Essential Oils?  Hmmmm?

In my never ending quest for ways to help my family become "healthier", I have read a lot about the use of Essential Oils. In May of this year I had my 2nd and hopefully last, spinal surgery.  Since that time I have been determined to eat only healthy unprocessed foods.  Not always an easy task with our busy schedules and tight budget.

It blows my mind how much I used to rely on fast food restaurants to feed my family.  I pass by them now and think how gross their food is.  I picture in my mind the hamburg being washed with chlorine to "clean" it!  Uuugh! Yuck! Maybe that was not a true story I had once read, but it certainly helps explains why the food never decomposes!  That I know is true!

Never the less, we are in the midst of cold and flu season here in Western New York again.  I truly hate the thought of getting my kids the flu shot.  I struggle every year with the thought of what is being put into their bodies, and what effects it may have on them in the future.  So I search for less chemical alternatives to keeping our home clean and our family healthy.

It has been a long journey to this point, many things I will share in future posts that have become tried and true ways to clean our home and save our family a ton of money!

Maybe it was divine intervention, or maybe I just happened to stumble upon the use of Essential Oils.  Who knows?  I do know even my husband was Amazed the first time I went into our local herbal shop and asked the Aromatherapist for help.  Both my children had come home from school with NASTY colds, Sneezing, Dripping, Yuck!.  She gave me samples of  doTERRA's EO blend OnGuard to rub on the bottom of their feet and Breathe to rub on their chests'.  I was Amazed at the improvement I saw the very next day.  By Sunday they were markedly improved.  They never had to miss any school, and we were able to visit family on Sunday.  Wow! I thought, maybe there is something to this!

That was back in September, and since that time I have used OnGuard numerous times to stave off a cold, and to help my son with his allergies.  I have a wary soul, so I did a lot of research, and found a lot of positive information about EO's.  So I have decided to take the plunge and try one of the protocals to decrease my Fibromyalgia symptoms using doTERRA brand products.  I am now anxiously awaiting the Family Physicain kit of EO's I ordered so that I can get started.  I will keep you updated on how I am progressing!

If you are interested in learning about EO's you can go to my doTERRA website, or you can check out this post at Crunchy Betty 21 Things You should Know About Essential Oils and learn more!

I am definetely going to try this for Saturday's Dinner!  It looks so easy, and I love that I can add Kale to this recipe and/or use fresh produce!  Yeah! I got this from a fellow blogger at the The Simple Dollar!

It only take 4 hours to cook, so he recommends using an outlet timer if you can't be home to start it at the appropriate time.  I would have never thought to use one for the crock pot.  Such a great idea!

Crock Pot Lasagna

What You Need:

2 28 oz. cans of diced tomatoes (drained) or about three and a half pounds of fresh tomatoes
3 garlic cloves, chopped into a near-paste
3 tablespoons oregano
15 ounces ricotta cheese
1 bunch Swiss chard or kale, chopped with stems removed
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 cups mozzarella cheese
8 ounces lasagna noodles, uncooked – not “no bake” noodles
(optional) 1 lb. ground beef and one small onion, chopped

What You Do:
 
1. If you’re using ground beef, cook the ground beef and onion together in a skillet until the ground beef is done. You can add half the oregano and garlic here, if desired.
2. In a bowl, combine tomatoes, garlic, oregano, and a dash of salt and pepper – call it “tomato mix.” In another bowl, combine all of the cheeses except the mozzarella – call it “cheese mix.”
3. At this point, you’re just going to layer the stuff into the slow cooker. Start with the tomato mixture and layer as desired. I suggest using all of the mixes in thirds so you can make three layers out of them. With the noodles, break them to fit and make a single layer out of them as one of the layers. Make sure that you have a layer of mozzarella on top. One good way to do it would be to have a layer of tomato mix, a layer of noodles, a layer of cheese mix, a layer of greens, a layer of meat, and a layer of mozzarella, then repeat this whole thing twice.
4. Put the slow cooker on low for four hours. If you’re going to be gone for more than four hours, use an outlet timer.

It always aggravates me when I want to pin a recipe, to make at a later time and I can't do it without signing up for some website I don't want to join!  Uuugh! so I copied this recipe from a Facebook post and here it is:  I'm hoping to make these for my kids for a quick breakfast as we are running out the door!

Zucchini Tots By Metabolic Cooking Book http://tiny.cc/Metabolic

Ingredients:
1 cup zucchini, grated
1 large egg
1/4 medium onion, diced
1/4 cup reduced sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
salt & pepper to taste
cooking spray

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray mini muffin tin with cooking spray.

Grate zucchini into a clean dish towel. Wring all of the excess water out of the zucchini. In a medium bowl, combine all of the ingredients and season with salt & pepper to taste.

Fill each muffin section to the top, pushing down on the filling with your spoon so it's nice and compacted so they don't fall apart when you take them out of the tin.

Bake for 16 to 18 minutes or until the tops are golden.

Use a plastic knife or rubber spatula around the edges of each tot to remove them from the muffin tin. Enjoy!

Nutritional Information:
Servings per recipe 3, Serving size is 4 tots, Old Points: 2 pts, Points+: 3 pts, Calories 108 per serving (4 tots) , Fat 4.3 g, Protein 6.8 g, Carb 11.5 g , Sugar 2 g, Sodium 262 mg (if you do not use salt)

No Bake Banana Chocolate Protein Bars

Now you can quickly and easily make your own protein bars at home! This no bake recipe takes high quality protein powder and combines it with wholesome, real food ingredients to create a delicious protein bar to power your day. Store these in your freezer, then simply allow to defrost for a few minutes before enjoying. Serving: 10

Here's what you need...

• 1 cup vanilla protein powder
• /4 cup coconut flour
• 2 mashed bananas
• 1/2 cup coconut milk
• 1/4 cup water (and more if needed)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 Tablespoons mini chocolate chips
• 1 oz dark chocolate (70% cocoa or higher)
• 1 teaspoon coconut oil

1. In a medium bowl combine the protein powder and coconut flour.
2. In another medium bowl mash the bananas. Add the coconut milk, water and vanilla, mix until smooth. Add the dry ingredients and mix until fully combined. If the batter is dry then add a few more drops of water. Mix in the chocolate chips.
3. Line a freezer-safe plate with wax paper. Form the dough into 10 bars. Place on the wax paper and put in the freezer for 20 minutes.
4. In a double boiler over medium-low heat (make your own by placing a small saucepan directly in a skillet that has few Tablespoons of water) melt the dark chocolate and coconut oil.
5. Remove the bars from the freezer and drizzle or dip in the melted dark chocolate. Return to the freezer for 10 minutes until the chocolate has hardened.

Nutritional Analysis: One bar equals: 183 calories, 6g fat, 11g carbohydrate, 99mg sodium, 5g fiber, and 18g protein

I found this great recipe for homemade coffee creamer on Facebook yesterday!  I couldn't wait to try it out, I have been using only whole milk in my coffee. But it just isn't the same!

So I cut & pasted this recipe from a Facebook post written by: 

Journey To Health With Tonya

Homemade Coffee Creamer – Over 2 Dozen Flavor Varieties!

Ok, so for whatever flavor of creamer you want, you start off with the same basic ‘base’ recipe.

14oz sweetened condensed milk
1 3/4 cup milk or cream (whole, lowfat, skim, almond, soy, heavy cream, half & half etc – whatever your preference, however the more fat, the more creaminess)

Mix the ingredients together well. I like to add them to a mason jar and shake it like crazy. You could also opt to use an old (washed) creamer container.

In all these recipes, anything that has a dry or thick ingredient (like cinnamon, honey, etc..) should be heated up with a small amount of your milk/cream from the base recipe so it can dissolve properly. You don’t want grainy creamer! Then, add the rest of the milk/cream along with the sweetened condensed milk.

If you want really creamy creamer, use heavy cream instead of milk in your base recipe.

I stick a piece of tape on my mason jar lid with the expiration date from the milk I used. I use this as a guideline as to when the creamer should be used by.

Please feel free to play around with amounts of extracts and other ingredients used if you like stronger or less intense flavors!! And, let your imagination turn, and make up your own combinations. Use this as inspiration to create your very own perfect homemade flavored creamer!
 

French Vanilla Creamer
2 teaspoons vanilla extract OR vanilla coffee syrup

Vanilla Bean Coffee Creamer
2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste

Chocolate
2-3 tablespoons chocolate syrup
(1 tsp vanilla extract, optional)

Chocolate Almond
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
1 teaspoon almond extract

Strudel
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract

Vanilla Caramel
2 tablespoons caramel ice cream topping
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Chocolate Raspberry
2 teaspoons cocoa powder
2 tablespoons raspberry syrup

Irish Cream
2 tablespoons chocolate syrup
1 teaspoon instant coffee
1-2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract

Coconut
2 teaspoons coconut extract

Samoa (like the Girl Scout Cookies)
2 teaspoons coconut extract (or sub coconut milk or cream of coconut, heated & strained, for the milk/cream)
2 tablespoons chocolate syrup
2 tablespoons caramel ice cream topping

Peppermint Patty
2 tablespoons chocolate syrup
1 teaspoon peppermint extract

Cinnamon Vanilla
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Pumpkin Spice
3 tablespoons pureed pumpkin
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
4 tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Honey Vanilla
1/4 cup honey
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Almond Joy
1-2 teaspoons coconut extract (or sub coconut milk or cream of coconut if you heat it first, strained, in place of the milk & extract)
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 tablespoons chocolate syrup

Sweet Cream
Use 1 3/4 cups of heavy cream instead of the milk in the base recipe
2 teaspoons vanilla extract OR the inside of a vanilla bean, scraped
1 teaspoon almond extract

Chocolate Orange
2 tablespoons chocolate syrup
1-2 teaspoons orange extract

Hazelnut
2 teaspoons hazelnut extract

Chocolate Hazelnut
2 tablespoons chocolate syrup
2 teaspoons hazelnut extract

Cinnamon Cake
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Salted Caramel
2-3 tablespoons caramel ice cream topping
1/2 teaspoon salt

Eggnog
replace milk in base recipe with equal amount of heavy cream
1 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons rum extract
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Toasted Almond
2 teaspoons almond extract


Enjoy!!! For more tips join us! >> Journey To Health With Tonya

 “Be the change you want to see in the world.” – Mahatma Gandhi

Life is getting really crazy in our household!  It seems that once Thanksgiving hits, life accelerates for busy families.  Getting ready for the Holiday's tends to put most households on edge.  The pressures to buy the right gifts, decorate, bake, attend holiday parties, and manage all the rest of our "normal" crazy lives tend to really stress us out!

For our family this time of year has been leading up to my daughter's performance in the Nutcracker!  Our ballerina has been working hard for months rehearsing with the cast to get ready for one weekend of Holiday Magic!  Just watching her first night of dress rehearsals last night got me teary!  It truly has become a holiday tradition for our family.

However, as rehearsals went on until 8:30, and I was driving home with my interior light on, and my daughter in the passenger seat trying to finish her math homework. I was regretting letting her attend our Girl Scout meeting where we worked on Christmas ornaments for the Christmas trees we are donating to needful families in our area.  This is our first year that she has 2 nights of ballet classes each week, and bigger roles in the Nutcracker.  Meaning she has 2 LATE nights of rehearsals this week also!

Needless to say, she is not going to get much sleep this week, which will put our whole family on edge.  Tweenage girls don't do well with lots of added stress, and less sleep than normal!

In my mailbox I came across this wonderful blog post  "Be the Change You Want to See In Your World" by Trent A. Hamm over at The Simple Dollar!  We have all seen the quote “Be the change you want to see in the world.” – Mahatma Gandhi.  Trent does a great job of breaking it down and really hammering it home!

Never more relevant a post for me and my family right now for certain.  After I had dropped my children off at school this morning I was thinking to myself that this week is going to be rough for our family, and it would be up to me to hold it all together.  We all know as Mom's we are the ones who set the dynamics in our family. Read the blog, take it to heart.  Know that I am right there with you struggling to keep my cool during this busy holiday time!

Good Luck!

Cleaning With Vinegar!

I am all about healthier and easy products for taking care of our families.  For a couple of months now I have been using a vinegar water solution to clean everything from windows to my refrigerator.  Vinegar is a great all purpose cleaner and it is made from corn!  I never knew that!  No preservatives, no additives, all natural!  Love It!  Vinegar has been used for 10,000 years. It just might be the world's oldest ingredient!

So very easy to make, fill a re-purposed spray bottle with 50% water - 50% white vinegar.  That's it, and it cleans like a dream!

Another thing I just learned today about Vinegar:  An open dish of white distilled vinegar will help remove paint smells from a room. Bonus!

Due to it's high level of acidity it kills most mold, bacteria, and germs.  I would much rather spray my counter tops with vinegar than a bleach spray to kill bacteria after I have been slicing and dicing raw meats!  There are so many more ways to use vinegar in your cleaning routines, I could never list them all, so I suggest you explore them at 1001 uses for White Vinegar!  There are a ton of great ideas I could have never thought of!

I also wanted to share with you a way to improve upon an already great cleaner.  I came across this great idea to create Scented Vinegars Cleansers that a fellow blogger , Monica created at her site The Yummy Life!  I am so loving these ideas, I plan to pick up some fresh lemons today!

How Great is this?  All natural, non-toxic and you can make it smell any way you like!  And its easy!  Love It!

Healthier Fast Food Choices

Is it possible to go Christmas Shopping and have lunch at the mall for less than 500 calories?  Apparently so!  Here is another great story by iVillage about how we can make healthier food choices even when we have to make quick stops at fast food restaurants for dinner or lunch!  Not all of these restaurants are available in my area, but I have hear of almost all of them!

Cheap, Homemeade Carpet Stain Remover!

I am a very big fan of the blog site One Good Thing By Jillee.  So when I read a post she had made about a Homemeade Carpet Stain Remover I had to try it!  

My daughter had a sleep over a couple of years ago, and unbeknownst (it must be a word, spell check liked it!) to me they had spilled pancake syrup on the carpet in my living room.  I tried everything to get that spot out.  Unfortunately, it had sat for a couple days before I even saw it.  I rarely go into the living room.  There is no time to watch TV, and if we have a busy couple of days, well, it can be a while...  Thankfully I had been able to cover it up by sliding the Loveseat forward a couple inches.

Anyways, I tried to get that spot out but nothing worked.  I even allowed the Kirby Salesman into our home to do a "free carpet cleaning demonstration" in the hopes that he could get it out.  No such luck!  I didn't end up buying the Kirby (nice system) but not in our budget.

Never the less, when I saw this post on Jillee's blog I had to try it!

It worked!  I filled a spray bottle halfway with Ammonia and filled it the rest of the way with hot water.  Got out a white towel to make sure I followed the directions exactly and plugged in my iron.

I gave that syrup spot a good spray, soaking it well.  Placed my towel over top and started ironing it with my hot iron.  I lifted the towel after ironing maybe 45 seconds (+/-) and da da da da!  It was gone!

It really worked!  Next I worked on that spot where someone spilled pop at my son's birthday party.  That disappeared too!  So I kept going.  I know have a spot free carpets in my home!  Yeah!!! 

Just be sure you don't inhale too much of the ammonia fumes!

Although we still needed to shampoo our carpets with a machine.  My husband recently did this.  (something I just physically can't do) Wow, I couldn't believe all the yuck he got out that you couldn't see.  

Hopefully someday soon that money tree will start growing in our backyard, OR we learn to live on a budget and we can put in hardwood floors throughout the house.  

Until then, I know how to get the carpet stains out and with kids, I am sure there will be more!

Sick Children & Chicken Noodle Soup!

So I made my pot of Chicken Soup for my sick children.  I have always believed that Chicken soup helps relieve your cold symptoms.  Here is a link that discusses why!

I always make an extra large pot so I can freeze some for future emergencies.  I cook my noodles on the side and add them to the bowl as I serve.  Otherwise, the noodles get mushy in the freezer.  Plus, once my family doesn't want any more soup (which is pretty much by the second bowl!) I can make Chicken & Bisciuts! Yeah!

Maybe I should give you my Chicken Soup recipe first? I do tend to get ahead of myself...

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup:

1 Whole, Organic, Free Range Chicken

1 1/2 lbs. Organic Baby Carrots, sliced

1 lb. Organic Celery, Sliced & Diced

1 Lg. Organic Onion, Sliced & Diced

Couple dashes of Salt & Pepper

Chicken Bullion, to your taste specifications

Noodles, Rice, Pasta, whatever you have/want to add at the end!

Boil your chicken gently in a very large pot until the chicken is cooked & easily pulled off the bone.  My pot has a strainer in it, if your lucky enough to have one use that!  Once the chicken is cooked you want to remove the chicken and all the bones from your pot so it may cool.  

Once you have removed all the chicken parts from your pot of chicken stock, gently add the vegetables. Yes, you have actually made your own chicken stock! Let them simmer until tender.   Please feel free to get creative with your veggies here.  There are so many veggies you can add to mix up the recipe!  I added half a bag of chopped Kale to this batch.  Not bad, my son wasn't so very fond, but that is nothing new! (click on this link to discover why Kale  is considered the "Queen of Greens")

In the meantime, let your chicken cool a bit.  It helps to pull sections of the chicken apart.  This will help it cool faster.  You really don't want to try breaking up the chicken with your fingers.  It Hurts!

Pull all of your chicken meat off of the bones.  Save some of the mushy/yucky looking stuff for your dog if you have one.  If your like me, he/she will be standing at your feet waiting for something to drop!  Makes our Sunshine so happy!  Cut up the chicken meat into bite size pieces and add to your pot of simmering veggies.

Start taste testing your broth to determine how much Chicken Bullion you like in your soup. Start with a couple tablespoons, and stir.  Then taste it. Repeat if you want more.   We like ours pretty salty, so I add almost a full container of the powdered  stuff!  Enjoy!

New to Blogging - Uuugh!

So here I am trying to figure out this whole blogging thing.  I spent the whole morning researching. Don't get me wrong, I love finding new stuff on the internet! But, there are so many things I really should be doing.
  It has been awhile since I have added anything to this blog, oops!

I had gotten pretty discouraged wondering how/why I can't get any followers!  Not that I thought the Magical Blogging Fairy would come along & make this successful.  But shouldn't Somebody?, Anybody? want to hear my magical rantings (lol) ?

Time they say.  It all takes time.  Uuugh!  I want to start contributing to this financially sinking ship now, NOT IN TIME!

Fortunately, there are a lot of bloggers out there who offer support and say just keep plugging away!

So I stopped for a moment to start my pot of Chicken Soup.  I am no Julia Child, but I was taught that when your sick there is nothing better than homemade chicken soup.  I have a sick child at home, time to make some soup! I guess I should have started it before I sat down at the computer.  I do tend to get stuck!

I am really trying to use only organic, free-range chickens.  If I'm going to take the time to cook something homemade (which, Good Lord, is time consuming!) I don't want to give my family food with chemicals! It is a little more expensive, but the price is going down

Of course, as I was cutting up my bag of baby carrots, I remembered hearing how they are rinsed in Chlorine! Oh Poop!

So I headed over to Snoopes.com to find the answer.  I'm not sure if I trust that it is totally safe, but we sure do eat an awful lot of them in our house!  So for now, I guess they're better than eating Potato Chips! (Oh, how I love a bag of Salty Chips!)

We have a number of issues in my little family (physical, sensory, emotional....) anyhow, all the talk out there says that it is all those awful chemicals that are contributing/causing/making worse so many of our problems!

So for now I'm going to try to be more organic as long as it isn't too difficult!  I will not be starting any alfalfa sprouts!

But back to my rantings...I will keep trying.  I believe there are others (hello...) out there like me who want easier, more healthful ways to raise our families!

My Kitchen Escapades: Lunchbox Icepacks

I just found the link to this in one of my favorite emails - Living Rich With Coupons!  Yeah! What a wonderfully inexpensive solution to all those expensive lunch box freezer ice blocks! My Kitchen Escapades: Lunchbox Icepacks !

We go thru so many of these especially in the summer when we take numerous salads to picnics & parties, and if we happen to leave it there, oh well!  I will be buying the larger sponges with the big zip tight freezes bags for that purpose of course!

 But, I can only imagine the $ I'll save!  How many of those fancy lunchbox ice blocks end up in the school's cafeteria garbage?  Once my daughter even threw her change purse full of money into the garbage!  Actually, I think she did it more than that.  Obviously, we quit sending money in with her for lunch after that.  It is so much easier to just refill their lunch $ accounts with a monthly check!  If only school lunches tasted better.  The new Federal Laws are helping to make them healthier, but not that much!  All those foods made with canned & preservative filled foods! YUCK!

As I was reading this blog, I immediately thought of my Mother.  She recently injured her foot and needed to purchase an Ice Pack, to ice her foot throughout the day to reduce the swelling.  Unfortunately, she lives on a very tight budget.  So when she went to the store to buy one, she couldn't imagine spending so much money.  It was way beyond her budget!  I recommended to her something my Girl Scout Troop learned while earning their Safety Badge.  Using a zip tight bag with water and placing it in the freezer to have handy for emergency uses.  My Mother was concerned about how hard & un-conforming this would be.  This would solve that problem!  I am sure that within a couple of minutes the sponges would defrost to a point that would allow it to be wrapped in a dish towel and place on your swollen appendage!  I can't wait to share this with our local Fire Department Safety Instructor & my Girl Scout Troop!  Of course my Mother too!

This was my first time visiting this blog site, but it looks like a good one!  It is amazing how many bloggers are out there with incredibly great ideas.  I'll keep sharing the great ones as I find them!

Choosing Snacks - Which is Healthier?

I ran across this article on iVillage today. Boy was I surprised by some of the unhealthy choices in snacks I had been making for my kids!  You think your making good choices, but how do we really know?  Some of the choices didn't surprise me at all.  Others just blew me away! Check it out for yourself and see what you think.  "Which is Worse? Healthy and Unhealthy Choices! could be a great resource for me while I am in the snack aisle of the grocery store. Thank goodness for smart phones!

How to Reduce Spider & Varicose Veins with Essential Oils...

I seriously have to try this!  I have had my veins stripped in my right leg, I don't recommend it! Of course the day after I had mine done my 2 year old son came down with the flu.  The only place he wanted to be was cuddled up on Mommy's lap, moving all my stitches around.  Made the scars even worse! Uuugh!  I was planning on looking into a vein treatment center, but if this works....Yay!  I'll let you know! Thanks Rebecca at Camp Wander!

Camp Wander: How to Reduce Spider & Varicose Veins with Essenti...: By a show of hands , how many wear long pants all summer  to avoid showing your legs because of unsightly spider veins or varicose vei...

Chia Seeds Update!

Well, I haven't had a chance to try making the Apricot Chia Bars.  But I did go out and get some nutrition packed Chia Seeds.  Major Anti-Oxidants & Omega 3's!  I sprinkle a couple spoonfuls in my plain Greek yogurt with some cut up fruit and a couple spoonfuls of local honey.  Yum, Yum!  This I can eat.  Plus it's quick & easy!  I bought the plain Greek Yogurt for the extra punch of protein and added the local honey to help combat my seasonal allergies.  So far, so good!

The Chia Seeds really don't have a flavor.  I wouldn't know they were there except for all the little black specks in my yogurt.  My husband did complain about the calories as he is on a diet.  60 calories per tablespoon.  I may just try throwing them in a smoothie!  should be an easy way to add them to my diet!

I, on the other hand, am watching my health as opposed to my waistline.  I have spinal issues, with the added bonus of Fibromyalgia!  Woo Hoo!  So I am constantly trying new, healthful ways to take care of my body, as well as my family's!  I haven't noticed any dramatic changes in my pain levels, but I guess it will take more than one thing to get this body functioning better as a whole!

Better Sex through Yoga?

Better Sex through Yoga?  Just 5 Minutes a day? Here is a video by Dr. Frank Lampman and Tara Stiles that discusses the benefits. Not just better sex, but more energy, less stress, better sleep, better digestion, etc...... I am a firm believer that exercise, getting your blood flowing, is always good for you!  A cousin of mine has become a Yoga Guru and has been touting the benefits that the practice of yoga can bring to your life.  They say this in the video, but my cousin has also recommended that I take a class.  She says that the best way to learn the pose's is to have a teacher correcting your incorrect positioning, & most importantly reminding you to Breathe!

I am going to try to make this a habit in my life. Not an easy thing to do with my family's busy schedule, but I want to start feeling better and have more energy!  I am going to do it!

Algebra Help!

I found this site ALGEBRA HELP on Homestead Survival.  I know I have trouble helping my daughter with her Math Homework!  Here's hoping this helps!

Chia Seeds

I am a Mom always looking for Easier, Healthier, & Safer ways to take care of my busy family just like everybody else!  I keep finding all these wonderful posting on the internet and other blog sites.  The problem is that I loose track of where I find the information I want to keep!  So I decided (selfishly, yes!) to create a blog site that holds all the interesting & helpful information out on the web!  I hope you enjoy the things I share!

I recently found this post on Edible Harmony! I think I will be trying them!  I'll let you know what I think later!

Chia Seeds: Benefits and Nutrition

Chia seeds, also known as Salvia Hispanica, is a seed grown primarily in southern Mexico. These miniature powerhouses are extremely nutritious, readily available, inexpensive, and versatile. They are made up of 22% of protein, 35% of healthy fats, and abundant amounts of dietary fiber. With 10-11 grams of fiber per ounce, chia seeds deliver over 40% of the recommended daily value of fiber with a single serving. The fiber helps slow digestion and makes you feel fuller by soaking up fluid and expanding in your digestive tract. A unique characteristic of chia is its nutritional content:
3-5 times more calcium than milk.
3 times more iron than spinach.
8 times more omega 3s than salmon.
15 times more magnesium than broccoli.
3 times more antioxidants than blueberries.
Among the numerous benefits of chia is their high omega 3 content, higher than even flaxseed.  Another benefit of chia over flaxseed is that due to their high antioxidant content, their storage life is extremely long. Chia seeds do not have the rancidity issues that affect other sources of fatty acids. Also, unlike flax seeds, they are very bioavailable and do not need to be ground or crushed before eaten  for optimal absorption. They´re also a great source of fiber, and chock full of minerals including magnesium, calcium, manganese, molybdenum, phosphorus, iron, and zinc as well as B vitamins.
Their versatility and unique nutritional content makes chia seeds a great choice for those suffering from numerous health conditions.  Chia helps control blood sugar, as well as lowers cholesterol and blood pressure. It helps improve memory and mood, and also improves the overall health of skin, teeth, and nails. Yet another advantage unique to chia seeds: when added to water and allowed to sit for 30 minutes, chia seeds form a gel. Researchers suggest that a similar reaction takes place in the stomach, slowing the process by which digestive enzymes break down carbohydrates and convert them into sugar. This can prove as a great benefit in weight management endeavors. Also, chia gel can replace eggs in vegan versions of various types of baked goods. If making chia gel, use 1 part chia  to 9 parts liquid. Mix well, and allow 10 minutes for the seeds to fully  hydrate.

In the culinary world, chia seeds also have unique characteristics that are making them a more popular choice in ethnic foods from around the world.  Their mild nutlike flavor and solid consistency provide them with a versatility that makes them a great addition to yogurt, smoothies, salads, baked goods, and almost anything you can imagine.  Their consistency and internal properties allow them to be a healthy substitute for butter and/or eggs while baking, which makes chia a favorite among vegetarians and vegans alike. Until recently, chia was produced by only a few small growers, but commercial production has resumed in Latin America, and you can now buy the seeds online and in health food stores. Because of their unique nutritional value and stability, chia is already being added to a range of foods. Another bonus: insects don’t like the chia plant so it is easier to find organically grown varieties. Although already featured on many health blogs, magazines, articles, and even The Dr. Oz TV Show, be on the look out as we´ll undoubtedly be hearing much more about chia and its health benefits in the near future.

Edible Harmony also included a recipe for Apricot Chia Bars which I think my Husband will love!