Salsa Verde

This is probably not the most traditional Salsa Verde recipe. I made it up on the fly, but I really love the fresh flavor and bright green color. It's delicious eaten with tortilla chips, or you pour it over pork roast or chicken.

If you're not familiar with tomatillos, they look like little green tomatoes but they're actually a member of the gooseberry family. Because of this, they grow covered in a papery outer covering

Homemade Weed Spray (Non-toxic)

I can't take credit for this recipe. However, I've seen it posted on so many different sites that I don't feel bad about stealing and reposting.

(Sorry... I know the hose in the picture is annoying and distracting, but I had to set up a temporary sprinkler for some freshly planted bulbs. I could have moved it for the picture, but I'm not a fan of doing work just so I can re-do it when I'm done)

All natural, home-made toothpaste (Fluoride free!!)

There has been a lot of talk about the neurotoxic effects of fluoride. As I mentioned in my home-made deodorant post, I'm not totally convinced yet that this is true, but why not try an alternative if it works as well or better?

Introducing:

 An easy, fluoride free, home-made, customizable toothpaste that may even remineralize your teeth...

 and costs pennies to make!

My first attempt at coloring my hair with Henna... with pictures :)

As I've said in other posts, I'm trying to phase chemicals out of my life; especially those that go in or on my body. I already make my own "shampoo" and "conditioner" and other hair products. Honestly. my hair hasn't looked or felt this healthy in a really long time. Unfortunately, baking soda and vinegar aren't going to do anything for my natural platinum highlights (ok... grey hair). Even though I usually used a demi-permanent color I still felt like a hypocrite using these chemicals.

I had wanted to try Henna hair color for a long time. True Henna (Lawsonia inermis) is an all natural, flowering plant that has been used for 6000 years to dye skin, hair, fingernails, and fabrics. Sounds pretty straightforward...

Homemade All Natural Wood Polish

Just like in my Laminate Floor Polish post (1/17/14), I used [Brand X] products for furniture dusting and polishing for a really long time. I was happy with the results and I loved the way it smelled. On the positive side, [Brand X] furniture polish doesn't have to be periodically stripped and reapplied. On the negative side, it still contains a laundry list of chemicals and the MSDS states:

"Hygiene measures : Use only with adequate ventilation. Wash thoroughly after handling."

Plain and simple, I just don't want to use chemicals if I can avoid them; especially on surfaces where I might put food that I plan on ingesting... my dining room table, for instance.

So, now I make my own...

Homemade Beef Stock

I just posted a similar entry on last Friday about making chicken stock. Beef stock is even easier. Plus, there are a lot of benefits you get from homemade stocks and broths that you won't get from store bought...

"When you ingest bone broth, it feeds the body with collagen, which is the building block of cells to bones, ligaments, cartilage and the brain.  Gelatin, a form of collagen used in food, is used (among other benefits) to help digestion because the liquid gets absorbed into the body quickly and without much effort. Making bone broth excellent for people with food sensitivities and gastrointestinal disorders because it is usually very safe and tolerable for the body." (http://doctorauer.com/benefits-of-bone-broth/)

Make your dog a dirty hippie

This post is going to be super short...

I"ll be making an entry in a few days about making homemade beef stock from roasted bones, with a link explaining all of the health benefits. If you're a dog owner, your pet can benefit from your leftovers.

Homemade All Natural Deodorant

I'll be honest. I'm not totally convinced that commercial deodorants and antiperspirants cause Alzheimer's or cancer. But, (1) I'm not convinced they don't have negative side effects, and (2) I hate the way they feel. They leave a weird film on my skin that I don't care for, and they clog up my razors (yes, I shave my armpits. I'm a hippie, not a heathen).

I found a super easy recipe for homemade, natural deodorant last summer, and it kept me stink free even after walking my dog at the park in the heat. I made a few tweaks to the original recipe, but try it out and see what you think.

Why I make my own Chicken stock...

I make a lot of homemade soups. I mean, like, A LOT. Soups are easy. They're filling. They're inexpensive. And, they're a good way to use up leftovers. Plus, they freeze well, so it's a great way to make meals in advance. Because I make a lot of soup, I use a lot of broth.

Don't misunderstand. Store bought broth is quick, easy, and inexpensive. There are even a bunch of brands now that are are "all-natural" and "organic". But, as I've mentioned before, I am a super cheapskate and I hate buying things just to throw them away. Hypothetically, if I were to buy some all-natural chicken broth, it would be a healthy option, but I'm spending about $5 for a quart (or about $10 just for the broth in my homemade soup), and I now have 2 containers I need to dispose of.

On the other hand, an entire chicken is also about $5. This one little chicken will give you enough meat for more than a few different recipes, as well as a few GALLONS of all natural broth. Plus, you can control the amount of fat and sodium... Plus, it couldn't be simpler.

Creamsicle Bath Fizz

These bath bombs are just as soothing to the skin as the Lavender Vanilla ones I posted last week, but the bright Orange-Vanilla scent will perk you up, even during these gloomy winter months.

Kitchen Surface Cleaner

This All-Natural Kitchen Cleaner is by far one of the cheapest and easiest DIY products you can make.

All you need:
White Vinegar
Tap water
Citrus Peels
Storage Container (like an empty mason jar)
Time

After eating or juicing citrus fruits (oranges, lemons, limes, etc), just put the leftover peels in a jar and pour in enough vinegar to cover.

Vinyl and Laminate Floor Polish

Up until recently, I had always used a brand name cleaner on the laminate flooring in my kitchen. I LOVED it. It was easy to use, inexpensive and made my kitchen smell like delicious oranges. Then I read the directions:

[Brand X] floor finish with future shine should be removed from your floor every 6 To 8 applications or annually with a solution Of 1 cup ammonia and 1/4 cup [Brand X] floor cleaner in 1/2 gallon cool water. Then rinse floor with clean water. 

OK, let me get this straight... the product I'm using to CLEAN my floors has to be CHEMICALLY REMOVED? And, as if having to use ammonia wasn't bad enough, I'm also expected to spend more money on another [Brand X] product to get the job done. 

Genius marketing ploy? You betcha. 

Reason for me to find a better homemade product? Precisely.

So, I turned to the all-knowing internet and found some recipes for laminate cleaners and polishes. They all did a great job of getting the floor clean. But they all lacked a very important feature in a floor polish... SHINE. Since my laminate doesn't already have a high gloss finish, the recipes that were out there were leaving me a little frustrated. I tinkered with the formula for a while and finally found a winning combination.

I present to you:

The Totally Natural, Practically Edible, All-in-One Laminate Floor Cleaner and Polish!

(Or, just "Floor Polish" for short)

Lavender Vanilla Bath Fizz

These bath bombs are like a mini trip to the spa. They are soothing to the skin and calming to the senses. Unlike a spa visit, these bad boys won't kill your bank account. (They cost roughly $0.80 per bath)

Honey Nut Cookies (Grain Free)

I try to eat fairly healthy, but I don't subscribe to any specific diet. I'm not vegan or Paleo. I eat wheat and drink alcohol. I like to eat foods that make me happy. That being said, I'm also not opposed to trying a new recipe, be it vegan or Paleo or whatever, so long as it's delicious.

Here is a grain free cookie recipe that I found and then modified to my liking...

Getting started...

I'm still really new to this whole all-natural, homemade, DIY lifestyle. Because of this, nearly every time I try a new recipe, I end up having to run back to the store to grab "just one more thing". If you're anything like me, stopping by the store for "just one more thing" usually results in a bunch of wasted time roaming the aisles and a basket full of extras I don't need. That's way too much time and money for this lazy hippie to spend. So, I compiled a list of commonly used items for the recipes I'll be posting here. I've also included the total prices as well as a breakdown into price per unit. That way, you can easily figure how much a recipe costs to create and decide if the [time spent]:[money saved] ratio is worth the effort...