Recipes Redesigned

Spinach and Chorizo Frittata

Susan — Tue, 17 Mar 2020 16:52:14 +0000

Have you ever had guests to dinner and had no time to cook?

Last Friday was one of those nights for me. At 5:45 pm I was shopping for groceries at the market and my guests were due to arrive at six. I was feeling a little stressed. John was with me and I could tell from the look in his eye that he didn’t think I could pull it off.

“Is this going to turn out like Michael and Janis from The Office?”

He was worried that, like Janis, I would be bangin around in the kitchen all night while our guests awkwardly waited for a meal that should have been started hours earlier.

“I’m not making a pot roast! I’m making a frittata, silly!”

Silly John. He didn’t realize a frittata takes practically no time to cook and even less time to prepare.

We arrived home with ingredients in hand (I love fresh food!) and I put on my apron. Thirty minutes later, a delicious Spinach and Chorizo Frittata graced our table. Dinner was lovely and our guests didn’t endure one ounce of awkward.

Do you have a brunch or dinner planned soon? This frittata makes a fabulous addition.

Spinach and Chorizo Frittata

paleo, grain free, gluten free
Inspired by Bon Appetite Magazine, 10/2013

Ingredients

12 eggs, preferably pastured
1/2 cup whole milk, preferably raw or organic
3/4 cup grated cheddar, preferably raw
unrefined sea salt and pepper
2 Tbsp butter
1/4 sweet onion, chopped
1/2 lb. fresh chorizo or spicy Italian sausage, if in casing, remove it
2 heaping cups fresh spinach, coarsely chopped

Directions

Preheat broiler.
In a medium bowl, combine eggs and milk and whisk together. Add in 1/2 cup cheddar and season generously with salt and pepper. Set aside.

In a large cast iron skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add onions and chorizo. Cook for about 6-8 minutes, until chorizo is browned and onions are translucent. Stir occasionally. Add spinach and cook until wilted (about 5-8 minutes).

Lower heat and pour egg mixture into the skillet on top of the meat and veggies. Cook on low until edges of the frittata are set (about 10-15 minutes). Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of cheddar and broil for about 4 minutes or until the center is set and top is golden brown.

Let the frittata cool for a few minutes. The edges will pull away from the sides of the skillet and it will be easier to serve. Cut the frittata into wedges and serve.

I served it with a salad and red wine :).

Enjoy!

PAID ENDORSEMENT DISCLOSURE: In order for me to support my blogging activities, I may receive monetary compensation or other types of remuneration for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial and/or link to any products or services from this blog.

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Homemade DIY Liquid Foundation

Susan — Tue, 17 Mar 2020 16:51:11 +0000

It’s your face.

Everybody sees it and you want to look your best, right? There’s billion dollar industry out there to make that happen, but there’s a cost.

Liquid foundation is helpful to even out skin tone and cover imperfections, but smoothing on a foundation full of toxic ingredients does your body a lot more harm than good.

The Real Cost

Just the other day I caught up with a friend and successful marketing manager for a major beauty corporation. She was telling me all sorts of crazy stuff about how cosmetic companies sometimes lose control of their supply chains. They outsource to different countries where they have no idea what is going in their products. The loss of control is traded for lower production costs, but the greatest cost comes by our health. She markets those products, but even she refuses to use them.

Did you know?

Over 10,000 unique chemical ingredients are found in personal care products. Some of these chemicals are now suspected cancer-causers and are thought to harm the reproductive system and endocrine system. (You need those!)

I love make up–I always have–but not at the expense of my health. Over the years, I’ve worked towards trading my conventional beauty products for more natural alternatives. There are lines available now that offer products made with “organic” and “naturally-derived” including liquid foundation, but most liquid foundations need unhealthy, synthetic preservatives to keep bacteria from growing.

A Great Alternative

So what’s a girl to do? Mineral make-up is a great alternative. It’s shelf-stable, preservative-free and guess what?! It works GREAT! I was looking around for ideas and came across Coco’s Well foundation post. I’ve been using this liquid foundation for the past month and LOVE it. It’s easy to apply, feels light-yet has great coverage, and I’ve been incredibly happy with the color match for my skin.

How to Make Homemade DIY Liquid Foundation

1. Use high-quality, non-toxic face lotion. (I use doTERRA’s skin care line)

2. On a clean plate mix together a little less than a dime-sized dollop of face lotion with equal parts high-quality mineral make-up. (Make sure the mineral make-up does not contain fillers.) (For less coverage use less mineral powder, for more coverage use more mineral powder.)

3. Using your finger tips or foundation brush, apply the thoroughly-mixed foundation to the face.

4. Let the foundation dry and set.

*Liquid foundation usually contains preservatives to prevent bacterial and mold growth. Because this foundation contains no preservatives, it must be mixed each day prior to use.

Enjoy!
xo, Allison

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Citrus Vinegar Cleaner–(that doesn’t stink!)

Susan — Tue, 17 Mar 2020 16:49:15 +0000

Ok, I love DIY, but I’ll be honest. My husband does not.

Not all the time anyway, and especially when it comes to cleaning products. Most cleaning products have vinegar, a smell he strongly opposes. He’d much prefer a refreshing citrus scent. And if I’m honest…so do I.

In hopes to rectify this, I decided to try this citrus vinegar cleaner. It smells great and will leave your counters shiny and clean. It’s super easy, inexpensive and lasts. I think we’ve found a winner.

Citrus Vinegar Cleaner

Ingredients

Citrus peels saved from any citrus fruits you’ve been snacking on lately
A mason jar
Distilled vinegar
spray bottle
Distilled water
Optional: lemon, grapefruit, orange or lime essential oil

Directions

Fill the mason jar to the top with citrus peels. Pour distilled vinegar to the top of the jar so it covers the peels. Screw on the lid and let it sit for 2-3 weeks.

After 2-3 weeks, remove the peels and strain the solution with a fine mesh strainer.

Dilute 1:1 with distilled water in a spray bottle.

Add a few drops of essential oils if you like (this makes it an even better degreaser and smells even more delicious!)

Clean your counters, floors, bathroom…whatever your heart desires!

Enjoy!

Allison

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Homemade Natural Toothpaste

Susan — Tue, 17 Mar 2020 16:48:24 +0000

For a whiter smile, brush your teeth with dirt.

Said no one ever.

Until now. Seriously. Homemade toothpaste–made with bentonite clay (aka dirt) is way better for you than the regular ol’ stuff in a tube. It helps whiten teeth, freshen breath and allows you to steer clear of a few toxic ingredients.

Why You Should Make the Switch

Regular toothpaste contains toxic ingredients that are harmful to your health.

Fluoride

Have you ever wondered why you shouldn’t use regular toothpaste for children under two? Other than maybe it being too spicy, it also shouldn’t be given because there is fluoride in it. Fluoride is is thought to decrease tooth decay, but it is also linked tocause dental disfiguration

inhibit insulin secretion and increase blood glucose in animals and humans

cause skin rashes in mouth including canker sores and perioral dermatitis

Although fluoride is thought to protect against tooth decay, diet and proper hygiene can do just as good of a job–without the potential side effects.

SLS (sodium lauryl sulfate)

SLS is a foaming agent found in soaps ranging from your shampoo to the soap used to degrease a car engine. According to the Environmental Working Group, SLS is linked to

irritation of skin and eyes
organ toxicity
developmental/reproductive activity
possible mutations and cancer

Stern College for Women at Yeshiva University in New York studied SLS in mouthwash. They found SLS in mouth rinses caused skin in the mouth to shed and caused a burning sensation in human volunteers (source).

Triclosan

Triclosan is an antibacterial agent added to toothpaste to prevent gingivitis. While this has been shown effective, animal studies are now showing triclosan to alter hormone regulation. The FDA is reviewing this product now, but I’ll wait until I start coating my mouth with it every day.

Homemade Natural Toothpaste

Bentonite Clay is a great stain remover and helps draw out toxins.

Baking Soda helps whiten and clean teeth. Make sure to find naturally extracted baking soda.

Coconut oil is a naturally antibacterial, so there’s no need for triclosan! The oil also helps pull toxins from the mouth, gums, teeth and tongue.

Xylitol is used as a sweetener. It’s optional, but some studies suggest it is beneficial for teeth. I don’t cook with it, so I borrowed some from a friend in exchange for a batch of homemade toothpaste!

Essential Oils such as peppermint or sweet orange are great for freshening breath.

Homemade Natural Toothpaste

Ingredients

¼ cup virgin coconut oil
3 Tbsp. food-grade bentonite clay
¼ cup natural baking soda
1 Tbsp. xylitol
5-7 drops peppermint essential oil

Directions

In a small bowl, add bentonite clay, baking soda, salt, and xylitol. Mix to combine. Add drops of essential oil and then add the coconut oil. Mix it all together with a wooden spoon.

In hot weather, the toothpaste gets a little thinner due to the coconut oil. If you prefer a thicker paste, let it firm up in the fridge.

DIY Natural Dry Shampoo

Susan — Tue, 17 Mar 2020 16:45:02 +0000

Nobody ever has to know…

Go ahead. Push that snooze button one more time. You don’t have to wash your hair today and nobody ever has to know.

Dry shampoo to the rescue! You can count a few more sheep without the worry of greasy, oily hair. Just spray on some dry shampoo and you’re good to go. In case you haven’t used it, it is a powder that basically soaks up excess oil. Without washing your hair, you can sprinkle or spray your way to clean, voluminous locks. It seem like an awesome idea, right?

Until you read the ingredients. Things like butane, isobutane and propane and synthetic fragrance top the list. You know….just some explosive chemicals. Rather than waking up to a head full of ligher fluid, try a homemade natural dry shampoo. It’s easy peasy, works great and costs a ton less. Win. Win. Win.

Natural Dry Shampoo

Ingredients

arrowroot powder (or gmo-free cornstarch)
cocoa powder (for dark hair)
cinnamon (for red hair)
3-5 drops essential oils (optional)

Directions

Depending on your hair color, use plain arrowroot powder for light hair, add 50/50 cocoa powder and arrowroot powder for dark hair. For red heads, use cinnamon. Add essential oils to make it smell nice! Lavender or sandalwood are both great for scalp help!

I keep the powder in a small, glass shaker. Whenever I use it, I just divide my hair into sections and sprinkle a little onto the roots. You can also use a clean make up brush and apply it with that. After applying the powder, massage the powder into your roots and style as usual.

Here’s to sleeping in! xo, Allison

Ps. What natural beauty helpers do you love?

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Homemade Wood Polish

Susan — Tue, 17 Mar 2020 16:44:04 +0000

It’s happened more than a few times…

You know in the movies when some very important inspector with a white glove glides his hand across the mantle of a sweet woman’s home and finds what he suspected all along? Well, I feel like I keep living out that scene in real life.

Thankfully, the scene doesn’t end in the inspector glaring at me with dirty fingertips…but it does end with dust flying in the air and my house guest looking a little embarassed. Why do house guests run their hands across my mantle? I have no idea, but it’s happened more than a few times.

Each time I swear I’ll be better about polishing my furniture…but then I get distracted and play with my son or do other chores or do anything other than wipe up dust bunnies.

In effort to avoid any more soiled white glove inspections–and really, just to keep my house clean–I’ve made this homemade wood polish. It’s easy, non-toxic and smells lemon-y fresh! You should try it!

Ps. Did you know that dust bunnies likely contain some blend of human skin flakes, animal fur, decomposing insects, food debris, lint and fibers from clothes, bedding and other fabrics, tracked-in soil, soot, particulate matter from smoking and cooking, lead, arsenic, pesticides, and even DDT. Who cares about the white gloves! I just want those things OUT of my house. (source)

Homemade Wood Polish

1/2 cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed
1 teaspoon jojoba oil or olive oil
10 drops lemon essential oil

Directions

Combine ingredients in a small glass jar. Cover with lid and invert the jar a few times to mix the ingredients. The lemon juice helps pull dirt out of the wood, the oil moisturizes and gives it a nice sheen and the lemon essential oil is great at cutting grease and removing sticky residues.

Dip a cloth into the liquid and wipe furniture.

Au revoir dust bunnies! xo, Allison

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Natural Homemade All Purpose Cleaner

Susan — Mon, 16 Mar 2020 17:35:31 +0000

50,000 toxic chemicals aren’t welcome in my home.

Penelope Jagessar Chaffer, film maker of Toxic Baby estimates that 30,000-50,000 toxic chemicals new to our generation could possibly be affecting you today. From pesticides found on our foods and in our water supply to chemicals used in our home cleaning supplies, our bodies are inundated with destructive toxins.

These toxins are known to disrupt hormones and wreak havoc on our endocrine systems. They accumulate in our bodies and pass to our children. With tiny and rapidly developing bodies, the chemicals are especially harmful to the young. Birth defects, infertility and cancer are linked to these chemicals (read more HERE).

Ok, that’s super serious. I’m pumped up because I just re-watched this TED talk.

Reducing toxins in your world doesn’t have to happen overnight. It’s not meant to be stressful. Slowly I am learning to incorporate the “all-natural” into my family’s routine, but do you know what? It hasn’t been difficult. Instead it’s been quite fun!

One simple way of ridding chemicals in the home is to make your own cleaning products. (You could buy really expensive organic products, but who wants to spend tons of money on stuff to clean your counters? Not me. Homemade will cost you pennies!)

Natural Homemade All Purpose Cleaner

adapted from DIY Non-Toxic Cleaning Recipes

Ingredients

1 cup distilled water
1 cup white vinegar
20-30 drops essential oils

I like using lemon essential oil. It acts as a natural degreaser and smells like sunshine.

Other essential oils good for house cleaning include: thyme, tea tree, cinnamon, peppermint, lime, lemon, lemongrass, geranium

Directions

Pour ingredients into a bottle and shake well. Store the bottle in a cool, dry place to protect the essential oils (light and heat oxidize them). Check out my DIY Glass Spray Bottle for a great essential oil-safe storage idea!

Though most homemade formulas use the same basic ingredients, there’s often a trick to getting them to work. Heather Dessinger aka The Mommypotamus has a book that explains some of the common mistakes made in homemade formulas, then delivers tested recipes that leave your home fresh and clean. Get 50 tried-and-true recipes for your entire home in DIY Cleaning Recipes.

Ps. If you are wondering if this really works, here is a study on the efficacy of essential oils on germs. Here is a study on the efficacy of vinegar.

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DIY Natural Eye Makeup Remover

Susan — Mon, 16 Mar 2020 17:28:30 +0000

I thought it’d be funny to pretend I was a wild animal…

When John and I were first married, we liked to do everything together (ok, we still do). Every night before bed, we had our little routine…we’d get on our pjs and then brush our teeth and wash our faces together in our tiny one-sink bathroom.

It would have made more sense to get ready for bed separately, but because five minutes felt far too long to be apart, we brushed and washed huddled side-by-side.

At that point in my life, I wasn’t using eye makeup remover. I’d wash my face and black junk would be ALL OVER my eyes…I kinda looked like a raccoon. It was gross and John would always make some remark.

One night I thought it’d be funny to get ready for bed early. With my usual black mascara-masked eyes, I jumped out at John, making raccoon noises. It thought it’d be funny to pretend I was a wild animal. It wasn’t funny. It was just weird. Now I use natural eye makeup remover. The end.

DIY Natural Eye Makeup Remover

adapted from Girl Meet’s Nourishment

Ingredients

1 part jojoba oil or olive oil
1 part witch hazel
*for longer shelf-stability, add a small amount of Vitamin E

lasts up to 1 month–I usually make a small amount every 2 weeks or so

Directions

In a clean container, combine 1 part jojoba oil and 1 part witch hazel. Put on a lid and give it a good shake.

Pour a small amount on a cotton ball and smooth over closed eyes. Et voila.

Note:
Most days I barely wear any eye makeup. If that’s the case, I’ll sometimes just use a dab of coconut oil to smooth over my eyes and that does the trick too. Super easy. This recipe works great for those days that I’m all decked out. Use what works for you!

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Bronzing Whipped Body Butter

Susan — Mon, 16 Mar 2020 17:27:02 +0000

It’ll make you want to eat it.

Cacao powder, cinnamon, nutmeg-all whipped up into a creamy spread. This whipped body butter looks and smells so yummy you’ll want to eat it. But, seriously…don’t.

Although it’s perfectly harmless (which I LOVE), it’s not all that tasty–as a few of my family members can attest. This past weekend, I made this whipped body butter as Christmas gifts for friends. Ezra (my son), only a toddler, couldn’t understand why I wouldn’t let him lick the whisk. My husband, not a toddler, did lick the whisk. No, dear. It’s for your body, not your mouth. Sorry, honey!

Later, I handed a jar to my mom and before I knew it, she’d scooped up a glob into her mouth. Needless to say, after a quick explanation that it was BODY butter, she was NOT happy. Lesson learned: label your jars.

Once clearly labeled, whipped body butter can be enjoyed by all! It’s homemade with all-natural ingredients, moisturizes and nourishes the skin, AND imparts a sun-kissed glow.

DIY: Bronzing Whipped Body Butter

Ingredients

1 cup (8 oz) shea butter
1/2 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup good olive oil
1-2 Tablespoons cocoa or cacao powder
1 teaspoon naturally-derived Vitamin E oil (optional)
5-10 drops essential oil (I used peppermint)

Optional:

2 Tablespoons ground cinnamon

(if you use cinnamon, make sure it is very finely ground)

Notes:

Shea butter can be substituted for cocoa butter
Olive oil can be substituted for sweet almond oil, or jojoba oil or something similar
choose an essential oil that is “skin-friendly”–not all essential oils are
Bronzing body butter will remain whipped at room temperature unless it’s very hot. In hotter climates, store in the fridge. Otherwise, just store in an airtight container!
The Vitamin E helps preserve the bronzing body butter for up to one year.
Depending on how dark you want your bronzer, add more cacao powder. Since I have very fair skin, I only add 1 tablespoon.
*The photos above are taken without the cinnamon and nutmeg. I added that later to get a more sun-kissed glow, so the body butter will look darker than photographed.

Directions

Using a double boiler (or a small bowl that fits over a small pot), melt the shea butter and coconut oil on low heat. When they become completely liquified, remove from heat. Let cool for 30 minutes.
Then mix in the olive oil, cacao powder (and cinnamon if desired), essential oil and vitamin E.
Place the oil mixture in the freezer to firm up.
When the oil mixture is partially solidified, remove from freezer and whip the partially-solidified mixture until peaks form. (The consistency will be like whipped butter!)
Scoop into a clean, glass jar.

Enjoy!

Ps. It makes a great gift! Did I mention you should label it, though!?

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15 Ground Meat Dinners On A Budget

Susan — Mon, 16 Mar 2020 17:17:49 +0000

Have you ever been stuck in a food rut?

I’ve been in one lately. I didn’t realize it until now. For dinner tonight, I prepared burgers made from grass-fed beef. They were yummy and I have no complaints, but for the past few months there’s been a pretty tight rotation of hamburgers, tacos or chili. Sometimes meatloaf…if someone’s coming to dinner.

I purchase ground meat pretty often because it’s one of the cheaper cuts of meat. Grass-fed/pastured meat is crazy expensive, so I try to choose cuts like ground meat, roasts or stew meats. (I’ve even started to buy organs like liver! It’s a big step for me.)

So, I’m inspired to break out of my ground meat rut and try new recipes. Below are 15 yummy ground meat recipes from some amazing real food bloggers. Here’s to saving a little moo-lah!