Libido Tonic and Weightloss Formula?

I know, I know, its not Valentines Day anymore but this tonic sounds amazing and I love David Wolf ^_^
Honestly, this video made me giggle lots. I love the take 2000 and e-mail me next month and the sastanch in your pants.
Tho I may not grab all of this stuff I do plan on getting some maca and maybe those capsules.

Let me know if you try this! Email me at aethelvyne at yahoo dot come! I wanna know what you think and I may post your email here on my blog.

Thanks and Love
Happy Chick

Picking Pitting and Canning: Cherries!

What a day! Farmville has nothing on me! Haha!

Halloween, our furkid, went to the vet this morning for her fix (spade). We'll be picking her up tomorrow morning.

We headed out after a breakfast of toast all around, to Clyde's farm to pick cherries after a phone call last night saying, the birds are eating them, come as soon as you are able!
Clyde has 3 grown trees with tart little cherries. There are more than that number but these are small and many will be transplanted to my in-laws this fall. Sadly, these trees, which in the past have been so full its taken hours to pick, were only partly full of cherries and many of these were either half eaten by birds and bugs or weren't ripe. We got about 3 1/2 to 4 gallons. The trees here on the property aren't ready for picking yet.

We got the buckets of cherries back to the house where we pitted them by hand (they're too small for cherry pitters) and put them through a mesh to collect the juice (the remaining pits and fruit are composted and if any saplings grow we are considering selling them at the farmers market).

And then I got to can jelly for the first time ever! Now, I did watch jelly and vegetable canning last year but my participation ended at harvesting and pitting/stringing/cutting.
I watched and took the experience in as if I were taking a class. I write the recipe down and made notes on everything Kathy said about canning.
I am proud to say that my first batch ever (7 jars total) was a delicious success!

The recipe is pretty straight forward.
Recipe
3 1/2 cups cherry juice
1/2 tsp butter
1 box gelatin/fruit pectin
4 cups sugar

Mix juice, butter and gelatin in a large pot (we used stainless steel) and bring to a hard boil stirring all the while.
Add sugar and stir, bring to hard boil again and stir 1 minute.
After exactly 1 minute, bring off heat and ladle into jars (using a funnel).

Notes (I'll try and keep them comprehensive and coherent...but no promises)

Jars: make sure to have good jars, as weak ones are likely to crack, break or even shatter during canning. We used Bell brand. Kerr is also a good brand.
As for the lids, do not reuse the flat part of the lid as the rubber will not re-seal for a second use.

Equipment: always wash equipment in between batches. Dry jelly jars COMPLETELY before filling (water will ruin your jelly).

Making the jelly:
~ The 1/2 tsp of butter is to prevent foaming
~ Only ever make 1 batch at a time. Doubling up tends to create jelly that will not set.
~ If juice falls under the 3 1/2 c measurment, add up to 1/2 cup of water (Kathy also recommends 1/4 cup lemon juice).
~ Add 30 seconds to last hard boil to help jelly to solidify if its coming runny.
~ Never set jars of jelly just made on the counter (always put a towel down), cool surfaces will speed the cooling and cause jars to burst.
~ Do not waterbath jelly, even though some instructions say to do so.

Well thats that on the notes.
I was inspired to experiment and wrote my ideas down on jellies I would like to create in the future.
I plan on researching
~ Flower jellies (hydrosol + sugar + gelatin)
~ Jellies made with fruit AND herbs
~ Superfood/herb jellies
(Specific combos: st. johns wort and cherry, apples and apple blossoms, rose and lavender with honey, blueberry and thyme)
~ the use of stevia or coconut sap for a low glycemic jelly
~ the use of coconut butter instead of cow butter to prevent foaming for a vegan recipe

Simply want to sign off by saying I had soooo much fun today and plan to add pictures to this post later on when I find the camera cable...

Super Simple Shampoo

I just want everyone to know how easy it is to make your own shampoo.
Sick and tired of conventional shampoos that are filled with petroleum based fragrance and sodium laurel sulfate that strips my hair, I decided to make my own.

What you will need:
1 16 ox bottle (trya dn old shampoo bottle)
16 oz of castille soap
16 oz of hot water
1-2 tea bags of favorite smelling tea
1 mug and a funnel or small-ish glass pitcher with a spout

Split the castille soap between the original bottle and the empty bottle (this means 8 oz in each bottle for you math whizs out there).
Steep tea bag(s) in hot water in the mug or pitcher for at least 20 minutes covered.
Take out the bag(s) and pour the tea over the castille soap...
Guess what! Thats It!
Easy right?

I used unscented castille soap. Warning, check the bottle because castille soap comes in a variety of scents like tea tree, eucalyptus, peppermint and rose. If you like these scents, go for it.
I used Celestial Seasonings' Tension Tamer tea and a few drops each fennel and tea tree essential oils. This made an herbaceous smelling shampoo I am excited to use!

Cost?
I already have th tea and the essential oils so I'm not sure really how to factor those into the mix.
Castille soap from the local co-op was $7.48 after tax. So, really, for organic hand-made shampoo, this was super cheap, costing about the same as 2 bottles of the chemical-laden, cheap stuff from the grocery.

Green Juice!

So I walked into work yesterday carrying a bottle of what looks like swamp sludge with a big smile on my face.
My co-workers looked at the bottle then at me then back and all asked the same question, "What are you drinking?"
"Green Juice!" was my happy reply. They all gave a weird face and some asked if I meant green tea. "No, Green Juice!"
I have decided to start my days off right with a green juice before I eat (usually eating around lunch time). Since I started this, I have woken up easier in the morning, I feel energized, and I've started having regular bowel movements (I know I know, you don't want to know...speaking of poop...check out this seminar on The Raw Divas this Thursday!)

What is in my green juice?
Orange juice and/or a Morning Vita Juice (orange, pineapple and papaya)
A mix of blue-green algaes (chlorella, spirulina) with barley greens
Pine pollen
And some days I add frozen raspberries but they tend to froth up the pollen even more...
Honestly, it tastes like orange juice! I even had a friend at work try it and she agreed after much frowning and acting like I was giving her poison. 

Now I use pre-made green juices or mixes as I don't own a handy dandy juicer. If I did own a juicer I'd have carrots and spinach (spinach is $2 a large bunch at Kroger!) with orange juice.

I'm also slipping my husband some nutrition with pine pollen in his O.J. ^_^

Healthy Holiday Egg Nog!

I love egg nog and was excited to find soy nog in the store which is super low fat and much healthier for those of you, like me, who can guzzle the stuff...
Here is a raw nog, I haven't tried but I wonder if the dates and avos would make the flavor funky...



Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all!

Happy 10-10-10

One last post before I head off and face the week,

Happy 10-10-10, this is an amazing month, what is it, 5 fridays, saturdays and sundays in the month? Plus its beautiful autumn and Halloween is coming, which is enough to be excited enough in itself right?

Just a little bit of what's going on that I'm into right now,

Raw Mom Cooked Dad started today with an interview with Alissa Cohen. Check it out and listen in.

I'm going to start doing a few recipes here and there with pictures. I feel like eating right is important and I hate just showing videos and recipes without doing it myself so I want to do this for me and for you. I also want to invite you to send me your recipes too!
With that said I am going to keep in the rule of KISS, Keep It Simple Stupid. Don't expect anything flamboyant or expensive from this chic, I'm broke haha.

For my first recipe...
Here's the tea I've been drinking about every morning after I drink some water and have a teaspoon of honey. Its also what I drink when I want something cold and refreshing but don't necessarily want to reach for a bottle of water or some almond milk.

I have a small pitcher i put everything in (I think it's 1 1/2 liter to 2 liters) so all the ingredients are brewed for it. Increase or decrease the measurements by that.

Ingredients
3 tea bags (I've been using Private Selection's Jasmine green and black tea)
1 large piece of candied ginger, torn.
2 tbsp raw honey
water

I simmer the tea bags in a small pot of water (about 1 1/2 to 2 cups of water) on the stove until the water is a brown color then I take the pot off the heat and let the bags steep for 15 minutes.
Remove the bags, squeezing off excess tea into the pot.

In a pitcher (or whatever container you will be putting the tea in) add the honey and ginger.
Pour the hot tea over the honey and bits of torn ginger and stir. The heat should dissolve the honey and the water puff up the ginger a bit.
Add water to this until full, stir again.

Refrigerate and enjoy ^_^

Alternative or additional ingredients you might enjoy:

Lemon goes well with ginger and they both aid digestion.
Stevia, or other low glycemic, aspartame-free sweetener.
Mint
Raw ginger, if you prefer it over candied.
Slices of orange, lemon or grapefruit
Rose water

Other teas are good too, especially when you're cutting out caffeine and don't want a black tea or a black tea blend. I personally love raspberry leaf tea.

Monthly Herbal: Hemp Recipes

Angela Stokes-Monarch's Raw Hemp Drink

Ani Phyo's Hemp Smoothie

Find more Hemp Recipes at...

www.hemp-guide.com

Like these Hemp Truffles (Raw Vegan)
Ingredients:
1/2 cup Manitoba Hemp Seed Butter
1/2 cup organic raw tahini (no salt)
1/4 cup roasted carob powder
3 Tbsp almond milk
2 Tbsp agave
2 tsp or droppers of Stevia
1 tsp organic vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
2 Tbsp goji berries
2 Tbsp raw cacao nibs
2 tsp powdered maca
1/2 cup hemp hearts (shelled hemp seeds) (to roll balls in)


In Vita Mix or coffee grinder

, blend whole berries and cacao nibs until a course powder and set aside. Next, in small bowl, combine tahini and hemp seed butter with agave, vanilla, and almond milk until it makes a batter. Next sprinkle in cinnamon, Stevia, and maca. With the back of a plastic spatula, press batter in a circular motion against the side of the bowl. The mixture should still be wet and sticky. Proceed by adding the carob a bit at a time and work into the batter in the same motion until fully blended. The batter now should have a shiny consistency and be non-stick to the touch. Next, fold in the ground goji berries and raw cacao nibs. Form into a ball and roll in shelled hemp seeds. Feel the mojo of a hump of a hemp ball.
Makes: 2 dozen Prep Time: 20 min

Monthly Herbal: Tea Tree Oil Uses

My Tea tree Face Wash:
In a spray bottle I mix equal parts water and rubbing alcohol (wich hazel can be used too).
To this I add 8-10 drops pharmaceutical grade tea tree oil.
To use, I shake the bottle then spray a bit on a dry cloth.
I rub the cloth on my face in circular motion to exfoiate the skin.
The wash reduces and prevents acne as well as refreshes me after a day out, at work, or simply when waking up in the morning.

Room Cleanser
I've also read that a mix of Eucalyptus and Tea Tree oil mixed in an oil burner can rid a home of mold.
Mix a few drops of each Eucalyptus and Tea Tree (use pharmaceutical or aromatherapy grade, as always) in the bowl of an oil diffuser.
Add enough water to fill the bowl almost to the top then, light a tea-light candle beneath the bowl.
Place the diffuser in any room with mold.
These oils can also be diffused in a room where someone is sick or to cleans the air in a new house or a room that has been uninhabited for some time.


Essential Energy has a few oil mixes that include Tea Tree oil.

Rejuvenating Blend: boosting the immune system as well as bringing clarity to the mind, this blend is great for an instant pick-me-up or long-term rejuvenation.
2 drops each eucalyptus, tea tree and geranium with 1 drop sage oil in a carrier of primrose oil or grape seed oil for massage or bath.

Traveler's Best Friend Blend: every traveler knows the perils of traveling without a fully equipped medicine kit. This blend is the perfect companion for adventurers, a trusty cure-all for those icky things you pick up on the road towards nirvana.
2 drops each lavender and tea tree with 1 drop each peppermint and basil in a carrier of grape seed or wheatgerm oil for baths.
(Use tea tree as a general topical antiseptic)

My Weekend

So, I had a busy weekend full of errands, shopping and cleaning. In all of this doing, I was able to do a few new, healthy things I thought I would share with you all.
First, I made my first batch of guacamole ever and its yummy!
Why guacamole? Why, Avocados of course!
Avocados are packed with nutrients including fiber, potassium, B-vitamins, and folic acid. They are also nutrient boosters, meaning they enable the body to absord fat-soluable nutrients like alpha and beta-carotene. Avocados even aid in cardiovascular disease by helping those on a healthy heart diet reach their quota of fruits as well as being a source of monosaturated and polyunsaturated fats.
The best part is they are tasty either with organic tortilla chips, on tacos or even sandwhiches.
My guacamole recipe was super simple:
1 avocado (peeled, pitted and mashed)
1 Tbsp lemon juice (lime juice can be substituted)
Mix together and store in a sealed container or use.

If you will remember a former post where I mentioned that removing plastic bottles from your life is a good way to rid yourself of toxins, let me rephrase that.
Removing plastic bottles from your life is a good way to remove toxins IF those bottles are not Bisphenol A (BPA) free. BPA is a compound used to make plastics. Health concerns include dangers to fetuses, infants and children (according to the FDA). BPA may even cause breast cancer as well as problems with the thyroid and reproductive organs. So BPA is bad to say the least.
Now, not all plastics contain BPA! My fiance and I bought re-useable plastic water bottles from the supermarket yesterday that are labeled BPA-free. They were also made locally at the chemical company, interestingly enough.
If plastic still has you worred, there are many stainless steel and aluminum bottles available through companies like Gaiam.

Lastly, I made soap!
I've had a glycerin soap making kit for over a year, tucked away in my craft supplies. Finally, I took it out and decided to do something with it.
I made 4 soaps, one green cucumber melon for my fiance, a green and pink rose soap for his mom, a pink rose soap for me, and a green tea tree oil soap to wash my face with.
Rose oil is soothing, especially for women. It can be used to ease skin irritations and is said to even sooth PMS and other menstrual issues.
Tea Tree oil aids in releaving skin problems, including acne, and aids wounds.
Word of warning, don't over-use the essential oils (the whole area still smells like rose oil).
The whole mess was really easy, except for extracting a round soap from the mold. I definately plan on making more soaps in the future. Its cheaper than buying soap and you can decide on the scents and colors.

Monthly Herbal: Dandelion Fritters

Rosalee de la Foret also wrote a recipe for Dandelion Fritters in her Wild Foods Cookbook but I wanted to make it seperate from the other posted recipes because I have a video to share with it of the Herb Mentor group making the fritters.

Recipe
1/3 c. flour
1/3 c. milk
1 tsp baking soda
1/3 c. cornmeal
1 egg
dash of sea salt

Sweet additions
1 Tbsp honey (or to taste)
cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, cadamom to taste
(I would also like to add anise, pumpkin spice, and all spice to this)

Savory additions
thyme, rosemary, oregano, or other savory herbs to taste

Mix dry ingredients together then add egg and mix well.
Add sweet or savory ingredients.
Dip flower blossoms into mix then fry in hot oil until golden brown.

As you will see, the video doesn't exactly follow this recipe, however, I'm told cooking is an art and done best with improve (so says my fiance).

Monthly Herbal: Dandelion Recipes

Below are recipes from Wild Foods Cookbook by Rosalee de la Foret available for free through Learning Herbs.

Dandelion Pesto
2-4 garlic cloves, crushed
1/2 c. cold pressed olive oil
2-3 c. freshly picked young dandelion leaves
1/4 c. freshly grated parmesan cheese
Dash of sea salt
Squirt of lemon juice (optional)
1/4 c. ground nuts (walnuts or pinenuts)

Place oil, garlic, and salt in the blender along with half of the dandelion leaves.
Blend well
Add other half of the leaves
when finished blending, should be of good consistency and still a little runny.
Pour into bowl and add cheese, ground nuts, and lemon juice.
Try as a dip, on bread, pasta or salmon, or with scrambled eggs or tofu.

Dandelion Greens
1 onion, diced
pinch of sea salt
2 Tbsp olive oil or butter
2 cloves of garlic
Bunch of dandelion greens
Squirt of lemon juice

Saute oinion in salt and oilive oil or butter until carmalized.
Add garlic and saute a minute more.
Add dandelions and saute until wilted.
Add squirt of lemon juice.
Use as base for quiche, tacos, or simply roll up in a large kale, chard, or lettuce leaf.

Pickled Dandelion Flower Bulbs
Harvest buds when they are still tightly closed
1/2 c. Onions, diced
3 Tbsp fresh minced ginger
4-5 garlic cloves
1 c. Dandelion flower buds
Apple cider vinegar
Tamari sauce

Rinse flower buds well and place in a pint jar with onions, garlic, and ginger.
Fill halfway with apple cider vinegar
Fill the other half with Tamari.
Cover with lid and let sit for 3 weeks in fridge
Enjoy with salads, snacks, or on tuna fish sammies.

Dandelion Coffee
Collect dandelion roots after going to seed or before flowering.
Wash well, then cut into small pieces.
Dry them well and store for later roasting or
roast them in a cast iron skillet until the turn brown and release a pleasant odor.
Once roasted, place a couple of tablespoons roasted root in 8 oz. water and boil for 7 minutes.
Add cream and sweetenver, and enjoy.

Flea Repellent!

I was asked the other day by a dear friend and fellow pet owner, how to keep fleas off our furry friends naturally.
The post is a little over due but i'm sure the information will still be enjoyed.

Lavender, our herb of the month, is not only a good bug repellent on humans, but is a Flea repellent on animals too!



The Joys of Lavender also has an article on lavender flea repellent.
In the article they give a few facts about fleas and why they are harmful to your pets. They also give a recipe:
Basic flea control shampoo for pets with fleas.
12 ounces water
1 tablespoons of castile soap
2 drops of peppermint essential oil
2 drops of eucalyptus essential oil
2 drops of lavender essential oil
2 drops of rosemary essential oil
Or whatever ones you have of these essential oils.combine ingredients in a jar. Shake well. Dampen your pet. add enough shampoo to make a lather and work. Rinse off well.

I have not tried any lavender flea repellent (or any flea repellent at all) on Halloween, my cat, yet but will let you know when I do and the results.

Let me know your repellent recipes, pet herbalism, etc!
Also, feel free to ask questions. I promise that if I don't know the answer, I will find one for you!

Monthly Herbal: Lavender 4

Herb Companion is full of useful articles.

Keeping the month's herb in mind, I was browsing the main page and up popped an article by Lemon Verbena Lady about what else? Lavender!

Now is the Time to Prune Lavender is a good article talking about the heat, trimming back lavender, drying and a yummy recipe, Lavender Lemonade!!!

Also, check out her blog here on Blogger!
There you will see her lovely lavender photos as well as other pretty plant pictures.

I can't wait to try out that lemonade recipe!