The Vinegar Solution

If you told my father growing up that you had a stomach ache or were suffering some minor health issue, you were sure to hear the words: "Go drink some vinegar". I don't know how many of us actually did this but now that I know a few things, the man was right. Oh the wisdom of elders. Vinegar is the nectar of Gods. Really. It can do everything. It should be in everyones year supply. Both white distilled and apple cider vinegar. It has replaced so many things in my household and it is so very cheap. 


Here are some of my favorite uses:


HEALTH USES


Stops the sting/itch of insect stings


Soothes a sunburn


Help clears acne: mix 1:1 ratio of apple cider vinegar to water. After face is cleansed and dried, dab on this mixture and let dry overnight. The acid in the vinegar kills bacteria that is responsible for acne and will eat away dead skin on the face that leaves a dull appearance.


Fixes a sour stomach. Drink 1T. in a cup of water.


Kills warts. Apply vinegar to a piece of cotton the size of the wart and cover with a band aid. Let sit overnight. 
Repeat until gone. Use Bragg's apple cider vinegar.


For an itchy scalp or dandruff, rinse head with 1:1 ratio of apple cider vinegar and water. Also good for kids that smell like dogs in the summer time!


Cleaning Uses


Unclog a drain. 1/2 cup baking soda to 1 cup white vinegar. Pour in drain and let foam for a while. Follow with hot tap water to flush out.


Removes sticker residue.


Cleanser: 1/4 cup Baking soda, 1 T. liquid soap. Add enough vinegar to make the right consistency. 


Wood floor cleaner: 1 cup white vinegar to 1 gallon water


Cleanse chrome. Spray on full strength and then rinse off. 


Deodorize: plastic containers, fridge, sinks, garbage pails, etc.


Cleans the toilet: Let sit in toilet overnight and flush in the morning.


Takes soap residue off dishes instantly. You know that soap scum that has been baked on in the dishwasher and won't come off with water and soap! Fill the sink with vinegar and a little water and one dip and they are clean!


What is your favorite uses? Love the stuff! Once again, no need for chemicals. Give me some vinegar, baking soda and a little essential oils and my house will shine. Plus, your pocket book will thank you.

Grain-free Brownies

I am absolutely in love with coconut flour. You can make the tastiest gluten free/grain free treats around. They don't have any after taste like some of the gluten free grains do. Coconut flour recipes are actually good so I actually want to eat them as well. Giving the gut a little break from gluten is always good. 

These gluten free brownies are delicious. They would even be better with some GF chocolate chips sprinkled on top before baking for a little extra delight. I make these a little less sweet with the coconut sugar but you can always make them with white sugar for the real deal brownie. However, using coconut flour, coconut oil and coconut sugar yields a very nice low guilt treat!

Grain-Free Brownies

1/3 cup coconut oil or butter, melted

1/2 cup cocoa

6 eggs

1 cup coconut sugar or other sugar

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup coconut flour

Coconut milk as needed

optional, nuts and chocolate chips

melt coconut oil/butter with cocoa on stove until smooth. Remove from heat and allow to cool. In a bowl, mix together the eggs, sugar, salt and vanilla. Stir in cocoa mixture. Whisk in coconut flour until there are no lumps. It will thicken as you stir.Add coconut milk if too thick. I seem to add about 1/4 to 1/3 cup. Pour into greased pan or individual muffin tins. (I love the square muffin cups) Bake at 350 for 30-35 for whole pan , 8X8 or 12-15 minutes for square muffin pan or mini muffin size. Don't over bake so check during baking. All oven times are different.

***Recipe taken from the Tropical Traditions website.

The scorpion sting, in summary.

You may all be pleased to know I survived the day after the "scorpion" incident. It is amazing how something so painful can be gone without a scar. 


I am also pleased to report that I am quite sure that I killed the little bugger a couple days later. If not, it means there was another one in my house. I am going with the first scenario. I searched for two days and couldn't find him. I somehow managed to sleep in my bed. I used the black light to look through everything before I went to bed. I checked one night and didn't see anything. I was watching TV before bed and all of a sudden decided to get up and check again for some reason. I searched the room...nothing. I then decided to start down the hall. I took a step just as my daughter took a step out of the bathroom. We were literally one foot apart and she gasped. Right there between us was a scorpion. Both she and I almost stepped on it. Call it luck but I am going with inspiration and guidance. Any case, he has passed on to the next world. 


Since I have now had some experience with the nasty stings of death, I have learned a few tricks that help. I am convinced that you will always have to suffer some sort of personal hell when you get stung but there is a way to speed the process along and lessen the effects.


First: Helichrysum oil. Apply right on the sting and rub in as well as you can. I didn't rub it in as well as I should have at first. 


Second: Apply pressure like a tourniquet so that the venom won't travel far. When I was stung on my foot, the venom spread up my leg instantly, I cinched my leg under my knee, where it already was and hung on for dear life. It never passed that point. I firmly believe that the Helichrysum helped stop the spread as well.


Third: ICE! Ice will constrict the blood vessels and help slow the flow of the venom. It also helps with the pain. I couldn't function without the ice pack. 


Fourth: Apply peppermint oil and Helichrysum throughout the day. With my first sting, I applied the Helichrysum once but never again. This last time I did an experiment. About 12 hours into it with still a pretty good amount of pain, I applied it to my sting on my lady lump and rubbed it in well. Instantly the pain was gone. I didn't apply it to my finger and the pain lasted a few more hours until I then put the oil on that sting. It then went away. My conclusion is that you need to reapply the oil a few times as it takes a while to break down the venom. Wish I knew that before.


So, there you have it. I actually had wanted to know the best way to deal with these stings before I got stung so I could give some advice to others. Now I am a pro. Although, every sting is different. A scorpion can regulate the venom they deliver so if you make them really mad, you will get more. I am also convinced that the foot is worse as you have all the nerve endings in the foot. Any case, it stinks.


Thanks for all your advice. They are all being considered. We are getting screens for our vents, we are getting chickens. Already have 5 cats in the back yard. I am seeking professional advice but still won't go for harsh chemicals. I actually prefer scorpions to toxins in my home. They won't kill you. You just feel like you are dying. But.....it ends. 


Sleep well. Check your sheets before you dive in. 

Irritated.

I have this recurring dream ever since we found scorpions at our home 2 years ago. Oh, and also Black Widows. Since I am the one who goes out hunting for them at night, I very often dream they are in my bed. I jump up, throw back the covers until my husband tells me I'm crazy and to go back to bed. 

Last night, 2 hours into my slumber, I jumped up, threw back the covers, tore off my shirt and as my husband was looking at me like I was crazy, I assured him that this was the real deal. He then jumped up too and the bed was stripped in a matter of seconds. Maybe I willed it into my bed with my dreams or maybe they were out to get me because I killed their family. In any case, I got stung right there on my delicate baby feeder with the bonus round of my finger that I used to flick it off. Two for one. Seriously irritated. Even worse, we cannot find him. We tore the room apart and used a black light and he is no where to be found. How can something that little make you feel like a machete was pulled on you during the night. Now, I have just two hours of sleep under my belt and a schedule that makes me tired just to look at not to mention my throbbing girlfriends. 16 two/three year olds will be parading through my house soon so I will pretend that I am fully rested and ready to party. The show must go on.


There are few things that I hate in this world but scorpions are one of them. Really, why did they need to be created? 


My friends out there, what do you do to get rid of these unwanted demons? Any tips? A war has now been waged. My personal bubble has been big time violated.

Supplement order this Friday.

I am ordering supplements on Friday for those of you in need. After this shipment, probiotics will most likely go up in price as I have to have them overnighted due to the temperature outside. This always drives up the cost. Stock up now.


For essential oil, the liver cleanse pak is still $25 and the staph pak is still $100. Super great deals. 


If you need any direction into what your body may need, feel free to shoot me an email. 

Canned Cheese

I must have sparked some interest with my "canned cheese" line in the last post. LOTS of emails. No, I am not canning it myself and the only time I am going to use it is if I have to. But, this cheese is the real deal. No artificial ingredients. Nothing bad except for the fact that it is in a can which I don't usually love. However, if cheese is not available to us, this cheese will be divine. It slices, shreds, melts, etc. It is real cheese and has been made by this company since 1899 for places that don't have refrigeration.

Where can you get it? Well, I found it at the MRE Depot online by the case of 36. I think you can get a smaller amount now as well. I just bought the last case on Amazon but it wasn't much cheaper. Check out the details about what it is and how it is made at the MRE depot here.

Taco Time

It was another night that gave me 15 minutes for dinner prep. Baseball season is a killer. I had some grass fed beef ready to be used in the fridge that in no way was I going to let go to waste. Add to that a beautiful orange bell pepper, a couple tomatoes and garden lettuce. Super. I could make taco's in 15 minutes and it is a meal the kids would also be thrilled about.  I usually make taco's with black beans so all beef taco's would rock their world. 

As part of my 90 day meal supply , I keep taco shells on hand. These babies pictured above are a pretty decent lot. In a perfect world, they would be organic and treated with lime but I take as near perfection as I can get. The ingredient list is simple:

Corn

Salt

Coconut oil

Where do you ever see coconut oil listed as an ingredient? Pretty rare. I am SOOOO sick of seeing canola oil, corn oil and safflower oil. Total junk. These shells are on sale right now at Basha's for $1.45. With a good shelf life, they are a great thing to stock. 

Now, don't go and ruin your healthy taco with that packaged taco mix. Way too much salt and preservatives. It is so easy to make a taco taste right. I just dump the ingredients so I can't give any exact measurements but here is the general idea:

Cook your ground beef with onions and peppers as desired. Drain if you need to. Use black beans and grains if desired as well. 

Add cumin (about 1/2 to 1 tsp per pound beef)

Add Chili powder until desired spice is achieved.

Salt

Pepper

Garlic if desired

Add some salsa to the mix to just moisten and add flavor. 

That simple. Fill the taco shell with cheese, meat, lettuce, tomatoes, avocados, etc. 

For my 90 day supply meal, I have planned it with black beans, quinoa and salsa. You always have to plan it like you don't have any fresh ingredients for worse case scenario. Man, that would be a toughy for me. But, at least I will have some great flavor. I am adding some canned, natural cheese to my stash so at least I will have that to add. 

How's your supply coming? In case you haven't been paying attention, the world is a bit nuts right now. Stock up. Prepare. Be responsible. 

A Thank You Note

**From the Goss family

Dear Enlightened Homemakers,

 

Most of you are strangers to Abigail and me. But when Shari gave you the opportunity to donate to Abigail, you did. Thank you for your kindness and generosity! It truly is remarkable to see complete strangers help each other. Abigail is too young to say thanks herself, but I thank you in behalf of this sweet 21-month-old princess.

 

She is doing absolutely fantastic! In the past 2 months her main tumor has shrunk about 95-97%! All of the metastasis in her bones are gone (at least undetectable!). Her bone marrow tests came back clear! Her oncologist says in his career he has seen maybe 1/2 dozen children respond this well.

 

But the hard decisions continue. Her doctor wants to continue chemotherapy because that's his job and she is responding so well to it. We are also giving her an alternative treatment product called Protocel. Our next decision is to say yes or no to another round of chemotherapy, hoping and praying that Protocel is doing what it's 'supposed' to do. So we would love for you to keep praying for her!

 

Again, thank you for your kindness!

Love,

Annabeth, Abigail and family

We are sooooo happy for you Abigail! Keep it up. The Enlightened Homemakers of the world are cheering for you. 

Thank you all who donated. I was touched to see how many cared for someone they didn't even know. You are the best friends ever.

Shari

Orange Blossoms for Tate

Tate gets the raw deal a lot of the time around our house and at parties. He can never eat treats anyone makes and usually takes it pretty well. However, he is getting older now and is starting to understand that he is missing something. I decided that this boy deserved a little something special and that I needed to make something that actually tasted sweet and delicious yet still stuck with his diet of no refined sugars, dairy or gluten. These little gems were absolutely delicious. Not just delicious for a gluten free kid that didn't know the difference; they were the kind of yummy that the other non-gluten free kids in the house wanted also. Tate was so happy. He grinned from ear to ear. I grinned from ear to ear also to make this little man so pleased. I made him some pretty rockin almond butter cookies as well. He deserves something good for all the rotten things he has to go through in this life!

Orange Blossoms

6 eggs

1/4 cup coconut oil

1/4 cup coconut milk or almond milk

7 T. honey

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp. orange zest

1/2 cup coconut flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp celtic salt

juice of half of an orange

Melt coconut oil and let cool a bit. 

whisk eggs, coconut/almond milk, honey, zest and vanilla. Add the coconut oil when not too warm and orange juice. Add coconut flour, baking powder and salt. Stir until lumps are gone. Pour the batter into mini muffin pans, either greased or lined.

Bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes or until lightly golden. Do not over bake.

Ice them with the following:

1/4 cup melted coconut oil

1/2 tsp orange zest

couple tsp. honey as desired

Whisk then put in the fridge to let cool enough to thicken. Whisk now and then. It doesn't take long. If you want it sweeter, add more honey. This is really an amazing icing! 

Frost warm cupcakes. 

The "Cookie"

My sister-in-law just called to ask for this recipe. It is the absolutely best cookie in the world. It is the only thing that I can't control myself around, well , other than a newborn's neck. When we make these, I have to make sure they get shared with others so that they are only in our house for the day.  I had posted this earlier with all the bad sugars but revised it since we are off dairy and don't want the bad sugars even once in a while at home anymore. It is still my favorite cookie!

Chocolate chip coconut oat cookies

1 cup softened butter or coconut oil

2 cups coconut sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

2 cups whole grain flour (tastes great with whole grain soft white flour)

2 cups oatmeal

1 cup unsweetened coconut

2 cups chocolate chips, I use Sunspire. 

Cream together the butter/coconut oil and sugars. Add eggs and vanilla. Beat until light and fluffy. Add dry ingredients and mix until all incorporated. Add in chocolate chips and stir. Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes. (or eat the dough straight)