Making Over EVERYTHING: My To-Make List

I try not to follow too many health blogs. Face it, who has time?  But there a lot of cool things I'm learning as I move my household toward a more organic/green/gluten-free life. The task is becoming much more fun than daunting like it was at first. Once you recognize the need for change, it's pretty easy to convince yourself of the necessity of little changes in every detail of your life.

And it's pretty amazing how many things we do/buy/eat/use that aren't necessary--or are easy to do/make/substitute on your own without buying pre-made items.

Someone needs to rename us the DIY generation!

I've always been a stickler for reading nutrition facts, but now I read EVERY label on EVERY thing that gets carried into my home. No more do I grab a tube of lip balm or a random chemical-filled household cleaner and just throw it in my shopping cart.

I kind of have this love affair with keeping my family healthy.

We're nuts. <3

So here's my current list of things to DIY:

FACIAL TONER
I don't wear a lot of makeup, and I am not that girl who religiously washes her face every morning, noon and night... so this sounds quite refreshing without too much effort.

DIY Apple Cider Vinegar Facial Toner via Living The Crunchy Life
http://livinthecrunchylife.blogspot.com/2013/03/diy-apple-cider-vinegar-facial-toner.html


MAGNESIUM
I've been in love with magnesium for quite a while now. It's great for aches and pains and helping sleep and stay asleep at night. Most people don't get anywhere near the magnesium they should. (FYI, don't put magnesium oil in the microwave. It's metal. There were sparks. Don't ask.)

Make Your Own Magnesium Oil via Health Extremist

• Great for: Fatigue, Low Energy, Difficulty Sleeping, PMS and Hormonal Imbalances, Headaches, Anxiety

http://www.healthextremist.com/how-to-make-magnesium-oil/

Read more about magnesium and find great recipes on Maria Emmerich's blog: http://mariahealth.blogspot.com/2010/12/flour-less-chocolate-torte.html

SUNSCREEN
I'm planning to use good ol' coconut oil for sunscreen this year. I don't spend a lot of time in the sun, so this should be sufficient. This article, http://www.naturalnutritionadvisor.com/blog/?p=981, on Natural Nutrition Advisor, convinced me I'll be just fine.

My Little Mermaid

Now, for my little mermaid, who will spend hours and hours in the pool in direct sunlight, I'm going to make up a batch of this good stuff:

Coconut Oil Homemade Sunscreen Recipe
http://coconutoilinformation.com/coconut-oil-homemade-sunscreen-recipe/#.UajLSdj4JkJ

And if you need even more convicing to use coconut oil, there's this:

Affiliate Link. Turn off ad blockers if you don't see my link :)

Natural Antiseptics: Coconut Oil

It is not only the water of a coconut that is good for you; the milk and the oil are also good for you. Coconut oil contains many of the same properties as coconut water. However, it can be applied to the skin much more effectively. The lauric acid, capric acid and aprylic acid in the oil is reported to aid in the fighting of various common viruses and infections. Using coconut oil in food helps kill bacteria and parasites that cause digestive ailments. It can also be applied to skin infections. It is also a natural moisturizer, so applying it to your skin is helpful at just about any time.

via http://voices.yahoo.com/a-look-some-natural-antiseptics-their-uses-5708966.html

I won't be posting DIYs of the goodies listed above...the sites I found them on do a great job of that. I just wanted to share what I've found in case anyone else is on the lookout for more natural recipes.

Now on to the important stuff. Food.

SUMMER EATS
I'm hoping to have time to add some summery recipes soon too. It's too hot to turn our oven on, so it's more green smoothies and stovetop cooking in my house.

Any guesses what this yumminess is?

Spinach + Coffee Smoothie (Which tastes way better than it sounds!)

And for the grand finale, eggs are the go-to staple at my house for quick meals without heating up the kitchen too much. Mmmmmm, eggggggssssss!

Non-organic eggs. I'll take pictures of my neighbor's yummy free-range eggs soon!

This is one of my favorite easy meals. A low-carb "breakfast burrito bowl" ... basically, it's a breakfast burrito, but over chopped raw spinach instead of in a tortilla or over rice.

Low-Carb Breakfast Burrito Bowl

That's all for now, folks!

Have a great weekend!

-Kd