oils such as:

Lemon
Lavender
Peppermint
Melaleuca or Tea Tree
Oregano
Ginger
Cinnamon
Frankincense
Wild Orange
Bergamot
Clove
Patchouli
White Fir
Grapefruit
Myrrh
Basil
Clary Sage
Fennel
Coriander
Cypress
Geranium
Helichrysum
Wintergreen
Marjoram
Vetiver
Ylang Ylang
Thyme

Get the point?  There are endless amounts of oils and so many of them have powerful benefits.

Ok, SO WHAT DOES THAT HAVE TO DO WITH ME?!

Well, if you ever have allergies, stomach aches, head aches, burns, cuts, wounds, injuries, back aches, colds, flu, infections, rashes, acne, depression or anxiety, sleep disorders, irritable bowel, or ANYTHING else wrong with you, you can count of mother nature to have a remedy!

REALLY?  WHY DO ESSENTIAL OILS WORK?  

I'd bet most of you believe that plants have medicinal benefits.  In fact, most traditional pharmaceuticals began when scientists noticed that certain plants had abilities to heal certain things.  They then took those plants into the lab, isolated what they believed was the chemical constituent in the plant that was helping and then manufactured a synthetic version of it.   And while I am SO grateful for the miracle of modern medicine, there are problems with doing that.  Don't believe me that there are problems?    They're called SIDE EFFECTS and you see them all the time on all those happy TV ads.  They range from excessive sweating to headaches to hallucinations and even death.

High quality, properly distilled essential oils have up for 1000 known constituents in them - probably even more that we haven't discovered yet!  And EACH of those constituents has medicinal benefits on its own so essential oils are POWERFUL remedies.  And they work FAST!  I can have a stomach ache from eating too many pieces of pizza and after applying an oil directly to my belly, I feel better within 60 seconds.  Crazy, isn't it?

IS THIS VOO-DOO?

 No - essential oils are rising in popularity and usage - in fact, Primary Children's Hospital in Utah just hired an essential oil expert to be a part of their staff to help them incorporate their use in their hospitals.   Why would they DO that?!  Well, not only have people been using essential oils for thousands of years but in the past couple of decades science has really started to figure out why they are so powerful and there are new studies coming out ALL OF THE TIME proving that.

ALRIGHT,  WHAT ELSE?

Essential oils are amazing - they work quickly, effectively, and with no side effects.  Plus - you can use them safely on your whole family including brand spanking new babies!  So, imagine a world where you rarely have to visit the doctor because you can proactively treat just about anything at home.  But guess what - it's not something I have to imagine - we treat everything with essential oils - every.single.day.  I would truly be unable to live without them and because of that we are healthier than we've EVER been - EVER.  While the rest of you are spending weeks waiting for a nasty cold to make it's way through your family - it's likely we didn't even get it.  And if one of us does happen to get sick, we're over it in a day or two without getting the rest of the family sick.  Amazing, isn't it?

I could REALLY go on for a long long time but that's not really appropriate for a blog post so I won't.  You know what it IS appropriate for?  A class or a webinar.  I'm teaching free classes all over the country all of the time - next weekend I'm teaching one in Spokane, the week after that I'll be teaching three in Texas.  BUT if you don't happen to live in any of those areas you can jump on our weekly webinars - every Thursday night. We go over the basics including which oils to use for what.  There are also giveaways so you can get some oils in your hands for  FREE!   Click here to register for the next webinar!  PS - it's free and open to anyone!


Ok, so this is kind of a part one on this topic - next I'll be talking about how essential oils are not even close to being created equal - in fact some brands are downright dangerous and toxic.  That's super important so if you're thinking of embracing a more natural healthcare then you must check back on that!  I choose to not only use but sell doTERRA's oils because their quality and safety are unrivaled.

Also, are you so interested in learning about essential oils that you think you'd like to teach classes on them and help others find out about them?  It's amazingly rewarding(even financially - check out these monthly numbers).  If you're feeling that way - totally email me and we can start talking about how that works!

PS - No, they aren't greasy and they won't stain your clothes, but you can eat and cook with them!

Scratching the Itch.

I love this picture of Peter.  He got into some Pero and somehow managed to get it perfectly on his face so he looks like an old hobo.  I love it but it has very little to do with this post...

In an effort to save loads of money AND still eat healthy - I have resorted to making nearly everything from scratch.  And in doing so I've been pleasantly surprised by how enjoyable it actually is - AND that it really does save us several hundred dollars a month!  I also love the feeling that if I've got a few basic ingredients I can feed my family really well.   In making things from scratch I aim for not inferior, cheap food, but actually superior quality and taste; and for the most part I haven't been disappointed.   Most of what I make is so good that even if I win the lottery it's going to be hard not to continue to make it myself.  Here are some of my "go to" recipes and some estimates on how much moo-la they are saving me:


(I linked the recipe's original if I found it online - otherwise I note where I found it - the cornbread picture is not mine and was taken from the original site)

Just Like Wheat Thins(taken from Jamie's wonderful book)
These really are just like wheat thins and have great flavor except I haven't yet gotten them as thin.  Each time I make them they get better.  They cost around $.88 to make and yield nearly twice as much as you'd get in a 12 ounce box for around $3.


Ingredients
1 1/2 c. whole wheat flour
1 1/2 c white flour
1/4 c sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 c butter
3/4 c buttermilk
1/4 c wheat germ


Sift the first five ingredients together.  Add the butter and process in a food processor.  Add the buttermilk, and process until it forms a ball.  Set it aside for 10 minutes.  Cut the dough into four parts.  Grease cookie sheets and sprinkle them with wheat germ.  Roll each piece out on a cookie sheet and sprinkle with salt.  Cut into diamond shapes with a pastry wheel.  Baker at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes.  Cool and put into a covered container.

Flour Tortillas (that don't need lard or shortening!)
 Once you taste these babies you'll have a hard time going back to the super unhealthy version you find at the store.  They're moist, soft, and healthy!  They can't cost me more than a quarter to make - and I double the recipe every time.

Ingredients:
Two cups of all-purpose flour (can make them whole wheat by substituting one cup of whole-wheat flour for white flour)
1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder
1 teaspoon of salt
2 teaspoons of vegetable oil
3/4 cups of warm milk

Method:
Mix together the flour, baking powder, salt and oil.
Slowly add the warm milk.
Stir until a loose, sticky ball is formed.
Knead for two minutes on a floured surface. Dough should be firm and soft.
Place dough in a bowl and cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap for 20 minutes.
After the dough has rested, break off eight sections, roll them into balls in your hands, place on a plate (make sure they aren’t touching) and then cover balls with damp cloth or plastic wrap for 10 minutes. (It’s very important to let the dough rest, otherwise it will be like elastic and won’t roll out to a proper thickness and shape.)
After dough has rested, one at a time place a dough ball on a floured surface, pat it out into a four-inch circle, and then roll with a rolling pin from the center until it’s thin and about eight inches in diameter. (If you roll out pie crusts you’ll have no problem with this.) Don’t over work the dough, or it’ll be stiff. Keep rolled-out tortillas covered until ready to cook.
In a dry iron skillet or comal heated on high, cook the tortilla about thirty seconds on each side. It should start to puff a bit when it’s done.
Keep cooked tortillas covered wrapped in a napkin until ready to eat.
Can be reheated in a dry iron skillet, over your gas-burner flame or in the oven wrapped in foil.
While you probably won’t have any leftovers, you can store in the fridge tightly wrapped in foil or plastic for a day or so.
Makes eight tortillas.

100% Whole Wheat Bread
I already posted this recipe so I'm just gonna link to that...

I make this recipe about once every 6 days.  It makes 4 large loaves.  The bread I was purchasing before this that was of similar quality was $4 a loaf!  I think they cost me less than $0.50 a loaf.  Doing the math that means every week I save $14 on bread alone!







Pizza Dough(taken from one of my favorite cookbooks)
  I love this recipe and so does my family which means I make it at least once a week.  It makes two big hearty pizzas with chewy, tasty dough.  Because I buy my cheese at Costco in bulk - these pizzas cost me about a dollar a piece - including pepperoni!   Compare that with a large pizza from Domino's or Pizza Hut and I'm saving $14 a piece!  I make mine in a bosch which saves a lot of time since I can skip the double rise time.  The recipe below is the original by hand method.

2 1/2 c warm water
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
pinch of sugar
1 c whole wheat flour
5 c unbleached all purpose flour
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 scant tablespoon salt


    Pour the water into a large mixing bowl and sprinkle the yeast over it.  Add the sugar, whole wheat flour, and 3 cups of the unbleached flour and stir briskly with a wooden spoon for 100 strokes.  Let the mixture rest for 5 minutes.

    Stir the olive oil and salt into the dough.  Stir in enough of the remaining flour, about 1/2 cup at a time, to make a shaggy but kneadble dough; this will require almost 1 1/2 cups of flour.  Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead the dough with floured hands for about 8 minutes, until soft, smooth, and springy.  Pour about a tablespoon of olive oil into a ceramic bowl and smear it around.  Add the dough, rotate it to coat it with oil, and cover the bowl with plasstic wrap.  Set the dough aside in a warmish, draft-free spot for about 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until doubled in bulk.
    Once the dough has doubled, punch it down and turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface.  Knead the dough for about one minutes, then divide the dough in half.  Knead each half into a ball and sprinkle lightly with flour.  Let the balls rest for 10 minutes, then proceed with your recipe. 
    Top it with any combination of sauce and toppings that you like and bake for 20-25 minutes in a 450 degree oven.  I bake mine on a pizza stone which makes some seriously great pizza crust.

Homemade Pasta
 As I've said before - this is some cheap but heavenly food.  I try and make it once a week as well.  I can pair with a tomato based homemade sauce, some pesto, or anything I've got on hand.  So good.





Click Here for the recipe

BEST EVER Cornbread
  When I say "Best Ever" I mean it - no matter how good the main dish is, this cornbread always steals the show - it's like eating cake for dinner.  It's all real food but I can't promise it's low in calories!  I'm not sure how much it costs me - I wish I could buy buttermilk in larger quantities than half gallon.  I can make my own cornmeal by grinding popcorn kernels - and it's good!  I've also made it with whole wheat and no one minded a bit!


Ingredients
1/2 cup butter
2/3 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease an 8 inch square pan.
Melt butter in large skillet. Remove from heat and stir in sugar. Quickly add eggs and beat until well blended. Combine buttermilk with baking soda and stir into mixture in pan. Stir in cornmeal, flour, and salt until well blended and few lumps remain. Pour batter into the prepared pan.
Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 





So there you have it!  Just about everything I make is from scratch but these are my basic staples that I use every week.  If you've got some other great from scratch recipes - send em to me!  

And before I forget, happy St. Patrick's Day!

p.s.  Our money saving goals have changed - we are now following Dave Ramsey's plan which means home buying is NOT in the immediate future.  But being debt free is!

Man cannot live by bread alone...unless it's 100% whole wheat.

People have been asking me about my bread recipe for a while now and I've been slow in getting it up here for a few reasons.  First, it's not my recipe - it's a recipe that you can find in a lot of places on the internet.  Second, it's specific to a Bosch mixer and since not everyone has one of those I didn't know if there was much of a need/point.  And third, I'm lazy since it's on paper only and I didn't want to have to type it up.  But my copy is getting pretty ragged so I figured it was time.


First off, in order to get things done I have to put the littlest one on my back - which I did today.  He likes it and except for when he pulls my hair, I don't mind it either.  I still have other little hands getting into the wheat though.  In fact, as I type my kitchen floor has a layer of wheat grains scattered throughout.

I go through this process about once a week(maybe 6 days) - making four loaves of 100% whole wheat bread.  We love it and I have gotten used to the trouble of making it.


I start by grinding my flour - flour that comes from the mill that Kevin Bacon danced through in the movie Footloose.  We just finished out first 45 pound bucket - it went quicker than I thought it would.  For every cup of grain I get about a cup and a half of flour - give or take.

 

Here you can see the ingredients(minus the flour) and my Bosch on the right.  I don't think I would be making bread this often if I didn't have a Bosch.  It's a workhorse and does an amazing job - I just add the ingredients and it does the rest.  Here is the recipe:

100% Whole Wheat Bread (Directions for Bosch Mixer, but can be made by hand)
(makes about 4 loaves)

5-6 cups hot tap water (hot to the touch;not hot enough to burn finger)
2/3 c. oil
2/3 c. honey
1/2 c. applesauce
2 tbsp. Kitchen Specialties dough enhancer
2 tbsp instant yeast
2 tbsp salt
2 tbsp vital wheat gluten
15-17 cups freshly milled whole wheat flour

Pour warm water into Bosch mixing bowl. Add approximately 5 cups flour on top of liquid. Then add dough enhancer, oil, honey, yeast, and gluten. Use the (M) momentary switch to mix well.

Add approx. 5 additional cups flour, and salt. Turn to speed 2. Continue ading flour 1/4 cup at a time until the dough pulls away cleanly from the sides of the bowl. Continue kneading on speed 2 for another 5 minutes.

Oil or grease hands and counter. Divide dough into equal portions and shape into loaves. Put into well greased pans. Let rise till double in size. Bake 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown on top. Remove from pans and cool on wire rack. Top of loaves can be rubbed with water or butter for shiny appearance. Dough can be used for pizza crust or cinnamon rolls.

If you don't have a Bosch mixer you use a Kitchen-aid but I would half the recipe because Kitchen-aid motors can burn out on the heavy load of this bread.  You can also knead it by hand but it will need a double rising time - once in the bowl before you put it in the pans.  

 And when they are all done I pull them out and put them on their sides to cool.  Once they're cool I put them in bags so we can enjoy them over the next several days.  If I know we aren't going to be eating much bread I'll throw a couple loaves in the freezer.

Yummy, Healthy, & In Season: Mom's Baked Squash with Applesauce

I am a pretty big believer in eating in season and buying locally grown produce.  I owe most of that to this guy and this lady.  Not that I don't still buy ridiculous amounts of bananas every week but still I try and what I can.  And I KNOW a little makes a difference.  Anyhow, on to the point.  Here is a GREAT food that can meet all of the important criteria.  This recipe is something like the one from this book.  I love to eat it on cold afternoons or in the evening with I'm trying to refrain from the amazing cookies my husband always bakes.  It's like a great mix of apple & pumpkin pie - except really healthy!

Mom's Baked Squash with Applesauce

1 acorn squash
2 tablespoons of cider jelly, apple jelly, or currant jelly(I use apple butter)
salt
1 cup of applesauce
cinnamon & sugar

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Half the squash from top to bottom and scoop out the seeds.  Cut a small slice from the bottom of each half so the squash will sit flat as it bakes and place them in a casserole or baking dish with a lid.  Brush the jelly over the flesh of each half and then sprinkle with a little salt.  Cover and bake for 50-55 minutes or until the flesh is just tender.  If liquid has settled in the cavities spoon it out and then fill with applesauce.  Bake for 10 more minutes or until the applesauce is warm.  Sprinkle with copious amounts of cinnamon and sugar and enjoy!