Fragrant Vanilla Cake

Category: body care

Cinnamon Vanilla Body Butter
Now that the weather is cooling off and the air is a bit drier, I find myself using more lotion. One thing I always like to have at night to put on before bed during this season is a good body butter. I’ve made my own in the past and I decided to again recently! I whipped up a batch of Cinnamon Vanilla Body Butter!

It’s fun to make and smells really good! It’s simple to make also once you have all of the ingredients. I had a few of them on hand and only had to buy a couple. For the base it has shea butter, coconut oil, cacao butter, and almond oil, then you just add in the scents.

It takes a little while to make, so it’s a good chill day at home activity, since you have to melt it all, cool it and let it chill until it starts to solidify. Then you whip it like frosting! That’s exactly what it looks like too! It smells sooo good, like dessert! If you would like to make a fun body care item and have something good for moisturizing your skin this winter, definitely give this Cinnamon Vanilla Body Butter a try!

Cinnamon Vanilla Body Butter
Makes about 3 1/2 cups

Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup raw cacao butter
- 1/4 cup virgin coconut oil
- 1 cup shea butter
- 1 vanilla bean, slit lengthwise
- 20 drops vanilla essential oil
- 15 drops cinnamon essential oil
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 cup sweet almond oil
Directions:
1. Melt the cocoa butter, coconut oil, and shea butter in a bowl over a pot of boiling water (double boiler) until smooth and all liquid. Remove the bowl, and let the mixture cool for 45 minutes.
2. And add the essential oils, and almond oil. Whisk to combine.
3. Place in the freezer for about 30 minutes, or until the mixture begins to become completely opaque and starts to solidify (you want the middle to still be a bit soft, but the outside will start to be solid, and the whole mixture should be pretty cold).
4. Whip with a hand mixer until the mixture becomes like a frosting.
5. Scoop into jars with lids and enjoy! It should keep for about 6 months (since there are no preservatives).
November 2, 2025
Tips For Going Vegan

Since a lot of people are going vegan for January, I thought I would do a post on the things that have helped me go vegan and stay vegan. I know not everyone is the same, but I want you all to succeed and not make some of the common mistakes that lead to failure. These are the things that have worked for me, and allow me to live this way and feel good. I have a lot of people who say to me, “I could never go vegan, it would be too hard.” Well, it is a life adjustment that is for sure, but if you have access to grocery stores with fresh produce, you can go vegan and stay vegan. Going vegan for me wasn’t really that hard, because I like new challenges. I had been a vegetarian for about 9 years prior, so I was used to eating my veggies as the main part of my diet, but I actually went full raw vegan cold turkey from that. I gave up the loads of cheese and yogurt I ate at the time, and found things that I liked just as much to replace them. I really enjoyed the food that had started to make as a vegan, so that is what made it easy. When you are eating foods that you enjoy, you are more likely to stick with it. I am still vegan, although not raw because I feel I am just as healthy when I eat cooked and raw foods in a balance. I see a lot of posts online or hear about people that go vegan, try it and end up going back to their old lifestyle. So I wanted to do a post today that might be helpful for those of you that are going vegan and want to stick with it long term. So, here are a few of the possible problems you might run into and how I solved them.

Giving Up Animal Products

I haven’t eaten meat in many years since I became vegetarian. But it might surprise you all that at one time I loved giant cheeseburgers, pepperoni pizzas and bacon. When I was in high school, these things were eaten often and I never thought twice about it. I admit that I went vegetarian (and later vegan) to begin with for health reasons and gave up these things (now it is ethical too), but I still missed the flavors at times. At the time, there weren’t as many good meat substitutes as there are now, but lately I am seeing so many new options! A lot of them actually taste like meat too like the products from the Herbivorus Butcher, and Upton’s Naturals. Look around at your local health food store, try new products and see what you like. I would stay away from anything with too many fillers or ingredients you can not pronounce though. As far as cheese goes, you can still have delicious cheeses as a vegan. I prefer to make my own, but there are a lot of good brands you can now find at the store like Miyokos Kitchen, Or Kite Hill. Find the brand that you enjoy! There are also great vegan yogurts out there now as well, much more of a selection with less weird ingredients then there used to be. It is easy to make your own too with a few simple ingredients (link below). With all of the replacements for animal products that taste amazing, there is really no excuse as far as taste goes to not go vegan. Here are a few of my recipes that I replace traditional animal products with:

Vegan Chorizo
Chickpea Cutlets with Mushroom Gravy (chicken substitute)
Moroccan Lentil Meatballs
Lentil Walnut Meatloaf
Vegan Mozzarella Cheese (and pizza recipe)
Vegan Herbes de Provance Chevre (for plain leave the herbs off)
Vegan Sharp Cheddar Cheeze
Vegan Butter
Vegan Coconut Yogurt
Maple Cinnamon Cream Cheese
Vegan Pepperjack Cheese

Do I have to eat just salads?

A lot of people think that vegans eat just salads all day long. As important as it is to eat lots of greens to get nutrients as part of ANY diet, that is not all vegans eat. We eat traditional foods veganized, and comfort foods too when we feel like it, and desserts that taste just as good as the ones with the animal products (this whole blog is filled with them *wink wink*). One of the keys to staying vegan is to find the foods that you enjoy! I never feel deprived being vegan, because I have found recipes and foods that I enjoy just as much (if not more) than the foods I used to eat as an omnivore. And I feel better eating them too, because my body feels better, and I have no guilty conscience of animals being killed for me to eat. I encourage you to learn to cook for yourself too. A big part of the success is also planning. Bringing your lunches along with you to work so that you don’t rely on unhealthy convenience food will keep you feeling energized and not sluggish and tired. I make a big batch of a salad at the beginning of the week, and cook some tempeh, and I portion it out for my lunches the whole week. This is just what I like. You have to find what works for you. If you like sandwiches, prep the ingredients ahead of time so that you have them ready to make them when you want to bring them with or enjoy them. Things like hummus, guacamole, salsa, tempeh and nut butters are great things to have on hand in your fridge for just that, and along with veggies you can build a great sandwich! Also, making things like soup in bigger batches on the weekends and freezing them is great for when you are in a hurry. Here are a few of my favorite savory recipes that I make time and again:

Roasted Sweet Potato and Chickpea Salad
Tahini Broccoli Salad
Autumn Apple Kale Salad
Spicy Quinoa Veggie Black Bean Salad
Black Bean Chili Stuffed Yams
Vegan Italian Sausage Casserole
Vegan Tater Tot Hotdish
Creamy Vegan Mushroom Wild Rice Soup
Vegan Lentil Bolognese with Greens
Smokey Vegan Split Pea Soup
Shepard’s Pie
Roasted Yam and Black Bean Tacos

Vitamins and Probiotics

I think one of the reasons that some people do not feel good when they go vegan is that they are not getting some of the essential vitamins. Some people go for the junk food and convenience vegan food way of eating, and are not getting enough essential nutrients because of that, and sometimes people just do not know what vitamins they might be lacking on. I get many of my vitamins from my diet, which is loaded up with lots of veggies and fruits, but I still like to supplement with vitamin B12. This is the main big thing that vegans tend to be lower on, and in fact I myself did not know about the b12 need when I became vegan, and almost stopped being vegan because after a while I did not feel as good. I did some research and discovered that it might be the problem. It was totally the b12 deficiency which was the problem, because now that I take it I feel strong as ever. I also like to take vitamin D to help with my calcium absorption for strong bones. You can get calcium from things like broccoli, kale, beans, tempeh, and almonds among other things. As far as Iron goes, I have never been deficient, but I do eat a lot of leafy greens and beets (both good sources), and I do take a vegan iron supplement. Variety is everything when it comes to a vegan diet, the more different colors and types of fruits, vegetables, seeds, beans and grains that you eat the more vitamins you will get and the better you will feel.

Another thing to consider is getting enough omega 3 oils. They are important for cell production, nerves, eyesight and heart health. You do need some fat in your diet in order to be healthy and this is one you want to be sure to eat. Many Americans are deficient in this type of healthy fat, even the meat eaters. Good sources for omega 3s are flax seeds, chia seeds, and hemp seeds. All of which I enjoy including in my diet, and like to sprinkle into my morning oatmeal. If you don’t think you are getting enough in your diet, Ovega 3 is a good brand for supplementation.

Besides vitamins, another important thing to consider for overall health of your body is probiotics. If your gut isn’t functioning properly, you will not digest your food as well, and you may be missing out on vitamins and minerals. Not only that, you might have tummy troubles such as too much bloating and gas, and your immune system may not function as well leaving you vulnerable to getting sick more often. I get my dose of probiotics through things like kombucha, vegan kimchee, sauerkraut, miso, tempeh, and vegan yogurt. You can also take vegan probiotics, and I like to keep some on hand to make things like coconut yogurt or cultured nut cheese. Below are a few recipes rich in probiotics:

Spicy Ginger Garlic Saurkraut
Fermented Saurkraut
Pomegranate Raspberry Kombucha
Blackberry Lavander Kombucha
Vanilla Coconut Yogurt
Raw Raspberry Coconut Yogurt

Vegan Junk Food

It is really easy to fall into the vegan junk food rut. Yes, there are loads of vegan convenience foods out there, or even lots of junk foods that happen to be vegan, but that doesn’t mean that they should comprise the bulk of your diet. I have had friends that when they went vegan they just ate all processed food, and they ended up feeling yucky and going back to eating meat. After all, vegan processed junk food is no healthier than non-vegan junk food. While it is ok to have a little indulgence once in a while, don’t rely on just processed food for your meals. If you are looking for a little indulgence, you can check out this list of vegan junk food. Which brings me to another side note. Always read ingredients carefully. If there are more than just a few ingredients in something

, or things you can not pronounce, best to put it back on the shelf. That way you prevent accidentally buying something with animal products in it. Sometimes they are sneaky with those! Anyways, back to the junk food. When I first went vegetarian (I know not vegan, but you get the point) I relied on soy dogs and frozen veggie burgers a lot (probably made with GMO soy…yikes). Until I realized that they were nutritionally void. I learned how to make my own veggie burgers, and they freeze well, so it works out great! I can just pull one out as I would a packaged one. If you are going to buy convenience foods, make sure that they have quality real ingredients. For instance, I like to indulge in chips once in a while, but I don’t buy the brands full of GMOs, bad oils and fake flavors. I buy corn chips with 3 ingredients, organic corn, coconut oil, and sea salt. Or I if I buy vegan cheese, I buy the brands mentioned above in the “giving up animal products section” because they have few ingredients, and they are made from real good for you foods.

Eating Out

I used to think it would be hard to be a vegan and go out to eat in restaurants because there would not be enough options. But I was wrong in most cases. I am lucky enough to live in a city with a few exclusively vegan restaurants. If you check around, you may find that some in your area are too! If restaurants are not vegan, many of them (especially higher end ones) are listening to the public and as more and more people are going plant based, and they are incorporating more veggie dishes into their menus. Even if they don’t have any specific vegan main dishes, many of them are willing to create one for you if you ask. You can look at their menu online and call ahead to ask if they are able to do so if you have not been there before. Sometimes though, you find yourself in a situation where there might not be much vegan food such as at a wedding or maybe if your family is going out to dinner at a meat restaurant in the middle of nowhere that doesn’t even know what a vegan is. Always be prepared to bring snacks, or your own food if there will be no vegan options. I like to keep healthy energy bars on hand just in case.

Dealing with non-vegans

Yes, you will get criticism from people around you for being vegan at times, but the best way to handle it is to be kind when responding to them, (even if they are not being kind, maybe they will feel bad later because you were so nice and had good points) and educate yourself about the vegan diet so that you have valid points to answer with. These are some common questions:

Question: “But aren’t humans are at the top of the food chain? We are meant to eat meat.”
Answer: Actually, humans just think they are. If you think about it, humans are not equipped to kill our own food without tools, we do not have claws or teeth to catch prey. If we were up against a hungry crocodile, lion or bear, who do you think would win and get to eat dinner? It would not be the human. And our teeth are more shaped like herbivore teeth than carnivore teeth.

Question: “But aren’t vegans weak and sickly?”
Answer: Not at all, there are plenty of well known vegan athletes out there, even body builders who are strong, healthy and thriving! You find less sick vegans than meat eaters in fact, and going vegan has been known to help with some diseases. Watch Forks Over Knives!

Question: “But shouldn’t I have a right to choose what I want to eat? I like eating meat, it tastes good. And don’t you miss bacon?”
Answer: You can choose, but would you really feel so good about eating meat if you had to kill it yourself? Or if you had to work in a slaughter house for a living? There are plenty of really good vegan substitutes for meats, people have gotten really innovative over the years and created some really delicious products that taste like the real thing.

Also, some people are just curious and don’t know much about what being vegan is, so take the opportunity to educate them and tell them the positives of the lifestyle. You may just win some people over. It never hurts to make really good vegan desserts and bring them to gatherings to share, and once people start talking about how good they are, then tell them that they are vegan. I find that over time, people have become more and more accepting of my veganism, the more they spend time with me, try my food, and have conversations with me. It helps that over time, more and more people are becoming vegans and learning the benefits to the lifestyle. If there are not many vegans where you live, find support groups or vegan groups on Facebook so that you don’t feel alone. There are plenty of them out there, and that way you have people in your newsfeed that relate to you. I don’t personally know many vegans, but I have met many through Facebook, even some in my area.

I think that going vegan isn’t as hard as some people may think, and once you get the hang of it, and it becomes who you are, it fits you! It does get easier with time, and never stop learning. I hope I have helped you out in some way with this post, it is my hope that going vegan is easy for you, that you thrive on the diet, and feel better than you ever have in your life! I hope you all have a healthy, happy, cruelty free 2017!

*Disclaimer: I am not a nutritionist or a doctor, these are my opinions, things that have worked for me, or things I have done personal research on.

January 11, 2017
Grapefruit Lavender Body Mist and Rosemary Mint Body Mist

I love essential oils. They make all the difference sometimes in terms of the way your body feels. For instance. Walking into a room to the aroma of lavender and grapefruit I am calmed and relaxed. I sometimes like to use this scent in my room at night for that reason if I am feeling stressed or just want to feel a little pampered. If I want to cool off, a bath laced with peppermint oil does the trick. Not only that, it makes me feel more energized if I am tired and hot. Or in the morning, I have this rosemary toner that sprays on that makes me feel awake. I love essential oils and natural scents. I am not a fan of artificial perfumes with synthetic fragrances. To be honest, those make me feel sick, and so for about the past 10 years I wear only real fragrances, like essential oils.

I decided last week, I wanted to make my own refreshing body mists. So, I did a little research on what to use in them, then decided on what worked for me, and made some. It was really quite easy, and what is better than creating your own scent that you love? I made rosemary mint, for when I need a little cooling action or something to make me feel more refreshed, like say after my workout when I am really hot (because sometimes even after a shower I still am), or even before to energize me. When I was in high school we used to rub a little peppermint under our noses to make us more energized before track races. It worked! It still works now, peppermint is a happy scent that makes me feel awake and clean.

The second was a grapefruit lavender. I often use this combination when making my own deodorant, so I know I love it. But I thought it would be a good scent for before bed to relax me, or just to spray on if I felt a bit stressed (or just to smell good of course). Both of the scents were so easy to make and smell so good! Plus cheaper to make than the ones you can buy if you have all of the oils already. The thing is if people stopped using all that synthetic fragrance stuff and went for this, I think they would feel so much better because they wouldn’t be putting toxins on their body and they would be surrounding it with scents to heal it instead of hurt it. So, here are the recipes if you wish to try them for yourself!

Rosemary Mint Mist

8 oz spray bottle

1 1/2 Tbsp vodka

6 drops rosemary essential oil

4 drops peppermint essential oil

scant 1 cup filtered water

Grapefruit Lavender Mist

8 oz spray bottle

1 1/2 Tbsp vodka

6 drops grapefruit essential oil

4 drops lavender essential oil

scant 1 cup filtered water

For either flavor, add all ingredients to the bottle, put the top on and shake. Spritz yourself a few times and feel refreshed! Shake every time before using.

June 24, 2016
Cacao Mint Coconut Deodorant

Commercial deodorants can contain some nasty stuff like aluminum (linked to cancer and alzheimer’s disease), parabens (hormone disrupters), artificial fragrances, propylene glycol (can cause damage to the nervous system in large quantities), phthalates (hormone disrupters), triclosan (considered carcinogenic). I mean yes, they make you not smell or sweat, but sweating is normal and healthy, your body uses it to rid itself of toxins as well as cool itself. And, there are natural ways to combat that funky smell. I used this commercial deodorant for the first 20 years of my life, but then learned what I was exposing myself to, so I decided to switch to natural brands. I have the mentality, if I wouldn’t want to eat something I wouldn’t want to put it on my skin, because that is pretty much what you are doing when you put things on your skin. Your skin is absorbing what you put on it and it is going into your cells and bloodstream. This is actually why I started making my own deodorant a few years back. It is kind of fun, and I can choose what flavors I like. I use essential oils to scent it.

I always use a coconut base, but I have been experimenting lately and decided to try adding a little cacao butter in with the coconut oil I always use since it works wonderful in body care products. It gave the deodorant a chocolate aroma. I decided to add mint to it, since it is refreshing and mint is a scent that I like during the warmer months. It is sort of cooling and energizing. So, perfect for a warm morning to apply before or after your workout, which is when I use it.

I bet you are asking, but does this deodorant work? Why yes it does! I sweat a lot. In the summer there is a puddle underneath me when I stop running while I do my stretching. So, I can definitely tell if it works. It keeps any bad smell coming from my arm pits from happening. Just sayin. Not only that, it smells good when I start to sweat because the essential oils are warmed up. So yes, it works very well. If you want to be kind to your body, try making some for yourself, it is really easy.

Cacao Mint Coconut Deodorant

3 Tbsp raw coconut oil, warmed to liquid
1 Tbsp cacao butter, warmed to liquid
1/4 cup arrowroot powder
5 peppermint essential oil
1 Tbsp baking soda*

In a small bowl, whisk all ingredients together, then pour into an empty deodorant container, or what I do, since I don’t have deodorant containers, pour it into a couple of silicone cupcake molds. Place in the refrigerator until it firms up, about an hour. I actually like to store mine in the refrigerator, it makes it really refreshing when you put it on in the morning. Note, it will be more solid if kept refrigerated.
*Note, some people are sensitive to baking soda on their skin, if this is you, leave it out.

May 21, 2016
Non-Toxic Makeup and Body Care

Most of my life, I never even stopped to think about the products I was putting on my body. I tried to do everything else that was healthy, eating the best organic foods, not smoking, not consuming too much alcohol, but what never occurred to me is that the products I had been putting on my body every day, my soaps, my makeup, and lotions…they were all filled with harmful chemicals. It wasn’t until a few years back that I even started to think about that, even then I just was mainly concerned with lotions, shampoos and toothpaste, and perfumes and not so much makeup. This was only because I had developed two very bad rashes from scented face wash and lotions that landed me at the doctor. Even then, I just was looking for things that were unscented, not even knowing that there could still be harmful chemicals in there. But last year about this time, I read the book, Toxic World Toxic People by Anna Victoria Rodgers, and it really got me thinking. Everything I put on my body matters, whether I break out from it or not. It could still be doing harm. All of the makeup I was using had bad stuff in it. Chemicals I could not pronounce, possibly things like formaldehyde, Phthalates and possibly heavy metals. Apparently, they have been putting bad things in makeup for a very long time! Maybe this is why women have higher rates of cancer? That is my thinking at least, and I don’t want to be a victim.

So I did a total makeover on my body care products, and makeup bag. It is not hard to do, and there are really good makeup brands out there that work just as well as the traditional brands you are used to. A really good resource for non-toxic makeup is Revescent.com. This is where I buy most of my makeup and some skin care items. Some things I make myself, like my deodorant and body butter for winter when my skin is more dry. Trust me, my home-made deodorant works better than the stuff I used to use for preventing odor, and I sweat a lot. These two items that I make have ingredients in them that are edible, and I know what they are and that matters to me. If you wouldn’t eat something, do not put it on your skin. As far as makeup goes, I love Lauren Brooke Cosmetics for powder, eyeshadow, blush, and bronzer. The colors are perfect for me, and they go on just as nice as conventional cosmetics. I like Au Naturale cream foundation if I have spots to cover up, and I use Sante eyebrow pencils. For my lip color and mascara, I love Pacifica. Now, of course you could just not wear makeup, and that is fine too because women are beautiful without makeup. But I enjoy wearing it most of the time and I think it is fun and sort of an art form on your face, so I had to find clean brands. I get most of the things mentioned in this paragraph besides the Pacifica at Revescent.com.

As far as other body care items go, I love Acure products. They use natural ingredients, they don’t make me feel sick, and they keep my skin nice. Pangea Organics is also a good brand, and they have lovely sets for facial care based on your skin type. I love that both of these brands use essential oils and herbs to make them smell wonderful, and not fake scents. When I wash my face at night, I have actually been using coconut oil lately as a makeup remover and it works wonders to moisturize as it cleans. Plus it is cheap. I know it is kind of unusual that I did a non-food post today, but clean body care and makeup items are just as important as food as far as staying healthy goes. With less toxins in your body, you will have more energy, get sick less and be less likely to develop cancer or other diseases. I want you all to be happy and healthy, so it was important for me to share how I have made my own body care routine healthier. It is my hope that you think about reducing the amount of chemicals in your own routine.

January 19, 2016
Green Tea Mint Scrub

I recently tried a facial scrub with peppermint in it, and I loved it so much that I decided to create my own mint body scrub. In the summer after a workout in the hot humid air, it is nice to pamper yourself while in the shower cooling off. The peppermint in the scrub cools the skin as you use it, and it stays cool for about 5 minutes which can be just what you need when you are trying to stop sweating profusely. That was the first reason I loved this stuff so much. The second, everyone needs to brighten up the skin sometimes and get rid of the dull stuff so scrub works wonders for that.

Although I was going to make just a mint scrub, I decided to add green tea to it as well. Green tea has been shown to tone and moisturize the skin, so along with the coconut oil this scrub leaves your face feeling soft and moisturized. Plus of course it makes it a lovely green color. For the exfoliating part of my scrub I prefer to use granulated sugar because it is pretty gentle. This is the only application you will find me using refined sugar and it works perfect for skin care! This scrub is super simple to make, and it keeps for a long time in a jar so long as you do not get any water in it.

Green Tea Mint Body Scrub

Ingredients:

1 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup melted coconut oil

1 Tbsp matcha powder

6 drops peppermint oil

In a bowl, mix together all ingredients until blended, then store in a jar with a lid.

August 19, 2015
My Foods Journey

I have been asked by quite a few people to share what I eat on a daily basis, so I thought it was about time to share a post with you about it. But first, I thought I would share my background with you, so you know why I choose to live my life and eat the way I do currently. I was not always the healthiest when it came to choosing foods.

I grew up eating the standard American diet. Although my Mother tried to get me to eat healthy things like lots of veggies, I didn’t always choose to eat them. What I mean to say is I ate them when I was at home when she served them (I wasn’t a very picky child), but when I got older and I was given the choice I often bought fast food. Taco Bell, Wendy’s and Pizza Hut were visited often after school activities. I would munch on a bag of chips between school and sports, and not think twice about eating multiple candy bars or drinking sodas. Although I was an athlete in high school I thought it was ok to eat poorly because I worked out a lot. I began to gain a bit of weight however during my Junior year and my clothes were not fitting so I decided that maybe it was time to do something about it and eat healthier. I ate a bit healthier my Senior year of high school trying to add in more veggies and cutting out soda, but I had a ways to go when it came to eating healthy. I fell into the low fat anything is good mind set and did not read food labels at that point. After a while though I started reading labels and realizing that real food is better than low fat food with fake ingredients.

When I started college I became a vegetarian and had eliminated most refined sugars and grains from my diet. The difference was remarkable and I lost about 20 lbs. I stuck with this way of eating and it got me through competitive running in my early 20s. I was running faster than ever and I knew my healthier diet was the reason. I ate this way for a long time, but then when I was 27 I began to question consuming dairy and eggs and decided to try a vegan and raw diet. I felt really good when I began eating this way. I had increased energy, slept better, and my skin had never been clearer. Eliminating the dairy got rid of my gas and bloating problem, and food seemed to digest better. I ate only raw food for 2 years after that, but it was last year that I began to not feel as radiant as I once did when I started the raw diet.

Energy is important to me and I discovered that my body needed some cooked food in order to function better. So, I have added back in cooked foods but my diet remains vegan. I eat a large amount of salads and raw foods, but for dinner many times I enjoy things like baked sweet potatoes or chickpeas. I used to think that everything had to be extreme, like all or none with the raw foods, but I feel better not being so rigid and like I enjoy life better not being that way. Any amount of raw foods in your diet is beneficial in my opinion. I still remain a vegan after 3 years though not just because I feel better without dairy and eggs but because I do care about animals and the way they are treated. When you hear about some of the horrendous things that are done to animals in our food industries it makes you completely lose your appetite for eating anything animal based.

So what do I eat in a day? Well, it usually starts out with either a bowl of oatmeal with chia seeds and flax, a little cinnamon, nutmeg and turmeric or chia porridge (which can be as simple as chia seeds soaked in coconut water, or more elaborate like the Matcha Almond Chia Porridge with Pomegranate pictured below. If it is my day off, I also enjoy a good smoothie bowl!

For lunch, it is always a salad filled with veggies. Sometimes a Simple Hemp Noodle Salad, and sometimes a more elaborate one like this Spicy Peanut Slaw with Edamame.

After work I always have a bowl of fruit for a snack. Just whatever happens to be around. But berries and peaches are my favorite when they are in season. For dinner, I usually have a big salad like this Roasted Sweet Potato and Chickpea Salad or if I want something warm then something like this Spicy Veggie Lentil Soup with a green salad on the side.

As far as dessert goes, I have some every day. How could I not? I am after all making recipes to share with you and tasting them as I go along. But I do practice moderation most of the time and just have a piece of something. Unless it is really good and it is the weekend and in that case I go back for more. I save the elaborate ones like cakes for once or twice a week, but on a daily basis my two favorites are simpler small things. Like flavored nut butter drizzled over bananas (like the Raw Strawberries and Cream Nut Butter pictured below). Or something small like Raw Fudgy Matcha Mint Brownies, or Raw Dark Chocolate Glazed Coconut Almond Doughnuts. I eat whatever I happen to be making or is around for dessert, so never the same thing every day.

As far as random snacks go, like if I am going to be gone a long time and need to grab one quick, I like something like my Raw Raspberry Lemon Doughnut Holes or Raw Green Kingdom Energy Bites. I keep things like this in the freezer so they are ready to go when I need them.

Eating these foods, I never feel like I am lacking, since I really enjoy them. I always felt like I was being a little deprived of something back before I became vegan and hadn’t yet discovered how delicious natural foods free of preservatives and animal products can be, but I never do now. Back when I thought I had to eat fat free yogurt and ice cream to be healthy. Now I know that I can enjoy coconut yogurt and raw ice cream I make myself and still feel good. Things like baked yam fries are WAY tastier than deep fried french fries in my opinion and avocado is better spread on things than dairy butter. When you eat the things your body craves then you are satisfied. At least that is how I feel. These healthy foods are the foods I crave.

May 29, 2015
Rosemary Orange Coconut Deodorant and Reducing Chemicals in My Daily Life

This is not a food related post, but it is something that is important to me, and I would like to share for all who would like to read it. I recently read a book by Anna Victoria Rodgers called Toxic World Toxic People and it opened my eyes to the many chemicals we are exposed to in our everyday lives which can be harmful to our health. So, I have made some changes since then to try and eliminate some of them that I can control. You should all read her book by the way if you are interested at all in feeling your best and being your healthiest.

At this point in my life I am always trying to do what I can in order to improve my health, so that I can feel my best. I wasn’t always that way though. When I was in high school, I could have cared less what I put into and on my body. I ate junk food all the time, and wore lots of synthetic chemicals on my body. I started to become aware of these things being harmful when my Mom was diagnosed with fibromyalgia. She started to eat organic foods, buy more natural products free of scents and chemicals for cleaning and body care. I didn’t listen at first, but then she said some of the stuff I was using was making her ill, so I switched to the more natural stuff myself. I also started shopping for organic veggies, and eliminating processed foods with fake ingredients and this is part of where my interest in health food started. Eliminating those chemicals helped both of us a lot. I have since done many more little things to improve my health, but it did not dawn on me that I was still using lots of things which could in the long run be harmful to me.

My makeup for one. I have worn makeup since I was in middle school, and I had never given any second thought to what was in it or that it might be harmful. There are tons of preservatives, heavy metals and chemicals in many of the large commercially made cosmetic brands. I looked at the ingredients on my cosmetics after I had learned what they were and I was shocked. These are things that are absorbed through the skin and into our blood stream. Luckilly I found a cosmetic company that sells clean cosmetics, Revescent. Their products make your skin look as beautiful as the other toxic brands and you are using a safe product on your skin. I feel like my skin is much happier after switching from the old makeup I had been using to chemical free makeup.

I am now also very careful reading ingredient labels on things like lotions and hair products. I have always had sensitive skin. Back in high school, I was getting mysterious rashes on my shoulders and back. When I went to the doctor he said it was most likely from sweating during cross country practice. When they didn’t go away after the season ended, I knew something was up. I ended up switching shampoos for some reason and the rash disappeared. Turns out it was the heavily artificially scented shampoo I was using that caused the skin condition. Also I have had a few instances where I used a new product with artificial chemicals and scents and my face broke out in hives so bad that I had to go to the doctor for it. Since then I have been really careful about what I buy. Least ingredients is best as far as I am concerned and ingredients that I can pronounce and know what they are. Acure is a good skin care brand that I have found works for me. I also make my own body butter, bronzer, lip balm, and deodorant (the recipes or links below). It is fun and easy to make your own body care items, and you will know what is in them!

If you want to feel your best, I would urge you to be kind to your body and be very careful what you put on it! You can eat the best organic foods and be doing everything else healthy but still be bombarding yourself with chemicals every day. Every little change for the better you make matters!

Rosemary Orange Coconut Deodorant
Recipe adapted from Mind Body Green

1/4 cup raw coconut oil, warmed to liquid
1/8 cup cornstarch
1/8 cup arrowroot powder
10 drops orange essential oil
6 drops rosemary essential oil
1 Tbsp baking soda*

In a small bowl, whisk all ingredients together, then pour into an empty deodorant container, or a glass jar (I just set it on my counter, remove about 1/4 tsp with my hands and rub it into my armpits when I want to apply) and set in the fridge until solid (if your home is cool enough, you can store it on the counter, which is what I do and it is soft enough to rub in, but if your house is warmer than about 75F, then you should store it in the fridge (and if you are using a jar, you will have to chip out pieces to use).
*Note, some people are sensitive to baking soda on their skin, if this is you, leave it out.

DIY Bronzer

ground Cinnamon

ground Nutmeg

cacao powder

Mix the three together in a blend that matches your skin tone. For mine, I use just the cinnamon and nutmeg because I have a fairly light complexion. About 2 tbsp. cinnamon, and 2 tsp nutmeg. If you have a darker complexion or want more definition, use the cacao powder.

Citrus Cacao Butter Lip Balm

Vanilla Bean Rose Body Frosting

April 24, 2015
Toxic World Toxic People Review

When Anna Victoria Rodgers of Miss Eco Glam sent me a copy of her book Toxic World Toxic People, I knew it was going to be a good book, but I had no idea how shocking it would be to learn the dangerous things which we are all exposed to every day. I grew up with a Mother who was very conscious of chemical exposure because she has fibromyalgia and she tries to avoid as many as possible. She had us switching to all natural brands and chemical scent free products and when I was younger I could never understand why. Now as an adult I get it. I too want to live as clean and non toxic as possible. Which is why I wanted to read this book.
Anna exposes the truth behind many of the things we believe to be safe. Toxic substances that the government considers ok to include in things like our water supply, beauty products, foods and much more. She has different sections of the book, one for the toxins we are exposed to every day, another for the path to health and happiness, and another for rethinking parenting and problems in our society today. So really she touches on all aspects of life where we may be living in an unhealthy way not just chemicals we are exposed to on the outside. She also offers solutions to remedy these things and limit our exposure to toxic things.
I wanted to do an interview with Anna so that you can all see what she has to say regarding her book, so without further ado here it is:

What made you decide to write this book?

Basically it came about because I had a long history of ill health and I didn’t really know why. All I knew was that modern medicine was not helping me get at all better. Even my father who is a doctor, didn’t know what was wrong with me and often would say it was ‘in my head’ but I knew it wasn’t. Its not normal to feel so unhappy and so ill.

I began to do my research into Chronic Fatigue and Depression and what are the main culprits to causing these very common problems. My book is mainly about all the research I came across that ended up pointing to a very pressing issue – and that is, that toxic chemicals are causing so many health and mental problems for people. I felt it was my calling to share with as many people as I can, what is going on and what we can do about it.

I’m also very passionate about ‘toxic relationships’ hence they title Toxic World Toxic People we’ve become ridden with chemicals that don’t belong in our bodies, and also our relationships with people are suffering too. Divorce is sky high and parents aren’t getting on very well with their children. And people don’t often tend to realize this but most depression and other mental health conditions can really be traced back to childhood issues – where we don’t always get our ‘needs’ met. Many of us can agree, that we don’t feel we are ‘seen’ by our parents, they don’t ‘get us’ or don’t see us a individuals with something valid to say. Lots of people have health issues that really relate to emotional trauma. I’m really passionate about helping people try and look back into their own childhoods, to try and understand what has happened and to move forward, as well as becoming much better parents themselves so they don’t pass it on to their own children. Many people aren’t healthy OR happy these days and I hope that my book helps people identify this but also provides solutions to help improve their state of mind and health.

There are lots of shocking things I learned when reading your book, so what is the most shocking piece of information you learned when doing research for the book?

I think its mainly about the Pharmaceutical fraud that goes on in our industry.   It seems we hear every day about new cases that are being discovered. It’s very scary how much say they have with what goes on in the Government, there’s a big revolving door with staff going back and forth between the two, not to mention that Pharmaceutical companies pretty much spend the most amount of money lobbying the government. This allows for such serious problems to arise.

Many of our children’s medication’s have not been tested properly tested for safety, or in conjunction with other medications they take – which is pretty concerning when you think about it. Tylenol is a very commonly used infant medication, but the average parent has no clue really what its doing to their child. Even using it once a month can increase their child’s risk of developing problems such as asthma. But there are so many amazing, and scientifically proven to work, natural remedies for things. I hope that parents take back their own power to look after their children’s health and their own.    I hope my book helps with this too.

You mention many ways of detoxing in the book, but what has been the best resource for you for helping to rid your body of toxins and feel better?

I really love Mercola.com and Greenmedinfo.com both of these sites are jam packed with the best medical advice and are always heavily referenced. I also love Collective-Evolution’s website too and in fact, I am going to be writing for them soon.

You have lots of DYI non-toxic cleaning and home recipes in the book, which one do you find the most useful, or which one is your favorite?

I adore using Apple Cider Vinegar, its so inexpensive, and has a million and one uses (ok maybe more like hundreds!) but it can be used to clean pretty much everything, You can even use it as a fabric softener! Lemon and Hydrogen peroxide also cleans things hygienically too.

You talk about many things in your life that have happened in the book where you were exposed to toxins. If you could have chosen one thing in your lifetime to do differently and limit your exposure to toxins, what would it be?

I think it would be to not use lead paint on my body that day when I was 5. I was silly and painted it on my body with a friend. It was actually house paint and back then, most house paint still contained high levels of lead. A heavy metal that has been banned from use in petrol and in paint because its now been proven to be safe. I wonder how different my life and health would have been without doing that. But perhaps I wouldn’t have written this book!

What do you hope to accomplish through the distribution of your book?

I really just want to help as many people as I can, the individual, children and the whole family. To do this on a big level would be a dream come true. My book hit best seller status last week which has been very exciting keep getting it out there.

If you could give one piece of advice for living a healthier life, what would it be?

To look at what food you are eating, what quality it is, is it the right food for your body and to limit your pesticide intake as much as possible (buy organic as often as you can) and to stay right away from anything that may have been sprayed with Glycophosphate, this stuff is ruining peoples stomach function and contributing to allergies and just general poor health. This is a pesticide created by Monsanto. I have written about Monsanto in my book and wowzers, I don’t know how the staff their can sleep at night. Oh wait, I do, they more than likely sleep on the best linens in gorgeous huge homes because Monsanto are a multi-billion dollar industry with a hold on the world that is causing untold problems. They have to be stopped one day and it will only come from ‘we’ the people who will just not continue to buy their poisons.

I am also big on detoxing, but not in a way that is difficult to do. I didn’t start to get better health and mental wise until I started detoxing. I recommend people to use a fantastic product called Pure Body Zeolite that is safe, easy to use and scientifically proven to remove toxins from the body. Babies are being born with at least 200 industrial chemcials in their bodies (reference in my book) so its easy to see that we all need to detox on a regular, if not daily basis. Pure Body starts working within minutes and can often make you feel physically better within a few days.

You can purchase Anna’s book HERE on Amazon and good news, it is free right now if you buy the Kindle version! I would recommend you all  read this book as it is something everyone who wants to live a healthy happy life should read! You should all check out her Website as well!

Here are a few of my recipes for non-toxic body care items:

Grapefruit Lavender Coconut Deodorant

Lavender Lemon Body Scrub

DIY Body Frosting

DIY Lip Balms

March 14, 2015
Citrus Cacao Butter Lip Balm

I go through a lot of lip products. When I was in high school I had the nickname “glossy” because I always had many different lip products on me at any given time, and my lips always had to be moisturized. I am not quite as obsessive about it now, but soft lips are still important to me. None of that chapped lip nonsense. I am way more picky about what I put on my lips than I used to be also, I only use natural lip products. Since I learned that most commercial lip products contain things like preservatives, chemicals and heavy metals (just to name a few). Although there are some great natural lip product brands out there, I love making my own lip balm. I have been making a lot of sweets with raw cacao butter lately, and they were all amazing, but what I have been really dying to make with it is lip balm.

I had made some lip balm around the Holidays, but it did not contain cacao butter, and so I wanted to make a new formula and give it a go with it included. I made a simple combination of cacao butter, coconut oil, and almond oil with some of my favorite citrus essential oils like lemon, orange and grapefruit. It turned out awesome, and whenever I use it I feel happy because it smells like chocolate and citrus truffles or something dessert-like of that nature. I think anyone would be happy to kiss lips wearing this. Also, I have been using it on the dry parts of my hands as well and it is a wonderful deep moisturizer for my cracked skin. This recipe takes almost no hands on time at all, I just popped my cacao butter and coconut oil in the dehydrator while I was working on other stuff until it melted, then whisked the ingredients together and put it in the tins.

Citrus Cacao Butter Lip Balm

Makes 14

3 Tbsp raw coconut oil, warmed to liquid

2 Tbsp raw cacao butter, warmed to liquid

2 tsp sweet almond oil

5 drops sweet orange essential oil

5 drops grapefruit essential oil

2 drops lemon essential oil

14 small lip gloss tins or containers with lids

Whisk together all ingredients in a glass measuring cup with a pour spout until well combined. Pour into desired containers and allow to set until hard, about 3 hours (if you wish to speed it up, place them in the refrigerator).

March 14, 2015
2 Juices and My Tips For Glowing Skin
I start to crave juice in the winter. Maybe it is because I am not getting as many of my favorite fruits and veggies that are widely available in the summer, or maybe it is just because I am thirsty due to the drier air. But whatever the case, I love my juices lately. They are so refreshing and also a good way to get in vitamins fast. My Mom recently started juicing more to get more vitamins into her diet and she swears by carrot juice. She has told me ever since I was a little girl that carrot juice gives you beautiful skin and I believe her, but I like a little variety in my juice and prefer to use different veggies every time. Last week I made two that were so delicious I had to share them both with you all. Carrot Cake Juice, and Magenta Magic Beet Juice. They were both sweet and delicious, like getting my veggies and dessert in one! Nothing like nourishing your body, and enjoying it at the same time! Beets and carrots are wonderful for glowing skin, which we could all use. It is important to me that my skin looks and feels nice, and if you feel the same, I have a few tips below that might be helpful to you, as well as the two juice recipes I mentioned. I feel like winter is the time when our skin needs a little more TLC!
- Drink lots of water! It helps keep your skin soft and smooth, plus it is a good way to keep flushing any toxins out of your body.
- Limit alcohol consumption. Alcohol dehydrates your body, and can cause skin to look more wrinkled and less supple.
- Eat lots of vegetables! Your skin needs nutrients to repair itself. Beets, Carrots and Greens are wonderful for glowing skin!
- Get enough sleep! Sleep deprivation decreases blood circulation and can leave you pale and nobody likes bags under their eyes.
- Sweat! If you do not have a sauna, a little exercise does the trick. I like to get sweaty every morning! Not only that, it gets the blood flowing to give you that glow!
- Eat healthy oils such as hemp seed oil, extra virgin olive oil, and virgin coconut oil to keep skin soft and keep it from drying out.
- Dry brush your skin, it helps to exfoliate and increase circulation.
- Stay away from dairy and processed foods. If you put garbage into your body, it will show on the outside.
- Exfoliate skin gently a few times a week to get rid of dead cells. I like to use my Mocha Almond Body Scrub Recipe.
- Moisturize with natural products (you do not want to be putting toxins on your body that you wouldn’t want in your body). Coconut oil, olive oil and almond oil make wonderful moisturizers. Or try my Vanilla Rose Body Frosting Recipe!
- Cleanse your skin daily, but not too harshly! Natural cleansers will keep your pores unclogged but skin happy. Look for cleansers with ingredients as natural as possible.
Carrot Cake Juice

Serves 1

1 lb organic carrots (about 6 medium carrots)

1 organic apple, core removed

1 small piece fresh ginger

1 tsp cinnamon

¼ tsp nutmeg

¼ tsp cloves

½ tsp cardamom

Run the carrots, apple and ginger through the juicer and stir in spices. Enjoy!

Magenta Magic Beet Juice

Serves 1

3 medium red beets, cut into pieces
1 large grapefruit, peeled
1 large fennel bulb
1 large orange, peeled
1 sweet apple, cut into quarters

Put all ingredients through a juicer, stir up and enjoy!
January 3, 2015
Home Made Flavored Lip Balms

When I was in high school at any given time, I had at least 5 different lip glosses or lip balms on me. In my backpack, pockets, purse. I could never go without it, dry lips are no fun and I could not (and still can not) stand the sensation. I was given the nickname glossy after a while because of my love of lip products. Kind of funny looking back on that. It stuck for a while. Nobody calls me that anymore, but having moisturized lips is still very important to me.

But now, I care more about using natural products on them. I used to love all of the fun flavors Lip Smackers had. My favorite lip gloss was a vanilla buttercream frosting. It smelled just like cake. Just because I use natural lip gloss and balm now though doesn’t mean I need to miss out on that! There are plenty of good natural brands out there, which I buy a lot of, but I decided it was time I try my hand at lip balm making.

I finally got all of the supplies, and so I went for it last week. I wanted to make lots of fun flavors, and I decided on Vanilla Maple, Brownie Batter, Grapefruit Rose, and Lavender Orange. My boyfriend Eric was a sport and helped me make them because he was intrigued.

They all turned out wonderful smelling, some like dessert, and some beautifully floral. These leave your lips feeling moisturized and soft which is just what one needs in the winter. I think these would make a great gift, or part of a gift for anyone!

Home Made Flavored Lip Balms:
Each recipe makes 4 small tins

Vanilla Maple:
2 tsp carnauba wax or soy wax, grated
1 Tbsp virgin coconut oil
1 tsp sweet almond oil
1/4 tsp alcohol free vanilla extract
seeds of half a vanilla bean
1/4 tsp maple syrup

Brownie Batter:
2 tsp carnauba wax or soy wax, grated
1 Tbsp virgin coconut oil
1 tsp sweet almond oil
1/4 tsp maple syrup
1 tsp raw cacao powder
1/8 tsp cinnamon

Grapefruit Rose:
2 tsp carnauba wax or soy wax, grated
1 Tbsp virgin coconut oil
1 tsp sweet almond oil
1/4 tsp beet juice
10 drops grapefruit essential oil
10 drops rose geranium essential oil

Lavender Orange:
2 tsp carnauba wax or soy wax, grated
1 Tbsp virgin coconut oil
1 tsp sweet almond oil
10 drops each lavender and orange essential oils
1 tsp dried lavender flowers

To make the lip balm, you will need 4 small lip balm tins. Choose your flavor, then combine the wax and oils in a small glass measuring cup and heat over a double boiler, whisking often until it is melted. Add the remaining ingredients, and whisk until combined, then pour into the tins and let harden.

December 2, 2014
Mocha Almond Body Scrub

This is the time of year when I love the smell of freshly ground coffee. I no longer drink coffee, but I love the smell. It reminds me of when I was younger and my Mom and I would always stop at a local coffee shop after church to get a warm liquid treat. For a while, I would order a dark chocolate mocha. Sometimes I would add in a little almond flavor for an extra layer of flavor. It was sweet and delicious, plus very decadent. To my high school self it was heavenly.

I was reminiscing about those coffee shop visits last week, and I decided to make a Mocha Almond Body Scrub. I love how home made body scrubs make my skin feel. This one is special, because it is especially good for reducing cellulite. But, it is good on other parts of the body as well! So how does it work? Well, the sugar in this scrub gently polishes the skin. The coffee contains caffeine and antioxidants to rid the body of free radicals, stimulate blood flow, and improve circulation. And lastly the almond and coconut oils are to moisturize the skin (you do not want to use soap after this scrub for that reason). The cacao powder makes it smell like dessert while you are scrubbing. After you use this scrub, you will feel invigorated, and well taken care of. At least that is how I feel! Try it out, and your skin will thank you.

Mocha Almond Body Scrub
Makes about 1 1/2 cups

3/4 cup raw cane sugar
1/4 cup ground coffee
1/4 cup almond oil
2 Tbsp coconut oil
1 Tbsp raw cacao powder

Mix together all ingredients in a bowl together until well combined. Store in a jar. Use in the shower to exfoliate and moisturize skin! Just rub into skin, and rinse off with water (but not soap, because you want the moisturizing oils to remain on the skin).

September 27, 2014
Grapefruit Lavender Coconut Deodorant

I sweat a lot. I have always been this way, since I was young, and my Grandmother would always tell me it was good to sweat. It releases the toxins in the body. Well, I am the girl that after a run when I am stretching I create a small puddle with the sweat dripping off me. So I definitely always need to wear deodorant. I don’t want to be smelling funky…unless it is a new aromatic perfume I created myself from essential oils (which is a good funky not the bad stinky funky). I have been using natural ingredient based deodorants for a while now since I try not to put chemicals on my body. However none of them really worked that well. I found one that worked pretty well, and it smelled good, but things still got funky sometimes after a long sweaty workout, or just a long walk in the hot sun.

I thought that was the best any deodorant was going to get. Until I saw this recipe by Mind Body Green for a coconut deodorant. I was intrigued. I wanted to try it! I am all for trying things like this once. It was simple, very few ingredients and easy to make. When I mixed it together, it seriously smelled like dessert. Because I chose grapefruit and lavender essential oils to scent it, the aroma reminded me of citrus coconut lavender macaroons.

But the question was…would it work? I think you know the answer because I am sharing the recipe, but it totally worked! I went on a long, sweaty run, and I had actually applied it the night before and it kept me odor free! My arm pits actually smelled good. I was pretty shocked. I am never going back to my other deodorant now that I have this stuff, it is wonderful!

Grapefruit Lavender Coconut Deodorant
Recipe adapted from Mind Body Green

1/4 cup raw coconut oil, warmed to liquid
1/8 cup cornstarch
1/8 cup arrowroot powder
10 drops grapefruit essential oil
10 drops lavender essential oil
1 Tbsp baking soda*

In a small bowl, whisk all ingredients together, then pour into an empty deodorant container, or a glass jar (I just set it on my counter, remove about 1/4 tsp with my hands and rub it into my armpits when I want to apply) and set in the fridge until solid (if your home is cool enough, you can store it on the counter, which is what I do and it is soft enough to rub in, but if your house is warmer than about 75F, then you should store it in the fridge (and if you are using a jar, you will have to chip out pieces to use).
*Note, some people are sensitive to baking soda on their skin, if this is you, leave it out.

August 18, 2014
Vanilla Bean Rose Body Frosting

If you come from a place like here in Minnesota where it was under 20 degrees below zero (Fahrenheit) on Monday, your skin is probably suffering a bit. No matter how much water I drink, healthy fats and eat, and lotions I put on, my skin hates winter. It does not help, working in a kitchen constantly washing my hands. They become cracked and unhappy pretty quick. Which is why I wanted to make my own moisturizing body butter! I have seen quite a few recipes, but the best of which was this one from Susan at Rawmazing a wonderful raw food blog (which you should visit if you never have because she has awesome recipes). I changed it a little to make it my own, but her recipe looked so fabulous it inspired me and did not seem too difficult which is always a plus.

I had to order the ingredients for this, but I was so excited when my shea butter, cocoa butter, and almond oil came in the mail! On New Year’s Day I had a fun time making my Body Frosting…as I decided to call it, because it looked like frosting while I was making it. I was almost tempted to lick the beaters too, it smelled so good. I flavored mine with rose, and vanilla and seriously…it was the most heavenly smelling stuff ever. I like to wear vanilla essential oil as perfume (mixed with a carrier oil of course), and this was even better.

I have to say, my skin is not dry anymore after using this, and it stays moisturized. I even tried some out on my boyfriend Eric (he is a good sport) who has especially dried hands from his line of work and he enjoyed it as well. This would be the perfect gift for someone you love on Valentine’s day to give their skin a little TLC it needs in the winter.

Vanilla Bean Rose Body Frosting
Makes about 3 1/2 cups

1/4 cup raw cacao butter
1/4 cup raw coconut oil
1 cup raw shea butter
1 vanilla bean, slit lengthwise
a few drops vanilla essential oil
a few drops rose essential oil
1/2 cup sweet almond oil

Melt the cocoa butter, coconut oil, and shea butter in a bowl over a pot of boiling water (double boiler) with the vanilla bean until smooth and all liquid. Remove the bowl, and let the mixture cool for 45 minutes. Remove the vanilla bean, and add the essential oils, and almond oil. Whisk to combine. Place in the freezer for about 30 minutes, or until the mixture begins to become completely opaque and starts to solidify (you want the middle to still be a bit soft, but the outside will start to be solid, and the whole mixture should be pretty cold). Whip with a hand mixer until the mixture becomes like a frosting. Scoop into jars with lids and enjoy! It should keep for a couple months (since there are no preservatives).

*Note: if you prefer a different scent, just use your favorite essential oils, about 10 drops instead of the rose and vanilla.

January 7, 2014