Primal/Keto Stuffed Pepper Nachos

Hey y'all! I had planned on making stuffed peppers tonight but when I went out to the garden I realized that all of our bell peppers were small. I was annoyed and knew it would be very irritating to fill a bunch of little peppers. So I decided heck with stuffing them, I'm going to make them into nachos. Not real nachos with tortilla chips of course. I didn't measure out the ingredients but here's what I used. Just use your best judgment with the spices.


-1 lb Grass fed ground beef

-1 tbsp beef tallow

-Home grown bell peppers or store bought

-8-12oz homemade salsa or store bought

-cumin

-cayenne

-thyme

-salt

-pepper

-chili powder

-three cloves of garlic (diced or minced)

-Parmesan (shredded)

-mozzarella cheese (shredded or sliced)

-olive oil (to grease the pan)

Combine the ground beef, beef tallow, cumin, cayenne, thyme, salt, pepper, and garlic in a pan and cook until meat is browned. Preheat oven to 350. While meat is cooking clean, de-seed, and cut your peppers into halves or thirds. Once meat is browned drain excess juice from pan. Add the salsa and mix well. Simmer on low for 5 minutes. Put olive oil on the bottom of a 9x13 pan and lay the peppers inside. Place the peppers in the oven for 5 minutes. Place about 1/4 cup of Parmesan into the meat mixture and mix well. Take the peppers out and fill with meat mixture. Top with Parmesan and mozzarella and then bake for 20 minutes or until cheese and peppers are slightly golden brown. Serve and enjoy!

I ate mine by hand like nachos but my husband used a knife and fork. If you're not good with handling hot food then you should use utensils or wait for them to cool down.

October Ab and Squat Challenge

If you're a Pinterest lover like I am then I'm sure you've come across lots of workouts and exercise tips. I run into pins of workout challenges quite often and decided October was the month to challenge myself. Along with some of my friends in the Paleo/Whole30 Motivation Group and Post 30 Paleo Group (Facebook) I am embarking on an ab AND squat challenge. Two challenges at once? Heck yeah! Let's do this! Today is Day 3 for us. It's never too late to join though. If you decide to join along make sure to take pre-challenge measurements and photos. Let me know if you're up for the challenge. :)

(Yes I know the ab challenge calender is for September. We're following along by the date number, not the day of the week. It's all good.)

Whole 30 #2 Completed

Hello! I finished my second Whole 30 on September 18th. This time around I lost 4lbs and 2.5 inches over all. I lost more weight than my first W30, but less inches. Honestly I think juicing/blending contributed to the extra pounds. I only started juicing/blending my last 4 days but I know it helped. I know this because I had been checking my weight at least once a week and I was only down 2lbs before I started juicing. Yes I know, I'm not supposed to weigh myself on W30. Because it was my second time around I wasn't as strict on myself in that department. Other's who have issues with the scale should probably avoid it while on Whole 30.

Incredibly Delicious Oven Dried Tomatoes

In my post earlier I said that I would share my recipes with you if they were good and dear heavens are my oven dried tomatoes good. I ate the whole tray! So good! Here's the recipe:

• Preheat your oven to 200-250 degrees.
• Core and seed as many tomatoes as you want.
• Cut your tomatoes into whatever size pieces you'd like.
• Toss the tomatoes in olive oil, salt, pepper, oregano, basil, and rosemary.
• Place the tomatoes on a parchment paper covered baking sheet.
• Bake for 3-5 hours (Time will depend on your oven and altitude. Check on the tomatoes every half hour after the 2 hour mark. I baked mine at 200 for 4 hours and 250 for 1 hour.) The longer you leave them in the crispier and more dried out they become.
• Once they become the texture that you like you can take them out of the oven and serve. If there are any left you may store them in the fridge. Not sure how long because mine are all gone :)

It Has Been a While

I'll admit it. I'm the worst blogger in the world! This summer has been busy and a lot of things have happened. I suppose I should recap a little.

1. My first Whole 30 went well but I didn't lose as much weight as I would have liked. I only lost 2.5 lbs but I lost 3 inches over all. I still consider it a success. I wasn't able to work out as much as I would have liked due to set backs in my post surgical recovery. I was dealing with nerve regeneration in my back, knee pains, and hip pains. Had I worked out more often then I think more weight would have come off. Also I had a difficult time staying away from fruit. Yes fruit is good for you and it is nutritious, but it does contain a lot of sugar. When you're doing a Whole 30 and your sugar monster is screaming at you, the only thing sweet thing you have to calm it is fruit. I would try to only eat one piece of fruit a day but many days it was two. I think this also contributed to me only losing 2.5 lbs.
2. My toxin-free action plan is still in progress. I wanted to have my household cleaning stuff completed by August 1st, but there are reasons why it is not. First of all I am able to complete all of the action plan. I do have the homemade cleansers for all areas and I have used them. However, I still have a lot of left over cleaners from my couponing days so I am trying to use them up first. Mainly I'm using up toilet bowl cleaner, laundry detergent, and fabric softener. Everything else I have either disposed of, or its still sitting in my basement collecting dust. I wanted to give some of it away but I'm not sure if giving away toxic chemicals is a good idea. If they use them already then surely they may have them and use them, but I still feel badly about offering them. I feel like I'm saying "Here are chemicals that I refuse to use in my house but you may contaminate your home and your family as much as you like." As much as I hate using my old laundry detergent and fabric softener, I have so much of it that I need to just make it go away. I'm gritting my teeth each time I do laundry. I hate using it but hopefully it'll be gone in a few months. This is one case where buying in bulk sucks!
3. I may be starting my own toxin-free beauty care business. I have been selling some of my homemade products to friends and acquaintances. If all goes well I may be turning it into a full blown business. Starting your own business is scary, but nothing worth doing is ever easy breezy. I've met some awesome people who are into "green" living and are interesting in helping me. I'm excited about the possibilities but I'm equally scared. If things get rolling I'll start selling my products on my blog as well.
4. I am currently in the midst of my second Whole 30. I started on August 19th after a Milk Duds binge. I don't know what I was thinking. I'm hoping that this Whole 30 will be even more successful than my first. I really need to work on my will power when I'm done my Whole 30. I'll post my results when I'm finished in September.
5. I have started canning!!! Yes, I am full blown Martha over here these days. Our two tiny tomato seeds have produced an abundance of tomatoes. For a household that doesn't like tomatoes as they are, this meant I had to get creative. My husband bought me a canner and I started making lots of sauce, salsa, bbq sauce, tomato paste, and oven dried tomatoes. I'm currently making the salsa and oven dried tomatoes. If they turn out well then I will share my recipes.

That is what has been going on with me. I look forward to updating you on all of my ventures. Hopefully I can keep up with my posting. Have a great day!

June Whole30/Whole30 Approved Bacon BBQ Sauce

I started my first Whole30 on June 1st. After several weeks of falling off of the Paleo wagon and cheating too much, I decided I needed to get myself back on track. I gained back 5lbs and I'm not happy about that. I had planned on trying the Whole30 program at some point and this just seemed like the best time to do it. 

My Whole30 experience is going well so far, but it has been a little difficult. I have gone throw the detox period over the last couple of days. I've been experiencing some minor headaches and fatigue, but I think the worst is behind me. It's only day 4 for me, but I do feel better today than I did yesterday.

The hardest part of my Whole30 so far has been letting go of my raw honey. On Paleo you're allowed to have raw honey and I usually put a tsp of it in my tea in the morning. Drinking my tea black just isn't my thing. I've pretty much decided to give up my tea until July 1st. The other difficult thing has been trying to find some sugar-free things. Most importantly sugar-free bacon and sugar-free BBQ sauce. Now this is not your conventional "sugar-free" where they use artificial sweeteners instead. This is really SUGAR FREE. I'm having a terrible time finding sugar-free bacon, but someone on a Whole30 forum might have helped me. She said that if you go to the grass fed meat section at Whole Foods and ask the butcher in the back for sugar-free bacon, that he will give it to you. She thinks its called "Sunny Side Up Bacon". I will call Whole Foods and ask before venturing back. If I really can't find it then I will have to resort to making my own which I am kind of excited to try. My husband asked for pulled pork and ribs for dinner this week and I bought them without realizing that I don't have a sugar-free BBQ sauce recipe. I've never made BBQ sauce before and my organic bottle stuff from the grocery store contains organic raw sugar. Obviously, that's a no no while doing Whole30. I searched through some Whole30 forums and Googled a few recipes and I came up with this one. It is sort of a mix between Civilized Caveman's Beasty BBQ Sauce recipe and Nom Nom Paleo's Cherry BBQ Sauce recipe.

Whole30 Approved Bacon BBQ Sauce

Ingredients

• 3 tomatoes, diced
• 1 medium-large white onion 
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 1 6 ounce can of organic tomato paste (sugar-free)
• 1/2 cup organic beef stock
• 2 tbsp dijon mustard
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 tbsp bacon fat or ghee
• 1/4 cup coconut aminos
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp sweet paprika
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp cayenne
• 8-14 Mejool dates (pits removed)
• 3-4 slices of bacon (cut up into small pieces)

Directions

Combine all ingredients (except bacon) in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour mixture and bacon into a large sauce pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat and simmer for 60 minutes. Remove from heat and let it cool before jarring and storing in the refrigerator. 

Paleo-friendly post workout smoothies

These are the two post work out smoothies I drink most often.

Chocolate Banana Hemp Protein Smoothie

• 1 cup homemade almond milk (or store bought if you don't make your own)
• 1 large banana
• 2-3 organic kale leaves (washed well)
• 1 tbsp of chai seeds (or 1 tbsp of ground flax seeds)
• 1 serving of organic chocolate hemp protein powder (unsweetened if you can find it)
• 4 ice cubes

Blend ingredients until smooth.

Apple Cinnamon Protein Smoothie

• 1 whole apple (I use the whole apple because there are nutrients in the core and seeds. You can omit the core if you wish)
• 1/2 tsp of cinnamon
• 1 cup homemade almond milk (or store bought)
• 2-3 organic kale leaves (washed well)
• 1 tbsp of chai seeds (or 1 tbsp of ground flax seeds)
• 1 serving of unflavored or vanilla protein powder (I used a Paleo friendly powder I got from True Nutrition)
• 4 ice cubes

Blend all ingredients in the blender. This one is a bit chunkier but yummy.

Homemade Reusable Disinfecting Wipes

Today I made my own disinfecting wipes. Goodbye Clorox wipes, hello homemade reusable wipes. I've seen a couple of different sanitizing solution recipes but this is the one that I used.

Homemade Reusable Disinfecting Wipes

You will need

• Old t-shirts or reusable baby wipes
• Old empty baby wipes containers (I used old Cottonelle wipes containers)
• Scissors (if using t-shirts)
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 cup rubbing alcohol or white vinegar
• 2 tbsp Castile Soap (You cannot use vinegar with castile soap because they cancel each other out. If using vinegar then use Soap Nuts or other dish soap in place of the castile soap)
• 1/2 tbsp Tea Tree Oil
• Optional: Other essential oils for a nicer fragrance. I may add orange or lemon EO in the future

Directions

• If using old t-shirts then cut them into your desired sized wipes.
• Put the wipes into the containers. You can fold them or just throw them into the container. Your choice.
• Mix the water, alcohol, soap, and tea tree oil together.
• Pour solution over your wipes. This solution made enough for me to cover two containers worth of wipes. If you're making more than two containers then make more solution.
• Shake the containers a little bit so the solution gets all over.
• Let the wipes sit for a few hours so that the solution can soak through all of the wipes. 

Tips

• More or less solution may be needed depending on the size of your container and how many wipes you can fit into it.
• These wipes should only be used on non-porous surfaces. Try on a small inconspicuous area if you are unsure if they are safe on a certain surface.
• Ribbed shirts are nicer for scrubbing and they grab dirt and dust better

Toxic-free action plan completion update

Hello all. I apologize for being a few days late on my update but here I am. I have not completed all of my goals, but I have completed most. Here is my original plan of action with the updates in red.

• Plan of Action

• Food
• Replace coconut milk coffee creamer with homemade almond milk.-Complete: I have made my homemade almond milk, but I also kicked my coffee habit. I am using the almond milk in my smoothies though.
• Discontinue use of store bought chocolate and replace with homemade.-Complete: I have one bag of Enjoy Life Chips left that I'll probably use to make cookies, but other than that I am done buying chocolate. I had chocolate hazelnut sea salt bark that I made and was using as a chocolate fix, but it all gone. I will have to make some more.
• Only store food in glass or stainless steel containers.-Complete: I store my food in glass jars or pyrex dishes. I have two stainless steel water bottles and one glass water bottle. I also bought a stainless steel water pitcher.
• Avoid microwave use when at all possible.-Complete: I only use it to sanitize my dish sponge.
• Eat only organic non-GMO food, and only buy from companies supporting the non-GMO movement.-Complete: I have not purchased any food that is not organic and non-GMO unless it was for my husband because he's stubborn. The only time I do purchase anything like that for him is when he goes with me to the grocery store which isn't very often. He knows he won't get his ice cream if he doesn't come with me.
• Research which bulk supply stores are the best for purchasing organic non-GMO foods (i.e. BJ's, Costco, or Sam's Club) and become a member.- Semi Complete:  I have visited BJ's and was disappointed with the selection. I have heard many good things about Costco's selection but I have not been there yet. The Sam's Club is far away and will most likely not be an option for me. I plan to go into Costco and find out if they have a trial pass so that I can try it out before deciding to become a member.
• Beauty Care
• Research toxins and get rid of my products that contain harmful chemicals, hormones, and toxins. -Complete:  I have cleaned out all of my cabinets and discarded anything that contains toxic chemicals (I had to save a few of my husband's products but I'm slowly working them out.) I refer to ewg.org for all of my research on harmful toxins.
• Make homemade deodorant, toothpaste, make-up remover/facial cleansing wipes, and lip balm.-I have made deodorant and toothpaste, but I have not made make-up remover wipes or lip balm. I do not think I will be making the make-up remover wipes. Its an added expense that is not really necessary for me. I generally clean off my make up with coconut oil or jojoba oil. I do plan on making lip balm in the future, but I am currently using non-toxic brands like Yes to Carrots. In a sense I've completed the non-toxic part of the goal, but I have not completed my goal to make some homemade products like lip balm.
• Only buy products that are non-toxic and use homemade when possible.-Complete: I've switched to Dr. Bonners for hand soap, my make-up is non-toxic, and I have made deodorant and body butter.
• Reduce make-up use to only special occasions (i.e. date night, gatherings, holidays, celebrations/parties).-Complete: I try not to wear make-up as often as I used to and only reserve it for special occasions.
• Use only organic coconut oil, jojoba oil, olive oil, and almond oil for moisturizer, cleanser, and hair care.-Complete:  I use coconut oil and jojoba oil for moisturizer, leave in conditioner, make-up remover, facial cleanser, and deodorant.

If any of you have created an action plan let me know. I'd love to hear your success stories, and if you've hit any bumps in the road.

Paleo beginners guide

I've recently had a few friends ask me about the Paleo lifestyle, and because I'm a Paleo advocate, this excites me. I've had to explain the diet and what to buy over and over again so I decided to post a little beginner's guide. This way in the future I can direct any new comers to this post and they'll have most if not all of the info they'll need to decide whether or not they'd like to make this lifestyle change. Yes that's right, it's a lifestyle change. If you go into this thinking its just another diet, then the likelihood of you failing is going to be higher. I usually suggest that everyone gives it at least 30 days. That's 30 days of commitment to eating Paleo, and NO cheating. After the 30 days I want you to evaluate how you feel. What are the changes you've noticed in your energy levels, sleeping habits, eating habits, weight, and muscles. If after the 30 days are over you feel like you "NEED" to "cheat" then do, and monitor how you feel. I guarantee you won't feel good afterwards. Some side effects of "cheating" that I noticed are headaches, nausea, stomach pains, gas and diarrhea. Sounds pleasant right? Not so much. I went into Paleo thinking I was only going to do it for 30 days, but it changed my life. After the 30 days were up I felt so great that I never wanted to eat "conventionally" again. Of course I have eaten those awful grains and processed foods from time to time at social gatherings and what not, but I assure you I curse myself every time. It not so hard to become committed to a lifestyle change when reverting back to bad behavior causes you to be sick. Some may see these "cheating side effects" as inconvenient but I love them. They keep me on target and remind me why I stopped eating those foods to begin with. So 30 days...give it a shot. You won't be disappointed. If after 30 days of committed Paleo eating you do not feel better, stronger, lighter, and more energized than please message me and let me know. I honestly do not know a single person who gave it their all and did not like the results. So without further ado, here is my beginner's guide to eating Paleo.

Paleo

What to eat

• Meats 
• Beef (preferably grass-fed and organic)
• Poultry (preferably pastured and organic)
• Pork (preferably organic)
• Fish/seafood (preferably wild caught or sustainable farm raised)
• Wild game
• Eggs (preferably pastured and organic)
• Vegetables (preferably organic)
• Fruits (preferably organic and in moderation)
• Nuts and Seeds (in moderation)
• Healthy fats
• Organic Virgin Coconut Oil
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil (preferably organic)
• Ghee or Clarified Butter
• Animal fats
• Water, Coffee, and Tea (coffee and tea should be taken black)

What NOT to eat

• Grains (including corn)
• Dairy
• Legumes 
• Gluten
• Soy
• Sugar
• Processed Foods
• Other oils (canola oil, vegetable oil, sunflower oil, safflower oil, peanut oil, grape seed oil)
• Peanuts 

My Paleo household staples

• Organic chicken breast- I try to buy organic pasture farm raised when I can
• Organic grass-fed ground beef
• Wild caught shrimp and sea scallops
• Wild caught salmon and tilapia
• Organic pork chops
• Organic bacon- I try to buy fresh organic farm raised when I can
• Organic eggs- I buy organic pasture raised when I can
• Organic broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, peas, sweet potatoes, bell peppers, onions, romaine, spinach, kale, collard greens, zucchini, green beans, and eggplant.
• Organic bananas, apples, raspberries, lemons, and dates
• Raw honey
• Organic ghee
• Organic Virgin Coconut Oil
• Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Raw almonds- I soak them and use them to make homemade almond milk
• Dry roasted almonds (eat by themselves, mixed in trail mix, or make your own almond butter)
• Unsweetened coconut milk
• Dry roasted unsalted cashews, walnuts, and hazelnuts
• Organic garlic and ginger
• Organic unsweetened cocoa powder
• Organic fair trade coffee and tea
• Himalayan pink sea salt
• Seasonings and spices

The meats and produce I've listed under my "staples" aren't the only ones you can eat. They just happen to be the ones that I buy the most. If you're wondering why I choose organic, pastured, and grass fed meats and produce, here are a couple of articles explaining this choice. Educate yourself on where your food comes from and it could save your life.

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/03/19/caged-vs-free-range-chicken-eggs.aspx

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/05/18/american-meat-is-even-more-disgusting-than-you-thought.aspx

To Learn More About Sustainable Agriculture

There are SO many great Paleo food bloggers out there who have fantastic recipes and websites. A few of my favorites are 

http://nomnompaleo.com/

http://www.againstallgrain.com/

http://fastpaleo.com/

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/#axzz2SY8TKEn9

Marks Daily Apple has a wealth of information. Any time I have a question regarding anything to do with Paleo I go there. It helped me a lot when I first started out.

I hope this beginners guide was helpful. If you have any questions please feel free to ask. If you embark on the Paleo journey then I hope you are successful and fall in love with this lifestyle as I have. Its so simple! Just eat REAL food and stay away from processed foods, grains, dairy, gluten, sugar and legumes. Happy eating!

Toxin-free Plan of Action Update and homemade deodorant

Hello folks! I feel as though I've been neglecting my blog lately, and for that I apologize. I've been busy lately. I started my post surgical physical therapy and so far it's going well. I'm still experiencing pain but it is better than it was prior to the surgery. I've realized that two of my action plan due dates are coming up on May 1st, so I thought I'd update you on my progress. Here are the things that I still need to complete by May 1st.

• Food toxins
• Replace store bought coconut milk and almond milk beverages with homemade almond milk.
• Research which bulk supply stores carry organic non-GMO foods.
• Beauty care
• Find a toxin-free toothpaste
• Make facial cleansing wipes and lip balm

If you read my original list then you'll see that I've come a long way. There are still some things I'm working on, but I'm getting closer and closer to a toxic-free lifestyle. I've realized that there are things out of my control. There are toxins in things I don't even realize or things that I might not have control over. I've come across several items that I didn't even think about when I created my initial action plan. I didn't consider candles, cookware/bake ware, the plastics that foods are already packaged in, toilet paper, hand soap containers, tap water, etc. Every day I'm realizing more and more that this is a LONG journey. There are things I cannot afford to change right now, and things that are going to take time to change. There is a good possibility that I will never get every single toxic thing out of my house, and I'm okay with that. YES I would LOVE to live COMPLETELY toxin-free, but in this day and age that's almost impossible. I would literally need to live in the wood somewhere living off of my own land with no modern conveniences and stores. My goal is to eliminate as many toxins as I possibly can.

The most recent thing I've checked off of my action plan was switching out the plastics for glass, stainless steel, and aluminum. I posted pictures of the food that I switched into glass jars last month, but today I went another step further. On April 7th I posted about the Specialty Bottle website that sells glass bottles and jars for a great price. I purchased a few things and they arrived today and I'm very satisfied. I purchased a 32oz swing top glass bottle, three aluminum 4oz bottles with pump tops, and two 4oz glass bottles one with a pump and one with a spray top. The swing top bottle I will be drinking out of, the aluminum bottles are for hand soap and dish soap, and I'm using the 4oz glass bottles for my jojoba oil. I put jojoba oil in my hair to hydrate and tame the frizz, and I also use it as moisturizer. It can get messy when handling the bottle that it comes in, so I bought these glass bottles. Now I can spray it in my hair or pump it into my hand. I'm very pleased with my purchase.

On Sunday I made my own deodorant. I used cocoa butter, coconut oil, jojoba oil, magnesium oil, tea tree oil, and non-GMO corn starch. I think it turned out well since I just winged it, and it works great. So far it has lasted at least 12 hours. I haven't officially timed it but I put it on in the morning and by time I go to get in the shower at night it still smells like the deodorant and not sweat. The only modifications I will make in future batches is to use more cocoa butter, less jojoba oil, and I will add an essential oil for fragrance. It mostly smells like cocoa butter but with a hint of tea tree oil. I'd like it to smell more like "normal" deodorant. I'll probably add lavender or citrus essential oil in the future. The reason I'd use more cocoa butter and less jojoba oil is because it currently melts too fast when applied. It is solid at room temperature, but not as solid as I would like it to be. These modifications would make the consistency harder and less malleable. It would still melt onto the skin when applied, but should not melt as quickly as it does now. 

Here is a rough estimate of the recipe that I used (this does not include the above modifications).

1/2 cup cocoa butter

1/2 cup coconut oil

1/8 cup jojoba oil

1/8 cup magnesium oil

1 tsp tea tree oil

2 tbsp non-GMO cornstarch

I will continue to work on my toxin-free action plan and I will update you about my progress. If you are also on this journey please feel free to comment below. I'd love to hear what things you've gotten rid of, what you're still struggling with, and any advice or questions you may have.

Have a great day and may your journey to a toxic-free life be a prosperous one!

Paleo Chocolate Hazelnut Sea Salt Brownies

The original brownie recipe I use is from Against The Grain. That recipe is great but I wanted to kick it up a notch. I'm on a big chocolate and hazelnut kick so I decided to make a chocolate hazelnut brownie. Once I put the batter into the pan it only seemed natural to add some Himalayan pink sea salt to the top because chocolate and sea salt are absolutely delicious together. I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I did. It's super easy and delicious!

Paleo Chocolate Hazelnut Sea Salt Brownies

Ingredients

1/2 Cup Coconut oil or ghee

1/2 Cup Unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 Cup Raw honey

1/2 Cup Hazelnuts

2 tsp Cinnamon

2 eggs beaten

Himalayan pink sea salt or sea salt of choice (to taste preference)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease and 8x8 pan with coconut oil.

In a small saucepan melt the coconut oil and honey over low heat. While the mixture is melting, crush up your hazelnuts. I put them in a plastic baggy and hit them with a rolling pin a few times. You don't want them too small otherwise they'll be like powder instead of crunchy. Once they're an ideal size set them aside. Once the coconut oil and honey are melted stir in the cinnamon and cocoa powder. Then, take the saucepan off of the heat and add the eggs. Continuously stir the batter so that the eggs do not scramble. Once mixed well stir in the hazelnuts, and then put batter into the greased pan. Sprinkle the sea salt on top of the batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Allow to cool before cutting and serving. Enjoy!

Organic Collard Greens Recipe

Collard greens are one of my favorite vegetables. I've made them vegetarian style, made them with smoked turkey, and today I made them with farm fresh bacon. I'm pretty sure these are the tastiest ones I've ever made. If you try the recipe I hope you enjoy them too.

Ingredients

(Makes 3 servings)

• One bunch of organic collard greens (cut and cleaned)
• 3 small organic onions or 1 medium (chopped)
• 3 cloves of organic garlic (chopped)
• 3-4 strips of bacon (cut into 1/2-1 inch pieces) (I used organic bacon I got from a farm)
• 64 oz Pacific Organic Free Range Chicken Broth
• 2 cup of water
• 2 tbsp Franks Red Hot Sauce
• A couple dashes of cayenne pepper (can omit if you don't like spicy greens)
• Several cracks of pepper

Directions

After you've cut up the collards, onion, garlic, and bacon, combine them all in a pot. Pour the chicken broth and water into the pot. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Turn the stove on and cook on medium-high heat for 30 minutes, and then medium-low heat for 2 hours. Enjoy!

Cheap Mason Jars

Good Sunday afternoon! 

I was browsing around Pinterest, because I'm a Pinterest addict, and I found a great pin that I wanted to share. I came across a website that sells really cheap mason jars (price wise, not quality). Now if you're like me and you're trying to get rid of plastic storage containers or you're an avid canner, this is a great find. I'm a little bummed that I'm finding this now after I already stocked up on jars, but it might come in handy for future purchases. They even have different shaped jars, corked bottles, glass bottles in all sizes for all uses, and jars meant for candling. Enjoy!
http://www.specialtybottle.com/ecomasonjarsmi.aspx

Dinner

Sausage, peppers and onions with kelp noodles.

Truth about fluoride

If you use a fluoride toothpaste then please click on the link below and read why fluoride is so toxic. Go fluoride free!

http://www.collective-evolution.com/2013/03/25/fluoride-what-you-and-your-family-need-to-know/

Interesting

Interesting info on "Green Sex". Another area to think about when getting rid of toxins. I did switch to a non- toxic form of birth control which I'll tell you all about once I start using it. I have to get the surgeon's clearance first ;-)

Green sex: 5 Naughty ways to help the planet

Candles are toxic

I found out something new today- candles emit toxins and carcinogens into the air. This news was incredibly devastating to me since I LOVE to burn candles, especially my caramel smelling ones. I recently just bought new tea lights too so that I could continue my burning bliss. I knew I had a lot of toxins to get rid of in my house but I guess I didn't expect candles to be one of them. Luckily there are toxic-free alternatives that I will be purchasing in the near future.

Here are a couple articles that explain the toxins in candles:
http://www.nourishedlife.com.au/article/4524/why-some-candles-are-toxic-as.html
http://www.keeperofthehome.org/2012/04/toxins-in-candles-sad-but-true.html

Toxin-Free Plan of Action

Thanks to Coach Prime, a friend of mine on Facebook, I've decided to make a "Plan of Action" for my toxin-free life. Up until now (and you can probably tell by this blog) my plan has been a little discombobulated. I've just been switching things out here and there with no real timeline or set plan. I only have part of stage two completed but I've already started stage three. It's a mess. That all changes today. I am very serious about my mission to get rid of all of the toxins in my house and in my life, so it's time I come up with a concrete plan. If you are on a similar mission you might want to think about creating a plan of action as well. Write down what your ultimate goal is, the date you wish to complete your goal by, and your plan of action. This doesn't have to be just reducing the toxins in your life it can be anything. This is an easy way to put it all on the table and say "I'm going to do this and this is how I'm going to get it done." I have reduced the toxins in my house a great deal but in certain areas there are still a few lingering. Now its time to excommunicate them all with my plan.

I think its important to look at this as a process. Some goals are easier to complete than others. Some goals take longer to complete than others. In this instance, ridding your house of toxins is a long process. Unless you are wealthy, which most of us are not, this is going to take a while. A full year is a pretty good amount of time for this process, unless you can afford to do it quicker. If I start at when I began this whole journey, then I'd say I'm giving myself about 7 months. It is okay if it's going to take you longer. It's not a race to the finish line. Everything takes time. Without further ado,  here is my plan of action.

• Goal: Get Rid of All Toxins
• When:
• Food Toxins- By May 1, 2013
• Beauty Care Toxins- May 1, 2013
• Household Cleaning Toxins- August 1, 2013
• Plan of Action
• Food
• Replace coconut milk coffee creamer with homemade almond milk.
• Discontinue use of store bought chocolate and replace with homemade.
• Only store food in glass or stainless steel containers.
• Avoid microwave use when at all possible.
• Eat only organic non-GMO food, and only buy from companies supporting the non-GMO movement.
• Research which bulk supply stores are the best for purchasing organic non-GMO foods (i.e. BJ's, Costco, or Sam's Club) and become a member.
• Beauty Care
• Research toxins and get rid of my products that contain harmful chemicals, hormones, and toxins.
• Make homemade deodorant, toothpaste, make-up remover/facial cleansing wipes, and lip balm.
• Only buy products that are non-toxic and use homemade when possible.
• Reduce make-up use to only special occasions (i.e. date night, get togethers, holidays, celebrations/parties).
• Use only organic coconut oil, jojoba oil, olive oil, and almond oil for moisturizer, cleanser, and hair care.
• Household Cleaning products
• Get rid of all toxic cleansers and replace with homemade non-toxic alternatives.
• Shower Cleaner
• Surface Cleaner
• Toilet Cleaner
• Laundry Detergent
• Fabric Softener
• Carpet/Upholstery Cleaner
• Disinfecting wipes
• Buy toxin-free toilet paper, paper towels, tissues, dish detergent, and dishwasher detergent.

(This list will be longer for you if you are just starting out. I only included the things I still need to get rid of. I did not include the things that I've already changed. If you need help making an initial list please let me know and I can help you create one.)

If you are wondering which products are better than others, here's a great website that rates the products based on their ingredients.
http://www.ewg.org/

I'm sure there might be something I'm missing, and if I think of something I'll update the list. Looking back at this list it makes me sad. It makes me sad that I even have to make this change. It makes me sad that so many people do not realize that they are contaminating their body just by following their normal daily routine. I wish that these toxins did not exist, and I wish our country wasn't so sick because of them. It's my personal mission to try to stop the spread of disease in my house, and in my family. I want us all to live long, healthy, happy lives. That's the reason I started this blog, so that I could spread awareness and help others. I have very few people in my life that are able to help me on this journey so I'm doing most of the leg work myself. If I can help someone else who is on this journey then I've done my job. It's a lot to learn and its time consuming, but the overall benefit is worth it. If you have any questions please comment below and I will answer them to the best of my knowledge. I will update you all periodically on my progress. I WILL be successful on my mission and I hope you will be too. May your toxic-free journey be a prosperous one!

Toxin-Free Baby Products

I do not know about you but I know a few women that are pregnant right now and I am super excited about these toxin-free baby products I have found. Please check them out if you are a mom, expecting mother, or preparing to go to a baby shower. I am happy to be able to share these with my friends and family and I hope they find them as great as I do. There is nothing like giving your baby a fresh healthy start.

Baby Green Thumb has some amazing organic and toxin-free baby products. This link leads you to their toxin-free stack-able storage containers. These are so handy, space saving, and safe for your baby. They are BPA-free, phthalates-free, PVC-free and Lead-free.
http://www.babygreenthumb.com/p-76-packin-smart-stack-n-seal-4-tier-food-storage-unit-yellow.aspx

They even give you a guide to some of the safer plastics and the ones you should avoid.
http://www.babygreenthumb.com/p-122-safe-plastic-numbers-guide.aspx

The Glass Baby Bottle has several glass and stainless steel bottles and food storage options. They also sell other toxin-free baby products such as organic clothing, baby wraps, high chairs, silicone food storage containers, bath products, diapers, and more.
http://www.theglassbabybottle.com/

I feel like I just won the lottery! Safe Mama has cheat sheets for toxin-free baby products. You click on what products you are looking for and it gives you a list of brands that do not use harmful chemicals in their products. Plus she even tells you how to make certain products like laundry detergent and skin care products. JACKPOT! Thanks Safe Mama!!
http://safemama.com/cheatsheets/

Organic Baby Warehouse has all organic baby clothing, bedding, toys, and other products. They also make their clothing without any hard dies or chemicals.
http://www.organicbabywearhouse.com/

Phasing out the plastics

Today I began step three of my toxic-free journey.

Step one: Clean up my eating- Eat organic, non-GMO, non-processed foods (check)

Step two:  Clean up my personal care products- Get rid of harsh toxins, parabens, sulfates, and sulfites in personal care products.
Beauty products- deodorant, shampoo, conditioner, make-up, face wash, shower gel, moisturizer, hand sanitizer, lotion, and make-up remover  (Check)
Cleaning products- Still working on them

Step three: Clean up the storage system- Replace all plastic bags and storage containers with glass. (almost check)

All of my nuts, seeds, dried fruits, spreads, and flours have been transferred to glass containers. It is my goal to no longer have to use ANY plastic baggies or plastic containers. EVER! You might ask me why I'm doing this. Why do you feel the need to get rid of the plastics? Well the reason for this is that plastics contain hormones that leach into your food. This includes plastics that say they are BPA-free. Even the BPA-free plastics leach estrogen-like hormones into your food. It doesn't matter whether you leave them at room temperature, in the freezer, heat them in the microwave, about 70-95% of all plastics leach hormones. Scientists are still trying to figure out how harmful these hormones are, but until them I'm not taking my chances. Why would I want to ingest potentially harmful hormones when I can easily avoid them by switching to glass. Glass is the safer option and ultimately more cost effective. A lot of times your plastic containers will warp in the microwave or they'll stain from sauces. You have to replace them every so often because they just become gross and ugly. You do not have to worry about any of that with glass. Glass containers are non-porous and are easier to clean and sanitize than plastics. How much money do you spend on plastic baggies? Especially if you're a parent with children in school, you probably buy them often. If you switch to glass containers you will not have to purchase so many baggies which get thrown out after each use. While you're busy saving yourself from hormones and toxins you're also saving the planet by switching to glass. Who doesn't like to save the planet? 

Here are two websites with more information about the hormones in plastics.
http://www.npr.org/2011/03/02/134196209/study-most-plastics-leach-hormone-like-chemicals
http://science.time.com/2011/03/08/study-even-bpa-free-plastics-leach-endrocrine-disrupting-chemicals/

My new stash of glass jars

Washed and labeled each jar 

Everything placed in its new jar

My cabinet before

My cabinet after

URGENT! STOP THE MONSANTO PROTECTION ACT

F! The US Senate has passed the Monsanto Protection Act. Someone has to stop this and now! You can all be silent and allow Monsanto to take control of the government and slowly poison you to death without any consequences, or you can stand up for your health and the health of your country. Sign the petition, call your congressmen and make it stop. If you ignore it and roll over and pretend its not there than you're f*cked! We're all f*cked! We can continue to let Americans get sick and die of cancer and other diseases or we can stand up and stop the people causing it. Do NOT let Congress pass this bill! Your life might very well depend on it.

http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/sign/stop_the_monsanto_protection_act_seize_congress/

Paleo sauces

Nine Ridiculously Simple Paleo Sauces to Sex Up Your Meals | Nourish Paleo Foods


That's a list of Paleo sauces. My favorites that I make are basil pesto and the buffalo sauce I put on wings. The buffalo sauce is super simple. Just combine a small bottle of your favorite hot sauce (I use Trader Joe's hot sauce) and 4 oz of ghee or coconut oil. I made some the other day and I actually used 2 oz of ghee and 2 oz of coconut oil. It tasted great and did not taste like coconut at all. You can use one or the other, or combine both like I did.

Roasted shrimp and veggies

My husband requested lots of roasted veggies for dinner so I added some shrimp and voila! I tossed the veggies and shrimp in olive oil, garlic, rosemary, onion powder, Mediterranean seasoning, and black pepper. I threw the veggies on a baking sheet and cooked them at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Then, I added the shrimp and cooked for another 10 minutes. It was delicious! I'm so glad my husband is finally realizing that healthy can still be delicious. Of course he ruined it by eating mint chocolate chip ice cream for dessert. You can't win them all. I made chocolate hazelnut banana "ice cream" for my dessert. It's one frozen banana, 1/4 cup almond milk, and two tbsp homemade nutella (I made that yesterday). Blend it all together, freeze for 20 min,  and enjoy. So tasty! Also can be a milk shake. I think I'll make it again tomorrow but add some flaxseeds and drink it as a shake/smoothie. Delicious and nutritious!

Quarry Hill Farm

My husband and I visited Quarry Hill Farm today, and boy is it beautiful! I can't wait to go back, especially in the spring time. We bought eggs, chicken wings, and pork chops. All of their stuff is grown and raised organically. All of their veggies are organic and the animals are all pasture raised. There are never any GMO's, even in the animal feed. I couldn't be happier to find such a magnificent place! When I walked into the farm store a little baby goat greeted me at the door. Too cute! If you live in the Harleysville, PA area and are interested in buying fresh organic produce, meats, and honey please visit this farm. Such a great place!

Check out the site to learn more about the farm, its products, and its practices.

http://www.quarryhillfarm.net/

GMOs

Good day to you all. I found a great link that discusses the myths and facts of GMOs. I feel like Americans are poorly educated on the subject as well as they've been lied to by Big Farma. If you care about your health, the health of your family, and the health of the planet then I suggest you take the time to read through these. Have a great day! :)
http://earthopensource.org/files/pdfs/GMO_Myths_and_Truths/GMO_Myths_and_Truths_1.3b.pdf

Almond Crusted Herb Chicken Breast (Paleo)

I had a delicious late lunch today! I'm a big fan of making almond crusted chicken. I've tried several recipes and I think I found my new favorite. I originally fell madly in love with using mesquite seasoning in my almond crusted chicken recipe BUT my mesquite seasoning is not Paleo or non-GMO. I'm trying to transition away from the mesquite seasoning because I do not want to cheat on my Paleo diet and I certainly do not want to eat any GMO ingredients. I do not use it often, but when I do I have a love-hate relationship with my dish. Love the flavor, hate whats in it that makes it taste so good. I've looked around for a Paleo mesquite seasoning recipe and I'm going to give it a try. I just keep forgetting to pick up the ingredients. ANYWAY- Here is the recipe that I used today for my delicious chicken.

Almond Crusted Herb Chicken

(Pan fried and then baked)

Ingredients
(Makes 1-2 servings depending on how hungry you are)

1 chicken breast (I cut mine into smaller thinner pieces so that it cooks faster)
1/2 cup almonds (crushed- I crush my own almonds in the food processor) or almond meal
1 large egg
About 10 basil leaves (chopped)
1/2-1 tsp of dried rosemary
1 tsp Mediterranean seasoning (or seasoning of your choice)
1/4 tsp dried basil
4 dashes of black pepper
1/4 tsp of sea salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp of oregano
About 3 tbsp coconut oil 

(All of the seasoning measurements are just estimations. I just "dashed" them in there until it looked like a good amount for my taste)

Directions
Mix the crushed almonds (or almond meal), basil, and seasoning spices together in a flat dish. Rinse your chicken breast, pat dry with paper towel, and cut into thinner pieces (my piece was big so I cut it into three thin pieces). If you do not cut the chicken breast smaller than cooking times will need to be longer. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Crack the egg into a bowl or flat dish and whisk. Dip the chicken into the egg, coating each side. Then dip the chicken into the seasoned crushed almonds and coat each side. Pan fry the chicken on medium heat in about 2 tbsp of coconut oil for roughly 2.5 minutes on each side (depending on size and thickness of chicken breast). When chicken is almost thoroughly cooked, transfer to a baking sheet and bake for about 10 minutes or until golden brown. I put the last tbsp of coconut oil on the baking sheet so that the chicken doesn't stick. If you do not grease the sheet then the almond coating may come off of the chicken and stick to the sheet. When chicken is thoroughly cooked, plate and enjoy!

You do not have to do both the pan frying and the baking if you do not want to. You could bake the chicken on a greased sheet for 20-25 minutes, or only pan fry in coconut oil for 10-15 minutes. I find that if you do both methods then you get a crunchy outside with a moist center. When I only bake the chicken I find that it has more of a floury taste. On the other hand when I only pan fry the chicken it is very moist and sometimes soggy. I prefer to pan fry and then bake, but you can choose whatever method suites your taste. I hope you enjoy!