True Green Cleaning….It Does Exist!

My husband and I have been on a path to natural health and wellness and reducing the toxic load of our home for quite some time now. In today's society, this takes commitment and deliberate actions, as our stores are laden with pesticide coated produce, processed boxed foods, injected and toxic proteins. And that's just what we eat, never mind what is in all the cleaners and air fresheners that we use everyday.

Harsh chemicals and toxins are in EVERYTHING we use. They are riddled with warnings, cautions, and hazards and are toxic to our bodies if ingested, and sometimes even when touched or inhaled. We are required to use gloves and often other safety precautions before handling, and inhaling many of the cleaners we use can restrict airways, choking us and making it hard to breathe, flare up allergies and asthma and even cause adverse reactions in some cases.

Synthetic air fresheners we spray into the air remain in the air for hours afterwards. Even though we can't smell them, we are still ingesting and inhaling those toxins.

And we wonder why diseases, respiratory issues and cancer is on the uprise.

I never really stopped to think about it until I had children, who were licking the floor as they crawled around, touching surfaces and then putting their fingers in their mouth. Who like to explore and open cupboards where potentially dangerous substances are stored. Those little ones whose wellbeing is my priority and responsibility.

Creating a greener, safer home, meant turning to natural solutions that are non-toxic and are without all the health risks and warnings. And if my kids get into it, it's not going to harm them. Wouldn't you want to effectively clean your home, knowing that you weren't putting yourself or your kids at risk of being poisoned or harmed? It's a no-brainer to me.

When we spray the surfaces of our home or work space, even after the streaks are gone and the cleaner "appears" to be removed, it remains on those surfaces. Thus, every time we touch that surface we still absorb those toxins through our skin. So as our kids crawl around on the freshly mopped floor, they are touching those toxins, as are we when we walk around in our bare feet. The largest pours in our body are on the bottoms of our feet, so you can imagine how fast those toxins will reach our blood system as we walk on those surfaces.

Yet many of the "all natural" cleaners or "green" cleaners on the shelves today tell us they are "safe" and "environmentally friendly". While they might be better for the environment, are not any better for you or your health and still contain ingredients that are toxic to us and thus deceiving in the marketing! Not only that, the cost of all the cleaners (because one cleaner usually only does one thing) adds up and takes a big bite out of the budget.

Thankfully there is another way.

I'm here to say there's a way to clean your home NATURALLY, without toxic chemicals, that actually WORKS. And is multifunctional, thus easier on the budget too! And if your kids crawl on or lick the surface afterwards, it's totally safe! :)

Are you ready for the answer?

Essential Oils! I'm not even kidding you. Many essential oils not only work well to eliminate such things in our environment (in the air and on surfaces) but also in our bodies. There's been a steady rise in the use of essential oils the past decade, and no, it's not because it's a fad….it's because people are using essential oils and seeing how well they work and how potent and powerful this beautiful gift of the earth is. The scientific studies being done on the benefits of essential oils are growing each day. Check out this wonderful website for awesome scientific research on essential oils www.aromaticscience.com.

Now, I'm not talking drug store shelf or grocery store shelf or even health food store shelf essential oils. Those are almost always adulterated in some form or another and are not the highest quality or the purest. Not all essential oils are created equal and where it was harvested, what time of the year, the elements, the distillation process, the testing, and if anything was added to the oil, all will affect the oil itself. So if you're paying $5 for a bottle of essential oil, put it back and walk away. Those oils are not safe or beneficial and could be just as toxic and harmful to you as those other cleaners! More on essential oils and quality/purity another time.

My family and I use doTERRA essential oils and have for over a year now. We have had nothing but huge success using them for ourselves, but I've also enjoyed using them around the home for cleaning. doTERRA essential oils are completely non-toxic, beyond organic and free from any pesticides, chemicals, filler and foreign contaminants, and are safe for internal, topical and aromatic use. This means that by cleaning with these high quality and pure essential oils, it's ok, and even beneficial to us, to inhale and touch them as we clean our home, but they also make the surfaces of our home clean as well. Win Win!

There are other natural ingredients, most of which you probably already have in your home, that also aid in the cleaning process. If you don't have some of these items, I would highly recommend picking them up, and most of them are very inexpensive.

They are…
-Baking Soda - scrubs, whitens, deodorizes and cuts grease
-White Vinegar - cuts grease, deodorizes, and dissolves mineral deposits
-Borax - scrubs, disinfects, whitens, cuts grease, and deodorizes (although Borax is natural, it is toxic if ingested and can cause skin irritation. Keep away from children, pets and food preparation areas). If in doubt, stick to baking soda.
-Unscented Castil Soap - vegetable-based soap that is safe enough to brush your teeth with. Dr. Bronner's is a great brand and can be found at most health food stores and some grocery stores as well.
-Epsom Salts - helps to keep oils suspended in homemade cleaners
-Fels - Naptha Soap - a bar that is great for stain removal and cleaning. Look int he laundry aisle of the grocery store but is more difficult to find sometimes and may need to be purchased online if you can't find it.

There are many essential oils that are great to help cleanse, deodorize and protect your home as well. The list is extensive, but I'll just be touching on a few today.

Let's start in the laundry room! Everyone has to do laundry. It's a part of life if you want clean clothes to wear. I'm working my way into going more natural in this area of our every day life and have recently purchased a SmartKlean laundry ball so we will be detergent free! Yay! This ball not only cleans, you need to only use the rinse cycle, thus using less water, and your clothes are static free!

For a while, however, I had changed to an eco friendly, soft and gentle laundry soap, thinking this was a better solution for our laundry then regular laundry detergent. Like I mentioned before, just because it's eco friendly and safe for the environment does NOT mean it's ok for us and it is still filled with harmful toxins.

If you prefer the idea of a detergent of the laundry ball, you can make an easy laundry soap that is penny's a load, yet still effectively washes your clothes in a non-toxic way.

Here's the recipe for your own homemade laundry soap…
-4 lb box borax
-4 lb box baking soda
-1 box Arm & Hammer washing soda
-3 grated bars of Fels-Naptha
-3.5 lbs OxiClean (powder, not liquid)

Mix together and store in an airtight container.

The cost is about $20 for 20lbs of soap and you use roughly 2 Tbsp per load, depending on size. For those of you with high efficiency washers, don't put the soap in the soap dispenser, but sprinkle it right into the drum of the washer.

*Using these natural ingredients in your laundry will keep your clothes lasting longer and looking newer for much longer as well.

Then add about 10-15 drops of your essential oil of choice (and that you like the smell of), such as Lemon, OnGuard blend or the Purify Blend, onto a damp cloth and throw the cloth in with the wash. Your clothes will come out smelling great and will also be super clean.

Use the same cloth and add your fav smelling oils to it, whether it be the same or different, and throw it in the dryer with your laundry. It can be strong, so start with 1-2 drops and go from there and experiment to get the perfect strength of smell that you love, without the synthetic toxic bounce sheets.

If you accidentally forget the laundry in the washer and it gets that "mildewy" smell, add a couple drops of lemon or purify blend to a damp cloth, add it to your wash and do a short cycle. Your laundry will come out smelling fresh once again!

To dry your clothes, use wool dryer ball. They not only shorten dry time, but are not laden with toxins like dryer sheets, which then transfer to our skin and can cause irritation and allergic reactions.

*Dryer sheets are also dangerous as they clog the lint filter making your machine a higher risk for fire. Even if it appears clean, test your filter and run water through it. If no water passes, replace it, because if water can't pass through then neither can air and you run the risk of your machine over-heating and catching fire.

As a natural stain remover for your clothes, simply take a bar of Fels-Naptha, wet the corner and then scrub into the stain.

For a spot removal or to also use on regular laundry stains, mix 1 part hydrogen peroxide and 1 part OnGuard foaming handwash. It not only attacks regular stains but also removes rust stains. You can also use this mixture as a general cleaner.

Now on to the toilet! For a great toilet bowl cleaner use the following….
-I use 1/2 cup baking soda
-About 10 drops of Melaleuca (or essential oil of choice like Purify blend or OnGuard blend)
-1/2 cup of Vinegar.

Don't pre mix or you'll have a nice mess on your hands ;)

Add in the order listed into the toilet bowl and as the mixture begins to react, start scrubbing. The ingredients all work together to deep clean your toilet. It also cleans your toilet brush at the same time!

You can leave it in the toilet overnight to get an incredibly deep clean. It's completely safe and non-toxic, so it's not harmful to pets who like to drink from the toilet* or kids who like to play in the toilet :) It's by far safer then a toilet cleaned with cleaners.

*If you have pets who like to drink from the toilet, it would be wise to avoid using Melaleuca and use another essential oil instead.

For a natural bathroom deodorizer, simply put a few drops of your favourite essential oil inside the toilet paper roll and place back on the holder. Every time you roll for toilet paper, the smell will pour out into the bathroom!

To clean your toothbrush, put a bit of water in a class with a couple drops of of OnGuard, stick your toothbrush in so it's submerged and let it soak overnight.

All Purpose Cleaner!
-Water
-10-15 drops of Purify blend per 16 oz water
-pinch of Epsom salts

Mix in a glass spray bottle and shake well before each use.

This is great to clean the bathroom and kitchen surfaces (sink, tub, outside of toilet, counters) or most any surface in your home actually.

You can also use 2 Tbsp of the OnGuard cleaning concentrate to 24oz of water, which also makes a perfect all-purpose cleaner.

Glass Cleaner!
-1/4 cup of vinegar
-2 cups of water
-10-15 drops of Lemon or Wild Orange

Mix in a glass spray bottle and shake up before each use. The oils help neutralize the stinky vinegar smell.

The mixture is a great streak free cleaner for windows and mirrors. Also, newspapers, or even better, coffee filters, work amazing to wipe your glass. I also use Norwex clothes that are fantastic. (side note, for those of you who use Norwex, because of the quality and purify of doTERRA's essential oils, they can be safely used with Norwex products)

Dust mites can be a problem in some areas of the country and world. They hide in our sheets and mattresses and are hazardous to our health, especially to those with asthma or respiratory issues. The Citrus Bliss spray can help with that!
-water
-about 5 drops of Citrus Bliss Blend
mix in a 1oz glass spray bottle and mist sheets and mattress. And it smells amazing too (like creamsicle).

I also bring this with me when I travel and spray the beds down in the hotel.

It's also a fun thing to do for your kids or guests, right before they go to bed. Mist their sheets and when they fold open the covers, they are greeted with a lovely scent.

Eucalyptus is also a great option, but doesn't smell as lovely as Citrus Bliss ;)

For pests in the house (especially with Fall here and the insects looking for a warm place to live during winter) diffuse Peppermint and they will leave! Many bugs, including ants and spiders, hate Peppermint. You can also make a mixture of water and Peppermint essential oil and  mist around door ways and windows to help prevent those pests from coming in to your home.

For cleaning hardwood floors, you'll want to avoid stronger essential oils like OnGuard, or if you use them, use them very diluted, as they can take the finish off the wood. For a wonderful hardwood floor cleaner, mix olive oil or coconut oil with a little bit of water and Lemon essential oil (or favourite citrus oil). This can be used as a great wood furniture cleaner as well.

Let's quickly talk about Lemon and a few of the many wonderful things it can help clean. We've already talked about some.

Lemon essential oil will take off the sticky, gummy residue left behind after removing labels or stickers. It will get gum out of hair and help get pen and permanent marker off of walls (and other surfaces as well).

You can mix Lemon with some baking soda to make an excellent wall scrub.

Lemon has been used successfully to remove shoe polish from clothes and can get grease spots out as well.

Use Lemon and Lime to clean the glass cooktop of your stove, to take all the gunk off.

Now, with using essential oils to clean, there are some cautions I would like to address as well. Never let OnGuard sit on wood or natural stone as it will eat through it. DigestZen blend has eaten through paint within seconds (but a good option for paint remover if you need one ;P ).

These oils are so powerful at what they do, and they are obviously very strong. So when used on synthetic things, like paint and plastic, they tend to eat through them, so be careful and dilute them if necessary. You don't want to ruin your furniture. This is also why essential oils work so well for us. We are not synthetic beings and essential oils can be a helping hand for us to function at optimal health and wellness.

Always use glass spray bottles if possible and not plastic.

I hope this information gives you some useful ideas on how to start reducing the toxic load in your home and health and moving toward a greener life.

Till next time!

Pushing Forward

As I near the 1 year anniversary of the start of my journey with essential oils and the new business that it has become, I became aware of a strange disconnect. I've been working hard and growing my business and team with great success, and truly loving it, so the realization of this reluctancy caused me to wonder. Why was it there? What was the cause? How can I push through?

As I sat thinking about it, God showed me a bit of insight into my life, both present and past. First thing I noticed was a pattern. I have been notorious for starting a job or project, and right around a year, moving on to start something else. Countless jobs have come and gone, many of which I truly loved, but after a year, when things start to take off, I feel the need to change it up. The only 2 things in life I haven't moved on from after a year have been marriage and motherhood. That's definitely not an option for me.

So what was the reason for the constant change? Partly job ADD perhaps. I do get bored with things very easily. But that didn't seem to be the real reason. The root of it extended much further. When I truly looked at the point in which I left, it was the point at which I was about to move up in responsibility or leadership. The point when more would depend on me, then just my personal effort to do a good job. Before I finished what would be my last contract with Disney Cruise Line, I was taken aside by management to ask how I felt about moving into an assistant management role. The thought thrilled and frightened me. Right before I left my job at a company in Medicine Hat, I had been promoted up to Executive Assistant to the president of the company, which gave much more responsibility. This was right around the year mark. Time and time again, job after job, I stayed for about a year, and then when things started moving forward, I moved on. I never left without my foot already in another door, however, always on the look out for something new, something I could be really passionate about, something I would love and find exciting and feel fulfilled at.

I had the idea and vision of success. With everything I did, I wondered and even imagined what it would be like to be the "top dog" or to move up the ranks. To have others look to me for guidance, instruction, and support. To have more responsibility on my shoulders and report to an even higher authority.

Even this blog, I realized, fell into that same zone. I began with gusto, with high hopes of becoming a popular blogger, with thousands of followers reading each week. Thoughts that I could even make money at this. Things did start to take off and I had a dedicated following for sure and I was loving it, because I love to write. Then my list of businesses for features ran out, putting value to my feature blogging and trying to make money with it just seemed to not work, and basically things that had been going quite easily started getting harder and when the flood happened here in the Hat, I used it as an excuse to get out of the habit of writing, and here we are a year later.

And now, I face this feeling again. This desire to run and hide, to give up. Why? What is it?

I can't be bored because I am so passionate about my job and serving and helping others be empowered to take charge of their health and wellness. I adore my team. I love the products.

Was it a fear of failure? Or rather, quit before I fail, so I can't be called a failure? I have dreams and goals, which to some may seem far out of reach. Sometimes they seem that way for me. And yet I see how far I've come in such a short period of time and I KNOW these goals are attainable. But the niggling fear of not making it still tingles. But that wasn't just it.

The truth is, it's the leadership aspect. I have now hit the first leadership rank in doTERRA, Silver, after steady momentum and have a huge team growing steadily beneath me. I have all these people looking up to me! I know that God has placed a mantle of leadership on my shoulders, it's one of my giftings for sure, but I've always shrugged it off and shirked away. This stems back to when I was a young girl. When in the early years of life, one doesn't fully understand what leadership is, and thus it usually comes out as being "bossy". Yes, I was a bossy little girl, and told that too. As I grew up, I became afraid of that term, or rather, being called bossy. I didn't want to be seen as bossy, I wanted to be the girl that everyone liked and wanted to be around, and nobody likes to be around someone who's bossy. At such a tender age, I didn't know how to turn "bossy" into "leadership", so I just shied away from it altogether.

Through the years, times would come up when I would need to take the leader role, and I truly excelled in it. But I never chose it for myself. I was still afraid of being that "bossy girl". If a task required a leader, and someone stepped forward, I was there to gladly work under them and help out. However, if no one stepped forward, I naturally slid into the role.

Working in doTERRA and building my own personal business, I've found that there is no way around being a leader if you want to succeed. And since I do, I made the decision that I needed to be bold and do what I was created to do, be a leader. And I've never felt more fulfilled then I do helping others, teaching, training, supporting, guiding, nurturing, mentoring and pioneering. The truth is, I found the path smooth and steady to earn the rank of Silver, though it took many hours of hard work, countless classes taught and much dedication. But the idea of pushing forward and hitting new levels, new ranks, new roles of leadership, new successes, seemed daunting, far-reaching, and exhausting. I think this hit was when I didn't hit the goal I was aiming for this summer and all momentum I had going fizzled out. I felt defeated, even though there was no reason to. A quiet month with little happening after the craziness of the last 5 months was actually a blessing, which looking back I see, but in the moment, all I could think was "what's wrong? What happened to my momentum?" I felt like I had plato'd and that I must have done something wrong leading my team and that was why nothing was happening, when truly, it's just summer.

I'm so thankful for a husband who encourages, gently pushes, and believes in me and my goals. He's behind me and beside me 100%. I'm thankful for MY leaders and mentors who are also cheering me on and believe in me enough to help me reach my goals too! I'm thankful for my team who I get to journey with and hopefully I inspire and help them reach their goals and dreams.

So now, even though I'm walking on a level plain at the moment, the next goal is sitting right before me, I just need to climb a bit further to grasp it. I'm not going to let this "wall" that has stopped me dead in my tracks time and time again, get the better of me this time! Time to climb the wall! I'm GOING TO SUCCEED! I'm GOING TO MAKE IT! Good things come to those who work hard for it :)

A Return To That Which I Love

As it would seem, my return from a writing hiatus turned into a longer hiatus after just one post. One word. Ridiculous. It's not like I had anything important going on, like being a wife,  taking care of toddler, giving birth to another beautiful girl, building a new business, along with trying to keep my house from entering a total state of destruction.

Yes, it's been over 10 months since I last posted and my, has a lot happened in that time. One never realizes the change that can occur in a short span of time, until you sit back and reflect on that time. What did I do? How is it almost September, 2014 already?

Well, it's true that I was busy being pregnant and taking care of a growing toddler, who always keep me on my toes, creating laughter and joy wherever she goes. I had recently embarked on a new road as well, learning about and using essential oils. January hit and I began to pursue the essential oil road and share these amazing gifts of the earth with family and friends, all the while becoming ever increasingly uncomfortable as my pregnancy neared the end. To say I was in pain was an understatement. And when our newest little girl arrived, 9 days early, on Jan 31st at a whoping 10lbs 5oz, I understood completely why I was so ready to be over with this 9 months of pregnancy "bliss". She had no room left! But Treowyn Caroline came and stole our hearts….and every bit of spare time we may have had before she was born. Thus Feb was a blur of not doing a whole lot besides feedings, diaper changes and napping.

March came in with gusto and I endeavoured over the following months to create a new "normal", whatever that was. I managed to get my business up on to steady feet, juggle two girls, naps, diapers, feedings, super prep, an intensive 13 week course, teaching classes, playdates, grocery shopping, traveling home to see the famjam, potty training, sleep training, and devotional time, all sorted. It was a crazy few months, but now the dust has settled a bit (which brings it's own challenges) and I can say, we have found our new normal with its rhythm and pace. And I've learned to say no and let things go. I'm learning to evaluate what's important and what's really not.

The one thing, however, that was sorely missed during the last year, was "me time" and doing those small creative things, like writing, that take me away from the everyday hustle and bustle. Did I think about blogging and writing and creating? Every day. So, here's to doing my best to still take care of me and doing one of the many things that I love, write. And if anyone reads, that's their business, but at least I have a blank page to put black words on, and that thought truly exhilarates me. I feel like I'm home.

My beautiful little family with personality to boot! My how they grow so fast.

Be sure to enjoy the moments you have with those you love too :)

The Parodical Blogger Returns!

It's amazing to me how fast time can fly. Truly I cannot believe I have not posted a thing since May, but to be fair, a LOT has happened between then and now. For a long while, I wasn't even venturing into further experimentation with food, recipes or the likes. To the blogger world, it would seem I simply fell off the face of the planet. But one is allowed to do so from time to time. :)

Let me catch you up on why I have been away…

First of all, May found itself to be an eventful month. I was venturing back into theatre after a long hiatus, and couldn't be more excited to audition for the upcoming Snow White and the Magnificent Seven Dwarfs Pantomime. The audition went well and I received the call that I had been given a roll. And not just any roll, but one of the main, leading rolls in the play. A character roll with much slapstick comedy required. How wonderful! I was most delighted for this new challenge. One short week later, however, I found out I, much to our excitement, was expecting our second Little Latte, due beginning of February. Thus, I would be 7 months pregnant when Snow White was scheduled to begin. This would make it virtually impossible for me to stay in the role I was given, because of the danger of all the physical comedy and being 7 months pregnant. However, my directors were so amazing, and still wanted me in the play, that they wrote in a whole new character, just for me. But more on that later.

Rehearsals weren't set to commence until September, so I figured I would have a lovely summer to walk, rest, enjoy time with Lalaith and Hayden and just.be. Then June came along, and with it a horrendous flood that devastated Southern Alberta. Our home was in the flood zone of Medicine Hat, and thus we were evacuated for an unknown period of time. All this while being in the throws of horrible morning sickness. We ended up living with some dear friends and their kids for two weeks, during which time I came down with a terrible cold, on top of the morning sickness. We were finally given the green light that we could go home, only to find that our air conditioning was broken and it was a simmering 93 degrees inside. It was at this time I nearly broke down and just needed to "go home". Thus, Hayden packed L and I up and drove us to Strathmore (he still had to work and couldn't come with us), where my mom picked us up and took us the rest of the way back to Sylvan Lake. Lalaith and I stayed there for two weeks where I was able to sleep and get over my cold, and morning sickness, and commenced in helping get my parent's new store ready for opening.

Hayden came and picked us up and brought us home after the two weeks, but after being back in the Hat for a mere 5 days, Lalaith and I returned to Sylvan for another two and a half weeks for the final touches before store opening, and for opening day. During that stint of time, Hayden's brother and sister-in-law, with their little girl, came for a visit to Calgary, and we met Hayden there and spent the weekend together at my in-laws place. The following weekend was the Carruthers Family Reunion, which hasn't happened in about 14 years, and it was an amazing weekend of laughter, reminiscing, playing and "being". I was so thankful to be feeling well and that Hayden finally got to meet many more members of my family, even though there were many still who weren't able to make it.

And just like that, summer was over in a whirlwind. L and I finally came home and real life began anew. I began to desire being a wife and a mom again and being in the kitchen once more, creating and trying out new recipes. I had a new fervour for cooking and baking. I craved routine and commonplace.

With an ever growing belly, movements beginning from our new little one, a new sense of establishment even though our basement was (and is still) torn up from some sewer back-up caused by the flood, Snow White rehearsals began, pre-natal check-up's commenced and life moved forward at an unprecedented rate. Hayden and I celebrated our 4th anniversary in September and I had planned a nice trip, just the two of us for the end of Oct to "get away from it all", which seemed so far away.

We also became the owners of a mini-van. Yes, we are one of "those" families now :D And I couldn't be more happy about it.

And now I find myself in the middle of October, submerged in rehearsals, researching and selling essential oils (more on that later), getting ready to have a whole week alone with my hubby next week, and feeling that, life is good, but I'm tired and need a break.

Thus, that has been my last few months, craziness ensuing, but normality returning. I find the older that I get, the more I have a need for a bit of routine and normality. I'm not 22 anymore :) and that's just fine by me.

Stay tuned for more delicious recipes to come and other information as well, to help you continue living green and healthy.

Hope you're as happy as I am that I'm back!
Till next time...

Mini "Corndogs"

Growing up I used to love eating corndogs. It wasn't a regular food in our home, but an occasional treat we were allowed to indulge on (or I would buy when out with my friends ;) ) There was just something about that processed corn bread surrounding that processed wiener on a stick that made me crave more! Greasy, drippy, rich….and deadly to be sure.

Well, my love of corndogs, while abated as I have a greater understanding of the harms of processed foods, lingers still, intensified when at a fair and that sweet, hot, greasy aroma floats upon wings of delight to my waiting nostrils. I pass by, although, somewhat reluctantly I'll admit.

Thus is was quite exciting when I came across this recipe for "healthified corndogs". I couldn't wait to try it out and I gladly say they turned awesome. No grease, chemicals, no deep fried, but delicious non-the-less. My entire family enjoyed these morsels and they will definitely be making a re-appearance in our home again.

I found the recipe on one my favourite healthy foodie blogs, Maria's Nutritional and Delicious Journal and you can see the original post here.

Enjoy!

MINI CORNDOGS
(gluten-free, dairy-free, corn-free, sugar-free, soy-free)

Ingredients:

4 Tbsp coconut flour
4 Tbsp organic beef or veggie broth (I used veggie) (4 Tbsp = 1/4 cup)
1/2 tsp unflavoured gelatin
2 eggs
Hormone and antibiotic free, grassfed hot dogs

I tripled this recipe and it made 23 mini corndogs, so this recipe should make approx 8 mini corndogs.


Directions:

-Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a mini muffin pan.

- In a medium size bowl, heat the broth and mix in the gelatin to dissolve.

- Add in the coconut flour and eggs. Let sit for a minute to thicken up.

- Spoon about 1 Tbsp of breading in each muffin tin.

- Place a 1 inch piece of hot dog into the dough.

- Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown. (Mine baked for closer to 20 min)

-Enjoy

Option: Wrap the batter around the hotdog with your hands. Add coconut oil to a skillet on high, once the skillet is hot, place the corndog in the oil and roll around until all sides are cooked. The above recipe will make 2 corndogs. I will be trying this in the near future :D

Happy Eating!

Simple Calamari

I just love seafood. Pretty much any seafood really, although pass on the breading and deep frying for me :) In Medicine Hat, one rarely has the chance to enjoy fresh cuisine from below the waves, so when we can get away to somewhere that offers such fare, I jump at the chance. But, sometimes I do love to enjoy ocean delights from the comfort of my home. This can be daunting as seafood can be a tricky food to prepare properly. Squid is not an exception. If over-cooked it becomes rubbery and elastic-like. When done just right, however, it's a savoury delicacy in the mouth.

We were given a bag of raw squid rings (calamari) to cook up, and my husband and I thought, why not! Let's give it a go. We both enjoy calamari immensely and as most places serve it breaded, I haven't been able to tantalize the taste buds with any in a long time.

I did some research and discovered that squid is actually quite simple to prepare as it literally takes only seconds to cook. As we come into Summer, when one avoids turning on the oven at any expense, this is just the treat to prepare, to go along with your BBQ or fresh salad (or on top of your salad!).

If you love seafood as much as I do, I recommend trying this out! You'll be pleased with the results :D

SIMPLE CALAMARI

Ingredients

1 bag raw, frozen, sustainable squid rings
Sea Salt
Extra Virgin Olive Oil (about 1 Tbsp)
Favourite Flavoured Salt
Seasonings of Choice

Directions

- Thaw out your squid rings by placing them in the fridge overnight or leaving them in the sink for the day till your ready to prepare them.

- Fill a dutch oven pot (or the largest pot you have) with fresh water and add a generous portion of sea salt to it. You want the water to be salts. Bring the salty water to a boil.

- Using a small metal, mesh strainer, filled with thawed squid rings, flash cook the rings in the boiling water for about 45 seconds (Be sure all the rings are below the surface of the water).

- Toss into a separate bowl and cover while you flash cook the rest of the squid. We had to do 3-4 batches to cook it all in our strainer.

- Toss the cooked calamari with a bit of Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Sprinkle your favourite, flavoured salt on top and toss again to coat well.

- Dish up and sprinkle your favourite seasoning of choice on top. I used Epicures Herb and Garlic mix.

- Serve hot and enjoy!

Foods That Are Neither Vegetarian or Vegan

In the ever rising and increasingly popular turn to vegetarianism and veganism in our culture, it may surprise you to know that there are some foods out there that, though they may seem safe for consumption by those who have this lifestyles, yet are filled with hidden animal by-product ingredients.

For those that are unaware of the difference between a vegetarian and vegan, here's a quick overview (though not completely thorough in the least). A vegetarian does not eat meat, though there are some who may still periodically dine on fish, but as a general rule, anything that was a living, breathing being is not on the menu for supper. A vegan takes this a step further. Not only does a vegan not eat meat, they also do not eat or drink anything that is derived or comes from animals of any kind. This means no dairy, no eggs, etc.

Thus, it may come as a surprise that some food and beverages out there are not as "animal" free as you would expect. These items below are a favourite of many out there (myself included), thus I thought I would shed some light on these food items, drinks and treats that do not fit into the vegetarian or vegan lifestyle, even though it would seem at first glance that they would or should and I'm sure there are many a vegetarian and vegan out there who may have indeed enjoyed one or more of these items.

I found the following information on Huffington Post (thanks to my hubby who's always on the look-out for interesting reads) You can read the original article here if you like. Or, you can just read on!

Kraft Singles Cheese:

WHAT'S IN IT? Animal Enzymes

"According to Kraft's website, enzymes used to make Kraft Singles slices and the powdered cheese for Macaroni and Cheese, are both "sourced from both microbial fermentations and animal sources" such as cow, sheep, and goat."

Guiness (and other beers)

WHAT'S IN IT? Dried fish bladder

"As in-depth report says Guinness beer may have used isinglass (an ingredient made from dried fish bladder) during their brewing process."

Nerds (and other red candies)

WHAT'S IN IT? Insects

"Carmine, made from beetles and other insects, is a common type of food colouring. This ingredient is usually found in red coloured candies and strawberry-and-grape flavoured Nerds. And just last year, coffee-giant Starbucks told consumers their Strawberries & Creme Frappuccinos and strawberry-flavoured smoothies all contained cochineal extract - red food colouring made from crushed cochineal beetles."

McDonald's Smoothie

WHAT'S IN IT? Gelatin is made from the protein of animal by-product such as skin, tendons, ligaments and bones.

"If you're a vegetarian or vegan, you probably already know to avoid marshmallows, some jams, jellies and gelatin desserts like JELL-O. But some candies like Peeps, gummy bears and even McDonald's Real Fruit Smoothies also contain gelatin."

Refined White Sugar

WHAT'S IN IT? Bone char

"Some companies use bone char during the processing of refined white sugar. However, not all types of refined sugar contains bone char. PETA notes that bone char can also be found in some brown sugars, and they've even included a list of manufactures who are completely vegan."

Parmesan

WHAT'S IN IT? Rennet - enzymes made from the stomachs of unweaned animals such as calves.

"If you love freshly grated Parmesan cheese with your pasta or risotto, (I'm) sorry to deliver the bad news: This type of cheese is almost always made with rennet. Some writers even argue why vegetarian recipes continue to include this cheese as a vegetarian ingredient. Other hard cheese and gorgonzola may also be culprits."

Omega-3 Enriched Food and Drinks

WHAT'S IN IT? Fish oil

"Most Omega-3 enriched drinks or food such as margarine, olive oil and bread, may contain fish rather than plant sources of Omega-3 fatty acids. This Tropicana juice contains tilapia, sardines and anchovy."

Wines

WHAT'S IN IT? Gelatin made from pig and cow hooves

"Vegans, you may want to skip out on this one. Many wines and even beers use gelatin as a finishing agent."

Taco Bell Cheese Quesadilla

WHAT'S IN IT? Eggs

"This is obviously a no-no for vegans, but any vegetarian who eats dairy, but not eggs, should be wary of some breads and tortillas, such as the ones made for this cheesy fast-food dish."

And there you have it. Some foods to watch out for if you haven't been already. If you are neither vegan nor vegetarian, then eat away and enjoy with relish :)

Now go and enjoy the beautiful weather that is upon us, as Spring has sprung right over us and turned into Summer in one fell swoop, at least that's the case here in Southern Alberta.

Till next time...