my all natural, wonder cream...

I've been experimenting with making my own body creams for nearly two years now, learning about the properties of oils, waxes, butters, creating different combinations, trialling recipe after recipe. I began by using eeevery oil I could find, they all sound SO good! I thought they had to be better all together ;-)

Since I'm so sensitive, I ended up using the oils etc straight on my face to learn the exact reactions, how well they absorbed, if I was allergic to any, etc. This recipe has been the best so far, using my favourite oils, the waxes can be interchangeable depending on bee or nut allergy. Its very simple but providing all my skin needs to deeply moisturise, replenish, and lock in moisture.  Less ingredients mean sensitive skin has less to react to, that's always a good thing.

Use on moist skin, straight after shower or bath for best results.  Your skin will be much more receptive to the oils with some water present, but once you add water to any cream or lotion recipe, bacteria begins to breed, so it's best to avoid the need of adding preservatives by following this simple step.  If you find your skin too oily after use, make sure you let it soak in for at least 20 minutes, before blotting with a tissue, and perhaps use less cream next time before trying another blend of oils... Don't give up, every skin is different.

Cream can be used around the eye area and make sure you include the lips! I never use lip balms anymore, this does it all. Hands and feet and unmentionable areas too ;-) I never need body cream anymore, even with my very dry skin and psoriasis, my home made natural soap is enough. (soapy blog post coming soon)

The apricot oil is great for irritated skin, penetrates deep into the skin softening fine lines, the coconut oil is a great anti inflammatory and used extensively for skin sensitivities. The jojoba sinks deeply into the skin, and helps prevent moisture loss, as does the wax, holding that crucial moisture in, so the skin won't dry out so quickly, meaning less lines, wrinkles and premature ageing.  I urge you to do some research on oils, and experiment away, it's very worth it.

My cream has no scent, but still smells pretty good.  It's very very easy. You can substitute the oils if you want, if you keep the ratios of oils and waxes the same you can't really go wrong. For example, I love what rose hip seed oil does for skin... But if I use it too often I become sensitive... However, with the cream I make for my sister I add 10 grams of rose hip oil, and take away 10 grams of the apricot... Easy!   Play around, it's fun. Not everyone's skin is the same and especially if we are sensitive, we all react a little differently.  Olive, almond and macadamia oils are also all amazing and great for sensitive skin.

Most importantly, don't be afraid of oils! They are wonderful, wonderful things, straight from nature. They are cheap, highly available, even on your supermarket food aisle shelves.  Trust me, once you find the right oil or combination for you, they will work so much better than anything you've ever tried for any skin problems and needs... Nature's miracle!

"But oil will make me greasy and give me break out's..." NO! Oils will not clog pores, cause blackheads or pimples! One very big reason these things happen is when our skin is lacking oil!  It super charges oil production creating these problems.  Put the oil in, hey presto, minimal skin problems and breakouts ;-)  If you've tried this kind of method before and had bad results, you may need a heavier or lighter oil. I encourage you to keep trying :-)

Where I buy my ingredients... 

At the supermarket... 

And online, click for link... 

In Australia Aussie Soap Supplies 

In the USA but great prices and cheap shipping Iherb

In the USA Brambleberry

Have fun! x S

Questions? or if you'd like to share your favorite oils, or recipes, please leave a comment :-)

bickies for breakie...

I did a bit of baking this morning, these are yummo, even if I do say so myself.   I always find this healthy type of baking so much easier than the conventional method, no rubbing butter into crumbs and all that hard stuff lol So it's not a daunting task to do before lunch, plus it's not bad for me, it tastes as good, no, better actually, but there is no guilt involved, fantastic!

I created the recipe to taste like a fruity oat biscuit but of course they have no oats, no grains, vegan too, with lots of coconut products, fruit and nuts.. all good stuff for my anti inflammatory diet.  I like to have something healthy but easy, a little sweet and yummy, on hand to eat in the morning, nicer still if it has some crunch to enjoy with my coffee. These little bickies are perfect!  They took about an hour for me to prepare, would be faster for a able bodied person. I go on to freeze them and take them out the night before.  They last me ages! 

Ingredients... 

1 cup dates pitted and chopped

1/2 cup sultanas 

1 cup walnuts chopped 

1/2 cup ground almonds 

1/2 cup ground cashews

2/3 cup coconut flour

1/2 cup shredded coconut

1 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger (optional) 

1/4 teaspoon Himalayan salt

1/3 cup maple syrup 

1 teaspoon vanilla bean extract

Water to combine if needed

Mix in fruit with the rest of the dry ingredients well

Then add the wet ingredients and combine. I do this all with my hands, arthritis means I can't use spoons to mix, but there is always a way, and it's a much funner way Hehe! Squish! Lol

Plop spoonfuls onto a baking tray and press down, there is no butter or gluten in these so they will bake exactly how you place them. 

Bake in a preheated oven at 160 C for 20 minutes. Yuuuummmmm! 

Makes 24 good sized biscuits. 

Hope you enjoy!  xx S 

natural baby wipes for my baby...

My furbaby, is just like his mama, very sensitive lol.  Poor little guy is always inflamed, itchy and has spots on his little tummy. I've tried so many things to ease this problem... I think it's grass allergy really. But another thing is he has long fur, so I use baby wipes to wipe his little doodah and tushy.  That was before I read how many chemicals and pretty nasty things go into the commercial baby wipes!

So research on my never fail Pinterest and I found a great coconut oil baby wipes recipe! So, I made it yesterday and it is working well so far and better than the commercial brands, yep, better! Fancy that!

So all you do is use a brand of paper toweling that works when wet. Put in a container, I unraveled my roll while pushing it into my container. Then in a separate cup, I melt a small amount of my natural homemade soap, (ends up being about 1 tablespoon), mix in to 1 1/2 to 2 cups of warm water with 1 tablespoon of coconut oil and a couple drops of tea tree oil to keep things fresh. Viola!

Pip doesn't look below and scratch after I've wiped him,  and it is so much easier to clean that skirt and tail after he goes number twos!

And hopefully we'll have one completely happy puppy soon!

UPDATE...he is now practically itch free!!! But we have also washed all his bedding and carpets in a natural solution of vinegar and baking soda.  Story to follow shortly!!  We have been busy bees lol!

Time for Cookies! Vegan - Gluten Free

There are so many biscuits around at this time of the year, most of which I can't eat!

I pulled my sleeves up and got to work on a healthy alternative of course, hehe

I've been working on my biscuit recipe for awhile now. To my taste, this one, and it's variations hit the spot, especially the peanut ones, yum!  I was amazed that without gluten they held together while I was cutting them out, and when they came out of the oven much better than any wheat flour biscuit I've ever made. And they aren't tooth breaking hard like some wheat biscuits turn out if you leave them in the oven for a minute or two too long.  They also freeze really well, just grab them out and leave them to defrost on some paper towel. I take one out of the freezer at a time and dunk them in hot tea or coffee, does the trick.

Of course if you want a lower carb version, that you can eat more often ;-) my original recipe can still be used with all the variations I've provided. I'll type it out again at the end of this post...

Combine dry ingredients in a bowl

1 cup rice flour
1/2 cup tapioca flour
1/2 cup desiccated coconut
Pinch sea salt

In another bowl combine wet ingredients

1/4 cup melted coconut oil
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
1 tsp pure vanilla bean paste

Preheat oven to 160 Celsius.
Pour wet into dry and mix to a dough. Roll out on a floured board to 1 cm thickness and cut cookie shapes. Sprinkle with a little coconut sugar if desired. Place on greased oven tray. Bake for 15-20 minutes.

And vary to suit....

Variations...

Cinnamon
Add to dry ingredients
2 tsp cinnamon
Finish biscuits with a sprinkle of coconut sugar before they go into the oven

Spice
Add to dry ingredients
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp ginger
Finish biscuits with a sprinkle of coconut sugar before they go into the oven

Ginger
Add to dry ingredients
3 tsp ginger
1 tsp cinnamon

Macadamia nut
Replace the maple syrup in recipe with 1/3 cup coconut sugar, add to dry ingredients.
Also add,
1 cup macadamia nuts,
pop half nuts in food processor and grind up, semi fine,
Place in dry ingredients,
Then, place rest of nuts in food processor and grind quickly to just slightly shatter nuts.
Add to dry ingredients and proceed with original recipe.

Peanut
Add,
1 cup peanuts,
pop half nuts in food processor and grind fine,
Place in dry ingredients,
Then, place rest of nuts in food processor and grind quickly to just slightly shatter nuts.
Add to dry and proceed with original recipe


Sarah's nutty biscuit recipe

2/3 cup rice flour
1/3 cup tapioca flour
1/2 cup dessicated coconut
1 cup of mixed seeds and/or nuts variations
I use either....
half/half cashews and almonds
Or...
pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds
Or vary it to suit you.
Place nuts and seeds in a coffee grinder and grind finely then add to dry ingredients
1/3 cup maple syrup
Pinch salt
1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
1/2 lemon juice and zest
1 tsp vanilla bean paste

Combine in a bowl and then place spoonfuls of mix onto a baking tray, press down as they won't spread with baking, bake at 160 C for 20 - 30 minutes

Enjoy, and happy holidays! xx S

The Lady of Joy

Whilst daydreaming in my garden, I looked up at the sky at our beautiful moon, I noticed that a jet was flying by in a path that would pass right next to the moon, for what would make an amazing photo opportunity! I live for these moments! Excitedly I ran inside to grab my camera, but of course I was too late :-( I still got a photo of the moon, and the jet, just not together. 

So, I went back to daydreaming....... 

When I looked up again....I saw something mysterious in the sky, almost out of eyesight range, right by the moon, oh my gosh now they were two mysterious objects!  I quickly came to the logical conclusion that they must be alien ship's! 

"Aliens!!!" said Pip, startled from his sniffing.

Seriously, aliens always freaked me out. 

They are one of the earliest fears I remember, well that and Dame Edna, the band Kiss, flying monkeys, anything in a mask or makeup, sheer terror! Lol!

I'm not so terrified of aliens anymore but I still find anything with a mask on disturbing!  Lol! 
OK.... Flying monkeys still scare me.... 

Arrgh!

"I'm afraid of gnomes mummy..."  aww...poor baby,  you're just going to have to get over it,  mummy loves her gnomes... Be a good boy and they won't eat you. 

Hehehehe,  I'm not so mean truly. Most of the time... Haha! 

Luckily I had my super zoom camera with me, and discovered it wasn't aliens at all, but eagles! "well, that's a relief! "

Eagles soaring through the sky, how excited, blessed and joyful I felt. They happen to be Wedge Tailed Eagles, the second largest bird in Australia, with a wingspan of up to 2.5 meters and soar to an altitude of 2000 meters! That's amazing!

This came the day after I lost a little baby bird I've been looking after. We heard a lot of squawking one evening, it was a little blackbird, on the grass, fallen from its nest, it's parents trying hard to defend it,  poor cat was hiding, the parents were feirce lol. They kept trying to pick it up, show it how to fly to this branch, then the next. I made nests for it,  kept putting it up higher,  but it preferred the ground. The parents looked after it, fed it, I kept it in what I thought was a safe area of the garden, try as we might, it still ended up jumping in the pond and finding it there dead was horrible, it's mother still hanging around, distressed. It was all so sad...I apologized over and over.

Click to visit source 

Love is what binds us all together, everything, everyone, if we open our hearts and minds we see it and feel it,  and I can tell you,  it's a true gift to be in tune to this kind of knowing.  I buried the baby in our fur, feather and fin resting place, and cried my tears....

Click to visit source

I couldn't help feeling I had failed and could have done a better job at protecting it.  So I sought my Wendy Froud Heart of Faerie Oracle Cards trying to find my lesson so I could move forward, it showed me the Lady of Joy card, which made no sense at the time.

 Fast forward a day and The Eagles brought the meaning to light, life is about the moments, the kindnesses, and joys, not about the end result, but the minutes, the seconds and how we use them. We can all feel joy and share joy....nothing and no gesture is too small to bring joy to the world...the baby gave me joy and a purpose, and though I was so sad it had to leave this world early, feeling loss and sadness isn't a bad thing, in our endless struggle to be happy, we forget that it is a key ingredient to the magical rhythm of feeling joy... the eagles brought it back around again...and I feel it deeply.

Click to visit source and read a wonderful poem

Which brings me to the other lesson the little bird taught me, burden and self worth. With been chronically ill, not having independence or control of a lot in my life, I often feel I don't contribute enough in life, my family, my friendships, and the ever-present feeling of being a burden. No one makes me feel this way, it's just part of the mind games chronic illness play. This little bird taught me that it was enough, just being itself, it had its own gifts to bring to the world, even for a short time. I realised that we all play our part in the web of life. I'll carry on doing my bit, whether it's doting on my puppy dog, pottering in my garden or relocating beetles and spiders from inside to outside, it's just as important and is perfectly enough...thank you little birdie 

Love and joy to you all, please share it  x S

must eat cookies!!!!

Spring is always a difficult time for me, spring for all its beauty, brings weather changes and pollens out in force which puts my immune system into  hyper drive, not good with auto immune diseases, so I haven't had a great time of it lately.  I really thought I'd fly past the season this year in good health but life is never smooth sailing unfortunately!  I realised quickly I'd not failed, I've just needed to jump some more hurdles, ninja style of course, I'm stronger for it.

I think spring is so pretty to compensate us on how bad she makes us feel lol!

The Addison's disease brings about lots of weakness and stomach troubles so eating has been a bit of a challenge!  I ended up eating a few processed foods during my worst time, potato chips and a cup of continental soup, resulting in hives, I always had this problem, it had gone away, now I know why! I'm still finding it hard to eat some foods like nuts, so I have created some new recipes so I get some goodness in me easily.

I made the first lemon cookies while I was really sick and needed to eat solids again, they were very easy to eat.

2 cups Gluten free flour
1 flax egg
1/2 lemon juice and zest
1/2 cup melted coconut oil
1/3 cup coconut sugar

Mix together and place spoonfulls on a tray and bake for approx 20 mins at 160 C

The next recipe combinations I'm eating now so I have some nuts and seeds back in my diet, very scrummy and hopefully working to build me back up again!

1 cup gluten free flour
1/2 cup dedicated coconut
1 cup of mixed seeds and/or nuts variations
I used for my first batch...
half/half cashews and almonds
And for my second batch...
pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds
Place nuts and seeds in a coffee grinder and grind finely
1/3 cup coconut sugar - alternatively maple syrup works great too.
Pinch salt
1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
1/2 lemon juice and zest

Combine in a bowl and then place spoonfuls of mix onto a baking tray, bake at 160 C for 20 - 30 minutes

Hope you enjoy and enjoy the flowers too!

Happy Anniversary To Me :-)

My Anniversary Pie, full of healing ingredients, raw, vegan, gluten free, refined sugar free, full of taste and scrumminess!

banana cream pie recipe

I followed the recipe from here, but used maple syrup instead of the agave and powdered sugar.

As we say goodbye to winter here, my year is also up, it was a year ago when I wrote my first blog post and made the decision to dedicate the rest of my life to healing myself through holistic means instead of tried and failed conventional methods. It has meant not only eliminating sooo much from my diet but bringing in healing to every part of my life...mind, body, spirit.  Was it easy, nope, did I think I couldn't do it, nope ;-) . I've always had undeniable faith in myself and my ability but I still had to come to terms with my situation perhaps getting a lot worse without intense medical treatment. I was ok with that, I was at peace with all and life's cycle when I made my decision.

Sitting here a year later, I feel like a new person, in every way, feeling on top of the world, I live each moment in happiness of how well I feel compared to how I used to feel, each new thing I'm able to do, is a cause for celebration, I cant help it, I'm blown away with the impact its made on me, even if I'm having a bad day I'm still happy, I realise it part of the process of healing now, my body is talking to me, I have learned to listen! I've still got a long way to go, but, its been SO worth all the effort, learning, tweaking, trying again, researching, brainstorming with like minded friends, tweaking and trying some more....I'm still going too, I don't think this process will ever stop, but I'm ok with that, I enjoy every minute.

So, I was so happy and loved that other pie so much...I made another pie....with strawberries! 

The theme song that's been running through my head the whole year has been Jon Bon Jovi's, Never Say Die chorus, ...yeah long time BJ fangirl hehe...now its The Carpenter's, On top of the World one of my favourite songs since I was 7....I love life, I love our earth and its universe, I love my family and friends, I appreciate everything, so much, I love being me, always, but especially at this moment in time, one year I have never once lost my determination, I DID IT!!!  And I'm unashamedly super proud of myself!

For the year ahead, I want to keep moving forward of course, I want to keep sharing the methods that have worked for me and hopefully help people who are in my old situation or want to start living this way of life but don't know how, it can be so overwhelming to begin this journey, added to the mix doctors or even friends or family who don't take it seriously or fight you on your decision. I know I wish I'd started years ago, but it was overwhelming, I was so sick I couldn't even think of how to begin.....I know there are already loads of help sites blogs etc out there, but we are all links of a powerful chain of hands, helping each other...

I already have a group on Facebook where we chat about things to do with healing
Healing in the Kitchen

well, I can't wait to see what happens next, -things I can't even imagine-, so my spirit guide tells me and I have trust in her...

Thanks for reading....

TTFN x S