Tag: homemade

My New Big Thing



I’ve been reading a lot about coconut oil recently, and how it’s good for everything from healing acne to losing weight. Naturally, I had to try it.

Coconut oil is an edible oil extracted from the kernel or meat of matured coconuts harvested from the coconut palm (Cocos nucifera). It is very heat-stable, which makes it suited to methods of cooking at high temperatures like frying. Because of its stability, it is slow to oxidize and, thus, resistant to rancidity, lasting up to two years due to its high saturated fat content. Multiple studies on Pacific Island populations who get 30-60 percent of their total caloric intake from fully saturated coconut oil have all shown nearly non-existent rates of cardiovascular disease.

But how can that be if coconut oil is so high in saturated fat? The fact is all saturated fats are not created equal. The fat in coconut oil is largely made up of medium-chain fatty acids (MCFA). Unlike other saturated fats, MCFA doesn’t heighten cholesterol and it can help to protect against heart disease.

You may have heard that coconut oil has antibacterial, antimicrobial, and antiviral properties. This is because of coconut oil’s high percentage of lauric acid, a “miracle” compound because of its unique health promoting properties. On absorption, the body converts lauric acid into monolaurin, which has anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties.

If that wasn’t enough to spark interest, Victoria’s Secret supermodel Miranda Kerr says she has been using coconut oil since she was 14, consuming up to 4 teaspoons a day. Have you SEEN what this woman looks like?!

I went to the health food store and bought organic extra virgin coconut oil. If I was going to do this, why not work with the good stuff? It was about $15 for a decent sized jar. I didn’t know if that was reasonable or not, because I didn’t know how much product I was going to have to use for my experiments.

Experiment #1: Sugar scrub. One of our Facebook friends mentioned she used coconut oil to make a sugar scrub, which sounded yummy. Now this time of year, I have alligator legs. My skin is SO dry. I can moisturize over and over, but within hours, my skin looks reptilian. I’ve used salt scrubs that had some nice oils in them and kept my skin smooth for a bit longer, but never more than 12 hours. Anyway, I decided to melt 2 tablespoons of coconut oil in the microwave. Since coconut oil melts at about 76 degrees F, this took only a few seconds. I had some regular cane sugar that had been sitting in my pantry forever, so I decided to add 2 tablespoons of it to my now clear liquid. I mixed it up, but felt like I needed more sugar. I wound up adding about 2 additional tablespoons of organic brown sugar, and stirred thoroughly. Coconut oil remains liquid for a pretty long time (a few hours maybe?) so it’s not like you have to work fast. I poured the sweet smelling concoction into a plastic container and took it upstairs to use in the shower the next day.

Morning came, and after feeding my hoard of cats (because Lord knows you can’t do ANYTHING upon waking before you feed them), I stepped into my shower. After washing with my natural bar soap, I tried the now hardened sugar scrub. I scraped out about a teaspoon full and massaged it into my legs. The sugar melts quickly and rinses away. I did the same with my arms. As I was drying off, I noticed how smooth my skin felt. Not oily, not sticky, but protected. Needless to say, I expected to see dry flaky legs when I got home from work that night. But to my surprise, my skin still looked great. Not as perfect as they did after I had just stepped out of the shower, but WAY better than they normally do. Now it’s been several days of this cookie-scented sugar routine, and I see a big difference in my skin. I don’t have to moisturize at all. And the texture of my skin is softer and smoother than it’s been in a long time. I’m going to keep doing this AT LEAST through the winter months.

Experiment #2: Face wash. When I was a teen, I had acne. Not just a few pimples, but nasty patches of cystic acne. The dermatologist put me through years of chemical treatments including (progressively) antibiotics, Cleocin, Retin A and finally Accutane (which was new drug at the time, and I remember having to sign release forms). God knows what damage it did to my body, but I was a kid and didn’t know better. But since then, I have always kept anything containing oil far away from my face. Contrastingly, for years I would dry out my skin with alcohol and harsh soaps, trying to make the acne ‘go away’. So the concept of using a greasy substance to wash my skin was a tough pill to swallow. I always wash my face with natural bar soap and water before going to bed every night. Reluctantly one evening, I used a dollop of coconut oil instead of my soap. It felt like I was smearing Crisco on my face. The only redeeming quality about the experience is that the stuff just smells so darned good. Anyway, I rubbed the oil into my skin, and rinsed with warm water…for about 10 minutes! I felt like I had to get that oiliness off my skin. And water wasn’t going to take that away. I dried off, and went to bed, fearing a breakout to rival all breakouts the next morning. Well, I can tell you that after having done this for a few days now, not only have I not gotten one single blemish, but those dry blotchy patches I’ve been battling on my skin are going away too. AND my make-up stays on better throughout the day because my skin is actually moisturized. This is almost too good to be true.

Experiment#3: Body lotion/Massage oil. Having had such luck with its other uses, I decided to use coconut oil as a body lotion. It’s hard when you first scoop it out of the jar, but begins to melt instantly from the warmth of your skin. I allowed some to melt in my hands, and massaged the oil into my legs and feet. I don’t feel it has enough of a long term ‘slip’ to make a great massage oil, unless you’re giving a very short massage. But it rubs into skin nicely, making it an effective body lotion alternative. AND it keeps my skin moisturized longer than anything else I’ve tried thus far.

Last Experiment (for now): Hair conditioner. I’ve read about people massaging gobs of coconut oil into their hair, starting at the scalp and working all the way to the ends. Some even do this and then sleep with a shower cap on. While I’m sure it makes a great deep conditioning treatment, I haven’t had the guts to try that yet. But what I have done is massaged the oil into the ends of my hair (about the last two inches) and kept it on my hair for several hours before shampooing out. My hair is notorious for having fly away ends and looking frizzy. I’ve only done this experiment about three times so far, but I can tell you that each time, my hair does look better on the ends, and behaves better throughout the day.

I guess next will be cooking with coconut oil. If I ever get a chance to cook again (this time of year is so busy). Or maybe I’ll come up with a NEW use for it. How do YOU use coconut oil? Let us know. And if you haven’t tried this miracle product, by all means give it a shot. I’m sure you’ll be delighted by the results.

41 Yummy Pumpkin Recipes



Chocolate-glazed pumpkin pie cheesecake, pumpkin pecan tassies, pumpkin latte coffee cake….the all sound so delicious. But how about pumpkin mac and cheese? Or pumpkin shrimp bruschetta? Better Homes and Gardens has compiled a list of 41 mouthwatering pumpkin recipes to tempt even the most finicky of taste buds. Enjoy!

http://www.bhg.com/thanksgiving/recipes/pumpkin-recipes/

Alternative Halloween Treats for Kids



(from Parent Magazine)

You don’t need doctors to tell you that all the candy corn, chocolate, and other high-calorie goodies your kids collect at Halloween aren’t healthy — but they’re happy to remind you. “Given our nation’s alarming rates of obesity and hyperactivity, gorging on candy isn’t smart and sends the wrong message,” says Jessica Grant, M.D., of West Care Pediatrics in New York City. To stop the sweets overload this Halloween, consider handing out healthy snacks and nonedible treats like crackers, miniature toys, and temporary tattoos — items you might find in a typical goody bag. Even if you risk provoking an eye-roll or two from trick-or-treaters, these alternative Halloween treats are creative ways for kids to celebrate the holiday without adding to the sugar rush.

Playful Plastic Jewelry
We’re not talking Tiffany sparklers but plastic jewelry featuring cartoonish ghosts, black cats, pumpkins, and other creepy creatures. You can purchase them in bulk from Oriental Trading Company (144 necklaces for $10; 144 rings for $5.25). Looking for something a little less scary? Party City also sells colorful baubles in bulk. Pick up spiky woolly rings ($3 per dozen) or value packs that include rings adorned with butterflies, hearts, and rhinestones (48 pieces for $8). Some jewelry even pulls double duty: Kids can blow bubbles with bubble rings ($6 per dozen) or play dress-up with lip gloss rings ($10 per dozen). Or you can always buy packs of the ever-popular Silly Bandz from Amazon.com (24 for $2).

Outrageous Accessories
Horrifying accessories are terrific treats, and boys will also appreciate them. Skull key chains with jeweled eyes ($4 per dozen) are available from BuyCostumes.com, and Oriental Trading Company has cool pirate eye patches ($5 per dozen), gruesome glow-in-the-dark Martian fingers (72 for $7), and even fang whistles (48 for $8). Girls may prefer tamer options, like fancy Asian folding fans ($3.50 per dozen), cute animal masks ($6 per dozen), plastic Halloween clappers (72 for $18), or glow-in-the-dark light-sticks (50 for $35).

Bizarre Body Decorations
Temporary tattoos are always a hit with kids. Stick with a Halloween theme and hand out vampire bite (8 for $3) or Pirates of the Caribbean tattoos (8 for $4), both from BuyCostumes.com. At Oriental Trading Company, there are girly and glittery pirate tattoos (72 for $5) and Disney Princesses (72 for $10). Makeup is popular with tween girls, so consider two-tone lip gloss ($10 per dozen); for boys, there are glow-in-the-dark (72 for $5) or neon (144 pieces for $8) vampire fangs, also from Oriental Trading Company.

Awesome Arts & Crafts Materials
Stickers are always fun to collect and trade. At Party City, you can find items like black glitter Halloween stickers, character stickers (Sesame Street, Harry Potter), and generic sports and animal stickers, all for just a couple of bucks. The Hello Kitty sticker dispenser is a good choice for giving out individual stickers instead of sheets ($2.29 for the dispenser and six-foot roll of stickers). Oriental Trading Company has Halloween coloring books ($10 for 72), small boxes of crayons ($8.50 for 48 six-crayon boxes), and big bug stencils ($5.25 per dozen).

You can even make your own beading kits by combining nylon string with foam Halloween beads (500 for $6), packed in sandwich bags. At Amazon.com, you can pick up tiny containers of Play-Doh (24 for $17) or animal ink stamps (24 for $7).

Spooky School Supplies
Even though school’s in session, kids will love showing off brand-new Halloween-themed supplies. Oriental Trading Company has skull-and-crossbones pencil cases ($8 per dozen), cute candy corn notepads (24 for $5), and eyeball pens and notepad sets ($7 per dozen). Or pick up pencil sharpeners (24 for $6), pencil top erasers (144 for $5.25), syringe pens ($11 per dozen), and rulers (48 for $5.25) with ghosts, witches, black cats, and other creepy creatures. U.S. School Supply has bat and ghost pencils (144 for $21.45) and Halloween sets filled with pencils, erasers, and stickers (24 for $10.45).

Terrifying Pocket Toys and Games
Hand out miniature playthings that will entertain kids in the car or on the playground. “Boo Bunch” mini yo-yos ($3 per dozen), tiny pinball games ($6 per dozen), jacks and ball sets ($5 per dozen), and knockoff Rubik’s cubes ($15 per dozen) are all available at Oriental Trading Company. Inspire outdoor fun with bubble sets (48 for $6), sidewalk chalk (20 for $4.50), inflatable mini balls (25 for $10), and squirting fish toys ($5.99 per dozen). Find mini Uno games ($8 for four decks of cards) and safari-themed finger puppets (24 for $6.45) at Amazon.com.

Hauntingly Healthy Snacks
Cut down on the empty calories and sugar by giving out sensible snacks, like candy’s close cousin, sugarless chewing gum. “It’s a natural cavity fighter,” explains Philip Schnall, D.D.S., of Schnall & Farkas, a dental care practice in New York City. “Chewing stimulates saliva, which fights tooth decay.” Mini boxes, bags, and packages of raisins, apple slices, pretzels, string cheese, cereal bars, Goldfish crackers, and Pirate’s Booty are easy to find at the local supermarket — and are well-liked by kids. Or hand out Halloween-themed bags of baby carrots (BabyCarrots.com has packaged them as Scarrots) or Angie’s Kettle Corn, which is gluten-free.

To reduce or keep away the amount of candy in your home, Dr. Schnall encourages kids to participate in Halloween Candy Buy Back, a national program that pays kids $1 per pound of sweets that are shipped to U.S. troops overseas.

Scrub A Dub, Dub



It’s getting to be that time of year. My skin dries out, gets flaky and looks disgusting. I know I don’t drink enough water (which would help the appearance of my skin), but the dry air from the heater and lack of humidity outside doesn’t help either. I’ve tried dry brushing. That seems to help, but I’m not disciplined enough to do it every day. One thing I can do at least once a week if possible is a body scrub. They’re an inexpensive, easy way to keep you from having alligator legs.

Basically, you combine an exfoliant (salt, sugar, ground coffee, oatmeal, flax meal, rice bran, etc.) with a carrier oil (jojoba, sweet almond, olive, etc.) and scent (essential oils). The possibilities are endless. Here are some favorite recipes:


Lavender Sugar Scrub
2 tsp. olive oil
2 tsp. sweet almond oil
1/2 cup white cane sugar
1-3 drops lavender essential oil

Whisk together the olive oil, sweet almond oil (find it at health food stores), sugar and essential oil. Pour into a container with an airtight lid. It should last 2-3 weeks if kept away from water (it dissolves the sugar). Use a tablespoon scoop to dish out a few dollops once or twice a week, scrub, and rinse. The olive oil is full of vitamins and minerals that can help firm and moisturize. Lavender is great for healing damaged skin and regenerating skin cells.


Vanilla Brown Sugar Scrub
1 cup fine brown sugar
1/3 cup sweet almond oil (or other carrier oil like jojoba, kakui nut, macadamia nut)
20 drops vanilla essential oil or 1 tsp. vanilla essence

In a glass or ceramic bowl, add essential oil to sugar and stir thoroughly. Add almond oil gradually, stirring continuously. Stop when the scrub reaches the consistence of moist sand.


Citrus Salt Foot Scrub
1/2 cup sea salt
1/2 cup olive oil
1 or 2 slices of lemon
1 or 2 slices of orange

Add the olive oil and sea salt into a blender. Add the fruit to the blender and blend. For a refreshing foot scrub, omit the fruit and add a few drops of peppermint essential oil. Store in a jar, and rub briskly onto feet to exfoliate and soften skin. Rinse and dry well (be careful, oily feet can slip on tile floors!)


Mocha Espresso Body Scrub
1/2 cup ground coffee
3/4 cup honey
3 tbsp. cocoa powder
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp. sweet almond or grapeseed oil

Blend the ingredients together and store in glass jar. Use in shower to get rid of dry skin. Great for morning use as the coffee wakes up your senses!


Oatmeal Scrub with Honey
8 tablespoons oatmeal
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon dark organic honey
2 teaspoon finely ground almonds

Mix all the ingredients until you have a smooth paste. Rub this in a circular motion onto your body and face and gently massage to exfoliate. Leave it on for 10-15 minutes. Then rinse it off with alternately cold and warm water, end with a splash of cold; pat your skin with a towel; tone and moisturize. Honey is a natural humectant (it will attract moisture to your skin). Apple cider vinegar closes your pores and preserves or restores the skin’s natural acidity (pH balance). Vinegar keeps both oily and dry complexions soft and fresh.

Bake An Apple Pie…In An Apple!



Sometimes I bake. Well, it’s not really that often. If I bake something, I tend to eat it and since I’m forever trying to lose weight it just seems counter-productive. But I came across this recipe on Pinterest and thought it was cool, so I decided to share. Enjoy!

Apple Pie Baked In the Apple
Serves 4

5-6 Granny Smith Apples (make sure they can stand upright on their own and not topple over)
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 c. sugar
1 T. brown sugar
pie crust (I used pre-made but you can certainly make your own)

Pre-Heat Oven to 375 Degrees F

Step 1: Cut off the top of 4 apples off and discard. Remove the inside of each apple with a spoon or melon baller very carefully, as to not puncture the peel. If you’re a skilled interior apple excavator, salvage as much as you can so you can use it for Step 2. If not, you can chop up additional apples for filling.

Step 2: Remove skin from remaining apple(s) and slice very thinly. These apple pieces will give you the additional filling needed to fill the four apples you are baking.

Mix sliced apples with sugars and cinnamon in a bowl. If you prefer more or less cinnamon make adjustments as desired. Same goes for the sugar.

Scoop sliced apples into hollow apples.

Step 3: Roll out pie crust and slice into 1/4 inch strips. You can also add a strip of pastry inside the top of the apple almost like a liner to add a little more texture/sweetness to the pie.

Cover the top of the apple in a lattice pattern with pie crust strips.

Step 4: Place apples in an 8×8 pan. Add just enough water to the cover the bottom of the pan.

Cover with foil and bake for 20-25 minutes.

Remove foil and bake for an additional 20 minutes or until crust is golden brown and sliced apples are soft.

They look pretty cool when you’re done, and the entire dessert is edible. Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream if desired. And since they’re just apples with a little bit of extra stuff, they can’t be a diet breaker.