If you wouldn't put it in your mouth, DON'T put in on your skin.......

Getting Clean
I, personally, am not a fan of fads, gurus, being "chic" etc.  I am a "stick in the mud."  So it is with some hesitation that I admit I've gone "no poo".  (There has GOT to be a better term than "no poo.")  Yup, I wash my hair, face and non tender body parts with baking soda from the feed store and rinse with cheap (less than $5/gallon), but real, apple cider vinegar (beware of ACV flavored distilled vinegar).  I don't use distilled vinegar anymore because a lot of it is made from GMO corn.

I didn't want to ditch shampoo, conditioner and my pretty smelling soaps.  I spent HOURS looking at ingredients of  "natural" shampoos and soaps.  There are a few bar soaps out there that come close,  Kirk's coconut soap, for example...but NOT for my hair.  I did try it though, along with some others, they leave a residue.

baking soda and vinegar

I fill my recycled cobalt blue colored plastic mineral bottle 1/2 to 3/4 full of baking soda, add water and shake.  I use what I need and leave the rest until next time.  If it gets too thick, I just add more water.  There are no emulsifying agents, so I shake every time I use it.  I have found it useful,  more than once, to have different shaped bottles for the BS and ACV.  Sometimes you need to FEEL the difference between bottles, if you know what I mean.

I start by GENTLY rubbing it on my face, edge of hair, neck, behind the ears etc., then  my scalp and arms and so on.  I rub the actual hair at the end of the process with what ever is left on my hands, IF it needs it.   I rinse everything off and rinse with the vinegar...I use it straight, but it can be diluted if desired.  It will make your hair feel soft, really soft.  Part of that is going to be your hair and part of it your hands being softened and without residue.

If a body part is still odorous after a once over with baking soda, I will use soap.  The BS is a little rough for scrubbing purposes.

It took a few weeks to finally get rid of the old soap off my hair...especially after all the experiments.  Some of the natural products I tried left a nasty, shellac type residue on my hair.  Ewwww.

One of the extra benefits of using BS and ACV is saving money.... a lot of money.  The BS from the feed store is slightly less than $.20/lb in a 50 lb bag.  It's called "rumen buffer" and is a larger grain that found at a grocery store for cooking.  I can get grocery store size BS in a 50 lb bag for  $.43/lb.  The local stores run about $1-$1.10/lb for BS, still cheaper than commercial shampoos.

The OTHER extra benefit of using BS and vinegar is the shower will NOT get clogged with soap build up.  I really like no having to worry about maintaining the drain.

UPDATE Nov 29th 2010:  I use baking soda WATER now.  I put a little baking soda paste/slurry in my bottle and fill the bottle with warm water to at least half way.  There's very little grit this way.  I soak my wet head with the soft water and let sit for a minute.  The BS water saponifies the oil on my head and then I rub my scalp and hair then rinse. Then I soak with diluted ACV about 1/4 ACV to 3/4 water.  I let sit for a minute and then rinse.   Washing the rest of the body with the BS water works a lot better now.  Some places still need an extra pass or two. ; )

Deodorizing and Moisturizing
I finish up my showering with a full body application of coconut oil.  I indulge in a little vanity here and use the more expensive, sweet smelling virgin coconut oil. I get it in BULK (about $2.50/lb) to save money.  It keeps indefinitely, doesn't go bad, so I don't have to worry about wasting it.  I little goes a long way.  I use a pea size amount for my face and neck and twice that for each pit.  The rest of my body gets a couple 2 finger scoops spread as evenly as I can.  The pits get an dusting of BS for deodorizing and I'm done and ready to get on with the day.

The body will absorb the coconut oil through the skin.  For those that have trouble digesting or getting enough coconut oil, this is a wonderful way to "eat" it.  I had been using it on my face for a few months before I started using it over my whole body.  I dropped 5 lbs when I went full body and continue to lose weight when I am diligent about it.  I find using it on my face and arms at night before bed helps me sleep better as well....when I remember to do it.

Home Remedies Carnival

Orange "Julius", "Creamsicle" and Summer Eggnog

Some times it's too hot to cook and almost too hot to eat......on those days,  I like to make Orange "Julius"...a rich, nourishing, COLD meal in a glass.

Make your own rehydrating "Energy" drink

Refreshing "Energy" drink

Here is the "Energy" beverage I drink at least a pint of every day.

Pickled Beets

Beets are at their peak right now and are the lowest in price of the season if your are buying them.
We LOVE pickled beets in our house...straight out of the jar.  They are tasty with other things too, like carrots and olive oil or onions or potato salad or whatever...but sometimes the jar is emptied from nibbling while the more elaborate adventures are being prepared.

Ingredients:
Beets
ACV (apple cider vinegar, preferably raw and unfiltered)
Unrefined Sea Salt
Sugar (optional)
Cream of Tartar (1/4 tsp per TBS if using sugar)


I put the whole beets (just the greens removed, keeping the root intact) in a SS pressure cooker with a little trivet or something to prevent direct contact with the bottom.  (This and cranberry relish is all I use my pressure cooker for now a days.)  Add a little water to the bottom.  You want steam, not beets IN the water.  Cook at 15 lbs of pressure for 10-15 minutes depending on size of beets and remove from heat.  When it has cooled down and the pressure is gone, I remove the lid and let the beets cool.

When they are cool enough to handle, I remove the skins by cutting the stem and root off and "wiping."  Sometimes I have to help  the removal with a small paring knife, but not often.  When the skins are removed, I either quarter the beets or slice in the Cuisinart...depending on my mood.  I stick the cut beets in jars and pour in the ACV with salt and sugar.  These will keep in the fridge for a VERY long time.  Months at least, maybe longer...they've always been eaten before they've spoiled.  They might be fine in a cool basement without canning, but I've never tried.

We save the pickle juice for soaking baby carrots.  They turn a weird purple, but they are tasty for nibble food.

This post part of Tuesday Twister

Gluten Free "Potato Flour" Chocolate Chip Cookies

GF "Potato Flour" Chocolate Chip Cookies
(Adapted from same box of potato flour as the brownies.)

2 eggs
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
OR
1 cup sucanat or whole cane sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/4 cup rice flour
3 TBS potato flour
2 tsp homemade baking powder
Pinch of unrefined salt
1 cup lecithin free chocolate chips (I LOVE 70% dark chocolate in this recipe)

preheat oven to 375*F

Beat eggs and blend in sugar and vanilla. Mix dry ingredients separately and then add to wet ingredients. Add chocolate chips (or substitute broken pieces of a 70% chocolate bar or 2.) Drop from spoon onto cookie sheet and bake for 10-11 minutes.

I LOVE coconut oil...but I don't think it substitutes well in this recipe.

Gluten Free "Potato Flour" Brownies

Adapted from a recipe on the back of a Ener-G potato flour box.

GF "Potato Flour" Brownies
(These really should be called rice flour brownies...but oh well)

Add ingredients one by one, mixing/beating thoroughly before adding the next ingredient.

4 eggs
1/2 cup coconut oil (originally melted butter, but I prefer the oil in this case.)
1/2 cup cocoa powder
2 TBS gelatin (optional)

1 tsp vanilla extract
1 TBS potato flour
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
OR
2 cups sucanat or whole cane sugar
1 cup rice flour (brown or white)
3 tsp homemade baking powder
pinch of unrefined salt

1/4-1/2 cup coffee beans or chocolate chips (optional)

Bake in greased 9"x13" cake pan for 35-40 minutes @ 350*F.  Preheat if using a standard size oven, not necessary if using a toaster oven. Cut into squares. Pan size doesn't have to be exact, a smaller pan will make a thicker brownie......and fits in my toaster oven better.

A brownie with a glass of milk makes an awesome snack...or light meal even for To-Go food.

Gelatin Fruit "Custard"

I LOVE this recipe...you can alter the ingredients to make it for a snack/meal or make it down right decadent for a dessert. I use the gummy candy recipe with orange juice (not from concentrate) for a base. I use either a large pyrex casserole dish with a lid if I am making it for home consumption or smaller individual sized glass pyrex with lids for traveling. I am particularly fond of sliced peaches or strawberries, but have also used cherries, blackberries and blueberries.

Depending on the natural sweetness of your fruit, you may need to supplement with sugar and cream of tartar. A commercial peach might need 1-3 TBS of additional sugar/cream of tartar to equal the taste of a tree ripened peach off your own tree. Rapadura/Sucanat doesn't work well in this recipe because of the color and not dissolving well before it sets.

Layer fruit in the bottom of a dish (or dishes)
Sprinkle with pinch of unrefined salt
Sprinkle with OG sugar/cream of tartar mix as needed (1/4 tsp CT/TBS sugar)
Cover fruit with WARM gummy base
Add fresh milk or cream while stirring gently
You can include a dash of vanilla extract, if desired.

If you use frozen fruit, some of the gelatin will solidify faster than the rest making for some variation in textures that can be quite good. I use my own milk from my own animals in this recipe and like to preserve the enzymes by keeping it less than 118*, hence the emphasis on warm vs hot gummy base. This would apply to the fruit as well if it's raw vs canned.

Gummy Candy-NO CORN SYRUP!

Last fall, I started trying to add more gelatin to my diet, so did a search for corn syrup free gummy worms. I found something I liked at The Frugal Kiwi

I have since played with and modified the original recipe to my needs. Here is it's current incarnation....

Gummy Candy

3-4 cups fruit juice
1/2-1 cup cane sugar
2-4 tsp cream of tartar
1 cup gelatin (1 cup = 16 TBS)
Dab of coconut oil
Pinch of salt
Fruit Juice concentrate (optional, but intensifies the fruit flavor)

Mix sugar and gelatin together, then add to cool juice. Less liquid will give a chewier "bite" but will also make it harder for the gelatin to dissolve...it's a fine balance. Give it time to absorb, about 1-2 minutes at least....more if using less liquid. Heat on low or medium and stir frequently. When the liquid is clear, not cloudy, then you can pour into greased molds. I used coconut oil....or you can just melt the oil into the gelatin. When I used ice cube trays, the recipe overflowed the trays a little, meaning the cubes ended up being all connected. That was good though, because it helped to get them out when they were cool. I now use a lasagna or boiler pan and slice into 16 strips or cubes so I know how many TBS of gelatin I am getting. Thin strips seems to have a better "bite" than thicker cubes, but it tastes good either way. : )

I have used OJ, Pomegranate & Lime, Cherry, Cranberry etc. for juices and they are all yummy. Some are naturally sweeter or thicker than others, hence the variation in sugar and liquid. Play with it, there are no rules....except to make sure there are no clumps BEFORE you heat the juice...or you will spend FOREVER trying to get them out later.

Someday......you know, when I'm rolling in extra funds......I'd like to get some molds for gummy candy making. I made one, ONCE, out of foil on my wire cooling rack. It made wonderful, thin, long "worms." It took longer to make the mold than to make the gummies and the foil was too delicate and tore in a few spots while I was taking them out, so NOT reusable.  Bummer.      

Edited to add:  The cream of tartar adds extra "tart" which my taste buds like and extra potassium, which my body likes.  You can ramp it up or down, as needed.                                                                   

Homemade Baking Powder

Back in the "good ol' days" before packaged baked goods and breads, people made their own baking powder. The individual ingredient are shelf stable in air tight containers and will last for a very long time. Once mixed however, they react quickly, so just make enough for your current recipe and add at the end. 1 part baking soda 1 or 2 parts cream of tartar You can use 1 part cream of tartar if you have another acid in the recipe, like sour milk or lemon juice, sour cream cookies come to mind, and 2 parts cream of tartar if you don't....like chocolate chip cookies. I use the 2 to 1 ratio when substituting for baking powder in most recipes. Making your own baking powder will save money and help to avoid harmful additives like aluminum and cornstarch (most likely GMO).

Real Cornbread-gluten free

1 cup corn masa (white or blue or OG)
(Blue corn masa turns pinkish when cooked)
1 cup milk, kefir, buttermilk, or clabber
1 egg
1/8 tsp salt
1 TBS sucanat (optional)
1/2 tsp Homemade Baking Powder 
Coconut oil/butter for sides of pan


Mix and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until a toothpick (inserted) comes
out clean. I use my toaster oven for this recipe, it's small. Serve with large chunks of butter.

SIMPLE LIVES THURSDAY
Whole Foods for the Holidays