Tuesday, April 15, 2014

Asparagus with Maple Tahini Dressing

Asparagus is a springtime vegetable that is versatile and delicious.  It balances insulin levels, which is one of the most important things we can do for our health. Its unique mineral profile makes it an effective natural diuretic, promoting the formation of urine in the kidneys, aiding in detoxification and cleansing. This is a quick side dish for all to enjoy this spring!
Ingredients:
1 bunch of perky thin asparagus, enough for four servings

For the dressing:
2 tablespoons sesame tahini
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons 100% pure maple syrup
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Hot water, as needed
Coarse sea salt 

Directions:

Trim the bottom ends of the asparagus stalks, rinse, and lay them in a skillet. Add just enough water to keep them from scorching and cook them briefly, rotating them until they are bright green. Taste test for doneness to your liking. Rinse them quickly in cool water.

Whisk the dressing ingredients in a glass-measuring cup; add a little bit of hot water to thin. Whisk till smooth. Taste test and adjust the balance of sweet and nutty and tart.


Serve the drained asparagus on a plate with a drizzle of maple tahini dressing and a sprinkle of coarse sea salt.

Thursday, April 10, 2014

Homemade Moisturizer Recipe


Just for fun the other morning upon awakening, I decided to count how many products I used during my morning routine. I was convinced it would be about 8-10 because within the past 5-years or so I’ve significantly decreased the amount of products and cosmetics I use. 

I was totally wrong. 

By the time I walked out of the bathroom and was ready for my day I had used over 16 products from my toothpaste, hair products and makeup. Even though the products I purchase these days are higher quality...they’re still not 100% healthy! I am committing to making more of an effort with my everyday products with the same enthusiasm that I do with my food. Best part, it’s WAY cheaper!!

Funfact: within the past 3 months or so of doing this I’ve lost count at how many compliments I’ve gotten regarding my glowing skin!  

I stumbled across this recipe online, ordered some beeswax pellets and made some. I’m in love. My fiancé is in love (and I didn’t even ask him to try, he willingly tried on his own!). I still can’t get over how quickly it took to throw it together. You only need a small amount each application and it absorbs fairly quickly into the skin. The smell will fade after a few minutes. It lasts a long time in the bathroom, so it doesn’t need to be refrigerated! Amazing for dry hands and feet, or even chapped lips. Got a baby with a rash? It helps their bum, too. Did I mention how affordable this moisturizer is? Please let me know if you give it a try!

Ingredients
1/2 cup olive oil (or almond oil)
1/2 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup beeswax pellets (I bought mine on Amazon
10 drops of essential oil (optional, my favorite is lemongrass)
  
Directions
1. Combine the olive oil, coconut oil and beeswax into a heat proof jug or large jar.
2. Put the jug/jar in a saucepan and fill the pan with water until it comes 3/4 of the way up the jug/jar.
3. Put it on a low heat on the stove.  Heat and stir it until it has melted (about 5-10 minutes).
4. Now empty out the hot water from the pan and replace it with cold water to the same level.  Put the jug/jar back into the pan. This helps to cool the moisturizer down quickly, as you’ll notice.
5. Add your essential oil to the jug/jar now if you are using.
6. Now to finish this quickly, use an electric whisk to quickly whip the ingredients into a moisturizer.  OR if you don’t have a whisk you can use a fork and give it a good stir.  You may have to stir this every 5 minutes until the texture is thick and creamy if not using an electric whisk.
7. Spoon into a glass jar of your choice, something that will be accessible for you to stick your fingers in to grab some moisturizer during your bathroom routine. I bought a bunch of these jars - they work great, you can split up your moisturizer so that you have a few jars on hand, and they are super cute!

Recipe from GreenThickies.com

Friday, April 4, 2014

Stop, Breathe & Think app


I'm LOVING the Stop Breathe & Think app for my iPhone. 

It's free
They're quick guided meditations.  
It's easy

Give it a whirl!