Posted on November 11, 2018 November 11, 2018

Herbal Remedies for Anxiety

Who doesn’t suffer from anxiety.

I mean, it is so unbelievably common these days. When you step back, if you can step back, and look around there are so many factors that heighten anxiety ALL. DAY. LONG. We live in a world of go go go and it never stops. We constantly feel like we have to keep up to survive. But in reality none of the things we dwell on matter. And yet we are so consumed with that feeling of tightness and tension that it becomes our reality.

I suffer from anxiety.

I allow my mind to become consumed with unrealistic expectations. I get caught up in seeing on social media all the greatness others are doing and I get devoured by the awful feeling of “failure,” whatever that means. I allow unnecessary conversations to take place in my mind. But I tend to bring myself back to what is important. Sometimes it takes me longer than I’d like to admit but I usually find my center again. And believe me…

It’s hard.

It’s hard to realize that you’ve been living in that state of mind. It’s hard to see the beauty around you when that heaviness is upon you. It’s hard to breathe. It’s hard to appreciate. It’s even harder to pull yourself out of this state of mind.

But you can. Especially if you have the help of Mother Nature. She has strategically placed specific herbs on this earth for us to utilize. She has provided us with what we need to help keep us our optimal selves. And you know what…..

These herbs work.

Here are a few ways I help deal with anxiety and living in an ugly state of mind. There is no one answer here though. You have to find what works for you, honestly. You have to put in the work to conquer it.

Herbal Remedies for Anxiety

Yoga. I know, I know you’re probably thinking “oh goodness of course she said yoga.” But seriously yo, yoga is one of the only things that keeps me centered. It keeps me connected. It allows me to be open and accepting. Which in turn helps my body accept the help from Mother Nature and all she has to offer. Yoga teaches you how to be present. It teaches you what you are capable of, physically, mentally and spiritually.

Many will say to me, “I hate yoga, it just makes me more angry.” Doesn’t that tell you something? If yoga, one of the most peaceful practices in the world, makes you angry what are you really holding on to? Yoga is literally the connection of your breath to the movement of your body. The two things in this world that are truly yours. How can that make you angry?

What I have learned is that those who become angry during the practice are entering the practice with the wrong motive. There is ego present. Ego is telling you, you need to be better than the video you are watching or the person who is practicing next to you in class. But in reality, when you step onto that mat, it is just you and your breath. And when you learn how to connect your breath with the movement of your body…

You begin to see the beauty that surrounds you.

When I lose my balance, it is usually a direct result from losing the discipline of my daily practice. And that is when I become devoured by anxiety.

Along with yoga, I need….

2. Essential oils. Again, I know. It is such a hippie thing to say, but essential oils are Mother Nature’s powerhouses. Essential oils give you the opportunity to reap the benefits of herbs in such a small powerful dose. Essential oils are one of the only things that actually penetrate the blood brain barrier, providing you with incredible benefits in a timely manner. My go-to oils for anxiety are:

Lavender, I mean that is a given, right?!? Lavender is such a beautiful oil that helps supports your central nervous system. It allows your mind to reach a relaxed, more clearer state.

Balance, this is a grounding oil which is a delicate blend of oils that work cohesively to provide your mind and body the support it needs to overcome tense emotions.

Siberian Fir, which is heavenly to inhale. It can “help promote feelings of easy breathing, while calming the emotions and providing a grounding effect.”

Arborvitae, made from the tree of life. It is known to be a “powerful cleansing and purifying agent.” I use this during meditation as well. It is an incredible grounding oil.

Vetiver, is an incredible oil for anxiety and ADHD. According to Dr. Eric Z,

For Anxiety…

“The direct effects of aromatherapy inhalation on the limbic system (responsible for reason and choices, among other things) make it a perfectly suited remedy and tool for conditions like ADHD and anxiety, which can be a trigger for ADHD and like concerns.

A 2015 in vitro study compared the effects of vetiver oil with diazepam, a commonly used anxiety prescription. Again, these preliminary results show vetiver to be quite effective.”

For ADHD…

“While we often think of lavender as a calming oil, one study weighed the effects of lavender, cedarwood, and vetiver oils on children with ADHD. The study was small but the results were clear: vetiver was the strongest choice.

This simply study only asked parents to help their children smell the oil right from the bottle a few times each day. Off the record because it wasn’t part of the design, parents reported better attention and behavior from their children during the study period.”

These oils, I use topically in a roller bottle. And let me tell you, I roll that sh!t on me ALL. DAY. LONG. Another thing that has saved me on multiple occasions is wearing a diffuser necklace. I get laughed at all day because when crap is hitting the fan at work, I will mindlessly grab my necklace while I am talking with someone or thinking about my next move and I will just INHALE as if it were crack! I highly recommend a diffuser necklace or bracelet. I must tell you though, I do not wear bracelets, but I provided you a link to them to get you started but I have not purchased that specific product. The two necklaces that I provided links for, I have purchased and absolutely love.

Another way I use essential oils are internally. But I CANNOT STRESS THIS ENOUGH….Please, please use a high quality oil that is certified pure and can back its testing up. Oils are not FDA regulated and that means they can literally put anything in that little bottle and still be able to slap a “therapeutic grade, 100% pure” on it and call it a day. So please do your research and pick a company that you trust with your life because you literally are putting your life at risk when you put something into your body. Me and my family trust doTERRA. Click here to read why and make your own decision.

I simply place one drop of each oil in a capsule and take it one to two times a day. Here are the oils I am currently using.

Copaiba, “can help soothe anxious feelings and it can be applied to the skin to promote a clear, smooth complexion. Taken internally, Copaiba essential oil supports the health of the cardiovascular, immune, digestive, nervous, and respiratory systems.”

Vetiver, has calming and grounding effects. It also has been known to help support ADHD.

Lavender, well because lavender is just a beautiful medicinal herb and calms my soul nicely.

3. I use tinctures. Man oh man, these tinctures save me. They go straight to work the moment I take them and I am so thankful for their healing properties. I use…

Bring Me Peace, which is a beautiful blend of lavender, chamomile, feverfew and lemon balm. All herbs that make the mind more restful and focused.

Rosemary, which is an incredible herb for the brain. It helps with memory, focus, depression and so much more.

All other tinctures available in our shop are used daily for various things but for the sake of anxiety, along with everything else mentioned above, I use these two every morning. And if you are new to tinctures grab our Complete Guide to Tinctures eBook to help you feel a little more confident.

4. Smudging. When I feel like I just need a little extra something, I will smudge myself with sage. White sage has spiritual healing properties that will cleanse your soul of all that is negative. It is such an incredible experience but you have to be open and willing to accept its healing powers.

Anxiety is a part of everyones daily life. Mother Nature has provided us with all we need to keep our selves healthy. Allow yourself to be open. Allow yourself to feel what you feel then release that energy as best as possible.

We need to help guide each other out. If you found this post to be helpful, we would love to hear your feedback. If you have any suggestions and want to share how you help your anxiety, please leave a comment below. You can potentially be helping another readers tremendously.

Happy living in peace!

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Posted on November 5, 2018 November 5, 2018

Homemade Dog Treats

Well homemade dog treats is kind of misleading. These dog treats are made out of chicken feet. Wait, let me correct that, they ARE chicken feet. Just dehydrated.

Should I change the title of the post? I mean, they are homemade and they are the perfect treat for dogs.

Ah F it. Homemade dog treats it is.

If y’all didn’t read the last post about our chickens, take a gander. We unfortunately had to get rid of our chickens sooner than expected. These ladies were our first major step towards our homesteading journey and our intention was to love them, allow them to be chickens and then they would provide us with food at the end of their production.

The time had come and even though we tried to chicken out, literally, we stuck to our intention and butchered our first chickens. A more in-depth post on our experience is coming soon I promise. It was nothing like we expected. It was harder than we ever imagined.

But let’s get on with our dog treats shall we. Unfortunately, the only salvageable part of our butchered chickens were their feet. Again, a more in-depth post will come soon.

Their feet, being the only thing we were able to save, were dehydrated and made into perfect dog treats for our pup Angus.

It was super simple to. Ready to hear how to do it?

All you need:

Dehydrator

Chicken feet…….obviously

All you do is:

Soak chicken feet in a bowl of water over night. This helps get all the dirt off their feet.
After soaking run under water and scrub feet with a bristle brush. Using soap is not necessary. Be sure to scrub off as much dirt as possible.

Next, you want to clip off their nails.

Bust out that dehydrator of yours and lay the feet on a tray.
Now, turn that bad boy on and let it go for about 24-48 hours. Or until they become super crispy. You will know they are ready when you try to bend a toe back and it breaks off without bending. If it bends, even a little, let it keep going. I think ours actually took about 3 days.

***Small tip, plug the dehydrator in the garage if available. Not like the dehydrator is super loud but it can be annoying to listen to after about an hour. In the garage, it’s away doing its bad boy thing.

That is is y’all. Super easy and your pup gets insanely delicious healthy treats.

Happy dehydrating!

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Posted on October 25, 2018 October 25, 2018

Pressure Cooker Beef Stew

Pressure Cooker Beef Stew Recipe

When the slightest bit of cool weather starts to roll in, we get way more excited than we probably should. We live where it is F-ing hot ALL. THE. TIME. Last thanksgiving; you know thanksgiving, a cold holiday that should be filled with sweaters and fireplaces lit, well, we had the air conditioning going. So, needless to say, we get super pumped the moment the temperatures drop to the 70’s.

Anyway, we have been fortunate enough to get a break from the heat. That means, our bellies want comfort food like beef stew and chili.

And tonight we made beef stew. My old recipe called for a cook time of, pretty much, all day. This recipe calls for the same delicious ingredients but a cook time of 45 minutes. How you ask?

Pressure cooker yo!

I’m telling ya, y’all need to get one of these bad boys. They are freaking fantastic. The meat comes out perfect every time.

Y’all ready to do this?

Pressure Cooker Beef Stew Recipe

Pressure Cooker Beef Stew

Don't waste your time in the kitchen cooking stew all day. Throw some goodness in the pressure cooker and it's done in half the time.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword Beef Stew, Stew

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes

Depressurize 15 minutes

Total Time 50 minutes

Servings 6 people

Author ohsureican

Ingredients

2 lbs Tri Tip
5-6 Carrots
4-5 Celery Sticks
4-5 Red Potatoes
1/2 Sweet Onion
2-3 Zucchini
2-3 Garlic Cloves
4 Cups Beef Stock
2 Tbs Tomato Paste
2 Tbs Flour or Corn Starch
Olive Oil
Seasoning
2 Bay leaves
2-3 Fresh sprigs of rosemary

Instructions

First thing first, Cut up all your veggies into quarter inch nice size pieces.
Cut tri tip into about 1/2 inch cubes. Season those bad boys up with all the goodness you can think of. My favorites are porterhouse, TexJoy steak seasoning and Lawry's season salt.
Start the saute button on your pressure cooker. When ready add in your olive oil and brown your onions. Then throw all other veggies in except for the potatoes and cook enough to get the flavors blended together. About 5-7 minutes.
Next, add in your stock, potatoes, bay leaves and rosemary sprigs.
In a small bowl mix your tomato paste with a small amount of water. Just enough to mix it well. Then add it into your mixture.
Now, heat a large skillet on high heat. Add some olive oil, bacon grease or butter, whatever tickles your fancy, and brown your meat. This seals in all the flavor and juices so be sure to not skip this part.
Once brown go ahead and throw them delicious pieces of meat into your even more delicious pot of soon to be stew.
Last thing, add your flour or corn starch. In a small bowl mix your flour or corn starch with just enough water to mix it. And pour it into your pot.
Slap a lid on this puppy and cook it on high pressure, meat/stew setting for about 35 minutes. Allow the pressure cooker to depressurize naturally. This will add another 15 minutes to the cook time.
Boom son, get ready to enjoy a super delicious bowl of beef stew that will literally melt in your mouth.

Recipe Notes

Cooking this easy meal on Sunday will allow you to have left overs throughout the week. Making your life so much easier. And if you find yourself not finishing the whole batch even with having left overs, measure out portions and use your Food Saver to package it up and freeze it. On those nights where you can't get your life together, pull a bag or two out of the freezer and heat those bad boys up! Again, making your life so much easier.

Let me know how this recipe turns out for you. I would love to hear feedback or questions you may have.

Happy stew making!

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Posted on October 21, 2018 October 21, 2018

We Are Being Forced To….

….Get rid of our chickens.

This past week has been a series of unfortunate misunderstandings that has resulted in us having to get rid of our chickens. It all started with our neighbors dogs and ended in someone reporting our chickens to our HOA.

Even though we cleared up the unfortunate misunderstandings there is no turning back for our chickens. No matter how much we step it up and go out of our comfort zone to connect with people and let them know who we really are, the end result will stay the same.

Our chickens have to go.

We knew this day could come. But after two years and no one ever being bothered, we thought we would be fortunate enough to experience the full cycle of what it means to feed our family with food that we respected, loved and cared for everyday. In our heads we knew these animals were going to end up on our dinner table. But…

On our own terms.

Not being forced to do it with in a time frame. There is prepping to be done, mentally and emotionally. But now there is this pressure to hurry up. We brought these chickens into our home with the intention of them providing us with food. They would provide us with fresh eggs and when production of eggs slowed, they would then provide us with food to feed our family. We knew this day would come. We knew the intention. But….

On our own terms.

There is a strange feeling that fills our home at the moment. A strange feeling of uncomfortableness that we are not ok with. Our home is the one place we have that allows us to be us. That allows peace to fill the air and love to fill our souls. Our home is a place where we can live a very simple life. A life that is loud and quiet all in the same moment. Our home is where we decide what is ok and what is not. Where we are not forced to do anything.

But they took that from us.

There are not suppose to be deadlines in our home. There is not suppose to be someone looking over our shoulder wondering what we are doing. There is not suppose to be this strange feeling of unsettledness. And yet there is. But because someone did not want to stop and think rationally or respectfully. And through their actions of rage, we got stuck in the middle.

We knew that chickens were not allowed in our HOA. We get it. But you have to understand, we are meant to provide for our family. And the way we want to provide for our family is filling their bellies with the purest most loved food in the world. And these four little ladies have been apart of our family. We have cared for them. Lived with them. Watched them grow. We allowed them to be chickens. We allowed them to experience the sunshine on their backs. We allowed them to dig and scratch for bugs. We gave them a life that was filled with love. We gave them a life that was filled with respect.

I am going to miss the way they waddled over to the front of their coop when they saw me coming. They started my day and they ended my husbands. And reaching into their nesting boxes and pulling out, sometimes warm freshly laid eggs is an experience that never grew old. They taught us more than we imagined. Our journey will end with them soon. And we will be one step closer to our homesteading life style as we respectfully and mindfully process these ladies. They will fulfill their purpose of feeding our beautiful family with food that was pure, happy and loved.

As we are forced to bring this inevitable day sooner than expected. We thank these four ladies for providing us with fresh beautiful eggs everyday. We thank them for teaching us what it means to care and love the food we eat. And we thank them for a life filled with chicken happiness. And if you don’t know a life that has been filled with chicken happiness, I suggest you go get yourself some beautiful chickens.

Thank you ladies.

Posted on October 10, 2018

Questions Answered: Celery Juice

Alright y’all, time to answer some questions. Most of these I had myself when I started drinking celery juice. I wondered, why celery juice? What is in it? Why the F do I constantly have to go to the bathroom? The answers I found really helped me understand what it was that my body was going through. Sometimes it helps to understand exactly what is happening so that you don’t freak out and quit. Quitting is really not the best solution when you are trying to rid your body of some nasty toxins.

These toxins have clouded my brain. For YEARS. And it is time I ditch them. I am tired of being tired. Tired of my brain drifting off. Tired of my stomach hurting. Tired of my hormones going crazy during “that time” of the month.

I’m over it y’all.

So, I am sticking to the celery juice, even though it is painful. Literally. I’ll explain a little more in detail about that in a second. I think my biggest take away at the moment is that being uncomfortable is really the most important aspect of this whole journey. I realized this a few days ago. Being uncomfortable is what makes us grow. It makes us feel. It wakes us up to the world and what is going on right in front of our face. It brings us to our most vulnerable state and with that, you really find the definition of who you are.

I retreat to being comfortable. Just like everyone else.

But when is this cycle going to stop? The cycle of chronic issues, ADD/ADHD, unable to concentrate, being moody, having stomach issues. I mean, the list can literally go on. It is hard to make changes that don’t feel “normal.” It is hard to get passed the detox stage. It is hard to get out of bed at 4:15am to do yoga. There is always a “reason.”

So I tend to retreat. Back to my “normal.”

But not this time. This one little change, celery juice, has already made me so uncomfortable and you know what?

I love it.

It’s weird, I know. I am talking about celery juice. I bet you are thinking, “How does this all connect?”

Believe me, it connects.

Let’s get into the questions I had that helped me understand why the hell I should keep doing this to myself.

All my questions were answered by medicalmedium.com, this site is phenomenal when it comes to natural remedies and helping to heal some major health issues. I highly suggest you check them out.

Questions about celery juice:

Do I have to drink celery juice on an empty stomach?

Yes. Drinking on an empty stomach allows your digestive system to absorb all the beneficial properties of the mineral salts present in celery juice. It sets your digestive tract up for the entire day and allows it to function at optimal levels.

2. Can I add anything to it like lemon or any other fruit or veggie?

No. By doing so, you dilute the potency of the healing properties. Having a juice filled with fantastic veggies and fruits is an awesome source of vitamins and could be consumed later in the day. But celery juice is best alone, and first thing in the morning.

3. How much celery juice do I drink?

1 stalk. One stalk of celery usually provides you with about 16 oz of juice.

4. Can I add ice?

No. Again it dilutes the healing properties. I know, ice is something I dig on too, especially first thing in the morning. But what I have learned is that cold beverages, especially first thing in the morning, actually contracts your intestinal tract and add stress to it. So, consuming your celery juice at the temperature it comes out of the juicier is the best way to go. Plus you get use to it.

5. Is having diarrhea normal?

Yes. And yes I went there. I have to man, this was the biggest question we had when we first started juicing. And this is what made me take so many breaks. I was tired of rushing to the bathroom. But what I learned is that, celery juice flushes your system of toxins. Well, those toxins have to go somewhere. So yes, it is totally normal and you actually want this to happen. It means you are getting rid of all the nasty crap that makes you feel, well, nasty.

6. Why does my stomach hurt after drinking celery juice?

This is my biggest reason for retreating back to my comfort zone. My stomach. I have always had stomach issues growing up. So when my stomach gets compromised, I tend to back the train up and retreat to what is comfortable. BUT what I learned and was the biggest thing that has helped me push through this time around is that your stomach WILL hurt. And for valid reason to. See, we all have a main nerve called the vagus nerve. It sends signals to the heart, lungs and digestive tract. When our bodies are filled with neurotoxins, those neurotoxins can create inflammation within this nerve.

Celery juice cleans these neurotoxins off the vagus nerve, which can create an uncomfortable reaction.

AND…..

Some digestive tracts are filled with bacteria like, E. Coli and Streptococcus and when these bacterias are killed off by the healing properties of celery, it can create spasms within the stomach that can be painful. So hang in there.

7. I feel extremely tired after drinking celery juice. Why?

Feeling tired is actually normal. When your body goes through detoxification, it is normal to feel your symptoms increase. Individuals who have toxins in their blood caused by Epstein Barr and Streptococcus will especially feel an increase of their symptoms during this stage.

While this stage is brief, it can be extremely difficult to get passed. Just know that once you get passed this stage, the hard and painful journey will be totally worth it.

8. Can I just eat celery instead of juicing it?

No. Juicing it releases the mineral salts that contain the healing properties. When you eat celery, you are eating the fiber as well, which is great but what we are looking for is the juice containing the mineral salts to help heal the body.

Any more questions?

I hope this helped bring some more understanding to the whole subject. Don’t let this scare you and stop you from drinking it. Knowing all this actually helped my stay strong and push through. For the last two months I would go for four days straight then take a 2-3 day break. One, because of the bathroom thing and two because my stomach hurt. Then I read all this information and I decided to go a full two weeks without stopping.

Wish me luck!

Being uncomfortable. That is what is giving me strength right now.

See how I connected the two?

Happy pushing through!

Got any more questions? I’d love to hear them.

Have you tried celery juice yet? I’d love to hear your experience so far. Leave a comment below.

Posted on October 8, 2018 October 8, 2018

Benefits to Drinking Celery Juice

Benefits to drinking celery juice.

We are constantly on this journey of natural healing. Our minds are always open to what could be beneficial to our health. And it just feels really good to try different things. It is not always easy, I am one that struggles with jumping on the band wagon of something new but I eventually get there and always happy I did. My husband, on the other hand, can make a decision to do something and it’s done, I mean like, DONE. He sticks to it and doesn’t ever lose track of it.

What band wagon are we on now?

The celery juice band wagon yo.

Did you know that celery juice had so many powerful healing properties? Yea, celery juice. You know, that delicious crunchy green veggie that you use to dip in french onion dip. Yup, that one.

It has the power to straight up heal serious ironic illnesses.

Let’s break this down shall we.

Benefits to celery juice.

Celery juice is most beneficial when consumed first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. This allows the beneficial properties, which include mineral salts, to help strengthen your digestive system, allowing it to function at optimal levels.

While adding other fun, delicious fruits and veggies seems like a great idea. I know, I went there too. Consuming celery juice ALONE is really the only way to obtain all the fantastic medicinal properties to it. You see, when you add to the juice, it dilutes it, leaving it less potent to heal the body the way it should.

And ice is no different. I know, I went there as well. First thing in the morning the last thing you want to do is drink a 16 oz glass of warm salty celery juice but you get used to it. Ice dilutes the healing properties, don’t do it yo.

Speaking of salt. The mineral salts that are present in celery juice are really where the healing properties come from. You see Mother Nature is truly amazing. I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again. She give us everything we need to heal ourselves. We just need to listen.

The mineral salts present in celery juice actually go into your body and starves pathogens that manifest into illnesses. What the salt does is, it goes through your digestive tract and blood stream and starts breaking down the pathogens’ cell membranes. These pathogens include nasty little F-ers like Epstein-Barr and HHV-6. As the salt moves through your body it flushes out toxins like you wouldn’t believe, from every nook and cranny of your body.

Lets talk neurotoxins.

Neurotoxins are toxins that are extremely dangerous to the body, especially to nerve tissues. They tend to feed off of toxic heavy metals that are left in the body. Neurotoxins are responsible for creating neurological symptoms such as, tremors, spasms, insomnia, vertigo, twitching and cold feet and hands.

The mineral salt within celery juice flushes out these nasty toxins. It allows your kidneys and adrenals to function at optimal levels and it also increases the hydrochloric acid in the gut so that your digestive system functions properly.

Celery juice is also supportive to the central nervous system. You see, the mineral salts allow neurotransmitters to function the way they were intended to. When your brain goes into shut down mode, when suffering from, depression, anxiety, brain fog, obsessive compulsive disorder, ADD/ADHD, bipolar disorder, or difficulty focusing or concentrating, the mineral salts help keep the heart pumping, which then creates a stronger signal to the neurotransmitters to send information from one point to the other.

Celery juice contains high amounts of electrolytes making it extremely beneficial for those who suffer from migraines, panic attacks and anxiety.

Celery juice also supports the thyroid. It has the ability to flush the thyroid of toxins.

This is such a short list of benefits. The list can literally go on, balancing the body’s PH, balancing out hormones, bringing stability to body and mind. I mean, come on!!

So you are on the band wagon but now what do you do?

Here is what you do.

Ingredients:

1 whole bunch of organic celery

What do you do:

Cut the end off and cut the tips off, sometimes they can get a little brown.

Then…..

Juice the muther f-er. That’s it yo!

Drink 16 oz of celery juice, alone, on an empty stomach. Remember not to add ice either. Simply wait about 15 minutes before eating anything. Celery juice is not caloric, so it should not replace any meals. It is just simply to start your day and get your digestive tract running smoothly.

***Alright, I have to say it, well, because it happened and still happens to us and it took us forever to figure out why or if the two were connected. Celery juice flushes out toxins right, we learned that above. Well, toxins have to go somewhere right?! So, just be prepared after drinking a full glass of celery juice that the bathroom will be in your near future.

Don’t let this freak you out. Going to the bathroom is a really good thing. It means you are getting out all that nasty stuff that has been bringing you down, man. But I get it, it can get rough. I tend to take mini breaks. I’ll go for about 4 or 5 days straight of drinking celery juice and then take a 2-3 day break from it. My husband, on the other hand, recently just upped his ante. He is now juicing two stalks of celery EVERYDAY. To each their own. Just listen to your body and do what feels right. Just remember that new routines and flushing out your body of nasty stuff is not going to be comfortable. Prepare yourself and hang in there.

***An awesome little tip for ya, when you cut off the end of your stalk, place it in a cup of water and in a few days you’ll see a new little celery pop through. It’s fun to watch plus you can plant them in your garden and BAM, you’ve got yourself some celery homie.

Happy celery juice drinking!

Join us on Wednesday for some more questions answered about celery juice. Because we all have questions, right.

What is your question? Leave your questions or comments down below, that way I’ll be sure to answer them.

Resources: medicalmedium.com

Posted on October 4, 2018 October 5, 2018

For the Love of Your Back: 15 Stretches to Help Support Your Back.

We all feel the pain. The pain of daily stress that we carry around as if it were a necessity. And sometimes the pain feels like it is just apart of who we are. But it doesn’t have to be apart of who we are. What if you ditched that part of who you thought you were and allow yourself to start exploring a new you.

As we have learned in many of the post I have provided you with, you don’t alway need medication to help yourself. More times than not, you need determination and discipline.

Two things that are extremely difficult for some. I get it, I am one of them. But when you have two choices, either to take medication that can potentially harm other parts of who you are or make a decision to help yourself naturally. More times than not we need to put in a little work and love into who you are.

The following routine is a well thought out routine that my husband does every day off. It has helped his back tremendously.

This is going to be a long post, but hang in there. Especially if back pain is something you live with. Try out a few poses get comfortable with them and then try out a few more. Don’t get overwhelmed. Then you will never help yourself.

Let’s do this together.

Extension exercise: This pose is super helpful to build lower back strength.

Lie on your stomach with your hands in front of you and lift your head.
Now turn to your right side, then your left.
Now put your hands by your side.
Lift your shoulders and chest off the floor.
Keep your neck straight and maintain gaze towards tip of nose.
Lower back down to floor on your exhale.
Repeat 10 times.

Childs Pose: This pose helps elongate the lower back and opens hips.

Bring yourself to your hands and knees.
Slowly start to bring your self back towards your heals. Spread your legs a little wider than hip-width. Keeping your big toes together.
Sit your butt on your heals, exhale and lower your upper body all the way down to the floor.
Allow your forehead to come to the floor and keep your arms extended over your head.
Hold pose for about 1 minute if not longer.

Cat/Cow Pose: This pose is beneficial for lengthening your back and relieving tension.

Bring yourself to your hands and your knees hip-width apart and your hands shoulder-width apart.
Arch your back as round as you can, imagine pulling your bellybutton in towards your back. Look down between your legs. Hold for 5 seconds.
Then release, imagine your stomach lowering to the floor. Maintain strong arms and legs. Look up at the sky. Hold for 5 seconds.
Repeat 5 times.

Modified Pigeon Pose: This pose helps to lengthen hip flexors, stretches the thighs and opens hip joints. This pose you want your legs to look almost like a Z, if your are less flexible,

In a seated position, bring one leg in front of your body.
Try and either straighten out your back leg or bend it if necessary.
Place your hands on the floor at your sides.
Lean forward as best as you can. Hold for 30 seconds.
Repeat by switching legs.

Spinal Stretch: This pose reduces back pain caused by sitting or driving long periods of time. It also strengthens back muscles.

Lie on your back with both knees bent.
Bring both knees into your chest and squeeze for 5-10 seconds.
Release left leg all the way down, toes engaged and pointing towards the sky.
With the left hand gentle pull down your right knee towards the floor on the left side.
Straighten out your right arm and turn your gaze towards your right.
Hold for 10 seconds.
Repeat opposite side.

Lower Trunk Rotation: This pose can help relieve tension in the lower back, as well as, strengthening your core.

Lie on your back with knees bent.
Stretch your arms straight out.
Slowly move your knees, together, to one side and hold for 10 seconds.
Now move them to the other side and hold for 10 seconds.
Repeat 5 times for each side.

Single Knee to Chest: This pose can help elongate the lower back, which can relieve tension.

Start by laying on your back with knees bent.
Use both hands to pull in one knee to your chest. Hold for 10 seconds.
Keep your core (abdominal muscles) engaged and press your entire back to the floor.
Repeat with opposite leg.

Double Knee to Chest: This is the same concept as the pose we just did, however you are going to pull both knees in at the same time and hold for 10 seconds.

Quadriceps Stretch: Standing and holding one leg behind you.

Oh yea, meet Angus Young. He’s our new French Mastiff pup.

Isometric Hip adduction: Laying flat on the ground putting a pillow between the knees and squeezing. Next, tie a belt around your legs allowing hips to stay hip-width apart and slowly try to open your legs.

Bridges: This pose works out your gluteus maximus, a fancy word for your butt. This muscle is one of the most important muscles that supports your lower back. So keeping it strong is extremely important.

Lie on your back with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart.
Place your hands on the floor at your sides.
Pressing your hands and feet firmly against the floor, lift your butt in the air. You want your body to form a straight line from shoulder to knee.
Squeeze your butt while it is in the air. Don’t forget to keep your shoulders flat on the floor.
Lower your butt to the floor. Then lift again and squeeze your butt. Repeat 10 times.

Pelvic Tilt: This pose helps release tension in the lower back and help keeps muscles flexible.

Lie on your back with knees bent and feet firmly on the floor and arms by your side.
Slowly start to flatten your back by pulling your belly button in towards your spine. Use your abdominal muscles, don’t just suck in your stomach. Hold for 5 seconds.
Repeat 10 times.

Gluteal Stretch: This pose helps maintain flexibility in legs and lower back.

Lie on your back with knees bent, feet firmly on the floor.
Cross the left leg over the right. Bring both knees towards the chest.
Slowly pull in the left leg towards your chest until you feel a nice stretch in your gluten. Hold for 30 seconds.
Repeat other side.

Hip Flexer Stretch: This pose help strengthen both knee and hip. It is best to do this stretch close to a couch or chair.

Start by placing a pillow or towel on the floor next to couch.
Place one knee on pillow and allow couch to keep leg lifted.
Keep other knee at a 90 degree angle.
Hold for 1 minute.
Repeat other side.

Along with these stretches there is also tissue work that can be super beneficial.

Using a foot rubz ball.

While laying down on your back, put ball just below the hip bone and just beside the spine and lay on that pressure point until you feel the soreness release.
Move the ball over about an inch, away from your spine, until the pain reduces significantly.
Then move away from the spine again about in inch and do the same.
Repeat until you feel soreness release.

Place ball on gluteal muscle and lay on ball until the muscle releases. Move ball all around buttox until you do not feel any more sore spots.

Find tender spots on back on one side. To get into the tissue deeper, raise one leg off the floor. Once you finish one side, move on to the next side of your back.

Use two lacrosse balls, either taped together or put two into a sock so that they are together.

Line that up along your mid back so that spine sits in between the two balls.
Then roll up to shoulders. When you find a tender spot, be sure to stop and allow the balls to release tension. Do not use on lower back.

Supplements: These two supplements are fantastic additions to this back routine.

Devils claw: Powerful anti-inflammatory and natural pain reliever. You can buy supplements in pill form or you can use it in tincture form.

Powdered magnesium: We use the brand Natural Calm, it helps with calming stiffness in the back, back pain and it helps release muscle cramping.

Both supplements have so many more benefits. For the sake of this post I just named how they can support your back.

Phew! I told you it was gonna be a long post but hey, if you stuck around till the end that means you are searching for some answers. I hope we helped you find some. Please feel free to comment below with any other questions or hey, feel free to email me.

Happy back repairing!

This post contains affiliate links. That means, when you purchases through a link that we provide, we get a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank your for your support.

Posted on October 1, 2018 November 5, 2018

DIY Bug and Gnat Spray

We have a ton of house plants, they just make us happy. So we tend to do a lot of transplanting. And just like anyone else, where do we keep our soil…

Outside of course.

But do you know what happens to soil when it sits outside long enough?

Little tiny gnats like to lay their eggs in the soil.

You know, those damn little fruit fly things that will do anything in their little power to try and fly into your mouth. If you are thinking eww gross, then I guess you have never experienced one of these little bastards.

They multiply faster then you can say, “yoga with goats.” I mean, yoga with goats, I love goats but doing yoga with them….I don’t get it. Oh wait, I was talking about gnats, back to gnats. So, needless to say they can infest a house super fast.

So here is a little story; a while back I redid our bathroom. I was very proud, if I do say so myself. Well, in that little redo, I hung a plant, in an awesome purple pot that just fit the bathroom perfectly but what kind of soil did I use?

You guessed it y’all, soil from outside.

A few weeks later, we were infested. It was so bad that the walls had little tiny gnats everywhere. I was done. I had enough. These little F-ers had to go and they had to go now.

So I did a little research and came up with this gnat spray.

Let’s make some shall we.

Whatcha need is:

Glass spray bottle (plastic works too, whatever floats your boat yo)

White vinegar

Water

Essential oils:

Eucalyptus

Rosemary

Geranium

Direction:

Fill spray bottle with 1 cup of vinegar and 1/4 cup water
Add 10 drops of each oil.

Boom Son you’re done!

I mean, how simple is that.

I literally sprayed my entire bathroom. I sprayed the walls, the gnats, the bottom of the pot the plant was in, the rim. I was careful not to actually get the plant, I didn’t want kill it.

But what I also did was I took the plant outside and sprayed it down with our neem oil spray that kills gnats, aphids, and all sorts of other nasty little plant critters. I sprayed this little plant probably about 4-5 times over two days.

We are living gnat free right now people, gnat free. All thanks to this little spray.

Got a Gnat problem? Leave a comment below let me know how it works for you. I’d love to hear from y’all.

Happy gnat killing!

Posted on September 26, 2018 September 26, 2018

What Are We Doing?

There are things that define us. Or at least we allow them to. I hear a lot of the time, when people around me talk, say things like, “Oh can’t eat mash potatoes, when I was four my best friend’s sister threw up after she ate mash potatoes and the thought of it just…I just can’t eat them.” Or things like, “my dad left when I was 2 years old so I can’t be in a committed relationship.”

I mean, WHAT?

Why do we allow these things that we either have no control over or that are already dead and gone in the past, define who we are as adults. And worse, define the children we are raising? We pass down all these “things” onto fresh little minds that really have no business feeling tense and anxiety over mash potatoes.

Why do we worry just because our parents “taught” us to worry? Why do we create things in our heads that do not exist? Why is it that we shut down when we get uncomfortable and don’t allow ourselves to be open to a whole new world that we might actually enjoy? Why is it that when something good comes our way, we tend to smash it down with the “what if’s?”

I used to carry a lot with me.

I was a vegetarian, why you ask, oh because of the animals. Did I eat responsibly and consider the animals in any other way in my life, no. And there was no turning back because I heard that once you stop eating meat, when you eat it again you get sick. Along the way in life I developed a phobia of throwing up. Why you ask? I have no F-ing clue. A therapist once told me it is because I have a need to control and throwing up is anything but control. It got to the point to where I would only eat “safe” foods, so I wouldn’t get sick and throw up. I would sit in the back of the class in college, just in case I got sick. Was I feeling sick? Not even a little bit.

I had an ego. Man, did I have an ego. And a shitty one at that. I saw something in my head and no one in the world could change my point of view. I still have the damn thing but it has grown weaker, not as weak as I’d like but it’s weaker. I created drama and negativity when drama and negativity could have been avoided. I smoked. A lot. I smoked because I worried. I worried about everything. I would create conversations in my head that didn’t exist, it was the “what if’s” that literally controlled my entire world. I never got on a plane, because well, “what if” I got sick and threw up. I never took care of my health issues, “what if they find something worse” or heavens to fucking Betsy, “what if” I threw up from the medication they gave me.

It was exhausting.

Until one day, I met an incredible human being. And one comment changed my life.

I remember this day as if it was yesterday, and honestly I couldn’t tell you what happened yesterday, We were sitting outside of our work, in one of the most beautiful and extremely rich area, and as this woman walked by I took everything negative about her and started talking shit. What I pointed out the most were her lips, to me they looked fake. To me.

There was no reciprocation from him, there was no added comment about her lips. But what struck me was the way he looked deep into my soul and said,

“Have you ever thought that there may be something wrong with her lips and that is why they look like that? That just maybe she didn’t have them done and that she is going through a rough time in her life? You never know what someone may be dealing with.”

For the first time in my life, I stopped.

You see, I was drawn to this incredible human for a reason. We starred at each other through the window of my work for years before even verbally saying hi to each other. And every time our eyes met, there was this strange magnetic energy that I couldn’t explain at the time. I just knew we were connected and that something was going to bring us together.

And this was one of the first actual conversation him and I had the balls to have and I had to make it negative.

For the first time in my life, I stopped and felt.

I had been so numb from never being pulled from my comfort zone. I was allowed to sit in my own negativity and stew my entire life. And one day, this person, who I didn’t really know just yet, pulled me so hard that I couldn’t help but rethink the life that I wanted to create for myself.

Judging people, always thinking the worst when good was happening, allowing my phobias to control my life was not the life I wanted to create and live until the end of time.

You see, we don’t know when the end of time is coming. We get this one life, one time, why fill it with negative weight. Why fill it with the chaos that we create in our own heads.

Don’t get me wrong, I am no guru that has everything figured out. I struggle, daily. I have to check myself constantly. What I am learning is that it is way easier to be negative and complain than it is to be positive and change the mindset that sets the tone for the day. I still allow damn phobias to make my decisions, is it few and far between, absolutely but they are there. Do I still allow conversations to take place in my head that shouldn’t be there, yea, but I can redirect myself quicker and not allow that to consume me.

I am in a more content place in my life, I have done more things than I ever thought I was capable of. I’ve gotten on planes, eaten meat, had more surgeries than I ever expected, I have created two humans, given birth to those humans… my list continues. And I owe the awakening of my strength to that one incredible human being, my husband. There are no words that I can fully describe that do what I’ve experienced in these last 10 years justice.

Thank you.

Life is hard, but is it? I am starting to realize that WE make it harder than it needs to be.

What do you think?

Do you connect with any of this?

Happy pondering!

Posted on September 23, 2018 October 12, 2018

Homemade Healthy Ice Cream. It’s Good, I Swear.

Health homemade ice cream

We love ice cream, I mean, it can get to an unhealthy point. I am not going to lie. So we cut ourselves off of ice cream a little short of two years now. Don’t get me wrong we have indulged a few times here and there but if we don’t check ourselves, shit can get real, real fast!

But who doesn’t want ice cream, right? It is just so nice and creamy and cold.

Damn it, I want some right now!

Anyway, back to my point. One night the thought of ice cream popped into our heads. And then another thought popped into my head…

Frozen bananas

I thought, why not try and use frozen bananas to make some ice cream. So in went some frozen bananas, some fruit and some milk. I blended that goodness up and served up some “ice cream.” I didn’t think to much about it, I figured it would help curb the craving that night and we would forget about it.

Well hot diggity damn, this blended up goodness came out way beyond expectations. My husband kept asking me, “you made this?”

The kids were fooled and all our bellies were smiling!

The next night after dinner everyone was like, can we have ice cream again.

And a delicious recipe was created. The best part about this recipe is that it can be totally changed depending on your mood. Throw in some chocolate chips, vanilla bean, cacao powder, granola…the sky is the limit my friend.

Wanna know how I curbed our ice cream craving?

Alright, alright. Let’s do this.

Healthy Ice Cream

Don't allow ice cream to control your life and your weight. Whip up some heathy stuff, you belly and your thighs will thank you.

Course Dessert

Keyword dessert, healthy ice cream, homemade, Ice cream

Prep Time 2 minutes

Cook Time 4 minutes

Total Time 6 minutes

Servings 4 people

Ingredients

5 Frozen bananas
2 cups Frozen fruit of choice
1/4 cup Milk of choice

Instructions

Grab yourself a blender or food processor.
Pour in your milk.
Toss in your frozen bananas. It is best to break them in half or quarters.
Toss in your frozen fruit.
Blend your little heart out.
The key here is to not blend to the point of liquidation. You want everything blended but just enough to maintain a thick texture.
I like to add some fresh fruit or even frozen blueberries on top when serving.
Boom son, you just made yourself some damn delicious ice cream that you can feel good about. It is super easy and your kids can enjoy with out the sugar high after.

Recipe Notes

Heavy cream is ideal for making super creamy ice cream. But you can choose any milk that you desire. The base of this ice cream is really the banana. The milk just helps allow all your frozen fruit to blend easily.

Tell me what y’all think. Does it hit the spot? Did you add anything else like vanilla bean or some chocolate chips? Leave a comment below.

Happy ice cream makin!

Posted on September 20, 2018 September 19, 2018

Chicken Feeder. Making Life Easier.

Trying to maintain a homestead, even on a small scale, can be difficult to balance when you throw working full time in the mix. As our journey has progressed and chores are divided, we try to make things as easiest as possible for us. As badly as we would love to tend to our homestead full time, we both wake up every morning and go to work. So, in order for things to work, you know things like…..

keeping the house clean, kids fed and bathed, dinner, lunches, tending to the garden, the chickens, kefir, kombucha, composting…….

We have to get tricky with how we accomplish all these things while still having energy for us. Believe me, it is not always easy and it doesn’t always flow so effortlessly.

But hey we try!

When it comes to things like gardening or feeding the chickens, we try and find ways to keep things as easy flowing and none laborious as possible.

Feeding your chickens may not seem all that bad but when you have a full plate, removing one chore can seem like a life saver. This is why we came up with our new chicken feeder, and by we I mean my husband. This badass feeder holds half a bag of feed.

Oh yea, you heard that right!

It holds half a bag of feed and doesn’t require anything other than removing the lid in the morning so the ladies can eat and closing it at night so the rats CANNOT! No more filling small feed buckets every other day. All you do is fill it once and depending on how many chickens you have, you don’t really need to bother with it for a few weeks.

Have I grabbed your attention?

Let’s do this thang then!

Whatcha wanna get is:

6 inch PVC pipe (main body of feeder)

45 degree 6 inch Y connector

6 inch PVC cap (you’ll need 3 caps)

PVC primer

PVS glue

2 drawer handle knobs

Whatcha wanna do is:

The size of your feeder really depends on how much food you want your feeder to hold. Ours is measured 4 feet high with a 6 inch diameter PVC pipe. You want to cut your main body the proper height that fits your coop. Make sure when purchasing your main body PVC pipe, that you purchase more than your are measuring for your coop. You will need to make additional cuts later.

Once you have your height cut, set that aside. From the left over pipe (remember I told you to buy more than the size you were measuring for your coop) cut three 3 inch pieces. Set these aside.

Drill a hold in two of your caps and screw in your knobs. Set aside.

Now it is time to assemble these piece together. Super easy ready?

Take your Y connector and at the bottom spread some PVC primer and glue on the inside of the connector, now take one of the three 3 inch pieces you cut and place inside be sure to leave about 2 inches exposed. This will allow you to connect the cap. Spread some primer and glue on the outside of the 2 inches of exposed PVC and glue the cap on. Make sure that the cap sit snug. This will hold all the food in the pipe.

Now, move to the opening hole where the feed will be available for your chickens, take another 3 inch piece and do the same thing. Primer and glue it in the hole but be sure to leave about 2 inches exposed. This is where you will place a cap with a knob. Do not glue this cap on. This is the cap that you will take off so your chickens can eat during the day and put on at night so no other critters can munch on.

Now it is time to connect your main body to the Y connector. Place your desired size PVC pipe inside the top part of the Y connector. Be sure to make it fit snug. You can primer and glue if you’d like but it is not necessary.

At the top of your main body you are going to primer and glue the last 3 inch piece. Again be sure to leave 2 inches exposed. This is where you are going to place your second cap with a knob. This is where you are going to pour your feed in. Do not glue the cap on.

Yea, it is dirty. But you know what, it’s reality.

Boom son, you have yourself a badass chicken feeder that is super easy to make and doesn’t cost a fortune. Plus, it saves you labor and is super efficient.

Happy feeder making!

I’d love to hear how this turned out. Leave a comment below if you have any additional questions or to share how it came out.

Don’t forget to subscribe to our email list, you get a free medicinal herbs eBook! Plus you won’t miss out on all the fun!

Posted on September 16, 2018 September 13, 2018

Pizza on The Grill? Yes Please!

Pizza on the grill y’all!

Whhhhaatt!

You mean I don’t have to heat up my kitchen by turing on my oven to make delicious pizza?

Yes please!

If y’all are in search for the perfect pizza dough head on over here and check out the recipe I have found, tweaked and loved.

I am a pizza lover but more times than not…wait what am I saying, I mean….. every single time, when we order pizza, we feel like total crap after. Which, really sucks because it is such an easy dinner and after working all week and I just want something easy. But paying the price afterward for convenience is just not worth it.

So, I tried one more time to take a stab at making pizza from scratch. And by golly what do you know, it came out pretty darn tasty if I do say so myself.

I took a risk with this recipe because I used the BBQ grill to actually make the pizza. You see, it was like 110 degrees outside when I decided pizza sounded really good for dinner. But, I really did not want to heat my kitchen up with a 450 degree oven. So, I decided to grill it up! I am really glad I did, it was super easy and tasted fantastic.

And super bonus, my kitchen stayed cool!

Y’all ready for it? Let’s roll!

Grilled Pizza

Don't heat up your kitchen just to make some delicious pizza, throw that bad boy on the grill.

Course Main Course

Keyword grilled, handmade pizza, homemade pizza, Pizza

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 8 minutes

Total Time 18 minutes

Servings 6 people

Author Oh Sure I Can

Ingredients

1 8 oz Pizza sauce
1 cup Mozzarella
1/4 cup Olive oil
1/4 cup Cornmeal

The list of pizza ingredients is endless. The world is your oyster, or in this case your pizza, my friend.

Instructions

Let's start up that grill and get it real nice and hot. Prepare a small cup or bowl with about 1/4 cup of olive oil and place a paper towel inside. You will use this to grease up your grill.
If y'all have your own trust worthy pizza dough, by all means homies, bust that goodness out and move on to the next direction. BUT, if you are still in search for the perfect dough, head on over here.
Now, that you have your dough ready to go, roll that sucker out on a floured surface. The best way to make a pizza into the size of an actual pizza is to roll it out a bit with a rolling pin. Then pick it up and use your fist to spread the dough into an even diameter. Once you have a decent size, lay it back down and use your hands to press it out further.
Allow dough to sit for about 5 minutes. In this time the dough will shrink back a little. It's cool yo, just push it back out with your hands. If holes appear, again it's cool, just pinch the dough back together and pretend it never happened.
Sprinkle the cornmeal evenly on a flat surface that you can transport your pizza dough on. Like a cookie sheet or a pizza pan. Lay your dough on top of the cornmeal, this will allow the dough to slide right off without getting stuck.
Open up that grill, grease it up nicely, and slide your pizza right on it and close the door. Cook for about 1-2 minutes. Your dough will bubble. Don't freak out. Once it is all bubbly and nicely cooked on the underside, take it off the grill and back onto your sheet.
You actually want to flip your dough at this point, so the grill marks are going to be where you spread all your toppings. Brush the dough with olive oil, and spread your sauce and toppings on top. Don't get to close to the edge. Leave about an inch of space.
Throw that sucker back onto the grill for about 3-4 minutes. Timing here people, is really all you. Keep a close eye on how your pizza is cooking and use your best judgement.
Take it off the grill once it reaches desired doneness and BAM, you have yourself a damn good pizza! Serve with a nice refreshing salad with beautiful romaine, feta cheese, olives, grape tomatoes and a light dressing.

Hey homie, I’d love to hear how you enjoyed this pizza. Leave a comment and let me know how it turned out.

Happy grilling!

Posted on September 12, 2018 September 13, 2018

Homemade Pizza Dough

Oh pizza, how I have searched for years to find the perfect homemade pizza dough recipe to make you delicious. I have failed multiple times. But I never gave up and finally, I have found a recipe that will do you justice.

Wanna hear how easy it was? Well, let me tell you then.

If you are anything like me, you want pizza more times in a month than you probably should. But seriously, ordering pizza from out is a great idea for an easy dinner, then once you are done eating, you regret every bite. And the idea of homemade pizza is awesome, but when it comes out like cardboard EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. you are just not into it anymore. Anyone?

No……just me?

Well, I am going to share my dough recipe with you anyway. Because we are homies right? And that is what homies do. They share pizza dough recipes.

This is unfortunately a whole half of days worth of dough making which, when you are in a dinner pinch does not work out. I hear ya, I really do. So, I suggest you take one day that you are off and make yourself some dough and prep for those, “I wanna homemade pizza” kind of nights. This recipe actually makes two 10″-12″ pizzas. What is super great about this recipe is that it is totally freezer friendly. So make ahead, throw those bastards in the freezer and boom son, you’re one step ahead of yourself.

Ready for some homemade pizza dough?! Let’s roll!

Ingredients:

3 3/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon sugar

1 packet of active dry yeast

1 1/2 cups warm water

2 tablespoons Olive oil

Directions:

If you have a stand mixer, your life just got a tad bit easier. If you don’t you’re about to build some muscle. Which is kind of a win win, work your arms out, then have some pizza.

In your standing mixer bowl, pour in your warm water and active yeast packet. Allow to dissolve for about 5 minuets, it will get all bubbly and activate itself.

Once it is dissolved, use the mixing paddle attachment to mix the flour, salt, sugar and olive oil. Mix on low until you see everything mixed well. Now, switch to the hook attachment and allow the hook to knead your dough on low for about 10 minutes.

***This is the part where if you do not have a stand mixer, that you are going to build some muscle. You are going to have to knead the dough by hand for about 10 minutes.

***You want the dough to be a bit sticky but not too sticky. If it’s too sticky, toss in a little bit of flour. A little goes a long way so go slow.

Now, grab yourself a bowl, grease it up with some olive oil. Remove your dough from the standing mixer and place inside greased bowl. Cover and allow to sit for about an hour and a half. Place bowl in a somewhat warm place. Like on the stove. You can make the stove nice and warm by making oatmeal raisin cookies while you wait of your dough to rise!

Once your dough has risen, lightly dust a cutting board and your hands with flour and knead your dough for 30 seconds. This is just to get all the air out and you can reshape it into a ball.

Cut your dough in half. You can use both at this point or use one and freeze the other.

***If you are freezing one, place dough in the fridge for a bit to cool down. Then place in a ziplock freezer bag and freeze. To thaw, allow to sit in a fridge for 24 hours.

Roll your dough out with a rolling pin. Then use your hands to help flatten it out. Start at the center and work your way out.

Let the dough rest for about 5 minutes. Then stretch it out again until it reaches desired size. If a hole appears, which I am pretty certain it will unless you are absolutely magical, don’t get frustrated like I did. Just squash the dough back together.

At this point if you are moving forward with pizza making, sprinkle some cornmeal on the surface of which the dough will sit on, this will keep the dough from sticking to the pan. You can also spread olive oil over the top of the pizza before you put all your topping on. This will give the crust a nice crunch.

Throw that bad boy in a preheated oven of 450 and cook for about 10-12 minutes. But I suggest you check on it a few times. Every oven is different, so watch your pizza until it reaches the desired doneness.

I got crazy and actually made our pizza on the grill.

WHAT!

I know right, stay tuned to read all about that recipe. You can do that by subscribing to our email list. That way you never miss when there is a new post available. If you tried this homemade pizza dough recipe, I’d love to hear how it turned out!

Happy dough making y’all!

Posted on September 10, 2018 September 13, 2018

Pressure Cooker Hard Boiled Eggs?

I mean, WHHHHHAAAAT!!! These pressure cooker hard boiled eggs turn out perfect, and require less effort!

We were gifted a pressure cooker at christmas last year and my thoughts were, “oh cool.” But then we busted this thing out and now every time we use it our minds are…

Blown.

I mean, the meat comes out, melt in your mouth every. single. time. And every time we use it we tell each other, “how have we lived without a pressure cooker this long?” You can throw in any meat and dinner is done in like 30 minutes. And it’s a damn good dinner too!

I have yet to use all the features of this thing, there is a yogurt feature that I am dying to use, just haven’t found the time. BUT I did manage to try hard boiled eggs in the pressure cooker! Man o’ man did they come out perfect and there was no boiling water on the stove making my kitchen hot situation.

Alright y’all, here is how you do it:

Pressure Cooker Hard Boiled Eggs Recipe

First off, mosey on over here and purchase yourself one of these bad boys, seriously, you will not regret it.

Fill your pressure cooker with 1 1/2 cups of water.

Place a steamer basket inside. I use this one.

Place your eggs in basket. Close your lid and you are going to press the steam button, high pressure and for only five minutes.

*** Now your pressure cooker needs to reach pressure and needs to release pressure once done. I allowed pressure to release for about 5 minutes. So, this whole process will take about 15 minutes total.

Once your pressure cooker is done releasing pressure, take eggs out and place eggs in a bowl of ice water to stop them from cooking.

Now, you can peel your eggs right away or not, whatever floats your boat. But you got yourself some freaking hard boiled eggs yo! Amazing right? I know!

Happy pressure cooking hard boiled eggs!

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Posted on September 7, 2018 October 28, 2018

Lip Smackin’ Good Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Finding a damn good delicious AND healthy oatmeal raisin cookie recipe can be really hard. The pictures look great but then you make it and they taste like……crap, I’m just gonna say it y’all.

They taste like crap.

I don’t know about you but I want an oatmeal raisin cookie that is still healthy, without tasting like cardboard. I want a cookie that is full of flavor not just sugar. And I want a cookie I can give my kids without totally feeling guilty. I mean, this recipe calls for light brown sugar.

Is that healthy?

Well, if it’s going to give me a cookie like it did, without using processed white sugar, it’s healthy in my book.

Y’all ready for the cookie of your dreams?

I’ve already had two since starting this post, so I’m ready!

Cookie Making Time Y'all! — It’s cookie makin’ time y’all!

Healthy Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Recipe

Ingredients:

1 cup All purpose flour
1 and 1/2 cups Oatmeal
1/2 cup Raisins
1/2 cup Cranberries
1/2 cup Chopped walnuts
1/2 cup Light brown sugar
1/2 cup Softened butter
1 Large egg
1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon Baking soda
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon Vanilla extract

Instructions:

1. In a small bowl mix together the flour, salt, cinnamon, and baking soda and set aside.

2. In a bowl or large mixer, cream together butter, sugar, vanilla and egg. Mix it all up yo, until you have a nice creamy situation happening.

3. Now, slowly add in your dry ingredients that we set aside. Once this mixture is well mixed together. Add in the rest of your ingredients. Raisins, cranberries, walnut and oatmeal. And what ever else tickles your fancy.

4. Mix it up nicely but not to nicely. You don’t want to over mix.

5. Place bowl in the fridge for about 30 minutes. I know, you’re thinking, “what?!?” But trust me here y’all. It gives the dough some time to firm back up. Making it easier to form in a ball that is going to give you a damn delicious cookie.

6. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

7. Now scoop those little bad boys out and on to a prepared cookie sheet. No need to grease the cookie sheet. Scoop a nice 1-2 tablespoons and form into a ball. Slightly press down but still maintain the circle shape.

8. Throw those puppies in the oven for about 12 minutes. Or until slightly brown.
Once done, allow to cool for about 5 minutes. OR go ahead and shove one of those hot cookies in your mouth before anyone in your family sees you. I’m not judging.

Let me know if these oatmeal cookies were worth the burn on your tongue! Leave a comment or review!

Happy baking y’all!

Hey, don’t forget to subscribe to our email list. If you do, all sorts of fun stuff happens. For one, you join the cool kids club and two, you get a FREE medicinal herbs recipe book with 6 super easy recipes.

Posted on September 3, 2018 August 26, 2018

Using Essential Oils Around the House

Essential oils are an incredible resource for health and well being. They can be used in more ways than your than your pretty little brain probably realizes. I get it, the word essential oil sounds kinda hooky. Every time someone asks me a health question or a suggestion, the word essential oil comes out of my mouth and I see them slightly roll their eyes. But seriously people, I wouldn’t be yapping about it if I did not freaking believe in them.

So……

I wanted to yap about some ways that essential oils can benefit you and your family other than just using topically, aromatically or internally.

Y’all ready?!

Dog shampoo: If you haven’t read about our previous devil pup, by all means mosey on over here to read about her and this awesome dog shampoo I made.

Glass cleaner: In a glass bottle, fill half with distilled water and half white vinegar. Add 20-30 drops of lemon essential oil. Lemon will not only clean your glass it will help neutralize the smell of the vinegar. As well as, provide an invigorating and uplifting smell. And who doesn’t need that while cleaning!

Floor cleaner: I use this bad boy and let me tell ya, it is fan-freaking-tastic. Once I am done mopping the floors I just throw the mop part in the wash and BAM, no mop mess to deal with afterward. Since it has a water reservoir, I like to fill it with half water and half white vinegar. Then I add 10 drops of Onguard, 10 drops lemongrass and 10 drops tangerine and 10 drops of grapefruit. The combination smells heavenly and Onguard helps protect against seasonal threats.

Mouth wash: After brushing and flossing I like to fill my mouth up with water and I add 1 drop peppermint, 1 drop frankincense and 1 drop of myrrh. Peppermint freshens your breath while frankincense and myrrh provide support with oral health issues such as tooth decay, cavities and oral infections.

Diffuse: Sounds kind of obvious but hey I gotta say it. Diffusing oils can do so much for your mental state, as well as, your overall well being. My favorite mood lifter is tangerine, grapefruit, wild orange and lemongrass. Add 2-4 drops of each oil for an instant mood lift. My favorite for calming is siberian fir, balance, lavender and geranium. Holy moly, does this smell heavenly. Again just add a few drops of each oil.

Face oil: You’ll want to find an oil of preference for your face. For me argon and jojoba oil are two perfect oils that blend beautifully together to give me exactly what my face needs. In a 1 oz dropper bottle fill a 1/4 of the way with argon oil. Then add 4-6 drops frankincense, 2-4 drops lavender and 2-4 drops geranium. Fill the rest with jojoba oil, shake and gently rub in to face.

***I use the oil cleansing method for my face. I just massage oil onto my face after a shower, then I put a hot wash cloth over it for a minute, then I gently wipe off my face. Feel free to change up your oils.

Deodorant: There are so many deodorant recipes out there. I wanted one that I could rub on just like a normal deodorant. This one works fantastic. However, you do have to be mindful of black shirts. It will leave a white residue. In a bowl combine arrowroot powder, baking soda and just enough coconut oil to allow the powders to stick together. I have a full post here if you want to read it in detail. You can add any oil that tickles your fancy but I like to use lavender and tea tree.

Wood polish: Holy moly, I am in love with this wood polish. It smells absolutely heavenly and it works fantastic. In a glass bottle combine equal parts olive oil and white vinegar. Then add 5-10 drops of arborvitae, wild orange, tangerine and lemon. Shake that bad boy up and spray your toots off.

Linen spray or air freshener: This is a fantastic way to finish off your day of cleaning. I especially like to spray this when I change the beds. It just feels like it seals the deal. In a glass bottle you are going to mix 1 cup of water, 3 tbs of rubbing alcohol and 30-40 drops of lavender, geranium or any other essential oils that just puts your soul at ease.

***If y’all don’t want to make this but still want it apart of your life, mosey on over here and y’all can purchase it!

Alright y’all, I hope you found some sort of inspiration from this post. Essential oils can be utilized in every part of your life. This post was just how to use them around the house, I haven’t even tapped into how you can use them to reach optimal health. I know, I know, I’ll get a post out on it soon.

Happy essential oiling y’all!

This post contains affiliate links. That means that when you purchase a product through the link I provide, Oh Sure I Can gets a small commission at no additional cost to you.

Posted on August 27, 2018 September 18, 2018

Magic Cleaner? I Think So Yo!

Homemade All-Natural Cleaner Recipe

Holy moly am I excited to share this homemade natural cleaner with you. So, one day I came home and my husband was like, “oh, I made a new cleaner.” I thought, cool! But then I actually tried this bad boy and was….

Blown away.

Not only did it clean the toughest grease stains off our stove, it also reminded me what a beautiful color white my kitchen floor tile was suppose to be. Yikes! Even my toilets sparkled after I was finished with them. And the smell……

wonderful.

If you are anything like us, then vinegar is your go to for everything. Which just absolutely feels great because you know you are keeping your family safe from harmful chemicals. But there is always the smell that many cannot handle, so they choose the harmful stuff instead. But please don’t.

I’ve got a solution yo!

Best damn cleaner recipe:

32 oz spray bottle

1/4 cup dish soap of choice

6 tablespoons vinegar

3 tablespoons borax

3 cups hot water

Whatcha y’all wanna do is:

Heat up your water on the stove just to a low simmer.

Fill spray bottle with water, vinegar and borax. Do not add the soap just yet.

Give that bottle a shake. Shake it like you mean it yo.

Now, go ahead and add the soap and give it a little swirl.

Boom son, you just made yourself the best damn all natural cleaner there is.

Ok, now, I am going to be super vulnerable here and share some before and after pictures. Don’t judge, homie, don’t judge.

After Canning food, my stove top usually turns brown from the pressure canner. On top of super tough grease stains, my stove top was a nightmare.

I mean, HEEEELLLLOOOOO!! Yes please! And seriously, not a lot of elbow grease went into getting the stains up either.

I just about died when I spilt a little of the cleaner on my already mopped floor and as I bent down and wipe it up I noticed a color difference.

WHHHHAAAAT?!?

My ADD peaked and before I knew it, I was on my hands and knees cleaning each individual tile. I mean, how could I not at this point. The best part of this cleaner is that, while I love vinegar, it doesn’t smell like vinegar. It smells clean. Like sparkly clean. You can always add some beautiful essential oils to make it smell even more beautiful but it really doesn’t even need it.

Give it a try homie. Let me know what you think. Are you embarrassed by your stove? Bathroom floors? Kitchen sink? Spray this bad boy on it and let me know how it works.

Happy cleaning y’all!

Looking for more natural cleaning recipes? Check out my All-Natural Lemon Vinegar Cleaner Recipe!

Learn more about Using Essential Oils Around The House

Posted on August 20, 2018

Good Egg? Bad Egg?

Alright y’all, let’s talk eggs for a second. When you have a fortunate supply of eggs sitting on your counter from your own chickens, they can get a little questionable at times. I mean, everyday you gather and everyday they pile. When it comes time to washing them and storing them in the fridge, you want to make sure those bad boys are safe to eat.

Right? Right!

So, let’s talk about one sure way to put your eggs to the “are you safe to eat” test.

To float or not to float, that is the question.

Here is what you do:

Fill a nice size bowl with cold water.

After washing your eggs, place egg in the bowl of water.

If it floats…..IT IS BAD.

If it sinks…..IT IS GOOD.

If one end rises while the other end is touching the bottom of the bowl……HOMIE IS ON IT’S WAY OUT. Y’ALL BETTER EAT IT QUICK.

Why does a bad egg float?

Eggs are porous. They are covered naturally by the chicken with a protectant layer called the bloom. Over time, as the egg sits, the bloom will begin to disintegrate and air will start to travel through the shell and will get trapped inside. This will cause the egg to float.

That is it y’all. I wish I had something a little more philosophical for you. I know we are all looking for the answer to life, but tonight all I got for you is whether that egg you got sittin’ on your counter is good or bad.

Happy egging!

Posted on August 8, 2018

What Does This All Mean?

I am in a pondering mood, mostly about the day I had.

Wanna hear about it?

I’m gonna tell you anyway.

I woke up 4:15a. I had an incredibly deep yoga and meditation practice. I was connected with my breath, I allowed myself to float into this place of existence, a place of complete euphoria. I gave my thanks to all the energy that surrounds me. And I started my day.

Then I got to work.

I dropped EVERY. SINGLE. THING I touched.

I spilt a pitcher of hot milk all over the counter.

I sprayed whip cream in my face and hair.

I smashed my finger in the fridge.

Everything I touched needed to be REFILLED.

If I managed to catch one thing that was falling, I ended up kicking something else over.

I took so many deep breaths. I even thought to myself, “don’t let this energy control you.” But after about 2 hours of this non stop energy, I had to remove myself from the whole situation. I thought over and over, “why, I mean I had such a connected practice. Why is this my energy? Why can’t I shake this thing off?”

All day, it stuck with me.

It wasn’t until I sat down after my house was quite that I realized, the more I connect with the philosophy of yoga and meditation, the more I am challenged in other areas of my life.

My practice every morning consists of learning how to connect my breath with the movement of my body. To allow my breath to remove the feeling of an obstacle. To be able to remove negativity out of my space.

Today I was challenged.

I was challenged to bring my practice to reality. I was challenged to connect my breath with the movement of my body. I was challenged to remove the feeling of obstacles. I was challenged to remove the negative energy that surrounded me.

Did I fail?

No. I may have let that energy consume me in the moment. But at the end of it all. I realized its meaning. I realized, I wasn’t suppose to shake it off. I was suppose to breath through it and bring my practice to reality. The ultimate place to be within your practice is to be in a place of acceptance. We are so conditioned from the time we are young that it takes challenges like these to help strip all that away. We need to let that conditioning go. Only then will we allow that beautiful lotus flower of energy flow through us.

My husband and I live two different lives. We go to work in these intense environments where, what seems like the impossible, is expected. We do this 40 hours a week. We have intense conversations. We demand. We tend to have high energy all day long.

Then we come home and this peace surrounds us. The peace of our homestead. The peace of our practice. The peace of our family. Sometimes it feels like an extremely difficult balance to keep. But that is why I am on this deep journey of yoga. To learn how to keep a peace in my soul no matter what I am doing or where I am.

Difficult? Yes.

Worth the struggle to get there? Absolutely.

Happy…..realizing!!

Posted on July 30, 2018 July 30, 2018

Strawberry Jam Yo!

It was 93 degrees today with a humidity of 84%, sounds like a perfect day to stand barefoot in the kitchen over a hot stove and make some jam.

Don’t you think?

I mean, when really is a good time to can. No matter what, you are going to be dripping sweat so, I say F it…..

Can it up yo!

I love canning food. It is just so empowering to take a delicious piece of food, homegrown or from the farmers market and preserve it at its finest. But canning to many can be super intimidating. When really, it’s not. Today we will can up some delicious strawberry jam. Now, back in the day rule of thumb was a cup of white sugar to a cup of fruit. That just seems a little intense. When you have a pure piece of fruit that is organically grown with love and picked at its prime, there really shouldn’t be any reason to cover up it’s natural sweetness with processed white sugar. This recipe we will be using honey and the ratio will be more fruit than sweetener.

Jams, jellies and other high acidic fruits require the water bath method. Water bath method is using boiling water to process your jars. Usually you can find a water bath canner at walmart, target or even the grocery store. Or you can just click here and bam get one delivered right to your door.

Usually I skip out on added pectin when making jam in the past, which pectin is just a natural starch found in fruits and vegetables. This helps naturally thicken up jams and jellies. I did use it in this recipe and was pleased with the results.

Ready for the recipe…..

What you’ll need:

8 cups of strawberries

1 cup of honey

6 tablespoons of pectin

Juice of half a lemon

Whatcha wanna do is…..

Start up your water bath canner first thing. It’s a ton of water and takes some time to get boiling. Next, place a small plate in the freezer, trust me.

Then wash and de-stem your strawberries. Now, you can either throw whole strawberries in a sauce pan and use a masher to mash them up or you can puree your strawberries. Either way bring those bad boys to boil.

Add in your honey, pectin and lemon juice. Bring to a boil that can not be stirred down.

***Let’s take a second to talk about “scum.” Scum is simply air bubbles that rise up from the fruit during the heating process. It is a white foam that sits on the top of your jam while cooking. If you do not remove the scum, your jam will be discolored and processing may be compromised. You do not want air trapped in your jars. You can easily remove the scum as it rises to the top with a spoon.

Next, remove the scum. See now aren’t you glad I explained what scum is first, now you’re not scratching your head wondering what the in the hell is scum?

At this point, the water bath should be boiling. Go ahead and put all your jars, rings and seals in the water. Allow to boil for 10 minutes. This will sanitize and keep everything safe for canning.

Now, take that plate out of the freezer, I told you to trust me, and put a small spoonful of jam on it and place back in freezer for 3 minutes. This is an old trick to see if your jam is ready to can. When you run your finger threw it, it gels up a bit, that is when it’s ready to rock.

Now take those hot jars out carefully, along with the rings and seals. Place a funnel over the jar and fill those bad boys up with jam, leaving a quarter inch of headspace. Gently wipe the rim of the jar, this prevents any residue from not allowing the jars to seal properly. Place seal and ring on and tighten only finger tight. ***Do not over tighten.

Allow filled jar to wait in canner by lifting your rack.

***Ball blue book suggests you do one jar at a time and allow filled jars to wait in hot water until jars are ready to be processed. By doing this all jars stay hot and at appropriate temperature.

Now gently drop your rack down, put lid on and process your jars for 10 minutes.

Place jars on a towel and do not touch for 24 hours. This allows the jars to properly seal. Hopefully you get to hear the sweet sound of a delicate BING throughout the day. That sound my friends tells you all that sweating you did in the kitchen was worth it.

***If your jars have white residue from hard water after processing, spray a paper towel with vinegar and wipe jars down.

Boom son, you just canned yourself some sweet delicious strawberry jam.

Happy canning!

This post contains affiliate links. That means that if you click on the product we suggest and purchase through that link, we get a small commission as no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support.

Posted on July 23, 2018

All Natural Cleaner? Yes Please!

Alright y’all, it’s time to dump just one of your “favorite” chemical cleaners and give this bad boy a try. This whole living a clean non-toxic life, can get super overwhelming. We have learned that you have to take it slow. Just add one thing here and there to contribute to the clean and all natural life you are after. This little gem here is going to replace that disinfectant spray you use to clean your kitchen counter tops, bathroom sink, toilets, even your mirrors and windows.

Here is what you do.

Get yourself a glass jar with a lid and fill it with lemon rinds. We put lemon in our water everyday so instead of dumping the lemon down the drain, I just throw it in the glass jar I have sitting by the sink. ~~Now add white vinegar to the top~~. Scratch that, add vinegar as you go. If you add it to the top when you have one little baby rind in the jar, you are not going to be able to put anymore lemons in without it spilling out. Now, allow this to sit on a sunny window for about 1-2 weeks. Allow the sun to warm up those lemons, so that they release their beautiful benefits into the vinegar.

Once it is done steeping. Strain out the lemons into a bowl. You may get some pulp left over in the liquid. That’s cool, just use a jelly bag strainer or cheese cloth to strain out the pulp.

Pour this liquid gold back into the jar and BAM you’ve got yourself a powerful disinfectant spray.

Now, add to a glass spray bottle and spray away my friend. You can use straight or you can cut it with water, 1:1 ratio. Vinegar is a very strong smell and can get a little overwhelming when you first start using it as a cleaner. But the lemon adds a beautiful clean fresh smell.

That is it yo! Take baby steps. Don’t get overwhelmed. You cannot change your whole life over night. Pick one thing at a time and find a way to replace it with a non-toxic solution. Get comfortable with that solution, make it apart of your daily life. Then move on to the next. This is journey is not a quick one, it takes time, patience and a ton of trial and error.

Share your thoughts.

Happy safe cleaning!

This post contains affiliate links. That means that if you click on a link provided and purchase through that link, we receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for helping support Oh, Sure I Can Homestead.

Posted on July 18, 2018

Let The Vision Go Homie

The vision.

Somehow along our journey in life, we create these visions in our head. You know those visions that tell you everything in your life has to look, feel and be a very specific way. These visions some how determine the actions we take, the energy we carry and the outlook on life we have. Sometimes we go to the extreme of losing everything around us because we have to carry out this vision. We become blind to what surrounds us because if it does not fit into the vision then it doesn’t exist. But what we don’t realize because we get so caught up is that the vision……..

Does not exist.

It is not reality. And the more you exert energy trying to figure out how to keep the plan in place and carry out the vision, the more you lose the connection with the present moment. Life is meant to be lived. It is meant for you to be connected with the present moment in time. Not dwelling on what happened in a conversation yesterday. Or what you plan on doing tomorrow. Life is this very moment in time. As you sit here and read this post. Nothing else in the world matters because it is either dead and gone, or it hasn’t happened yet.

We tend to live for the future instead of this very moment. How many things do you think you actually miss out on, living in that kind of world? The moment you stop and feel the energy that surrounds you. The moment you open your eyes and allow yourself to be in the present moment. That is when you begin to live your reality. You begin to see the beauty in the smallest things. You begin connecting your breath with life.

Stop.

Stop creating these visions. Stop analyzing every moment. Stop creating conversations in your head. Stop trying to create these perfect moments. Stop creating your own anxiety because your plan is not playing out the way you, well, planned.

Plans change.

It is ok if the playroom doesn’t come out looking like a Pinterest worthy image. It is ok that the nursery has old mix matched furniture and doesn’t look like a Joanna Gains design. It is ok if you forgot to make chocolate milk when you watched your christmas eve movie. It is ok if you celebrated your 30 birthday at home with some ice cream and your family. It is ok if your homestead isn’t acres of open land with perfectly placed barns.

The important thing is that you play with your children and actually hear their beautiful little laughs. The important thing is that your baby is healthy. The important thing is that you soak in the excitement and love from your family the night before christmas. The important thing is you made it to 30 happy, healthy and celebrated with those who love you. The important thing is that you connect yourself with your home.

Live in the present moment. Allow yourself to feel the light, love and energy that surrounds you this very moment. Stop the noise in your head. Stop the vision that paralysis you. Stop complaining about life. Your house is always going to be messy when you have kids. A bill is always going to come your way. You may always have to wake up early to go to work. Not everything in life has to be a complaint. You are never put out. You have the power to say no. You have the power to stop feeling like the victim in your own vision. You have the power to stop the chaos and anxiety that comes with your vision not going according to plan.

We are given this one life. This one chance to do incredible things. This one opportunity to seize every moment and connect with what is around us. This one chance to change someones life in a positive way. Let the vision in your head go and just live peacefully. Live in the moment. Live with intention.

Happy ditching the vision.

Posted on July 9, 2018

I Forgot To Exhale Y’all…….

I’m sorry I ditch you for a while. But I had to take a moment and reflect just what in the world I was doing with my life.

And my conclusion…..

I forgot to exhale.

You know when you get really excited about something and you’re all tense and holding your breath because you just can’t wait for it to happen? Well, I was in that state of being for the last 2-3 months. And let me tell you……

It sucked.

We are always trying to figure out a way to quit our jobs and live off of our homestead. I mean, there are soooo many people that do it and are incredibly successful.

Why can’t we?!

So I pushed myself to try and make something happen. I committed to posting three times a week. I committed to posting on social media 1-2 times a day. I committed to reaching a rank within my doTERRA business by a certain month. All the while working a full time job then coming home to be a mom and wife.

I did a half ass job y’all.

And the crappy part, is that I was doing a half ass job with the most important part of my life…..being a mom and a wife.

I realized that I wasn’t living. I wasn’t experiencing what was around me. I was pushing through everything to make sure I “got it all.” When something was about to happen or I was about to complete a project I was so focused on trying to document everything that I was blindly living. I was snapping at my husband. I was getting frustrated with my kids.

For what?!

I had to exhale y’all. So that meant, I had to ditch you for a little bit. And I’m sorry. But finding a balance of what is important in life is extremely vital.

It’s hard to allow yourself to live in the moment. We tend to live in the past, which is dead and gone or the future, which hasn’t even happened yet. But I want to live in this exact moment and feel the energy that surrounds me. I want to be present when I’m clearing out all the old leaves and debris from our passion fruit archway. I want to hear the bonsai plant tell me what it needs to be happy and healthy. I want to hear my orchids sing with happiness after I feed them and clear the dead off of them. I want to get down on one knee and have the patience to hear what my 2 year old has to say about Spider-Man and the hulk. I want to be present when my daughter asked to cuddle on the couch. And I want to stop snapping at my husband when he asks me where the remote is. I want to feel the energy coming from the earth and into my soul when I do my yoga practice.

Yoga has always been my go to.

But….

I even lost the meaning yoga. Ugh, this has taken a huge toll on my sanity. But as I harbored this mindset, I just felt frustrated and questioned why I was doing yoga. It was like I just got up every morning at 4a to just “get it done.” And that is not the meaning of yoga for me. So I even ditched that. I had to find its meaning again. I had to ask myself why I was doing it.

I had to reconnect.

I had to find the flow of life again.

So, I had to exhale and let everything go for a moment.

Does it hurt to do that when so much energy has gone into it all….of course.

Is it worth it…

Absolutely.

There are so many successful bloggers and YouTubers that make you feel like you’re slacking on your journey but what I realized is that we are just on different sections of the journey. And nothing should be compared. Being content in life is way more important.

And right now, I am content.

Happy exhaling!

Posted on May 24, 2018 May 24, 2018

Damn Delicious Spaghetti Sauce

Alright y’all, I feel as though it is time that I share our spaghetti sauce recipe. I get it, there are thousands of recipes out there, so why should you try this one? Because it is mutha f-ing delicious that’s why. This recipe has been handed down from my mother-in-law, thanks Gail! And now I hand it down to you.

Enough with the bull s*** let’s do this thang already

***Yo, use as many organic ingredients as possible, I feel like at this point I shouldn’t have to say it but I am…….so do it!

Ingredients:

3 cans tomato sauce

3 cans of stewed tomatoes

1 lb ground beef or turkey (we use turkey)

4-5 sweet Italian sausage links

1 Mayan sweet onion sliced or chopped

3-4 garlic cloves

Optional: mushrooms and bell peppers

2-3 teaspoons of each of these seasonings

thyme

marjoram

oregano

basil

italian seasoning

salt to taste

Directions:

*** This sauce is best cooked in a slow cooker ALL. DAY. LONG. But if you are running low on time and have a handy dandy pressure cooker, which side note I believe everyone should have one of these because they are freaking amazing, you can use this as well and it comes out beautifully.

In a crock pot put your three cans of tomato sauce and three cans of stewed tomatoes. Add sliced or chopped onion, all dry seasonings and garlic. Start cooking the sauce while you prepare the rest.
In a pan cook your ground turkey or beef until fully cooked. Once cooked add to crock pot.
Remove sausage from casing and roll into small meatballs. Cook in a pan. Once fully cooked add those little balls of deliciousness to the crock pot.
Now just cook on low for as long as possible. Stir occasionally.

***You want your onions to be soft and supple.

Yes, I just used the word supple.

Cook yourself up some noodles and BAM you got yourself a damn delicious bowl of spaghetti sauce.

If you’re like us, you’ll end up eating the whole pot throughout the week. BUT let’s say you have more self control and want to save this bad ass sauce for future dinners. If you have a food saver you can seal up this sauce and stick it in the freezer. If you don’t have a food savor, get yourself a freaking food savor, stop reading this post click here. This thing along with the pressure cooker have been two things we have not regretted.

***If you plan on using your food saver and intend to freeze it, here are a few tips.

Portion out servings. Because let’s say your having a lazy Sunday and no one is really in the mood for anything and everyone fends for themselves. And let’s just say you are craving spaghetti, well you can just mosey on over to the freezer pull out a serving and make yourself a bowl without wasting a bunch of sauce.
Put the date on it yo!
Freeze your sauce as close to the date you made it as possible. I suck at doing this to be honest but it is so important. Portion out a couple of dinners worth and then freeze the rest.

To have homemade spaghetti sauce on hand in times of need has been so incredible. So again get yourself a food saver homie and stock that freezer up!

Happy spaghetti sauce making!

This post contains affiliate links. That means that if you click on the product we suggest and purchase through that link, we get a small commission as no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support.

Posted on May 19, 2018

Deep Litter Method for Chicken Coop

So you went ahead on got your some some fancy little ladies did ya?! There has been nothing better, in our homesteading journey, than our sweet little ladies. They provide us with food for our family and in return we provide them love and a wonderful life.

See y’all, the circle must go round and round or we lose the entire meaning of this whole thing.

When deciding to get yourself some chickens, there is so much valuable information out there to learn from. We did a crap ton of research from what to feed them, to how to keep them quite, to how to take care of their coop.

I’d like to share the method we chose to go with. A method that has worked beautifully for almost about a year now. And that is…..

The deep litter method.

This method keeps it super simple. And super low maintenance. Because if y’all are anything like us, we have to keep things easy and to the point. Working 40 hours a week doesn’t leave us enough time to clean out a coop once a week. And really who the hell wants to clean out a coop once a week.

This method requires crap ton of straw and………

That’s it.

You spread a bunch of straw in your coop and just keep layering it on when you see it getting low and starting to smell like ammonia.

What is the benefit of this method?

Low maintenance, most importantly. But it is a proven way to help build your soil and helps to create beautifully rich compost. You see, your chickens will poop. A LOT. And your chickens will love to scratch through the straw and find little surprises to eat. These two things, poop and scratching, go hand in hand. The poop is what is going to give your compost nitrogen and the straw is your carbon. By your chickens scratching, they are essentially turning your “compost” for you.

Wait, isn’t that the two main ingredients to build compost? Yup! And my chickens are doing all the work for me? Yup! So I don’t have to go out and turn my compost as often as I am? Nope!

Mind blown!

I know, right! Now about once a year you actually clear out all the straw and compost and either allow it to continue to break down in a pile or trash can or use it in your garden.

Homesteading is a laborious life style. An extremely fulfilling life style but laborious none the less. Finding ways to keep things as simple as possible and as low maintenance as possible is the key that we have found to be successful. Maybe you have time to clean out your coop once a week, why you would want to, is beyond me. But when you have a method that works and provides for you AND your chickens, I say that is two thumbs up yo!

Happy deep little methoding!

Posted on May 16, 2018 May 16, 2018

From The Tree of Life

Mother nature is an incredible mother. She heals with love, she sends energy out to guide you, she even gives you all you need in order to thrive in this life. This one life we get to live.

But we get distracted.

We forget that she is here for us. We forget that we are her top priority and our health and well being is the main goal in this whole damn thing. So let’s stop for a freaking second here people and take a deep breath. Do it with me now….

Inhale…………..

Now exhale…….Ahhhhhhh

See, now don’t you feel just a tad bit more centered. Now that you are in the right mindset, let’s talk about the essential oil called Arborvitae. It comes from the tree of life. I mean hello!!! The tree of life, why wouldn’t you want this oil to be apart of your daily routine. And meditation.

Arborvitae is a powerful cleansing and purifying oil. When used for meditation it has been said that is rejuvenates your soul and spirit and cleanses the bad energy away. And let me tell you, you feel that the moment you apply it. It has this woody, warm earthy aroma that just brings peace to your soul and connects you to earth.

This specific Arborvitae oil is harvested from the Thuja plicata tree that is native to North America. While it comes from a tree, the sourcing method used for this oil is still respectful to mother nature. It is distilled from residual wood materials to ensure that no tree is unnecessarily harvested for production.

It has specific chemical compounds that make it a wonderful insect repellant. As well as, an incredible preserving agent for wood.

How the heck do you use this amazing oil?

Add a few drops to wrist, ankles and behind the neck for a fantastic insect repellant.
Use during meditation to bring peace to your soul.
Make a wood polish. (Surprise, recipe will be included below. Can I get a heck yes!)
Add to diffuser for overall calming relief, and to keep insects away.
Apply to bottoms of feet and/or spine with a carrier oil to help with bacterial support.
Apply to chest with carrier oil to provide possible respiratory issues relief
Diffuse or apply to temples and back of neck for grounding effect.
Add 10-20 drops in glass spray bottle with water to use as a protecting solution on surface areas or hands.

Are you super excited yet about this beautiful oil?

I know I am, in fact, I have some on as I share this with you!

If you are wondering where in the world do you buy this oil, well it just so happens I have a fancy little link. If you have more in-depth questions about buying the oil or about the oil itself please feel free to reach out to me. I would love to share more!

And now as promised here is your all natural wood polish:

Ingredients:

1/4 cup of olive oil

1/4 cup of vinegar

10 drops Arborvitae (pairs wonderfully with lemon and/or wild orange)

Directions:

Add olive oil and vinegar to glass spray bottle.
Add your 10 drops of Arborvitae essential oil.
Shake your booty while holding the spray bottle!
Apply to microfiber cloth and wipe wood surfacing clean.

Repeat every 2-3 months or as often as needed.

Damn, now how easy was that, and you have a fantastic all natural wood polisher that is not only safe to breathe in but will calm your ass while you’re cleaning.

Score and score!

Happy Tree of Life People!

Buy your essential oils here

Don’t be scared to reach out y’all. I would love to share any and all information around oils and why I choose doTERRA to help heal me and my family.

Posted on May 10, 2018

No Sugar Added Please!

Normally when giving a recipe, I never give a story. I just want to give you quick and to the point, I mean you are here for a recipe and damn it I want to give it to you.

BUT….. I feel like maybe if this back story can shed some light on someone, it’s worth sharing, so hang in there.

I promise you’ll get something delicious at the end.

For a hot minute I did the Keto diet. My whole goal was to cut out sugar. See I am on this ever lasting quest to find a natural solution or at least a relief from ADD. My brain works in an unusual way sometimes. In ways I can’t explain and lately I’ve just been over it. Over this past year I have been more open about my ADD and as I discuss it with others, mostly other woman, I find that we all think and do almost the same things.

So is it ADD? Or is it the way woman think? Or is it the way we all think?

These questions go through my head all the time. I sometimes get so frustrated because I wish I could just be a little sharper, not forget things, be able to respond fast enough, be able to make a decision, not procrastinate, not forget about an appointment or what happened in a conversation two minutes ago. But then, the person right next to me who I tell all this to, feels the same way.

So now my question is, why are most of us feeling this way?

Possible answer, our food.

Our food is so packed with processed ingredients, sugar, GMO’s, antibiotics, pesticides, and chemicals……the list can go on.

How can we think clearly?

Rule of health is you eat 80% whole foods, 20% processed foods. Which seems like a high percentage of processed foods to me but in reality it is small. With sugar being the last thing you should stick in your body, especially processed sugar.

I had a little aha moment in my quest to finding a natural solution to ADD. One day I was just reflecting on conversations I had that day with woman I work along side with. All beautifully made, strong, smart, incredible souled woman. Some who are mamas some who are not. And in every comment made about behaviors, thoughts, feelings… almost all of us were like, oh yea been there felt that. Then for some reason, I realized all of us who were in the conversation, are a bunch of sweet eating junkies.

So, of course I went home and I researched ADD and craving sugar. Sure, muther f-ing, enough they go hand in hand. The way an ADD brain works is, if it is not stimulated then we lose interest. There almost has to be a reward of something at the end for it to hold our attention. Well what sugar does, is it stimulates the dopamine in our brain, which acts as a neurotransmitter sending signals to nerve cells that control reward and pleasures. This is what stimulates the brain. Which people with ADD need to feel in order to be content. So when one is not stimulated, often times something sweet is usually a mission of theirs to find. The body is needing and looking for that “high.”

Well, I am attempting to not feed that need and I am trying to clear the fog that consumes me. So, I attempted a Keto diet, no sugar, no carbs, high fat foods. I found it was not for me. But what I did find was that I wanted to continue to cut out sugar and keep my carbs as low as possible.

ADD is not fun. Feeling like you are constantly trying to hold your head above water, gets tiring. Creating chaos without realizing it, gets annoying. Doing stuff half ass because halfway through your head goes, “meh, I am over this!” SUCKS!!!

The more I research, the more I am aware. The more I can fight that part of my brain and be like, “Listen bitch, we are seeing this through. whether you like it or not!”

I will not stop until I find relief. I am a firm believer that our bodies are made to run like machines. And when given the proper fuel, food, it will run like a machine effortlessly. In my gut I feel like most ailments can be reversed through food. Through healing the gut. I will not let this “chemical Imbalance” define who I am. We are not meant to have imbalances. The symptoms we feel are signals that we must listen to and from there we must do the leg work and find the solution.

A natural solution.

BUT……..I am still fighting my sweet cravings.

It’s like crack, man! It really is. Annnndddd……

Since you actually made it to the end, here is your delicious sugar free sweet fix substitute.

Recipe from keto cookbook Fat Fast

Ingredients:

85%-100% pure dark chocolate powder

8 Tbs of butter (real butter, grass fed organic butter)

3 Tbs coconut oil

4 Tbs natural peanut butter

1 Tbs heavy whipping cream

Sugar substitute equal to 6 teaspoons (I used 4 Stevia, a little less than the recipe called for but tasted great to me)

1/2 macadamia nuts

Directions:

Melt together butter and chocolate.
Add all other ingredients except for macadamia nuts. Mix together until smooth.
Add in your macadamia nuts and pour into mini baking cups.
Freeze until solid.

That’s it yo!

Fresh out of the freezer, don’t mind the cold spots.

Enjoy frozen or allow to soften.

Now, these bad boys are not going to be your typical peanut butter cups but when you’ve got a sweet tooth and you’re trying to kick sugar. These lil’ F-ers do the trick.

Happy Questing and Chocolate Making!

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Posted on May 5, 2018 May 2, 2018

The Real Flu Shot

Mother nature gave us these amazing resources to stay healthy. But some how along the way we got side tracked by shiny things. There is a reason why food has so much power. It is made to heal our bodies. Food is what we are meant to metabolize. We are so quick to pop a pill to help head tension or the feeling of a flu or cold coming on. But really, we need to put food, whole food, in our body to give it what it needs to heal itself. Let’s back away from the pills, cold medicines, cough syrups, and nyquil and trust that mother nature gave us all we need to fight off any harmful bugs that enter our body. Ready to fight this flu naturally?

Let’s do this.

This is our version of the flu shot. It actually has multiple parts to it so keep on a reading. It has some power behind it that will knock out what ever is a brewing inside you within a couple days. If caught early, you can even knock it out before it settles in.

Let’s talk a little it about why these ingredients are so important to help your body fight a cold, flu or infection.

Lemon: Is known for its antibacterial properties. It can help protect against throat infections. It can provide relief from fever by increasing perspiration. It can relieve congestion. Lemon is high in vitamin A, vitamin C, magnesium, vitamin B6, riboflavin, folate, zinc and iron, to name a few.

Ginger: Is a powerful anti-inflammatory. It can help lower chances of bacterial infection. The spice of ginger will help relieve congestion. It also helps provide a healthy digestion.

Garlic: Is mother natures antibiotic. It provides the body with the strength to fight against infections. It helps increase a healthy immune function. Garlic is a powerful microbial and anti-inflammatory.

Cayenne: Is a high antioxidant that helps provide support for the immune system. It will also help loosen mucus within the nasal cavity and chest.

Honey: Is a well known antibacterial and antimicrobial. It provides the body with soothing relief of sore throats, coughs and congestion.

*** It is best to use all organic ingredients. When choosing a honey, choose one that is raw and unfiltered. This means that it is in it’s purest form, with more health benefits.

Directions:

In a glass you are going to add half a juiced lemon, 1 TBS honey, 1-2 cloves minced garlic, 1-2 TBS grated ginger, a dash or two, depending on how brave you are, of cayenne. Add about 4 oz of water.

Now chug like a gansta.

***Do this about 2-3 times a day when you feel something coming on. If it has already hit, still do it yo! It will decrease the duration of the cold or flu.

Everyone has their variations, it is best to try all and find your groove. You can also add apple cider vinegar to this to kick it up one more notch. Apple cider vinegar has incredible properties to it, that will give your body the strength to fight off anything.

Second part to our flu shot….

We also like to take 2-4 doses of oil of oregano or oregano essential oil, when we feel something coming on. I will put a drop of oregano essential oil in a veggie capsule and take it 2-4 times a day. If I am doing oil of oregano, I will do about 8 drops under the tongue 2-4 times a day.

What is the difference?

Oil of oregano is dried or fresh herb steeped in a high quality oil such as olive oil that is cold pressed and organic.

Oregano essential oil is oil derived from the plant through distillation.

*** Remember if taking an essential oil internally, please do your homework and find a high quality oil from a company that can provide you with certainty that it is in fact pure essential oil. Please contact me if you would like to hear more about essential oils.

Third part to our flu shot…

Elderberry Syrup! This berry has incredible properties to it that helps keep your body happy and healthy. If you haven’t heard of elderberry check out this post. and if you want to make it check to this post. On the onset of a cold or flu we take this 4 times a day. If something is going around and we don’t want to get it, we start taking this 2 times a day for an added immune boost.

Lastly…

Black Seed Oil. This is the mother load here. If you haven’t heard of black seed oil check out this post and get yourself some black seed oil. We will take this 2-3 times a day when we feel a cold coming on. We take this daily but increase it by one or two when cold and flu season is around.

That’s it yo!

Our version of the flu shot. It may sound like a crap ton, but I swear by it. My house hold got hit with a nasty flu where the kids had fevers for about 4 days. Then five says later they came down with the stomach flu. I managed to escape both illnesses magically. And I owe it to this regimen above. Screw going to CVS and getting a flu shot filled with who knows what. Use what mother nature gave us, use food to help heal your body.

Happy Healing!

Posted on May 3, 2018 September 18, 2018

Organic Homemade Pup Shampoo & Rinse

Organic Homemade Dog Shampoo Recipe

So this is our pup. She is our devil pup. It’s been about a year since she’s joined our family and since I am doing a post on dog shampoo I figure why not introduce her. Ladies and gentlemen, this is Kaya. No we didn’t name her Kaya for that reason, But after we figured out what it meant we didn’t change it either so….. She is the sweetest pup in the world, she is very well trained she loves us so very much, BUT she’s the devil. I know, you’re thinking wait, how can that be her face is so sweet looking?

Well…….

She has torn up almost every single drip line throughout the back yard. She has eaten probably about five feet worth of our watering hose. She has straight up stolen the kitchen rug within seconds of me opening up the kitchen door. She will take that hat off of the boy’s head and bolt the other way. She will knock down the girl, then nip at her shirt as she’s sitting there screaming. Every morning when I go out to feed the chickens, she runs full speed ahead and slams her body against the chickens coop, which then sends them into a flying flurry, usually resulting in a wing slapping me in the face. She will nip at the foot that is in mid air while walking, you know the one that is suppose to catch your ass as it comes down. When she steals something she doesn’t necessarily run, she walks back and forth and stays just out of reach. She has chased me with a dead rat, pinning me in the corner of the chicken coop. So there was me, yelling at 5:50am on a Tuesday, “DON’T YOU FUC***NG DARE, YOU A$$$HOLE!!!!”

She’s our devil pup.

She is a beautiful Red Fox Labrador. She is super smart and just wants to love. She has enough energy for 50 elephant. She protects the kids while they play, once she calms the F down. She doesn’t run out the gate when it opens. She listens at the snap of a finger. She doesn’t come running in the house any chance she gets. When you stand up she backs down. She’s an incredible pup.

BUT she’s still a devil pup!

Well let’s get on with the reason why you are here. Since the seasons have changed, so has homegirls fur. We thought something was wrong with her so we took her in and the Vet was like umm, this is her undercoat. $48 bucks later to tell me it was her mutha f-ing undercoat, I am making my own damn shampoo.

And you know what! It worked beautifully.

Dog Shampoo Ingredients:

Dr. Bronners Lavender Castile Soap

Melaleuca (Tea Tree) Essential Oil

Lavender Essential Oil

Filtered water

2) 16 oz Bottles or containers

Apple Cider Vinegar

Directions:

Fill your bottle half way with Castile soap.
Add 6-8 drops of Melaleuca
Add 6-8 drops of Lavender
Fill the rest up with filtered water.
In another container fill a quarter of the way with apple cider vinegar and the rest with filtered water.

Homemade dog shampoo to make your dogs hair soft and smooth — Look how smooth homegirl looks!

Boom son. You just made your pup some organic dog shampoo and rinse that didn’t cost you an arm and a leg. It lathers up very nicely. It smells heavenly and it actually has medicinal properties to it.

After lathering, rinse your pup really well with water. Then use the apple cider vinegar rinse like a conditioner. Let it sit for a minute or two and then rinse well with water.

The Castile soap has a ton of good oils in it like coconut oil, jojoba oil, hemp oil, which all will help moisturize your pups skins and coat.

Lavender soothes occasional skin irritations. And is known for its calming and relaxation properties. (Hmm, now that I think of it, I actually should’ve increase the amount of lavender I put in this!!)

Melaleuca is known for its purifying properties. It cleanses the skin and helps promote a healthy immune system. It is also great for occasional skin irritations.

Apple cider vinegar rinse will restore the ph balance in your pups coat and skin. And not to mention make his or her coat really soft.

So not only will your pup smell incredible, all the oils in this shampoo will help keep healthy beautiful skin and coat.

I also used the Furminator on her coat as well. The Furminator is an intense brush that is SOOOOOOOO worth the money. It will get the thickest undercoat out with no problem. And it will last forever.

Can you see her smiling!

Happy shampooing!

**If you are interested in where and how to buy doTERRA oils, contact me through email or leave me a comment.

This post contains affiliate links. That means that if you click on a product that we suggest and purchase through that link, we get a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support.

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Posted on April 30, 2018 April 30, 2018

Our Front Yard Sprucing!

Well it is time to start sprucing up the front yard. It has been about 5 years now and all our energy has gone to making a food forest in the back yard for our family to enjoy. But now everything is established and pretty much taking care of itself.

So on to the front!

When we first moved in to our home, we made a small little planter in front of the house and to be honest, we were quite proud of ourselves. I mean, it did make a difference in our eyes and that is all that matters, right?! But as we sat and thought about what we wanted for the front yard, we realized we barely made a dent.

We knew what we wanted, but had no idea how to get there. We knew that we were about to embark on a whole new project with fun new challenges but again, didn’t know how to exactly get there.

What we did know was…..

We wanted to create not a food forest like the back yard but a medicinal herb forest for the front.

We went to visit Diane’s herbs in Fallbrook ca, to get all of our herbs and plants and to gain a little inspiration because holy moly is she an incredible lady. I mean, when she talks you just get sucked into her. She is this amazing wealth of knowledge that you just want to absorb like none other. The first time we went we ended up staying two hours just talking with her and picking her brain. She showed us her little “shed” filled with dried herbs hanging from the ceiling, jars and jars of beautiful dried herbs, salves, and honey sticks. I was in absolute heaven.

For this project she helped us lay out where all theses incredible plants need to live in order to be happy. She just knew exactly where to place every. single. one.

And let me tell ya, these plants are HAPPY!

We now have this beautiful medicinal herb forest filled with varieties of medicinal herbs that will continue to nurture our family, as well as, those around us. These herbs were placed on this earth for a purpose and by golly, we will use them as intended.

A little bit about the process we took to plant these beauties.

As you can see in some of the pictures we had this incredibly big bush as you walked up to our front door. We just got kind of tired of looking at it, so away it went. Not easily, let me tell ya, but it went alright! Then we and by we I mean, solely my husband, dug out the beautiful, thick, healthy grass that was just seeded And we created the new shape of the planter.

Then we, again just husband, laid compost over the whole area. Then we got to planting. The fun part!

The mixture we used for the planting soil was perlite, sand, and a soil mixture. We mixed that up and placed in the hole where plants were going to go. BUT we also added…This to our mixture as well. Bone meal, garden tone, greensand and ground up egg shells, We used just a small amount of each of the plant foods and a palm size of egg shells in each hole before planting.

Then we planted all our new friends.

I mean how can your heart not just fall in love with all these colors. We cannot wait until they all grow in and bloom. Oh did you want to see more, here you go.

Oh wait and here is more…

We, (husband), added drip line to all the plants to keep them extra happy and healthy with out us having to go water them by hand.

Before our new project, look at that grass!

I just need to say that none of this would’ve come to life if it weren’t for my better half. He did every single part of this project and I couldn’t be more grateful. First he gave us our food forest in our back yard and now he gave us a medicinal herb forest in our front. Thank you my sweets, it came out absolutely beautiful.

Happy planting!

This post contains affiliate links. That means that if you click on a product that we suggest and purchase through that link, we get a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support.

Posted on April 28, 2018 October 5, 2018

Fermenting Carrots,With Brine!

So you have some carrots do ya. And you want to ferment them do ya. Let’s do this thing yo! Fermentation doesn’t always have to be about making sauerkraut, the sky’s the limit when making fermented foods. Whatever your favorite vegetable is, you can ferment it to give it a ton more health benefits. Or if you harvest to much from your garden and can’t think of what to do with it, ferment it up, yo! We are going to talk about fermentation using a brine rather than only salt.

When do you use brine?

When you have a vegetable that does not allow liquid to be withdrawn easily. For example, cabbage, when you put salt on cabbage and massage it, you are able to pull liquid out by just doing that simple act. Now, unless you want to shred your carrots, you can’t just put salt on a whole carrot and get liquid to come out. So you’ll need to make a brine to create the liquid.

Things you’ll need:

1 quart Filtered water

2-3 pounds of Carrots

1-3 TBL Sea salt or Celtic sea salt

Optional: Lemon, peppercorns, garlic, dill, rosemary….

Glass jar (Quart size mason jars work beautifully)

Fancy lid or plastic lid or coffee filter

Fancy weight or plastic baggy filled with brine

Whatcha want to do is…

Wash and peel your carrots. Slice them to whatever size tickles your fancy. I did quarters.
In a pot dissolve salt in filtered water.
Place your carrots in glass jar and cover with liquid. Be sure to leave some head space for your weight.
Now either you can add your additional flavors now or wait until after the fermentation process is done and add them before you place in fridge.
Place weight on top of carrots. ***If you’re not using a fancy weight don’t worry, just fill a baggy with some brine and place baggy on top of carrots. This will help keep everything down and if the baggy happens to have a hole or breaks, it has the same brine as the carrots so your fermentation is not ruined.

***Remember, your vegetables MUST stay below liquid. The liquid creates the anaerobic environment (free of oxygen) that allows good bacteria to form and prohibits bad from growing. BUT if your vegetable mass reaches air, mold can grow.

Place fancy lid on or which ever lid you choose and place in cabinet for about 7-14 days. Like sauerkraut, taste test it after 5 days or so. Find your ferment. If it is too salty, let it ferment longer. The longer it sits the more sour it gets. Plus the more health benefits it will have.

Enjoy whenever! Adding some form of fermented food to every meal you consume, is the most effective way to get the health benefits.

Let’s ferment the world homies!

Happy fermenting!

If you are following from our last post on making sauerkraut, I can’t wait to hear how your sauerkraut came out. Leave a comment below. Let’s make this process loud and loved. I want to hear your questions, comments, thoughts even recipe ideas.

This post contains affiliate links. That means if you purchase a product through the link we provide, we get a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting Oh Sure I Can Homestead.

Posted on April 26, 2018 October 5, 2018

Sauerkraut

Posted on April 21, 2018 October 5, 2018

Kombucha Series 5: SCOBY Hotel

Alright Y’all, so you’ve brewed your batch of Booch and you need a break. I am not even going to ask why you are taking a break from Booch but I am sure it’s a good reason. So I will walk you through on how to make a SCOBY hotel. This way your SCOBY stays happy and fed while you do whatever it is that you need to do.

It is really quite simple to keep your SCOBY happy without stressing yourself out.

Enough with the busy talk….Let’s do this thang!

After you have made your batch of Booch, simply brew yourself a new batch of sweet tea. Pour tea over you SCOBY and…..

BOOM SON

Your got yourself a hotel for your SCOBY. Your SCOBY will be happy for 2-6 months. ***Always check your SCOBY to make sure mold is not growing on it. If it is just remove that layer of SCOBY off the mother and refresh your batch of tea. Remember your SCOBY lives off of sugar. That is what keeps your SCOBY a happy camper. As your SCOBY sits in the hotel for a long period of time, the tea will turn to Kombucha vinegar.

What is Kombucha vinegar?

Have you ever had a batch go just a tad bit to long and all you taste is a strong vinegar taste but it is drinkable? Well let’s say you let your Booch go about 2-6 months, that tea is no longer tea, it is Kombucha vinegar. Still drinkable, so you can still use it for your starter tea, but it is potent as a muther! You can use Kombucha vinegar to sanitize your jars and utensils when you are ready to brew your next batch. You can also use it for your starter tea. You can even use it to clean as you would use white vinegar.

As your SCOBY sits in its hotel, it can become really think. Which is incredible but sometimes it gets a little tricky keeping it in the jar because it takes to much space. This is when you do a little maintenance.

What kind of maintenance? Oh, I am so glad you asked. Next post will be on how to maintain your SCOBY. So stay tuned.

Until next time…

Happy hotel making!

Need to find a SCOBY to start your Kombucha adventure? I got you covered yo!

*Price includes $4.99 shipping

Kombucha SCOBY

Wanna start making Kombucha? We have just the thing. Our SCOBY’s were made and continue to be maintained with organic ingredients. Will ship with tea in bag to keep it healthy.

$20.99

Posted on April 19, 2018 October 5, 2018

Kombucha Series 4: Simplifying Your Flavor

Yo! Let’s talk about simplifying your Kombucha flavor. Many ask me about the process it takes to make Kombucha and while it can be time consuming for a very small portion of the process, it’s actually super easy. If you haven’t already read series 1, 2 and 3 check them out here, here, oh and here. It talks about what Kombucha is, how to grow your own SCOBY and how to brew the stuff.

This post is going to go over how to simplify your second fermentation process with flavor. Now, if you are a Kombucha brewer you may have experienced the time consuming part of the process where you cut up all your fruit shove them in the little hole of the bottle and pray that flavor leaks out into your Booch. Mean while, everyday you open your bottles to breathe and you don’t hear the sweet hissing sound of carbonation that you are salivating over.

Then….

After you have waited your 5-7 days hoping you’ve got a flavorful Booch and a deliciously carbonated one at that, you have to strain your Booch to get the fruit out.

Then…

You have to pour your Booch back into the bottle it just came from using a small funnel so it can go into the fridge.

Phew…..

Talk about not wanting to make Kombucha anymore because of the process. You cannot give up on your Booch because of this reason. I am here to tell you there is a simpler way and my goodness your tummy is going to thank you for starting back up again.

So let’s get that beautiful SCOBY of yours out of its hotel and brew up some sweet tea.

Wanna know how to brew up some sweet tea for Kombucha? Check it out here

I am going to give you a list of items to get from the store, ready………

A bottle of organic juice of your desired flavor.

That’s it yo!!!!!

Pick your favorite flavored juice. I like to make sure it’s organic, well because, you’re making this beautiful fermented beverage that is full of organic goodness, why add a juice that is full of high fructose corn syrup. So be mindful and get yourself an organic no added anything but juice, juice.

The best part about adding juice to your Booch is that 9 times out of 10 because of the concentrate of the juice, carbonation is present. There is enough sugar to continue to feed the yeast within the Booch and yeast is where your carbonation comes from. Unlike pieces of fruit that may not be rip enough and do not contain enough sugar to feed the yeast. This is where people give up because it doesn’t taste like store bought Kombucha. If you are a Kombucha lover, you are after that refreshing carbonation taste. So when people make it at home and they don’t get that result, they think it is to hard.

But really, I am here to stand up and say, It is not hard at all my friends!

Ready for the process?

Once your Booch is done fermenting and is ready for the second ferment. Grab all your bottles, give them a good rinse with white vinegar. This helps keep all the bottles sanitary.

Now pour 2-3 inches of juice in each bottle.

Fill the rest with your fermented tea. Be sure to leave a good amount of head space. I like to stop right at the bottom of the neck.

Close up your bottles and stick them back into the pantry or where ever they live to ferment, for another 5-7 days.

Be sure to burp the bottles. This means pop open the tops to the bottles to let the gas that is building up out. *Be sure to do this over the sink, sometimes so much carbonation builds that it will come spraying out. So take it slow and keep your little baby fingers over the top just in case. It has never happened to me but I have heard stories of peoples bottles bursting because the gas built up to much.

Don’t let that scare you.

The chances of that are rare and as long as you burp your bottles daily or at least every other day, you are going to be A OK yo!

***Remember, the less you handle your SCOBY the better. So if you can bypass taking your SCOBY out of its container, do so. I use a continuous brew method where I have a glass container with a spigot so I can just pour our my tea from the spigot. This also gives me control over leaving my starter tea in the container.

And I never have to touch my SCOBY until maintenance time.

After your 5-7 days are up, take a sip and test out the carbonation level. Sometimes you will reach desired carbonation level day 3, if that is the case do a little dance and throw it in the fridge. If it is not quite there, save your happy dance and put it back into the pantry to keep going. So don’t be afraid to sip off that sh!t and find your groove, your dance groove that is.

Now, as you take a sip to check your carbonation level, you get a sneak peek of your flavor. And how damn delicious is that flavor?

No straining, not fuss, just straight from brewing container to bottle to fridge.

That’s it yo!

I’d love to hear feedback on how this process works for you or your favorite flavor so far.

Ours is apricot!

Happy simplifying!

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Posted on April 16, 2018 April 16, 2018

Finger Lickin’ Hot Wings, Yo!

Now, I do not have a ton of recipes up my sleeve like some woman. In fact my husband does most of the cooking in our house. And I must say he’s incredible at it. BUT the one recipe I do have down and in my opinion is an important one because it’s my husbands favorite, is…

Hot wings!

There are a ton of recipes out there that have the “perfect” hot wing and I went through that ton to find that “perfect” wing with the right amount of crispy and flavor. And I have been told that I have found it, so I am here to share this finger lickin’ hot wing recipe with y’all.

Y’all ready…

Few Tips:

*When I said dry well after thawing, I meant it yo! DRY THOSE WINGS LIKE YOU’VE NEVER DRIED ANYTHING ELSE IN YOUR LIFE!

*When about to broil, use a new piece of foil. This allows the wings to crisp up rather than sit in a bunch of liquid.

*Here is a link to the Bragg’s seasoning. I mean this stuff changed our lives! It is AMAZING! And you can literally put it on anything.

*Serve with celery and carrots with blue cheese dressing.

BAM you got yourself some finger lickin’ wings yo!

Happy hot winging!

This post contains affiliate links. That means if you purchase a product through the link we suggest, we get a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thanks for helping support Oh Sure I Can Homestead.

Posted on April 14, 2018 April 14, 2018

Our Connections mean something

We wander around all day just trying to figure out life. Most of us have no idea what in the world we are doing. Sometimes it feels like we are constantly searching for something. Sometimes it feels like we are running from something. Sometimes if feels like we need more than we really do.

Sometimes we just need to stop and breathe.

Most of us need someone to tell us to stop and breathe. Sometimes we just need someone to slap us in the face and yell, “You’re crazy, take a breath, yo!” I don’t know about you but sometimes I just need to be told my craziness is simply that, craziness. But that it is ok. That I am ok despite that craziness.

We have so many factors these days that fill our brain with toxins. Our anxiety is fed constantly and we don’t even realize it until you feel like we are about to pop. And sometimes it can feel like no one else around us feels the same as we do. But I am here to tell you, 9 times out of 10 you can connect with someone about how you are feeling. A connection that can’t be explained and doesn’t need to be explained.

Our energies find a way to connect.

Whether it is reassuring a friend that what they are feeling is normal. Or finding a post on blog that just speaks to you in a way that you never imagined possible. We are meant to help guide one another. We are meant to uplift one another. We are here to make others feel their worth. We have this one life. There is nothing in this world I would rather do than to help people find their worth and feel the love and light that surrounds them. To often I come across people that allow their energy to manifest in a negative way. When one thing doesn’t go according to plan they allow that energy to overtake them. They allow themselves to feel failure. I am here to tell you something.

Failure doesn’t exist.

We live and that is all we are meant to do. We are here to live and love and spread light to one another. To help guide one another, not knock them down. To tell them they are crazy but normal, not that they are crazy and then walk away from them. We are here to see the pain in someones eyes and heart and send them all the love we have in that very moment so that they feel their worth again.

I am fortunate enough to have love and light that surround me daily. I could not imagine not sharing that very love and light to anyone and everyone I can. We have to stop and be thankful for the love and light we do have in our lives. We have to stop and feel the energy that surrounds us. We have to stop and see the beauty in the breeze that just swept passed. Or the way a bird just glided over you in the sky with incredible elegance.

Herbal Remedies for Anxiety

For Anxiety…

For ADHD…

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Pressure Cooker Beef Stew Recipe

Pressure cooker yo!

Pressure Cooker Beef Stew Recipe

Pressure Cooker Beef Stew

Ingredients

Instructions

Recipe Notes

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Questions about celery juice:

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Benefits to drinking celery juice.

The celery juice band wagon yo.

Benefits to celery juice.

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You guessed it y’all, soil from outside.

Boom Son you’re done!

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It was exhausting.

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Health homemade ice cream

Healthy Ice Cream

Ingredients

Instructions

Recipe Notes

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Grilled Pizza

Ingredients

The list of pizza ingredients is endless. The world is your oyster, or in this case your pizza, my friend.

Instructions

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WHAT!

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Blown.

Pressure Cooker Hard Boiled Eggs Recipe

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Healthy Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Recipe

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So……

Y’all ready?!

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Homemade All-Natural Cleaner Recipe

Blown away.

wonderful.

I’ve got a solution yo!

WHHHHAAAAT?!?

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Right? Right!

To float or not to float, that is the question.

If it floats…..IT IS BAD.

If it sinks…..IT IS GOOD.

If one end rises while the other end is touching the bottom of the bowl……HOMIE IS ON IT’S WAY OUT. Y’ALL BETTER EAT IT QUICK.