2020-04-29T14:10:10+00:00

Making the Perfect Raspberry Baked Oatmeal

April 29, 2020/Christy/Leave a comment

The perfect raspberry baked oatmeal is warm, cozy and comforting…has a refreshingly sweet tart flavor…and is super easy to make…the perfect combination of almonds, lemon flavoring, vanilla, and berries with an absolutely heavenly smell.

Eating baked raspberry oatmeal is almost like eating dessert for breakfast…but this dish is actually a great source of vitamin C, manganese, magnesium, zinc, protein and fiber…which can lower levels of LDL (or bad) cholesterol, help keep arteries clear, keep you feeling full until lunch and lower your risk of heart disease.

Another benefit of raspberry baked oatmeal…(or any other type of baked oatmeal)…is that you can make it the night before and then bake it in the morning. In fact the dish actually tastes better the next day…(I used to absolutely hate it when my Mom would tell me that when I was growing up…funny how the older you get, the more you find yourself turning into your mother)…

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INGREDIENTS

3C oats
2tsp baking powder
1/4 4sp salt
11tsp cinnamon
1/2C brown sugar
1C milk
1tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1/2C butter, melted
1C raspberries

PREP WORK

Preheat the oven to 350°F

Lightly spray an 8″x8″ square dish or 9″ pie plate with nonstick cooking spray.

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MAKING THE BATTER

Just as in making basically any other bread-type foodl that requires yeast, you will be using the “muffin method” to whisk together these muffins.

First you need to combine your dry ingredients—the oats, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.

Next you need to whisk together your wet ingredients—the milk, egg, vanilla, and butter,

Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients.

Now gently fold the raspberries into the batter.

Spread batter into prepared pan.

At this point, you can cover the dish and refrigerate overnight.

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BAKING

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until golden brown.

Serve warm.

Remove oatmeal from oven and let stand for ten minutes.

Top with desired topping.

Store in airtight container in frdige for up to four days

You can also make it ahead of time and then freeze. it. To do this, wrap the oatmeal well and stick if in your freezer.

When ready to eat, thaw overnight in the fridge and then bake as normal…or bake the frozen oatmeal for about an hour.

Making the Perfect Raspberry Muffins

April 27, 2020April 26, 2020/Christy/Leave a comment

Can I Please Get Some Help Around This Place?

April 25, 2020/Christy/Leave a comment

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All-Purpose Cleaner

2C white vinegar
2C water
30 drops of lemon essential oil
20 drops of tea tree essential oil

Mix ingredients in spray bottle Shake to combine. Use as spray cleaner to clean counters, cabinets, sinks, toilets, and anywhere else.

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Carpet Deodorizer

1 cup baking soda
30 drops lemon essential oil

Combine in a small container. Shake well. Let mixture “steep” for about six hours. Sprinkle on carpet. Allow mixture to sit on carpets overnight. Vacuum.

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Furniture/Leather Polish

1/2C olive oil
10 drops of lemon essential oil

Use dry, clean rag to spot-polish leather and wood furniture.

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Linen Spray

1/4C distilled water
3Tbsp vodka
20 drops lavender essential oil
10 drops peppermint oil

Add to small spritzer. Shake to combine. Spray on sheets, pillowcases, linens, mattresses, and other fabrics around your home..

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Odor Eliminator

3/4C water
2Tbsp vodka, rubbing alcohol, or vanilla
10 drops lavender essential oil
5 drops chamomile essential oil

Combine in a 8oz spray bottle,.Spray throughout the house to eliminate odors and stale smells.

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Scouring Powder

1C baking soda
1/4C liquid castile soap
10 drops of lemon essential oil
10 drops of orange essential oil

Mix together to form a paste. Apply to stove top of sink with a rag or sponge to clean stubborn gunk.

Rinse with warm water.

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Shower Spray

1C water
1/2C vinegar
20 drops of cinnamon oil
10 drops of rosemary
10 drops of lemon

Shake in spray bottle to combine. Use to fight mold and mildew.

Toilet Cleaner

Baking soda
2 drops lemon or tea tree essential oil

Combine. Sprinkle into toilet bowl. Scrub with toilet brush. Spray toilet seat and bowl with all-purpose cleaner.

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Wall Cleaner

Lemon essential oil
2Tbsp coconut or almond oil

Mix together. Apply directly to whatever has to be cleaneed from wall. Rub in with your fingers. Wipe away with a clean rag.

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Window Cleaner

3C distilled water
1/4C vodka
1/4C vinegar
20 drops peppermint oil

Combine all ingredients in spray bottle. Shake to combine. Spray on mirrors, windows, or stainless steel. Wipe with paper towel or microfiber rag for streak-free shine.

I’ve Been Cleaning More Lately Than Ever Before…How About You?!

April 23, 2020April 23, 2020/Christy/Leave a comment

Cleaning with Clary and Clarity

April 21, 2020/Christy/Leave a comment

Cruelty-Free Body and Skin Care Brands…#4

April 19, 2020April 18, 2020/Christy/Leave a comment

1. Queen Helene

Availability…Albertson’s
Focus…famous for their Mint Julep Masque
Founded…in 1930
Ingredients… ingredients like cocoa butter which is rich with vitamins and natural emollient properties, pomegranate oil for its antioxidant protection against the skin-aging effects of environment, and essential oils to help relax tired muscles and ease tension
Mission…to provide a full line of affordable and effective body care products that are passed on from generation to generation
Philosophy…
Price Range…$7 for body lotion

2. Renee Rouleau

Availability…spas in Dallas and Plano, Texas
Focus…effectively correcting every skin type’s concerns
Founded…established in 1996 by celebrity esthetician, Renée Rouleau
Mission…to help people maximize their skin’s potential with a propietary line of natural, high-performance products based on nine unique skin types
Philosophy…that the skin care industry’s one-size-fits-all approach was not in-sync with what the modern client wants, or needs, in their pursuit of balanced, healthy skin
Price Range…$46.50 for body serum

3. Rodial

Availability…Nordstrom
Focus…famous for products like “Bee Venom” and “Dragon’s Blood”
Price Range…$78 for body serum

4. Radical Skincare

Availability…Sephora
Founded…by Liz and Rachel, the daughters of Dr. Richard F. Edlich MD.PHD, world renowned Professor of Plastic Surgery
Ingredients…extract of paracress, seaweed extracts, macadamia and desert date palm oils, glycerine
Mission…to provide solutions that are as effective as possible for all skin types.
Price Range…$78 for body serum

5. S.W. Basics

Availability…Target
Focus…using as few ingredients as possible, usually 5 or less per products
Price Range…$20 for body oil

6. Suntegrity

Focus…offers sun care and nothing but sun care
Founded…in memory of all of those who lost their lives to skin cancer
Ingredients…only the best known physical block ingredient (non-nano size zinc oxide)
Mission… to provide broad spectrum UVA/UVB protection and super anti-oxidants and amino acids to enhance that protection and help with skin repair
Philosophy… It doesn’t make sense to use these types of sunscreens to prevent skin cancer only to get another kind of cancer.
Price Range…$24 for sunscreen

7. Sukin

Focus…Australia’s Number One Natural Skincare Brand
Founded…in Melbourne, Australia in 2007
Ingredients…the highest grade essential oils, antioxidants, and botanicals
and 100% natural botanical extracts…naturally derived, cruelty free and vegan
Mission…to provide high efficacy, environmentally sustainable and affordable natural skincare products that restore the natural vitality and radiance of your skin and hair
Philosophy…producing the highest standards of natural skin, hair and body care products begins with sourcing quality ingredients
Price Range…$14 for body lotion

8. The Wonder Seed

Focus…hempseed oil
Founded…by Theresa Ruiz-Hellings and her daughters Elena and Juliet and formerly known as The Healing Seed
Ingredients…100% natural, vegan, with no parabens, and no artificial colors or perfumes
Mission…to nurture, heal and protect skin and hair with a complete line of products rich in virgin organic hempseed oil, the most nutritious oil on Earth
Philosophy…From our families to yours, we wish you vibrant health for your most wonderful life!
Price Range…$17 for body lotion

9. Tatcha

Availability…Sephora
Focus…based on the rituals of the Japanese geisha
Founded…in Japan by Victoria Tsai
Ingredients…complete list here
Philosophy…less is more
Price Range…$48 for body butter

10. Yes To

Availability…Ulta, drugstores all over the world
Focus…products in their carrot, blueberry, tomato, cucumber, and grapefruit ranges
Ingredients..95% NATURAL INGREDIENTS…no parabens…packaged in recyclable packaging whenever possible.
Mission…to make skin feel good while bringing a smile to your face
Price Range..$13 for body lotion.

Cruelty-Free Body and Skin Care Brands…#1

April 15, 2020/Christy/Leave a comment

Not only are there more and more cruelty-free natural and organic cosmetic companies being started these days…but also a slew of cruelty-free natural and organic body and skin care companies popping up.

These products-which are good replacements for brands that test on animals…including Aveeno, Garnier, Olay, Neutrogena, and St. Ives…can more easily be found and are being formulated to address various skin type needs and concerns.

The next few posts will be a guide to cruelty-free skincare brands and the locations where they can be found.

1. Alba Botanical

Availability…available in many drugstores, Amazon, iHerb.
Focus…acne-prone skin
Ingredients…high quality, 100% vegetarian products that overflow with botanical ingredients such as aloe vera, green tea and chamomile extracts
Mission…to Do Beautiful…to help fellow women look beautiful on the outside while feeling beautiful on the inside
Price Range… $10 for body lotion

2. Athar’a Pure

Focus…ancient Ayurvedic skin care treatments and dosha types
Ingredients…the best natural and organic pure, plant-based ingredients found on earth…without the use of toxins, chemicals, parabens, dyes, phthalates, sulfates, artificial fragrances.synthetics, alcohol or any other harmful ingredient or preservatives
Mission…providing you with high quality, luxurious, vegan beauty products that are cruelty free and never tested on animals
Price Range…$22 for body lotion

3. Avalon Organics

Availability…Walmart, Kroger, Sprouts, Amazon, iHerb
Focus…anti-aging
Ingredients…plant-based organic ingredients from only trusted sources
Mission…founded on the deep-rooted belief that all beauty comes from the Earth…deep reverence for the Earth and a respect for all living creatures.
Price Range… $9

4. Andalou Naturals

Availability…Amazon, iHerb
Founded…by Stacey Kelly and Mark Egide in 1999 as the very first certified organic personal care line
Ingredients…fruit and plant stem cells
Philosophy…Beauty is YOU – a simple and bold empowerment message to consumers and the industry at large. Beauty happens in the moments of the everyday (for individuals and organizations) – the little choices that we make along the way that all add up to monumental change: Commit to defining beauty one action at a time and be Empowered, Radiant and True. Beauty is YOU.
Price Range…$15 for body lotion

5. Blissoma

Focus…demanding skin types, such as extremely sensitive skin and allergies
Ingredients…100% natural, Certified Vegan…a much stricter ingredient palette than even most “natural” brands…packed with certified organic botanicals, bioavailable vitamins, essential fatty acids, and skin-soothing seed oils
Mission…to provide true solutions to uncomfortable skin conditions…to help people develop a healthy, happy relationship with their skin… to bring forth a positive, loving vision of what beauty can be, embody inclusion, and enhance the dignity of all people
Price Range…$36 for body lotion

6. COOLA

Availability…Sephora, Ulta
Focus…sunscreen
Ingredients…natural, organic, sustainable and locally sourced…vitamins and age-defying antioxidants…without parabens, paba and phthalates
Mission…Better for your skin, better for the environment.
Price Range…$32

7. Derma E

Availability…Whole Foods, Sprouts, Ulta, CVS, Walgreen’s
Focus…the belief that skin health can be visibly improved through the right combination of potent vitamins, wholesome nutrients and exceptional ingredients.
Ingredients
Mission…to honor our customers with products that promote healthier-looking skin and business ethics that promote a healthier world.
Price Range…$13

8. Dermadoctor

Availability…Sephora
Focus…problem-solving solutions for skin concerns ranging from anti-aging challenges to blemishes, chicken skin bumps and perspiration dilemmas
Founded…by Dr. Audrey Kunin
Ingredients…include Artichoke Bud Extract and Bayberry Fruit Extract
Mission… to provide effective solutions to skincare problems without the need of a prescription
Philosophy…DERMAdoctor is truly just what the skin doctor ordered.®
Price Range…$58 for body lotion

Essential Oils and Weight Loss

April 8, 2020/Christy/Leave a comment

This audiobook is a guide written for insomniacs, and other people who have trouble sleeping quite often, to show the life-changing health benefits that optimum sleep provides….and more importantly how to have this optimum sleep experience.

This book sparked my interest because as I get older, the more I’ve started to realize that how well and how much I sleep impacts your entire life…(yeah, Mom, I shoulda listened to you all those nights when I was little and you told me to turn the lights off and go to bed.)

The title of the audiobook, Healthy Sleep, is appropriate for the book because the book explains how a healthy sleep cycle can improve your immune system, mood, sense of well-being—and even your weight.

This theme is carried out throughout the book as evident by the exercises and strategies that the book provides to help manage both stress and anxiety as well as common sleep disorders, such as insomnia and sleep apnea.

The authors of the audiobook are alternative medicine “guru” Andrew Weil, MD…and sleep expert Rubin R. Naiman, PhD.

—–Andrew Weil, MD, is a world-renowned leader and pioneer in the field of integrative medicine, a healing-oriented approach to health care which encompasses body, mind, and spirit. He is founder and director of the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine (AzCIM) at the University of Arizona Health Sciences Center in Tucson, and director of Integrative Health & Healing at Miraval Life in Balance Resort in Tucson. Dr. Weil s bestselling books include Spontaneous Happiness, Eight Weeks to Optimum Health, and Spontaneous Healing, and his popular audio programs with Sounds True include The Healthy Heart Kit and Breathing: The Master Key to Self-Healing.

—–Rubin Naiman, PhD, is an internationally recognized leader in integrative sleep and dream medicine. He is director of Circadian Health Associates, an organization that provides information, goods and services in support of sleep health. Dr. Naiman is the sleep specialist and clinical assistant professor of medicine at the University of Arizona s Center for Integrative Medicine, directed by Dr. Andrew Weil. He also serves as Director of the Sleep and Dream Advisory Board for Sleep Studio. For more than a decade, Dr. Naiman served as the sleep and dream specialist at Canyon Ranch Health Resort in Tucson, where he founded the first formal sleep center at a spa. Subsequently, he served as director of sleep programs for Miraval Resort. Dr. Naiman is the author of a number of groundbreaking works on sleep, including Healing Night, Healthy Sleep (with Andrew Weil), The Yoga of Sleep, and To Sleep ToNight, as well as a number of professional book chapters and articles. He also blogs about sleep and dreams for The Huffington Post and Psychology Today.

This audiobook consists of two discs. The first disc is a discussion on why sleep is so important and why you may not be sleeping as you should. The second disc contains guided exercises, including three sessions to help you fall asleep.

Topics covered in the book include sleep stages, sleeping disorders, breathing techniques, good “sleep hygiene,” and safe supplements to overcome insomnia. The book uses a combination of creative visualization, self-compassion, and pranayama to explain insomnia and then lull you gently to sleep…

I would recommend this audiobook to anyone who has trouble sleeping…makes an excellent read about 2am when you should be sleeping instead of reading.

When Life Gives You Lemons, Add Even More

April 6, 2020/Christy/Leave a comment

Lord knows, these months and the month or even months have been downright crazy…not to mention stressful.

So what is one way that you can worry less and chill out more?

If you actually read my blog on a regular basis, you will already know what I am about to say…

Aromatherapy…

More specifically essential oils…

And even more specifically diffusing essential oils as a part of the complementary medicine called “aromatherapy.”

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How Essential Oils Work

ls through the air, our olfactory nerve sends almost instantly sends messages to different parts of the brain, including the limbic system and amygdala, which are both directly wired to the brain’s centers of memory and emotion.

If you remember watching the movie Forest Gump, you will remember the professor explaining that the amygdala is that part of the brain which controls our emotions, mood, and memory.

Interestimgly, these parts of the brain also do two what seems opposite reactions…either triggering a fight-or-flight respons where we get short of breath, our heart rate and blood pressure go overboard…or awakening the parasympathetic nervous system, which helps us relax.

In fact, certain essential oils…(which we’ll talk about later)…interact with our nervous system and brain in the same way biochemically that many anti-prescribed anxiety medications do..making it a great complementary and alternative choice.

So let’s find out which specific essential oils, more specifically citrus essential oils, are actually the best oils for helping you feel less stressed out.

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Citrus in General

Citrus essential oils can affect different people different ways…they can either be stimulating or relaxing…are totally have different effects from one person to the next.

These oils can help some people fall asleep more easily…other people to relax but not actually fall to sleep-more easily…feel more both refreshed and relaxed if you use them during the day,

Since this is the case, you must try the particular essential oil yourself to see how it affects you.

Below are some citrrus essential oils to consider.

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Bergamot

What is it…Bergamot essential oil is derived from the peel of a bergamot fruit, a hybrid citrus fruit somewhere between a bitter orange and lemon or lime, and is widely used in aromatherapy. This is the fruit that gives Earl Grey tea its signature fragrance,…(more on this later)…

What does it smell like…Bergamot has a clean, spicy citrus-like fragrance that is soothing…yet at the same time invigorating.

How long have people been using it…This essential oil has been used traditionally in Italian folk medicine because of its ability to relieve tension and anxiety….and in traditional Chinese medicine to enhance the flow of energy, fight bacterial infections and support digestive health.

What other essential oils should I blend with bergamot…try floral oils like lavender, clary sage and jasmine.

How do I use it…Like all other essential oils, you have the option to use bergamot essential oil in your diffuser or apply it to your skin,..but be careful if you do apply bergamot essential oil topically because it can cause severe sunburn.

Also be sure to combine bergamot essential oil with a carrier oil—such as jojoba, sweet almond, or avocado—before using it on your skin or adding it to your bath.

Bergamot can often be irritating to the skin…and make you more likely to get sunburns and blisters when you’ve been out in the sun for too long.

Health benefits of bergamot essential oil are believed to include…

helping you to relax
improving blood circulation
keeping you from feeling so fatigued
lowering your blood pressure
lowering your heart rate
reducing chronic pain
relieving anxiety and stress

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Lemon

Source...leaves of the lemon plant

Benefits…

acts as a sedative
can help relieve the nausea associated with cancer treatments
eases symptoms of depression
improves mood
promotes sleep and relaxation
reduces anxiety and stress

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Melissa (Lemon Balm)

Source...lemons…(go figure, right?!)

History…has been used for hundreds of years. Known for its medicinal and uplifting qualities, it has also been given the name “elixir of life”.

Benefits

calms the mind
boosts immunity
strengthens the nervous system
can act as a antidepressant and release feelings of sadness and worry

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Neroli

Source…derived from the flowers of the neroli, a citrus fruit

Fragrance...sweet and spicy aromal..similar to an expensive, floral-based perfume…in fact, commonly used as an ingredient in French perfumes

History…has been around since ancient Egyptian times

Blend with…sandalwood

Benefits

acts as a sedative
helps you sleep
improves concentration, mood, and memory
regulates the metabolic system
relaxes both body and soul
releases feelings of anger, irritability, stress, anxiety, and worry

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Yuzu

Source…derived from the yuzu fruit, a type of East Asian yellow citrus fruit often used in Asian cuisine

History…Japanese have had a custom of taking yuzu baths, which involves floating yuzus in hot baths during the winter to relieve stressas far back as the 1700s

Benefits

decreases negative emotional stress
decreases salivary chromogranin A, an indicator of stress and sympathetic nervous system activity
lowers your heart rate in just ten minutes, with effects lasting for about thirty minuters
soothes stress and anxiety
suppresses sympathetic nervous system activity, also known as the fight-or-flight response

Book Review…Healthy Sleep

April 5, 2020April 5, 2020/Christy/Leave a comment

: Chamomile; German Chamomile; Hungarian Chamomile; Camomile; Matricaria recutita; Chamomilla recutita; Matricaria chamomilla is a member of the Aster Family, Asteraceae or Compositae, the dried flowewrs of which are one of the most well-known herbal teas of commerece, valued for flavor, mild anti-inflammatory activity, and a calming effect.

The title of the audiobook, Healthy Sleep, is appropriate for the book because the book explains how a healthy sleep cycle can improve your immune system, mood, sense of well-being—and even your weight.

The authors of the audiobook are alternative medicine “guru” Andrew Weil, MD…and sleep expert Rubin R. Naiman, PhD.

I would recommend this audiobook to anyone who has trouble sleeping…makes an excellent read about 2am when you should be sleeping instead of reading.

Muffins and Mozart

Month: April 2020

Making the Perfect Raspberry Baked Oatmeal

Making the Perfect Raspberry Muffins

Glaze Ingredients

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PREP WORK

Can I Please Get Some Help Around This Place?

Odor Eliminator

Toilet Cleaner

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Wall Cleaner

I’ve Been Cleaning More Lately Than Ever Before…How About You?!

Cleaning with Clary and Clarity

Cruelty-Free Body and Skin Care Brands…#4

Cruelty-Free Body and Skin Care Brands…#1

Essential Oils and Weight Loss

When Life Gives You Lemons, Add Even More

Citrus in General

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Bergamot

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Book Review…Healthy Sleep

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