DIY Cutting Board Cleaner and Conditioner

The cold weather is finally letting up and warm weather is on its way!  Summer is the time where we love to grill out and enjoy the beautiful weather. I'm sure you use a cutting board to cut meat, vegetables, fruit and other items.  It's super important that you keep your cutting board conditioned and clean to ward off germs and bacteria and help make your cutting board last longer.

Did you know you can condition your wood cutting boards with your trusty friend coconut oil!?! Just rub a little coconut oil on the cutting board with a cloth. Not only does it condition the wood, but coconut oil has antibacterial and viral properties that will help to kill off those nasty germs!

Quinoa Fried Rice

We all crave the comfort of high sodium, bad for you foods, but most of these are packed with preservatives!  Here is a simple and delicious quinoa fried recipe!  The perfect, healthy alternative to take out.

When I first discovered this I made it for 4 days in a row because it tasted so good!  I haven't had Chinese food in years and was so happy to discover this alternative. It’s perfect for anyone, especially those on Candida Clear where you can have quinoa in place of rice!

All you need is quinoa, frozen veggies, a couple eggs and coconut oil! 

Cook your quinoa.  I sometimes will make a large batch and keep it in the fridge until I am ready to warm it up. Then, when I want to make something, I just quickly heat it up in the skillet with coconut oil.

Make your frozen veggies.  I get mine at Costco- great price for how much you get.  They are organic too!

Now put it all together.  In a large skillet (on low/medium heat) put 1 to 2 tablespoons of coconut oil, quinoa, mixed veggies and 1 to 2 eggs.  In a smaller skillet you can use 1 egg and larger skillet 2 eggs.  Once the eggs start to slightly cook mix them around with the quinoa and veggies.  Keep slowly mixing everything until the eggs are pretty well done.  Add in a little bit of sea salt and pepper for a little more flavor. There you have it!  Dinner is ready!

Another option would be to throw in some chicken, shrimp, or steak!

Enjoy!

DIY Hand Soap

Bronner's is a home's best friend.  Remember Bronner’s Castile Soap from the facewash post? Well, another handy tip is that you can use castile soap for hand soap too!

 You just fill ¼ of your soap container with Bronner’s Castile Liquid Soap (personal favorites are peppermint and lavender) and the rest with water. That is it! It makes for a nice and foamy hand soap that lathers really well. Simple, multifunctional, inexpensive castile soap for the win! Plus no added synthetic fragrances and toxic additives (avoid triclosan and triclocarbon listed in ingredients). Good ol’ castile soap will do the job!

Interesting info from Environmental Working Group

‘Anti-bacterial soaps do kill bacteria and microbes -- but so do plain soap and water. A U.S. FDA advisory committee found that use of antibacterial soaps provides no benefits over plain soap and water.

The main reason to avoid anti-bacterial soaps is its active ingredient: triclosan (and the related triclocarbon). Triclosan is an anti-bacterial chemical found in many consumer products, and it's nearly ubiquitous in liquid hand soap. It is linked to liver and inhalation toxicity, and even low levels of triclosan may disrupt thyroid function. Further, the American Medical Association recommends that triclosan not be used in the home, as it may encourage bacterial resistance to antibiotics.’

For the full article and more information go to: http://www.ewg.org/research/healthy-home- tips/tip-5-wash-those- hands-avoid- triclosan

Easy, 3 Ingredient Pesto

I made this pesto on a whim because I didn't have pine nuts or olive oil.  I also wanted to stay away from the typical parmesan cheese, so I had to get creative and it worked!

This pesto recipe requires only 3 ingredients: Walnuts, Coconut Oil (Melted), and Basil!

In a food processor, throw in around 4 tbs of melted coconut oil, a large handful of walnuts and a large handful of basil and blend.  That's it!  It's the perfect addition to any meal.

Enjoy!

Easy Asian Stir Fry

This asian inspired stir fry is simple, healthy, and totally yummy!  I love sharing recipes that are easy to make because sometimes life gets too busy to plan out an elaborate dinner.  For this recipe, you only need 4 ingredients! Are you ready!?!

Ingredients
Broccoli slaw (found at Kroger and Trader Joes
1-2 eggs
Coconut Aminos (soy sauce replacement)
Cashews

Place broccoli slaw in skillet with coconut oil and cook on medium heat for 5 to 10 minutes (until veggies start to get soft).  Then add 1 to 2 eggs (1 for small skillet and 1/2 container of broccoli slaw and 2 eggs for entire container of broccoli slaw).  Stir around to mix the egg in.  

Next, add a large handful of cashews.  Let everything cook for another 5 minutes or so (stir around occasionally) which allows the cashews to get warm and slightly toasted.

Put in a bowl and top with Coconut Aminos!  That's it, and it's husband approved!

You can cook chicken to add in or just eat as is.  It is such an easy recipe to customize to your liking.  I hope you like it is as much as I do!

Enjoy!

Oven Baked Carrot Fries

Have your fries and eat them too!  This is guilt free, simple recipe and a great alternative to fries. It's the perfect side for any dinner and a great way to help kids eat their veggies!

Ingredients
Carrots
Coconut Oil
Seasoning of choice (I like to use Borsari)

Peel your carrots and cut into 3 inch pieces.  Then cut in 1/2 lengthwise then in 1/2 lengthwise again to get the width of fries.  Lightly rub coconut oil on the carrot sticks and grease a baking pan with it.  Season the carrots with sea salt and pepper and cook for 20 minutes on 400 degrees.

That's it!  They are very tasty and have a hint of sweetness to them.  Enjoy!
 

Vinegar: A Must Have Household Item

Vinegar is my go to product for fabric softener and rinse aid.

It seems so simple right? I thought so too, but it works great! Vinegar is a must have for your laundry routine and dish routine!  For laundry, it reduces static, brightens colors, fights stains, and more.  For dishes, it will make them sparkle! Plus, you're cutting out so many unnecessary chemicals when using vinegar.  And no, your clothes and dishes won’t smell like vinegar. I promise. 

I actually ran across this when my washer was leaving spots on my clothes. After some research this is actually what washing machine experts (is that a thing?!) want you to use! Why?  Because fabric softeners contain paraffin (wax) which builds up in the fabric softener compartment and can cause issues.

So, go grab yourself a large bottle of vinegar and get started! And it is much more cost friendly than those expensive bottles of fabric softener or little bottle of rinse aid. A win win!

For Laundry
Add one cup to the fabric softener dispenser
For Dishes
Pour vinegar into rinse aid dispenser on your dishwasher
For hand washing, add 1 cup of vinegar to rinse water

Want to take it a step further?  You can also infuse the vinegar with oils or natural herbs. Check out this post from Hello Glow to learn more!
 

Healthy Chocolate Pudding

I have experimented with a couple different recipes for chocolate pudding and this is my favorite so far!

All you need is unsweetened cocoa, almond milk or other milk substitute, xylitol or honey and chia seeds. Chia seeds are packed full of nutrients, fiber and healthy omega 3 fatty acids which are great for the heart and brain!

Instructions
Mix together 1 cup almond milk, 3 tablespoons chia seeds, 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, 2 tablespoons xylitol or honey.  You can add more depending on how sweet you like it! Let the mixture sit for 10 minutes and then enjoy!

When you first put all the ingredients together the cocoa may sit at the top and not mix well because of the cold almond milk.  After 5 minutes it will start to settle in.  After ten minutes do a final stir and everything should be mixed together perfectly.

This is the perfect recipe to customize to your liking. Raspberries, almonds or coconut would be really yummy with this pudding!

Enjoy.

DIY Dry Shampoo

The struggle is real with washing your hair all the time to combat the oil- especially after working out.  A patient gave me this recipe and it has been game changer!  I have used dry shampoo sprays before but can’t stand the smell (all sorts of chemical and toxic junk). This is so simple, natural and lasts longer than traditional dry shampoo!

Ingredients
1/4 cup Arrowroot powder
Optional: 5 drops of your favorite essential oil (I personally love Lavender or Juniper Berry)

I sprinkle a little on my scalp and use a brush to rub it in.  I have read where people dip an old makeup brush in the powder and use over the areas that need it.

Don't worry, brunettes, we have you covered too.  A lot of brunettes cannot use dry shampoo because it leaves a white residue in their hair.  Arrowroot powder is white and best for blonde or light hair, but add some cocoa powder to the mix and it is perfect for people with dark hair!  Add equal parts arrowroot and cocoa powder and your favorite essential oils.

Homemade Fruit Fly Trap

Summer time is for fresh fruit, and fresh fruit means the occasional fruit fly.  I found this recipe for a homemade fruit fly trap and it WORKED.  I trap almost all of my pesky fruit flies at home with this simple trick. 

All you have to do is put a little dish soap in a bowl and fill with water. Make sure you have plenty of bubbles since this is what traps them. Next add a couple tablespoons of apple cider vinegar in the water to help lure them to the bowl.  That's it!

Put a fresh bowl out each morning and night.

For more information on where I got this idea and another great blog to follow click here.  Enjoy!