Nasturtium Spread

My nasturtiums are doing great this year.  They are beautiful and they almost grow better the more you neglect them.  Just my kind of flower.   I love having flowers all over the place because they make me happy.  I love it even more when they are edible.  They can really dress up a salad.

This salad  has baby greens, raspberries, nasturtium leaves, flowers, and raspberry vinaigrette.

Nasturtiums have a sweet peppery taste that goes well with lots of different flavors.  It is a little like watercress.  Since I have such an abundance this year I thought I would do some experimenting.  I came up with this spread and I think it goes well with veggies as a dip.  It kind of reminds me of those cheese balls you have a Christmas parties so if you make any kind of primal crackers it would be great on those too.

Isn't it pretty?

Ingredients:

2 C. raw cashews, soaked min. 2 hours
3 T. cold pressed, extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 C. fresh lemon juice
1/2 t. sea salt
20 nasturtium blooms, chopped finely
2 T. chopped chives
salt and pepper to taste


Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend into a smooth cream.
Add just a few tablespoons of water at first, and add an additional tablespoon at a time as you blend until you reach the consistency that you’re aiming for.
Chill in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Whip some of this up and have a party!

Mulberry Crumble

In our orchard there is a wild mulberry tree that is just beautiful.... and messy.  This year it had a lot of fruit on it and I thought I would figure out some way to use it.

My father-in-law said that mulberries taste bad and the only thing to do would be to remove the tree and plant something better. 

It is true, they are little and not very sweet.  I think that is just fine as I am trying to cut my sugar intake even from fruit. 

The color is just lovely!  It is kind of a cross between a black berry and a raspberry. 

This is what my hand looked like AFTER I washed up. 


After a little digging I learned that the ancient Romans thought the common mulberry had the power to make you "Wiser than all others" and have clarity of thought.   Having a mulberry tree on your property is said to protect the children and expecting mothers.

From Chinese medicine I found that mulberry is cooling in nature, builds the yin fluids and blood.  It is most helpful for strengthening the liver and kidneys but the list of ailments that it helps is a long one.  It includes such things as: anemia, grey hair, insomnia, ulcers, diabetes, dry cough, ringing in ears, poor joint mobility, and vertigo.    They recommend putting a few mulberries in your tea in the morning and take as a tonic.... for all of the above mentioned problems.  I bet that does taste really good and I just may try it.

Mulberry crumble

1/2 C. walnuts
1/2 C. pecans
salt, just a pinch
1/4 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. cardamom
1/8 t. nutmeg
1 T. butter, cut into small pieces
1 T. vanilla
3 C. berries of your choice  (I used 1 C. each of mulberry, blueberry, and raspberry)

Preheat the oven broiler on Low.

In a food processor grind the nuts so they are finely chopped.  Add the salt, spices, and butter.  Pulse till just blended.

In a small pot bring the berries and vanilla to a boil for 5 to 10 minutes.  Make sure the berries are well heated.  Drain off any liquid that the berries have released and then place them in a baking dish.

Spoon the nut mixture on to the top and put under the broiler and heat for several minutes.  Keep a close eye on it because the nuts can burn easily.

Drizzle a bit of coconut milk on top and enjoy this yummy treat!

Color Enhancing Herbal Shampoo

I bet that I am ask at least 20 times a week what kind of shampoo I use on my own hair.   I can always tell when my friends use my bathroom that they check out my personal care products too.  I think that is a normal girl thing to do.  Plus it can be confusing and expensive to try everything.  Even in my own salon there are so many choices.

It is not really a secret that I don't shampoo any more and there are only two professional products that I feel good about telling my clients to get.  Those two products will cost an arm and a leg.

The happy news is there is no need to break the bank.  You can have beautiful healthy hair for just pennies.  The things I have already discussed in this blog are basic NoPoo, how to get your hair clean, cleaner, and conditioned.

Today I want to share how to use your shampoo to enhance your hair color.  This will work for all hair types, however, the more porous your hair is the faster it will work.   If you have permed hair this may not be a good option for you as the results will be really unpredictable.

Basic Shampoo mix
(2 teaspoons Herbs)

8 oz distilled water

3 ounces liquid castile soap

3 Tablespoon aloe vera gel

¼  teaspoon of jojoba oil (for oily hair)  3/4- 1 teaspoon jojoba oil (for dry hair)

30 drops of pure rosemary, chamomile, lavender, or sage essential oil  (or what ever you want to smell like)

Herbs for everyone

Rose petals

rosemary

Herbs for Blonds

sunflower petals

chamomile flowers

calendula flowers

lemon rind

Herbs for Brunettes

sage

nettle

rosemary

crushed black walnut hulls

Herbs for Red hair

hibiscus flowers

red clover flowers

rose hips

red rose petals

First you need to pick 2 or 3 herbs you are going to use and place them in the bottom of a glass jar.  Boil the water and pour over your herbs.  Immediately put a lid on the jar and let it steep till it is completely cool.

Strain out the herbs and put the liquid into a pretty bottle that has been washed out.  Add the castille to the container and then the jojoba and essential oil.  Last add the aloe to the bottle.  Put the lid on and give it a good shake. * Shake it back and forth like windshield wipers not up and down.  You will get a better mix.

This shampoo will stay good for about a week.  If you are going to take longer to use it store it in the fridge.  Make sure to shake this up before every use.

These make cute "any time" gifts for the ones you love.  If you do give them out make sure you rite down what herbs and oil you used because you are going to be asked to do it again.

Have fun and enjoy this one!

*note:  castille soap is made from olive oil and can easily be found at the health food store.

Pork and pineapple

 This is quickly becoming one of my favorite breakfasts.  I can't really call it a recipe... It is more like leftovers with flare.

Ingredients

1 left over pork chop or ham
fresh pineapple, sliced
1 small zucchini shredded
1/2  small onion, diced
coconut oil
salt and pepper

Slice the pork chop and the pineapple so they are about the same size.  Put some coconut oil in a frying pan and heat up the pork chop.  While that is cooking shred the zucchini and dice the onion. Mix together and set aside.  Take the pork out of the pan and put in the pineapple.  Heat it through and just brown a bit.  Place it on the plate with the pork.  Add the zucchini to the pan and more coconut oil if needed.  Cook it through and salt and pepper everything to taste. 

Something about heating up the pineapple is just divine.  The acid taste goes away and it gets really juicy......mmmmmm!

This is very quick and easy.  The best part is it all cooks in one pan.  Quick clean up is a beautiful thing!

Bottled Apricots

Last year for my birthday I got myself a water bath caner.  Basically it is just a huge stock pot with a lid and a basket for holding the bottles.

My mom caned food all my life but for some reason I never learned how.  So I decided that it was about time I did learn.

Lucky me! Apricots are one of the easiest things to bottle.

What you need:

1 caner or stock pot
bottles that have been sanitised.  I run mine through the dish washer
new lids and rings
towels
syrup mixture   (I used apple juice)
Apricots

First fill your caner with enough water to cover you bottles. Put it on the stove and start to heat it up.

While it is heating clean your apricots.  I just filled the sink with water and a splash of vinegar.  Cut them in half and place cut side down in the bottle.  Pack in as many as you can because they will take up less space once bottled.

Then fill the bottle to the neck (not the brim) with your syrup.  If you are using traditional heavy syrup you will need to have that already mixed up.  I just juiced some apples and used that. In about half I mixed in some crushed pineapple and that looked beautiful!

Make sure you wipe down the top of the bottle with a paper towel so there are no bits of fruit that would cause it not to seal.

Put the lids and rings on the bottle.  Leave the rings just a little loose so the bottles won't break.  Put them in the basket and make sure your water is boiling.  Lower them into the water and put the lid on the caner.  Let them cook for 20 minutes.  While they are in the caner lay out a towel on the counter that you will set the bottles on to cool.  Keep another towel handy that you will cover the bottles with so you AC doesn't cool them too fast and cause a bottle to crack.  You should have plenty of time to fill your next bottles and have them ready to go.

And that is all there is too it!  Once they are cooling on the counter they need to set for a few hours.  You will hear the lids pop as they make a seal.  If any bottles have not made a seal after a day then you need to use that fruit right away.  Clean everything else off and place on the shelf.

I just think rows of preserved fruit are so beautiful and it feels really good to know exactly what is in my food.

Give this a try!  It is super easy.    **note:  It is just as easy to do 2 or more batches as it is to do one.  The mess you clean up will be the exact same no matter how many you do.

Chickens!

I have been meaning to post about the chickens for a while now. 

This spring my mom decided that it would be really fun and to have chickens to teach the grand kids about having chores and animals.  We are all on board.  (the adults anyway)

I remember having chickens as a kid.  I was really afraid of the rooster and for some reason getting eggs always made me itchy.   (I just found out this year that I have an egg allergy)

Jim made this cute little chicken house.  See the side door where you can reach in and get the eggs?  Pretty smart...   I think he did a good job.  This is just where the chickens sleep so they are safe.  The rest of the time they are out in the yard. 

These are the little babies that are not quite ready to be out all the time.

Here are the momma chickens.  There job is to eat the bugs out of the garden, but no on told them that so they like to hang out under the pine tree.

It has been fun getting eggs.  We also learned that there are raccoons that would like chickens for dinner.  Grandma has caught several in a live trap.  I bet the chickens are happy they have a house!

Natural Mosquito Repellent

Well it is mosquito season here in the desert.  The mosquito abatement lady is running around desperately trying to save us all from the west Nile virus.

It seems that when the sun starts to go down giant clouds of mosquitoes come out to play..... and we all hide in the house so we don't get carried away.

There are a few natural things you can do to keep them away.

Avoiding sugar: some say that sweet blood attracts mosquitoes. Mosquitoes actually do rely on sugar from plants as their main source of energy. Female mosquitoes only suck blood when they are about to lay eggs. Otherwise, male and female mosquitoes get their food from flowers.
Avoiding bananas: This goes along with the sugar theory, but the consumption of bananas is blamed in attracting mosquitoes.
Eat garlic: Many people claim that regularly eating raw garlic keeps the mosquitoes away. Of course you have to weigh the pros and cons here. You may keep the mosquitoes away with garlic but you may also keep your friends and family away too.
B Vitamins:  B vitamins, especially thiamine, can deter mosquitoes.

Herbs high in thiamine include: alfalfa, bladderwrack, burdock root, catnip, cayenne, chamomile, chickweed, eyebright, fennel seed, fenugreek, hops, nettles, oatstraw, parsley, peppermint, raspberry leaves, red clover, rose hips, sage, yarrow, and yellow dock.

Foods high in thiamine include:  Brown rice, egg yolks, fish, liver, peanuts, peas, pork, poultry, rice bran, and wheat germ.

For some thing topical try this spray.  You will be so happy you did! 

Yarrow Catnip bug repellent

1. Yarrow (either fresh or dried flowers and leaves)
2. Alcohol (vodka works fine)
3. Catnip Essential Oil
4. Water

If you are using fresh flowers fill the jar all the way full.  If you are using dried herbs fill it only half way.

Fill the jar with vodka and let set for a week or so.

Then strain out the yarrow and fill spray bottles half way with the liquid.  Top them the rest of the way off with distilled water.
Place a few drops of catnip essential oil in the spray bottle. Catnip essential oil has been shown to be more effective than DEET at deterring mosquitoes. You could also try using lavender or sage essential oils.


There you have it! A wonderful mosquito repellent.  This works best when applied every few hours. 
There are many variations to this recipe so I encourage you to experiment with what works best for you.
You could simply make a tea out of yarrow and use that as a spray. This will not keep as long as an alcohol extraction.

There are a variety of essential oils that you can use besides the ones listed above.

Have a safe and fun summer!

Vanilla Honey Lip Balm

This recipe is super quick and easy!

I use this on my lips everyday this time of year.  I love how smooth and shiny it makes my lips.  You can also use it any ware you need a little moisture like heels and elbows.  In a pinch you can use it on minor cuts and scraped to prevent scarring.  It is mildly antibacterial.

Ingredients:
1 T. honey
1 T. almond or jojoba oil
1 1/2 t. beeswax
7 drops vanilla essential oil

*You can substitute any essential oil of your choice.  Peppermint works really nice.






In a small sauce pan over low heat warm the oil, honey, and beeswax, until the wax is just melted.

Remove from heat, add the essential oil, and stir to blend.  Set the pan in a shallow ice-water bath.  Using a whisk, stir rapidly for 30 to 60 seconds until the honey is incorporated and the formula is like thick peanut butter.  It should be a pale amber color.

Spoon mixture into a storage container and let set for 2 hours before use.

No refrigeration is required but you will want to use it all up with in a year.

You are going to like this one!  (((kiss)))

Chocolate Coconut Chia Shake

This is so good it has to be sinful!  Next time I make this (if there is any left over)  I think I'll see how well this freezes because it reminds me of the fudge sickles we used to have as  kids.  Today the temperature is 108 and I could really use anything cold. 

Ingredients:

• 2 T.  Chia seed
• 1 1/2 T. Raw Cacao
• 8-10 oz nut milk of your liking
• 1 t. coconut oil
• 1 T. organic coconut flakes
• 2 T. organic almond butter
• 1 frozen banana
  4 dates pitted
  

Mix the Chia seed with about 1 oz of water and let them "gel" for 10-15 minutes.  Blend them to get out any lumps. Once fully blended, add remaining ingredients and blend until everything is incorporated. If you don’t have any frozen bananas, go ahead and use fresh bananas but add in some ice.


*** Tip: Ripe Bananas – Buy bananas that are covered in brown spots, not bruises. Peel, place in zip-lock and freeze ahead of time for smoothies !

tiny helpers

Yesterday I had a client come in with a grasshopper in her hair!   Hee hee...  I just tossed him out the salon door.  Then today I had a client open her bag to pay me and out jumped a grasshopper.

It seems that everyone from Castle valley to Paradox is being over run by grasshoppers.   Jean said they had been actively fighting them and they still has stripped ALL of her trees.  Even the pine tree!  Did you know grasshoppers would eat pine needles?  I certainly didn't.

Everyone is talking about it and freaking out... everyone but me.

I am really grateful that the hoppers are not here because we just planted all those fruit trees.  Still, I wondered why the plaque passed us by.

As I was watering my flowers today I got my answer.

There she was in the flower pot.... eating a grasshopper for breakfast....  a beautiful Praying Mantis.  (yes I did take a photo, but it is really to gross to show)

  Upon closer inspection I could see that in every flower pot/bed that I have there is at least one Mantis.   Some of my pots have tons of babies in them and they are the cutest little things ever!

Can you see it?

This one gives you an idea of how tiny they really are.  See how it is already praying?

According to my animal totem book  mantises are all about stillness.

Praying Mantis Meanings in the Realms of Animal Symbolism
The mantis comes to us when we need peace, quiet and calm in our lives. Usually the mantis makes an appearance when we've flooded our lives with so much business, activity, or chaos that we can no longer hear the still small voice within us because of the external din we've created.
After observing this creature for any length of time you can see why the symbolism of the praying mantis deals with stillness and patience. The mantis takes her time, and lives her life at her own silent pace.

A quick-list of praying mantis symbolism:

• Stillness
• Awareness
• Creativity
• Patience
• Mindful
• Calm
• Balance
• Intuition

These traits have lead the mantis to be a symbol of meditation and contemplation. In fact, in China, the mantis has long been honored for her mindful movements.
The mantis never makes a move unless she is 100% positive it is the right thing for her to do. This is a message to us to contemplate and be sure our minds and souls all agree together about the choices we are making in our lives.
Overwhelmingly in most cultures the mantis is a symbol of stillness. As such, she is an ambassador from the animal kingdom giving testimony to the benefits of meditation, and calming our minds.
An appearance from the mantis is a message to be still, go within, meditate, get quite and reach a place of calm. It may also a sign for you to be more mindful of the choices you are making and confirm that these choices are congruent.

It is something to think about.  For now I am just happy not to have the hoppers.

chocolate crunch

wow! it seems like the PMS truck ran over me and then backed up and hit me again.

It is times like this that I find it the hardest to be good on my diet.  It is also the time that I need to be on point or my body is not going to heal.

I came up with this to satisfy my chocolate craving so I don't end up making brownies.  Ladies, this may just be the cure for PMS.

Chocolate Crunch

dark or semi-sweet chips
coconut
walnuts
sunflower seeds
almonds
1/4 t. sea salt
1/4 t. chili powder

This is SOOO easy it is crazy!  Just melt the chocolate in a double boiler.  Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl.  Make sure to get the nuts lightly coated.  Spread them evenly on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper and pop them in the freezer for a few minutes.  I like to store mine in a canning jar in the fridge.  These make cute gifts for the chocolate lovers in your life.

I know it sounds weird to put salt and pepper on your chocolate.... Trust me, you don't want to skip that step.  It is what makes this Amazing.

You can substitute any nuts, seeds or dried fruit that you like.  Enjoy!

Breakfast Burgers

As promised here is my next go to breakfast idea.

My parents raised their own beef this year and ((lucky me)) they were willing to share with me.  It had been quite a while since I could eat beef.  I had been vegan for so long that even when I started to eat meat again beef always made me ill.   I am not sure if I am just over it or if it is the difference in grass fed beef.  I am very happy that I can keep it down with no problems now. 

 

I just wanted to show how very lean this meat is.  I even had to add some olive oil to the pan to get it to cook.  See how these patties didn't really shrink at all?  I guess that is how you can tell it is from a happy cow.

Breakfast Burgers

1 pound ground beef

1/2 onion chopped

1/4 t. sea salt

1/2 t. cayenne pepper

1/4 t. ground cloves

1/4 t. allspice

1T. finely chopped rosemary

This is super easy and quick.  Mix everything in a bowl.  Then with your hands form little patties about half the size you would want a hamburger. 

Warm the oil (if you need it) in a pan one medium heat.  Cook the patties for about 3 minutes on one side and about 5 on the other.  They should be nicely browned and slightly pink on the inside.

When I have a long work day I am always so happy that I have these made up.  It is so easy to grab them out of the fridge and go.

Natural Aftershave

Most of the body recipes that I share are for girls.  Lets face it... all of my guinea pigs product testers are girls.

With Fathers day right around the corner I am thinking about the guys.  Most of my products can be tweaked to be more guy friendly by changing the essential oils. 

Oils and Herbs that work well for men are:  allspice, basil, bay, cedar wood, coriander, fir, lime, pine, rosemary, and sandalwood.

If you stand close to my hubby you will notice that he is pretty spicy.... just like I like it.  I have no idea if he loves it or just me but he keeps using the creams I make.

Isn't this the cutest bottle?  For most of my life it was setting on the counter in my grandparents house.  It held my grandpa's Listerine.  I think it is lovely and it makes me smile every time is see it in my bathroom cupboard.

Bay rum aftershave

2 cups of rum

1/2 cup crushed bay leaves

1/4 cup ground cloves

1/4 cup ground allspice berries

1/4 chopped fresh ginger

Cover the herbs in the rum in a clean glass jar and allow to steep for two weeks.  Strain out the herbs and store the remaining liquid in a pretty glass bottle.  I LOVE this one!  ...and I love the guy who wares it.

Island man aftershave

Juice of 2 limes

1 cup witch hazel

15 drops lime essential oil

10 drops lavender essential oil

10 drops bay essential oil

1 cup rose water

1 t. tincture of benzion

Combine all ingredients and store in a glass jar.   This one is sweet and spicy.  It is also quick and you don't have to wait two weeks to use it.

Note:  tincture of benzion is in there to help heal damaged skin.  You can put it in any of these recipes and it will be fine.

Herbal aftershave

2 cups witch hazel

1 T. rosemary

1 T. spearmint

1 cinnamon stick

7 whole cloves

Peel from 1 orange

Peel from one lime

1 t. tincture of benzion

Place all the ingredients in a glass bottle and allow to steep for two weeks. Strain out the herbs and bottle the liquid.  Splash on face after shaving.  Hubby says this one is invigorating!  There is something about the Orange in this one that I love.

A dab of this a bit of that...

My aunt Billie is one of my very best friends.  We have so much in common that I sometimes think I was born in the wrong branch of the family tree.  We both love rocks, herbs, hiking (looking for rocks), and cooking.  Our sense of humor is the same and our taste in most things are the same.  She is so very kind to K and always brings her little trinkets and glass animals. 

One thing that we do quite often is share recipes and taste test new foods.  One day she said "Bobbi, you are just going to have to show me how big a Bit and a Dab are because I can't make your spice cake taste right".  It turns out, by the way, that a dab is a heaping teaspoon and a bit is about half that. 

She gave me these the other day and I LOVE them!

They are cute right!  I have no idea if they are the correct measurements or just a joke...  I am totally going to use them though.  I can't wait to write my first recipe that calls for 2 smidgens of nutmeg. 

If you are wondering, she did get her a set too.  

I am so lucky to have a friend like Billie.  It feels so wonderful to be understood like that.

Turnip hash browns

Lets talk about breakfast for a moment.  Do you eat in the morning?

About half of the time I do not have breakfast.  This year I have developed some really serious health problems.... caused by my breakfast.  The combo of black tea/mate'/chai, 25 grams of whey protein, and coconut milk every other morning caused my body to become a fibroid making machine. 

I found a diet that is really helping and it was the biggest blessing when I saw that it is just like a more strict version of Primal blueprint with some girl friendly herbs and a cleanse tossed in.  If anyone out there needs the info let me know and I will send it to you.

The problem for me has not been changing the food really.  The problem has been changing my ritual in the morning.  I had no idea how important setting outside on the porch with my glass of tea was for my mental health.

It took at least a month to figure out what to do with all the new restrictions... so I fasted a lot.  The last 6 months I have gotten into a groove and I am thrilled to share with you that this change has made it possible for me to get down to my goal weight at last.   I haven't been this size since the year I did volley ball and track in high school.   ***happy dance***

So this month I want to share breakfast ideas that I love. 

Turnip Hash browns

1 medium turnip
1/2 onion
salt
pepper
oil

I love this one!  They are not going to get crunchy like a potato hash brown, but they won't be starchy and cause a sugar spike either.

I take 2 pieces of bacon and cut them in half so they will fit in my little frying pan.  As they are cooking I shred the turnip and dice the onion.  Mix together with the salt and pepper.  When the bacon is done take it out of the pan.  Do not drain off the oil.  Add the turnip mixture to the pan and mix in the oil.  Turn them a few times because they tend to burn easier than potatoes will.

I thought that the turnip would have a bite to it like when it is raw, but it doesn't.  It is actually very mild when cooked.

I top mine with salsa because I think most things taste better with salsa.