My Homemade Toothpaste

Coconut oil, tooth powder, and essential oil

Homemade Toothpaste

2 Tbsp. coconut oil

2 Tbsp. baking soda

2 Tbsp. bentonite clay

2 Tbsp. calcium magnesium powder

4 Tbps. xylitol

1 tsp. real sea salt powdered (must be powdered)

I doubled all this and put it in my vitamix to make sure it was in a fine powder so as to not be too abrasive and then store it in a glass jar. 

I give each container a couple of tablespoon of the powder and then pour in the desired amount of virgin coconut oil. I like the taste of it. I start with 1 T and then add more if I need to. 

Then I add to each container:

4 drops on guard oil, 2 drops melaluca oil and 2 drops peppermint oil (doTerra brand)

10 drops trace minerals (optional)

Most of my kids will use this and I use it too.

From: http://www.keeperofthehome.org/2012/04/rethinking-oral-health-care-a-homemade-toothpaste-recipe-for-tooth-remineralization.html

With a  little twist on my part.

Homemade mascara

This recipe came from: http://thankyourbody.com/all-natural-homemade-mascara/

Beeswax melting in coconut oil

3 filled mascara tubes

Today I tried a recipe that I've been wanting to try for a while. It just took a while to get all the right ingredents.

Homemade mascara

2 tsp coconut oil 
4 tsp aloe vera gel
1/2 tsp grated bees wax (grate then measure)
2 capsules of activated charcoal

a clean mascara container, from Amazon.com

Directions:

1. Put coconut oil, aloe vera gel, and grated bees wax in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir until beeswax is completely melted.

2. Open 1 – 2 capsules of activated charcoal (depending on desired color, about 1/4 – 1/2 tsp) and pour into oil mixture. Stir until completely incorporated. Remove from heat.

3. Pour into a small plastic bag, pushing the mixture down to one corner. Then cut a very small hole in the corner of the bag.

4. Fold the corner with the cut whole until you have a small tip that you can push into the empty mascara tube. (It’s much easier if you have an extra set of hands nearby to hold the tube in place!) Make sure the tip goes far enough into the tube or you’ll have a big mess on your hands!

5. Keep the small-hole-end securely in the tube (or get your helper to hold it in place). Begin pressing the mascara mixture toward the tube. Don’t move too quickly or it will come out and you’ll have mess to deal with. (I highly recommend doing this with a paper towel or napkin underneath.) Keep moving the mixture into the tube until it’s all in.

6. Place the inner cap in place and then twist the wand on tightly. Viola! Homemade mascara!

RESULTS:
So I can't say this was a success. I tried this today, Sunday, and I can't seem to get the substance to stick onto my eyelashes. What a bummer. I am going to have to comment on the blog I got it from and see if we can figure out why it worked for her and not me.

Egg rolls

Tonight we made egg rolls. So so yummy! We ate them all up so fast I didn't even get a piture of them. Sorry! 

Egg rolls (I have to double this recipe to feed my family)

1 C shredded/diced cooked chicken breast (boil it and save the broth)

5 C shredded cabbage

1 C shredded celery

½ C shredded carrot

Cook in stockpot for about 5 minutes with 1 C chicken broth.  Drain.

Add the meat and the following and mix:

1 T sugar

1 tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

1 tsp sesame oil (vegetable or olive oil will do)

This should make 14-16 portions.

2 T flour

2 T water

Mix for using as a flour paste

1 Pkg egg roll wraps

To wrap the egg rolls, place the egg roll skin of working surface.  Place a portion of filling in the middle of the egg roll skin.  Fold lower third of the egg roll skin over the filling.  Fold in the two ends and wrap the filling.  Moisten the top edge of the egg roll skin with the flour paste.  Continue to wrap the egg roll skin.  Rolls should be about 4 inches long.

Heat a pan of oil for deep-frying.  Deep-fry the egg rolls over medium heat for 4 minutes or until they are golden brown.  Remove and drain.  

I now fry them in expeller-pressed (non-flavored) coconut oil. It's great for frying because it doesn't change into a hydrogenated oil. I drain the oil and store it in the frig for future frying.

Sweet and Sour Sauce for Egg Roll dipping sauce

½ C evaporated cane juice sugar

2 T cornstarch

1/2 C chicken broth (I get this from the chicken I boiled.)

1/3 C red wine vinegar (this cannot be substituted for another vinegar)

1/3 C unsweetened pineapple juice, (I just take it out of the can)

¼ C finely chopped green bell pepper

1/4 C finely chopped pineapple

1 T soy sauce

¼ tsp garlic pd

¼ tsp ground ginger

In a small saucepan, combine brown sugar and cornstarch.  Stir in vinegar, pineapple juice, bell pepper, pimiento, soy sauce, garlic pd, and ginger (and broth).  Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly.  Cook and stir 2 minutes more.  Serve warm.

Beef Enchilada casserole

Beef enchilada casserole

homemade tortillas in an electic tortilla maker

6 out of 8 exploded!

This is one of our family favorites! We probably make it every month. I normally make it with store bought white flour tortillas and it's great! I am trying to experiment with making my own tortillas. Above I tried to make some with half white and half multigrain. Not a success! At all! We still ate it all gone, but I'm afraid I am going to have to stick with white tortillas. I want to try to make them again with just white flour.

Beef Enchilada Casserole

Sauce
5T Butter
1/2 C all-purpose flour
2 cans tomato sauce
2 cans (tomato sauce cans) water
1 tsp chili pd
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp onion pd
1/4 tsp garlic pd
1/2 tsp Beef Better than buillon
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp sugar (evaporated cane juice sugar)

Melt butter and add chili pd, cumin pd, onion pd, and garlic pd.
Mix and cook for one minute.
Add flour and make a roux.
Add tomato sauce and cans of water and whisk together to make the sauce.
Bring the sauce to a boil to thicken.
Add the rest of the seasonings/ingredients.

Meat
1 lb ground beef
1/2 onion minced
1 garlic clove minced
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can green chilies, diced

Brown the ground beef, then add the onion. Cook until onions are tender then add the garlic and saute it in the center for about one minutes. Then mix it all together. Then add the cream of mushrooms soup and chilies. Heat through. Divide this in the pan into two portions.

Other ingredients
8 oz shredded cheddar or colby jack cheese
6-8 burrito-sized flour tortillas quartered

Layer a little sauce on the bottom of a 9 x 13 or 10 x 14 casserole dish. (We use the larger.)
Layer 2 - 2 1/2 tortillas broken up into quarters.
Layer the meat mixture, cheese, and sauce.
Then layer 2 - 2 1/2 more tortillas, meat, cheese, and sauce.
Then layer the last 2 - 2 1/2 tortillas, sauce and then top with cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until bubbling.

Serve with sour cream and shredded/diced iceburg lettuce.

Homemade hand lotion

Homemade Hand Lotion  

The parts to making lotion include:  

a water (i.e. pure distilled water, floral hydrosols, or herbal infusions)

an oil (i.e. olive, grapeseed, jojoba, sweet almond, apricot, avocado, coconut, cocoa butter, shea butter)

an emulsifier (I’ve always just used beeswax)

natural preservatives (i.e. benzoin essential oils, vitamin E oil, grapefruit seed extract or rosemary oil extract),optional 

natural additives (color, fragrances, essential oils), optional

Ingredients

-4 ounces oil, 2 oz coconut oil, 1 oz jojoba oil, .5 oz shea butter, .5 oz olive oil
-2-4 ounces distilled water
-0.5 ounces beeswax
-0.5 ounces vegetable glycerin
-o.5 ounces witch hazel
-1/4 teaspoon vitamin E oil
-15 drops essential oils of lavender or deep blue, optional, I used doTerra Deep Blue

Measure out the oils and beeswax by weighing them on a kitchen scale. Add them to a wide-mouth pint sized glass mason jar. Using a makeshift double boiler method, place a washcloth on the bottom of a pot filled with water, then place the jar in the pot. Melt oils and beeswax over low heat, stirring occasionally.

Remove the jar of melted oils and beeswax from the pot and allow them to cool on the counter. Note: This is the most important step! It is important that  the oils, beeswax, water, vegetable glycerin and witch hazel all becoming room temperature prior to mixing. This must happen in order for the lotion to bind.    

Throughout the cooling process, blend the oil mixture with a food processor in order to produce a smooth texture. Once room temperature, begin slowing adding vegetable glycerin, witch hazel, and herbal infused water (and essential oils if using) in a slow steady stream while blending. Note: Add infused water, between 2-4 ounces, until you have reached desired thickness. As the lotion cools further, it will thicken.

 Pour into storage containers. This recipe will produce approximately 6-8 ounces of high-quality lotion. 

Recipe from: 

http://frugallysustainable.com/2012/03/a-recipe-for-calendula-lotion/

I wanted to make a rub for soar muscles by adding the Deep Blue essential oil. It turned out pretty weak. I wish I had divided up the lotion into portions and then just put the Deep Blue in one portion. Oh well.  :)

Egg green Chili Cheese puff casserole

Egg green chili cheese puff

10 eggs

½ C flour (I use half white  all purpose and half whole grain flour)

1 tsp. baking powder

¼ tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

¼ tsp onion powder

1/8 tsp garlic powder

½ pint (1 cup) small curd cottage cheese

6 oz. shredded cheddar or Colby jack cheese

4 T butter, sliced and diced

1 can diced green chilies
1/2 C milk

4-5 strips of bacon, or ½ lb. diced ground Jimmy dean sausage, cooked/crumbled

Optional: add about 1 cup total of sautéed onions, bell pepper, and mushrooms.

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Beat eggs.

3. Sift together the dry ingredients.

4. Blend well the dry ingredients into the eggs.

5. Stir in cottage cheese, shredded cheese, green chilies, breakfast meat, and sautéed vegetables.

6. In a 9 x 13 casserole dish, place the cut up butter and place it in the oven for 2 minutes only. Pull it out, swirl the butter around, and set it on the stove until you have everything else ready.

7. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the center is firm.

Serve hot with sour cream and salsa if desired. I love it as it is! It also makes great leftovers for the next morning.

(We have to double this and serve it in 2 casserole dishes to feed my family except we don't add the green chilies and the other vegetables to the second dish for the kids.)

Peanut Butter Fudge

I made this today. I had some raw cream that I needed to use up so I poured into my kitchen aid mixer and made me some raw butter. Then I made this. I actually always keep it in the freezer. Raw butter goes bad fast. My kids love it!

Peanut Butter Fudge from Health Home Happiness

½ C raw butter
½ C natural peanut butter
¼ C virgin coconut oil
¼ C raw honey
3 T cocoa powder
Dash of salt

Whip all ingredients in a Kitchen aid mixer.
Line an 9 x 13 casserole dish with parchment paper.
Pour PB fudge on the parchment paper and smooth out evenly.
Freeze for about 2 hours or so.
Pull the fudge out of the freezer and out of the dish using the parchment paper.
Cut into 1 inch squares and place in a plastic container.
Cover with a lid and keep refrigerated or frozen.