Cha Cha Cha Chia! Raw Chocolate Chia Pudding Trifle Recipe!

Chia Seeds are so very healthy for you...they aren't just used to grow cute chia pets! They are a favorite staple ingredient amongst raw foodists...Here is an informative video clip telling you all about chia seed and it's health benefits:

http://www.naturalnews.tv/v.asp?v=F99BA7CA912165275467CC90764F2738
I LOVE chia seed; it is AMAZING! It is great for my digestion and it makes some delicious and nutritious desserts (it is also a great ingredient to implement into many different recipes). We use Nutiva brand Chia Seed found here:

Here is the recipe for a "Raw Dark Chocolate Chia Pudding Trifle with Strawberries and All-Natural Vanilla Wafers" that my husband and I made this weekend!


Raw Dark Chocolate Chia Pudding Trifle with Strawberries and All-Natural Vanilla Wafers

Ingredients-

Pudding:

1/2 cup chia seed
1 1/2 raw goats milk (any milk will work for this recipe)
6 tablespoons raw cocoa powder (any cocoa powder will work for this recipe)
3 raw egg yolks; preferably from local farm fresh pastured (NOT pasteurized!) eggs
1/3 cup - 1/2 cup chopped dates (or as sweet as you would like it; "to taste")
1 - 2 tablespoon raw local honey (or as sweet as you would like it; "to taste")
2 tablespoons coconut cream concentrate (We got ours from Tropical Traditions)
1 ripe banana
1/4 tsp. sea salt
A splash of Captain Morgan's Spiced Rum (optional)

Meringue:

3 raw egg whites ; preferably from local farm fresh pastured (NOT pasteurized!) eggs (we used 4 egg whites because we wanted more meringue for layering)
organic cane sugar ("to taste"...we used Organic Florida Crystals)

Trifle Remaining Layering Ingredients:

sliced strawberries (preferably organic)
all-natural vanilla wafers (we used used Organic Vanilla Wafers from Country Choice)

Instructions:

Add the milk to the chia seed in a medium sized mixing bowl, stir, and let sit until the chia seed absorbs the milk and has a gelatin consistency (about 10-15 minutes). Add six tablespoons raw cocoa powder and stir into the milk and chia mixture. Separate three egg yolks from three egg whites and add the egg yolks to the chia seed mixture; set the egg whites aside for meringue. Now you can pour the chia mixture into a blender or Vita Mix, and add coconut cream concentrate, banana, sea salt, and honey...slowing add the chopped dates while pulsing the blender (add a splash of spiced rum if you want...we did!) and then blend the pudding up til smooth.

Make meringue by beating the three (or four) egg whites with the sugar until the mixture forms soft peaks.

Layer the bottom of your trifle dish with all-natural vanilla wafers, putting some decoratively propped up on the sides of the dish as well. Then add a layer of your raw chocolate chia pudding, then a layer strawberries, then meringue, then repeat the layers until you reach the top and put meringue and sliced strawberries on the very top. Vwa la...Enjoy!!!

Sipping on Cocktails and Admiring Some Beautiful Treasuries

That's exactly what I'm doing this evening! The sunny, eye-catching image above is an original painting titled "Odette" by Cozy Little Cave...Please check out this fun, feminine, and fanciful Etsy shop!

First let's enjoy some beautiful treasuries and then I will share my cocktail recipe for the evening!

This first treasury is titled "The Colours of Life" and is created by Percival Road Designs...my Provocative Vintage 60's Kraft French Dressing Print Ad is featured in this treasury!


Here is a treasury that I (Eco-Friendly Freckles) have created for the STAT Tuesday Team Treasury Challenge! Please vote for my treasury this Saturday as the "hottest" treasury! The challenge word for the theme of all of the contestants' treasuries is "shallow"; thus the name of my treasury is "The Bumbling Blue Crab in Shallow Waters" and the theme corresponds with the word "shallow" too. ;-) In this treasury, I feature my sister's (Andrea of Storybook Artifact) Vintage Avon Cancer Necklace. I also feature six members from the Etsy STAT Team and as for the rest of the shops featured, all but one is a new or undiscovered Etsy shop...isn't that awesome?!


This is the treasury that my sweet sister, Andrea of Storybook Artifact, created for the STAT Tuesday Team Challenge. She features my hand-painted upcycled decoupage canister "Paulie's Confession" amongst many other STAT Team members and new/undiscovered Etsy shops. This treasury is titled "A Shallow Viewpoint"; I love the vibrant colors and hilarious sexual innuendos she integrates into this awesome treasury...she does an excellent job portraying the meaning of the word "shallow". Ha ha, if you don't vote for me in the STAT Tuesday Team Challenge, vote for my sister Andrea of Storybook Artifact! The voting will take place on Saturday on the STAT Team Blog. :-)

Alright here is my cocktail I have been seductively sipping on...yes, it is such a amazing cocktail it is seducing me! Ha ha!


Baileys and Kahlua Root Beer Float

The Kahlua in this recipe adds a pleasant coffee undertone to the cocktail that is surprisingly irresistible.

* 1 shot of Baileys Irish Cream
* 1 shot of Kahlua (I used homemade Kahlua my grandmother gave me for Christmas!)
* Your favorite brand of root beer (I used Boylan Brand Natural Root Beer)

In your chilled mug or glass, combine the Baileys and Kahlua, and then fill the rest of the mug with the root beer. Vwa la, you have a simple seductive cocktail...Now lets admire some more dazzling treasuries!


This treasury is titled "This is a luck T..all you need is to click and comment and U will have a lucky day.." and is created by STAT Team member Room of Your Own. She features my hand-painted upcycled decoupage canister "Little Miss Cupcake".


This final ravishing treasury is titled "Lip Service" by Groovin Tuesday...my Provocative Vintage 60's Kraft French Dressing Print Ad is featured in this sexy treasury with lots of red lips!

Jamary's Vintage & Handmade Items Review and Bourbon Bread Pudding Recipe

For Christmas, I got this elegant vintage cake server set from the Etsy shop "Jamary's Vintage and Handmade Items" for my sister, Andrea of Storybook Artifact. Andrea and I both adore this lovely cake server set; it is in excellent vintage condition and with its exquisite floral design and 22 Karat Gold embellishments, it is a luxurious set of china to have! I suggest you all check out Jamary's beautiful vintage/handmade Etsy shop full of little treasures like this one. ;-)

http://www.etsy.com/shop/jamary92My darling sister Andrea from Storybook Artifact used her vintage cake server set last night to serve one of her favorite dessert recipes "Burbon Bread Pudding", and she so kindly gave me her recipe to share here with everyone! Thank you Andy! :-*

Andrea's Bourbon Bread Pudding Recipe:

Soaking the raisins in the whiskey for a couple of days is essential. Be sure it is enough to just cover them. "the secret ingredient"

3-4 slices of bread (any old bread will do: from homemade to left-over burger buns)
4 Tbsp. sugar
3 1/2 cups milk
4 eggs, separated
1 Tbsp. vanilla
pinch of salt
1/2 stick butter melted
bourbon whiskey soaked raisins

1.) Break bread into ovenproof dish (casserole glass dish)
2.) Beat sugar and egg yolks
3.) Add milk, and mix well
4.) Add vanilla, butter, and salt
5.) Pour milk mixture over bread
6.) Strain bourbon whiskey from raisins, and set aside
7.) Fold raisins into soaked bread in baking dish
8.) Place baking dish into large pan filled with water (broiler pan)
9.) Bake at 300 degrees for 40-50 minutes or until knife inserted comes out clean
10.) Make meringue adding 2 tablespoons sugar to each egg white. Spread and return to 350 degree oven until brown.Raisin Bourbon Whiskey Sauce:

1/2 stick butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
However much bourbon whiskey was strained from raisins

Dissolve sugar in the water in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Whisk in butter and heat until melted. Cool before adding the bourbon whiskey.

Whiskey Preference: Black Velvet

Andrea of Storybook Artifact and myself of Eco-Friendly Freckles have each created treasuries that express the beauty, femininity, and grace of women...as well as convey how amazing they are. During this time of Valentine's celebration, let's take a moment to appreciate and thank all of the incredible women in our lives (wives, mothers, sisters, and grandmothers) and gaze in amazement at these elegant and very feminine treasuries.
This first treasury features members from the Etsy STAT Team and is titled Rustic Valentine Beauty. Created by Andrea of Storybook Artifact, she dedicates this treasury in a beautiful way as follows:

"A dedication to the women who nurture our world's children, work hard in making a house a home, love and care for their men in sickness and in health, and, can't forget, makes something out of the food dad puts on the table. You are the ones who truly make our world flourish, and create a cushion of security for that solid foundation our children desperately need to thrive in our world. We are blessed; thank you. <3" href="http://www.etsy.com/teams/6362/etsybloggers">EtsyBloggers Team and it is titled "Mademoiselle Stops to Smell the Roses".

The Whimsical Wedding and the Creative Cake

My mother-in-law, Beverly, married the wonderful Matt Audrain on December 30th, 2010. It was an elegantly charming wedding and my sister, Andrea, and I got to make the cake! I adore Beverly's choice of the lovely color blue (she looks AMAZING in blue); so I wanted to integrate this color into the cake. We used some teal blue sugar rose petal cake decorations and scattered blueberries to represent the pretty black pearls Beverly wore at the wedding.
Here is a photo of Beverly and I before the wedding ceremony...I was the matron of honor! I also wore pearls and blue! The flowers were absolutely stunning; my bouquet had beautiful blue hydrangeas in it! Below is the recipe for the delicious lemon and blueberry wedding cake we made. :-)
Moist Lemon Cake

2 1/2 cups all-purpose unbleached flour

1 1/2 cups sugar

3 eggs

3 tsp. baking powder without aluminum (Rumford brand)

1 cup orange juice

1 cup coconut oil

3 tsp. lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Generously grease two 9 inch cake pans with non-stick cooking spray or butter. In a large bowl mix together all dry ingredients. Then add all the wet ingredients. Mix together well. Then pour cake batter into prepared baking pans. Check cakes after 30 minutes of baking with a toothpick. Keep an eye on them. Add an additional 5-10 minutes if not done.

Buttercream Lemon Filling with Blueberry Preserves Topping

2 sticks softened butter

1 8 oz. package of cream cheese

Zest of 1 lemon

1 cup powdered sugar

blueberry preserves

Mix together butter and cream cheese until combined. Add in lemon zest; mix in well. Then add in powdered sugar until well blended. Layer this filling on top of cake layer first to serve as a barrier for the blueberry preserves topping: so they won't seep through the cake. Then top with second cake layer and repeat.
Marshmallow Fluff Frosting

3 egg whites

2 cups sugar

3/4 cup water

1/2 tsp. salt

2 cups powdered sugar

Combine sugar and water in a medium saucepan to form a simple syrup; bring to gentle boil and cook until sugar is completely dissolved. Allow simple syrup to cool down to room temperature before adding to egg whites and salt. Then beat with mixer on high speed for 10 minutes or until thick. Add powdered sugar and beat until blended.

*For Perfect Buttercream Frosting (this is the adjustment we will make next time we make this so the frosting will be thicker and hold its form better):

Add two sticks softened butter, a cup of powdered sugar, and 1 tsp. of vanilla extract per cup of marshmallow fluff.

The moist lemon cake recipe is one of Andrea's and my favorite cake recipes and we make it often; normally we place a homemade lemon curd filling in between each cake layer (which we didn't do for this lemon/blueberry wedding cake). This lemon curd filling is phenomenal! Here is the recipe:

Lemon Curd Filling

4 large egg yolks

3 large eggs

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup lemon juice

2 tbs. whole milk

1 tbs. cornstarch (non-GMO)

6 tbs. unsalted butter

Whisk together egg yolks and eggs in medium saucepan. Stir in sugar, lemon juice, milk, and cornstarch. Add the butter (cut into 1/2 pieces) and place saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir often with wire whisk for 5-8 minutes or until mixture thickens. Don't boil. Allow to cool before adding to cake.

The Scrumptious Snowman

The photo above is of the Salmon Dip Snowman I made for my sister, Andrea's, Christmas Eve party last year...this year I made two of them (one for my mother-in-law, Beverly's, Christmas and the other one for my BIG family Christmas party).

This delicious, festive, and absolutely adorable appetizer is really a crowd pleaser! Not only does everyone comment on how cute and unique the snowman hors d'oeuvre looks, but they also complement his yummy flavor! Below I have listed my "Salmon Dip Snowman" recipe that I want to share with everyone...Enjoy!

Salmon Dip Snowman

Ingredients:

• 2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 of a can of red salmon (14.75 oz. can); you can use more salmon if desired
  
• 1/2 cup minced fresh parsley
• 1/4 cup chopped green onions
• 1 carton (8 ounces) spreadable cream cheese
• 2 fresh rosemary sprigs
• 5 dried cranberries, divided
• 2 pretzel sticks
• 1 small pitted ripe olives
• 1 small carrot
• 1 green onion
• Assorted crackers
  

Directions:

• In a large bowl, beat the first four ingredients until blended. Shape into three balls, one 3-1/2 in., one 3 in and one 2-1/2 in. Place the 3-1/2-in. ball on an 8-in. serving plate; top with the 3-in. ball, then the small ball. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• With a knife, smooth spreadable cream cheese over each ball; spread remaining cheese around base of snowman. Arrange rosemary sprigs on snowman's head, forming a wreath. Place three dried cranberries inside wreath. Insert pretzel sticks for arms.
• Cut two thin slices from olive and make two 1/8-in. circles. Place circles on head for eyes and slices on body for buttons. cut one cranberry in half widthwise; place in the center of olive buttons. Cut remaining cranberry in half lengthwise; shape one piece into a smile and place on snowman's face (discard remaining cranberry half).
• Trim carrot to make a small nose; position on face. Cut top of green onion into a 1/4-in. strip; tie around neck for scarf. Serve with crackers. Yield: 14-16 servings.

Thanksgiving Trifle!

On this happy Thanksgiving, I made a lovely, gargantuan trifle (to feed my enormous family), and then five individual trifles for my husband Joe's smaller family...it was a Pumpkin-Carmel Trifle with Spice Cake (got the recipe out of Metropolitan Home Magazine...however for the spice cake, I used a recipe from the Food Network.) Everyone loved this decadent dessert with scrumptious pumpkin mouse, buttery toasted pecans, and yummy ginger spice cake! Here is my combination of the two recipes (along with some substitutions) in my delicious Thanksgiving trifle!

Pumpkin-Carmel Trifle with Spice Cake

Ingredients

Pumpkin Mousse
• 1 envelope (¼ oz.) unflavored gelatin powder
• 1 (15-oz.) can pumpkin (not pie filling)
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1½ cups well-chilled heavy cream

Spice Cake

• 3 cups cake flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger (I used 1/3 cup grated fresh ginger)
  
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 sticks butter, softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 eggs
• 1 1/4 cups buttermilk (I used home-brewed kefir)
  

Brandy Syrup
• ¼ cup sugar
• ¼ cup brandy or cognac (I used Captain Morgan's Spiced Rum)

Toasted Pecans
• ½ cup pecan pieces
• 2 tbsp. unsalted butter

• 1 pint caramel ice cream, softened (I used Greek God's Honey Yogurt, mixed with cream cheese, and local honey)

Directions

To make the mousse, put ¼ cup cold water in a small heat-proof bowl and sprinkle the gelatin over it. Set aside for 10 minutes for the gelatin to soften.

In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin and sugar. Meanwhile, set the bowl of softened gelatin over a pan of simmering water and cook until the gelatin is clear. Immediately whisk the hot gelatin mixture into the pumpkin mixture.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip the heavy cream until soft peaks form. Fold the whipped cream into the pumpkin/gelatin mixture. Chill for at least 3 hours or overnight.

To make the spice cake, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour 9" x 13" rectangular cake pan.

In a small mixing bowl whisk together cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, ground nutmeg, ground cinnamon, ground ginger (or fresh ginger) and ground cloves.

Cream the butter, sugar and salt until light and fluffy with an electric mixer. Beat in the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the dry ingredients and the buttermilk alternately beginning and ending with the dry.

When the batter is well mixed and smooth, pour it into the cake pan and bake about 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake come out clean. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes then turn out to cool completely.

To make the brandy syrup, in a small heavy saucepan over medium heat, stir sugar with ¼ cup water until sugar has dissolved. Add brandy. Let cool and refrigerate, covered.

To prepare pecans, in a small skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Add pecans and cook, stirring, until toasted, about 3 minutes.

To serve, trim ⅛ inch from around edges of cake. Cut cake into 16 squares. Put ¼ cup mousse in bottom of each of 8 glasses and spread slightly. Sprinkle ½ tablespoon pecans over mousse and add a square of cake. Brush cake with brandy syrup. Lightly spread 1 tablespoon softened ice cream over cake in each glass. Repeat one more layer as before, except for ice cream. Instead, form an oval scoop of ice cream to top trifle: using two metal serving spoons, scoop ice cream with one spoon and put other spoon over top of ice-cream-filled spoon to mold. Repeat for remaining glasses.

Don't have a trifle dish?! Here is a perfect one I found on Etsy!

"Vintage Glass Compote, Trifle Bowl, Punch or Dessert Bowl" by Rusty Cow.

Kombucha Making Tutorial: We've Got a Kombucha Mushroom Scoby!

The other day at work (I am a cashier at a health food store called "Akin's"), a sweet lady customer came in and gave me a kombucha mushroom scoby! I was so excited...and so was my husband, Joe, when he saw it...I knew he would love it because he has been wanting one for sometime and he loves working with new experiments for our health...and besides, we both LOVE kombucha! I have posted pictures of our new scoby below as well as a simple photo tutorial and recipe for making your own basic kombucha!Basic Kombucha

- 1 kombucha mushroom scoby

- 1 gallon of water

- 1 cup of sugar

- 1 teaspoon sea salt

- 5-8 black or green tea bags (we used 8 oolong tea bags)Boil one gallon of water in a large to medium sized pot, add a cup of sugar and a teaspoon of sea salt; keep simmering until all is dissolved.Remove from heat and add tea bags; let sit for 20 minutes and then remove tea bags.Then let the pot of tea sit until completely cooled and add it to your desired vessel (we used a vase that I cleaned out with all-natural, mild soap) and then add the kombucha mushroom scoby and cover the vessel with a breathable towel.

Depending on the temperature of the room, you will want your kombucha to ferment around 10-14 days...although if the room is 80 degrees it takes only a week for the kombucha to ferment completely (the warmer the room, the faster it will ferment; however you don't want the room to be too warm...that would make a not very good kombucha). Good luck and enjoy!

Endless Possibilities with Juniper Berries

I love the smell, the taste, the look, and the health benefits of juniper berries! This is an amazing tree/bush and it has a tremendous list of healing properties (including being believed to be capable of curing nearly all diseases)! Here is the list of health benefits of juniper essential oil (an oil that I would love to add to my collection!):

Anti Septic: It used to be a well known anti septic in old times and people wounded or injured in wars or in sports were treated with this. It was even used in injuries sustained by the mother as well as the child, during labor. It efficiently protects the wounds from being septic and catch tetanus.

Anti Rheumatic: The Juniper Essential Oil promotes and improves circulation very well. It also helps in the removal of toxins like uric acid from the body. Both of these properties help fight ailments like rheumatism, arthritis, gout, renal calculi etc. which are related with improper circulation and accumulation of toxins in the body. Also relieves swelling.

Anti Spasmodic: Juniper Essential Oil is effective on almost all forms of cramps, be it muscular, be it intestinal, respiratory or be it of any other part. It relaxes muscle cramps and helps cure spasmodic cholera too. Being an anti spasmodic, it helps cure all other problems related with cramps or spasms.

Astringent: Being an astringent, Juniper Essential Oil helps cure toothache, stop hair fall, strengthens grip of gums on teeth and protect them from swaying, falling, tightens loosened muscles and gives a feeling of firmness, fitness and youth. This property can also be used to cure diarrhea too. The most important benefit of this property lays in the fact that being an astringent it can cause blood vessels to contract and reduce or check haemorrhage.

Carminative: Carminative is a property that helps removal of gases from the intestines. Gas, trapped in intestine and forcing upwards, can be very dangerous sometimes and even fatal. When gas pushes upwards, it chokes, gives chest pains, indigestion and uneasiness, raises blood pressure, can risk your heart and gives acute stomach aches. Here, Juniper Oil can help you a lot. It effectively removes gases with the downward passage and do not let gases form too. Juniper Oil is very good for those who are suffering from chronic gas trouble.


(Having a Juniper tree in our pasture intrigues my fascination and inspires me to pursue to harness it's healing offerings...I might just experiment with making a tincture!)

Diuretic: Juniper Oil is diuretic in nature, that is, it promotes urination. It increases frequency of urination. Thus, it is very beneficial for those who are suffering from accumulation of water in the body, swelling etc. due to chronic renal failure etc. It relieves them by removing extra water from the body through urine. It also helps in losing weight (because each time you urinate, some fats are lost from the body), reducing blood pressure, removing extra sodium and toxins like uric acid from the body.

Depurative: The essential oil of Juniper cleans blood of toxins and thus acts as a detoxifier or blood purifies. This property is also known as Depurative, meaning ‘One which purifies’. It helps remove the regular toxins like uric acid, heavy metals, pollutants and certain compounds and hormones produced by the body itself, from blood, as well as other foreign toxins which get into blood accidentally.

Rubefacient: As the name goes, Rubefacient means an agent that makes the face look red. But this is true not only with the face but with the whole body. Such an agent, when applied on skin, increases blood circulation just below the skin to such as extent that the skin starts looking red. This may also cause irritation on skin if applied in excess. But again, an improved blood circulation below the skin certainly benefits the skin and keeps it healthy.

Sudorific: Sudorific is an agent which can bring about heavy sweating or perspiration. This is nothing to get annoyed at. Actually a good perspiration makes you feel lighter, fit and helps removal of toxins and excess salt and water through sweat. This cleans the skin pores and openings of sweat and sebum glands and keeps away acne and other skin diseases. Juniper Oil has good Sudorific properties.

Stimulant: Properties of Juniper Oil like Emenagogue, Galactogogue and Diuretic etc. result from a single property of this oil called Stimulant. Being a stimulant it stimulates all the activities inside the body. This stimulating effect also helps overcome fatigue, dizziness and depression. It also stimulates brain & neurons, nervous system, secretions from endocrine and exocrine glands, which includes secretion of milk, sebum, sweat, tears, urine and discharges during menses, digestive system and excretory system.



Stomachic: Juniper Oil is stomachic, that is, it keeps the stomach in order and keeps it functioning well. It helps cure stomach disorders and ulcers and ensures proper flow of bile, gastric juices and acids in stomach. Sometimes, the inner lining of stomach is injured due to prolonged acidity and ultimately results in ulcer. Juniper Oil can help you avoid this situation too, as it maintains proper secretions of bile in stomach. Bile is basic in nature and neutralizes the acids.

Tonic: Heard of health tonics? Had some? Juniper Oil is also a tonic, because it tones up everything, including muscles, tissues, skin as well as various systems functioning inside the body, such as respiratory system, circulatory system, nervous system, digestive system and the excretory system. This tonic effect helps retain youth for a long and maintains proper health.

Vulnerary: If a diluted solution of this oil is applied on wounds, or blended with a skin cream and applied, it helps your wounds heal faster and keeps them protected from infections. This oil is equally beneficial in healing internal wounds, cuts and ulcers.

Other Benefits: It disinfects air and helps cure kidney stones, inflammations, urinary tract infections, acne, eczema, skin diseases, dandruff and enlargement of prostrate gland.

Few Words of Caution: It should be avoided during pregnancy and by those who have kidney problems. It should be used in low concentrations.

Blending: Juniper Essential Oil blends well with essential oils of Bergamot, Cedar Wood, Cypress, Grapefruit, Geranium, Lavandin, Lavender, Lime, Lemon, Lemongrass and Vetiver

(Resources: http://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/essential-oils/health-benefits-of-juniper-essential-oil.html)


If you would like to get some Juniper Berry essential oil to add to your natural medicine cabinet, than you might want to try this one titled "Juniper Berry Essential Oil" from Sahara's Supplies; by the way her item description has even more information about this therapeutic oil!


Now I have even heard that you can cook with Juniper Berries! Check out the recipe to this luxurious dish titled "VENISON IN RED WINE AND JUNIPER BERRIES AND SOUR CHERRY SAUCE"! Mmmm, I want to make this crowd pleaser! (Resources: http://www.justfoodnow.com/2009/10/30/tamarind-and-juniper-the-sour-and-the-fresh/)


If you would like to get some juniper berries for cooking with, making tinctures, or other nutritiously mesmerizing creations than you should consider getting some of these "Juniper Berries 1 oz." by The Whimsical Witch.


Speaking of a whimsical witch, you might be asking, "Okay, so Jessica what did you do with your juniper berries?" I decorated with them! I got the idea from of a home decorating magazine; juniper smells wonderful and tis the season to decorate with them!


I made a fanciful tablescape with them on an end table in my living room, by placing a few juniper sprigs in a large votive glass of water and setting one of my decoupage canisters "Calm, Cool, and Collected" (which I just sold in my shop!) next to it along with one of my favorite books about herbs and this very unique and whimsical witch tea pot! I got this quaint tea pot at a garage sale last summer and I decided to show it off this Halloween time of year!

Bananas and Kefir for Healthy, Beautiful Hair!

Bananas are rich in potassium, an ingredient that temporarily gaps in hair's cuticle, so strands feel smooth. Vitamins B5, A, E, and C in the fruit preserve hair's natural elasticity, lessening breakage and split ends over time.

The lactic acid in kefir helps maintain your hair and scalp's pH balance, so they stay moisturized and shiny naturally; fatty acids coat and soften hair. If you would like to make your own kefir for your hair, you can find the organic, probiotic kefir grain cultures in my etsy shop...all you need to do is purchase them once and you can make healthy and delicious kefir indefinitely!

http://www.etsy.com/listing/54411910/kefir-a-cultured-dairy-product-full-of

Banana and Kefir Hair Treatment

1 banana
1/2 cup - 1 cup kefir

In a blender, whip the banana and kefir until they have a smoothie-like texture (about 45 seconds). Work the hair mask into wet hair, wrap a wet towel around your head and let the mask soak in for 10 minutes. Rinse, shampoo, and style!

Tester Tip: You might want to try making kefir cheese (or "labne") for this hair mask because it has a thicker consistency that won't slide off wet hair. Add a few drops of vanilla or lavender essential oil to de-stress while you wait. ;-)

How to Make All-Natural Food Coloring!

The lovely image above is a close up of a necklace pendant called, "Rainbow Colorful Whimsical Woman Necklace" and is created by Whimsies Folksies. Please check out her beautiful, fanciful original mixed media paintings, art prints, and other handcrafted art pendants in her Etsy shop! http://www.etsy.com/shop/whimsiesfolksies


There are harmful ingredients in artificial food colorings which are in many different kinds of foods including a plentiful array of children's foods. Please check out this informative article about how food companies fool consumers with food coloring ingredients made from petrochemicals:

http://www.naturalnews.com/022870_artificial_colors_food.html

However, have no fear there is a healthy, NATURAL solution...All-Natural Food Colorings! You can either purchase them at a health foods store or you can attempt to make your own! My sister, Andrea, and I have made several natural, "from scratch" cakes with our own all natural food colorings. We have used natural ones that we purchased from a health food store, but our favorite ones that we like to use are the natural food colorings that we make ourselves. We have made natural food coloring from red cabbage, spinach juice, and beet powder...however our ultimate favorite natural food coloring ingredient is turmeric because it produces such a vibrant yellow and it is very easy to achieve. Here are some pictures of our natural food coloring cake creations:


Princess and the Frog Cake


Sponge Bob Square Pants Cake


Pac Man Cake


Big Bird Cake


Mario Star Cake


Barbie Cake

...and here is our newest cake creation; for our Nana Sharee's birthday we made her a high heel and martini cake! The beet powder we used made a beautiful pink speckled frosting!


Here are the two sites with information on how you can create your own all-natural food colorings at home! Best of luck to you and happy cake creating! :-D

http://hubpages.com/hub/make-food-coloring

http://kblog.lunchboxbunch.com/2010/03/colorful-baking-with-homemade-natural.html