Veggie Pot Pie

I'm starting the "Daniel Fast" (www.daniel-fast.com) tomorrow and have been searching for recipes that are allowed on this fast.  I'll be posting some of my own creations here.  Today's creation was a veggie pot pie.

Crust:
2 c. flour
2/3 c. vegetable oil
1 tsp. salt
1/4 c. water

Sift together the flour and salt.  In a mixer, slowly stir in the oil.  Allow to continue mixing until it looks like crumbs.  Slowly add the water.  It will be crumbly because of the use of oil rather than butter or shortening, but you can easily flatten it in the bottom of the baking dish and sprinkle above the top.  I pressed 1 c. of the mixture in the bottom and sprinkled the rest evenly above the filling.

Filling:
1 bag frozen mixed vegetables of your choice
2 c. vegetable broth
2 tbsp. oil
4 tbsp. flour

For the veggies, I like a variety of peas, carrots, celery, onions, potatoes, lima beans, okra and onion.  But you can use about 3-4 c. any variety of vegetables that you like.  If you use something I didn't mention, I can't promise that it'll be good.  Boil the veggies until tender crisp.  In a saucepan, whisk together oil and flour until it makes and paste of dough that begins to become fragrant and color a bit.  Slowly stir in vegetable broth and whisk well to combine.  Watch closely, whisking often until it comes to a low boil.  Whisk continuously for 2 minutes.  Remove from heat and combine with strained veggies.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  If you haven't already done so, press 1 c. crust into bottom of a round baking dish.  Pour veggie / gravy mix over the crust.  Top with the remaining crust.  Bake 20 minutes.  Let cool about 5 minutes before serving.

Immune System Support

Many people do not realize that the first step to an active immune system is a healthy diet.  When your body is fully nourished, it can function on all levels and does not have to work as hard to fight off viruses, bacteria, allergens and other "offenders."  A good cleanse, coupled with better eating habits, can kick start your immune system very quickly.  In an effort to save money when doing my first cleanse in 2006, I went to Wal*Mart and spent $7 on their popular cleanse.  Three days later I was babysitting the toilet and had blood in my urine.  The cheap stuff usually contains harsher ingredients and do not nourish while cleansing, which causes these negative side effects.  With a good cleanse, you will barely notice the process, yet you will feel rejuvenated with more energy and fewer cravings for unhealthy treats.  I use Clean Start twice a year with great results.  Each box comes with 2 seven day supplies, so it will cover you for the year.  A word of caution though, you should drink only water or natural juices during the 1 week cleanse.  Coffee has a laxative effect which will be magnified by the cleanse.  The caffeine in many sodas have a diuretic effect which will also be magnified and may cause dehydration.  You really do need to drink 64 oz. water daily on a cleanse.  More if possible.

My saving grace, Fizz Active!  It is similar to Airborne, though I have never compared prices or ingredients.  My sister-in-law, whom I love dearly, swears by airborne, which prompted me to try Fizz Active.  I take 2 tablets weekly, that's it!  And it keeps me protected.  Before taking this, about once a week I would develop symptoms that my body was fighting something.  I have not felt that since taking this weekly.

Our family also loves echinacea.  We use a liquid echinacea with golden seal.  Pregnant or nursing moms should avoid golden seal.  There is another liquid "ultimate echinacea" that has no golden seal.  We like the golden seal in with the echinacea because of the urinary benefits.  My family has a history and kidney and urinary issues, so it's an added benefit to the immunity it provides.

Echinacea does have a bitter taste, so I wouldn't recommend taking it alone or in water, unless you just like the flavor.  We take it in a wonderful drink called Berry Healthy.  It is full of antioxidants, which are great for immunity.  It is flavored with real berries, which I love.  The flavor is pleasant enough, that I can empty a capsule of other herbs in it to administer to my children who have not learned to swallow capsules yet.  It actually compliments the herbs well enough that my daughter said, "Mommy, you make the best drinks ever!" the last time I did this.

Another immune power house that we live on is Silver Shield.  It really is a miracle in a bottle!  The silver is combined with water and an electrical charge magnetizes the silver.  When it comes in contact with an unhealthy cell, bacteria, organism, etc., it binds the nucleus of the cell and makes it incapable of multiplying or binding with a healthy cell.  For this reason it has been tested on over 650 bacteria, viruses, organisms, etc. and has been effective at dealing with them all.  Brigham Young University has even successfully tested it on the HIV virus!  It is being used to treat malaria in Africa.  It is just wonderful.  Some herbalists suggest taking 1 tsp. daily for immunity.  For us, we take 1 tsp. daily when we've been exposed to something or when we begin feeling ill.  "But will I turn blue?", you may ask.  NO!  Many people were shocked and horrified by the "blue man" who appeared on Oprah several years ago.  I would encourage you to watch that interview again on www.Youtube.com, pay close attention to Dr. Oz's thoughts.  He explains that the "blue man" made his own silver and it was approximately 50% silver.  The silver I am suggesting contains 18 parts silver per 1,000,000 parts water.  Dr. Oz said that this concentration was fine and even beneficial!  He did say, "Why take silver when there are so many antibiotics out there that can help you."  My answer to that is because bacteria are becoming resistant to antibiotics and are no match for Silver, so why NOT give it a try!

In addition to these I would suggest a good multivitamin to fill in those gaps left from a less than perfect diet.  I would also suggest getting 10-30 minutes of unprotected sunlight daily.  For longer stretches of sun exposure, an SPF 15 sunblock will be helpful in preventing sun damage.  An important thing to think about is that the sunscreen also blocks the rays that produce vitamin D production in the body.  So getting that limited unprotected sunlight on the arms, neck, back or chest are very important.  And finally vitamin c.  That is one I'm sure everyone is familiar with.  We take vitamin c chewables with great results.

Products described in this blog can be found at:  www.mynsp.com/EdenEssentials
Additional products can be found at:  EdenEssentials.Etsy.com

Tabooli, a Complete Meal

I've seen it spelled many ways, but no matter how you spell it, it's always delicious!  This recipe was on the back of a box of Hodgson Mills Wheat with Soy.  If you can't find it at your grocery store, you can order online at www.hodgsonmill.com.

FOR THE SALAD:
1.5 c. dry Hodgson Mills Bulgar Wheat with Soy
1.5 c. boiling or very hot water
1 bunch green onions
1 green pepper
1 cucumber
3 tomatoes, seeded
1 bunch parsley

FOR THE DRESSING:
1/2 c. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 c. lemon juice
1 tsp. salt (preferably Real Salt brand)

TO MAKE:  Combine Bulgar mix with boiling water.  Let it set in the refrigerator for 2 hours.  Combine dressing ingredients and pour over bulgar mixture.  Mix well and let set 2 hours.  Meanwhile, chop all of the veggies finely then combine with the bulgar mix for the remainder of the 2 hours for marinating.

Serve with falafel, tzatziki, and Greek pita or eat all by itself for a delicious one-dish meal!

www.mynsp.com/EdenEssentials
EdenEssentials.Etsy.com

Treat Cuts, Scrapes and Burns Naturally

Most of us don't know what in the world all those ingredients are in Neosporin and similar ointments. Sure, I've never heard of anyone being injured by these ointments, but I, like many others, prefer to know and understand what I'm putting on my children. That's why I came up with a liquid that will heal cuts, scrapes and burns as well as anything you can find OTC, but with all natural ingredients that you know you can trust. These oils are antibacterial, antifungal, antiseptic, antimicrobial, etc.

Here is what you will need:

2 oz. bottle (amber glass is best, but plastic will do)

4 drops Tea Tree oil

4 drops Bergamot oil

2 drops Lavender oil

4 drops Geranium oil

2 drops Frankincense oil

15 vitamin e capsules

3 drops grapefruit seed extract

2 oz. pure aloe vera juice

Add oils to the empty bottle. Puncture vitamin e capsules 1 by 1 with a sterile needle and empty into the bottle. Add grape fruit seed extract. Fill the bottle with aloe vera juice. Shake well and apply to cuts, scrapes and burns. Also works on sun burns. For added cooling effect and to keep longer, keep refigerated.

To use, shake well and apply to a cotton ball, then apply to cuts and scrapes. For larger areas like sun burns, shake well, pour on desired area and rub in.

For more information or to purchase these ingredients, please visit mynsp.com/edenessentials.

Achieving a Clean and Healthy Home

A toxic home is not a place that you want to live in. You should always be careful to read and research the chemicals in each and every product you buy. There are more chemicals in the home today than were in a typical lab at the turn of the 20th century! They are used without restrictions, are not subject to health and safety codes once in place.

We should never let cleanliness contribute to the toxicity of our world. Thirty two million pounds of chemicals daily and 12 billion pounds annually are flushed down the drain where they eventually become a part of our environment or drinking water supply.

OCEA says there are 884 toxic chemicals in our personal care products. When you read the label, do you know what they are really trying to tell you? Generally, it goes as follows:
"Caution" = 2 tablespoons to 2 cups will kill
"Warning" = 1 teaspoon can kill
"Danger" = a pinch or dash can kill

A few proven carcinogens to look out for are:

• Aerosol, Alcohol and ammonia
• Fluoride, Formaldehyde, certain fragrances
• Mineral Oil suffocates the pores which can trap toxins in the skin
• Talc (used for diaper rash) is from asbestos
  
• Alcohol, commonly in mouthwash, increases oral and throat cancer risks
• Sodium Laurel Sulfate is an endocrine interrupter and mimics estrogen

Xylitol Mouthwash is a great alternative. Bacteria cannot ferment in xylitol, which is derived from corn, because it is a 5 carbon sugar, not a 6 carbon sugar.

So why go green? Because 90% of our lives are spent indoors. We should do it for our health and the environment our family and friends live and work in. Chemicals can be brought to a bare minimum within your life and home so that you can live in a way that is healthy for your body and the Earth. Chemicals kill more children than gun accidents! Scary stuff!

Essentials for the Home: Can all be found at mynsp.com/edenessentials and are pretty inexpensive.

• Lemon & peppermint essential oils (for their cleansing properties)
• Natures Fresh Enzyme Spray breaks down organic matter, such as stains on fabric or food on dishes. It also cleans the toilet (full of organic matter) like nothin' else!
• Sunshine Concentrate Cleaner is a wonderful liquid organic cleanser that is very versatile. You can use it on laundry, to clean floor, counters and windows, at the kitchen sink or in the dishwasher, as a hand and body soap, and also when making your own all natural, organic facial cleansers and shampoos. Just add your favorite essential oils and the possibilities are endless.
• Silver Shield is made made with colloidal silver, which is known for being antiviral and antibacterial. Use it on counters after cutting raw meat or carry it in your purse for hand sanitizer. It is also wonderful for spritzing on your bed linens (a combination of natures fresh, essential oils and silver shield).
• Xylitol bulk can be used in cleaning, but it is also a wonderfully delicious sugar alternative. Since it is actually all natural, not altered in a lab, your body recognizes it as food and processes it accordingly. The same can't be said for Splenda and Equal. Many chewing gums, like Trident use xylitol as their sweetener.
• Xylitol Mouth Wash is wonderful for dental hygiene.
• Sunshine Brite Toothpaste is also ideal for oral hygiene. It contains soothing aloe vera gel, golden seal, myrrh, Icelandic moss, astragalus, green tea and elderberry for natural oral health care. Sunshine Brite is naturally flavored with real mint. It contains no fluoride, which can be dangerous to children in excess.

Where pests are concerned, most do not like peppermint oil. You can make a spray of peppermint and other essential oils, like rosemary and spray around the perimiter of your house, inside and out. You may need to apply it weekly during seasonal changes, but I promise it costs less than calling the exterminator and will only take about 15 minutes of your day. Lemon oil repels flies wonderfully.

A few ideas for household natural cleansers:

• Anti-mold: 8 oz. Natures Fresh, 2 tablespoons xylitol, 10 drops lemon oil. Combine and apply to mold, windows, bathrooms, etc. Use daily for 2-3 days on serious mold. This combination will kill black mold!
• Smelly shoes: Spray with Silver Shield and let dry.
• Cutting board / Counter Top disinfectant: Spray with Silver Shield and let dry for 6-10 minutes. Will successfully kill Ecoli and Salmonila.
• Natures Fresh makes a great, non-toxic jewelry cleaner. It uses plant enzymes and is hypoalergenic.

Want to get even greener?!

• Make a lavendar lemon disinfecting linen spray using Silver Shield, lavendar and lemon in a spray bottle.
• For a clean dishwasher that is bacteria free, use 4 oz. Natures Fresh, 4 oz. distilled vinegar, 10 drops lemon oil - run the empty dishwasher on the fast cycle

There are so many uses for Natures Fresh. Instead of Febreeze, combine Natures Fresh with your favorite essential oils and odors are gone! This even works on cat urine! I've had to use it for that, unfortuantely. You can make a personal deoderant since it will break down the stinky bacteria caused by under arm sweat. You can wash fruits and veggies with it as well. If you combine Silver Shield and Natures Fresh then spray it on grapes which are left on the counter, they will last twice as long. This saves money on costly produce by keeping your food fresher longer.


Sunshine Concentrated Cleaner has no phosphates, borate or acids, is biodegradable and is pH balanced (6.5). It is safe for people, animals, plants and the environment. To wash your clothes use 1-3 squirts depending on load size. Wash your toilet, windows, tubs and even your car with it successfully! Just 1 bottle = 64 gallons of household cleaner. It removes algea from an outdoor deck and your plants will thank you! For 4 hours of clean hands, combine in a soap dispenser with Silver Shield or add some jojoba oil to the Sunshine Concentrate cleaner for a heavenly body wash.

The bathroom is te most toxic place in the home. It has the most chemicals in the smallest area. Spray silver shield and natures fresh everywhere - it even disinfects your toothbrushes!

Consume wisely! Green is in!!! Reduce chances of childhood leukemia by 9X just by using the essential oils mentioned vs. pesticides. Your life and health will be greatly improved by making a few simple changes.

For more information on any of the products mentioned, please visit mynsp.com.edenessentials!

Dealing with ADD / ADHD Naturally

When my son was 5, a brave cafeteria monitor mustered up the courage to tell me that my son was a royal terror during lunch, jumping on tables and slam dunking his tray into the trash can and partaking in other acrobatic feats. I immediately scheduled a meeting with his teacher who told me that for the past 6 weeks he had been acting up but it hadn't reach an unmanageable level yet and she assumed since it was sudden, there must be something going on at home and she was giving it time before addressing the issue since she could manage to get him to focus.

I did some research and found that Omega 3 fatty acids and DHA deficiencies are the most common cause of ADD / ADHD in young children who have never experienced behaviors like this beforehand. The brain is made up of fat and if it isn't given the right types of fat for food, it can literally begin to starve. Some fats thicken the blood-brain barrier, which cause ADD/ADHD symptoms. Fast foods are friend in omega 6 and 9 oils. Eggs are high in omega 6 oils. These thicken the blood-brain barrier. The higher the omega number, the longer the chain and therefor the harder the body must work to convert the fatty acid into DHA. The body's ultimate goal is to convert these omegas into DHA, which is why omega 3s and DHA are so good for the body. It takes the work out and yields immediate results.

This is the regimen I used on my son, which brought about immediate results. I started on a Friday afternoon and by Wednesday his teacher was asking me what I did to calm him down so quickly. I have found that since we eat healthy as it is and I am more careful with eliminating omega 9s and reducing 6s, I can give him 1/2 doses daily or 5 X a week with the same great results.

Sunshine Heroes Omega 3 with DHA: These are gummy vitamins made from whole foods like mangosteen, cranberry, broccoli and spinach as well as 12 fatty acids. It is wheat, soy and milk free. With these I started with the recommended 4 per day until symptoms were relieved, then I moved down to 3 per day and now I do 2 per day 5-7 days a week.

Focus Attention: This drink powder stimulates and supports brain function and blood circulation to neurotransmitters. It also modulates brain activity and energy levels. Focus Attention actually tastes great. It's flavored with natural raspberry and mixes well with juice or water. What I love about this is, it brings immediate results and then I just use it as necessary afterward. One bottle has lasted us close to a year because it works so well. We use it now for exciting times of year, like the holidays. If he is coming home from school cranky or unable to finish his work on time, we know the situation calls for about a week of focus attention powder.

Lobelia Essence: We initially were using this for it's respiratory benefits. Lobelia is like a little miracle. It can be used during menstruation to relieve cramps. Massage it on the forehead for a headache. It can bring relief to asthma suffers or during intense coughing fits with a cold. It also can be used to slow or stop early labor. Because of the relaxing properties, we massage about a teaspoon of this liquid onto his back or feet before bed and it helps him sleep better. When he has an ADD/ADHD moment, lobelia will bring him back to a normal temperament. It will not make you do anything you don't want to do, like I've experienced with Tylenol PM and the like. If you want to stay awake, you'll stay awake. It simply relaxes you and allows you to function without some of the overstimulating thoughts or restless muscles that can keep people awake.

Other Changes:
- Replace one meat meal per week with salmon. My son just loves salmon in any form, but if your kids don't like fish, you can try my mom's salmon patty recipe (picture is from her blog).

Salmon Patties

12 oz. salmon
2 1/2 c. herbed bread crumbs (I like the ones that are in the bag)
1 egg beaten
1 1/2 c. plaint yogurt (or 1 c milk, 1/2 c. sour cream)
shredded carrots, salt, pepper, onion powder, oregano (or whatever you like...thyme, sage, etc.), garlic powder (all to your liking)

Poach and flake the salmon. Beat egg, yogurt, bread crumbs, and desired amount of seasonings together. Add salmon and carrots. Form into patties (I use biscuit cutter on a flat cutting board as a mold, or fill a 1/4 c. dry measuring scoop) Drop patties into hot, sprayed skillet (I like cast iron) 4-5 at a time. Leave center open. Cook until golden brown and comes away from pan easily. Flip only once.

Serve with this sauce: 1/2 c. sour cream or plain yogurt, 2 tsp. dijon mustard, 1/8 cayenne (optional), 1/8 tsp. turmeric, pinch of salt.

- Eat out less and use more extra virgin olive oil when cooking.
- Reduce meat intake as follows:  poultry once a week, fish 1-3 times per week, red meat 1-3 times per month and eliminate pork and shellfish.
- Use cast iron or stainless steal with olive oil spray and avoid "nonstick" type materials since recent evidence is showing adverse effects from Teflon flaking into food when not used correctly.
- Minute Made has a juice called "Brainergy" which we really like. It is high in DHA and omega 3s. It has been increasingly hard to find these days. But when we do find it, it is in the refrigerator juice section next to the "Simply Orange." It has NO high fructose corn syrup, which is one reason we love it so much.
- If you feel that sugar contributes to your child's symptoms, avoid artificial sweeteners since the debate is still on-going as to how they effect children. My cousin sat on the table eating packets of the equal growing up and now she is the only diabetic in our family. Is there a link? I don't know.  But a better alternative would be local, raw honey or agave nectar. I also like raw sugar. It doesn't metabolize the same as processed sugar and it doesn't have the same tooth decay effects that processed sugar does. Also, it does not feed cancer cells as readily as processed sugar does. All good things! The new truvia and purevia sweeteners look like they have potential. We also use xylitol since it has many, many health benefits, although it is very expensive compared to the rest.

Common sense precaution: Please do not ignore medical advice.  I am not a doctor. For more information or to purchase the products mentioned above, please visit www.mynsp.com/edenessentials.

Bladder and Urinary Tract Infections / Kidney Pains

UTIs are something that most parents of little girls have to deal with at one point or another during the first few years after potty training. Wiping incorrectly or not at all is usually the culprit. For adults, many women get them during pregnancy or in times of dehydration.

This regimen has worked well for my daughter, niece and myself many times. The symptoms are urgency to urinate, painful urination and bladder spasms. If these are severe or have been going on for more than 2-3 days, seek medical attention. These suggestions are meant to be used at the onset of symptoms. I'm not a doctor, so please do not go against medical advice. All of these products can be found at www.mynsp.com/EdenEssentials

The products that I use are:
Urinary Maintenance:Brings immediate relief and can usually knock out a UTI in 1-2 days. Since it is pure herbs, a capsule can be broken and poured into a small amount of cranberry juice, Berry Healthy or Herbal Punch for those who have difficulty swalllowing pills. For little ones, a straw usually helps, but my daughter will take it no problem.

Berry Healthy: Antioxidants are very beneficial to the urinary tract. Berry healthy is full of antioxidants and is made without the use of artificial flavors. I like that it is also wonderful for the immune and circulatory systems, so you really get a lot of benefit from this one product.

Echinacea / Golden Seal: Echinacea is great for immunity, while the golden seal brings immediate relief to urinary tract pains by helping the body rid itself of toxins.

Silver Liquid: Silver is a wonderful addition to this if you would like to try to speed things along. It cleanses the body internally. For an external infection, the gel works best. I usually use 1 tsp. of silver before bed because the kidneys cleanse themselves at night. This allows my daughter to get through the night without an urgency to use the toilet often. Rest is very important!

Silver Gel: I love silver gel because it can be used on any cut or scrape. It can also be used as an alcohol free hand sanitizer if carried in your purse. For an external UTI, simply apply about a pea-sized amount to the affected area and let it absorb completely. Usually 1-2 applications are all that are needed, when combined with other methods.

Kidney / Bladder Massage Oil: Organic, all-natural Bergamot, Sandalwood, Tea Tree, Lavender and Thyme oils are combined with a carrier oil to bring relief to kidney and bladder pains. Massage onto lower back and bladder area as often as necessary. Available by special order at EdenEssentials.etsy.com.