Blueberry Chia Jam

 

Just made a super easy and extremely tasty jam!!

Add 3 cups fresh blueberries to a small saucepan and heat over medium heat for 5 minutes.

Add 2 Tablespoons pure maple syrup and using a fork or masher, mash up about half of the blueberries and cook 5 more minutes. (I believe I mashed mine too much. 🙊)

Then, whisk in 3 Tablespoons chia seeds. Taste and adjust sweetener if needed. The chia seeds will thicken the jam after time.

Allow to cool and enjoy! 🍯🍞🍇🍓

You know all the ingredients and it's all natural! Add to toast, smoothies, or yogurt!

Recipe from: https://www.savorylotus.com/easy-3-ingredient-blueberry-chia-jam/

Toxic-Free Waterproof Sunscreen

The very talented Kate Doubler has a DIY sunscreen recipe that I have been using the last 3 summers and it is very easy to make, effective, and not full of all those harsh chemicals!  All you need is a double boiler, Mason Jar, coconut oil, sweet almond oil, beeswax, shea butter, vitamin E oil, ZincOxide powder, lavender essential oil, and storage containers.

Add in a double boiler:

• 1/2 cup coconut oil
• 1/4 cup sweet almond oil
• 1/4 cup beeswax
• 2 Tbsp. shea butter
• 1 tsp. vitamin E oil

Melt all then remove from heat and add liquid into a mason jar.  Add 20-30 drops of Lavender Essential Oil and 2 Tbsp. ZincOxide Powder.  Add the lid and shake (the reason for this step is so you avoid breathing in the zinc powder).

Pour into silicone containers or a glass jar.  I love these ones!

I store in the refrigerator after summer to help it last longer.  It works great and is even waterproof!

The first time I used it, I was pregnant and at the beach in Florida.  I was nervous thinking my hormones would whack everything up and the sunscreen wouldn't be effective, but I was wrong!  And an added bonus is the lavender oil as it is great for your skin and can help with burns.

ZincOxide has a natural SPF of 20 and Coconut Oil has an SPF of 10.  So this sunscreen is about 30 SPF.

Enjoy!!

xoxo ~K

Chapstick in a Jar

Since 7th grade, I have been a Blistex junkie.  I couldn't go ANYWHERE without it in my pocket.  My jeans even were faded from where I had it.  It was bad.  Needless to say, there have been studies done that prove addictive chemicals are added into chapstick to made it so addictive. 

Once I delved into the Holistic world, this was the first thing I wanted to make.  I got onto Pinterest and found some recipes.  They were ok, but not fabulous.  Then, my sister gave me some and it was FABULOUS! And it's only 3 ingredients!

To make, you will first need to get some empty chapstick containers.  I got mine on Amazon and they were cheap and nice.  You will also need 1/4 cup coconut oil, 1 Tablespoon and 1 teaspoon beeswax, your choice of essential oil, a large Mason jar, aluminum foil, a pot, and water.

Aluminum foil for Chapstick!?  Let me explain.....

When I first made chapstick, I'd spill most of it pouring it out of my large glass bowl used for my double boiler.  Then, I found a magical way to make chapstick.

Take some aluminum foil and fold into long pieces.  Add to the bottom of a pot and add a few inches of water.  Place your large Mason jar on the aluminum foil and bring the water to a boil.  Add the coconut oil and beeswax inside the Mason jar.  The aluminum foil acts as a barrier so the oil and wax does not burn.  Once the water is heated, it will melt the oil and beeswax. 

Once melted, remove from the pot and add 20 drops of your favorite Essential Oil.  I have used Peppermint and just recently used Eucalyptus and I love them both!  After the Essential Oils have been added, stir and then pour directly into the empty chapstick container. 

After cooled, add caps and enjoy! Makes about 13 tubes!

Body Butter Recipe

 
I was listening to my favorite Essential Oils Podcast and they shared a Body Butter recipe.  I was really wanting to make a moisturizer and everyone I had made so far, I have hated.  Well, this Body Butter recipe is the BEST!

If DIY-ing is scary to you, take a deep breath, and give it a try! If you find easy recipes, get a few items to use, and materials, you can make just about anything!! I have the following materials and have made a lot of stuff with them:

• Beeswax
• Shea Butter
• Cocoa Butter
• Coconut Oil
• A variety of other carrier oils (Sweet Almond, Jojoba, etc.)

To make the Body Butter, you will take 1/4 cup coconut oil, 1/4 cup sweet almond oil, 1/4 shea butter, and 1/4 cup cocoa butter and add to a double boiler. I use a glass bowl over a pan halfway filled with water.  Melt all of those then remove from heat.

I allow to cool about an hour then put it in the refrigerator.   This allows it to cool quicker.  If it was winter, I would have stuck it outside.  Around 2-3 hours later, take it out, mix around with a spatula and then add about 10-20 drops of your favorite Essential Oil.  I chose Peace and Calming because it's my favorite!

Then, use a hand mixer and whip away!!  Whip until stiff peaks.  And....viola!  You've made Body Butter!

DIY Foaming Hand Soap

This is by far the EASIEST DIY you will ever do!  You need a few ingredients that can be found at your local grocery store, co-op, or Amazon:

• Empty Foaming Hand Soap container (or reuse one!)
• Castile Soap (I prefer the Mild Baby so it's safe for even the littlest hands)
• Essential Oil of your choice (Get it here)
• Distilled Water

Simple add 1/3 cup Castile Soap to the Foaming Hand Soap container, then 5-10 drops of your favorite EO, fill almost all the way with distilled water, then add the top.  Leaving a little extra room will make sure it doesn't spill over.....which mine always does!  LoL.   But I just wash my hands with the spillage. 

That's it!! 

No need to shake or stir.  You could use regular tap water, but it would have a cloudy look.  The only key thing is to add the EOs to the Castile soap, because remember.....oil and water don't mix!

Enjoy and stay healthy!!

In good health,

xoxo~K

hApPy NeW yEaR- to a clean, chemical free year!

Happy 2017 everyone! As we embark on a new year, you may be making resolutions or intentions for the New Year.  This is a great time for new beginnings and fresh starts.

A start I would like you to consider is the chemicals in your home.  Yes I said it, chemicals.  Our homes are infested with hundreds of chemicals- hundreds!  From your candles, to air fresheners, to dryer sheets, to cleaning projects, to make up- they are toxic!!

A simple start to the new year is making your own cleaning products.  This can be as simple as vinegar and water in a spray bottle for an all purpose cleaner.  But Young Living makes an AH-MAZING cleaner base that can be used for SO much!  It's the Thieves Household Cleaner:

 

This can be used to make an all purpose spray, toilet bombs, a bathroom scrub, soft scrub, so many more possibilities!

Essential oils are also a great addition to any other cleaning product!  They are a great stepping stone for a healthy life and limiting (or eliminating) toxins and chemicals in your home.

May you have a healthy and prosperous 2017!

xoxo~K

DIY Laundry Detergent

I've made laundry detergent a few times and I always reverted back to the store bought kind.  I think it had a lot to do with the grating of the soap and always grating my fingernail.  LoL.

I just listened to a podcast that talked about all the chemicals in them that are mislabeled and lead to many complications.  Of course, I knew most of this and was so excited I had been using my DIY for a few months before.

But I've changed to a recipe that involves no grating (of soap OR my fingernail) and I am confident that this will keep me on track to always making my own.

Now I've always had the debate......powder vs. liquid detergent.  Our washer is very old, but still cleans so I am all about keeping it.  I feel like powder detergent gets them cleaner with an old machine but I also notice powder still in my pants that was left over.  Partly because I do not like to wash in warm so the powder never dissolves.  So I am reverting back to liquid.

I found this great recipe that uses liquid castile soap and no cook or wait time.  Also, it is Borax free!  Borax has a rating of an F on the EWG's website   because there’s “high concern” for developmental, endocrine, and reproductive effects.  I don't want any of that near my baby who now uses the same detergent as us.

DIY Chemical Free Laundry Detergent

• 2 gallon bucket
• 2 gallons water
• 1/2 cup Super Washing Soda
• 1/2 cup Baking Soda
• 3/4 cup castile soap (I use Dr. Bronner’s in lavender)
• 30 drops of Young Living Essential Oils (get your oils here)
• Large wooden/plastic spoon to stir
• 2 1-gallon glass containers

All you have to do it add the Super Washing Soda and a little warm water until dissolved, then do the same with the Baking Soda.  Add almost all the water and then at then end, add you castile soap and essential oils, mix and voila!   Use 1/3 cup per load.  

 May your clothing smell lovely and chemical free!

xoxo ~K

+ 1

Well hello there......

Shortly after my last post, I found out I was pregnant.  Naturally, everything came to a screeching halt and my whole perspective changed of everything!  I was so happy I had been delving into natural remedies, because there have been so many studies showing hundreds of chemical in umbilical cords.  And of course, I wanted what was only best for my little peanut.  

And since my last post, the Young Living Premium Starter Kit has changed their oils.  So I've decided to stop posts only about oils in the kit, but share other oils, natural remedies, DIYs, and recipes.

So I wanted to start by spotlighting the Gentle Baby blend from Young Living.  I used before and after pregnancy and LOVE it!

 

Gentle Baby is a blend of Coriander, Geranium, Palmarosa, Lavender,  Ylang Ylang, Roman Chamomile, Bergamot, Lemon, Jasmine, and Rose essential oils.  It has a soothing and calming effect for both mothers and children.  

My most favorite use for it was a stretch mark oil I made from Real Food RN.  It's called Miracle Stretch Mark Oil and let me tell you....IT WAS!  I gain 40 (!) pounds and don't have one stretch mark to show for it (except a C-section scar because baby had other plans.....may post about my birth story soon....).  

This was also a great to diffuse around baby. It just has a great smell and great calming when all you want to do is scream and cry your eyes out all at once after baby arrives.  

The Miracle Stretch Mark Oil is a great thing to make for those newly pregnant mamas out there.  If interested in ordering, please see my link.

In good health,

xoxo~K

**Elderberry Syrup**

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving!  Now that winter has set in in the East Coast, I wanted to share about Elderberry Syrup. 

My favorite Yoga Instructor/Herbologist Melita posted a WoNdErFuL holistic medicine for boasting your immune system during our nasty cold season.  I immediately went to our co-op to buy the ingredients and made it.  I had a nasty sinus infection, which my essential oils helped cure (blog about those coming soon....) but I still had a cough. 

I made it and took some every hour for a half day.  The next day, I felt great!  I continue to take it each day in the morning as a precaution, and not to mention it tastes great!  As a teacher, I come in contact with about 2,856,491 germs a day, so the least sick I am the better!

Here is the recipe.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!  And let's hope for a sick-free winter season!