FIRE CIDER

a little something to save you this winter.

this powerful brew is a simple & effective way to stay healthy during these critical months!

a few spoonfuls a day will clear the sinuses, boost digestion, balance the overactive sweet tooth we tend to get in the cold months, and can help kick cravings for caffeine as well! it’s antibacterial, immune boosting, and energizing—just what we need right now!

to make, add the following ingredients in desired portions to a mason jar (try to source everything organic):

chopped ginger root

chopped turmeric root

chopped horseradish root

crushed garlic cloves

chopped onion

organic orange peel (i used dried)

black peppercorns

raw local honey (to taste)

-place a fermenting weight on top and fill jar with raw apple cider vinegar until everything is submerged. seal with a lid and set in a cool, dark place for 4 weeks, then strain.

-you can add more raw honey at the end to make it as palatable as you need. i like to store mine in the fridge once i strain it & take 1 T in the mornings with food. i also frequently use it as a simple salad dressing mixed with a little evooo! 

healing in a jar: BONE BROTH--upgraded

upgraded for immune & GI health/improving oral & gut microbiome!

i sliced up 2 red onions (antimicrobial) & added them to the bottom of my crock pot.
placed a whole, free-range, organic chicken on top & added a generous amount of:
sea salt + pepper
fresh rosemary & ginger chunks (GI health/antibacterial)
cloves (antimicrobial)
dried nettles (one of my favorite herbs. amazing for modulating the body's inflammatory pathways and supporting upper respiratory health. also contains many vital nutrients, vitamins, & minerals)
dried granulated orange peel (bitters bitters bitters! + inhibits pathogens)
4-5 c filtered water (about halfway up the pot)
i also threw in a bunch of other dried herbs i had on hand to enhance flavor. you can add any herbs/spices you enjoy.

-put the lid on and cooked on low for 16 ish hours. removed the chicken (the whole carcass should be falling apart at this point) and separated the meat from the bones (& fatty pieces that you can’t chew)—threw those back in the pot with the liquid and added more water to the top of the crock. covered and cooked on low another 8ish hours.
-eat/store the delicious, buttery meat and once the broth is done, strain out the bones/herbs/onions and save the broth in the fridge up to a week.

YUM. take care of your gutsss, mouth, & immune system!

spring nourish bowl

treated myself to this nice little bowl of heaven today:

•sautéed dandelion greens (the perfect spring green!) in evo coconut oil, sea salt + black pepper + cumin + fennel
•fresh parsley + cilantro
•steamed carrots
•creamy sprouted buckwheat & flax (simmered in homemade coconut milk until creamy & soft. added nutmeg, sea salt, cinnamon)
•raw watermelon radish
•unsweetened, tart young coconut yogurt
•dried golden berries
•fermented kraut
•finished with a drizzle of the creamiest raw homemade brazil nut butter (selenium!! plays a key role in metabolism & acts as a powerful antioxidant + important for thyroid health.)

*all organic*, of course.

eaten with breath and gratitude.

consuming fresh, seasonal, spring foods, incorporating lightly cooked as well as raw foods, sprouted light grains/nuts/seeds, plenty of healthy fats + fiber + ferments & fresh herbs.
these are key to thriving all summer long! 

pleasure your pits! (& the rest of your body) with this natural spray detox deodorant

i don’t usually wear any deodorant since i rarely have body odor, but this stuff is amazing and so nice to have on hand..even just to smell good! plus it adds needed magnesium to our bodies that are for the most part, very deficient.

grab a small glass spray bottle and mix it up in just a few minutes!

to your bottle add:

2 t acv (with the mother!)

3 t pure magnesium oil

10 drops of your favorite smelling essential oil/oils (i did rose & wild orange. peppermint is also fantastic for the warmer months!)

fill the rest of the bottle with filtered alkaline water & shake well before each use.

2-3 sprays under each arm after a shower or mid-day for a refresh.

tip for you mamas: add lavender oil to the mix and spray on the bottoms of your kid’s feet at night to calm them down and give them a small dose of magnesium!

PRESERVED LEMONS

aka sunshine in a jar.

these tasty & tart babies bring bright notes of citrus, vibrant saltiness and muted, complex tartness to your cooking.

the process is long, slow fermentation that breaks down the lemons’s rind, removes its bitterness and gives you a marvelously complex, bright flavor that pairs beautifully with any number of dishes!

once they’re properly fermented, preserved lemons will last six months to a year in the refrigerator.

thin-skinned lemons like Meyer lemons work best since they require less time for the rind to soften and release its bitterness, so they are done and ready to use faster than if you use thick-skinned lemons. since you’ll also be eating the rind, look for organically grown, unwaxed lemons, if possible.

you’ll need:

5 organic lemons

2 tablespoons high quality sea salt

how to:

•trim the tips from the lemons without exposing the flesh. slice the lemon lengthwise into quarters without slicing completely through and keeping the quarters connected at the base. sprinkle the inside of the lemons with a generous pinch of salt, and then pack them tightly into a glass jar and sprinkle each layer of lemons with additional salt.

•press the lemons tightly in the jar so that they release their juices, and so that the lemon juice and salt combines into a brine that completely submerges the lemons. place a weight over the lemons, and seal the jar.  allow the lemons to ferment at least one month before trying them. they should ferment long enough so that the pith loses its bitterness.

you can also add cinnamon sticks, hot chilis, bay leaf and black pepper to your lemons as they ferment.

a truly magic pink drink: beet kvass

it has been too long since i’ve made this stuff and i forgot about the WONDERS it does for me.

just in KVASS HEAVEN.

i’ve posted the recipe + how to for this magical & beautiful gut healing, energizing drink before but since it’s been a while and it’s that time of year we all desperately need some GUT LOVE, i thought i'd post it again.

let me teach you a little bit about the pink magic...

what is it?

a traditional tonic that is a little sweet and a lotta salty. because it is lacto-fermented, it’s rich in minerals, B Vitamins, antioxidants, and probiotics.
folk medicine values beets and beet kvass for their liver cleansing properties and beet kvass is widely used in cancer therapy in Europe. anecdotal reports indicate that beet kvass is an excellent therapy for chronic fatigue, chemical sensitivities, allergies and digestive problems. valuable for its medicinal qualities and as a digestive aid.

beets are loaded with nutrients. one glass morning and night is an excellent blood tonic helping your body create healthy blood cells, promotes regularity, aids digestion, alkalizes the blood, cleanses the liver (& in turn, the skin!), and is a good treatment for kidney stones and other ailments. it's also GREAT for women with hormone imbalances.

along with drinking it plain on an empty stomach each morning, you could also add it to soups, salad dressings, smoothies, sauces, etc., and it will give you a beautiful, bright color!

this batch i tried one with a vegetable starter and one with a kefir starter. they each contain different strains of bacteria that can aid with different bodies/guts. experiment!! the kefir is a bit sweeter and veg a bit more salty. both delicious!

bottoms up!

here’s how you do it:

•2-4 large washed organic beets (local is best!) chopped into 1-2" cubes (or enough to nearly fill jar)

•1/2 gallon glass jar with plastic lid

•1 packet of vegetable or kefir starter (depending on the strains of bacteria that work best with your body. my absolute favorite brand for starters is body ecology. best out there! you can also make kvass with no starter but you’ll need an extra tablespoon of salt & let it ferment a few extra days.)

•1 T fine high quality sea salt or himalayan salt (see photos for my absolute favorite brand + info)

•filtered water

-fill your jar up with chopped beets. add starter & salt & cover with filtered water to the top (make sure beets are submerged). put on a plastic lid tightly & shake very well to mix it up. leave out on your counter for 2-6 days to ferment, shaking the jar once or twice daily. after it is done (will smell and taste sour like pickles but not rancid & may have little bubbles-some say once you see foam starting to form on the top of the brine it is time to transfer the beet kvass to the fridge.) store in your fridge & consume daily: 

1/4-1/2 cup morning & night (on an empty stomach is best).

-when you have only about a cup left at the bottom, you can refill with 1 T sea salt & water to the top without having to use more starter. shake it well & let it sit out 2-6 days again, shaking once or twice a day and you have a new batch! you can do this once but the next time you'll want more starter + new beets.

(we made tacos with thinly sliced beets & radishes, avocado, wild baked salmon + homemade beet kvass ranch dressing! look how pretty!)

instant happiness spray

i made something magic, and i’m gonna start throwing them out for christmas gifts!

for instant happiness:
spray this on your clothes, on your pillow, in your face, on your couch, in your hair!
i’m so sensitive to smells and don’t like most perfumes, room sprays or candles. + most of them are toxic & hormone disrupting! this one i could smell all day & it instantly lifts your mood and energy.

for the spray:
1 t sea salt
1/2 of a vanilla bean pod (this makes it amazing & so fresh!! but you could also use 1/2 t vanilla extract)
16 drops wild orange pure essential oil
water
-add all to a 2oz glass spray bottle and shake well before each use.

for a roller bottle:
1 ounce organic fractionated coconut oil
6 drops wild orange EO
6 drops organic vanilla extract
-add to a roller bottle, shake, and go to town.

blackened tuna with avocado salsa

fish:

heat 1 t coconut oil in a large skillet and add 2 wild caught salmon or tuna fillets. season with s + p + sumac spice & cook until deep golden brown & crispy before flipping. once finished to your liking, transfer to a plate and serve with avocado salsa:

1 large avocado, cubed
1/2 c diced cucumber
1 T diced green onion
large handful chopped fresh cilantro
s + p to taste

-mix in a large bowl. add to fish & drizzle with lime juice before serving!

favorite & most used homemade cleaners

get rid of the chemicals. this stuff is easyyy.

all-natural all-purpose home/disinfectant cleaner:
•glass spray bottle filled with water
•10 drops oregano essential oil
•10 drops lemon essential oil
•1 t dr. bronners pure liquid soap
shake it up. use on any surface to disinfect.

non-toxic toilet bowl cleaner:
in a glass bowl add:
•10 drops lemon essential oil + 1/4 c white vinegar + 1.5 c baking soda
mix into a paste, apply to toilet bowl and let sit a few minutes (or as long as needed), scrub clean, flush.

i love making a big batch of these 2 and storing for easy & toxin-free deep cleaning!

bonus tip i’ve been loving lately:
10-15 drops of lemon essential oil to each load of laundry for extraaaaa clean & freshness! my favorite!

best homemade all natural organic deodorant

one question i get asked so often is what i use for a natural deodorant that doesn’t irritate and that actually WORKS.

well, i don’t use deodorant. i haven’t for several years. i noticed that once my body detoxed from the standard, toxic way of eating and living, i didn’t smell when i sweat. even when i sweat a lot.

this won’t necessarily be true for everyone, but eating clean most of the time plays a huge roll in body odor!

for many, they’ll continue to produce it for a long while before their body is “clean” and eliminating efficiently to the point that they really smell like... nothing. ha! that’s where i find myself most of the time, so i don’t put any deodorant on ever. occasionally some pure essential oils for “perfume”, but that’s it. i don’t prefer strong smells.

that being said, my husband is a deodorant whore (a thing?). he used to use antiperspirants like nobody’s business. i think most men do... but once i explained to him the harmful impact those can have on your whole body, he was determined (though doubtful) to find something natural that worked. for a while he would just keep going back to “old spice” and other toxic brands, until my mom gave him some of this homemade magic and he literally cannot live without it now... so credit goes to her!

just made up a new batch and thought i’d share the recipe! it’s soo easy + so effective.

add the essential oils you like to your desired scent/benefit.

⋆homemade deodorant⋆

makes 4 (ish)

1/4 c baking soda

1/4 c organic coconut oil

1/4 c pure bees wax

1/4 c pure shea butter

3 T organic arrowroot powder

-heat gently in a saucepan just until melted.

-add 10 drops melaleuca and 10 cypress or bergamot...or whatever you want it to smell like and mix well.

-carefully pour into 3 empty deodorant containers (find on amazon! or alternatively you can pour into a mason jar and rub it on with your fingers) and let sit until firm.

only deodorant you’ll ever need + it’s 10x cheaper!

homemade all natural organic chapstick

nobody likes dry lips.

equally, nobody should like putting toxic substances on their skin, especially on our mouth!

dev and i go through chapstick like crazy & although there are several healthy, awesome brands, it is so much cheaper to make them yourself. + you can make them in large quantities, add the “flavors”/oils you like, and never run out! i’ve never found a recipe that i love the consistency of, but my mom recently shared this recipe with me and we are obsessed!

homemade natural chapstick:
-makes about 20-
2 T organic cacao butter
2 T beeswax
2 T organic coconut oil
squirt of jojoba oil
squirt of vitamin E oil
15-20 drops of peppermint essential oil (or cinnamon, or any of your favorite oils!)
-gently heat all the ingredients but the essential oils in a small sauce pan until just melted. mix in EO and pour into empty chapstick containers. let sit until firm before putting on lids.

brazil nut ginger-lime sprouted granola

grainless & sprouted for optimal digestion with a perfect texture & sweetness & NO added sugars. + fiber & protein rich! stuff kinda melts in your mouth!

to make:
1 1/2 c raw brazil nuts, pulsed in the food processor until they resemble flour
1/2 c unsweetened coconut flakes
1/2 c sliced tigernuts (can sub more coconut)
1/2 c sprouted pumpkin seeds
1/4 c sprouted chia seeds
-mix all dry ingredients together in a large bowl.

in a blender:
2 T coconut oil
2 T vanilla bean ghee
2 T coconut butter
a few drops of stevia
2” piece peeled fresh ginger
juice & zest of 2 limes
2 drops lime essential oil
pinch of sea salt
-blend until very smooth.
-pour liquid mixture over dry ingredients and mix well.
-spread out evenly on a parchment lined dehydrator tray & dehydrate at 115F until done to your liking (to keep raw) or spread on a parchment lined baking sheet & bake at 325F for about 25 minutes until golden & crispy, stirring half way.
-serve with homemade almond/coconut milk or coconut yogurt + fresh berries.

ginger for digestion and BRAZIL nuts #1. for their high levels of selenium & #2. to switch up / alternate the nuts & seeds you are eating (very important to eat variety!)

deep greens pesto + why your liver needs green foods in the spring

the root cause of springtime allergies is an overburdened liver. this especially happens in the spring after a winter of heavy foods. if we do not give our body the cleansing greens it needs to detox the liver in the spring, we may develop many negative symptoms such as allergies, rashes, digestive problems and excess anger. the liver governs your mood!
sour, bitter, green foods are ideal this time of year:
green leafy vegetables
lemons/limes
sprouts
beets and beet greens
drink dandelion tea to flush liver toxins
taste your herbs! tasting the herbs is an important part of the healing and detox process. the way some of the more bitter herbs taste in our mouth can indicate to us how toxic we are. when you start to enjoy these bitter herbs & greens more, you know you’re on the right track!
eat light!
cleanse your colon!
cleanse your life.

now, make this simple pesto and put it on everything!

in a blender or food processor: 
1/2 c cilantro (stems too!)
1/2 c parsley (stems too!)
1/2 c dandelion greens
5 cloves raw garlic
1/2 c evoo or evao
2 T acv
2 T lime juice
1 t sea salt
1 t spirulina
1/4 t chipotle chili
-pulse or blend to desired consistency.
served up today with butternut squash noodles + baby greens + cooked beets + flax crackers.

remember:
“plant medicines work beyond the physical response; sometimes, it’s your spirit or emotion that needs heeling, and plant medicines can address that also.” -karen rose

butternut squash & kelp noodle pesto pasta

the color associated with the month of march is GREEN for a reason! the importance of incorporating bitter, dark leafy greens at this time of year is vital. in the month of march your body starts purging excess fat and heaviness of winter-bitter foods aid in this process of detoxification and fat burn. 

so feed your body well!

*the way we feed & treat our body in the spring sets the tone for our health the rest of the year*. 

are you listening to what your body wants? are you enjoying a bit lighter, more nutrient dense foods? eat your bitters! help your liver purge the stored up winter toxins and fat. you’ll feel amazing.


here’s an easy & delicious way to get loads of these greens in:
supergreen PESTO
noodles: use your fav. i mixed kona berry kelp noodles with butternut squash noodles, boiled them for a few minutes, then drained the water, added some ghee and stir-fried them a few more minutes.

deep green pesto sauce: this stuff is delicious. save the leftovers for veggie/flax cracker dipping!
i added a special ingredient-sea clear. i love this stuff! so nutrient dense. plus it’s fermented, contains nutrients from sea greens, extra salty, extra yummy. you do not have to add this, just add seasoning of your choice to taste if you don’t have it. (i got it online at thrive market)

throw the following in a blender:
4 c baby spinach / bitter green mix (i used mustard and dandelion but be careful cause too much of these will make it too bitter and spicy! if you’re not a fan, stick with spinach)
2 c parsley
1 c cilantro (don’t be afraid to throw stems in!)
4 T nutritional yeast
2 T sea clear
1-2 cloves raw garlic
2 drops of oregano essential oil (this magic ingredient makes it so yummy)
1/3 c organic pure avocado oil or olive oil
2-4 T c apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
2 packets of chaga mushroom from four sigmatic (optional for that extra nutritional love)

-blend all ingredients a minute or two until smooth, mix with prepared noodles, top with more parsley + eat! i also added spirulina crunchies to the top & sprouted flax crackers, cause crunch is life.
my husband downed this in minutes (and if you know him, he’s a chick-fil-a, salt and vinegar chips kinda guy. ha!). i enjoyed it slowly, savoring each bite! yum.

NOURISH YOURSELF.

(ps. hey! i’m back in business here. finally settled in our new home & have some good stuff coming your way!)

easiest way to hard boil eggs perfectly every time

for a creamy, buttery center, no green ring, easy to peel hard eggs:

-preheat oven to 350F. 

-place an egg in each cup of a muffin tin. bake for 27 minutes, then immediately transfer eggs to an ice bath for 10 minutes.

-peel, eat, store in refrigerator.

make a big batch with farm fresh eggs to have on hand when you need a healthy snack!

dreamy nighttime adaptogenic lavender hot coco / mousse

1/4 c cacao paste, chopped

11/2 c coconut milk, gently warmed

1-2 T coconut butter 

stevia/raw honey to taste

2-3 drops lavender essential oil

pinch of sea salt + vanilla bean powder

1/4 t schizandra powder (optional)

1/4 t ashwagandha powder (optional)

add all your ingredients to a high speed blender and blend until smooth & creamy-the more you blend the fluffier and creamier it will be. pour into 2 mugs and share with someone you love late at night to calm + restore your body, OR set in fridge to chill and enjoy as a light mousse with fresh fruit for breakfast.

adaptogens adapt to YOU. working with your natural circadian rhythm, they give you energy when you need it, and put you in a de-stressed, calm mood when you need it. restoring your body to health and maintaining vibrant longevity.