Avocado Pico

Oh for the love of pico! I love fresh salsas...maybe it's because I'm from Texas, or maybe it's because everyone loves salsa. Doesn't matter.

This is my all time favorite pico recipe.

Ingredients:
4 vine-ripened tomatoes
1/2 bunch of cilantro
1 medium or large red onion
4 limes
1 orange
3 small or 2 large avocados
Salt (to taste)

Cut out the core of the tomatoes and deseed.



Using your finest knife skills, cut tomatoes and onions into a small dice.



Not feeling the urge to cry like a newborn child when working with the onions?? Put a piece of bread in your mouth and suck on it. I am no Alton Brown, and cannot tell you how this works, it just does.



Wash your onions!!! Anytime you consume raw onions, they need a good rinse. When onions are cut, sulfurous compounds are released when your knife cuts through the cell walls. A little rinse cuts back on that bite and gives a more mellow taste.



Chop cilantro.



Combine ingredients and squeeze the lime and orange juice over the glory that is soon to be in your mouth.



Cut the avocados in a small dice, and combine.



Stir the ingredients together and add salt to taste. I am a salty girl, so I added about 3 TBS. Enjoy!!!

Make Your Own Home Cleaners

I know this picture is beyond disturbing. When I taught the natural cleaner class, I made a joke about my experience with oven cleaner feeling like I spent the night at Chernobyl. Ultimately this is not a joke, it's reality. I can not stress the importance in taking a stand for your family. Sitting on your rump, eating bon bons, and waiting for corporations to get green will get you nowhere.

Consumerism has created an obsession with the all mighty dollar, and in return, we have completely bypassed the health and well-being for the people of our world.

90% of our exposure to chemicals happens in the home. These toxins do not leave your body ( I don't care how many detox programs you undergo). Toxins make a lovely home in your cells and just keep building up over time.

All purpose cleaners often contain ammonia, a strong irritant that has been linked to liver and kidney damage. I can not tell you how irritating it was to research natural home cleaners and see ammonia in their recipes! Ugh! Common household cleaners can cause chemical burns and emit toxic fumes that harm the respiratory system. Chemicals commonly found in homes are linked to allergies, birth defects, cancer and psychological abnormalities. Cancer is the #1 cause of death in children and #2 in adults. Learning disabilities are on a rampage right now....we need to blame something right??

Here is a list of the Top 12 Hazardous Household Chemicals:

Air Fresheners - Don't let the commercials fool you. Most air fresheners interfere with your ability to smell by disabling your nasal passages with an oil film or a nerve-deadening agent. Common chemicals in air fresheners include formaldehyde (a highly toxic known carcinogen) and phenol (which can cause hives, convulsions, circulatory collapse, coma, and even death).


Ammonia is a volatile chemical that can damage your eyes, respiratory tract, and skin.


Bleach is a strong corrosive that can damage the skin, eyes, and respiratory tract. NEVER mix bleach with ammonia, as the fumes can be deadly.


Carpet and Upholstery Shampoos generally contain highly toxic substances like perchlorethylene (a known carcinogen that damages the liver, kidneys, and nervous system) and ammonium hydroxide (a corrosive that irritates eyes, skin, and respiratory passages).


Dishwasher Detergents - Most of them contain highly concentrated chlorine, which is the #1 cause of child poisonings.


Drain Cleaners commonly include lye (which can burn skin and eyes, and the esophagus and stomach if ingested), hydrochloric acid (a corrosive eye and skin irritant that damages kidneys, liver, and digestive tract), or tricholoroethane (eye and skin irritant and nervous system depressant).


Furniture Polish is highly flammable and can cause skin and lung cancer. It often contains phenol as well as nitrobenzene, which is an extremely toxic chemical that's easily absorbed through the skin.


Mold and Mildew Cleaners often contain sodium hypochlorite (a corrosive which can lead to fluid in the lungs) and formaldehyde (a highly toxic, known carcinogen). To clean mold and mildew safely - and to prevent it from coming back - use M-1 House Wash and M-1 Sure Cote Sealant.


Oven Cleaner contains lye (sodium hydroxide). Lye is often used to dissolve roadkill dumped in landfills; that can't be healthy.


Antibacterial Cleaners often contain triclosan, which is absorbed through the skin and linked to liver damage. Antibacterial soaps may also contribute to the development of drug-resistant bacteria.


Laundry Room Products may contain sodium or calcium hypocrite (a highly corrosive agent that can irritate the skin and eyes), hypochlorite bleach (a corrosive that can burn the eyes, skin, and respiratory tract). If exposed to other chemicals, hypochlorite bleach may form chlorine fumes that could be fatal.


Toilet Bowl Cleaners may contain hydrochloric acid or hypochlorite bleach.

Here is a list of recipes for making your own cleaners:




All Purpose Cleaner:
1/2 Cup Vinegar
2-3 Cups of water (depending on the size of your bottle)
1 tsp of biodegradable dish soap
10-15 drops of essential oil*

*Tea Tree Oil and Lavender are the most commonly used oils and both are antibacterial, I also like using an orange or lemon oil to boost the scent.




Oven Cleaner:
1 cup of baking soda

Sprinkle the baking soda on the bottom of the oven and spray with water or the all purpose cleaner. Let it sit overnight, then use a spatula to scrap up the nastiness. You may need to go back over the area with all purpose cleaner, as it can leave a white residue.

Shower "bleach":
1 part hydrogen peroxide
1 part water

Spray down your shower and leave overnight or for an hour or two
Rinse

All Purpose Floor Cleaner (hard woods too!)*
1 part vinegar
1 part water
5 -10 drops of your favorite essential oil for a nice scent and extra bacteria killer

Rust:
Mix cream of tarter and water until it forms a paste and take it to town on that rust

Toilet:
1 cup of vinegar
1/2 a cup of baking soda

Pour the vinegar around the rim of the toilet and let sit for 15 minutes
Flush
Sprinkle toilet with baking soda and scrub

Window, mirror and stainless steal cleaner:
Club Soda

I came across countless recipes for windows, then read that club soda was all you need. I thought it was a joke, seriously it is not! This stuff works! Again, if you want the antibacterial properties or scent, use essential oils.

*If you have marble surfaces or floors, do not use vinegar! Although seriously what is this 1975??

The Fight for Tomatoes

Remember a couple of years ago when BPA was discovered in baby bottles and the country went all bat shit crazy?? Well, I am so happy to report that this issue has been resolved, and mothers can sleep soundly. No, I lie you can't. BPA is not just found in plastic, it is used throughout the canning industry, and most dangerously in canned tomatoes. BPA is lined in the aluminum, and the acidity of tomatoes causes a reaction, or better yet contamination. I just came across these sites, where some hardcore bloggers did some serious research.

Body Earth
The Soft Landing


I am beyond disturbed by this for two reasons.

1: BPA has been linked to breast, prostate, and testicular cancers, obesity, elevated rates of heart disease, diabetes, liver abnormalities, reproductive problems and reduced sperm count, and problems with brain function and mood disorders.

2. Since learning of gassed tomatoes, I have gone strictly to organic canned tomatoes for my marinara batches.

Ugh! I can't win. Gone are the days of canning massive amounts of inexpensive organic tomato sauce! On the other hand, picking tomatoes before they are ripe and pumping them with gas, just doesn't sit right with me either. The sun needs to do it's job, that's where the flavor comes from. I know that there are no health concerns (at the moment) for ethylene, it just seems wrong. I get it, ethylene is naturally found in plants...blah blah blah. But is it really necessary? Can't I just buy an unripe tomato and let it ripen on my counter? Or buy a can of organic tomatoes without the threat of cancer?

You Are What You Eat

I can not express the importance of knowing where your food comes from and how it is grown. I am exceptionally anal when it comes to meat and dairy products. I have read every food book available, The Food Revolution, The Omnivores Dilemma, Mad Cowboy, Diet for a New America, etc. It became an obsession to the point of cutting out all meat and dairy from my diet. But as much as I highly respect that cruelty-free lifestyle, I am a carnivore. I love meat, eggs and cheese, but now I know what to look for when buying these products.

Let' talk eggs. Without making any of you fine ladies throw up in your mouth, I will keep this as PC as possible. Chickens are born, boy chicks are thrown away (literally), females have their beaks cut off (this prevents them from plucking themselves or other chickens to death) they are pumped full of antibiotics and hormones to grow so large that their legs break (b/c they naturally can not carry the weight), they are kept in disgusting conditions, are starved to force their bodies to lay more eggs, and most never see the light of day. Pretty shitty life right??

What to look for when buying eggs:

”Cage-free” does not mean the hens are treated humanely. They may still be pumped with antibiotics and hormones, along with suffering from debeaking.

Certified Organic is your best choice (although there are still some inhumane practices allowed). The birds are uncaged, and are required to have outdoor access. They are fed an organic, all-vegetarian diet free of antibiotics and pesticides.

Want something better? Visit your farmer's market. Most local farmers raise their chickens on a small scale (enough to make eggs to sell locally only). Having a fresh egg is really mind blowing. The color is bright orange and the taste far exceeds anything you buy on the grocery store shelf.

What to look for when buying milk.

This one is very simple. ORGANIC!!! Again the cruelty involved in dairy farms is atrocious. To keep a steady supply of milk, cows are repeatedly impregnated. Several times a day, dairy cows are hooked by their udders to electronic milking machines that can cause electrical shocks, and painful lesions. People get really offended when I mention pus in milk, but seriously it's there!! Do you really want to drink milk with growth hormones that most industrialized nations have banned? Don't get me started with that one. Thanks for looking out USDA!!

Buying Meat:
This one's a toughy. I have found that buying meat from reputable businesses (Whole Foods, Central Market) is a safe bet. Farmer's Markets are also great too. How great is a steak from a happy cow that's been grazing on grass it's whole life? Spend a few extra bucks and get something you can feel comfortable feeding yourself and your family. Food is not an area to skimp on. Read labels!! Investigate! I recently discovered this gem of a product and I am hooked.
Seriously their Hot Soppressata is so addictive! And they make hot dogs! With ingredients you can pronounce! I went online and love what they stand for. And isn't that what it's all about?? A true Mission Statement??

Home Made Lip Balm

Sasha, the sassy mother of two, came over last week to gossip, drink some Shiner Ruby Red Bird, and to share her knowledge of lip balm badassery. This was the EASIEST thing to do, and I now have a lifetime supply of lip balm that is totally rad... because I can't seem to keep a tube around for more than 3 and half days.

The following recipe will take about 15 minutes, and make about 8-10 regular sized tubes. Most of the ingredients can be found at your local Whole Foods or as we like to call it Whole Paycheck.

3 Tablespoons of Beeswax

3.75 Tablespoons of Coconut Oil

2.25 Tablespoons of Cocoa Butter

6 Tablespoons of Almond Oil

10 Drops of Essential Oil (Peppermint and Tangerine work well)

5 Capsules of Vitamin E

**These amounts do not have to be exact, but for a firmer balm, add more beeswax**

**And for a firmer butt... go rollerskating**

You can measure it all out on this handy dandy drug scale. Just wipe off all of the cocaine residue first.

Add all of the ingredients together and heat in either the microwave or in a jar in a pan of hot water. We used these ultra cute beakers that you can score online!

Once it has all melted you need to pour it into a chapstick tube. (Don't worry I posted a picture below for those of you that have been living in a cave and have never used lip balm and have crusty catfish lips.) These can also be purchased online in bulk... depending on how much you are willing to spend. Other wise you can pour it into a jar and just use your fingers to scoop out the balm.... in which case you will never be able to share..because that is just nasty.

Look at that pouring technique. Be jealous.

After you are done pouring the mixture into tubes make sure and use a bunch of dish towels to wipe up the oily mess, and then throw them into the laundry with your favorite T-shirt.... it won't stain it at all. ( don't do this.)

NO MORE CRUSTY CATFISH LIPS!!

Simple Recipe for Semolina Pasta

2 1/2 cups semolina
1/2 cup plus 1/3 cup lukewarm water
2 tsp salt
All-purpose flour for dusting

Caramelized Macaroons

Ingredients:
1 egg white
1/4 cup flour
1 14oz bag of shredded coconut
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp almond extract
1 14oz can of condensed milk

Caramelizing the milk:
Submerge the can of condensed milk in boiling water for 45 minutes. You can go longer if you want it richer and darker. Let the can cool on the counter for a couple of minutes before opening.



Whip egg white until white and fluffy (about 1 minute) and add remaining ingredients. Freeze for about 15-20 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 320 degrees. Spoon out mix onto a parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake until golden brown, about 15-20 minutes. Keep the bowl in the freezer in between batches. Once removed from the oven, immediately transfer to a cooling rack. Makes about 2 dozen macaroons.