DIY - Make Yourself Wonderful Organic Lotion

Most people know that their skin is the largest organ of the body and also absorbs what is put on it.  When something is absorbed, it eventually enters the bloodstream and can either do good things for your or harm you.  Alarmingly, many cosmetics, lotions, detergents, and other things we use contain actual poisons.  Fragrances, Parabens, Preservatives, and other chemicals used in our daily care items have shown to have negative effects on our health.  Fragrances have been linked to diabetes in most recent findings...   the list goes on.

We also all know that we like soft skin, to smell good, and to feel clean, right?  And that most of the products on the market that are safer cost more money, right?  Not to mention the products that are listed as "Natural" or "Safe" that really are not!  It is confusing and frustrating to know what to do.

Stick with me here.. I am committed to R & D (research and development) to find safe and frugal alternatives for my family that I will share with you!  Here is one of our first Do-It-Yourself products.  This lotion is good enough to eat!!!

Journey and I purchased a few extra ingredients last night at Whole Foods that we needed to create homemade body butter!!  We had most of the other ingredients in our kitchen!  We created a batch of Peppermint Chocolate Lotion for her and a container of Lotion for me scented with my new favorite Essential Oil Blend called "Pure Joy".  This is an essential oil I purchased a few weeks ago at one of my favorite stores called Finders Keepers on Douglas.  She carries a lot of environmentally friendly products, including essential oils.  Essential oils smell wonderful and can be used for aroma therapy and just making a wonderful scent.  I wear my Pure Joy as a perfume on days that I get away from the kitchen!

Here is the recipe for the Lotion we made.  It was really easy.  I will add some details underneath it for you.

Homemade Lotion Basic Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup almond or olive oil
• 1/4 cup coconut oil
• 1/4 cup beeswax
• 1 teaspoon Vitamin E oil (as preservative)
• 2 tablespoons Cocoa Butter or Shea Butter (optional)
• Honey (optional)
• Cornstarch (optional - reduces some of the greasiness)
• Natural scent (essential oils or vanilla - no perfumes)

How to Make Lotion:

1. Put all ingredients in a glass jar. You can use a mason jar or a leftover jar from coconut oil, pickles, sauces, etc.
2. Pour a couple of inches of water in a saucepan and place on stove - medium heat.
3. Put a lid on the jar loosely and place in the pan with the water.
4. As the water heats, the ingredients in the jar will start to melt. Shake or stir occasionally to mix.  I found a wooden popsicle stick to stir.  When all ingredients are completely melted, pour into whatever jar or tin you will use for storage. Any small container will work well for this but keep in mind that this lotion is a bit more solid and probably will not pour.. and definitely will not pump!
5. Use and enjoy. I especially love this lotion on my feet and any dry skin. It has a longer shelf life than some homemade lotion recipes since all ingredients are already shelf stable and it contains no water. Use within 6 months for best results.

Note: A litte goes a long way! This lotion is incredibly nourishing and is also great for diaper rash on baby, for eczema and for preventing stretch marks!

We used the Olive Oil and Beeswax as the base.  Instead of coconut oil I used Palm Shortening, as it is a soft solid and more inexpensive.  We used some organic cocoa butter and the vitamin E oil (it acts as a preservative of sorts so it extends the shelf life too)

We also used a bit of honey in ours and one other secret ingredient.

The secret ingredient differed between Journeys and mine.  We started by melting the oils and beeswax in a glass jar in a double boiler type water bath on the stove.  We stirred with a popsicle stick so we would not mess up a good spoon.  When the oil base was all liquid, we poured 1/2 of it in my flat plastic container and added my essential oil to individualize mine for me.  I also added the "secret ingredient" to mine.  It was a couple of teaspoons of cornstarch.  The cornstarch mixed in nicely and serves as a de-greaser of sorts... it prevents the lotion from being too greasy on the hands.

Journey wanted chocolate peppermint so she added peppermint essential oil and cocoa (the kind you have in the cupboard for baking).  Her cocoa, being a powder, worked the same way as the cornstarch did in mine.

Before bed I tried some of it on my hands and feet.  LOVE the results and also enjoyed the good smell of my Pure Joy as I went to sleep.  Imagine how good it would be to use Lavendar essential oil to use before bed!!

Here is my lotion in a used Beeswax Plastic container... not so pretty but organic, good for you, effective and almost edible!

Nice guess Rose and Joyce.. but not quite right.  :)

Pizza from Scratch... I mean SCRATCH

So in the previous post I told you how Journey and I made Mozzarella cheese today.  While it was chilling we made the pizza dough.  Whole wheat dough with freshly ground sprouted wheat and a bit of acorn flour.  (hey what can I say, acorns are free..)  It was an easy recipe and we substituted honey for the sugar so it was really yummy and all natural.

Amazing Whole Wheat Pizza Crust

Rated:	Prep Time: 25 Minutes	Ready In: 2 Hours 45 Minutes
Submitted By: Marla	Cook Time: 20 Minutes	Servings: 10

"A healthy whole wheat crust that comes out soft and chewy on the inside and crisp on the outside. Use with your favorite pizza toppings or pizza recipes."

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon white sugar 1 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees F /45 degrees C) 1 tablespoon active dry yeast

1 tablespoon olive oil 1 teaspoon salt 2 cups whole wheat flour 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Directions:

1.	In a large bowl, dissolve sugar in warm water. Sprinkle yeast over the top, and let stand for about 10 minutes, until foamy.
2.	Stir the olive oil and salt into the yeast mixture, then mix in the whole wheat flour and 1 cup of the all-purpose flour until dough starts to come together. Tip dough out onto a surface floured with the remaining all-purpose flour, and knead until all of the flour has been absorbed, and the ball of dough becomes smooth, about 10 minutes. Place dough in an oiled bowl, and turn to coat the surface. Cover loosely with a towel, and let stand in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
3.	When the dough is doubled, tip the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and divide into 2 pieces for 2 thin crust, or leave whole to make one thick crust. Form into a tight ball. Let rise for about 45 minutes, until doubled.
4.	Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Roll a ball of dough with a rolling pin until it will not stretch any further. Then, drape it over both of your fists, and gently pull the edges outward, while rotating the crust. When the circle has reached the desired size, place on a well oiled pizza pan. Top pizza with your favorite toppings, such as sauce, cheese, meats, or vegetables.
5.	Bake for 16 to 20 minutes (depending on thickness) in the preheated oven, until the crust is crisp and golden at the edges, and cheese is melted on the top.

I can't tell you how good this pizza was... we stuffed the outer crust with some of the fresh mozzarella and it baked well.. I brushed the outside of the crust with some leftover garlic butter before baking too... so Journey said it was just perfect.

We topped ours with green peppers from the garden, sliced garlic, red onions, hamburger, mozzarella cheese, feta cheese, oregano and basil (both fresh and dehydrated from my window sill) and black olives.

The tomato sauce was homemade ketchup plus some  additional seasoning like oregano, basil, and parsley.

The crust came out wonderfully and the taste was fantastic.  Everyone loved it and it made a HUGE pizza... enough to feed us for days except when I posted the plan on facebook, my daughters called to say they were coming over for some pizza so it won't last as long as I had planned.  But it was SO much fun to make I will do it again soon!  It is so nice to have good quality food that I know is nutritious and free from chemicals, preservatives and other things I can't pronounce.  When I did the math on this, the total cost came in at under $10 for a good quality really meaty pizza that was nutritious!

Mozzarella Cheese

It was a great day sharing it with Journey in the kitchen.  Funny how you never think about how things are made... like cheese.  Talking to my friend Cheri the other night, she told me she made mozzarella cheese once and how easy it was.  It requires 2 ingredients I did not have on hand, namely Rennet and Citric Acid but Cheri had some and she shared a bit with me... enough to make at least my first batch of Mozzarella cheese.

Today was the day that we were hungry for pizza at our house.  This cooking from scratch is so new to me that it took the entire day to produce that pizza.  It was VERY worth it, I might add, and I will blog a post about it very soon.  But back to the cheese.  In order to make the pizza I needed cheese.  It required a run to the grocery store for some high quality milk.  It took a gallon of whole milk to produce almost enough cheese to cover my pizza.

Journey and I started with a recipe that I will share with you so you can make it.  Consider trying it at least once with your children so they can see the process, for it is really quite fascinating and it gives them a new experience.  Plus and extra set of hands in the kitchen is nice and it only took us about 45 minutes.  I took some pictures and will insert them in the recipe steps.  It is nothing fancy but the cheese was rubbery and so good!

This recipe says it all very well!!  I pirated it from: http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-homemade-mozzarella-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-174355 and I want to make sure they get the credit .. it is amazing instructions and trouble shooting!

How to Make Homemade Mozzarella Cooking Lessons from the Kitchen

How to Make Homemade Mozzarella

Makes about 1 pound of mozzarella

Adapted from New England Cheesemaking Supply Company

What You Need

Ingredients

1 1/4 cup water
1 1/2 teaspoon citric acid
1/4 rennet tablet or 1/4 teaspoon liquid rennet (Not Junket rennet, see note below)
1 gallon milk, whole or 2%, not ultra-pasteurized*
1 teaspoon kosher salt

Equipment

5 quart or larger non-reactive pot
Measuring cups and spoons
Thermometer
8" knife, off-set spatula, or similar slim instrument for cutting the curds
Slotted spoon
Microwavable bowl
Rubber Gloves

Instructions

1. Prepare the Citric Acid and Rennet: Measure out 1 cup of water. Stir in the citric acid until dissolved. Measure out 1/4 cup of water in a separate bowl. Stir in the rennet until dissolved.  (This was a good step for Journey to do)

2. Warm the Milk: Pour the milk into the pot. Stir in the citric acid solution. Set the pot over medium-high heat and warm to 90°F, stirring gently.

3. Add the Rennet: Remove the pot from heat and gently stir in the rennet solution. Count to 30. Stop stirring, cover the pot, and let it sit undisturbed for 5 minutes.

4. Cut the Curds: After five minutes, the milk should have set, and it should look and feel like soft silken tofu. If it is still liquidy, re-cover the pot and let it sit for another five minutes. Once the milk has set, cut it into uniform curds: make several parallel cuts vertically through the curds and then several parallel cuts horizontally, creating a grid-like pattern. Make sure your knife reaches all the way to the bottom of the pan.  (mine never did that neatly.. didn't even curd up until I added just a touch more rennet and put it back over medium heat for a few minutes..then suddenly it was 2 BIG CURDS)

5. Cook the Curds: Place the pot back on the stove over medium heat and warm the curds to 105°F. Stir slowly as the curds warm, but try not to break them up too much. The curds will eventually clump together and separate more completely from the yellow whey.

6. Remove the Curds from Heat and Stir: Remove the pan from the heat and continue stirring gently for another 5 minutes.

7. Separate the Curds from the Whey: Ladle the curds into a microwave-safe bowl with the slotted spoon.

8. Microwave the Curds: (No microwave? See the Notes section below for directions on making mozzarella without a microwave.) Microwave the curds for one minute. Drain off the whey. Put on your rubber gloves and fold the curds over on themselves a few times. At this point, the curds will still be very loose and cottage-cheese-like.

9. Microwave the Curds to 135°F: Microwave the curds for another 30 seconds and check their internal temperature. If the temperature has reached 135°F, continue with stretching the curds. If not, continue microwaving in 30-second bursts until they reach temperature. The curds need to reach this temperature in order to stretch properly.

I did not use the microwave.  This is my 2 huge curds heating more in a hot water bath.

10. Stretch and Shape the Mozzarella: Sprinkle the salt over the cheese and squish it with your fingers to incorporate. Using both hands, stretch and fold the curds repeatedly. It will start to tighten, become firm, and take on a glossy sheen. When this happens, you are ready to shape the mozzarella. Make one large ball, two smaller balls, or several bite-sized bocconcini. Try not to over-work the mozzarella. (also a good job for Journey... she loved playing with the cheese)

Ours was not pretty... but it was sure tasty!!

11. Using and Storing Your Mozzarella: The mozzarella can be used immediately or kept refrigerated for a week. To refrigerate, place the mozzarella in a small container. Mix a teaspoon of salt with a cup of cool whey and pour this over the mozzarella. Cover and refrigerate.

Additional Notes:

• Making Mozzarella Without the Microwave: Instead of microwaving the curds to make mozzarella, warm a large pot of water to just below boiling (about 190°F). Pour the curds into a strainer and nestle the strainer into the pot so the curds are submerged in the hot water. Let the curds sit for about five minutes. Wearing rubber gloves, fold the curds under the water and check their internal temperature. If it has not reached 135°F, let the curds sit for another few minutes until it does. Once the curds have reached 135°, lift them from the water and stretch as directed.

• Milk for Mozzarella: Almost any milk can be used for making mozzarella: whole, 2%, skim, cow, goat, raw, organic, or pasteurized. Pasteurized milk is fine to use, but make sure that it is not ultra high temperature (UHT) pasteurized. The proteins in UHT milk have lost their ability to set into curds.

• Melting Homemade Mozzarella: I've found that homemade mozzarella doesn't always melt as completely as store-bought mozzarella, especially if I've overworked the cheese and it has become very stiff. If you're planning to make pizza or something else where melting is desired, use a whole-fat milk and make extra-sure not to overwork the cheese. It can also help to grate the cheese rather than slice it.

• Using Junket Rennet: Junket rennet is less concentrated than other kinds of rennet and isn't ideal for making cheese. If this is all you have access to, try using 1-2 whole tablets to achieve a curd.

• Using Leftover Whey: Making mozzarella leaves you with almost 3 1/2 quarts of whey! You can use this whey in place of water in bread recipes and other baked goods, mix it into smoothies, or add it to soups.

http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-homemade-mozzarella-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-174355

In the Kitchen - What happened to my bread?

I found the MOST delicious recipe for pumpkin bread.  All the ingredients were wholesome and I could practically smell and taste it as I read the recipe.  I had just gotten done baking and pureeing a pretty good size pumpkin that I happened to get free at HyVee.  I was just in the store checking out with my $6.00 worth of cinnamon and bananas on sale when the over the intercom I heard "Halloween is over and these pumpkins have to go.. get your free pumpkin outside the main entrance".  I rushed out for some free pumpkin and that started this whole drama in motion.

No, I did not explode the food processor again.  It worked to puree the cooked pumpkin and I got this great notion to be hungry for pumpkin bread so I went recipe shopping.  I found this wonderful recipe I was telling you about for pumpkin bread and went to town putting it together. 

Here is the recipe for you to try... it includes bananas, pumpkin and wonderful spices.. even walnuts.

Banana Pumpkin Bread

"With lots of cinnamon and pie spices, this recipe will give you a sensational pumpkin bread with banana added for richness and even deeper flavor."

Ingredients:

2 ripe bananas, mashed 2 eggs 1/3 cup vegetable oil 1 1/3 cups canned pumpkin puree 1/2 cup honey 1/2 cup white sugar 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 3/4 cup raisins (optional) 1/2 cup walnut pieces (optional)

Directions:

1.	Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease an 9x5 inch loaf pan.
2.	In a large bowl, stir together the mashed banana, eggs, oil, pumpkin, honey and sugar. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, pie spice and cinnamon, stir into the banana mixture until just combined. Fold in the raisins and walnuts if desired. Pour batter into the prepared pan.
3.	Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. Cool loaf in the pan for 10 minutes before moving to a wire rack to cool completely.

Now doesn't that look yummy?  I was so excited and hungry for this bread when I mixed the batter in a big bowl.  It didn't even look hard.. not very many instructions and ingredients I had readily available. 

As you know I am a bit opinionated about ingredients and can get a little creative but I measured everything out as the recipe called for EXCEPT:

• it called for 2 bananas... I had three frozen ones that I thawed out, drained the juiciness and used.
• it called for all purpose flour but I used my freshly ground whole wheat flour and some acorn flour... (in hindsight, I am not sure how much of the 2 1/2 cups of flour came from acorns and how much came from wheat)
• I used turbinado sugar instead of regular sugar
• I used grapeseed oil instead of vegetable oil.

 It looked good in the baking pan ready for the oven.  I did not see a thing wrong with it.. so I began baking it at 35 (pre-heated) and set the timer for 45 minutes.

When the timer went off I used the "toothpick" test to determine that it was not even close to done.  Since I secretly think my oven is possessed by a poltergeist that messes with the temperatures, I am no stranger to undercooked or burned food...  I adapt.  So I quickly popped the bread back in the oven for 10 minutes longer and then checked it.. then 10 minutes more.. and checked.. and 10 minutes more and checked. 

Each time that toothpick went in, it came out gooey.  Has this kind of stuff ever happened to you?  But the crust of the bread was plenty cooked and getting too brown so after a total of 75 minutes in the oven I called "uncle" and removed it to set on top of the stove and cool.... getting hungrier for it by the minute.

At the end of about 10 minutes of cooling, I found the bread in the pan all sunken in the middle.. I cut off the end piece and even close to the end of the loaf, the inside was gooey (I ate that end piece anyway but clearly it was not "done")...  so in desperation to save the loaf, I removed it from the pan and wrapped it in tin foil x 2 layers and popped it BACK IN THE OVEN.  Another 45 minutes to an hour went by before I finally went in and rescued that bread.

WOULD YOU BELIEVE that when I carefully unwrapped that loaf of bread, it just "melted" down like a rotten pumpkin on the top of the foil?  It looked like it was disintegrating, totally lost all shape and the top even was splitting and caving...  but the inside was STILL GOOEY!

You can't guess what we did next... No, I did not take a picture for you but I should have.. it was the craziest loaf of bread I have ever baked.  But we didn't let the ugliness bother us.  We dished that Pumpkin Banana Bread Pudding up in bowls, topped it with a little cinnamon ice cream and ate it.  I was right.. it tasted delicious!!

It is in the refrigerator now in a lidded glass bowl.  I intend to eat pumpkin bread pudding until that darn stuff is gone and then try again but I am still pretty perplexed at what happened to my bread.  Do you have any idea? 

In the Kitchen - Tomato Bisque Soup

I had a busy day in the kitchen today.  I baked and pureed a pumpkin, made homemade hashbrowns to freeze for later, made peanut butter cookies, pumpkin cookies, pumpkin bread, dehydrated banana chips and pineapple, froze some sprouts for use later, froze some fresh peppers and saved seeds, and made the most delicious tomato bisque soup!!

I chose the soup recipe to try because my friend Cheryl challenged me to find a homemade healthy tomato soup recipe.  I love a good challenge almost as much as I love fresh tomato soup.  I just happened to have rescued the rest of my sister's end-of-the-season tomatoes from her counter top day before yesterday and they needed to be made into something... never waste!!  They were in some sorry shape, as she had picked them several days before that, so I did have to waste a few..  felt so bad to throw them away. 

But what I had left I blanched, peeled and threw in the food processor (the $5.00 dinosaur loud machine that works only if you hold the cover down - latch seems broken - but no tomato explosions today.. thank goodness).

Tomato Bisque Soup Recipe
Ingredients:

• About 2 pounds fresh tomatoes or 2 (14.5-ounce) cans whole tomatoes
• 2 beef bouillon cubes (I omitted these ... don't trust a processed cube of something.. no loss on flavor)
• 1 tablespoon sugar (I used the Turbinado Sugar)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/4 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/3 cup flour  (whole wheat and freshly ground after sprouting)
• 4 cups milk  (whole milk free of added hormones)

If using fresh, peel the tomatoes as directed above. Place tomatoes in food processor and process until almost smooth. In a medium pot, combine all ingredients except butter, flour and milk. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes. Remove bay leaf.

Press the mixture through a sieve, and set aside.

My $5.00 strainer worked wonders after cooking the tomato puree to remove the seeds...

In a large saucepan, melt the butter; blend in flour until smooth and bubbly. Gradually add milk; bring to boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Cook two minutes, then reduce the heat, and gradually add the tomato mixture, stirring until smooth and heated through.

Could have probably used more tomatoes in the end.  It is a little light in color but great on taste!!!

So Cheryl, this one is for you!!  I will need to buy some good cheese now to make a grilled cheese sandwich to go with it on Sunday for lunch!  (if there is any left after tomorrow)

Frugal - Weekly Shopping

I shop and cook in an entirely different way now than I did 2 years ago.  Back then we would go to the grocery store and STOCK up on canned goods, frozen pizzas, chips on sale, sweets, and diet coke.  We kept a deep fryer on the counter top and shopped at Sam's Club to "save money".  I still watched for "sales" but with an entirely different eye.. it was all about $ per serving of food... how cheap could we make a meal.. and how did it taste.

Of course eating like that kept us battling our weight.  When we were "dieting" we bought all low fat foods, temporarily retired the deep fryer, bought sugar-free stuff, and tried to eat more vegetables and fruits..   that really did not work for the long term and we could lose a few pounds but not sustain that weight.  Our energy was low, our bodies ached, we were aging, and our children were also suffering with weight issues.

There has been a complete paradigm shift, I would say, at our house.  It all started when we discovered and researched things like the benefits of organic foods, importance of assisting our bodies to cleanse the toxins, dangers of GMOs, and the addition of chemicals to processed and manufactured foods. Yes, I would say I am on a mission in this home to do all I can to reduce the bad stuff while increasing the nutrition content of what we eat.  Food is FUEL that also can be quite tasty!  Without the right fuel, our bodies rebel in ways we don't even identify or totally understand.

Now you may be thinking that your budget is too tight to shop organically or that good food is more expensive.. and you are right to an extent.  It usually is.  It took a few months for me to eat up the canned goods we still had around and begin to fill the cupboards with staples and real food that are the basis for making anything that can be bought in the store in a can or plastic bag.  But I think we are there finally.

I don't have an unlimited income.. in fact we are a one-income family!  We make choices where our money is spent.  For instance, our cars are paid for finally and we continue to drive them... they are in decent shape and reliable but we are over the need to have a new car (complete with monthly payment) to drive.  I am selling all my expensive Silpada jewelry on ebay right now and banking the money to help buy the things I would like to have, like a Kitchen Aid Dough Stand Mixer, that will help me in the kitchen!  We don't need things... things do not make us happy in this house.  We look for bargains and watch our spending, just like all other families.

To save money on the food budget while eating more healthy food:

• Instead of eating out, I try to recreate our favorite recipes at home from fresh ingredients that I prepare (like the recipe for Biaggi's Foccacia Bread)
• Instead of expensive coffee drinks I fill a to-go cup with coffee and flavor it with one of the wonderful real flavored creamers that I keep on hand (another recipe just posted yesterday)
• I shop from 4 stores every week.  It does not take a long time but I watch the Tuesday sale ads and make lists accordingly.  Yesterday I got a whole lot of bananas from HyVee for .39 per pound... then I went to Dahls for my beef roasts at 2.99 per pound and while there I found bananas in a bag for 1.49 for about 7 pounds of them.. I bought 3 bags and am dehydrating them and freezing them for use in snacking and baking later.
• Instead of pre-packaged snacks to satisfy our snacking needs, I always keep homemade cookies and homemade granola or protein bars handy in the refrigerator.  It keeps us from ever feeling deprived!!
• I stock the freezer and pantry when the prices are low on foods.  I keep plenty of dried goods on hand like dried beans, rice pilaf, dehydrated carrots, celery, herbs and spices, sprouted nuts, dried fruits, etc.  
• When buying organic, I think I have found pretty good prices at Whole Foods.  I carry my list of the dirty dozen with me in my wallet so I remember what I should pay a premium for versus what I can buy from traditional grocery stores.  Whatever type of organic apple is lowest price that week, I buy.  If the organic pears are a decent price I buy those to supplement the apples.  I keep organic celery and carrots available both fresh and dehydrated for cooking.
• Meat is still an issue.. I believe in a good quantity of protein, and while I am confident I get good quality organic whey protein in my shakes every day, our family also eats meat and eggs.  We try to purchase as good a quality as we can but I am not to completely grass fed organic beef yet.  We are going to buy from a local farm friend this spring when she takes her cows to the locker but in the meantime I buy at the grocery store..  I love Fareway because they guarantee no filler in their ground beef.  I also make sure and trim all the fat I can from my meat prior to cooking, because as we have found out, fat is where we animals store the excess toxins..  not necessarily in the muscle tissue as much.
• Dairy - I insist on milk that is the least processed.  Our local Creamery, Pickett Fence sells milk that is pasteurized but not homogenized and we buy their whole milk at Whole Foods or when I can get up north, the creamery itself.  Butter, cheese, and sour cream I insist on buying organic or at least without added hormones.  

Like I said, going to a more healthy diet is a process... takes some time.  There are good, better, and best choices..  take the steps you are comfortable with and take them a little at a time.

In the Kitchen - DELICIOUS REAL Coffee Creamers

I love coffee in the mornings.  I love coffee some evenings.  While there is some debate on the merits or dangers of coffee, I consider it a fairly natural substance and I am willing to take my chances on this one.  Grateful that I was never trained to like my coffee sweetened, I do like coffees flavored with creamers.

At least I did like creamers until I read the labels and learned of all the chemical soup they use to flavor commercial creamers and create flavored syrups.  It is to the point that I drink my coffee black in self-defense.  If I crave a little creamer, I make sure and use real milk or real cream.  None of that "artificial-in-a-packet-on-the-shelf-forever-stuff", even if it is tasty.  And as far as Starbucks and all the coffee bars go, I am pretty sure they are not watching out for me with the ingredients they put in those flavored mocha lattes and sweetened coffee drinks.  Not to mention, $5.00 for a cup of coffee?? Heck no, I can serve a whole nutritious meal for that ... my money is too important to me.

But I said all that to say all this:  I FOUND A RECIPE (several) FOR FLAVORED COFFEE CREAMERS!!  I am so excited!!  Now I can spend all winter enjoying flavored delicious coffees in my home in the mornings and not feel deprived or broke at the end of the month!

I just couldn't wait to share this with you!!  Here it is... if you experiment and create your own, let me know and I will share it as well!

Homemade Coffee Creamers

I prefer to strain each of the creamers through a fine mesh sieve to prevent any spices floating in my coffee. If this doesn’t matter to you, then simply skip this step. Also, if you prefer a sweeter creamer, than simply add extra maple syrup. Prefer it a bit more creamy? Substitute some of the milk with heavy cream.  The creamers keep for about 10 days in the refrigerator.
 

Each recipe makes 2 cups

Cinnamon Strudel Creamer

1 cup whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
4 tablespoons maple syrup
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract

Whisk together milk, cream, maple syrup and cinnamon in a medium saucepan over medium heat. When the mixture begins to steam, remove from the heat. Stir in extracts. Strain through a fine mesh sieve, pour into a glass bottle and store in the refrigerator.

Chocolate Almond

1 cup whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
4 tablespoons maple syrup (not Aunt Jemima, but the real kind of Pure Maple Syrup

1 teaspoon almond extract

Whisk together milk, cream, cocoa powder, and maple syrup in a medium saucepan over medium heat. When mixture begins to steam, remove from the heat and stir in almond extract. Pour in a glass container and store in the refrigerator.

Pumpkin Spice

1 cup whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons pureed pumpkin
1 teaspoon pumpkin spice
4 tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Whisk together milk, cream, pumpkin, pumpkin spice, and maple syrup in a medium saucepan over medium heat. When mixture begins to steam, remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Strain through a fine mesh sieve, pour into a glass bottle and store in the refrigerator.

French Vanilla

1 cup whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
4 tablespoons maple syrup
1 vanilla bean

Whisk together milk, cream and maple syrup in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cut vanilla bean in half, and scrape out seeds. Add seeds and vanilla bean to milk mixture. Turn off heat, cover the pot and steep for 30 minutes. After mixture has steeped, strain through a fine mesh sieve, pour into a glass bottle and store in the refrigerator. (If you don’t have a vanilla bean on hand, simply replace it with 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract)

Peppermint Mocha

1 cup whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
4 tablespoons maple syrup
3 tablespoons cocoa powder

1 teaspoon peppermint extract

Whisk together milk, cream, maple syrup, and cocoa in a medium saucepan over medium heat. When mixture begins to steam, remove from the heat and stir in the peppermint extract. Strain through a fine mesh sieve, pour into a glass bottle and store in the refrigerator.

This post is linked to Simple Lives Tuesday

I hope you are as excited as I am about this new discovery.  Eating healthier is a journey.  You will never be perfect but getting better at it and making better choices will improve your health!!  Let me know how your coffee creamers turn out!