Salad. That five letter word that was my nemesis for so many years. I just couldn’t get into them. Side dish? Yes. Main event? No no no. They just never satisfied me. When I went Keto in January I read Mark Sisson’s book, The Keto Reset Diet. And he touted something called the “big ass salad.”
Maybe it is the way he worded it, but my mind warmed up to it. Basically add what you want to it to make it tasty. You into hot sauce? That’s ok too 😂 Here is what I commonly use in mine.
Lettuce (I prefer a mix of romaine and iceberg) Shaved Cheese Cherry Tomatoes Cucumbers Nuts (Pistachios) Protein Source (chicken, eggs or salmon for me usually) Dressing (I use Avocado oil and Balsamic Vinegar) Seasonings (I keep it simple with salt and pepper)
Then eat and repeat. It has been working for me. I actually am enjoying making new “creations” with what I have on hand. So for all you fellow “foodies” out there try it. You May get into “big ass salads” too 😉
Let’s be honest, here. When we buy produce from the store, do you wash it before using it? If so, how do you know you’re washing it in the best way you can?
Freshly bought produce (yes, even organic), is FILTHY. It may not look like it, but oh my – it needs a serious bath. Between the many hands of others that have touched it, to people breathing and coughing and sneezing on it, to being sprayed for preservation on the farms and in the warehouses, to being loaded and packed and shipped and coming in contact with all kinds of other invisible culprits, I’ll say it again – our store bought produce is filthy. The most contaminated fruits and vegetables are some of our favorites – peaches, strawberries, pears, lettuce, apples, cherries, bell peppers, spinach, nectarines, grapes, celery, and potatoes!
I bet that’ll make you think twice before you just do a quick rinse and take a bite out of your new apple, huh?
Look how dirty my water is after washing strawberries!
WHAT IS IT?
Young Living’s Fruit & Veggie Spray safely and effectively washes produce with the cleansing power of three exclusive essential oil blends—DiGize, Thieves, and Purification. When combined with the other naturally derived ingredients, produce is easily and conveniently cleaned.
Considering all the horrific things that may be atop our produce that are grossing us out big time, wouldn’t you want to wash that off with the purest, most natural, healthy, safe, and effective product – especially one infused with powerful essential oils? YES. And that is exactly what this wash can do, and so much more. It is the best choice for you because it:-Utilizes plant based ingredients -Cleanses produce back to the way nature intended them to be -Naturally removes residue safely and powerfully with the help of concentrated and genuine essential oils -Does not effect the taste of produce after soaking …and so much more!
HOW DO I USE IT?
When using Thieves Fruit & Veggie Soak, it’s simple!
-Get a clean bowl or sink, and fill it up with clean water -Add 1-2 capfuls of Thieves Fruit & Veggie Wash, and pour into the water (depending on how much produce you’re washing, the bottle will specify how much you should use) -Put your fruits and veggies into the water -Let them soak for 1-2 minutes (I let them soak for longer sometimes) -Take them out and rinse under clean water And, WHALLA! Perfectly clean produce, with no more residue, and without effecting the taste.
All Clean!
To purchase Thieves Fruit & Veggie Soak for 24% , click here
Someone asked me this morning if I dread getting older. I replied back heck no! To me age is the great leveler. The older I get the more I actually feel like I can relate to people. I have always been an old soul but burying parents, struggling to have a child and otherwise growing up way before my peers has made me feel different. It is hard to relate to people when they complain that their parents won’t pay this for them or they complain about their parents not watching their kids when my parents weren’t even there for the birth of my son and never will be there for him. I am a strong person but yes it gets hard and some days I struggle with it. So yes, I am loving getting older. Every year makes me feel less different and the wisdom that comes with age is pretty nice too.
Brian’s birthday was yesterday. He made a cake for both of us. It was delicious and I am sure to have another piece today. Lol. He truly has become a master in the kitchen and I am so lucky to have him in my life. We are going out just the two of us Friday night. It will be nice to get away for a few hours and enjoy a nice dinner.
This next year will be a big one. Transitioning out of one decade into another. Lots of changes. But regrets about getting older? Not here. Not here.
On Saturday my neighbor hosted a Essential Oil Make-n-Take Class for me. It was so much fun and we made three DIY recipes using essential oils. But if I am honest this soup here STOLE the show. Literally. My host made this soup to serve the guests and along with a Sangria all of us went back for seconds and maybe thirds…. We were still talking about the soup while we were making our homemade Thieves Cleaning Wipes, Room Spray and Foaming Hand Soap!
The soup was essential oil infused using Basil, Lemongrass and Ginger essential oils from Young Living’s Vitality Line. Young Living’s Vitality line of essential oils are specifically labeled for dietary use! Go here to see the entire line up and details. Below is the soup recipe. Try it for yourself and I dare you to not go for seconds!!
Coconut Milk Chicken Soup
4 Cups Chicken Broth (she made her own using a chicken thigh but I am sure the packaged kind would work too)
1-2 Large Yellow Onions, sliced
3-4 Large Carrot, diced
3-4 Celery Stalks, diced
2 Potatoes, diced
1 Whole Cooked Chicken Breast, diced or shredded
1 Carton (not can. Carton is creamier) 15 oz. Coconut Milk. You may double this amount if you want richer broth
1-2 Tbsp. Asian Fish Sauce
1-2 Tbsp. Fresh Lemon Juice
1 Small Zucchini, halved and sliced
1/2 – 1 tsp. Salt (optional)
1-2 drops Young Living Basil Vitality Essential Oil
1-2 drops Young Living Lemongrass Vitality Essential Oil
1 drop Young Living Ginger Vitality Essential Oil
In a large soup pot, simmer chicken broth. Add onions, carrots, celery and potato; simmer 2 minutes. Add chicken and simmer an additional 5 minutes. Add coconut milk, fish sauce, lemon juice, zucchini and salt. Simmer another 5 minutes. Take off heat and add essential oils. Makes 6 servings.
You can purchase Young Living Essential Oils here. To get the cheapest pricing become a member and get this awesome Essential Oil starter kit for a reduced price! You get a diffuser plus 11 bottles of oils for $160. Some of these bottles are from the Vitality line so you can get to cooking with them right away! It is a lifetime membership so no monthly minimums, etc. Just do it already! I have been a member almost two years now and I love it more everyday. So many ways to support your health and wellness! The kit comes with the following essential oils:
Peppermint Vitality
Lemon Vitality
Copaiba Vitality
Thieves Vitality
DiGize Vitality
R.C. Blend
Frankincense
Purification Blend
Lavender
Panaway Blend
Stress Away Blend
PLUS a diffuser of your choice! All these oils can be used for everyday needs. And the diffuser makes it SO easy to incorporate the oils into your life. I use mine daily and I even keep a diffuser at my desk at work. Needless to say my co-workers love to drop by and say hello! lol. Just get yours already!
The other weekend we hosted some family in our home. Brian loves to cook for guests and he wanted to make a breakfast dish that could feed a group yet be a cinch to cook. Oh, and it had to be gluten free. This should be easy…not. But it was! Enter the Apple Dutch Baby. This large, fluffy pancake is excellent for breakfast, brunch, lunch and dessert any time of year. And it comes together in about five blessed minutes. Just dump all of the ingredients into a blender, give it a good whirl, pour it into a heated skillet sizzling with butter, and pop it into the oven. Twenty-five minutes later? Bliss.
Spiced Apple Ingredients:
1 Apple, cored, peeled, and sliced
2 Tablespoons butter
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
½ teaspoon cinnamon
Directions:
In a skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add apples and cook for 4-5 minutes.
Add brown sugar and cinnamon and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes.
Remove from heat
Pancake Ingredients:
¾ cup of flour (Gluten Free Bob’s Red Mill, Einkorn Flour, or Cup4Cup)
¾ cup of milk (room temperature)
3 eggs
3 tablespoons of butter
1 tablespoon of sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
½-1 teaspoon of almond extract
¼ teaspoon of salt
Cooking Directions:
Preheat oven to 400F with skillet in oven. Stainless steel or cast iron skillets work well for this recipe.
Add milk, eggs, sugar, vanilla, almond extract, salt, and flour to blender.
Blend on medium-high speed until the batter is a uniform consistency and foamy.
Add butter to skillet and place back in oven until melted.
Swirl butter to coat skillet.
Pour butter in batter and blend until incorporated.
Pour batter into skillet. Arrange apple slices on top of batter.
Bake 20-25 minutes until pancake is puffed and lightly browned.
Remove from pan, dust with confectioners’ sugar or whipped cream if desired. Slice and serve pancakes.
My husband has been gluten free for over 8 years now. In the beginning we were lucky to find one gluten free flour mix at the grocery store. Now there’s pancake mixes, flour mixes, cookies and cakes… and they’re all made with gluten-free ingredients that have been deemed safe. But what if it didn’t have to so complicated?
What if eating gluten-free was as simple as choosing a better wheat flour?
Scientifically speaking of course, that can’t be true. By definition, all wheat flours – all-purpose, bread, whole wheat (hard red and soft white), spelt, kamut,, etc. – contain gluten. It’s how they were created and that’s that.
But the wheat on stores shelves today is NOT the same wheat that we once consumed long ago.
Like many other foods, wheat has been optimized for the benefit of the farmers, creating bigger yields and disease resistant crops. However, the changes that benefit the farmers could also be to blame for the recent rise of gluten-free sensitivities, intolerance and celiac disease. (source)
This is bad news across the board, whether you have food allergies or not.
A few months ago we discovered Einkorn Wheat Flour and every time we have cooked with it my husband has NOT gotten sick. This is amazing as he gets sick from food just fried in the same oil as products containing wheat! It has been life changing for us.
What Is Einkorn Wheat?
Early on in the history of wheat, Einkorn grew wild in the Far East. Soon thereafter, the first farmers began to plant and harvest Einkorn, making it one of the earliest crops. As an unmodified, ancient grain, Einkorn contains 14 chromosomes.
A little while later, Emmer spontaneously appeared. Emmer is the first hybridization of wheat, being part wild wheat and part goat grass, and contains 28 chromosomes.
Then, Spelt emerged. Spelt is a hybrid of Emmer and goat grass, intentionally bred by migrant farmers in order to keep the desirable traits of goat grass and diminish the undesirable traits of Emmer. Spelt is the second hybridization and has 42 chromosomes.
Over time, farmers bred Spelt and Emmer to create today’s Durum Wheat, Spelt and Soft Wheat. These too have 42 chromosomes and along with Hard Red Spring, are the most common varieties of wheat used in the market today.
So Einkorn grain is the oldest form of cultivated wheat. But most of the wheat that is used today is a hybrid. Hybridization can happen naturally when plants are near each other and the wind blows and cross pollinates. But that is not what we are talking about with the modern hybrid wheat. Modern wheat was engineered to have shorter stalks to create less waste and fuller heads of grain to produce more product. The problem with this hybrid wheat is that it has been engineered to contain 3 genomes and 42 chromosomes while the old Einkorn wheat only has 14 chromosomes! Those extra chromosomes create new proteins that man was never intended to consume. They are foreign to the body and can cause confusion in the digestive system.
The Effect of Einkorn Gluten Versus Modern Wheat Gluten
This gluten chart shows the low-gluten content of Einkorn Flour in comparison with other grains.
All wheat contains gluten, and gluten consists of two proteins:
gliadin (which causes the rise)
glutenin (which causes elasticity)
Most individuals with gluten issues react negatively to the gliadin.
Einkorn has a higher ratio of gliadin to glutenin, so naturally we would think that it would be far worse for individuals with gluten sensitivities than modern wheat. However, because Einkorn is not hybridized, the original DNA structure remains intact and actually helps the body to digest these gluten proteins properly.
From the way the starches in Einkorn are structured together, to the naturally high level of protein, to the ratio of soluble to insoluble proteins found in Einkorn wheat – it all remains unchanged as it was many years ago, equipping the body with the tools needed in order to break down and properly digest the grain.
So what does all this mean for you and me?
It means that people who are gluten sensitive or gluten intolerant are often able to consume Einkorn.
This does NOT mean that people with celiac disease are able to consume wheat. That is an entirely different issue.
So while einkorn flour isn’t gluten-free, it has been found to lack some of the proteins that people with gluten intolerances can’t manage to digest. So if you have a gluten sensitivity — but one not as severe as celiac disease — einkorn flour may prove a good alternative to modern flours for you.
Where to Find Einkorn
Einkorn Wheat was lost in the hubub of modern wheat for a long time, so despite being a very old grain, it’s relatively new to the current market of wheat. A few health brands carry it currently. Young Living is one of them.
They currently carry five items with Einkorn:
Einkorn Flour
Einkorn Pancake and Waffle Mix
Einkorn Spaghetti
Einkorn Rotini – NEW
Einkorn Granola – NEW
If you are interested in ordering please click here to do so. Finding this flour has been HUGE for us and I am excited to see what other products Young Living will come out with using Einkorn Flour!
I have always enjoyed oatmeal cookies, but often thought that they were missing that little extra something. For this recipe I added in ground ginger and ground clove. Everyone who has tried them loves the dimension the extra spices give the cookies.
Einkorn Flour has more protein and lower gluten levels than traditional wheat flour. Click here to learn more on why Einkorn Flour is a great ancient grain to add to your diet.
Tips:
If you add more ginger and clove to the batter the cookies will take on that distinctive ginger snap flavor.
If you want a more dominate cinnamon flavor, reduce the clove and ginger or remove completely from your cookies.
Ingredients:
½ cup butter + 3 tbsp, softened
¾ cup brown sugar firmly packed
½ cup sugar
2 eggs
2 cups Einkorn Flour
3 cups oatmeal
1 tsp vanilla
½ tsp almond extract (optional)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
¼-1/2 tsp ground clove
½ – 1 tsp ground ginger
½ tsp salt
1 cup raisins
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350F
In large bowl beat sugar and sugar until creamy.
Add eggs, vanilla, almond extract, and spices. Beat until incorporated.
Add flour and mix well.
Add oatmeal and mix well.
Stir in raisins.
Drop onto ungreased cookie sheet. Press flat. I am using a little less butter in this recipe and the cookies may not spread out as much as some cookie recipes.
Bake 9-13 minutes or until light golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Growing up, my Omi (grandmother) made a traditional Schwarzwalder Kirschtorte or what we call a Black Forest Cake. The cake featured sour cherries soaked in a cherry brandy known as Kirschwasser. She then topped the cake with whipped cream, cherries, and fresh chocolate shavings. She learned this recipe from a tenant who was a baker back when they used to rent out rooms from their row home in Queens. Over the years her cake became legendary and no celebration was complete without it. I still remember the last time I was able to eat some of her delicious cake. If I would have known it was the last time I would have hounded her for the recipe. She never wrote it down. She always baked from her “head and heart.”
For Bryce’s birthday my husband wanted to recreate Omi’s cake for Bryce’s birthday. Problem? We needed it to be gluten free and we wanted a cupcake version, not a cake. We decided to use Betty Crocker’s Gluten Free Chocolate Cake Mix for the base to make the preparation easier and less time consuming.
The recipe below is the result. Gorgeous to look at and even more delicious when bit into, this recipe allows Gluten Free people the opportunity to experience Schwarzwalder Kirschtorte in the form of a cupcake and utilizes a gluten free cake mix for the sponge base.
½ cup of cherry juice (can use juice from tart cherries)
1 stick (1/2 cup of butter) softened
3 eggs
2 Tbsp of Kirschwasser
Filling:
1 can of sour cherries
1/3 cup of cherry juice (you can use the juice from the sour cherries or other cherry juice)
3 Tbsp cornstarch
¼ cup of sugar
½ cup Kirschwasser
Frosting:
3 cups of heavy whipping cream
1 packet (0.25 oz) plain gelatin
3 Tbsp cold water
3 Tbsp Kirschwasser
1 cup of chocolate shavings
fresh cherries
Directions
Cake:
Preheat oven to 350F.
Prepare muffin baking pan with liners.
Cream butter until smooth with electric mixer.
Add eggs one at a time and mix.
Add kirschwasser, water, and cherry juice. Mix to combine.
Add Gluten Free Cake Mix to the wet batter and blend with electric mixer until combined.
Pour batter into liners (about ¾ full)
Bake for 20-25 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean
Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack
Filling:
Drain juice from the cherries.
Add cherry juice and sugar to a pot and bring to a simmer while whisking.
Add cornstarch and whisk until combined. If you cannot get the cornstarch incorporated, then add to a blender and blend until combined.
Add cherries and bring to a boil. Remove from heat, stir in Kirschwasser. Allow filling to come to room temperature before using.
Frosting:
Place water in small pot and sprinkle with gelatin. Allow to sit for 5-10 minutes. Whisk the gelatin and water in the pot and heat on low whisking until the gelatin is dissolved. Remove from heat.
In a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whisk the whipping cream on medium high speed until in starts to thicken.
Add powdered sugar and Kirschwasser. Whisk and taste. Some people like their frostings sweet and others less sweet. I provided a rough range for the powdered sugar to allow you to tweak the recipe to your liking.
Continue to whisk at medium high speed until the cream begins to get fluffy.
Slowly add gelatin while whisking until incorporated.
Preparation:
Cut a small hole out of the middle of the cupcake. Save the top of our cut out.
Spoon about 1 Tbsp of filling into each cupcake and replace top.
Ice with frosting.
Sprinkle on chocolate shavings and top with a cherry.
Refrigerating the cupcakes will allow the frosting to slightly stiffen and allow the frosting to look and behave a little like a buttercream frosting.
Notes:
The gelatin will allow the cupcake frosting to set up and stiffen. This is a great trick for keeping your whipped cream frostings looking perfect.
My son turned 2 years old last week. Everyone warns you the time goes fast and they are right. I was looking at his baby pictures this past weekend and just couldn’t believe how much he has grown! Where did my baby go!?
Mom, I just want to touch the fire. Please? Why are you blowing the fire out? I wanted to touch it! This was my son during the “birthday song”.
So this past weekend we threw a birthday party for him to celebrate. We made TWO cupcake recipes. Banana Cream Pie and Black Forest Cupcakes. Here is the recipe for Gluten Free Banana Cream Pie. Yummy and decadent, yet surprisingly easy since we used a boxed cake mix! (Betty Crocker to the rescue. Awesome gluten free mixes). We finished this with homemade whipped cream frosting and chocolate “B” letters.
They turned out delicious! Try it and see for yourself!
Add vanilla extract, bananas, sour cream, and water. Mix to combine.
Add Gluten Free Cake Mix to the wet batter and blend with electric mixer until combined.
Pour batter into liners (about ¾ full)
Bake for 20-25 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean
Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack
Pudding:
In a small saucepan, heat milk.
Add sugar and cornstarch whisking vigorously until combined and smooth.
Continue to whisk until mixture becomes thick.
Add butter and vanilla extract and mix to combine.
Allow to cool.
Frosting:
Place water in small pot and sprinkle with gelatin. Allow to sit for 5-10 minutes. Whisk the gelatin and water in the pot and heat on low whisking until the gelatin is dissolved. Remove from heat.
In a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whisk the whipping cream on medium high speed until in starts to thicken.
Add powdered sugar, vanilla, and almond extract. Whisk and taste. Some people like their frostings sweet and others less sweet. I provided a rough range for the powdered sugar and almond to allow you to tweak the recipe to your liking.
Continue to whisk at medium high speed until the cream begins to get fluffy.
Slowly add gelatin while whisking until incorporated.
Preparation:
Cut a small hole out of the middle of the cupcake. Save the top of the cut out.
Spoon about 1 Tbsp of filling into each cupcake and replace top.
Finish with frosting.
Notes:
Ripe bananas provide much better flavor.
The gelatin allows the cupcake frosting to set up and stiffen. This is a great trick for keeping your whipped cream frostings looking perfect.
Refrigerating the cupcakes will allow the frosting to slightly stiffen and allow the frosting to look and behave a little like a buttercream frosting.
Young Living has just released a NEW line of essential oils, their Vitality line! This is so exciting.
Vitality is a dietary essential oil line, a line of oils specifically labeled for internal use. From a consumer standpoint, these oils are the same exact therapeutic-grade oils we are used to, but the labeling makes it easier for new members to know which oils to use topically/aromatically and which oils are for dietary use. Everything in the Vitality line is for dietary use.
The Vitality line has 4 distinct categories: Herb, Spice, Citrus, and Supplement.
At the launch of this new line, here are the 27 Vitality oils broken into categories:
Kathy Thomas 