Deal of the Year and Giveaway!

I'm thrilled to offer you all the chance to win an Ultimate Healthy Living Bundle!

The Ultimate Healthy Living Bundle is in the middle of its sale right now. Just a few more days left and then it's gone forever. You don't want to miss out!

Today I'd like to help three of you readers on your healthy journey! 

This giveaway will close at 11:59pm EST, September 13, 2014. 

So, what is the Healthy Living Bundle?  It's over $1000 worth of Healthy Living Tools for just $29.97!!

This bundle is not just e-books, though there are over 70 of them included, including my own cookbook Whole Foods for the Everyday Cook.

Also included in this $29.97 bundle are seven e-courses you can take: from learning about essential oils to managing your real foods kitchen.

Not only that, but there are some free items included too! Now, if you're like me, you may immediately think—okay, what's the catch? Are they REALLY free?


Well, here's the scoop. You do have to pay shipping fees for most items (two don't require shipping), but all are quite minimal fees. The companies offering the bonuses have not spiked their shipping fee to cover costs; but rather these fees are the normal shipping fees you would pay if purchasing from them. That's good news! If you redeemed every item (worth $208 total), the combined shipping—or out of pocket for you—would be around $40.

 

As you can see in the graphic above, you will receive a total of $200+ worth of products for just the roughly $40 in shipping fees. If you were purchasing the items, you would actually pay about $240, because you'd pay the same shipping fees. But by purchasing the bundle, you will pay only the ~$40 fees.

That's the equivalent of about an 85% off sale!

However, to get best deal from purchasing the bundle, consider each free item offered and decide whether it's worth that cost to you. Even if you pay $3 for an item, if it's not something you need or will use, it's not a good deal for you.

Some Big Announcements

Change is in the air!!

After doing some thinking, prioritizing, and more thinking, I have decided to make a big change in my blogging life.

Life has just become so busy, raising a family, going to two schools, teaching classes, writing books (yes, more books to follow our first release, Whole Foods For the Everyday Cook), and keeping up with all my cooking projects, that I just do not have the time to keep up a full time blog.

So, I am transitioning, and will be a contributing writer for my sister's blog, Whole Foods on a Budget. While I am a bit sad not to be able to keep up my blog, I know that this transition is really for the best and I am looking forward to contributing to her blog, and bringing all of you over for some great reads by the two of us!!

Thank you to all who have read and commented on this blog and I do hope that you will follow me over to Whole Foods on a Budget, where a variety of Healthy Living topics will be addressed.

I will keep you all posted as to when that transition will take place (probably first post up in October).


Now, on to BIG announcement number 2!!

My sister and I have been invited to participate in The Ultimate Healthy Living Bundle, coming soon!

Do you need help in order to eat more healthfully? Live more naturally? Would you like samples of free products that help you live a more natural, healthy lifestyle? Or books and resources to assist you in your quest?



And would you like it all for FREE?

Well, get ready—a fabulous bundle is headed your way! I'm delighted to share today that my cookbook Whole Foods for the Everyday Cook will be included in the Ultimate Healthy Living Bundle. The bundle will contain a whole host of e-books, as well as e-courses and free natural food and living products—over $1000 worth of products—all for one awesome low price.

A really exciting feature of this upcoming bundle is that YOU have the opportunity to get it all for FREE by helping us spread the word!

Here's how.

Sign up here (all you have to enter is your email address), and you will be notified once the Ultimate Healthy Living Bundle goes on sale. You will also receive a link that you can share with your friends.

1. Refer one friend and you'll get $5 off the price of the bundle

2. Refer 5 friends and you'll get a free 12-session audio e-course.

3. Refer 10 friends and YOU GET THE BUNDLE FREE.

Pretty cool!

I think you're really going to like this bundle. It's full of cookbooks geared around whole foods and allergy-free foods; there are resources for learning to live more naturally, from yoga to using essential oils; and there are truly some awesome free products included.

Herbal Drawing Poultice

     The other morning I was changing my one year old's cloth diaper and noticed an angry red area about the size of a penny that had a small scratch in the middle of it on her little bottom.  It was slightly raised and though there was no white head, it did not look very nice.

     I immediately decided to try a drawing poultice to help heal the area and get rid of any possible infection that might be occurring.  I keep a lot of herbs on hand and it's times like these that I am grateful for the wide variety of herbs in my pantry.

     There are a number of herbs that can be used for this purpose, but these are the ones that I happened to have on hand.  This is approximately the recipe I made, as I was in a hurry and did not have time to do specific measurements.

One part:

*Marshmallow Root
*Comfrey Root
*Plantain Leaf
*Echinacea Root and Leaf Mixture
*Calendula Blossoms

These I put in a spice grinder and ground until they were of a powdery consistency.  To this I added:

One-half part:

*Goldenseal Root Powder
*Tumeric Root Powder

I added enough filtered water to make a paste.  I placed some on a waterproof bandaide and placed this over the reddened area....

Three hours later, the area completely down and there was just a trace of redness around the scratch.  I removed the bandaide, cleaned the area and applied a drop of tea tree oil.

Amazing the power of herbs!!  I did apply another drop or two of tea tree oil during the day and then at night placed a little of the paste on a cotton ball and placed that over the scratch.

I have also used this paste on my husband when he has had infected ingrown hairs with great success.

Disclaimer:  Please do not misconstrue this as medical advise.  With any medical condition, please seek the help of a physician with any medical questions or concerns that you might have.  I am not a physician, nor do I give medical advise, diagnose, or treat medical conditions.

My Cookbook is on Sale!

Wow!  Time is flying by and I know that this blog has been a bit neglected.  Life is just so full and busy these days.

I have very exciting news, though!  After three years of work, my sister, Christy, at Whole Foods on a Budget, and myself have released our first cookbook - Whole Foods for the Everyday Cook.

We are so excited to share these fabulous recipes with our readers.  Written by two busy mommies, these recipes are perfect helping you to daily get whole foods into you and your family.

Head over HERE to read more about the book and find out where to buy your copy.

Thanks to everyone for all the support!

Heirloom Carrots

I love finding new heirloom varieties of fruits and veggies.  These are some gorgeous carrots that our local grocery store has started to sell.  My picture does not do them justice.

My four year old loves eating these colorful carrots - it makes meal time much more fun.

What are some of your favorite heirlooms?

Some Cultured Spring Veggies

Time is just flying!  Life is full and busy, with school, children, cooking, and starting up my new business, you can see HERE.

Right now a lot of our "spring" produce is coming in, including strawberries (filled my dehydrator with about 20 or so pints the other day!), blueberries, and lots of yummy veggies.

I have made a lot of cultured veggies in the past week, and yesterday, I made this one with some radishes, and romanesco that came in our co-op the week.  I love the colors.  It was very easy to make, and probiotic rich.

I used a 3L pickl-it jar and had two small head of romanesco and about 12 large radishes.  I broke the romanesco into small pieces and cut the radishes in quarters since they were so large.  I used a brine with a ratio of 19g salt to 4 cups of water.  This will sit in our pantry for 4-5 or until it stops bubbling.  I can't wait to try these.  My 4 year old really likes "radish pickles."

Thanks for hanging in there with me, as life is so busy for me these days!

Fever Reducer....Apple Cider Vinegar!

I hope everyone is having a great start to their New Year!  We had a lovely Christmas and New Years and a little bump to our start of the new year with my four year old coming down with a stomach bug.  Thankfully, it seems to have bypassed the rest of us and it was a very quick stomach virus.

As always, I learned something new as I was helping my little guy.  This bug presented with a sore throat, fever, and then the vomiting.  Thankfully, the fever only lasted about 10 hours and never went over 102.

As I have discussed before, a fever is often a good sign that the body is fighting off a bug, so as parents, we want to keep an eye on it, but not try to reduce it right away.  It's good to support the body through the fever if it's not getting too high.  Lowering the fever right away using tylenol often hurts the body, not allowing it to kill off the bacteria and can sometime account for repeat illness or infections.

Since my son's fever was not getting too high, I worked to support his body with fluids like coconut water, elder flower and spearmint tea, and cool water.  I also learned from my friend, Lydia, at Divine Health, From the Inside Out, about using apple cider vinegar to help support and reduce fever.  I used this when the fever reached 102.  We always have a supply of apple cider vinegar in our home and I always seem to find another amazing use for it!

Always learning something new!!  I hope you all find this helpful as you care for your family through this cold and flu season.  

Herb Geek Round-up

I am very honored to have been asked to contribute to The Herb Geek Round up this month where there were some fabulous articles written on the subject of depression.   So click HERE and head on over for some GREAT reads!  You can find the recipe for my Sunny Soul Blend there!

My Sunny Soul Blend

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving from our family to yours!

Sneak Peek Recipe from My Cookbook...

Affiliate link used below. Thank you for your support! 

Today I want to give you a sneak-peek at the print copy of our cookbook, which is due out very shortly. We can't wait to give you all those details, so be watching for the release right after Thanksgiving!

I'm sharing a simple–but delicious–recipe perfect for fall and winter. Coconut Maple Carrots.

You can see from the image how this recipe looks in our cookbook. This is an actual page from the cookbook. I am very pleased with how the print copy has turned out. There are nearly 150 photos for just over 100 recipes in the print copy! (The e-book version has about 100 photos.) 

I hope you enjoy this recipe from our new cookbook: Whole Foods for the Everyday Cook written by myself and my sister, Christy Greer, over at Whole Foods On A Budget.  Take a peek at her amazing blog!!  She is the one who has done all the design and format work (as well as many of the recipes!) in our book.  

Coconut-Maple Carrots

SERVES 8 | Yum yum yum—these carrots are delicious! Carrots are a frugal and nutritious vegetable. You will find yourself making a side dish of carrots more often after you taste these.

2 lbs carrots

1 tbsp coconut oil

1 tbsp maple syrup

2 tbsp unsweetened coconut flakes

pinch of unrefined salt

Finely slice the carrots by food processor or mandolin to ¹/₁₆-inch. Place the carrots in a steamer and steam for 5 minutes or until just tender. Remove the carrots from the steamer and place in a serving bowl. Add the remaining 4 ingredients, gently toss and serve immediately.  

New Giveaway to Celebrate Our Cookbook Release

My sister and I are doing another giveaway to celebrate the release of our new cookbook!  Please check it out HERE on my sister's blog, Whole Foods On A Budget!

Before I share our next giveaway, I'd like to share a short portion of the preface in our cookbook, because it explains why we wrote this cookbook.

...[and so] we landed upon the idea behind this cookbook. A diet based on whole foods is a solid middle ground, a stepping stone if you will, from a standard American diet to other healthier, beneficial diets. Whole Foods for the Everyday Cook is a cookbook designed to make it easy for anyone to transition to a whole foods diet. Furthermore, we wanted our cookbook to be not just for the newbie but also for those already familiar with whole foods. We wanted to create a resource for them too—a resource meant to bring fresh inspiration and new recipes into the kitchen. Thus our recipes span from simple to more advanced. 

So if you're looking to eat more whole foods, eat more vegetables or whole grains, cook from scratch more, transition to a traditional food/real food diet, or if you already do some or all of these and you simply want some fresh inspiration, then you will very likely enjoy and appreciate our cookbook. With over 100 recipes, you're sure to find some new favorites!

AND NOW...the giveaway for this weekend! Yep, you've got the whole weekend to enter. To celebrate our Kindle release, we are giving away two books that have inspired us to cook and write a cookbook. (And actually we hope to write many more!)

BOOK ONE

Julia Child's My Life in France focuses on a portion of her life, mostly when she was overseas in France. It was there that she took up cooking, began teaching cooking classes, and then began writing her first amazing cooking resource.  We have enjoyed reading about her love of fresh, quality, whole foods. And we've enjoyed cooking some of her recipes and learning skills from her. We even found ourselves relating to her a bit (though on a much smaller scale) as we were emailing and calling back and forth across the country working on our cookbook. As she wrote her first cookbook, she corresponded often with Avis de Voto back in the USA, and manuscripts and ideas went back and forth over years. (In fact, I'm reading this book right now.) My Life in France was the book used as the basis for Julia's life in the movie Julie & Julia. If you love France, if you love good food, if you love cooking or Julia Child herself, you will thoroughly enjoy this book!

BOOK TWO

The other book we're giving away is Under the Tuscan Sun by France Mayes. This is a beautiful, inspiring story about a woman who buys a house in Italy to stay during the summers when she is not teaching as a professor. She chronicles fixing it up, but intersperses it with stories of daily life in Italy, gardening, harvesting olives, cooking fresh recipes and more. It is truly a relaxing, delightful read that will make you want to sell your home and move straight to Tuscany! Tuscany holds a special place in my heart after visiting there, and this book sealed the deal for me. If you love Italy, fresh eating, gardening, different cultures, the dying art of old ways, cooking or good wine, you'll love this book. It has inspired us to garden and cook and write about it!

To enter to win BOTH books (lucky you!), please share either this post or about our new cookbook on Facebook or Twitter, and comment below to tell us you did. You can enter twice—once for a Facebook Share, once for a Twitter share. Giveaway ends 11:59pm EST, Sunday, 11/17/13. This contest is only open to those living in the USA.

Hope you win!

My Cookbook is Now Available!

My cookbook, Whole Foods for the Everyday Cook, is now available on amazon (my affiliate), in the Kindle format (hardcopy to follow in a few weeks).

To celebrate it's release, my sister and co-author, are giving away TWO FREE copies of our Kindle version today.  Even if you do not own a Kindle, you can still read a copy of our book (more explanation on her blog).

To enter the giveaway, please go HERE, to her blog, where you can enter.  The contest ends tonight, so be sure to get over there today for your chance to win a free copy!

So what's in our cookbook?

 

- Over 100 recipes with colorful, professional photos.

- Sections on Breakfast, Baked Goods, Vegetables, Grains, Beans-Lentils, Meats-Eggs-Fish, Desserts, Kids, Condiments.

- Information on whole grains and how to cook and bake effectively with them.

- An introduction to beans and lentils, cooking methods and troubleshooting tips. 

- Appendices explaining whole foods ingredients; what to stock in your pantry, refrigerators and freezer; and our most efficient, effective and favorite kitchen appliances and tools. 

 

The E-Book vs. the Print Copy

 

Reasons why you may want to purchase the e-book:

 

1. Your personality is one of efficiency and productivity. The e-book has links throughout that send you to other recipes or resources with just a click. For instance, if we mention that one recipe is good with another, just click the link and it takes you right to the other recipe. From the "Table of Contents," with just a click, you can go straight to any recipe.

 

2. You're a minimalist. No book taking up space in your kitchen; just another title on your Kindle or E-Reader. The e-book is a crisp, clean copy—just clear text and photos.

 

3. You love your Kindle. Here's another book to enjoy on it!

 

4. The Kindle version is cheaper due to it's virtual nature—no printing costs, no shipping, etc.

 

Reasons why you may want to purchase the print copy, when it is released in a few short weeks:

 

1. You are visual and you are inspired by what you see. The print copy is gorgeous—with backgrounds behind every recipe and photograph and unique fonts that enhance the artistic quality of the cookbook.

 

2. You want a cookbook to keep in your kitchen; one you can flip through, peruse and be inspired by.

 

3. You still like physical books in your hands. Here's one we hope you will love, enjoy and use often! We hope the pages grow floury and crinkly from regular, loving use. Such are my favorite cookbooks.

 

And of course, who's to say you can only own one version. You're always welcome to buy both!

 

Our Book is Scheduled for Release TOMORROW!!

I am SO SO very excited to announce that a cookbook I have been working on for a few years with my sister Christy, at Whole Foods on a Budget, is finally ready to be released!!!

We have poured ourselves into this book and it is scheduled to be on sale on Kindle tomorrow.  Our hardcopy version will be available in just a few weeks, just in time for Christmas!  Stay tuned for more info tomorrow about some fun giveaways we will be doing to celebrate the release of our book!

So, what is our cookbook about?
Whole Foods for the Everyday Cook is a cookbook filled with over 100 recipes useful for everyday cooking. All recipes are whole foods based. Our idea behind the book was to provide a springboard for healthier eating. We wanted to provide a resource that makes it easy and inspiring to eat healthfully.

We have some very simple recipes that are especially useful for busy times when you hardly have the time to cook and for those of you who may be new to the kitchen. We also have basic recipes that are perfect for regular day-to-day cooking--not too much time involved, not too many steps. We've also included a few more advanced recipes for when you have to the time to experiment and explore new ways of cooking and baking.

Our Photos
There is a gorgeous, professional photograph (by Jonalee Earles) for nearly every single recipe in our cookbook. Photos were very important to us, and we wanted beautiful ones and lots of them. I am always more inspired when I can see a picture of what I am trying to make.

How to Buy
As I said at the beginning, our cookbook goes on sale TOMORROW, Wednesday, November 13th! Tomorrow I will be posting first thing in the morning with links to our e-book and lots more details...including some giveaways!! So stay tuned, and come back to visit tomorrow!

Healthy Child Summit

I am so excited to share with you about the FREE!!!  Healthy Child Summit that was put together by a few good friends of mine and is sponsored by the Nourished Living Network that I currently blog for.  One of the reasons things have been a bit quiet here, is that I have been busy preparing my talk for the Summit, which will be addressing the use of Herbs and Essential Oils in Pregnancy, Labor, and Post-Partum.



We are offering a sneak peek of the Summit, Nov. 18th - Dec. 20th, featuring some of our speakers (my talk will be featured in Feb. 2014 when the entire Summit will be offered), and this is a great opportunity to get a jump start and be able to listen to all kinds of speakers sharing about different aspects of raising a healthy child.

Again, this is free!  If you would like to participate, please sign up HERE.

• Would you like to learn how to prepare your body for the healthiest pregnancy possible?
• Are you interested in preparing for a natural birth, one with no or limited interventions?
• Would you like the support, encouragement, and resources to get off to the best start with breastfeeding?
• Would you like to learn about common childhood illnesses, how to prepare a natural medicine cabinet, and how to get your child off on the right foot nutritionally?
• Do you have questions about the signs of autism, adrenal fatigue, sensory processing disorders, and more? Wondering how you can support your child naturally through these deeper challenges?
• Are you looking to rid your home and environment of toxins, make your own natural cleaners and skincare products, and choose safe toys for your children?
• Are you looking for support in dealing with the teenage years including hormones and food choices?
• Are you a overwhelmed mama, struggling with self care?

Join Over 50 Professionals and Experts As They Empower, Educate, and Inspire Your Family’s Natural Health and Wellness Journey!

Again, this is free!  If you would like to participate, please sign up HERE.

Heirloom Squash

I hope you all are enjoying fall as much as we are.  Fall is one of my favorite times of the year.  I love all the fall foods that come with that chill in the air.

Now that my son is old enough to start understanding about cooking, nutrition, whole foods, and herbs, I am having so much fun teaching and showing him just how fun whole foods can be.

One of our local grocery stores had a bunch of organic heirloom squashes, so I let my son pick out a few and here he is showing off one of his favorites, and one of our new favorites to eat; the red kuri.

Making whole foods fun for kids is a great way to encourage them to eat healthy starting at a very young age.  What ways do you make eating whole foods fun for your kids?

 

Herbal Support for the Gassy Infant

Having a gassy infant is a quite common; I'm dealing with this issue with my little one.  Thankfully, there are a number of herbs that mommy can take that can pass to the infant via breast milk.  Not every baby is the same, so a little experimentation may be needed to help relieve the gas.

While I will not be going into details in this post, there are a few other non-herbal interventions that may help.  These would be clock-wise gentle tummy massage using a few drops of olive or castor oil, taking your infant to a chiropractor for adjustments, diet changes for mommy, and homeopathic remedies.

Some herbs to consider trying would be dill seed, fennel seed, anise seed (NOT star anise), caraway seed, catnip, and chamomile.  I recommend crushing the seeds as this will allow for better release of their nutrients.  These herbs are digestive aides and can help relieve gas.  These can all be taken in tea form and drunk throughout the day and even when you wake up to feed your little one at night.  I often make my daily dose and sip through the day, into the night.

My beloved mortar and pestle for crushing seeds

Like I mentioned, it make take some experimenting to find the right herb or combination for your baby.  Keep in mind, though, that some babies just need more time to grow and mature and eventually will grow out of the gassy stage.  Hang in there, mamas!

Fennel and anise seeds waiting to be crushed.

Postpartum Stress and Sleep Support

Having a new little one is no easy thing!  While it's a precious time, it is an exhausting time.  The needs of an infant sometimes seem limitless and add to that the interrupted nights sleep, leaves a mommy needing some good herbal support.

Nervines, herbs that support the nervous system,  gentle sedatives, and tonic herbs are often needed.  Some of my favorite herbs that fall in these categories and are often used postpartum are lemon balm, lavender, chamomile, oat straw (which was discussed in my previous post, as this is also an excellent nutrient herb), motherwort, and ashwagandha.  Thankfully, many of these calming soothing effects will pass to your infant via your breast milk.  As with all herbs, be sure to check with your practitioner/physician before taking them.

Lemon Balm - Truly one of my favorite herbs!  I love it's light lemony taste.  Not only is this herb a gentle tonic for the nervous system, it is also very uplifting to the mood and emotions.  It's calming effects will also pass to your infant.  This herb also helps with anxiety and is an anti-viral to boot!  With it's bright lemony taste, this is a perfect herb to take in tea form.

Lavender - Lavender can be added to tea, but my favorite form of use is the essential oil.  Lavender is very soothing and relaxing to the nervous system and a great sleep aide.  There are very few essential oils that I use around an infant, as there are very few studies showing safety, but lavender is one that is commonly used.  One very easy way to use the oil is to place a drop or two on a cotton ball and place that on your nightstand, next to your bed.  The soothing oil will help promote a restful night of sleep.

Chamomile - This lovely herb will help to combat anxiety and will help to encourage a restful night of sleep.  It also is a digestive aide and will help with gassiness in an infant.  Chamomile calms nerves and will help relieve stress.  It has so many other benefits, including being an immune booster - it's just a wonderful herb!  It's bright apple-like scent is best enjoyed in a tea.

Motherwort - This herb is a perfect go to to help ease nervous tension, anxiety, and irritability.  It is a bitter herb, so taking it in tincture form would be more pleasant that tea.  This is a perfect herb to have on hand, especially right after giving birth, as it is also a uterine tonic and will help with the after-birth cramping and assists the uterus in returning to it's pre-pregnancy size.

Ashwagandha - An herb that helps the body adapt to stress, ashwagandha is classified as an adaptogenic herb.  It is a gentle tonic that helps to support the adrenal system as well as the immune system.  It also has a mild sedative effect on the nervous system and helps to combat anxiety and insomnia.  Ashwagandha has a strong taste, so taking it in tincture form would be more palatable than in a tea.

I buy most of my herbs in bulk from Mountain Rose Herbs (link listed on the right side of my blog).

(This is an affiliate post.  This in no way affects your costs and using my link is a way to say thank you and help support this blog.)

Herbs for Postpartum Milk Support

There are so many wonderful herbs that can be taken for increased milk supply.  These herbs, along with a healthy organic whole foods diet, should be able to keep up an ample milk supply.  Speaking with a lactation consultant is also a great idea if your milk supply is struggling.

I mentioned in a previous post some nutritive herbs.  Two of these, nettle and alfalfa are also great herbs to help promote your milk supply.  Full of vitamins and minerals, these are great to take regularly.

One herb that is commonly used for milk supply is fenugreek.  I personally do not recommend this herb, as it can alter blood sugar levels, lowering them, and should not be taken by those who have diabetes.  It has also been known to occasionally cause gas in babies (and who wants that, right??).  I know that many herbalist recommend this herb, but since there are so many other herbs that can help with supply, I recommend trying those first.

Two other herbs that can be used are anise seed (NOT star anise) and fennel seed.  These are also good herbs to try is your baby is gassy.  They can be taken in tea form (I recommend crushing them first) and add a lovely taste to your herbal teas.

My anise and fennel seeds waiting to be crushed for tea!

Other herbs that can be used are blessed thistle, milk thistle seed (recommend this one in tincture form), and red raspberry leaf.

A few non-herbal things that can help maintain milk supply would be getting enough rest, lowering stress, staying well hydrated, and frequent feedings (around every 2-3 hours).

Herbs can be purchased at Mountain Rose Herbs (link on the right side of my blog).  I buy most of my herbs in bulk from MRH and it is a cost effective way to purchase whatever herbs you want to try.

(This post contains affiliate references.  This in no way affects your price.  By clicking on my link, you are simply saying "thank you" and helping to sustain this blog.)