Lemon Balm Kefir Dressing and Review

Isn't she lovely?! Our thriving lemon balm plant is flourishing in our backyard and comes back every year after planting it two years ago...these roots have a strong foundation that are here to stay! Lemon Balm is used for nervous agitation, sleeping problems, functional gastrointestinal complaints, menstrual cramps and urinary spasms. It is thought that the volatile oils in lemon balm contain chemicals that relax muscles, particularly in the bladder, stomach, and uterus, thereby relieving cramps, gas, and nausea.

I collected some of my generous plant's crisp and very fragrant leaves, brought them inside and made a refreshing spring salad dressing made with our probiotic kefir! I made this delicious and nutritious kefir from the magnificently organic kefir grains I sell in my etsy shop:

http://www.etsy.com/listing/44415490/kefir-a-cultured-dairy-product-full-of-n



Lemon Balm Kefir Dressing

1 cup kefir
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh lemon balm
1 finely chopped garlic clove
1 teaspoon raw, local honey
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon mustard powder
1/8 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste

Combine all ingredients. Cover and chill for half an hour until all the flavors have blended. Serve over green salad of your choice!



I poured this wonderful dressing over a bed of spring salad greens, sun-dried tomatoes, pecans, dried currants, and feta cheese...mmm, scrumptious!



Lori purchased some of my kefir grains last week and here are her sweet comments:

"Thanks! Grains arrived as planned and were very well packaged. I made my first batch of kefir and kefir soft cheese. Yum."

Eco-Friendly Freckles Review - Breakfast at Tiffany's

Here is a review that I received from Carolyn who purchased my "Breakfast at Tiffany's" hand-painted upcycled decoupage canister:

"I love this canister! I have it on my desk. Very whimsical and well done. Love her work." - Carolyn

Tickled Twenty-Two Year Old Twins!

Today is Andrea's and my birthday and we turned twenty-two! We had a delicious build-your-own burrito lunch with our grandmother at Andrea's charming home. We also opened gifts, "girl-talked", and played our favorite board game: Scrabble...at the end of the game, we each created a story with all of our scrabble words which was hilarious and so much fun!

My kitty, Nozomi, in a Scrabble box:



I also have some photos of a hand-painted, decoupage canister (titled "Girls Night In") that I made Andrea a couple of years ago for her birthday and a comment from her about how much she adores it!





"I love this canister that Jessy made me for our 20th birthday a couple of years ago. It has always reminded me of us and how funny, honest, and close we are with each other. This is one of her first creations (with the larger freckle dots); however, her creative eye is most certainly prominent in this early art piece as in all her creations. I'm looking forward to spending our upcoming birthday with each other again this year (on April 2nd), and hope to soon be throwing Jessy a little art party at my place to feature some of her latest art creations. :-) Love you Jessy; Happy Birthday." - Andy

Eco-Friendly Freckles Review and Coffee Cake Recipe!

My first review on my Organic Probiotic Kefir Grain Cultures!

"Thank you! I just received the package last night and am already in the process of making my first batch of yummy kefir. :) (I can't wait to try the banana bread recipe from your site)" - Iszlette



This scrumptious, moist, and soft coffee cake is spectacular! The homebrewed kefir used in this recipe provides the perfect texture and moisture for this very comforting coffee cake! This is one of my favorite recipes...it is simply divine! ;-)

Comforting Kefir Coffee Cake

Topping:
1 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Cake:
2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder (with no aluminum)
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup of kefir

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour the desired baking pan or pans.

For the topping: stir together the pecans, sugar, flour, butter, cinnamon, and vanilla in a medium bowl.

For the cake: sift the flour, baking powder (with no aluminum), and salt into a medium bowl; set aside. In a large bowl, beat the butter, sugar, and vanilla with an electric mixer at medium speed until creamy. Add the eggs, one at a time, until blended. With the mixer on low speed, beat in the dry ingredients, alternating with the kefir. Spoon half of the batter into the desired pan (or pans) and sprinkle with half of the topping; repeat. Bake for 55-65 minutes.

Now sit back and savor a delicious piece of coffee cake!

Custom Order I Made For My Sister!

My twin sister Andrea wanted me to make her a powder box that reminded her of the cherished moments she experienced with her husband, Robert, the two times they went to Paris. So I created this adorable little tin to fulfill her desires and match with her guest bathroom décor!





“I really love this French-inspired tin box. I use it as a powder box, and it works perfect! My husband and I went to France and just brought back with us a small painting. This piece from Eco-Friendly Freckles, however, really pulls together the "frenchy look" that I am trying to achieve in our guest bath, which is all about romance. Thank you Jessica; you did a lovely job. :-)” – Andrea

Eco-Friendly Freckles Review - Seahorse Sushi

"I love this art! It makes me think of the time I had the delicious morsels in an Asian restaurant for the first time. The aroma of the wasabi was so tempting I had to try it even though it took my breath away. Obviously, the picture of the pretty girl depicts her obvious enjoyment of the delicate tasting tidbits. This art piece is very dreamy and surreal." - Sharee

Eco-Friendly Freckles Review - Words of Wisdom

"What drew me to this canister over the others was the phrases. Every single one of them speaks directly to me. I also quite like the layout and the girl with the mug. Also the "freckles" are gorgeous! I love that look! I have a little mantle in my craft room that I use to hold a few ornaments etc so it's one space in here that's not cluttered with crafting stuff. I keep it up there, and I put wrapped candies in it. It's a nice reminder to take a break now and then." - Amanda



Story behind the "Words of Wisdom" canister:

While sitting cross-legged and sipping on a hot cup of herbal tea, a woman finds herself drifting into a deep relaxation during mediation. She hears the soft whisper of a female voice speaking words of wisdom which comfort and enlighten her. As the woman envisions her yoga blankets, pillow, and herself levitate in this inspiring trance, she suddenly sees a wise woman shaman on a magic carpet with a generous smile. Uplifting words of wisdom encompass this piece, such as: "Mental happiness is total relaxation", "Grace brings love and prosperity", and "The power of love is infinite".

The eco-friendly recycled materials used in this item are: a tin can, magazine clippings, recycled paper, and yogi tea tags. This piece measures 4 1/2 tall and 3 inches wide. The interior of this tin is painted a lovely deep red.