DIY Fruit Leather Recipe

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Hi there!

This is going to be short & SWEET (pun intended)

Were headed out of town tonight… going up to Northern California to see family. The circumstances aren’t the happiest but were planning to make the best of it. All I can say, is FUCK CANCER.

Okay,  moving on… glad that’s off my bloggy chest….ha, ha!

Since we will be traveling 9 hours away by car with two tots, I figured we should probably have some healthy and handy snacks available. I usually always try to make homemade snacks for our trips whether it’s cookies, granola, yummy meals, etc. Doing it this way helps save time and money. Little ole me has a hard time resisting the urge to be frugal so I’ve been busy in the kitchie whippin’ up some healthy treats to have on handy while were on vay k!

2 days of our trip we will be visiting with family and the remainder of our trip were going doing lots of side trippin’ to Lassen National Park and into Trinity. I’m so giddy about our adventure. We’ve been hoping to explore Lassen for sometime now. Can’t wait to do some hiking with the boys. yeehaw!

I’m also planning to bring you along on this trip… so stay tuned on that. * wink, wink *

One of our favorite snacks to bring with us on our traveling journey’s are fruit leathers, also known as, “fruit roll ups” growing up.

Who doesn’t love a fruit leather?

To me fruit leathers arepart of summer nostalgia. I totally remember gettin’ these from the store or making them with my mom.  With the abundance of fruit right now;  it’s an easy way to use up  fruit before it goes bad AND, if you play it smart go to the market for the already marked down fruit because it’s “overripe” and save a few pennies. Making them at home also prevents you from buying into all the packaged plastic. It’s a win- win all around. No extra litter and everyone including the planet is happy!

They’re SUPER SIMPLE  to make too… for real!

Fruit Leather Recipe:

Ingredients:

Choice of fruit or be wild and mix it up!

(approx 2 cups-)

2-3 tbsp’s of honey(raw & local whenever possible!)

a few drops of lemon juice

Parchment paper/Sheet pan

Directions:

Set your oven temperature to 200 degrees. Add fruit of choice into blender once it has been rinsed, drained, peeled and pitted (depending on fruit of choice).  Add in remaining ingredients, pop the lid on the blender and let it whirl away! You want to get it to puree consistency which doesn’t take long. Let the puree sit while you get the parchment paper over the sheet pan so that you can pour the mixture over the pan to prevent it from sticking. Pour puree mixture onto sheet pan and spread into an 1/8 inch layer. Place puree sheet into the oven and let firm up to a sticky texture for approximately 2 hrs. It will peel directly off the parchment paper when it’s done.

So far, we’ve done, peaches, plums, cherries, apricots and blueberries!  I leave the skins on a few of the stone fruits for extra nutrition. We used a VitaMix but any blender or hand immersion blender will work! You can also use a dehydrator for this recipe, if you own one. We have a Mr. Food’s- 80’s bad ass, dehydrator and it gets used quite a bit BUT for the most recent recipe we used the oven. Just a quick tidbit about the parchment paper… I like to buy the unbleached brands, since they do not contain any chlorine bleach and come in recycled packaging.  yay!

Here’s the peach and apricot mix!

Gorgeous color before it turns into leather!

all that was left of the fruit leathers…more in the oven for the road (blueberry & more peach plum)

AND these bad boys right here are candied pistachios…

we actually get to visit our cousins pistachio farm this weekend and I’m

SUPER stoked about harvesting some freshies!

Oh yeah, baby… these nut clusters are healthy fuel food for the road (no pun intended)

& for our tum’s!

I filled to of these nut packs up especially for hikes.

I’ll post recipes for these yum, yums when we return!

Hope you’re having a wonderful Thursday. 

Gotta run. We leave tonight!!!

{tidbits of green} what we’ve been up to!

Hi everyone!

Sorry about the glitch you may have experienced… glad to be back up!

We’ve been busy tending to our garden,crafting, making goodies for the tots, going to the park, playing outdoors a whole bunch and everything else in between. It’s summer what can one expect from two tots ages 3 and 1 yr.? A whole lotta FUN, that’s what!  They constantly want to be outside. We’ve been filling up the kiddie pool and theyhave a blast splashing around and getting wet. Good times!

I’ve been busy chasing them around, making goodies in the kitchie and whatever else in between. Were supposed to be leaving town this evening and as of right now I’m unsure if that’s going to happen. The boys seem to have caught a bug. They’re both sneezing and acting a little sicky. I don’t think it’s allergies but it very well could be. I’m making sure they get lots of fluids, homeopathics….basically the whole nine!

Argh! The trip isn’t exactly vacation related but I do believe we intended to do a least one side trip. Unfortunately, my husband’s Aunt is ill with Cancer and was given two months to live. Horrible, horrible, horrible. Words cannot even describe …  *** UPDATE*** Started this post early this am… and as of 3:30 pm verdict is in… we will NOT be going up north Boys are congested and probably not a good thing to travel and visit when the boys aren’t feeling well…especially under such circumstances.

Okay, well, let’s change the subject…

so, on my outings this week… I happened to come across some organic ear swabs that are biodegradable- no plastic and all organic! Pretty cool, I thought.

Random,  I know.

Since I don’t have much time to go on and really share a juicy post…I’m going to spare you some reading …

** warning you now, lot’s of pictures are included**

sorry all cell pics… damn D40 battery died. If it isn’t one thing it’s the other… sheesh!

Bought some local beeswax to make the salve below!

Salve recipe coming soon!

Fermentation station… fresh kraut doing it’s thang!

Turnips, beets, cabbage red/green all from the RYD garden.

Summertime fun! The classic kiddie pool.

You can’t see Clark’s bottom but he is wearing a swim dipe/trunks.

More on that too!

OMG! A raw version of rice crispy treats!

So, so, GOOD & “D”- Lish!!!

Recipe from Sarma’s Living Raw Food

Cacao sauce + Buckwheat Treats = YUM!

Received almost 4 lbs of Green Beans in our CSA crate

& we’ve been harvesting beets like crazy!

superb and perfect with tea!

Alright, well, since we aren’t going I intend to get a planned post up tomorrow… this was on a whim…

I hope to have garden pictures up for you shortly too. 

tah-tah, for now!

Homemade Calendula Oil for Dry Skin

Hello again!

Hope your week is treating you well so far. Mine is going smoothly, thank goodness. Do you remember the Wordless Wednesday photo “flower power” ... well…

the flower is known as Calendula.

Calendula flowers and leaves are edible. We planted them in our garden specifically for that reason and mainly because I’ve read  a lot of great information about it’s healing benefits against dry skin such as eczema. After planting it in a raised bed, out back,  it took off and the blooms have jut started to open up with the last couple of weeks. Were getting new ones daily AND want to take the next fresh step and add them to our salads and smoothies.

A couple days ago, I placed a few calendula heads into some EVOO to allow the calendula to do it’s magic in the oil. Yesterday morning, Tristan was having a flare up so I decided it was as good a time as any to infuse the calendula into the oil. The  eco tot has had flare ups since he was 6 mos old maybe even sooner. Coconut oil helps and definitely keeps it at bay but often times and now that he’s older …he gets patches of dry skin here and there. We do believe this may be food related and we’re doing our best to keep some allergy related foods out of his system. Not and easy task for a 3 year old.

He’s been having these flare ups more frequently and it seems to be bothering him more. He’s discovered itching soothes. My husband and I were feeling sorry for the little tot and on a whim we bought Aveeno Baby Moisturizer for dry skin to help ease the itching. I had a bad feeling about the lotion….AND sure enough my suspicions were soon confirmed.

I looked up the Aveeno  Baby Soothing Relief moisturizer up at the Skin Deep Database and it was rated a SIX. I’m sorry, but a rating of “moderate hazard” is not okay, with me.

When ingredients are linked to Cancer, Developmental/reproductive toxicity, Allerigies/immunotoxicity…etc.

NO THANKS! I’ll pass.

But, wait, it get’s better… after this incident, I swore up and down he would not be subjected to such products!!

So, we talked about our Calendula blossoms and all the lovely things we planned to do with them & just when I thought the coast was clear… the hub walks in with another supposed miracle cure…

*eye roll*

“A natural product!”

I could not believe my eyes. A big bottle of Kiss My Face oh but it’s Calendula and Honey for Extra Dry Skin!

So, off I went to the trusty EWG website (Skin Deep) and VIOLA’

wouldn’t ya know! the product is rated a  SEVEN!!!!

WTF? Needless to say, we took the Kiss My Ass Face lube back to the market Yuck!!

Afterward, I told my husband we can’t mess with Mother Nature it was obviously telling us something.

I have many books on how to do the double boiler/infusion method (double boiler/infusion) and have done this before with lavender, so I was confident doing this from memory.

** RECIPE **

1 HANDFUL or more of fresh Calendula flower heads

2 cups of your fave cosmetic oil

- Good quality EVOO or Sweet Almond Oil are our faves!

:: Directions ::

Place Calendula blossoms into a glass bowl and cover them with oil. Next take a glass bowl and set it on top of a cooking pot. This will create steam underneath so that it will not burn the oils or flowers. Turn heat burner on to lowest setting. It will take approximately 3 hours for the oil to infuse and blossoms to heat and release their medicinal properties. Don’t let the mixture boil or release steam. If it starts to boil turn the heat down. Once it’s finished infusing for the 3 hour period take the flower mixture and pour through a strainer or cheesecloth into a bowl.  Be sure to press the oil out of flowers once straining is complete. Then take the infused oil and pour into a container of your choice.  It’s really easy and super gratifying!

I picked more fresh Calendula flowers yesterday and have them drying out for tea and for making compresses when the itching is bad. Making the oil was just a trial run so I’m definitely going to make more since we have plenty of flowers growing for drying out, medicinal and nutritional purposes. Making homemade concoctions  from what’s growing in my own yard makes this mama one happy chick! Can’t beat it when it’s homemade with pure love.

If making the oil isn’t your kind of thing…

Badger Baby Balm Oil has a  ONE rating by the Skin Deep Database

I’m sure they’re other brands but this is one I know of that I can get locally also.

For now, I’m sticking to this plan.

I’m going to make a salve using the oil … stay tuned for that recipe too!

the {upcycled & recycled} Part 1: Handmade Birthday Banner

Tah Dah!

Here is the  birthday project, I was so busy trying to get finished these last couple of weeks…

and guess what?

It’s still not completely done.

The night before the eco tot’s birthday, all that had to be done was the sewing of ribbon across the top of “Happy” & “Birthday”.

BUT, noooooo!!! there was no sewing machine needle to be found…

and guess what?

I still don’t have that damn needle.

It’s the thought that counts, right?

Phew!

It hung in all it’s glory right here on our lovely brown couch the day of  T’s birthday.

pins and all…

I hand stitched and cut out the fabric letters (which, btw- was no fun because I did not have a letter template).

I may scallop the edges on the triangular pieces but first I need to invest in a pair of crafting scissors (and a needle, hoping this weekend!). lol!

This project has been on my sewing list for quite some time and when I was looking for more solid ideas, I came across this one!

I used 4 printed organic onesies, which the boys both wore (from my stash of saved onesies for future projects),  for the fabric pieces.

The blue striped ribbon is from T’s baby shower and the red ribbon is old X-mas stuff.

For the triangles, I rescued an old pair of my husbands jeans from the Goodwill pile.

I love the fact that each year this banner will hang proudly in our living room and carry so much sentimental value.

It was certainly handmade with lot’s of love and care (and will get extra kisses when I buy that damn needle to secure the ribbon on).

And… why is this birthday banner so eco rad?

because each year there will be…

No paper waste, no extra money spent, & trees saved in the process

it all

=’s earth friendly LOVE!

Hope you all have a fantastic weekend.

Stay tuned for part 2!

What green projects are you working on?

See PART 2!

Hooray for Homemade Hippie Hummus!

Hey there!
How are ya?

Today, I’ve been in the kitch making some fun raw vegan treats (in dehydrator) for the tots but I also made some hummus to snack on. Us hippies… well, we love our hummus. Which is why it’s a staple food around here.  It’s so versatile that you can practically eat it with anything. Serve it with veggies, on a tortilla, with tortilla chips, sourdough bread or even alongside a salad it’s pretty killer stuff.

Here’s what I did today!

I actually obtained this recipe from a friend back in massage school… she made her beans and tahini from scratch. The beans were from scratch but I still had some tahini left… but the next batch I’m swearing to make some homemade tahini! I swear. It’s too flipping expensive not to! Which is the main reason I make hummus in the first place. The guy at the farmer’s market wanted $6 for 4 oz.  … it’s really good but NOT not healthy for my wallet.

Hippie Hummus

(use organic ingredients whenever possible)

• 4-6 garlic cloves (depending on how gah-licky you like it! we <3 garlic!!!)
• 1 teaspoon Himalayan sea salt
• 8 cups of freshly cooked chick-peas/garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
• 2/3 cup well stirred tahini
• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup olive oil or to taste
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves, chopped
• 2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted lightly

In a bowl or on a cutting board mince and mash the garlic to a paste with the salt. Purée garbanzo beans in a food processor or blender with the garlic paste, the tahini, the lemon juice, 1/4 cup of the oil, and 1/2 cup water, scraping down the sides, until the hummus is smooth and add salt to taste. Add water, if necessary, to thin the hummus to your desired consistency and transfer the hummus to a bowl.  Divide the hummus between shallow serving dishes and smooth the tops. Drizzle the hummus with the a bit of EVOO  and sprinkle it with toasted pine nuts and freshly chopped parsley.

You can kick up the base recipe a couple notches and add in different fresh herbs and spices. I like sundried tomato or avocado cilantro. Today, I added in what was left in my sundried tomato jar… a little less than 1/4 cup but I usually add about 1/2 cup maybe more depending on taste. The trick is taste testing. Don’t be afraid to dip those fingers in and taste your creation. Double dip if you have to! LOL!

Hippie hummus usually doesn’t last more than a week but I’d say you could safely store this in the fridge for 3-5 days. Our favorite way to eat it is on Ezekiel bread with cukes and a little shake of sunflower sesame, and maybe some poppy seeds sprinkled on it. Mmm!  Enjoy!

What’s your favorite homemade snack?

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