Homemade, Old-Fashioned Rice Pudding

 

Rice pudding is one of life's simple pleasures.  It is so easy to make, and so yummy!  I especially like this recipe because it uses so little rice :)  I would rather taste the rich milk than have to chew a mouthful of rice in my pudding.                                                              


Here is the oh-so-simple recipe for this delicious dessert:

4 cups milk
3 T rice (I used basmati)
1/2 t salt
1/4-1/2 c natural sweetener (honey, maple syrup, agave nectar, etc)
1 t vanilla extract





Combine all ingredients and pour into a buttered 1 1/2 quart casserole.  Bake at 325 degrees F for about 3 hours.  Stir occasionally during the first hour.   Chill before serving.  (I like to mix in raisins for an added treat) Enjoy!

 

 

5 Steps to a Chemical-Free Morning Routine

I love to use products that I've made myself.  No label-reading necessary, because I know exactly what is in them.  And, my friends are always willing to be guinea pigs for my homemade concoctions, so I get free feedback from them.  If something doesn't work for any or all of them, I can make adjustments until it is perfect! 

 

In this post, I am going to share with you 5 easy steps to make your own chemical-free bathroom products- just imagine, a morning routine that doesn't involve bathing yourself in chemicals and synthetic perfumes!  

 

 

Step One:  Make your own tooth powder!! 
Did you know that, historically, fluoride has been added to water supplies as a poison?  Yes, fluoride is a toxic chemical that has been forced upon us in drinking water and conventional toothpaste.  You can take my word for it, or do your own research (here's a good article, or this one). Here's the good news: you can rid your life of fluoride-ridden toothpaste!  Make your own tooth powder :)  Here's the recipe I use every day:

Tooth Powder
2 T aluminum-free baking soda
1 t fine sea salt
1/2 t cinnamon
1/8 t clove powder-or-5 drops clove essential oil

Mix ingredients well and keep in a sealed container.  To use:  wet your tooth brush, then dip bristle tips into powder.  Brush as usual.  This powder will not only clean your teeth but give you fresh breath as well!

Step Two:  Make your own deodorant!!
Please read the ingredients label on your stick of conventional deodorant.  First off, can you identify all the ingredients?  Didn't think so.   The worst ingredient in conventional deodorant (in my opinion) is the aluminum.  I read an article recently that said 100% of malignant breast tumors contain aluminum... where would the tumors absorb this aluminum?  My guess is:  conventional deodorant! 

Although "natural" deodorants work, I am still not convinced that they are totally safe.  Better safe than sorry- make your own!!  Here's the recipe I use every day:

Deodorant Paste
3 T coconut oil
2 T shea butter
1 T beeswax
4 T aluminum-free baking soda
essential oils (about 5-10 drops)

Melt your oils over low heat (heat until beeswax is completely melted).
Add baking soda and stir... and stir... and stir until everything is mixed thoroughly.  You can take breaks in between stirring.  When mixture has cooled and started to solidify, you can add your essential oils (I like orange and ginger).  Store in a cleaned deodorant tube or a small pot in your bathroom.  This can be spread on or rubbed in with your fingers.

Step Three:  Make your own lotion!!
Once again, read your labels!  Store-bought lotion is nothing but chemicals with a little oil thrown in.  Do you really want to slather chemicals on your body right out of the shower?  That doesn't sound too clean to me.  Here is a very simple recipe that I use every day (including on my face):

Body Butter
3oz shea butter
3oz cocoa butter
3oz coconut oil
3oz almond or grapeseed oil
essential oils (optional)

Melt solid oils over low heat, then let them cool for 30 minutes.
Add liquid oil and any essential oils for scent.
Chill until mixture starts to solidify.
Whip with a hand mixer until light and fluffy!
You can store this in your bathroom in a sealed container, as long as it doesn't get too hot.

Step Four:  Make your own shampoo and conditioner!!
Check out my recent posts on liquid shampoo and vinegar rinse and henna bar shampoo!
Store-bought shampoo has lots of chemicals- some for lather, some for shine, some for sensitive scalp, etc.  If you just use a homemade, chemical-free shampoo, you will have lather, shine and a healthy scalp, and without all those added chemicals :)

Step Five:  Make your own soap!!
This is  a big step, but I know you can do it!  There are many how-to videos and instructables online that teach soap-making basics.  I have also done a detailed post on making goat milk soap.  If you are not comfortable making your own, just be careful when buying soap at the store.  Pick soaps that do not have synthetic scents and chemical additives.  Some skin problems, like eczema, are aggravated by harmless-looking ingredients and fragrances.

If this list looks very daunting to you, just take it one step at a time!  Try one recipe per week, or two if you're feeling motivated :)  You can rid your life of chemicals and feel good about doing it.  Enjoy!

Homemade Herbal Wine

I have been wanting to make my own wine for years!  Not the nitrate-ridden, chemically enhanced wine you buy at the store, but naturally-fermented, organic wine that I have made without any added crud.  When researching online for wine recipes, I had a very hard time finding anything that didn't call for "yeast and nutrient", "enzymes", or "Campden tablets".  All I want is old-fashioned wine, is that too much to ask?  Way back when, they didn't have all those fancy additives, and I don't want to use them.

I discovered that my favorite online herb store, The Bulk Herb Store, carries a product called Berry Herbal Brew- a naturally-fermented herbal wine mix!  I was curious and wanted to try it for myself... I already had a few cups of organic, homegrown, wild muscadine grapes that I picked on our property- that was a good start!

The directions for Berry Herbal Brew called for ingredient in "parts":  one part herbal mix, three parts water, two parts seeded grapes, one part blueberries, one and one-half parts sugar.  The ingredients in the herbal mix are listed here- nothing artificial, no commercial yeasts, no crud!  \

The final product is a non-pasteurized, no-nitrate wine that is fruity, tasty and full of herbal goodness!  I let mine brew for three weeks and finally strained and bottled it today.  It filled an empty wine bottle I had saved for this purpose, plus there was about a glassful left over to sample :)  I am amazed that my first attempt at homemade wine turned out so well!

So, if you are interested in making your own homemade wine, don't settle for those recipes calling for extra crud!  Wonderful homemade wine can  be made from  nothing but fruit, herbs and sugar.  Enjoy!

Homemade Henna Shampoo Bar

A few years back, I found and printed out a recipe for a shampoo bar.  It interested me, but I had my favorite store-bought shampoo and was unwilling to give it up... now, after trying my hand at liquid shampoo, I am ready to take it to the next level :)  Although I was satisfied with the liquid shampoo,   I was curious to try a shampoo bar on my fine, thin hair.  With the liquid shampoo, my hair is left a bit heavy, like I used a little too much product when styling it- even when I let it air dry with no product whatsoever. 

With the shampoo bar, my hair is shiny, light, soft and manageable!  Here's a picture of what my hair looks like after washing with the bar, using a vinegar rinse, and air-drying (keep in mind that I have not been kind to my hair in the recent past):

The original recipe that caught my eye so many years ago was from the Snowdrift Farms website, which has since shut down.  I changed the oils to suit my needs, and added henna leaf powder and coconut milk to improve the health of my abused hair and scalp.  Here is my revised shampoo bar recipe (oil and lye measurements are by weight, milk and water are fluid oz.):

Oils:

15 oz coconut oil

12 oz macadamia nut oil

6 oz castor oil

4 oz palm oil

3 oz jojoba oil

Lye (NaOH)

5.5 oz.

Liquids:

5 fl oz coconut milk ( I used canned., organic milk)

10 fl oz water ( I froze the water before adding lye)

At trace, I added:

1 oz henna leaf powder

0.4 oz chamomile flower powder

0.4 oz silk protein liquid

splash rosemary essential oil

While the ingredient list is extensive, this recipe is well worth the trouble!  

You make the shampoo bar just as if you were making lye soap.  

**If you need detailed directions, please see my other post on making  goats milk soap.  The only difference would be that I added the coconut milk directly to my heated oils and mixed the lye with the ice/water.**

I am so happy I found a more natural way to make my hair look healthy.  No more crazy, long chemical names on my shampoo bottles- and no more bad hair days, either!  Enjoy!

For other shampoo/conditioner recipes, chose a type:
hot process liquid shampoo and cream conditioner
liquid shampoo and vinegar rinse

Homemade Almond Flour + Cake Recipe!

I have been using a lot of almond flour recently.  Since I am trying to cut out grains, almond flour is my go-to ingredient when it comes to baking.  My kids seem to enjoy it, although they really miss soft wheat bread...  almond flour bread has more texture to it, but the taste is great!

 

Since the almond flour at the store is over $11 per bag (Bob's Red Mill), I have researched and learned how to make my own at home.  Although it is not as clean-looking as the store-bought kind (I use whole almonds with the skin on), the end result is just as light and fluffy.  And, my recipes turn out fantastic :)

 

What you'll need for your own homemade almond flour:

Raw or soaked/dried almonds

A powerful food processor (I use a Magic Bullet mixer)

A metal colander (see picture below)

 

 

 

 

Put about a cup of almonds into your mixer and process for about 10-15 seconds.  Do not process too long or the oils in the almonds will make your flour clump.  Don't worry if you notice chunks of almonds- we'll get rid of those shortly!

 



 

 

Here's the metal colander that I use as a sifter.  Do not use your regular flour sifter because the almond flour will clog it up! I just hit the colander gently against my hand and the small soft almond pieces fall through.  What you are left with can go back into the processor for another round of grinding:

 



 

 

 

 

The end result is very finely ground almond flour! 

 

 



 

What I don't use in the following recipe goes into a jar to be stored in the refrigerator.

 

Homemade Almond Flour Cake

2 1/2 c almond flour

1/2 t baking soda

1/2 t salt

6 T honey

1/4 c liquid coconut oil

1 T vanilla extract

1 t lemon juice

3 large eggs, separated

 

Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees F.

 

In a large bowl, mix together first 3 ingredients.  In another bowl, mix together the rest of the ingredients, excluding egg whites. Mix the wet ingredients into the dry until just incorporated.

 

Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form, then fold them into the other mixture.  Mix thoroughly but gently.

 

Pour into small, greased glass pan (for cake) or muffin tin (for muffins).  I used a buttered cast iron corn bread pan :)

 



 

 

I found that this recipe is perfect for 8 wedge-shaped "cakes" in my cast iron pan!  Bake for 10-20 minutes, depending on the type of pan you use (less for muffins, more for cake).  My "cakes" took approx. 18 minutes to cook to golden perfection.  They are done when browned and center is set.

 



 

 

These "cakes" are moist and sweet!  No need for any glaze or topping.  I think this recipe would also taste amazing with additions such as raisins, chopped nuts or apples.  Enjoy!

Homemade Shampoo and Conditioning Rinse

 

 

I am really excited about this post!  Homemade shampoo has been on my list of "things to do" for quite a while, but I hadn't found a recipe that really caught my eye until now.  (Check out the inspiration for this post at Instructables!)  The recipes are simple and can be tailored to any type of hair. 

 

My hair is fine and thin, so I paired my homemade shampoo with a vinegar rinse.  The rinse will help with any heavy feeling that is left after shampooing.  Without the rinse, my hair feels like I have a lot of product in it- even though I could use some body, I cannot use this shampoo without a rinse.  

 

I have a good friend who has naturally curly hair, and she uses her normal conditioner with this shampoo, with excellent results!  She told me her hair feels light and clean, just like after a trip to the salon :). 

 

Here's what you'll need for your own homemade shampoo:

 

1/2 c castille soap (I used Dr Bronners Citrus Hemp Castille Soap)

1/2 c water

2 t jojoba oil

2 t glycerine (I used a homemade green tea extract in glycerine)



Mix all ingredients in a large, glass measuring cup, then pour into dispensing bottles!  Make sure to shake well before using.  I squirt this directly into my wet hair, as it is very watery (but it makes amazing lather!).

For a vinegar rinse, just use 1 quart water (or tea- I used a strong linden leaf tea) and 3/4 c vinegar (you can use whatever kind you have on hand- I used apple cider vinegar).  Mix.

Use 1/2-3/4 c per rinse- just work through your hair to your scalp and leave it on while you wash your body.  Then, rinse and let your hair air dry!  When it's dry, no vinegar scent :)  Enjoy!

GAPS Diet, Days 1-5

For those of you who don't know, the GAPS diet (outlined in Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride's book, Gut and Psychology Syndrome) is a diet designed for healing the gut and improving overall health.  Since our immunities are located in our digestive tract, it is logical to believe that with better gut health comes better overall well-being.

Since beginning the diet last week,  I have had my ups and downs which include a bit of detox and frustration over planning meals that are not based on wheat and starchy foods.  Although I have adopted a more traditional diet over the past few years, I am still struggling with meal planning.  I think this diet is even more frustrating because I have one very picky eater (one out of four ain't bad) who has refused to try almost everything I have set in front of her...

There have been some very satisfying accomplishments, as well.  My picky eater has tried two new foods that she would normally turn her nose up at, and my youngest son will try (and enjoy) anything and everything I put in front of him.  My own health has also started to improve!  I feel less "full" when I wake up, and my sleep has been more restful.  I have also had some itchy skin issues, which have started to subside since starting the diet.  Although I am experiencing detox symptoms (both emotional and physical), I believe the pros outweigh the cons of continuing with the new menu!

Just a recap of these past few days:

almond flour pizza

Day one:

We tried our first new recipe- pizza, made with almond flour crust.  I wanted to start with something familiar so that it would be less traumatizing for the kids.  This was a wise decision, and three out of four kids enjoyed the meal, especially when I warmed up some garlic butter to dip the pizza- YUM.  This recipe is a keeper.

Although the GAPS book states that bone stocks are good for digestion, I have yet to get any of my kids to try them... I have about 5 gallons of turkey, chicken and beef stock on hand for any takers.  I don't relish the flavor, but I can get down a cup at a time (with a little added Celtic salt).

almond flour bread

Day two:

Okay, I went a little crazy with the almond flour today.  I found a great website called Elana's Pantry , which has amazing resources for special diets, including grain-free recipes.  I made her almond flour bread (a BIG winner for my "picky eater"), almond flour biscotti, and got countless other recipes to try down the road.  A big "thank you" to bloggers like Elana who make my life easier!

I made my first batch of soup today- made with chicken stock, carrots, zucchini, garlic, homemade sour cream and various herbs.  I blended it up with my immersion blender (my kids don't like chunky soup) and it was fantastic.  I made enough for two meals.

For dinner, we ate fish cutlets with homemade ketchup ( recipes in the GAPS book recipe section) and vegetables.  Only two of the kids liked them.  Oh well!

almond flour biscotti

Day three:

Made almond flour pancakes today (another Elana's Pantry recipe), and they were a hit!  Good thing, too, because the rest of the day was a flop... I got frustrated with a couple new snack recipes (don't ever say something tastes just like cheesecake if it really doesn't!  That was cruel.), and I have vowed to stick to more familiar things in the future.  Oh, one more thing... if you've never tried to make "ice cream" from frozen bananas and you don't like bananas, just don't do it.  It tastes like bananas- even when you mix it with homemade peanut butter.  Really, take my word for it.

I have found that some of my go-to recipes fit the GAPS recipe criteria, so I am trying to stick with familiar items I know my kids will eat.  My French roast chicken is a great choice for my family!

Day four:

I am so glad eggs are on the GAPS menu!  Although my kids don't like runny yolks (like the diet recommends), they are more than willing to eat our chickens' eggs for breakfast, lunch and dinner.  I may try adding things to their scrambled eggs, like spinach or tomatoes... We are also lucky to have a butcher shop right down the street that sells fresh pork sausage and bacon!  These are staples in our breakfast menu.

The kids are not thrilled with taking probiotics in capsule form, so they are starting every day with a small glass of kombucha, flavored with fruit.  I am sticking with a daily probiotic in addition to my regular consumption of kombucha.  Probiotic intake is crucial to rebuilding good flora in our guts.  I am also trying to get the kids to try fermented veggies, but haven't had much luck- my youngest son will eat the smallest amount of my homemade kimchi, which is a good start!

We went to a youth group meeting tonight and the kids totally fell of the wagon- I let them decide what to eat, and they all ate at least one or two homemade Christmas cookies.  I had a sip of some blueberry cordial, so they weren't the only ones cheating...

I am definitely feeling some detox symptoms today.  I feel a bit tired and very, very irritable!  And my face has broken out badly- for the first time in quite a while.

Day 5

I made beef liver pate'.  I have always liked pate', but it turns out my kids don't.  Another failure!

For dinner, I made white beans (great northern, or navy) and ham in beef broth- my younger two liked them to the point they wanted seconds!  I think it helped that I seasoned them with a small sprinkling of Cajun spices.  My older son ate it, but didn't care for it... my picky eater said she wasn't hungry.

I am feeling a bit better today.  Detox symptoms have started to subside, and I have more energy.  It will take a while for my face to clear up, but no new blemishes!

I am determined to stick with the diet for as long as I can.  My kids may or may not follow my lead.  It will be a long journey but hopefully worth the effort.  :)  Since I will be on this diet long-term, I will not be updating daily, but my posts will reflect my new diet.  I am excited about learning new recipes and sharing them with you!  Enjoy!