I’ve been making my own homemade croutons recently (and not just because I ran out of store-bought ones!). They are super easy, delicious, and you can custom-make them to your own personal taste. The best part is that you can use quality ingredients of your choice and avoid any preservatives (for example, the dangerous BHT) that you would find in store-bought croutons.

The Fannie Farmer Cookbook by Marion Cunningham is the source of this homemade baked crouton recipe and you only need two ingredients: bread and butter. I used fermented multi-grain bread from the local Little Rooster Bread Company and Organic Valley butter.

All you have to do is butter both sides of the bread (removing crusts if desired), and then cut the slices into small squares. Then bake at 350 degrees (turning as necessary a few times) until the croutons are lightly browned. This took only about 10 minutes in my toaster oven.

To make herb croutons, before slicing the bread, I sprinkled it with parsley, basil, thyme, bay leaves, and rosemary. You can use any herbs you like and adust the taste accordingly. If you would like to add a garlic taste to the croutons, simply add pressed garlic to the butter before spreading it on the bread.

Today’s recipe is quick and easy- perfect with breakfast (I pair mine with toast) or as refreshing summer beverage. I use only 3 ingredients- freshly squeezed orange juice, freshly squeezed grapefruit juice, and a small amount (about 1/4 cup) of frozen raspberries.

I start by juicing one grapefruit and then two oranges. I love the taste of grapefruit, but if it is too strong for you, try adding the juice of a third orange. I then add the frozen raspberries to the juices and give it all a good stir.

The raspberries are very sweet and are absolutely delicious as they blend with the orange and grapefruit juices. Since the raspberries are frozen (but thaw quickly), the juice is extra cold and refreshing. I hope you enjoy it!

With all this snow as we head into March, I just can’t get our next tropical vacation out of my mind. While many of us may have green habits at home, there are also a number of ways to go easier on the planet while traveling for spring break, etc. I’ve tried a number of the 8 easy green travel tips in the list below and often times find that they are convenient and sometimes even save money!

1. Bring a reusable water bottle with you to fill up over and over again (you will need it empty to get through airport security) so you won’t find yourself stuck buying plastic water bottles everywhere you go
2. When staying at a hotel, hang up your towels and re-use your sheets for as long as possible- this saves water and energy used for daily washings
3. Pack lightly- not only will you have to carry less around, but you will likely save money at the airport on baggage and reduce fuel usage
4. Bring your own toiletries in small, reusable bottles so that you don’t need to use the ones provided at hotels (you can also enjoy the quality, hopefully healthier (less chemicals) products that you use at home
5. Take public transportation such as local buses and trains (this can be a huge money saver!) or if you’re not going far- walk! This is by far the healthiest option!
6. Use the restroom before boarding a plane since every flush in a plane uses enough fuel for a car to go six miles
7. Check to see if there is eco-friendly lodging where you are staying such as those options listed here
8. Shop for local products and souvenirs (support local businesses and materials that did not travel far to their destination)

Sources:
http://www.independenttraveler.com/resources/article.cfm?AID=737&category=44
http://greenliving.about.com/od/travelinggreen/tp/top_green_travel_tips.htmhttp://climate.weather.com/articles/dctraveltips2009.html

Tonight I decided to venture out of my normal realm of cooking and into the world of organ meats. I had tried (and surprisingly liked) the chicken liver pate served at the Wise Traditions 2009 conference and decided to try it out for myself. It wasn’t too difficult and my home creation tasted just like what was served there made by professional chefs.

Since the spotlight is hardly ever on liver, I’ll take a minute to share some of its great health benefits. It is full of vitamin A, protein, all B vitamins, copper, iron, and folic acid. The liver’s job is not actually store toxins, but it neutralizes them and requires all of these vitamins and minerals to do so.

The best quality liver with the most nutrients is from organic, pastured animals so finding a local farm or resource is a good idea. Unfortunately, I have not located a local farm that offers just liver (instead of whole chickens), so for this recipe I purchased the chicken liver from Whole Foods, where they do have higher quality/health standards than most grocery stores.

The recipe I made is again from Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon and requires the ingredients below:

• 1 lb chicken livers
• 1/2 lb roughly chopped mushrooms
• 2/3 cup dry white wine
• 1 bunch chopped green onions
• 1 clove garlic (mashed)
• 3 Tbsp butter
• 1/2 Tsp dry mustard
• 1/4 Tsp dried dill
• 1/4 Tsp dried rosemary
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 4 Tbsp butter (softened)
• Salt to taste

I started by melting the 3 Tbsp butter in a large skillet and then added the mushrooms, liver, and onion. I let this cook for about 10 minutes (until the liver was mostly brown) and then added the garlic, wine, lemon juice, dill, and rosemary. Stirring occasionally, I let this boil until all of the juices were gone.

I then let the liver mixture cool down almost completely before adding it into my food processor along with the 4 Tbsp of softened butter. I added a little bit of sea salt and processed the pate until smooth. The recipe suggests placing it in a crock or mold (I just put mine in a sealed bowl in the fridge to chill) and serving it with whole grain bread or toast, although there are many options.

I owe Sarah a big thank you for her latest health recommendation (she really does give the best ones!), what I’ll call a “miracle potion” because it got Ryan over about a month long off and on cold/illness in two days. It is an immune system booster called Dr. Dunner Sambu Guard and I bought it for $17.49 at my local health store.

It is a relatively small bottle that must be refrigerated and used within eight days of opening, but it is jam-packed with “nutritional support” from wild elderberry fruit and flower, acerola fruit, and echinacea plants. It also contains honey (which sweetens it up wonderfully) as well as a small amount of water, fructose, and citric acid.

Ryan had a sore throat, cough/cold, congestion, upset stomach and he was going up and down for a month (even with plenty of rest and chicken noodle soup) and then heading straight back downhill when I finally went out on a special run for this bottle. He took his first doses on a Saturday and by Sunday he already felt much better. On Monday, he was back at work and feeling almost good as new. It’s been about two weeks since and he is still feeling great.

I have to believe that for him this was just the immune system boost that he needed. And the good news is that you don’t have to already be sick to drink the Sambu Guard. The directions state “Take 1 tbsp. up to 4 times daily to support immune function especially during cold weather”.

Now if you’re feeling even more adventurous than a trip to the health store for an immune system boost, you may be interested in making your own homemade elderberry syrup with the recipe posted at 5 Orange Potatoes. Please let me know if you’ve had any success with Sambu Guard or if you have any other immune system booster ideas!

Today I made homemade almond butter using the recipe from Nourishing Traditions which only requires about 10 minutes and a few simple ingredients. I cut the recipe in half and it still made about a good amount of butter.

The ingredients needed are 1 cup almonds, about 1/3 cup coconut oil, 1 Tbsp raw honey, and 1/2 Tsp sea salt. You can also substitute peanuts or cashews for the almonds if you prefer.

To make the butter, I simply added the almonds and sea salt to my food processor and let it run until the almonds were powdery. I then added the honey and coconut oil and then let it run until the mixture was smooth.

The butter was a little runny at first, but firmed up well when I chilled it in the fridge (where it should be stored in a sealed container). If you prefer not to have any taste of coconut oil you can simply process almonds in the food processor until they become butter. I have not tried this yet so if anyone has any experience and suggestions, please do share!

With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, I started doing some digging to find healthier, more eco-friendly ways to celebrate this holiday. The following items are still romantic gift/date ideas, but go easy on our bodies and the planet:

• Make a home-cooked meal for your sweetheart, complete with as many organic, local foods as possible (this will also keep you from long, unromantic wait times at restaurants)
• Give the gift of red wine; it is romantic and offers a number of health benefits (organic wine with no sulfites added is best). If you are in Michigan, check out Peterson & Sons, a local winery making fruit and red wines with no sulfites added.
• Purchase hand-made & natural aromatherapy oils, massage oils, and candles while supporting individual sellers on etsy.com
• Purchase organic flowers if possible as it not uncommon for roses to be grown using thirty pesticides!
• Make your own Valentine’s Day cards for your loved ones using recycled paper and magazines you’ve finished reading
• Fill a basket with pampering items for your loved ones with healthy soaps, body washes, bath salts, and lotions from your local health store or farmer’s market
• Spend time together outdoors doing an activity such as ice skating or skiing (depending on the weather you have right now!) Michigan is currently buried under a good amount of snow!
• Snuggle up on the couch with a romantic movie and munch on old-fashioned popcorn popped on the stove

http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/valentines-day-roses-47021104

I heard about a healthy baked oatmeal recipe on Nourishmd.com and tried it over the weekend. It involves a little prep the day before baking and eating, but otherwise is pretty easy and contains very basic ingredients.

The reason for prepping the oatmeal the day before baking is to soak the oats in filtered water- this makes the oats more digestible and nutritious. This is because the phytic acid in the outer layers of the oats can combine with other vitamins and minerals and block their absorption in the body. However; during the soaking, organisms and enzymes work to break down/neutralize the phytic acid.

Now one thing to be aware of is that this particular recipe makes TON of oatmeal. I’m happy to freeze small portions for eating later, but I didn’t quite realize this would overflow my 9″ x 13″ pan and require another small one. If you don’t want to make a lot, I would make only 1/2 or even 1/3 of the recipe at the most.

For the day before prep, mix the following ingredients and let them sit out at room temperature for 12-24 hours:

• 2 cups steel cut oats
• 4 cups rolled oats
• 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 5 cups filtered water

When you are getting ready to bake the oatmeal, pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees and mix the following ingredients well into the oats:

• 3 1/2 cups filtered water
• 2 cups apple juice, apple cider, or filtered water (I used cider)
• 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
• 1 Tsp salt
• 1 Tbsp cinnamon
• 1/2 Tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 cup of raisins, almonds, or other dried fruit (optional, but I used raisins)

Bake the entire mixture for 1 hour (your home will smell wonderful from the cloves and cinnamon!) and then stir in 1/2 cup butter if you would like. If you prefer a sweet taste in your oatmeal, try adding a small amount of honey or maple syrup to your baked oatmeal. I ate mine with just raw milk and it was a warm and filling winter breakfast.

Last weekend I wanted a warm, hearty soup to enjoy, but didn’t feel like spending all day in the kitchen. I found in my Betty Crocker Cookbook (New Edition) a healthy and rewarding recipe for split pea soup, with not a whole lot of time spent chopping and only a couple of hours cooking time.

The ingredients needed are:

• 1 ham bone, 2 lbs smoked pork hocks, or 2 lbs ham shanks
• 2 1/4 cups dried split peas
• 3 medium carrots cut into small round slices
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup finely chopped celery
• 8 cups water
• 1/4 tsp pepper

I had about a 1 1/2 lb ham bone from the half pig I recently purchased so I thawed it out, pre-chopped all the veggies, and was ready to go. I added all of the ingredients except the carrots to my largest pot (Betty Crocker recommends a covered 4 quart Dutch oven) and heated it to boiling (stirring now and then). After it began boiling, I reduced the heat and let it simmer for a little over an hour, still stirring once in a while.

Next, I removed the ham bone from the soup and cut all of the ham into small pieces and added them back to the soup (discarding the bone). I also added the carrots to the soup, heated it again until boiling and then reduced the heat once more. After another half hour of simmering, the soup was ready to eat. It was warm, hearty, and delicious- a definite winner for these cold winter months!

I recently purchased a great product from the health store- the healthiest, most natural shave foam I’ve seen yet: J.R. Liggett’s Shaving Foam. It comes in a non-aerosol plastic foam bottle (so no rust stains in the tub!) and the top screws off so it is completely reusable. As you might guess there are only a few ingredients, none of them being propane or isobutane, which you would likely find in commercial shaving cream.

The ingredients are as follows: saponified olive oil, coconut oil, castor oil, safflower oil, almond oil, jojoba oil, Vitamin E, essential oils, and natural fragrances. The oils are very moisturizing, but foam up nicely for a gentle, close, and clean shave. This is especially nice for sensitive skin and the foam is even hypo-allergenic. The fragrance is mild and would be good for women or men.

I paid $9.99 for 7 oz, but since it is in a foam bottle I think it will last for a very long time. It is obviously quite a bit more costly than a mass-produced, chemical-loaded bottle, but I don’t think you can beat it in terms of health and quality.