Homemade Dish Soap

I had this recipe for home made dish soap for a long time. I made it, and it didn’t work for me. But I kept it, cause I didn’t want to throw out my castile soap I had used! I was hoping that one day, I would come across another soap recipe that worked for me, that I could add the other batch too. Well, that day has come! This is a little different how I put this together... But still easy as pie!

The NEW recipe calls for “water” as the liquid. For 2 cups of the “water” I used this:

Dish Soap

2 cups water

1/4 cup castile soap

5 drops orange oil

5 drops lavender oil

The NEW recipe:

8 OZ. grated bar soap (*or 8 oz leftover soap crumbs)

6 cups of water. (2 cups old recipe, 4 cups new water)

Optional: 3tsp essential oil

To make:

Grate the soap (I used my food processor…)

Put about a qt or 2 of water in a pot, add the soap grates, melt all soap grates, stir as needed

Transfer melted soap to a bucket, add the rest of the water, mix very well, let sit 10 hours. 

After 10 hours, mine was way to thick, so I added another 3 cups of water and let it sit again. At this point mine is still pretty thick, but I like it! After you think you have the consistency you want, test it out! Mine is like slime. :)

Ive bottled some in a pump to use in the kitchen, and I have put the rest in 2 gallon buckets (It’s a bit over a gallon left after I filled my pump, but just in case it gets to thick and I need to add water, Ill have space to do that) 

 I cut my 2 bars to make it easy to put in the food processor.

 Melting.

 consistency after sitting.

 Mix it up to see how thick it is.

Use a funnel to pour this (slowly) into your containers. 

Overall, I was a bit skeptical of this one, but it works GREAT! My dishes are SO CLEAN! And this was easy to make, there were some hiccups (the first failed recipe) and next time, I may just add some castile soap to this second recipe and start off with the extra water added and call it a day. I hope you will try this! I think the total cost I spent (Including the castile soap) was probably under $2 for over a gallon of soap.

Here are some soapy dishes waiting to be rinsed off. 

* Save the little pieces of your bar body soap, when you get a collection of them, you can cut them into crumbs and use them to make liquid dish soap or liquid body soap. Re-purpose your soap! 

**Side note, take some of that extra soap, add a few tablespoons of honey and/or coconut oil, and use it for body soap that wont dry out your skin! J

Hemp Mylk

This recipe is just about one of the easiest things you can make...

1/2 cup Shelled Hemp Seeds
3 Cups water


Place both in a blender, blend away till smooth, strain out the fibers from the hemp, whats left is your unflavored mylk. I usually add a little raw honey to mine to make it a bit sweeter, and often I will add a little vanilla. You can flavor the whole batch or a cup at a time, just put back in the blender with your flavorings.

For thinner milk, just add more water. 

*you can use another kind of nuts or seed instead of hemp. I like cashew, sunflower, almond and brazil nut mylks also.

**you can flavor however you want. Try vanilla or cacao or even fresh strawberries! (or blueberries) its really endless, just strain the little seeds and fibers out if you are using berries.

***I use a nutmilk bag to strain, you can use one of those, a paint strainer (thats really cheap from the home depot) or a mesh strainer.

****Since this is a raw mylk, you will want to drink it within a few days, and shake before using also.

***** Soak your nuts or seeds and strain prior to use!

160 Uses for Coconut Oil (Reblog from hybridrastamama)

This is a re blog from hybridrastamama. I feel this is a really important blog post! I use coconut oil everyday, and I use it for a lot of the reasons listed below. Though, I have to admit, there are a few things listed below that I was unaware of too. Check it out and see what you think. And don’t forget to jump over to hybridrastamama.com and see what all she is up too!

160 Uses for Coconut Oil

Coconut Oil for Personal Hygiene/Body

1. Age Spots (also known as liver spots) – applying coconut oil directly to the age spot will help it fade.

2. After Shave – coconut oil will help heal your skin after shaving without clogging pores. Great for razor burn!

3. Baldness – apply three times a day to affected area of hair loss. Coconut oil supports cell regeneration.

4. Birth Marks – can be used after a laser removal treatment to aid in healing. Can also be applied after an apple cider vinegar treatment to help support and aid the fading process.

5. Body Scrub – mix coconut oil and sugar together and rub all over! Rinse off and your skin will be super soft! You can add in essential oils if you would like a specific smell.

6. Bruises – applied directly to the bruise, coconut oil enhances the healing process by reducing swelling and redness.

7. Bug Bites – when applied directly to a bug bite, coconut oil can stop the itching and burning sensation as well as hasten the healing process.

8. Burns – apply to burn site immediately and continue applying until healed. Will reduce the chances of permanent scarring and promotes healing.

9. Chapstick – just rub a little into lips and it not only acts as a softening agent but it also has an SPF of about 4 so you get a little protection!

10. Cradle Cap – having issues with dry skin on your baby’s scalp? Coconut oil will not only nourish your baby’s skin, it also helps eliminate cradle cap. Just rub a teaspoon onto scalp daily.

11. Dandruff – coconut oil soaks into the scalp moisturizing dry skin and relieves symptoms of dandruff. It also helps to control oil secretion from the scalp, another leading cause of dandruff.

12. Deodorant – coconut oil alone can be used as a deodorant, but even more effective in combination with cornstarch/arrowroot powder and baking soda!

13. Diaper Salve – very comforting on a rashy bum with no harsh chemicals. Also safe for cloth diapers.

14. Exfoliator – coconut oil mixed with sugar or sea salt is a very nourishing and effective exfoliator and safe to use all over the body.

15. Eye cream – apply under the eyes to reduce puffiness, bags and wrinkles. Use on the lids in the evening.

16. Face Wash/ Soap – mix equal parts coconut oil with either olive oil or castor oil and use in place of soap when washing your face. Wet face, rub oil in and leave on for two minutes, rinse and pat dry. One teaspoon should be adequate.

17. Hair conditioner/ Deep Treatment - use as a leave-in hair conditioner by applying a teaspoon of coconut oil to your ends and then running your fingers through your hair to distribute the rest! For a deeper treatment, rub in a tablespoon of coconut oil onto your dry scalp and gently work through to the ends. Put a shower cap on to prevent transfer onto bed linens and leave on overnight.

18. Hair Gel/ Defrizzer – rub a little between your palms and either scrunch into hair (for curly hair) or finger comb in through from scalp to ends (for wavy/straight hair).

19. Healing - when applied on scrapes and cuts, coconut oil forms a thin, chemical layer which protects the wound from outside dust, bacteria and virus. Coconut oil speeds up the healing process of bruises by repairing damaged tissues. Plus, it smells a heck-of-a-lot better than anything from the pharmacy.

20. Lubricant – it is an all-natural, perfectly safe personal lubricant. Not compatible with latex!

21. Makeup Remover – use a cotton swab and a dab of coconut oil and you would be amazed at how well it works!

22. Massage Oil – pretty simple; grab some and rub!

23. Moisturizer – simply scoop some out of the jar and apply all over your body, including neck and face.

24. Mole Remover – when applied after an apple cider vinegar compress for several weeks, moles have been known to “slide off” or just disappear.

25. Nipple Cream – works great to nourish cracked, sore or dry nipples. Apply to a cotton ball and leave on your nipples between feedings.

26. Oily Skin Fix – prone to oily skin or an oily T-zone? Use a pea sized amount underneath makeup or alone to reduce the appearance of oil.

27. Pre Shampoo Treatment for Hair – rub a little into scalp and hair before shampooing. This is especially useful for those with course or frizzy hair.

28. Pre-Shave – coconut oil will prep skin for the pending damage caused by shaving.

29. Skin Problems – coconut oil relieves skin problems such as psoriasis, dermatitis, and eczema.

30. Stretch Mark Cream – coconut oil is great at nourishing damaged skin. It may not be the magic stretch mark cure but it will help.

31. Sun Burn Relief – rub liberal amounts of coconut oil into the affected area.

32. Sunscreen – see my post on natural sunscreen for more detailed information.

33. Swimmers Ear – mix garlic oil and coconut oil and put a few drops in affected ear for about 10 minutes. Do this 2-3 times a day and it usually works within one or two days.

34. Tattoo Healing and Moisturizer – continued use of coconut oil on tattoos will help keep the pigment from fading. Used on new tattoos, coconut will hasten the healing process and decrease the chance of infection.

35. Toothpaste – there are numerous recipes out there but I just mix coconut oil and baking soda and dab a little of the mix on my toothbrush.

36. Wrinkle Prevention and Wrinkle Reducer – rubbing coconut oil on winkles and sagging skin helps strengthen the connective tissues to bring back that youthful look!

Coconut Oil for General Health and Wellness

37. Breastfeeding – for breastfeeding moms, consuming 3 ½ tablespoons of coconut oil daily will enrich the milk supply. 

38. Bones and Teeth – coconut oil aids in the absorption of calcium and magnesium leading to better development of bones and teeth.

39. Digestion - the saturated fats in coconut oil help control parasites and fungi that cause indigestion and other digestion related problems such as irritable bowel syndrome. The fat in coconut oil also aids in the absorption of vitamins, minerals and amino acids, making you healthier all around.

40. Energy Boost – coconut oil boosts energy and endurance making it a great supplement for athletes as well as those needed a quick pick me up.

41. Fitness - coconut oil has been proven to stimulate your metabolism, improve thyroid function, and escalate energy levels, all of which help decrease your unwanted fat while increasing muscle.

42. Improves insulin secretion and utilization of blood glucose making it great for both diabetics and non-diabetic.

43. Lung Function – increases the fluidity of cell surfaces.

44. Nausea – rub some coconut oil on the inside for the wrist and forearm to calm an upset stomach.

45. Nose bleeds - coconut oil can prevent nose bleeding that is caused by sensitivity to weather such as extreme heat and extreme cold. This condition happens when the nasal passages become dry because of cold or dry air resulting to burns and cracks in the mucus membranes so bleeding happens. To prevent this just put coconut oil in you nostrils. Coat your finger with coconut oil and then lie down and coat your finger inside your nose. Doing this will strengthen and protect the capillaries in the nasal passages. A Vitamin C supplement will also help prevent nose bleeding.

46. Oil pulling with coconut oil offers a two for one health benefit!

47. Stress Relief - relieve mental fatigue by applying coconut oil to the head in a circular, massaging motion. The natural aroma of coconuts is extremely soothing thus helping to lower your stress level.

48. Vitamin and nutrient absorption

49. Weight loss - the saturated fats contribute to weight loss and controlling cravings. Also increases metabolic rate.

Coconut Oil for Health Problems (when taken internally it is known for aiding, preventing, relieving or even curing these health issues)

50. Acid reflux/indigestion aid if taken after a meal

51. Adrenal fatigue

52. Allergies (seasonal hay fever)

53. Alzheimer’s/Dementia

54. Asthma, even in children

55. Autism

56. Bowel function

57. Bronchial Infections

58. Cancer (has been shown to prevent colon and breast cancer in laboratory tests)

59. Candida Albicans

60. Cholesterol - improves HDL ('good' cholesterol) to HDL ('bad' cholesterol) ratio in people with high cholesterol

61. Chronic Fatigue

62. Crohns Disease and resulting inflammation

63. Circulation/feeling cold all the time

64. Colds and Flus

65. Constipation

66. Cystic Fibrosis

67. Depression

68. Diabetes - helps keep blood sugar levels stable and/or helps with cravings

69. Dysentery

70. Eczema – in addition to taking it internally, many have success applying it externally, but some don't

71. Edema

72. Energy boost

73. Epilepsy (known to reduce epileptic seizures)

74. Fever Support

75. Flaky, Dry Skin

76. Gallbladder disease and pain

77. Gas

78. H. pylori

79. Head Lice

80. Heart Disease (protects arteries from injury that causes atherosclerosis)

81. Hemorrhoids (can applied externally or internally twice a day)

82. HIV

83. Hot Flashes

84. Hyperthyroidism

85. Immune System Builder

86. Irritable Bowel Syndrome

87. Jaundice

88. Kidney Disease

89. Kidney Stones (aids in dissolving them)

90. Liver Disease

91. Lung Disease

92. Malnutrition

93. Mental Clarity

94. Menstruation Relief regarding pain/cramps and heavy blood flow

95. Migraines (with regular use)

96. Mononucleosis

97. Osteoporosis

98. Pancreatitis

99. Parasites

100. Periodontal Disease and tooth decay

101. Prostate Enlargement (benign prostatic hyperplasia)

102. Rickets

103. Skin problems

104. Scurvy

105. Stomach Ulcers

106. Toenail fungus

107. Thrush

108. Thyroid Function (regulates an overactive or underactive thyroid)

109. Ulcerative Colitis

110. Underactive thyroid gland - results have shown subsequent thyroid blood tests becoming normal after ingesting coconut oil daily

111. Urinary Tract Infections (Bladder Infections)

Coconut Oil and Health Problems (when applied topically it is known for aiding, relieving, or even curing these health issues)

112. Acne

113. Allergies/Hay Fever – rub a little inside the nostrils for quick relief. The pollen will cling to the oil.

114. Athletes foot

115. Back pain/sore muscles

116. Boils and cysts

117. Canker sores

118. Cellulite

119. Circumcision healing – although I am personally against circumcision, I have read that coconut oil is a really great healer for this.

120. Decongestant – rub coconut oil on the chest and under the nose when congested from a cold or allergies

121. Ear infection – place a few drops inside the ear twice daily for relief from pain. Also fights the infection itself.

122. Genital Warts (through topical application over 6 weeks, and coconut oil enemas twice a day depending on the location of the warts)

123. Gum Disease and Gingivitis (use as a toothpaste or rub directly on gums)

124. Herpes (applied topically and taken internally)

125. Hives (reduces the itch and swelling

126. Pink eye (applied around and in the eye)

127. Ringworm

128. Toothache

129. Warts

Coconut Oil and Cooking

130. Butter Substitute - use 1 cup to 1 cup ratio when replacing butter in recipes with coconut oil.

131. Nutritional Supplement – melt and add to smoothies.

132. Replacement for butter/lard/Crisco/PAM in its solid form for greasing pans, pie crusts, etc.

133. Replacement for various oils in liquid form – baking, cooking, sautéing, etc.

 

Coconut Oil and Pets/Animals

Check with your veterinarian but the recommended dosage for animals is 1/4 teaspoon for every 10 pounds of body weight twice daily.

134. Aids healing of digestive disorders like inflammatory bowel syndrome and colitis

135. Aids in arthritis or ligament problems

136. Aids in elimination of hairballs and coughing

137. Applied topically, promotes the healing of cuts, wounds, hot spots, dry skin and hair, bites and stings

138. Clears up skin conditions such as eczema, flea allergies, contact dermatitis, and itchy skin

139. Disinfects cuts and promotes wound healing

140. Great for dogs and cats for general wellness. Just add a teaspoon to their water bowl daily.

141. Helps prevent or control diabetes

142. Helps sedentary dogs feel energetic

143. Helps reduce weight, increases energy

144. Improves digestion and nutrient absorption

145. Makes coats become sleek and glossy, and deodorizes doggy odor

146. Medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) have been shown to improve brain energy metabolism and decrease the amyloid protein buildup that results in brain lesions in older dogs.

147. Prevents and treats yeast and fungal infections, including candida

148. Reduces allergic reactions and improves skin health

149. Reduces or eliminates bad breath in dogs

150. Regulates and balance insulin and promotes normal thyroid function

Other Uses for Coconut Oil

151. Chewing Gum in Hair Remover – just rub some coconut oil over the stuck chewing gum, leave in for about 30 minutes, then roll the gum between your fingertip. Voila! It’s out!

152. Goo Gone - just mix equal parts coconut oil and baking soda into a paste. Apply to the “sticky” area and let it set for a minute. Then scrub off with an old toothbrush or the scrubby side of a sponge.

153. Insect repellent – mix coconut oil with peppermint oil extract and rub it all over exposed skin. Keeps insects off better than anything with DEET! Tons safer too.

154. Moisturizing and cleaning leather products

155. Oiling wood cutting boards and wood bowls

156. Polishing Bronze - all you have to do is rub a little oil into a cotton towel and then wipe down the statue. It cleans and helps deepen the color of your bronze.

157. Polish Furniture - coconut oil with a little bit of lemon juice to polish wood furniture. However, I recommend you test it first on a very small, unobtrusive part of your furniture to make sure it works the way you’d like.

158. Seasoning animal hide drums

159. Seasoning cookware

160. Soap making – coconut oil can be used as one of the fats in soap.

Did I miss any? Do you use coconut oil for something not on my list? Please add it in the comments. I am always excited to find new ways to implement coconut oil!

Instead of Coffee..

I gave up coffee. Again. This time it’s been over a month. The last time I quit coffee, I usually just drank herbal tea, I did it for years, and one day I wanted a hot drink that was creamier and not hot cocoa. THAT’S how I ended up back on the coffee train. THIS time, I have some “instead of coffee” drinks that I have been drinking. I’ve got about 4 that are all a little different and are what I would call my GO TO drinks. Today I will share one of those variations with you.

Last night I made some hemp milk. That’s what the base is for this one.

1.5 Cups Hemp Milk (warmed, but not hot)

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

1 Dropper English Toffee Stevia

2 tsp Raw Chocolate Powder

1T Raw Maca Powder

1 tsp Spirulina Powder

Raw Honey to taste

Blend and Serve

This turned out wonderful! I dusted the top with some cinnamon. Don’t worry if you don’t have the exact stuff I do, you can still try this. Use your mylk that you have on hand and the rest of the stuff you have. The Maca and Spirulina I put in for their healing properties, if you don’t use these, no worries, you can still make a spectacular drink! (*Note, if you don’t have any English Toffee stevia, I would use another kind or add a bit more honey.)

Spicy Almond Butter Sauce and Rice Wraps

I do not use rice papers very often. Typically if I am going to make a veggie wrap I will either use lettuce wraps or a tortilla. (One day I will share the makings of raw tortilla wraps!) But on this day, I DID use the rice papers. I have a nephew who lives across the street from me, he comes from a very not raw house, he ate 3 of these wraps…

Rice papers are cheap! I started by washing and cutting all my veggies, you really can use what veggies that you like. I used spinach, carrots, zucchini, tomato and cucumber. I wish I would have taken more pictures, but I didn’t. I also wish I would have had some mushrooms.. I lined the veggies up an assembly line. Then, took a bowl of warm water to soak each rice paper in.


 Soak, put veggies inside, roll, repeat. When I first rolled these up, they were REALLY sticky. Perfect if you wanted to add something to the outside of these (chopped nuts, rice or a rice substitute, etc.), but I didn’t . So I just let them sit for a while. And after the rice paper dried, they were not sticky anymore. Next comes the almond butter sauce. This is something that the whole family loves. And I do not measure. I add, blend and taste. I will give you very rough estimates of what I *think* I use, mix it and taste it.

½ C Raw Almond butter

3T  water*

1 Fresh garlic clove

1/2T Onion powder

3T vegan chili sauce

sweetener (I use raw honey) to taste

juice of a lemon

1tsp ACV

Blend. You can put the sauce in a bowl to dip the rice wraps. This is also the sauce that I use for raw pad thai (with zucchini and carrot noodles).

*You  may need to add more water to make the sauce a sauce, not so pasty, it will thicken a bit after it sits. Make a thick sauce and use it to dip veggies in. Make it thinner for a sauce.

ENJOY! 

Laundry Soap

Making my own laundry soap makes me happy. I can control what does or does not go into it. I can save a ton of money by making my own, and hopefully I am voting with my dollars by NOT buying regular soap. Plus, it just feels good. I feel like I accomplished something today! J Oh, and did I mention that it took me under 10 minutes? (If you use what I did, you can make your own in under 10 also!

12 oz. liquid Dr Bronner’s magic soap

(or grate a bar of good soap)***

½ C WASHING soda

1 Cup Borax

In a 5 gallon bucket, add the three ingredients (see notes if using bar soap) and add a bit of hot water to stir. Add more how water and stir, keep adding water and stirring till you are at the top of the bucket and everything has dissolved and is mixed well. Bottle. (I use old containers and a funnel so it is less messy)

Use ½ C to 3/4C per load of laundry.

*** If using a bar soap, grate the bar soap then place in a pan on the stove with about 1 QT water, melt the soap then add it to the 5 gallon bucket and proceed as directed.

I have been using this laundry soap for about 1.5 years now, never had any issues with it, we love it! Sometimes ill add some essential oils to make it smell good too! You can use the concentrate as a spot treatment also. 

How to brew the perfect water kefir

You want to start by having some good grains. You can get a starter pack from a friend or order online. 

WHAT YOU WILL NEED:

1 QT Mason jars (or other jars) with lids (or paper towels and rubber bands)

Spring water

Organic brown sugar

¼ C water kefir grains per 1 QT jar

¼ Lemon and 4 raisons per 1 QT of kefir

A dark place to keep your jars for 24-72 hours

A mesh strainer

There are many different ways to make water kefir, what I will show you today is the best basic way I have found. I have learned a few tricks that I think are really cool. Lets start with some clean equipment...

 In your 1 QT jar place 2 or 3 tablespoons of organic brown sugar. Fill the jar to about 2 inches from the top with spring water. Gently stir. Add ¼ c water kefir grains. Take your ¼ lemon and remove the rind and gently put that and the 4 raisons in the jar. Place your lid on and put the jar (or jars) in a dark cabinet for 24-72 hours.

How do you know when its done? Well, the raisons will float to the top! How cool is that?! Now, once the raisons have all floated to the top, I usually let mine sit for another 24 hours. The lemon that you put in will help the water keep its PH also. That’s another trick I learned.

Now what I have just told is is for a BASIC PLAIN batch of water kefir. And there is SO MUCH you can actually do with this stuff. You can flavor it any way you would like. You can also flavor at a first fermentation (when you are preparing it) or you can do a second one (after you finalize the first product, add flavors then) My personal favorite is to add 4 slices of ginger to the first fermentation. I add them along with the lemon and raisons.

OK, so your water kefir is done. Now what?

Get your mesh strainer and whatever container you are putting your final product in. Strain the grains out of the water. You should notice more grains now than when you started. These babies grow. A good batch can grow up to 50% in a few days in the right conditions. So you take those grains and start a new batch, using only ¼ c per 1 QT of water.

Some variations:

Instead of a lemon, use a lime

Add slices of bananas, apples, or pears to flavor

Add lime and mint leaves for mojito water kefir

Juice a peach and mix it with ½ water kefir

Juice a cup of grape juice, add to a cup of water kefir

Look online for some many more ideas!

And finally, WHY should you add water kefir to your diet?

Here's just a few of the MANY benefits of drinking Water Kefir...

	Contains a wide variety of good bacteria and beneficial yeasts as well as many vitamins, minerals, amino acids and enzymes.
	Has antibiotic and anti fungal properties.
	Contributes to a healthy immune system and has been used to help patients suffering from many conditions, including AIDS, chronic fatigue syndrome, herpes, Candida, autoimmune diseases and cancer.
	Can stop unhealthy food cravings, especially cravings for sugar and sweet foods.
	Aids in the digestion of all foods.
	Has a tonifying affect on the intestines, reduces bloating, and flattens the abdominals!
	It appears to cleanse the liver. In Chinese medicine the liver rules the skin, eyes, and joints. Thus, Water kefir can ease aches, joint pains, and vision woes.
	Many see changes in their complexion and overall condition of their skin.
	Brown liver spots may fade as can skin tags, moles, warts, etc.
	With high levels of valuable minerals, including potassium, natural sodium, and chloride, the hair, skin and nails become stronger and have a prettier shine.
	It appears to have a beneficial, cleansing effect on the endocrine system (adrenals, thyroid, pituitary, ovaries). Women find that their periods are healthier; some who had experienced early menopause have found this important monthly cleansing returning again.
	It increases energy and gives you an overall feeling of good health.
	Its tranquilizing effect on the nervous system has benefited many who suffer from sleep disorders, depression, ADHD and autism.
	Drinking water kefir regularly can help, promote bowel movement, relieve all intestinal disorders, reduce flatulence and help create an all together healthier digestive system.
	It's cleansing effect on the whole body helps to establish a balanced inner ecosystem for optimum health and longevity.
	Eases psoriasis. It can also ameliorate eczema and acne.

RAW MACA PANCAKES

RAW MACA PANCAKES

I made a variation of some awesome maca pancakes! They turned out really well, I like them a lot, but they ended up taking so long in the D that I dont think I will make these too often. Also, because of the consistency, I am not sure how long they will keep. In this house, we will have them for a day or too is all, so its good for us. The recipe I adapted also had a cream sauce, we didnt make that, we just used a dolop of honey on top. 

The recipe called for 2 cups of nuts, so I used 1 cup of nuts and 1 cup of diced yellow squash from the garden. It also called for irish moss, which I didnt have, so I used chia seeds. (I also ended up not using the mango, I used a peach that we got at the orchard the other day.)

 The picture I saw of these, they put the cakes in a tower, and each cake was topped with the cream and fresh fruit, it was so pretty, but in my house, the food wont stay on the plate long enough to make it pretty!

This recipe was very highly adapted from http://g0lubka.blogspot.com/search?q=maca+pancakes

 You should check them out and make your own! Her sight is amazing, I have made a few things and loved them all. Her stuff is more gourmet than I usually make, but if I was doing more gourmet, I would use her blog more often. What raw creations are you making today?

Self Dentistry

I have been a bit interested in self dentistry for about a year or so now. With the rising cost of health insurance and dental insurance, and the lack of a truly GOOD dental insurance (If you have one, FANTASTIC! But ours leaves big holes in what is covered and what is not) I have scoured the net for different recipes for things that I can make at home that are:


A) greener to the environment
B) Greener to my health
C) Less expensive than traditional


I love making things that are non toxic, or better than the alternative, but lets face it, sometimes the local health food store wants an arm and a leg for this stuff! Here are just a few of the things that I do or have made, and some variations that you can make to your own. A word of caution though, I have a friend who works in the dental industry, she recommends that you use baking soda no more than 2X per week on your teeth (because it is abrasive) and lemon juice no more than 1 or 2X per week (because it’s a mild form of acid) so, just keep that in mind when making some of these recipes. Also, DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH, what works for me and my family may not be best for yours, so try these out, but be sure you are doing what it takes to meet the needs you have.

Herbal Mouthwash

1 cup distilled water or a nice herbal tea

1 teaspoon raw honey

4 drops Peppermint essential oil (or spearmint, or a mix)

2 drops tea tree oil

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice (optional)

Measure out honey into measuring cup. Add the essential oils, Mix well with the honey. Add a small amount of warm distilled water or herbal tea of sage to the honey until completely dissolved. Add the remaining amount of water. Bottle and label. Shake well before each use and swish for  60 seconds. For optimal freshness make weekly.

ACV based Mouthwash

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

2 cups boiling water

Combine vinegar with boiling water and let cool. Store in a clean bottle and use as needed.

Toothpaste

3T baking soda

3T coconut oil

A few drops of clove oil, cinnamon oil, ginger oil or peppermint oil

Melt the coconut oil in a bowl put inside a bowl of warm water, mix all ingredients together, when you put it in a container it will harden. Just put a small amount of it on your toothbrush and go! Some people will add a few drops of glycerin to this, I have not done this, but, try it out!

This last recipe is not one that I have tried, but I know so many people who don’t have any kind of dental plan that I wanted to put this one out there for those who need it..

For Bacterial or Viral Related Infections

1 cup Rosemary or Sage herbal tea

1 teaspon fresh lemon juice (optional)

1 teaspoon raw honey

2 drops Peppermint essential oil

2 drops Bergamot essential oil

1 drop Tea Tree essential oil

Brew 1 cup of Rosemary or Sage herbal tea. Add fresh lemon juice. Measure 1 teaspoon of honey and add essential oils to it and mix well. Combine aromatic honey with th warm herb tea and lemon juice. Mix well and bottle in clean glass container. Shake well before each use. To use, simply swish vigorously and leave in the mouth for a minute or two before spitting out. Can be used several times per day. Most beneficial when used following oral care, after meals when the mouth is clean. Avoid drinking and eating within 20 minutes of use to allow essential oils to be absorbed and affect local bacteria. For optimal freshness make weekly.