Lemon-Ginger Infused Honey I love making infused honey.
This lemon-ginger infused honey is wonderful for adding to teas, or other warming drinks. The lemon and honey are soothing on the throat, while the honey and ginger help to quiet coughs. It also adds a special flair to coffee in the mornings. Making it is so easy, truly. Here’s how I do it.
Cut up 3-4 organic lemons into 1/2″ slices.
I add them to a quart jar, seeds and all. Then, cut up a 2 inch piece of ginger that has been peeled. You want to cut it into 1/8″ slices, or as thin as you can. Thicker slices are okay as well, if you want. Place those into the quart jar with the lemon slices.
Add in honey.
Of course, raw local honey is the best option, but use the best honey you can. Store at room temperature. Allow to “steep” for about a week, shaking gently anytime you think about it. The honey will get more liquidy with time, and as the lemon and ginger infuse with it, make it nearly the viscosity of water. The flavor will be outstanding, though!
To use, simply use like you would regular honey.
We add a tablespoon to a large mug of tea or coffee, or top on fresh baked bread. Perhaps one of my favorite “medicinal” uses for this is making a hot toddy with. When hubby and I aren’t feeling well, or a sore throat and cough keep us awake, a hot toddy is the ticket to a much more relaxed sleep.
To make a hot toddy, simply add 2 tablespoons of the infused honey to a large mug.
Add in one ounce of brandy or spiced rum, and fill with hot water. Stir and sip. After 2 days of having a hot toddy each night, we are usually well on the road to recovery, and our throats feel much better.
Do you make infused honey? Are you going to try this blend?
Original article and pictures take thehomesteadinghippy.com site
I’m assuming you’d like to stay in “vacation mode” for just a few more days. Perhaps you’re planning to hit the stores and grab some 75% off sales. (Get me some wrapping paper and multi-colored tree lights while you’re there, will you?)
Today I’ve got a fun new Simple Meal to share with you. This one is a bit different from those I’ve shared recently. You’ll be happy to learn that it includes bacon. And cream cheese. It’s like I’m giving you a late Christmas present. Best of all, this meal can be thrown together at the last minute with no prior planning!
Here’s how this Creamy Bacon Spaghetti can be considered a “last minute meal” even if you didn’t thaw bacon in preparation: Bacon will thaw quickly when placed in a pan of hot water. In just a few minutes, you can cook it and stir it into your pasta.
Easy, peasy, bacon, cheesy.
Here’s another great bacon tip for you: Cut it into pieces with kitchen shears, like this…
While your bacon pieces are cooking, you can boil your spaghetti. When both are finished, you stir them together with cream cheese, Italian dressing, and parmesan. A couple minutes later, your meal is served.
1 pound uncooked bacon, but into 1-inch pieces
4 ounces softened cream cheese, cut into cubes
½ cup Italian dressing*
4 Tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
Cook spaghetti according to package directions.
In the meantime, cook bacon in a skillet.
Drain grease from bacon.
Drain water from spaghetti.
Immediately pour hot spaghetti into the skillet with cooked bacon.
Add remaining ingredients, stirring until cream cheese is melted and dish is well combined.
It’s recipes like this that makes Simple Meals such a life saver for families. We’ll provide the plans. We’ll provide the recipes. We’ll provide the grocery list. All you have to do is take a deep breath and enjoy how simple your life in the kitchen has become! Join Simple Meals!
Original article and pictures take heavenlyhomemakers.com site
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How to Poach an Egg
How many of you enjoy cooking with your children? Kids love getting into the kitchen! They love to be a part of the process of cooking, they love helping! Whenever I am making something, my daughter is there offering to pour in different ingredients and wanting to stir! I love having her there with me. We get to chat and she is learning how fun it is to be in the kitchen!
My older boys have moved from helping me in the kitchen to preparing their own food. They are able to make their own breakfasts and prepare a lunch if I need them to.
Using a stove is an advanced skill, but once I taught them how to use it and supervised them a few times, I feel comfortable with them using it on their own – as long as I am home!
Today my son shares with you how to poach an egg. A simple task that is easy for him to do on his own.
How to Poach an Egg
Bring a small pot of water to a simmer.
Crack an egg into a 1/3 cup measuring cup.
Add the egg to the simmering water.
Cook for two minutes.
Remove the egg from the water with a slotted spoon.
Season as you wish!
Original article and pictures take ohlardy.com site
Let’s face it, kids can be picky. (Well, if I am going to be perfectly honest, I know a lot of adults that are just as picky. ) Part of the pickyness seems to really kick in when it comes to something that is “good for you.” I’ve seen it happen over and over again, a parent says the dreaded words, “Here, take this, it’s good for you,” and the kid is in meltdown mode.
That is one of the many reasons I love to use herbs for my kids. It is very easy to make something fun and tasty that your kids will enjoy with herbs. They most likely will not even realize it is good for them.
Herbs are very healthy for you, but often kids throw a fit about stuff that's "good for you." Here are six ways to get your kids to eat more herbs. https://www.intoxicatedonlife.com/2014/12/28/kid-friendly-ways-use-herbs/
It takes a bit of creativity but it is worth it to get those little bodies healthy and strong. Here are my favorites kid friendly ways to use herbs.
Herbal Teas:
Herbal teas are one of the easiest ways to get kids to take herbs. They are easy to prepare and when you add a spoonful of raw honey, it is just the right sweetness for kids.
If the herb you are going to use is a bit bitter, no problem, add another stronger flavored herb to help mute the bitter. Mint and ginger are favorites on mine to help over ride the flavor of other not so nice herbs. (Plus, mint often helps activate the other herbs making them all work better.)
Loose herbs are my favorite as I can make my own blend but there are some great kid friendly teas in already made packages. This is easy to grab during illness, when you want to boost the immune system or when someone needs a soothing drink before bed.
Popsicles:
How do you connect herbs with Popsicles? Easy peasy, just make some herbal tea, sweeten with honey and put in Popsicle molds. My kids love them.
If you want to get a bit more creative, blend up fruit with powdered herbs, add a touch of water and freeze for Popsicles. These make a great treat.
Gummies:
Gummies sound complicated, but they are really easy to make. You can make an herbal tea as a base or add powdered herbs to juice to make them. It makes for nutrient packed treat with the herbs alone, but gelatin adds it’s own benefits.
If you make elderberry syrup for your kids, that also makes a great base for gummies. My kids love these elderberry syrup gummies.
Soups:
Yes, soups are a great way to get healthy herbs in. Chicken soup is a great base for adding garlic, onions, bay leaves and then you can add some astragulus, nettle, turmeric and any other nutrient dense herbs to the brew. My kids have never noticed that when we are sick that I throw as many herbs in my broth as I can get away with. (Make sure you test flavor as you go along!)
Herbs are very healthy for you, but often kids throw a fit about stuff that's "good for you." Here are six ways to get your kids to eat more herbs. https://www.intoxicatedonlife.com/2014/12/28/kid-friendly-ways-use-herbs/
Syrups and tinctures:
This is my hands-down favorite way to make herbs taste great for kids. Tinctures made with glycerin are sweet and will have your kids asking for more! (If you’ve never made a tincture before, don’t worry it’s easy, just follow these simple steps.)
Syrups are quicker and don’t have the same shelf life as a tincture but work very well. We use this vitamin C syrup through out the winter.
Powdered herbs with honey:
And my last resort, if I need something to go in quick, I mix up powdered herbs in a spoon full of honey. Just like Mary Poppin’s said, “Just a spoon full of sugar, helps the medicine go down!” It works. Other than raw honey is much better for you than sugar.
Keeping those little bodies healthy isn’t always and easy job, but these tricks can cut down on the stress. In fact, that can make taking herbs be fun!
Tell me what you keep up your sleeve to help your kids with taking herb?
Original article and pictures take www.intoxicatedonlife.com site
I get asked all the time — “What vitamins should I choose for my kids?” I hesitate to recommend store-bought vitamins in any form because even the good ones have some ‘extra’ ingredients in them.
There are also a number of recipes out there on various blogs. But most of those involve using fruit juice, gelatin, and powdered store-bought vitamins. This isn’t really ideal, either, in my opinion because it doesn’t fully solve the problem of using the store-bought supplements. I really wanted to make something that was completely whole foods-based and which did not rely on any store-bought supplements at all.
This mixture is in a kid-friendly gummy and it isn’t very sweet or fruity — some kids may want it fruitier (one of my kids wasn’t a fan; the others loved it). But I’ll give some ideas on how to do that, if needed.
Basically, these vitamins are based on two herbs: dandelion leaf and nettle leaf. These two herbs are rich in so many vitamins and minerals. Dandelion contains calcium, potassium, phosphorus, zinc and iron, plus vitamins A, B-complex, C, and D. Nettle contains calcium, phosphorus, iron, magnesium, and beta-carotene, plus vitamins A, C, D, and B complex. It contains most of the vitamins you need, except for the major fat-soluble ones (A, D, E, K). I would give this with a small spoonful of cod liver oil and that should cover just about everything!
The little flecks in the vitamins a few herbs that sneaked through my strainer!
Gummy Whole Food Vitamins
Ingredients:
1 1/4 c. filtered water (divided)
4 – 6 strawberries
Directions:
Step 1: Mix the nettle and dandelion with 1 c. of water and the strawberries in a saucepan. If you want a fruitier flavor, feel free to add additional strawberries or other berries (blueberries, raspberries, etc.). Choose organic if you can. I used frozen organic from Costco. The berries provide their own vitamins too!
Step 2: Bring it to a boil and boil for about 5 min.
Step 3: Strain the mixture, pressing the herbs and berries with a fork to get all the liquid out.
Step 4: There will be about 3/4 c. of liquid remaining after boiling. This is right. Set it aside for a minute.
Step 5: In another container, mix 1/4 c. cool water with 2 tbsp. gelatin. Let this sit for a couple minutes.
Step 6: Stir the honey into the hot liquid. Then, pour it into a clean saucepan. Add the gelatin mixture too.
Step 7: Turn on low heat and stir until the gelatin is completely dissolved and incorporated.
Step 8: Pour the finished vitamins into a mold or into a shallow baking dish. You can cut it into squares. I chose this cute little mold.
Step 9: Put it in the fridge for an hour or so, until solid. Pop out of the mold, or cut into 1/2″ squares and put into a jar to store.
That’s it! I let my kids eat 1 – 2 per day, although they are so healthy that you can’t really “overdose” on them — since they’re based on food and herbs.
Join us for a FREE webinar, “How to Get Started Raising a Naturally Healthy Family,” next Thursday, 2/26, at 9 PM EDT. Register right here.
Do your kids take vitamins? What type do you prefer?
Original article and pictures take modernalternativehealth.com site
Need a healthy treat to feed your kiddos or take to your next picnic/potluck? Try these Kid-Friendly Fruit Kabobs!
Ready eaters.
I’m very grateful to have five kids who generally aren’t picky eaters. Especially in the fruit department. They demolish whole pineapples, watermelons, and pounds of berries like they might never see food again.
Yes, fresh fruit is always a winner at my house!
Kid-Friendly Fruit Kabobs
And no, I don’t have to cut fruit into special shapes or stick on a skewer for them to get excited about it. Sometimes I just do that anyway, for fun. My kids love it when I take cookie cutters and make the fruit into fun shapes for the kabobs.
And though I’m sure you can figure out the recipe just by looking at the photos, you can head on over to Intoxicated On Life for the easy-peasy “recipe!”
And don’t forget to pin these Kid-Friendly Fruit Kabobs for later!
If your kids love fruit, they’ll love these other fruity treats, as well…
Apple Pie Popsicles Honey Kiwi Softserve Original article and pictures take raiasrecipes.com site
Leave it to kids to quickly get bored with anything and everything. Even toothpaste flavors. I had been making my kid friendly strawberry toothpaste and the kids loved it… and then one day, they were done with it. “Can we have a new flavor?” “I don’t like strawberry today.”
Sigh… kids these days! Or maybe my kids are just spoiled when it comes to toothpaste flavors. Kids who use conventional toothpaste probably do not get too many options. My kids, oh they are smart… they know that mommy can make lots of different toothpastes!
Wait, you make your own kid toothpaste?
Yep! Want to know why?
Ingredients
Store bought toothpastes contain less than natural ingredients and I’d rather them not go near my child’s mouth. If you scan the ingredient list you will find things like propylparaben, propylene glycol, sodium fluoride, artificial colorings, and more! Many of these ingredients come with concerns ranging from allergies to organ system toxicity! Yikes! Toothpastes should not come with these concerns! If you are curious as to what might be hiding in your child’s toothpaste then I suggest heading over to EWG’s cosmetic database, searching for your current toothpaste brand, and finding out what is going into your child’s mouth.
Price
Even if you find an amazing natural toothpaste, you will have to pay a pretty penny. Now somethings are worth paying for but if you ask me, toothpaste does not need to be one of those things! It’s just too easy to make your own and homemade toothpaste costs next to nothing!
What ingredients are in my Kid Friendly Creamsicle Toothpaste?
Xylitol – You might recognize this ingredient from many toothpastes and chewing gums. Xylitol is a sweetener so it helps make the toothpaste yummy but it’s a sweetener with perks because it also prevents cavities and can even help remineralize teeth!
Coconut Oil – A popular toothpaste ingredient thanks to it’s antibacterial and anti-fugal properties. There’s also evidence that coconut oil helps fight cavities!
Orange Flavoring – While there really aren’t any reasons to include the flavoring for oral health, it does make this toothpaste taste similar to many kid toothpastes on the market. A kid friendly flavor is always a helpful thing when getting kids to brush their teeth!
Scoop out a tiny bit each time you need to brush teeth.
You may want to reserve a popsicle stick or some such tool for scooping out toothpaste to avoid contaminating the toothpaste.
Note: The above listed orange flavor extract contains glycerin, many prefer to avoid glycerin as it coats the teeth and keeps them from remineralizing. I’d suggest the essential oil route or an extract (although you’ll want to check out those ingredients as well).
FTC DISCLOSURE: In order for me to support my blogging and social media activities, I may receive monetary compensation for my endorsement, recommendation, reviews and/or link to any products or services from this article. However, I only recommend products or services I feel are up to my standards. The Pistachio Project’s a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
All information on The Pistachio Project is meant for educational and informational purposes only. The statements on this website have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Products and/or information are not intended to diagnose, cure, treat, or prevent any disease. Readers are advised to do their own research and make decisions in partnership with their health care provider. If you are pregnant, nursing, have a medical condition or are taking any medication, please consult your physician.
Original article and pictures take djyap9dtmy29a.cloudfront.net site
Keep reading for 21 of the best baked squash recipes around. Featured are butternut squash recipes, spaghetti squash recipes, acorn squash recipes, and delicata squash recipes. The only question is which one to try first!
