Seventh Gen

Ok so Seventh Generation is my new BFF! I am loving that company right now for several reasons. One they make great eco friendly and natural products. Two they tell you exactly what is in it, no I wonder what I am using or I can't pronounce anything. But the most important reason is their customer service, yes people customer service still exists, in some companies at least. Being the frugalist I am I do not purchase Seventh Gen unless it is on sale or I have a coupon, I mean come on 4.99 for 80 wipes, ouch. So when I purchased their baby wipes for the first time and got them home I was surprised that they were bone dry. Humm it doesn't take a genius to figure out that wipes should be wet. Armed with my I don't get it attitude I called the company and was so amazed. They not only e-mailed me back right away they apologize, asked me to give them the product info and mailed me out a voucher for a new box! At the same time I got a $5 rebate in the mail from them for some cleaning products I bought a few weeks back. Ok that was a steal Kroger had a big sale on 7th Gen, I had coupons plus a mail in rebate. Each thing came out to less than $2 each. I know I am a loser but very exciting for me, plus they told me to add a little filtered water to the dry box of wipes and they will be just fine! Rock on Seventh Generation, OK I am dating my self a little =) Blessings Laur

First area food, I have come a long way from my early years. I grow up in the era of fad diets and quick fixes. My mother was always trying the new thing to lose weight and it was always a roller coaster ride. We had diet everything from one point to another, always diet coke, diet dinners, diet snacks and my all time favorite pig rines (eww dried pig skin, my mom loved these) with the ever so popular atkins diet. Eat all the meat you want but no carbs, what a number that must have done on our bodies. Anyway I have my wonderful husband to credit for the start of our whirlwind change and the end of the roller coaster diets. A year ago this past January he told me he wanted to get healthy. Not just lose weight but get healthy. Of course with the timing I assumed this was just a dead end new year resolution but he began to run and run and run. I sometimes felt like calling him forest because he never stopped. Seeing how well he was doing I began to walk (not run) but managed to lose 10 pounds. Soon after I got pregnant with our second daughter and then you know what happened I got fatter as he got skinner. Great for a woman's self esteem especially being pregnant. With a year under his belt this past January he was almost 60 pounds lighter and as of the October before I had gained 40 pounds of baby weight. As much as I hoped she was a 40 pound baby I left the hospital only 11 pounds lighter with pounds to go. So here begins my new health journey and so far it has been amazing and I can't wait to see what god brings us next. I have now lost all my baby weight plus another 15 pounds. I am enjoying life so much and can not have imagined I would be where I am at today. I am baking my own breads, cooking from scratch, cloth diapering and getting up at 5:15. Ok not trying to boast but if you knew the old me this is crazy. I never cooked, the hubs is the cook. Baking was a box of brownies, take out was my game and if it was easy I was in!!! Not to mention I was the queen of sleeping in. It is amazing to me how good I feel and just how much you can get done before 7am, join me I challenge you for a week just try it. I know you are thinking crazy Lauren but if you have kids this is some you time, a chance to get things done and some time to have with the lord. Blessings Laur

Lavender Oil

So I can't believe it has taken me this long to report on this. Almost a month ago now I e-mailed friends and family the e-mail below about our poor little baby. Well I am so happy to report that it has worked and in such an amazing way. Granted I overload this kid with Lavender but she has zero congestion and no runny nose!!!! It is amazing and if you suffer from Hay Fever you need to try it out. We use a reed diffuser in her room and we also have essential oil soap for bath time and lotion for after. Plus I have a mist I carry with me in case someone is cutting there grass while we are out. It works, I just mist it on her car seat, just make sure you use pure essential oil of lavender. We got ours at http://www.indigowild.com I love all of there products they are 100% all natural and they even sell there soap at Whole Foods if you want to try! Blessings Laur

Well god has blessed us in so many ways and this one was truly amazing to me. My poor little baby has been congested for so long (since 3 weeks old) and I have always prayed god would put his healing hands on her but it wasn't till two nights ago that I really gave it all to him. I began to pray over her because her congestion was at an all time high. After visiting friends on Sunday and seeing how cut grass affected her (her eyes puffed out like big red balloons) I began to do research about allergies. My husband has always suffered from Hay Fever but I did not know it could be passed down. Secondly was worried since we are going to the doctors today that they were going to say lets put her on Meds. So as much research as I did I was having trouble finding natural remedies for allergies. Well two nights ago I prayed that if this was what was going on with her that god would help me to relieve her. Well boy did he answer, that night I picked up the Makers Diet and began to read the chapter on Hygiene well it said for more info to go to the back of the book. Right under the hygiene part in the back of the book was info on essential oils and it actually says may be helpful in relieving allergies symptoms for babies and children. So I began my research on essential oils and found that lavender oil has been shown to relieve allergy symptoms. Well if that wasn't enough last night I received an e-mail telling me about a company Indigo Wild that makes all natural products using essential oils!!!! So last night I ordered her everything lavender I could, and was amazed that there baby products were all made with lavender oil. What an amazing God!!!! We are so blessed.

The basics of milling wheat

My wonderful cousin wrote this and I just had to post it because it is the perfect explanation of milling wheat! Love you Mal

After weeks of researching and gleaning insight from experienced millers (i.e. my sister and cousin), I have finally milled my own flour! It all started when my sister, Katie, heard a woman speak at her weekly bible study on the nutritional benefits of milling flour. After sharing the information with me, I was immediately hooked! I no longer felt okay about buying "whole wheat" breads at the local supermarket that offered little to no nutritional value. Here are the basics of what I've learned:

A whole grain is made up of 3 main layers.

1. Bran - the outer layer containing the roughage that helps move unwanted toxins and poisons through your digestive system. The bran also contains many vitamins, minerals, and proteins.
2. Germ - the health center of the grain, overflowing with vitamins B and E, as well as unsaturated fat and protein.
3. Endosperm - the starchy white center. Blah.

Now, whole grains comprise nearly 90% of all the vitamins, minerals, and protein your body will ever need! Unfortunately though, commercially milled products do NOT provide you these nutrients.

Why you ask? Once the whole grain is milled, the oils located in the bran and germ oxidize and turn rancid within just 3 days! So for commercial purposes, both the bran and germ—and all the nutrients contained therein—are stripped in order to allow product shelf life.

Yes, most of the bread you buy at the store is made up purely of endosperm! You’re basically eating gluten, starch, and sugar. For marketing purposes, you’ll see products claiming to be “enriched with vitamins and minerals!” Don’t be fooled. The fact that a product requires enriching is a warning sign on its own. Besides, most of the essential vitamins stripped are not able to be replaced through the enrichment process.

If you're like me, you may be thinking to yourself, "Who has time to mill their own flour??" But I can assure you that milling hasn't been nearly as time consuming as I originally imagined. Yes, it takes longer than picking up a loaf at your local grocery store, but the extra time is certainly worth the added benefits. Plus, if you have a bread machine, it does all the work - you just pour the ingredients straight into the machine and wait for your bread to be done!

If you are interested in milling your own bread, here's what you'll need to get started:

1. Mill - I have the Wondermill and love, love, love it! It's extremely simple to use and takes about 30 seconds - from start to finish -to mill a few cups of flour! Mine was a birthday gift bought off Amazon...you can also check out your local health food store. (I bought mine at Bread Beckers, Woodstock, Ga)

2. Bread Maker - Although you don't have to have a bread maker to make your own bread, it cuts out a lot of time and effort needed to prep the bread for baking. Breadmakers can be expensive, so I recommend going on Craigslist and purchasing a gently used one for between $15 - $30. (Got mine at Walmart for $60)

3. Grain - I buy my grain in bulk (50 pound bags) because it's cheaper in the long run. Keep in mind, whole grains do not expire (only after the whole grain is milled does it have an expiration date). I found a vendor at my local farmer's market that sells bulk grains. Also check out local health food shops. You will probably need to request a bulk size order as most stores won't have 50 lb. bags hanging around. I store the grain in airtight paint containers in a closet. I have both Hard Red Wheat and Soft White Wheat which I usually combine in recipes. (Also get mine at Bread Beckers 42 pound barrel runs between $40-$45, You can also buy smaller 7 lbs buckets for about $15)

Now you're ready to begin milling and baking bread! Remember, only mill enough flour for what your recipe calls for. Otherwise, it will be nutritionally depleted after 72 hours.

Here is a basic bread recipe to follow:

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups hot water
1/3 cup oil
1/3 cup honey (local honey is preferred because it helps in preventing allergies)
2 tsp salt
1 egg (optional)
2 Tbs. Lechitin (found at your local health food store)
1 tsp gluten (this makes the bread smooth)
4-4 1/2 cups freshly milled flour (equivalent to 3 cups of un-milled wheat berries)
1/2 cup ground flax (buy whole flaxseed and grind it in a food processor -- do not mill)
1 Tbs yeast

Directions:
Add all ingredients, except yeast, directly into your breadmaker in the order shown above. Make a little burrow in the middle of the dry ingredients and add the yeast. Follow the prompts on your bread machine for making wheat bread. Wha-la, you're done!

Gum

Ahh the biggest fight in our house is about gum, yes gum. My husband is a gum addict. Did you know a ton of gums are made with aspartame? Almost all of them and every gum he likes I told him honey it's simple gum or cancer you pick. Gum has been a wonderful appetite suppressant for him and I think visions of his fat jeans were dancing in his head. Oh I found a real winner with the chicklet size green tea gum with 10 pieces in a pack. He asked me for the cancer gum back. Anyway let me know if you find a cancer free (no aspartame gum)the hubs will kiss you for it!!! See the article below from Dr. James Brown (the doctor not the singer)for some more fun facts about gum. I got this article from the WORLD NATURAL HEALTH ORGANIZATION and they have a whole page of article dedicated to aspartame if you would like further info http://www.wnho.net/aspartame_news.htm. Don't want to scare anyone but please don't put this in your bodies or your family's. (STOP DRINKING THE DIET COKE MOM)Love you mom =) Blessings Laur

Aspartame in chewing gum is absorbed directly though the buccal mucosa of the tongue, mouth, and gums, making it a far worse poisoning than even if it were given intravenously. The nerves serving this area and their vascular supply derive directly from the brain, so the Aspartame absorbed through them goes directly into the brain, by passing the spinal cord and blood brain barrier.

The intact Aspartame molecule and its diketopiperazine form are vastly worse poisonings than any of the other poisonings which arise from it during digestion, and liver processing of the digestive blood, which is delivered directly to the liver via the portal vein. The other poisonings, as mentioned, are indeed horrendous but Aspartame from gum is far worse, making even the smaller amounts contained in chewing gum strikingly dangerous and damaging. This is doubtless why Wrigley placed it in all their products!

Aspartame, via ingestion into the digestive tract, is made into some ten other poisonings by the digestive processes, and then excepting that which is delivered directly to the pancreas, they are transported straight to the liver via the portal vein, where they then are very partially dealt with, and partially reprocessed. Afterwards, they are sent in somewhat lesser concentration to the entire body, lessening the amount which eventually goes to the brain. The amount getting to the brain from either source is devastating to it in many ways. Aspartame is most certainly devastatingly toxic when ingested, but a like amount is immensely worse when obtained from chewing gum.

When the CBS Evening News crew visited my Ridgefield Washington clinic, mid January of 1984, and Dan rather forbade them to make a program of what they learned there, one of them reported that she got a roaring headache if she chewed even a half stick of Aspartame gum! This devastation of the human brain is the primary reason why this brain washing agent, designed to keep us from questioning or objecting to what they are doing to our country and our world, is being slipped into us in spite of its horribly failing the toxicity studies, which revealed it to be a very strong carcinogen, indeed the number one brain carcinogen ever discovered by science! (The US brain cancer rate jumped 10% the first six months after Aspartame was added to diet pop!) Three cans of pop per day for only sixty days also caused an immediate 250% increase in visible human illness! Right up front!

Diaper.com

So loving Diapers.com today, went to order my cloth diapers and was very upset when they wouldn't let me apply my $10 discount because they were not disposable diapers. Ok that is wrong on all levels, but before I went all Jersey on them (If you are from NJ you know what I mean) I decided to call the company and just ask. Huh they are in NJ, but anyway the girl apologized and applied my discount for me!!!! So glad I was nice and woo hoo Diapers.com. OK the coupon code is SHUTTER10 if you need it. Blessings Laur

Pretzels

These were the most amazing pretzels I have ever tasted and I am not a pretzel person. OK nothing beats a NYC pretzel but sometimes those can be scary. Who knows how long they have been on that cart. =)

1 package active dry yeast or (2 ¼ tsp instant yeast)

1/2 C. warm water

1 egg, separated

1/4 C. honey

1/4 C. butter unsalted, softened (4 Tbsp)

1 C. milk

1 t. salt

5 C. flour or (3 ¼ Cups wheat if grinding)

2 T. coarse salt

If using active yeast dissolve yeast in warm water in bowl. Mix yeast, egg yolk, honey, butter & milk. Add salt and enough flour to make stiff dough.
Knead on floured surface for 5 minutes. Place in greased bowl, turning to grease surface. Let rise for 1 hour or until doubled in bulk.
Roll out on floured surface. Cut into 1-inch-wide strips (He used a pizza cutter) . Fold strips in half. Roll into ropes. Shape into pretzels.
Place on baking sheet. Brush with a mixture of egg white and 1 tablespoon water. Sprinkle with coarse salt.
Bake at 425°F. for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with mustard.

We made it!

Well the moment you have all been waiting for WE MADE IT!!!! A whole week with zero TV, that is right zero TV. OK to be fare my 3 year old watched some TV at Pop-pop's house, but there has been not a moment of TV at our house. It has had its ups and downs but I have to admit I did not really miss it. We got some much needed stuff done around the house without TV. My hubby even made homemade pretzels that were amazing and he wants to keep making them. Got to love a man that can cook and bake too! So all in all we survived and we celebrated last night by watching the movie 2012. OK do not watch before bed I worried about my kids all night and prayed my butt off! It was like watching Revelations come to life not fun for a parent =) I challenge you to try no TV for your family it has been a huge eye opener. As for us the hubs said he doesn't care how much it costs I need to keep my wheat barrels full, just in case 2012 happens, Blessings Laur

Dirty Dozen

Since I haven't found my money tree yet i am sure a lot of you are like me and just can't do all organic. One of the best things I found was the dirty dozen list showing the top 12 worst fruits and veggies for pesticides. The list below shows the levels of pesticides found on produce after being washed and peeled. it is said that if you avoid just the top 12 you will reduce your pesticide exposure by 80%. I am going to carry this list with me =) Blessings Laur

Pesticides on Popular Produce
(worst) Peaches – 100
Apples – 93
Sweet Bell Peppers – 83
Celery - 82
Nectarines – 81
Strawberries – 80
Cherries – 73
Kale – 69
Lettuce – 67
Grapes – Imported from outside U.S. – 66
Carrots – 63
Pears – 63
Collard Greens – 60
Spinach – 58
Potatoes – 56
Green Beans – 53
Summer Squash 53
Hot Peppers – 51
Cucumbers – 50
Raspberries – 46
Grapes – U.S. grown - 44
Plums – 44
Oranges – 44
Cauliflower – 39
Tangerines – 37
Mushrooms - 36
Bananas – 34
Winter Squash – 34
Cantaloupe – 33
Cranberries - 33
Honeydew Melon – 30
Grapefruit – 29
Sweet Potato – 29
Tomatoes – 29
Broccoli – 28
Watermelon – 26
Papaya – 20
Eggplant - 20
Cabbage – 17
Kiwi – 13
Sweet Peas (frozen) – 10
Asparagus – 10
Mango – 9
Pineapple – 7
Sweet Corn (frozen) – 2
Avocado – 1
Onions – 1

Organic Coupons

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!!!!

As my family runs around getting ready for church I was told just to relax. Wow relax well I am strapped to a pump so the baby can have breakfast at church so that is relaxing right? Anyway as I sat I remembered that some of you all had asked where I get my organic & healthy food coupons and the truth is all over. But the basics I do are signing up for organic & health food newsletters. The following companies send out great monthly e-mails with tips, info, recipes and COUPONS so I encourage you to sign up.

Kashi
Cascadian Farms
Stoneyfield Farms
Horizon
Annies
Seventh Generation
Whole foods
Mambo Sprouts

Also us southern should always check out southern savers, I try to pop on her website at least once a week to see if any stores are doing sales on organics/healthy food.

Blessing, Laur

Asparagus Soup

Ok so I made asparagus soup the other night and even my 3 year old ate it. Served with some homemade bread and I had dinner. Also there was plenty for lunch the next day. Yummy way to get some veggies in your kids and use things you don't usually use. Leeks are huge! =) Blessings Laur

Serves 4
Serve this delightful spring soup with crusty bread or top with homemade croutons.

Ingredients
1 tablespoon butter
1 large leek, white and light green parts only, cleaned and cut into 1-inch pieces
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 medium Yukon gold potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 bunch asparagus (about 1 pound), woody stems snapped off and discarded, spears cut into 1-inch pieces
1/3 cup low-fat sour cream
Sea salt and ground pepper
2 tablespoons chopped chives

Method
Melt butter in a medium pot over medium low heat. Add leeks and cook, stirring often, until tender, about 10 minutes. Add broth and potatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low, add asparagus and simmer gently until potatoes and asparagus are tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove pot from heat ad set aside to let cool slightly.

Carefully transfer soup to blender in batches and purée until smooth. Return soup to pot and bring to a boil. Remove from heat, whisk in sour cream and season with salt and pepper. Ladle soup into bowls, garnish with chives and serve.

Thank you Harry's

Cloth Diapers Day 3

Well today is day three of cloth diapering and I have to tell you I am hooked. I was pretty much in before I started because of the better for baby benefit (No chemicals or plastic), the better for the enviornment benefit, no waste (yes I am a tree hugger) and lastly my husband was convinced by the cost. For about $150 if you go the basic route you can diaper your baby from birth to potty training. Granted you could go crazy with all the extras and fancy stuff they have out. I might go a little crazy don't tell him. It's just the have the cutest prints for diaper cover and there is something about a flower print tushy that just gets me!

It wasn't until my friend gave my an article in Mothering magazine that it all really sank in. The article said that the average child uses 5,000 diapers & training pants in there lifetime at a cost of up to $1200. It also said that of all the people alive today not one of our diaper has broken down in landfills. It takes Hundreds of years for one diaper to break down. OK so 5,000 diapers times all the children in the country that's a big problem. It is such a problem in Quebec and landfills have become so overwhelmed with diapers that the government is helping families buy cloth diapers. Anyway I urge you to read more about cloth diapering online or at mothering.com. For me it's all about better for baby, easier on my wallet and preserving this amazing world god gave us!!!! Blessings Laur

Thank you to my good friend who has guided me through this amazing journey!!
And Thank you to mothering magazine for the great article =)

PB Balls

OK all if you are looking for a protein filled ball of heaven here you go. These PB balls are so darn yummy my hubs doesn't believe they are good for you, he says they taste like butterfingers. You be the judge....

Protein PB Balls

1/2 cup each of the following
No Sugar added PB
Honey
Chocolate rice protein powder

Mix then add 1/2 cup each of the following

Millet
Ground flax seed
Rolled Oats

Mix well and form ping pong size balls, place on tray and refrigerate. They taste better chilled. Hope you enjoy! Blessing Laur

Thank you Judy

Potty Training

Potty training what a fun time, I have always said you need a whole new set of patience when you are potty training and repeating slow to anger does not work. But what about when your three year old who was once potty trained starts pooping in her pants again? You become the evil crazy mom you she in Walmart yelling at her kids so you turn and run the other way. I have tried the sweet approach "It's OK honey it was an accident next time we will run to the potty." Taking something away (i.e. toys, play time, going outside), send her to her room and finally the scream like a crazy women. As you can imagine none have worked and my stubborn three year old pooped in her pants TWICE TODAY!!!! When I asked her why she was doing it she calmly answered because mommy. I felt like when I was a kid and my mom said I couldn't go to a friends house, I would ask why mommy and she would say because, because what mommy, because I said so. Except now I am the mom and my three year old is telling me just because. God help me, I think this is because I prayed for patience. A good friend once told me you never pray for patience because then god gives you a chance to be patient. Well I guess I asked for it, good thing I am doing cloth diapers now I just add the poopie big girl underwear to the poopie diapers. So yeah things are pretty poopie at our house =)

No TV

Well we are on day three of no TV, if you don't know what I am talking about here is the story. We have challenged ourselves to a week without any TV. If you know us this is pure you know what but we are going to try it. We really don't watch a whole lot of TV these days but just a half hour here and there can really add up! With a laundry list of things to do I started to think of where my time is being wasted and the answer TV. I sit in front of the TV during nap time some days and the hubs and I usually watch mindless TV after the girls go to bed. P.S. TV does stink now a days, anyway I told my husband the idea yesterday and bless his heart he said lets start today (It would have been totally different if it was football season). Great to have a hubby that is up for all my crazy ideas, but my 3 year old not so sure she will be happy with no Veggy tales =). We know we can do it, we have several friends who don't have TV, but it should be interesting. I will let you know how it goes. My next adventure no electricity, haha just kidding now that would be crazy =)

Making Ice Cream

Did you know you can make ice cream? I know what you are all thinking, Laur who hasn't seen the super cool llbean ice cream balls you roll around while camping. If you haven't check out llbean. So wanted one by the way but seriously I made ice cream in less than five minutes with my three year old. In case you want to try for your self here is the recipe....

Fresh Fruit Ice Cream

16oz frozen fruit (raspberries,strawberries,blueberries etc.)
1/3 cup mild honey
1/3 cup rolled oat
1-2 tsp. vanilla
about 1 pint whipping cream

Blend in food processor or blender (I used my bullet!) adding whipping cream until creamy. May use fresh fruit and ice cubes instead of frozen. So yummy!!!

Thank you Bread Beckers

Organic Clothing

With a lot of pray and help from others I have been working towards improving my families life as much as I can. I have a wonderful friend who has just taught me how to cloth diaper, I know what you are thinking but I was amazed at just how easy it is. Well I haven't had to run the poop wash yet but I will let you know how it goes. Anyway I was doing some research about options for cloth and was torn between regular or organic. The big decision of the day since thus far it's been dishes or laundry first, neither of which has been done yet. Now my first thought was well I want to feed my family organic so organic but then I began to think well my kids clothing isn't organic so it doesn't really make sense to do organic diapers and put her in non-organic clothing. OK I am not about to buy my kids all organic clothing unless Daddy Warbucks shows up but I began to think how much money would we save if we didn't wear clothes, anybody in? Adam and Eve had the right idea why did they have to go and eat the stupid apple. I am just kidding trust me you don't want to see me naked and no offence I really don't want to see you naked! So I have been cloth diapering for 24 hours now and the baby is still safe and not sitting in her own filth so we are good. Oh I even changed a diaper in target today and it was a poopie one!!!! I know you are so excited for me =) Blessings Laur