Holistic Instincts

This cake is so yummy!  The original recipe came out of an ancient Mexican cookbook that called for lots of sugar, butter and of course, the always dreaded all-purpose flour.  And since I normally try to avoid foods that make me look pregnant, I knew I had to recreate the recipe so it can be a well-deserved treat next week. I replaced the all-purpose flour here with blanched almond flour.  Typically, almond flour cannot replace flour in recipes 1:1, so I included small amounts of tapioca starch and coconut flour to round things out a bit. The best part (for me) is the maple glaze - it is so easy, it may also be easy to walk away and forget about it until the house is filled with smoke and what is left in the saucepan is nothing but charred sugar.  Not that this ever happened to me, I swear. Maple Glazed Holiday Cake 4 organic eggs, separated 1/2 cup palm shortening (or ghee), melted and cooled, plus more for greasing the pan 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/2 cup coconut

The holidays should be a time of peace, contentment and reflection and a time spent with family and friends.  I am all about keeping things simple, especially around this time of year.  And I love making and receiving homemade gifts, so I put together a list of 20 easy, and very budget-friendly, gifts to make for friends and family - or to keep for yourself!!  Most of the food recipes are paleo, gluten and/or vegetarian-friendly (but if not, substitutions may be made). DIY gifts for the foodies in your life: 3-Ingredient Nutella  from The Foodie Teen Herbal Sweet Treats from Mountain Rose Herbs Homemade Honey Coconut Ghee from Honey, Ghee & Me Homemade Vanilla Extract from Wellness Mama Paleo Banana Bread in a Jar from Civilized Caveman Gluten-Free Cookie Mix in a Jar from The Detoxinista Cookie Mix in a Jar from Elana's Pantry Paleo Cookies in a Jar from A Girl Worth Saving

There is no question that most commercially prepared seasoning blends, and mixtures, contain a lot of weird ingredients.  Popular seasoning blends usually contain added sugars, starches, anti-caking agents, MSG and more.  And though many clean-conscience companies are producing items with simple ingredients, such items may sometimes be hard to find locally or are much pricier than their scary counterparts. A homemade blend is great because you control the quality and freshness of the ingredients.  I came up with this garlic seasoning blend to replace one that I once ordered online.  The original seasoning blend was great but just not within my regular budget.  This seasoning is versatile and can be sprinkled onto eggs, veggies before roasting, breakfast potatoes, poultry or fish.  The recipe can easily be double, or tripled, before bottling.  And when put into cute spice jars, this blend would make a great budget-friendly holiday gift. This recipe contains granulated garlic and

Just in time for National Cookie Day, right?! I wanted to a cookie that met all of my usual requirements:  cookies that are grain, dairy and refined sugar-free.  And it needed to be simple, because folks, I am all about simple!  This recipe is all of that and delicious.  I would say, maybe even decadent. Traditional 3-ingredient cookie recipes call for peanut butter, which is often loaded with refined sugars, rancid oils and other crazy things (to give it its plastic-y appearance and shelf-stable life), plus additional sugar. Peanuts, along with other legumes, can cause all sorts of issues in the body.  Legumes contain a high concentration of saponin , normally found in the seeds of the legume plant.  Saponin is a detergent-like compound that normally deters animals from eating the plant and when consumed by humans, can cause leaky gut and contribute to inflammation in the body.  Really not delicious.  Or decadent, at all. And you and I both know that refined sugar, which

Over the last two years, I have reached a point where I make most of my family's personal care and household products at home.  The skin is the largest organ of the body and considering it can absorb more than 50% of what it comes in contact with, knowing exactly what you are putting on your skin just makes sense. Most commercial lotions contain ingredients that are drying to the skin (and make you use more product), are made with potentially harmful ingredients and can come with warnings to call Poison Control in case it is swallowed. I have become pretty diligent when it comes to reading all labels, whether they are on food or makeup or personal care products.  And as a general rule, if I do not know what something is, I do not want it in, on or around our bodies. Lotion marketed for babies sounds like it would be your best bet for a soothing skin care product.  I mean, it is marketed specifically for babies with new skin, so it should at least be safe to use, right?  Be

One of my absolute favorite soups is French Onion.  Back in my dairy-and-grain-full days, I would love to visit this favorite restaurant chain that was famous for this soup and promptly order a bowl (no cup, please) of French Onion soup in all of its glory, before even looking at the menu. Since going dairy and grain-free, I still make this cold weather favorite, and gladly omit the bread and cheese.  This soup, full of browned onions and good old-fashioned homemade bone broth still promises to satisfy the mind and belly. It is no secret the bone broth is full of nourishing and medicinal qualities - and just all-around good for you!  Previous generations instinctively knew to include broth as part of a cold remedy protocol because it supports immune function, is easy to digest and full of vitamins and minerals that are easily absorbable in the body.  Plus. the gelatin is helpful needed for healthy skin, hair and nails. I come to this very budget-friendly recipe often duri

Honey is used in my house for a variety of things and is definitely one of my most used pantry items. And I prefer raw honey as a natural sweetener because it retains more of its nutritional and medicinal properties over honey that has been heated and processed. Honey has instinctively been used for centuries as medicine due to both its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties and has been used for treating colds and soothing coughs for ages, too.  Its unique properties allow it to be used as a barrier for wounds, speeding the growth of healthy tissue, killing bacteria and germs, reducing pain and inflammation and treating burns, scrapes, skin ulcers and sores. According to WedMD : 'Several recent studies show manuka honey is effective when used on top of wounds and leg ulcers. Studies also show it's effective in fighting infection and promoting healing. The Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database lists honey as being "possibly effective" to treat bur

One of the main concerns for most people changing their diet is cost.  And I certainly understand - it took me a long time not to flinch when comparing the cost between one pound of conventional ground beef  and one pound of grass-fed beef.  I know that my food budget has changed drastically since I began ensuring that the food my family and I eat is healthy.  And compared to SAD (Standard American Diet), eating a real food diet can seem totally out of reach.  Convenience and fast food will always seem cheaper than sourcing quality foods and preparing them at home but compared to cost of health concerns such as obesity, auto-immune conditions, allergies and sensitivities, doctors visits and medication .....is convenience really worth it?  For me, it is not. Below, I have put together some of the best tips that have really helped maximize my food budget: Avoid processed foods:   Going on a clean diet seems to eliminate this issue when items like frozen breakfast products or chemi

In Sanskrit, Urdhva means upward, Mukha means face and Shvana means dog.  This pose is named so because of the way it resembles a dog that is stretching its hindquarters. Every yoga class incorporates this pose as part of a vinyasa flow, usually several times.  And while Upward-Facing Dog looks a little like Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana), there are several differences.  Here, the body is lifted off the ground (including the thighs) and it is supported by the palms of the hands and tops of the feet.  This pose seems fairly easy but strength is needed to support the body, and open the chest and shoulders. Urdhva Mukha Shvanasana strengthens the spine, arms and wrists while opening the chest, as well as the legs and hips.  It can aid in increasing circulation to the lungs and abdomen.  And is beneficial in increasing the range of motion for the spine and stretches the abdomen and hip flexors. To enter this pose, you may begin on the floor resting on your belly or from Chaturanga Dan

Ranch dressing just seems to be one of those things that every person can agree on:  it goes on everything! The sad truth is that commercial ranch dressings are full of of bad oils, questionable ingredients and chemicals to make them shelf-stable, look pretty and have a bleached-white color.  Below are the ingredients listed for the ever popular  Hidden Valley Original Ranch dressing (directly from their website): ' Vegetable oil (soybean and/or canola), water, egg yolk, sugar, salt, cultured nonfat buttermilk, natural flavors (milk and soy), less that 1% of: spices, dried garlic, dried onion, vinegar, phosphoric acid, xanthan gum, modified food starch, monosodium glutamate, artificial flavors, disodium phosphate, sorbic acid and calcium disodium EDTA as preservatives, disodium inosinate, disodium guanylate.  Contains: egg, milk, soy.  Gluten-free.' MSG, along with four kinds of disodium-somethings, are not my idea of healthy.  Or tasty. My version of ranch dressin

Any given week, my family goes through over 2 dozen eggs.  We eat a lot of scrambled eggs in the mornings - with the yolks - AND cooked in some sort of fat, whether it be fresh lard, saved bacon or duck fat (my personal favorite) or even tallow.  On days that smoothies are in order (because, Vegas = HOT), I will add 8 raw eggs to the blender before I add other goodies.  We really do go through a lot of eggs. And as mentioned above, we do not shy away from fat.  Specifically, pure animal fat in all of its glory.  I buy all different types and even scoop it off finished dishes to store in a labeled jar for later use.  I choose poultry with skin still on and fatty cuts of beef because we adore it.  Pastured pork belly and grass-fed beef cheeks are my kind of heaven. People that know us, also know of our love of bacon.  And one year, friends even gifted my husband with a jar of bacon fat for Christmas.  I think they meant it as a joke but my husband was in love.  True story. Of cour

One of my of favorite yoga poses is Balasana, or Child's Pose.  In Sanskrit, bala means child and asana refers to the yoga pose (though literally translated can mean 'to be' or 'to stay'). This pose is considered a restorative, or resting, pose.  A true restorative pose needs little physical energy to move into (and out of) the pose.  And this pose is amazing because it can offer a way to release unconscious tension.  After a few minutes of deep breathing in this pose, tension in the neck and shoulders may begin to melt away.  Balasana is an anytime/anywhere pose - available to anyone needing a few minutes of self-care. Balasana is considered to be especially helpful in restoring the body's energy, stretching and releasing the lower back, relaxing the neck and shoulders, and this pose can also stimulate digestion. To enter this pose, begin in a kneeling position and allow the hips to sink down into the heels.  Tops of the feet should be relaxed and fla

Turmeric root, the spice that gives curry powder its signature yellow color, is most commonly associated with cooking.  But historically, it has been used for its medicinal properties due to its powerful compounds - most importantly curcumin.  Studies have shown that the compound curcumin contains strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory qualities, as well as antiseptic properties and can be used as a sleep aid alternative. Topically, turmeric can be used in a paste to sooth inflamed skin (as with eczema and psoriasis, acne and bug bites).  Internally, turmeric can be helpful in reducing pain associated with inflammation (as with arthritis, or other conditions), and aids with digestive issues, such as upset stomach or pains, and with gallbladder, kidney and liver issues. Laboratory tests have shown that using turmeric can prevent hardening of the arteries.  It may support brain health and prevent and slow Alzheimer's.  And curcumin, as a cancer treatment , can affect c

                                        I love a good salad and can eat one for breakfast, lunch and dinner.  But it was not always the case for me.  I realized that my previous disdain for salads had to do with the store-bought dressing that, somehow, tasted bland and yet full of chemicals at the same time.  But give me a bowl of vegetables with croutons and I would eat that all day long.  Well, just the croutons.  I dabbled with a homemade dressing around seven years ago (a nice balsamic if memory serves) and my love affair with salad dressings began. My household typically enjoys a salad with dinner several times a week and I usually rotate between five or six dressings that can be thrown together in just a few minutes.  One favorite is a raw vegetable salad with this Greek-style dressing.  It may take a few minutes longer than our usual ones but trust when I say it is awesome.  The vegetables are easily swapped and stay crunchy so it keeps well in the refrigerator for a few day

Breakfast options seem limited when things like instant oatmeal or toast are a thing of the past.  Dry cereal or toaster waffles are not food and the only ones that want you to believe that it is are companies that heavily market such items, both to kids and adults, as breakfast. I can almost guarantee that our grandparents (and their grandparents) did not eat frozen pancakes or drive-through sandwiches.  More than likely, a full meal was prepared, especially since previous generations did not have access to the convenience food or fast food joints.  Leftovers from the previous night were also served since households may not have had a refrigerator handy. So what can you eat when the standard options are not available?  The answer is:  EVERYTHING!  In my family, we eat a variety of meals in the morning.  Eggs are an obvious option because they are cheap, nutritious and super easy.  Smoothies made with both healthy raw eggs and greens like spinach are filling and fast - weird prote

Why would anyone want to make mayonnaise?  It truly is one of the easiest, fastest and tastiest condiments to make.  A batch is versatile and can be used to dress tuna salads, added to omelettes (yep!)  and used as (or whisked into) salad dressings.  And, mayonnaise can be used as a natural hair treatment . But I confess:  I used to hate anything with mayonnaise.  I never added it to sandwiches and avoided mayo-based pasta or veggies salads.  It is an unnatural white color, blobby (blobby is a word, right?), flavorless and just all-around gross.  I bought it regularly though, and always Costco-sized, because....well I am not sure.  Maybe I thought it was one of those things every kitchen needed and someone would report me to mom police if I didn't have any around. A hundred years ago, when I become a stay-at-home mom, I knew that making as many food items as possible from scratch would save money.  I made my own salad dressings, pasta sauces, broth, desserts, even sandwich

It has become common knowledge that an increase of dietary probiotics can be very important to our health. Foods with added probiotics are popular (such as yogurt), as are probiotic supplements.  And both are now commonly found in grocery stores. Emerging research on our microbiome indicates that the bacteria that colonizes our gut can impact both our physical and emotional health.  Probiotic foods have many benefits , including: Stimulation of memory and learning Positive mood changes Improved digestive function Increased diversity of gut microflora Enhanced immune system function Possible decrease of some allergic reactions Historically, many cultures fermented foods as a way of preserving them (before water-bath canning was available).  Allowing food to ferment foods in a controlled environment not only enhances the flavor but also increases the digestibility of food while making vitamins and minerals bio-available. While many cultured foods and beverages, such