Good morning from the mountains of Kentucky! I hope your day is a blessed one. I am excited to bring to you my new spinach wrap recipe that I’ve been working with for a couple of weeks. Saturday’s wraps were the success that I’ve been working toward! I hope you enjoy them as much as we do!
Ingredients:
3 cups fresh organic baby spinach
3 cups all-purpose flour (I prefer King Arthur unbleached or wheat)
1 1/2 teaspoon pink Himalayan salt
3-4 tablespoons organic extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup cold filtered water (this can be modified if needed)
1 teaspoon fresh ground oregano
1 teaspoon fresh ground basil
1 teaspoon fresh ground parsley
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon organic ground garlic
Add one cup of spinach and one cup of flour to a food processor dicing it to allow room for an additional cup of each. Dice again and add the remaining spinach and flour. Add spices, and process adding oil slowly as the mixture mixes. Add water until you have a dough consistency. Sometimes the amount of water varies. Only add what you need. If the mixture is too wet, add an additional spoon of flour and mix. You can’t go wrong on this mixture if you achieve a doughy consistency. You can play with the oil as well. If you need more, add a tiny bit.
Fresh spinach is the best!!
Preheat a cast iron skillet. I use ceramic cast iron for this and it works great. Add a tiny spray of organic extra virgin olive oil to the pan to heat. While the pan is heating spoon out a large spoon of the mixture onto a floured dough sheet or parchment paper. Using flour on your hands roll the dough into a ball and then begin rolling the dough flat.
Ball of spinach dough.Second rolling of the wrap.
A second rolling of the wrap ensures the desired thickness of the wrap. You can sprinkle flour over the wrap to prevent it from sticking. Once you have achieved the desired thickness, lay your bread in the hot pan. It only takes about 1 1/2 minutes per side. While my bread is browning, I usually roll another piece of dough. Parchment paper, coffee filters, cheese cloth, or white paper towels between the wraps will help prevent them from sticking until they’re cooled.
Preparing the wrap! This is the thickness that I like!
Remove the bread and place on your choice of liner. Once the wraps are completely cooled, I place mine in an airtight container and keep them in the fridge for fresheners. This recipe usually yields eight to nine wraps. They taste great warmed with fresh veggies, a smear of peanut butter, as a side for Italian dishes, and extremely good with no dairy cheese melted on them.
You may substitute seasonings for Mexican seasonings, plain with a little salt and pepper, or with curry seasonings. The possibilities are endless. I hope you enjoy these as much as we do. I look forward to posting new wraps. I am currently working on a high fiber flax wrap. I would love to hear how you eat yours! Feel free to like, share, comment and follow. For now, God bless from the mountains of Kentucky!
Good morning from the mountains of Kentucky! Cold air invaded the mountains last night. It was a chilling 28 degrees when I awoke this morning. I was thankful that I had covered my ferns up last night. We have several mountain winters in March and April in Kentucky. With so many of the trees and bushes blooming early this year, it’s difficult to determine which winter it is. I’m not sure if this cold snap is redbud winter or dogwood winter. Nevertheless, hope remains as these small winters only last a day or two and then it’s mild weather again.
The smell of yesteryears lingers in the air as the garden was turned this week. The smell of fresh soil always reminds me of growing up only a few miles from where we live. Papaw plowed with a mule and plow from morning till evening. He would wipe the sweat from his brow, fan with his hat, rest a bit and return to his work. The smell of the rich dirt lingered in the air just as it does here today. The chickens are enjoying the freshly plowed ground as well. They love to scratch and search for worms in the loose dirt.
As I prepare breakfast this morning, I am reminded of eating oatmeal with my Papaw. I felt an unction to prepare a hardy bowl of oats, as he called them. I like to use a half cup organic oats, filtered water, fresh honey for the sweetening, and whatever fruit I have available. This morning I added a half of an organic banana, and some organic blueberries. I include a tablespoon of organic walnuts, a teaspoon of flaxseed, hempseed, and chia seeds. White serving I drizzle with almond milk and a tiny bit of honey. I toasted a slice of my homemade seeded bread with breakfast this morning. It’s a hard breakfast that will sustain me until late in the afternoon.
Delicious plant-based breakfast for a busy day!
I’m excited about planting this year. The manure has been spread and the first turning of the garden is complete. Seeds have been sewn in miniature green houses, and in the hydroponic garden. Fresh vegetables are a joy in the summer months. Fall is a time of harvesting and preserving for the winter months ahead. It’s not for the faint of heart, but for those who enjoy eating what they’ve grown from seed to nourish their bodies.
Spreading natural fertilizer.
Gardens can be as large or as small as you want them to be. For us, a large feeds our families all summer and sustains in the cold months. We usually have an abundance to share with neighbors, extended family, and church family. It seems the more we give to others, the more it grows.
Organic lettuce in one of the hydroponic gardens seven days after seeing the seed.
Eating healthy is a large part of being healthy. Eating organic, plant-based, and clean is a foundation for overall health. Get up and get moving! Being active helps prevent and fight many diseases that plague people across the world. Make it a point to know the ingredients in the food that you put in your body. Know the vocabulary of hidden toxic ingredients. Do your research, and start small and make changes weekly. For example, I no longer buy bread that is deemed healthy, but is it really when you can’t pronounce fourteen of the twenty seven ingredients. I choose to bake bread formy family on Saturday mornings. My recipe has four ingredients, of which one is water, and I add various organic seeds for the crunch and fiber. The following is a link to my bread recipe. It’s easy, doesn’t require an abundance of time and tastes delicious. Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread
Living a clean and holistic life is very gratifying. The rewards are great and exceeds the long days and time spent prepping, preparing, and growing, foods that nourish your body, not poisoning them a little at a time with toxic ingredients found in processed foods.
The first turning of the garden!
I would like close with a great book suggestion for young readers, as a read aloud, and great for the primary classroom. It is written by our daughter and it’s beautifully written and illustrated. Check the book out at the following link;
God bless from the mountains of Kentucky! May your day be filled with joy, hope, the love of Christ, and good nutritious foods that can help heal you from the inside out. Feel free to leave a comment, like, and or follow by blog for more posts on clean and holistic living.
First turning of the garden complete! Awaiting a second plowing and plants!
Hello from the mountains of Kentucky! I am super excited to share a new recipe that I have been experimenting with and finally perfected it last week. I love a good moist banana bread. I have tried several vegan recipes with little to no luck with the right amount of moisture and sweetness. This recipe fits the bill for both. It’s quick, easy, and requires minimal ingredients and those that you probably already have in your pantry. It’s also delicious with a cup of hot tea!
Ingredients:
One large overly ripe organic banana or two small overripe bananas
2 cups all purpose flour (I like King Arthur’s unbleached flour)
1/2 tsp pink organic Himalayan salt
1/2 tsp anti-caking organic baking soda
1/2 tsp organic all spice
3/4 cup organic cane sugar
1/2 cup almond milk
1 tsp good quality Non-GMO vanilla extract
1 tsp organic apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup chopped organic walnuts
Add in options can be; chocolate chips, pecans, raisins, or cranberries.
Process:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray or butter a glass 8×8 baking dish. Line it with parchment paper and then spray or butter the paper.
Mash the banana, vanilla, and sugar and mix well. Add salt, baking soda, flour, vinegar, and applesauce and fold the ingredients together without overmixing. Add the milk a little at a time and until the batter well. Fold in the walnuts. Add the bread mixture to the lined glass baking dish. I baked my bread for 45 minutes. I checked it at 30 minutes and determined it needed fifteen more minutes to be baked through and through.
Mixed ingredients
I removed my bread from the parchment paper and set it on a baking rack to cool for thirty minutes. Once the bread was cooled, I placed it in an airtight container. I have enjoyed this bread all week as a snack with my lunch, toasted for a light breakfast, and in the evenings with coffee or tea. It is tasty, moist, and not overly sweet but flavorful.
You may add more sugar or even honey for a little more sweetness. If you’re not a fan of walnuts, pecans are a great substitute. I like to toast this bread for breakfast. It’s delicious with a smear of honey or plant butter. Unsweetened dark chocolate chips are a great addition as well. Either way you eat it, as breakfast, a snack, or dessert, it’s a delicious bread.
For now, God bless from the mountains of Kentucky. Feel free to comment, like, and subscribe. I look forward to hearing from you.
Good morning from the mountains of Kentucky. It’s official! We are 22 days away from spring 2024. I am eager to say that I am very happy about that! When the butter cups are blooming, daylight lasts a little longer, and the birds are singing early in the morning, I begin to have spring fever. I am ready to sow seeds, plant crops, and enjoy the sunshine on my face. I am eager to share a new bread recipe with you that is clean, easy, and tastes delicious. But first, I would like to ask if you have ever looked at the list of ingredients on bread you buy from the grocery store? The ingredients are numerous and many that I can’t pronounce or have to search the internet to determine what they are. This is scary to say the least. Even most of the breads that are labeled as organic contains a long list of ingredients. The recipe that I am sharing today has basically five organic ingredients, of which one is water. Are you ready to take control of what you put inside your body? Let’s get started!
Ingredients:
3 1/2 cups of organic, unbleached all-purpose flour (I like King Arthur’s)
1 1/2 cups of warm filtered water 75 degrees
1 1/2 teaspoons of aluminum-free sea salt or pink Himalayan salt
2 teaspoons of organic non-caking yeast
1/4 to 1/2 cup of organic seeds of choice. I used pumpkin, flax, and hemp seeds. (This is optional)
In a large glass mixing bowl mix the dry ingredients and add warm water slowly stirring as you add the water. I like to add the yeast to the warm water to help activate it and then add the water to the mix. I also like to mix by hand, but a stand mixer with a dough hook can be used. Gently fold in the seeds of choice. Once the dough is mixed set the bowl aside in a warm place and cover the bowl with a clean dish cloth. Let rise for two hours.
Freshly folded dough awaiting the oven to heat.
After two hours, turn your dough out onto a floured parchment paper or floured wood cutting board. Fold the dough each way into itself. Shape it into the shape the desired shape that you prefer your bread. Lightly dust a stone pizza stone and place it on the oven rack that you will bake your bread on. Preheat the oven and the pizza stone to 450 degrees. Add about two inches of water to a shallow glass cooking dish and place on the rack beneath the rack you’re going to bake the bread on. This will help your bread have a crispy exterior on top and a soft bottom. Allow your bread to continue to rise while the oven and stone are preheating. When the oven is preheated, score the top of the bread three to four times with a serrated knife. Remove the hot stone and carefully remove the dough and place it on the the hot stone. Bake for 25- 30 minutes, depending on how crusty you like your bread.
Fresh bread just out of the screaming hot oven still on the baking stone.
This bread can be made from wheat flour if desired or oat flour. The seeds are optional and can be exchanged for other seeds, or left out of the recipe. You may bake this bread in a preheated covered cast iron Dutch oven that is lined with parchment paper before adding the dough, or you may divide the dough into two small loaf pans.
Once the bread has baked transfer to a cooling rack and allow to completely cook before cutting. Sharp serrated bread knifes are great to cut the bread. This bread makes great sandwich bread, toast, French toast, as a side to supper dishes, toasted as crusty bread, or buttered as is. The inside is soft and airy and delicious. I love the texture of the baked pumpkin seeds within the bread. The possibilities are vast!
Cooling on the wire rack.
I hope you and your family enjoy this recipe. Every time I bake, I am reminded of one of my favorite components of the Lord’s Prayer.
Matthew 6:11 Give us this day our daily bread. (KJV)
The top is crusty, the bottom soft, and inside is airy. It’s delicious!
We should focus on this day, not days that have past, nor days that haven’t yet arrived. If we keep our focus on, this day, we do not get caught up in the what ifs, from yesterdays, or the what wills, of tomorrows. Keeping our focus on the Lord for this day encourages us to rely on Him more completely.
God bless, from the mountains of Kentucky. I welcome Feel feedback and or questions.
During COVID many people rediscovered the health benefits of elderberries. I, myself, started taking a good organic elderberry supplement to enhance my immune system. Finding organic elderberry syrup was difficult or ridiculously expensive at the time, and the supplement was not inexpensive. After paying for the supplement for a few years, I decided to try my hand at making elderberry syrup. I am very pleased with the results and inspired to share my recipe with my readers.
There were challenges along the way. But, with determination, I was able to overcome those. First, I wasn’t able to find someone with an elderberry tree that was willing to part with elderberries, so I did the next best thing. I looked on Amazon for organic dried elderberries. The ones pictured below had the best price, largest amount, and the best rating.
Dried organic elderberries from Amazon
Next, I experimented with the amount of elderberries I would mix. After a bit of research and experimental tries, I decided the syrup would be tastier with some spices added. After a few batches, I decided on the addition of organic clove, organic ginger, organic cinnamon and local honey. With this in mind, I was ready to see if the taste was right. It was delicious!
Ingredients (makes a pint) 3/4 cup Dried elderberries 3 cups filtered water 1/2 tsp dried clove 1/2 tsp doTERRA clove essential oil 1/2 tsp doTERRA ginger essential oil 1/2 tsp dried ginger 1 tsp cinnamon Fresh honey to taste
Essential oils are optional. I love the benefits of them and the taste. Read the labels closely before using to ensure they’re consumable.
Process
Add the three cups of filtered water to a stainless steel saucepan. Add 3/4 cup dried elderberries. Add the remaining ingredients except the honey. Bring the ingredients to slow boil. Set a timer and boil the mixture for 45 minutes. After 45 minutes turn the burner off and cover the mixture and allow it to cool. When the mixture is completely cooled strain completely through a fine mesh strainer into a clear pint jar. Cheese cloth can be used as well. Add fresh honey to taste and stir well. Place a lid on the jar and for a better taste keep it refrigerated.
My fist jar after a couple of days of use.
I take a tablespoon a day. A pint typically lasts for two weeks. The taste is wonderful. Elderberry’s have a wide array of health benefits. I’m not sure if the elderberry syrup helps increase one’s sleep, but I have slept unusually well since I started using the syrup as a daily regimen.
I hope you enjoy this simple recipe. Feel free to comment or leave questions. For now, God bless from the mountains of Kentucky!
Good evening, from the mountains of Kentucky! I hope you are having a great start to your week! It’s a hot week in the mountains with temperatures soaring into the nineties. I don’t mind it. I’m savoring the last weeks of summer. With that being said, with the lingering days of summer vanishing swiftly, also comes the final rounds of canning. We have worked to stock and restock our pantry and canned goods from the harvest of our garden. Even though I wasn’t able to do much of the planting because of my hip replacement in June, I have enjoyed the labor of harvesting and canning. Let me say this: God is so good. He has truly been with me literally every step of my recovery. I am so thankful for how well I have progressed. I give Him all the glory for it. Now, to delve deeper into canning vegetable soup.
Recently, I decided I would use the lingering remnants of leftovers in our fridge and turn them into a savory vegan vegetable beef soup. You could easily change this recipe to be vegetable beef soup with real beef.
Vegan vegetable beef simmering on the stove.
Recipeingredients:
One bag of your choice of plant-based beef crumbles. I used a bag of Ultimate Beef pieces.
Half of a yellow onion
One small bell pepper of choice
One tablespoon minced garlic or fresh garlic
One cup of fresh diced tomatoes or organic canned diced tomatoes
One cup of organic vegetable broth
One tablespoon of organic extra virgin olive oil
Two cups of freshly cooked green beans or one can of organic green beans
One cup of fresh corn or one can of organic corn
One cup of frozen organic peas or one can of organic sweet peas
Four medium-size potatoes
One cup of fresh carrots or one can of organic carrots
One quart of freshly canned tomato juice or two-three cups of organic canned juice
Process:
If you are using beef, brown the beef and drain. If you are using vegan meatless meat, you can add to the onions and peppers while they are simmering.
Peel and cut potatoes to desired size. Add potatoes to saucepan of water with a pinch of salt and oil. Cook potatoes until the cut easily with fork or knife. If you’re using fresh carrots, you may either peel, slice and steam them, or cook them with the potatoes. Set potatoes aside.
Add a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil to a large stock pot. I prefer cast iron to Teflon. Heat on low and add diced onions and peppers. Season with salt and pepper. Allow onions and peppers to become slightly translucent. Add drained beef or vegan meat and stir. I like to add a little extra seasoning at this stage to build flavor. I use a little cumin, paprika, salt, pepper, and turmeric. These are optional. After mixture is mixed well, add diced tomatoes. Drain potatoes and carrots and add to soup mixture. Stir in additional veggies to the soup mixture. Taste to season and add tomato juice. Allow soup to come to a soft boil, then reduce to low and simmer for two hours.
This soup is great served with crackers, cornbread, grilled cheese or vegan grilled cheese. Now to the canning process!
Sterilize jars, rings, and flats. Add warm soup to pint jars. This can be done in the dishwasher or by boiling them in the canne
add water to canner and warm on medium heat. Place canning funnel over pint jar, ladle warm soup into jars. Leave at least a half for head space. I like to wipe the rim of the jar, flat, and ring with a clean dish cloth or paper towel dipped in vinegar before sealing. This helps guard against possible bacteria. Place warm jars of soup in the canner and allow the water to come to a boil. When the water comes to a hard boil set the timer for thirty minutes.
when the time exhausts, turn the stove off and allow the water to simmer for about ten minutes. Remove the jars with the jar lifter. Set the jars on a dry folder to cool. As the jars cool, you should hear the coveted ping ensuring you that the jars are sealed! After the jars have cooled add the date to the lid.
This soup should have a shelf life for 18-24 months. Maybe longer! I’ve never found out as it usually lasts at my house for 10-11 months and it’s gone! This is a great soup to take along as lunch at work, if you have access to a microwave or one of the lunch size crock pots. It’s great for those nights when you don’t feel like cooking. It’s great served with cornbread or crackers. I personally love it with a vegan grilled cheese sandwich. You be the desired!
Don’t forget to add the date to the lids!
I hope you enjoy this soup as much as we do. Feel free to leave a comment or ask a question. As always, feel free to follow for more recipes and canning ideas. For now, God bless from the mountains of Kentucky! Thank you for stopping by my blog! Every reader is appreciated!
Hello, from the mountains of Kentucky. It’s been a bit stormy here today. Days like today make me want to curl up with a good book and read all day. In reality, that isn’t always possible, especially with the academic year about to begin. Our first day back on campus is only a couple of weeks away. Where did summer go?
With the abundance of cucumbers that it seems everyone has been blessed with this summer, I thought I should share my dill pickle recipe. Who doesn’t like a crispy dill pickle on their sandwich or on the side? Dills are great in potato salad, salads, on burgers, and I especially like them on a vegan chicken sandwich.
Ingredients:
4-5 pounds of pickling cucumbers 8 teaspoons of dill seeds 4 teaspoons of mustard seeds 5 cloves of whole garlic 8 teaspoons of whole peppercorns 4 cups of water 3 cups of white vinegar (5% acidity) 4 tablespoons of pickling salt or kosher salt 4 tablespoons of white sugar 8 teaspoons of pickle crisp 8 sprigs of fresh dill
Tools:
Water bath canner Jar lifter funnel Measuring cup Pint jars, rings, and flats A large stock pot
Process:
1. Boil jars, flats, and rings to sterilize them and also to safeguard your pickles from bacteria. Next, prepare your cucumbers by washing them. I like to scrub them to remove the sticky little ends of the skins. This also makes the skin of the cucumber smoother. Trim the ends of the cucumbers. Make sure to remove the flowering end. This end of the cucumber contains an enzyme that can soften the cucumber over time.
2. Prepare the brine by adding sugar, salt, and vinegar to the stockpot and bring to a slow boil. While you wait for the brine to boil, combine the pickling spices and add them in equal parts to the jars. Do not add the pickle crip to the spices. Add a sprig of fresh dill to each jar then add your cucumbers. You can slice them in either direction or slice them into spears. They’re also good as whole pickles, especially if the cucumbers are small ones.
3. Keep an eye on your brine. Once the salt and sugar have dissolved, place the funnel in the jars and pour the hot brine over the cucumbers, leaving at least a half inch from the rim. Add a teaspoon of pickle crip to each jar. Wipe the rims to ensure the rims with a dry cloth or paper towel. Add the flat and ring, but not too tight.
4. Add the jars to the canner and add warm water until the water is at least an inch or two above the jar lids. Slowly bring the water in the canner to a boil. Boil for ten minutes. Turn the stove off and leave the jars until the water settles down and then remove the jars with the jar lifter. Place the jars on a dry folded towel on a flat surface and wait for the sounds of the pinging jars to seal. Once the jars have cooled, add the date to the lids.
This recipe typically makes eight pints of pickles x. You can double the ingredients for quarts or for more pints. The projected shelf life of the pickle is typically one to two years. However, I have opened a jar beyond this timeframe and the pickles were still great. One of the keys to a longer shelf life is to ensure the vinegar is at least 5% acidity.
This is a pictures of sliced dill pickles in quart jars.
I hope you and your family love this recipe as much as we do. As always, feel free to follow or comment. For now, God bless, from the mountains of Kentucky.
Hello, from the Mountains of Kentucky! The heatwave continues in the mountains today! Dry and hot, yet beautiful! We all know what else comes with summer temperatures. Yes, that’s it! Bees! I’m not allergic to bee stings like our grandson is, but I certainly do not like the pain from those pesky things. To be so small, their stings can pack a punch!
Our beautiful flocks! Butterflies love them, but so do bees!
While watering my flowers this morning, wasps, or as we call them, waspers, were swarming the flocks. I thought as I always do, if I don’t bother them they won’t bother me. Wrong! As I left the flower bed a red wasp decided to make a plunge for my hair. My first instinct was to swish my hair back and forth to encourage it to leave. It left! But, it came back with a vengeance. I returned and stung me on the shoulder through the sleeve of my shirt. Ouch!!
Lavender and basil. Crushed basil leaves helps soothe a sting.
Once inside, I grabbed a roller ball of lavender and rolled it on the sting to sooth it. I had just finished drinking a cup of black so I grabbed a soaked tea bag and held it on the sting to draw the poison out. As the sting started soothing, I made my way to my apothecary chest to retrieve the purify essential oil, which acts as an antiseptic and massaged a few drops directly on and around the sting. Once it dried, I added a few drops of clove essential oil that acted as a numbing agent. It numbed the bee sting and the area around it. With the mix of essential oils, the organic tea bag, and a whispered prayer, relief came to affected area.
My apothecary chest that housed my essential oils and teas.
I am a firm believer in herbs, essential oils, and teas as well as prayer. I prefer natural methods of treatment rather than over the counter medicines. God created all living things and with that He provides us with an abundance of resources all around us. It’s a good idea to keep a few essential oils in a convenient place. I always keep a few essential essential oils in my purse and a couple of tea bags when we’re away from home, for bee stings, minor headaches, scrapes, or an upset stomach.
I look forward to sharing more tips that I have found helpful for using essential oils, herbs, and teas for minor ailments. I hope that this post will be beneficial to you and your family. Also, remember, those who are severely allergic to bee stings might find this method to help soothe stings until they can be seen by a physician or use an epipen.
Clove is a versatile oil that smells wonderful and helps numb bee stings.
Blessings from our home to yours! As always feel free to leave a message and or click follow to subscribe to my blog.
Hebrews 6:7 For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God
Hello, from the mountains of Kentucky! I hope you are having a wonderful day. Things have been quite hectic in our neck of the woods! As a college professor this is one of the busiest times of the year as we are deep into the fall semester. Each year brings growth and change, which are both welcomed, but not always easy. As famers, life has been extremely hectic as we are harvesting, preserving , and canning the remnants of our garden. As a part of a church family, it’s been a busy time of growth, and a sense of urgency to pray more for our country and family than ever before. We’ve also felt the need to preserve and can more than in years past. With that sense of urgency, we’ve actively been growing our pantry, and stocking our shelves with a little more than usual this year.
Making time for self-care, especially when life gets crazy is a must. I have found that taking the time early in the morning hours to sit quietly, reflect, meditate, pray, and journal has proven to be very therapeutic and healthy for my mind and spiritual well-being, which helps to maintain a healthy mind, heart, and soul. I enjoy crocheting, which is also very therapeutic. After prayer, devotion, and Bible study, a few minutes of crocheting is one of my times to reflect and meditate. Mornings are great for me as the house is quiet and the farm outside hasn’t come to life just yet.
Morning fog hovering in the still green mountains. Morning walks are the best! Crocheting and reflecting on the past and meditating on the day.
Holistic living is healthy and very satisfying way of life. I am often asked how I made the decision to lead a holistic life. I have been an advocate for clean eating for a great number of years, which made the transition somewhat easier. I chose clean eating for my health. My health was declining at a young age. My cholesterol was out of control, my blood pressure was extremely high, I was over weight, and I was border line diabetic. So, the journey began there! I decided that I would take back my health! I chose clean eating as many fad diets just didn’t work. Day by day, week by week, with the help and support of my family, church and friends, changes started happening! One by one I was able to stop taking meds for all of the above health issues, I lost 75, yes 75 pounds! I was finally in control of my diet and my health!
With the wonderful effects that clean eating had on my health, it evolved into my decisions to become a pescatarian, then gradually that evolved to becoming a vegetarian, which both added vitality and a new zeal for life in my thoughts and my body and evolved into an even cleaner diet. I’ve had trouble with digesting diary for years and had gradually made the change to almond milk and plant butter and cheese, which again made the transition easier. For nearly five years now, I’ve enjoyed a vegan/plant based diet, which has lead to an increase in my overall health, and a peace and satisfaction that I am making a difference in my overall well-being.
Enjoying the smell of mint drying in the kitchen.
I am also a herbalist, and enjoyed growing our own herbs for cooking, making teas, and also for minor medial problems for years. I also love sharing them with family and friends. The most recent addition to living a cleaner and healthier life, was the decision to become a doTERRA essential oil consultant. I’ve used essential oils for years, and finally decided that I would become a consultant and purchase from myself rather than online markets. This line is the best that I’ve used thus far and it’s also a nice little supplemental income as well. With a holistic lifestyle come lots of questions. The primary questions I am asked are, why and how.
Fresh basil in the background and one of my favorite oils. Orange is very versatile.
The first question is the most common question. What inspired you to lead a holistic life? I always answer that question with a question. Why wouldn’t I? Then I begin to explain I chose this lifestyle for my health, my peace of mind, and simply put, for my life. I also add some details about the astounding amount of research revealing the high level of toxins, preservatives, and additives that basically poison the human body and our environment. These toxins are found in food, fast foods, shampoos, soaps, toothpaste, makeup, perfumes. detergents, cleaning products, air fresheners, candles, and even in our pet’s food. I’ll share another story in a different post of how we nearly lost my canine baby due to additives in what was supposed to be healthy doggie treats. That was a real eye-opener!
I always share one of the most informative books that I’ve ever read was, How Not to Die, written by Dr Gregor. There is so much information revealed within the covers of this book that confirmed my reasons for eating clean, and eating cleaner than I had been eating. His research also solidified my thoughts about why I had been food poisoned by fast food on more than one occasion, why we nearly lost our house dog, and why cleaning products and certain air fresheners lead to smothering and irritated sinuses. He exposes much about how these horrific toxins are actually allowed to be in our foods, pet foods, cleaning products, and even in medicines and vitamins that we think are helping us.
An eye-opening read!!! I encourage anyone who is interested in living a cleaner, more holistic life to read this book!
Secondly, I’m asked if it was a difficult transition. My answer is no. You don’t have to make the plunge and change everything at once. I made changes over a period time with my diet and I did the same thing with household items, hygiene items, and even my car air fresheners. I didn’t see the need to waste products that I already had on hand, so as I would empty an item, I would replace it with plant based, organic, and a cleaner item. First on the list, I would begin eliminating the toxins from my our home and our vehicles. My first elimination was laundry detergent. To prevent waste, after exhausting the last of my stock, I began using organic plant based detergents that didn’t require fabric softeners. There were some products that I had in my home that I could not convince myself to continue using. Those plug in air fresheners were tossed in the garbage, empty or not!
With the various air fresheners gone, I replaced them with diffusers for essential oils to help clean and purify the air and also bring a wide array of wonderful scents into the house. One by one I replaced our cleaning supplies with either organic plant based cleaning supplies or homemade supplies from natural ingredients. It’s quite amazing how many options are on the market and what’s even more amazing is the number of cleaners you can make using essential oils! I’ll share my bathroom cleaner soon! It cleans great, easy to make, and also prevents those toxic fumes that no one likes.
The next change was hair care products and tooth paste. doTERRA made that change easy for me as well. They have a wonderful plant based shampoo that incorporates essential oils, and a fantastic plant/based conditioner, and leave in conditioner that is excellent! I can’t even explain how wonderful my hair feels after using these products! My hair shines so much more than before and it feels less weighted. I also made the transition from usual tooth paste to a clean toxin free tooth paste from doTERRA. I chose this toothpaste simply because I’m a doTERRA consultant, and after trying it… it works! My teeth are clean and white and after reading the list of ingredients in my old toothpaste, it was an easy transition and one that I am happy I made.
doTERRA shampoo, conditioner, and leave-in conditioner. All natural!!!
Finally, vitamins was the next item to begin changing. It was easy to switch vitamins with doTERRA. The vegan vitality pack is on my monthly auto order. I love these vitamins as they’re all plant based, no additives, or artificial colors added, and they’re in veggie capsules. Essential oils, homegrown herbs, and homemade teas helps with common cold symptoms, allergies, scrapes and minor abrasions. I could go on forever with the reasons why I chose a holistic lifestyle.
Vitality pack! This was a game-changer! Even though I already took vitamins and had for years… I noticed an immediate change in my stamina!!
I’m asked if I miss fast foods, soft drinks, and what in the world do I do about coffee. Number one, I don’t miss fast foods. As a matter of fact, the cleaner you eat, the less you even want fast foods. My husband and I now prefer food prepared at home ten to one over restaurant foods. I gave soft drinks up over twenty years ago for my own personal health and have never looked back. I’ll be honest, coffee change took a while. It took a little while and a lot of different coffees to find a good organic coffee that I truly enjoyed, but have finally found one that is very satisfying. I have also replaced much of the coffee that I drank during the day and evenings with organic and my homemade teas.
Delicious organic coffee from Amazon!!!
Finally, I’m asked if I feel better physically since making so many changes. Simply omitting meats and dairy from my diet was a game changer with my cholesterol and inflammation. Omitting artificial colors, scents, and toxic preservatives really made a positive impact on my allergies. Plant based vitamins, a good clean diet, and the removal of toxic smells in our home has made a positive impact on my overall health, stamina, and lead to a much more simple life that makes me happy knowing I am doing something to improve my quality of life, my families, and decreasing the chances of disease in our bodies.
Enjoy the simple things that bring joy and support your health. Organic lavender growing near our front door! Love to add to plant butter, cookies, teas, and more.
If you’re interested in holistic living, start slow. Remove one thing at a time. Don’t try to do it all at one time! You’ll become overwhelmed, which might result in giving up. Make one change and allow that change to become a routine. Once you feel grounded and content with that change, make a second change. As you empty or exhaust a supply of one particular item, replace it with a cleaner wholesome item. Read the labels, do the research, do a little soul searching, meditate, pray, and take holistic living one day and one change at a time.
Take time to enjoy the change. One change at a time and you’ll be more likely to stay the course. It’s so worth it!
I hope you’ve enjoyed this post. Feel free to leave comments. I enjoy reading comments and answering questions. For now, God bless from the mountains of Kentucky! Happy Fall!!!
Good afternoon, from the mountains of Kentucky! I hope your Labor Day weekend is already off to a great start! It was a quiet morning in the mountains in our neck of the woods this morning. A big music festival has been going on in our small downtown area for the past three or four days. But, for myself, I would rather be in the peace and quiet of our small farm. This morning as the fog lifted and the dew glistened and clung like diamonds on the green leaves, I enjoyed the mountain air with a hot cup of coffee. As a result of the scattered showers last night, damp leaves lay scattered over the still damp ground. A feeling of fall was surely in the air. With thoughts of the inevitable season swiftly approaching, I felt an unction to walk through the herb garden that would all too soon be gone.
My favorite Italian basil.
With the sounds of the hummingbirds feeding and crickets still chirping, a peaceful feeling filled my being. The smell of the herbs filled the air as I brushed past the holy basil, rosemary, lavender, and my favorite Italian basil. The mint caught my attention. It was still thriving as a result of quenching their thirst with organic mint teabags this year. There was such a harmonious feeling being in the midst of the bright and fresh herbs that would soon hang in my kitchen to dry. I felt an anxious feeling for the aroma that the herbs omit while they’re drying. Our entire kitchen would be filled with scents of lavender, basil, and mint. Yet, another indication that fall is near.
My thoughts lingered in many places this morning as I enjoyed the surroundings that I so love. Lingering thoughts of our cemetery service yesterday where we gathered to have church on the graveyard. This is an old tradition that still lingers in the Appalachian mountains. It’s a time to pay respect to our loved ones, worship together in song, preaching of the word, and prayer. It’s also a time when the world outside with all the doom and gloom seems to stop… and family gathers together to remember and celebrate the lives of our family who have gone before us.
My great grandparents grave.
The songs that were sung on the cemetery still felt alive in my mind. While sitting quietly among the herbs, one of my favorite morning fragrances enticed my senses. The earth was alive this morning! The aroma of the rich soil was thick in the air. The smell of the soil after a rain instantly transported me back to my childhood. Rising early to the sounds of our mother singing. I would eagerly follow the sound of her soft voice. Many mornings I found her sitting on the back porch drinking coffee, enjoying the mountain morning air, and other times she would be shucking corn or stringing beans she had picked earlier that morning while my brother, sister, and I slept. The aroma of strong black coffee filled the kitchen and the cool morning air. The scent of damp soil enticed me to run barefoot between the rows of corn, but the freshness of the garden vegetables sustained me. I loved stringing beans, or chopping corn, even as a young child.
Everyone I string beans, I think of my youth.
After a slow and thoughtful walk through the aromatic herbs, reality called my name. It was time to go inside and enjoy a little time with my latest adventures in writing. I’m excited to share more news and details as the project approaches completion. Also, upcoming posts include canning crushed tomatoes, preserving like a pro, vegan zucchini bread, and an update on our fall adventures in the mountains. For now, may the Lord bless you each with a wonderful and restful Labor Day. Feel free to leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers. God bless from the mountains of Kentucky!
A Healthier Me...Homesteading Simple & Clean 