An update on my Veggie journey...

Well, I am about 3 weeks into my return to vegetarianism and you know, it's been easier than I remember. I think it's living in a more urban area where there are so many different eating habits; it sure wides my choices! I don't miss meat and my hubby has even gotten on board with a reduction in his meat habits. I hope to start sharing family favorite recipes more here as we experiment.

But for now, I will share a picture from our July 4th fun and hope you all had as green and lovely a celebration as us!

Eco-Live and Laugh!

Sunday's Eco-inspiration: Rooted

Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. ¹⁸ And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. ¹⁹ May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.

Ephesians 3:17-19

Think Goldfish are a good choice? Think again...

I have never been a pepperidge farm purchaser...except Goldfish. They seem innocent enough, right? Well, one of my favorite bloggers, Food Babe, gives you the truth behind these deceptively smirked little fish... And as removed them from our "ok if offered" list for good! Click here for her insightful report.

But wait?! What an I replace these beloved cheese crackers with? Here's our favorite picks and even a recipe for you to make your own:

Annie's Cheddar bunnies
365 Organic duckies
Late July cheese squares

And for super mom's and dad's: check out this recipe to make your own!

Remember, eco-live and laugh!

Sweet & Tart berry trip/treat

What a wonderful day! I've always found it important to know where you food comes from and that's especially true with kids. So today we headed out of the city to Olive Berry Acres. 

Upon arrival we were a bit worried about rain, with thunder in the distance. However (thankfully!) the radar proved correct that it was moving the other direction. It made for PERFECT berry picking weather! No sun beating down on our necks, a nice breeze blowing, and the best part... Happy children, getting dirty in the fields. 

My oldest sprout took pride in teaching they youngest which berries to pick and which berries were now ready yet. Both loved picking raspberries and discovering how the berries that are ripe and ready let you know by easily being picked while ones not yet ready still held on. Of course, taste-testing was the favorite with the oldest claiming she would only eat the "funny looking ones". 

The raspberry field was nice and muddy (so much that we stopped for $1 flip flops) but getting dirty was half the fun! Plus, our shoes can be washed but memories are forever. 

I cannot wait to make strawberry jam this week, and will share my favorite recipe here. I've already frozen half the raspberries and made raspberry whipped cream. I can't wait to do even more berry-licious recipes this week...salads, smoothies, muffins, ENDLESS possibilities! 

Head out of the city, get some mud on your tires and eco-live and laugh! 

Apitherapy Honey

This week at the market I picked up a jar of local apitherapy honey, it's SO delicious! Plus there are a TON of health benefits. I'd love to share a few with you in tribute to yet another wonder from our friends, the bees!

- this honey if raw and unfiltered; it contains propolis, pollen, bits of wax, etc. it's creamy and delicious alone or spread on everything!

- pollen in honey from your local area does wonders to help curb seasonal allergies

- this stimulates the function of the immune system

- great for: coughs, sore throats, some ulcers, bad breath and reduces inflammation of mucus membranes. All because of the propolis!

- see what Dr. Weil says here 

- see what Living Green says here

- check out the brand I purchased here ( it's AMAZING! I got the clover but the buckwheat is great too)

Protect our Bees Please!

Ah, the gentle background of summer: kids laughing, a gentle breeze and the hum of bees. But wait? I don't here the hum anymore and have heard less of it each year of my life. More common is the photo I took just this morning of a bee, not squished or mutilated from human hand...but simply dead on the side walk. And this is not an isolated incidence. Just last week I found a large bumble bee upside down on the sidewalk struggling for it's life. Again, no human hand involved (directly at least). I gently flipped him over in the grass and said a little prayer that this fighter would survive. I couldn't bring myself to "put it out of misery" when there was no injury.

These types of occurrences should make us all stop and take a long, hard look at what the cause is and what we can do to help. Sure, you may be allergic to stings, you may find bees to be a nuisance but a world without bees would be far less lovely. Not only do bees provide beeswax and honey they also pollinate...FOR FREE! According to one article I recently read that service is values at $1 billion per year in Australia. I repeat, $1 BILLION. And I'm not just talking about flowers here...kiwi, apples, brazil nuts, watermelon, cantaloupe, squash, pumpkin, zucchini, cocoa, vanilla, and that's only the essential ones! See a list here. I can't help but wonder if the drop in the bee population is related to the drastic increase in the price of my favorite summer fruit...watermelon.

So what are some of the causes? There are three main reasons I have found in my research: chemicals, radiation and global warming. I'll give you a brief summary of each:

Chemicals - Build up of chemicals from fumigation (in commercial hives) as well as the drastic increase in genetically modified crop pollen (btw, say NO to GMO!) is stressing the bees to the point of hive collapse.

Radiation- With the growth of technology comes a price. Cell phone and wireless towers have increased radiation emitted and this may interfere with bees ability to navigate. Germany's Landau University conducted a study that found bees would not return to hives when mobile phones where placed nearby. There are other studies being conducted in the US now to see if this is affecting more than just the bees but other insect populations as well.

Global Warming- with higher heat comes more mites, viruses and fungi that can wreck havoc on bee colonies.

But you may ask...what can I do? I'm not going to become a backyard beekeeper. While that is one solution, there are many other things you can do to assist the bee populations.
-grow plants that are "bee-friendly" and if you cannot grow at your home, talk to your town about the plants grown in local parks AND WHAT THEY ARE TREATED WITH
-eliminate garden pesticides and use only organic, non-gmo seeds
-provide a bee habitat...you don't have to be a keeper to give bees a place. They love a mound of loose earth near water or old trees too.
-if you garden, leave a few veggies to go to seed after harvest. This is a way for bees to "fill their pantry" before cold winter months.
-purchase local, raw honey. Not only are you supporting your local beekeepers and their hives but it's also GREAT during allergy season, a spoon full of local, raw honey a day keeps the allergies at bay!

So next time you take a swing at a bee, think twice. And remember, Eco-Live and Laugh and help protect our bees!

Here's some additional books/documentaries/websites on the topic:
www.vanishingbees.com
www.queenofthesun.com
Who Killed the Honeybee? BBC documentary on YouTube
A Spring Without Bees by Michael Schacker
The Honey Trail: In Pursuit of Liquid Gold and Vanishing Bees by Grace Pundyk
The Beekeeper's Lament by Hannah Nordhaus
Toward Saving the Honeybee by Gunther Hauk

Oregano...how I love thee!

I am FINALLY ready for sandal season! I have my feet back!

This may be TMI but for the past year or so I have struggled with warts. On my big toe, on my heel and the bottom of my foot. I have no clue how it started but man, it was embarrassing! I would only wear flip flops with jeans that covered my heels, etc. 

I knew that oregano oil was great for warts so I tried it. But I made the mistake of not continuing the oil once they started to go away. So they returned with a vengeance. I tried over the counter stuff, duct tape, everything! Why I didn't go back to what worked? Who knows! However, NOTHING worked! 

So, back to the oil. In the morning and at night. Adding Frankincense at night. And they are finally gone! I'm still oiling the spots (like I should have all along) to make sure the root is truly dead but yet another success story for essential oils! I can't wait to get some cute new sandals to show off my renewed feet!

My journey with oils began with my son was a baby with GI issues. They helped heal him when doctors couldn't figure out what was up. And I have continuously been amazed by them ever sense! 

Here's some other uses/benefits of Oregano oil: 

Antibacterial
Antibiotic
Antiparasitic
Antiviral
Disinfectant

Cold and Flu

Diarrhea

Sore Throat

Throat Infection

Yeast Infection

It's so powerful! Just be careful to use a carrier oil (like coconut oil) it is a hot oil. 

If you're interested in getting some oils of your own please visit my online shop at www.mydoterra.com/simplyeco. Not all oils are created equal! I would love to encourage everyone to realize they can take control of their health and their families health...nature has sure healing properties!

And remember to Eco-Live and Laugh!