Sweet & Savory Stuffed Acorn Squash Recipe

We've been trying to incorporate new foods into our routine and this week we decided to try acorn squash! Neither of us had eaten it before so we weren't really sure what to expect, but this dish is so yummy. The creamy textured squash mixed with the savory herbs, spices, and veggies is a perfect medley of sweet and savory flavors. We've actually decided that this is going to be the main course for our Thanksgiving meal this year. It's filling...it's cozy...it begs to be eaten in front of a fire place in the fall. It's amazing. You need to try it. (p.s. - Your house will smell amazing while this is cooking!)

The most dangerous part of this dish is cutting the squash. Seriously, acorn squash is the most challenging squash I've ever encountered when it comes to splitting a plant in two. So please, please, please be careful when you cut your squash. No cutting off fingers with this recipe, okay?

What You Need:

- 2 organic acorn squashes
- organic rice (we used an heirloom red rice that is amazing) 
- organic carrots (3) - peeled and chopped
- organic onion (1) - peeled and diced
- organic garlic (5 cloves) - peeled and minced, except for one of them, which can be left whole after being peeled
- organic green bell pepper (1) - seeded and diced
- organic red beets (2 smaller or 1 large) - peeled and diced
- organic non-GMO corn - husk removed and kernels removed from the cob
- organic black beans (1 can)
- organic Parmesan cheese (optional) (1 cup)
- organic coconut oil, unrefined (1-2 tsp)
- organic raw honey (1-2 tsp)
- organic fresh rosemary (2-3 sprigs) - stems removed and leaves chopped
- organic fresh basil leaves (6 leaves) - torn or cut into a chiffonade
- organic ground cumin
- organic ground black pepper
- RealSalt

 Instructions:

- Preheat your oven to 425F.
- Bring 2.5 cups of water to boil on the stove. Salt with RealSalt or your favorite sea salt and add 1 cup of your heirloom red rice and the garlic clove you left whole. Add 1/2 tsp ground cumin and 1 sprig of chopped rosemary. Reduce heat to low, cover, and allow to cook until the rice is tender (about 40 minutes). 
- Wash and carefully cut your acorn squash in half and remove the seeds (if your squash is organic, you can save the seeds for your garden).
- Make shallow cuts about every inch or so, first going one direction, then crossing over in the other direction. (Watch the first minute of this video to see how to open your squash and make these first cuts.)
- Rub a mix of 1/2 tsp each of coconut oil and honey, along with pinches of salt and pepper along the insides of the squash and up along the edges/rims.
- Bake for 40 minutes. Time to make our stuffing!
- Combine the beans, corn, beets, bell pepper, garlic, onion, Parmesan (optional) and carrots with the remaining 1-2 sprigs of chopped rosemary, another 1/2 tsp of cumin, and salt and pepper to taste.
- After 40 minutes your rice should be done. Carefully remove your squash from the oven and remove the whole garlic clove from your rice. Use a spoon to spread the oil/honey mix back up the sides of the squash. Stuff the squash with alternating layers of rice and your veggie mix.
- Return to oven and bake for another 40 minutes.
- Enjoy, enjoy, make it again, enjoy again...send your hubby to the store to buy more acorn squash...enjoy again. ;)

Note: the peel of the acorn squash is edible and Jon likes it, so give it a try to see if you do too! =)

What the rice package looks like:

New Recipe Coming Tomorrow!

Tomorrow's Recipe: Sweet & Savory Stuffed Acorn Squash

Also coming soon:
- Eggplant Parm meets Caprese Salad + 2 bonus recipes
- Superfood Energy Snack Mix
- DIY Nourishing Face Mask
- DIY Herbal Face Scrub

Organic Oatmeal Raisin Cookies Recipe - gluten free, dairy free, refined sugar free, vegan option

When Jon and I first left our natural doc's office in 2009 after learning about the dietary changes I needed to make to regain my health, we went to the grocery store to stock up on foods that would fit in my new "healing diet." I remember feeling so depressed and so discouraged as we walked up and down every single aisle...I couldn't eat any of it! I felt like I was doomed to a life of only eating raw vegetables and, as a gal who enjoyed cupcakes and ice cream at least once a week, that was beyond discouraging to me at the time. Now, when I first started using food to give my body the tools it needed to heal itself, I could not have eaten these cookies. They contain bananas, honey, and raisins...all naturally sweet foods that are great for you, but I had to keep all sugars out of my body for awhile. Now that I'm feeling better than ever and have learned what works for my body (and have received fantastic progress reports from my doc), I do indulge in some of these cookies once in awhile. They may not be the prettiest sweet bites you've ever seen, but they are super yummy! They are egg free, gluten free, dairy free, and refined sugar free. They're also vegan except for the honey, which you could substitute maple syrup for if you want to keep them vegan. Are you ready for the recipe?

What You Need:

- 4 cups organic oats
- 4 organic bananas
- 1.5 cups organic almond or coconut milk
- 1.5 cups organic raisins (look for raisins with no other ingredients)
- 1.5 cups organic shredded coconut (look for sulfite and preservative free)
- 1/2 cup organic ground flaxseed
- 1/2 cup organic nut or seed butter (we used sunflower seed butter)
- 1/4 cup organic, unrefined, virgin & cold-pressed coconut oil
- 1/4 cup organic raw honey (local if possible, but if you don't have access to any, this is our favorite)

- 1 TBSP organic vanilla extract (from Madagascar is the best)
- 2-3 tsp organic cinnamon (we like lots of cinnamon)
- 1/2 tsp RealSalt

Instructions:

To be honest, this has to be the easiest recipe in the world...it really doesn't matter if you add wet ingredients to dry or vice versa for this recipe. As long as you remember to preheat your oven to 415 degrees Fahrenheit, you're good to go. Just mix everything up together (ummm...I used my hands so I could smoosh the bananas), spoon onto a cookie sheet, and bake for 15-20 minutes. Enjoy! (They taste best cold.)

Avocado Salsa Verde Dip - Organic Recipe

When my younger brother was super tiny, he was afraid to eat avocados. For some reason, the green-ness intimidated him and he wouldn't even try them. He loved Blues Clues, though, and Steve's shirt was always conveniently green. So we started calling our guacamole "Steve Sauce" and little bro suddenly liked avocado! Now, if you don't like avocado I really can't help you... but this dip is soooo yummy, so give it a try. It's perfect for serving with my Southwestern Taquitos recipe.

What You Need:

- 2 organic avocados
- a pint of organic tomatillos
- 1 organic jalapeno, seeded and chopped
- 1 organic green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
- 1 organic serrano chili, seeded and chopped
- 1 organic onion, diced
- 2-3 cloves organic garlic
- 1 bunch organic cilantro
- 2-3 stems organic oregano
- 1/2 tsp organic ground cumin
- pinch of organic crushed red chili flake
- pinch of organic pepper
- pinch of RealSalt Seasoning Salt
- organic coconut oil (unrefined, virgin, cold-pressed)

Instructions:

1. Heat a TBSP or 2 of coconut oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add your diced onion to the pan and let it sweat for a 3-4 minutes, stirring as needed. 
2. Add your tomatillos to the pan. Heat for 3-4 minutes. Stir as needed.
3. Add in your jalapeno, green bell pepper, serrano chili, oregano and garlic. Cook for 3-4 minutes. Stir as needed.
4. Remove skillet from the heat and let cool for a few minutes. (Remove the stems from the oregano if you haven't already.)
5. Blend this mix with the avocado and the rest of the ingredients until almost smooth (or to your desired consistency). You may have to add a little water to the mix.
6. Top with a little extra red pepper flake and black pepper and enjoy!

DIY Foot Soak // Bath Salts Recipe

I've been really into making homemade foot soak mixes lately. I don't know why, but for the last few weeks, I've really been wanting to start pampering my feet on a regular basis. Maybe it's because I miss pedicures a little bit (but not all the toxins and germs that go with them!), or maybe it's just because I know winter's coming and I don't want any crusty heels gracing my little feet. Either way, if you're like me and you like to show your feet some love without all the nasty chemicals in salons and store-bought products, this one's for you! Only 3 ingredients, super easy and quick to make, and smells sooooo good. It'll leave your tired, hard-working feet feeling soft, invigorated, and spoiled.

What you'll need:
- Bath Salts Plus from Redmond Bath Salts
- Organic Lavender
- Organic Peppermint Tea Bags

For this recipe, I used the unrefined Bath Salts Plus from Redmond Trading. These are the best bath salts I have found. They're naturally richer in trace minerals than other bath salts and they draw toxins out of the body, while still allowing your skin to soak up all the yummy minerals. The company extracts the salt without using any additives, chemicals, or heat processing, which I love. Just pure and all natural sea salt that is rich in trace minerals and natural clay (additional source of minerals!). The tub of salts says the product is great for soothing stiff, sore, and aching muscles, aids in detoxification, helps improve circulation, and promotes sound, restful sleep...just some of the reasons why I use this mix as a bath salt mix too! I recommend purchasing the salts in bulk, as the cost works out to be much cheaper per batch that way.

For the peppermint tea bags, you can use whatever organic peppermint tea you have in the house. We like the Traditional Medicinals Peppermint Tea. It's the most potent and delicious peppermint tea I've ever had. We always have some in the cupboard. We've found it at Whole Foods, Sprouts, Mother's Market, and even Albertsons and Kroger. It's usually about $5 per box (I promise you, it's worth it.) but you can buy it in bulk online for about $3 per box.

I recommend purchasing your lavender online if you can't find any locally. I had a few bunches of organic lavender that I picked up at the farmer's market a couple weeks ago and dried, so I used that. I will warn you...if you do what I did, you'll end up spending 30 minutes hand-harvesting lavender buds, so if you want to save time, just buy some online or from your local apothecary.

Instructions
Mix everything together and enjoy! When you're ready to use it, just add some to your running water. For a foot soak, I use 1 TBSP of the mix, but for a bath, you would use 1/2 cup. If you buy the 18 oz. tub of the bath salts, it'll last you for 4 baths or 32 foot soaks. If you buy the 7lb bulk tub (best price option) of bath salts, it'll last for about 25 baths or 200 foot soaks.

This mix smells so luxurious and yummy. I love it and I hope you give it a try!


p.s. - You can also pick up organic Peppermint and Lavender from Mountain Rose Herbs.



Disclaimers: I am not a medical professional and none of the above information is meant to be considered as medical advice. The information above is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any illness or disease. I am just a natural health and pure, organic living enthusiast, sharing what I have learned. I encourage you to always do your own research. Please check with your naturopathic physician or a certified herbalist or aromatherapist before introducing anything new into your home.
This post contains affiliate links that help to cover the costs of running www.jonanderinstewart.com. Thank you for your support as we grow!
None of the companies mentioned in this post are compensating me for this post.  

Southwestern Taquitos - Organic Recipe - GF, SF, V

When I was a kid, we used to eat these chicken & cheese taquitos that we thought were super yummy. Never mind the fact that they were super processed and microwaveable (yuck!). Who knows if they even had real chicken or cheese in them? But we loved them. We'd all come barreling into the house after swimming in our backyard pool for hours, dripping wet and ravenously hungry, pop a few into the microwave, and jump back into the pool until they were ready to eat. Fast forward a few years and you'd find me loving the flautas (they reminded me of giant taquitos) at a Mexican restaurant down the street from my college dorm. At the very least, I think it's safe to say I like Mexican food and Mexican-food-inspired flavors. I get it from my Momma. She loves her spicy foods!

My new favorite taquito recipe is a much healthier version than our kid-hood favorite...it's gluten-free, sugar-free, vegan, and doesn't wreak havoc on all of my little cells (or my digestive system)! It even tastes better than those microwave ones we used to eat. Exponentially better. You're just going to have to trust me on that until you try them yourself. ;)

Ingredients:

- organic corn tortillas (organic corn is super important // try to look for ones that only have organic corn, water, and lime on the ingredients list)
- organic black beans (2 cans, or the equivalent in freshly made beans)
- 1 medium organic onion (whatever color is your favorite), finely chopped
- 1 medium organic shallot, peeled and finely chopped
- 3-4 cloves organic garlic, peeled and finely chopped
- 1 cup organic tomatoes, diced (we used organic baby heirlooms from the farmer's market)
- 1 organic jalapeno, seeded (or not), and diced
- 1 organic red bell pepper, seeded (or not) and diced
- 2-3 organic sweet mini peppers, seeded and diced
- 1 organic serrano, seeded and diced
- 1 ear organic corn
- handful of fresh, organic cilantro, chopped
- handful of fresh, organic oregano, chopped
- juice of 1 organic lime (feel free to add the zest, too!)
- organic cumin
- organic black pepper, ground
- organic chili flakes or red pepper flakes
- Real Salt
- organic hummus (optional)


Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Combine your beans, onion, shallot, garlic, tomatoes, jalapeno, bell pepper, sweet mini peppers, serrano, and seasonings in a large bowl. Play with the seasoning level, adding a little at a time, until you reach a flavor intensity you like.
3. Warm your tortillas in a skillet or pan over low heat. It only takes a few seconds to heat each tortilla. This just softens them up a bit so they don't break or crease when we roll them.
4. If you're using hummus, spread a TBSP of it down the center of each of your tortillas. (You can always substitute pepper jack cheese if you're not concerned about avoiding animal products. Just make sure your cheese is organic and/or made from milk that came from cows that were pasture-raised and not given antibiotics or hormones.)
5. Place a couple spoonfuls of your bean/veggie mix in each tortilla.
6. Roll your tortillas and place, rolled edge down so they don't unroll, in a baking dish or on a cookie sheet. (Parchment paper on a cookie sheet works the best for us.)
7. Bake 15-20 minutes or until heated throughout and the outside is crispy

Enjoy! I recommend serving these our Avocado Salsa Verde Dip.

Experiment: We are going to make a larger batch next time to see if these freeze well. Let me know in the comments below if you're interested in knowing how well they freeze.

DIY Clay Hair Mask Recipe - non-toxic, chemical-free, organic and all natural

I think almost everyone who frequents Pinterest has seen those pins that suggest using gobs of coconut oil as a hair treatment. As many of us discovered, after trying the method described in those pins (please tell me I'm not the only one), the thing about using coconut oil on your hair is that you have to use super tiny amounts of it for it to be beneficial without having to wash your hair 3 times before you can leave for work in the morning. Unless you want to look like a grease-head at work...in which case you can feel free to slather it on! But for those of us who prefer shiny, healthy, soft hair over Chuck E. Cheese pizza grease hair, there is a better way!

While I do like to use coconut oil with my homemade conditioner every few days, I only use a pea-sized amount of the oil and I only apply it to the last 8-10" of my waist-length hair. However, my favorite hair treatment right now has zero coconut oil in it and its main ingredient is actually clay!

Remember when Redmond Trading made it possible for a few of you to try their Earthpaste toothpaste? Well, right around that time, they sent me a few of their other products to try. One of the products they sent was their Redmond Clay. To be honest, I didn't really know what to do with it besides use it as a face mask, and they had already sent a face mask version of it that took all the work out of mixing it up...so the tub sat on my shelf for a couple weeks while I tried to think of something to do with it. A few weeks ago, I decided to try it on my hair and, after a couple test runs, I settled on the recipe below as the most yummy (for my hair, of course) & effective.

You can see in the before photo that my morning pre-shower hair was looking pretty dull, limp, and matte. After using this clay hair treatment, my hair was softer than I can ever remember it being and had much more shine and volume! My hubby, sister, and mom all agreed that this hair mask worked wonders for my boring hair. Another bonus? It's a refreshing scalp treatment too!

Ready for the recipe?

 Ingredients:

- 1/4 cup Bragg's Organic, Raw & Unfiltered Apple Cider Vinegar (this stuff is like miracle conditioner for your hair)
- 2-3 TBSP Redmond Clay (depending on your hair length)
- a few squirts of Organic Lavender Hydrosol (good for your scalp & softens your hair...plus it smells amazing)
- 3 drops each of Organic Tea Tree, Lavender, & Peppermint essential oils (we recommend Veriditas Botanicals oils -  the only US company that exclusively offers 100% ECOCERT/USDA Certified Organic Essential Oils)

Instructions:


- Start with the apple cider vinegar & add your Lavender Hydrosol & Essential Oils.
- Mix in your Redmond Clay. You can use a popsicle stick or a glass stirrer, but I just use my finger.
- The consistency should be a little bit like spongy cake batter.
- After shampooing, massage the mixture into your scalp and down to the ends of your hair. Avoid contact with eyes. Let it sit for a minute while you shave your legs or something, then rinse it out completely and enjoy your luxuriously soft, fresh-smelling tresses!

I hope you give this recipe a try and, of course, that you love it as much as I do! Leave a comment below to let me know if you do try it & feel free to share your favorite homemade beauty recipes.

Much love,
erin







Disclaimers: I am not a medical professional and none of the above information is meant to be considered as medical advice. The information above is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any illness or disease. I am just a natural health and pure, organic living enthusiast, sharing what I have learned. I encourage you to always do your own research. Please check with your naturopathic physician or a certified herbalist or aromatherapist before introducing anything new into your home.
This post contains affiliate links that help to cover the costs of running www.jonanderinstewart.com. Thank you for your support as we grow!
None of the companies mentioned in this post are compensating me for this post. 

Herb Spotlight: Thyme (what it's good for and how to use it)

“I can appreciate thyme because of its antiseptic qualities. It contains thymol and its smell destroys viruses and bacteria in the atmosphere as it destroys infectious germs in the body. I do not know any infection that cannot be mitigated if treated with this precious herb. It is an excellent weapon against epidemics and much cheaper than other means of controlling them. From boils to typhoid and whitlows to tuberculosis, it is excellent beyond compare!” – Maurice Messegue (French herbalist)

Our first attempt at growing thyme was not very successful. The little seed babies sprouted quickly and grew their beautiful first true leaves just like they were supposed to before the bug and bird monsters got to them. We’ve since taken to keeping our herbs and seedlings in a screened box frame when they are young to protect them from critters and that seems to be working out well, which means we now get to enjoy our fresh thyme! I’m glad, too, because I love thyme. It is one of the most powerful and versatile healing herbs. Thyme has been used for centuries for cooking, healing, in the home, and in the medical industry.

HISTORY

We know people have been using thyme since at least the first century A.D. and many believe thyme was used in the manger where Mary placed her son, Jesus. It is believed to have been grown in gardens in America since the very early 1800’s.

ESSENTIAL OIL EXTRACTION METHOD: usually water or steam distillation*

PROPERTIES

-          Antibacterial

-          Antibiotic

-          Antifungal

-          Antimicrobial

-          Antiparasitic

-          Antiseptic

-          Antiviral

-          Antioxidant

-          Deodorizer

-          Disinfectant

-          Germicide

-          Healing

-          Pest repellent

-          Purifying

-          Refreshing

USES

-          Skin care products, soaps, mouthwashes, and cosmetic steaming mixtures

-          Treatment and prevention method for sleeplessness and nightmares

-          Treatment for headaches, migraines, muscle tension, stress, cramps, and other aches and pains

-          Season fatty foods with thyme to help prevent acne

-          Beneficial for the nervous system, digestive system, circulatory system, immune system, and respiratory system

-          Helps to loosen congestion and ease coughs

-          Effective treatment and prevention method for colds and flu

-          Calms nerves and dispels anxiety

-          Relieves mental fatigue, stimulates memory and concentration, lifts the spirit

-          Useful for skin conditions like ringworm, burns, cuts, eczema, bruises, acne, insect bites, etc.

-          Used in veterinary medicine

-          Treat/prevent tooth decay, bad breath, and other signs of compromised oral health

-          Cleaning in the home

TIDBITS

-          The medical industry used pillows made with thyme because of thyme’s disinfecting, antibacterial, and antiviral properties.

-          It was once common for women who were giving birth to be placed on a bed of fresh herbs, including thyme, to ease labor and reduce the risk of developing an infection.

-          In many cultures, thyme has long been believed to be an herb that instills courage.

CAUTIONS

-          Thyme essential oil should be diluted for external use. Failure to dilute thyme essential oil can result in blistering of the skin.

-          You should only take Thyme essential oil internally under the supervision of a doctor and only if the oil is USDA and ECO-CERT certified 100% organic (DoTerra and Young Living oils do NOT meet these standards). It is a powerful herbal medicine and, if used improperly, can prove to be lethal. Children and women who are pregnant should avoid using Thyme essential oil. Thyme should only be used medicinally under supervision of a doctor or a certified herbalist or aromatherapist.

 TO TRY:

-          Make a cosmetic steaming mixture of equal parts thyme, chamomile flowers, and lavender flowers.

-          During flu season, or when you are exposed to the flu or colds, eat foods with a lot of thyme, sage, garlic, and onion. It’s an easy, tasty, and effective flu prevention method!

-          Some communities use thyme to keep chicken lice away from their hens and out of their coop.

*you should always verify extraction methods with your essential oil provider

 RECIPE IDEAS FROM OTHER BLOGGERS:

Blueberry Lemon Thyme Ice Cream //  Garlic Thyme Parmesan Popcorn // Toasted Almonds with Thyme, Rosemary, and Lemon // Herbal Wreath // Thyme & Onion Crackers (grain free and nut free) // Homemade Poultry Seasoning // Fig & Thyme Jam // DIY Thyme Clear Complexion Toner 

Information Sources: Natural Health Complete Guide to Medicinal Herbs – Penelope Ody, MNIMH / The Complete Illustrated Guide to Aromatherapy – Julia Lawless / Heinerman’s Encyclopedia of Healing Herbs and Spices – John Heinerman / National Geographic Guide to Medicinal Herbs  by Rebecca L. Johnson and Steven Foster, Tieraona Low Dog, MD & David Kiefer, MD / Essential Herbal Wisdom – Nancy Arrowsmith / 

Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional and none of the above information is meant to be considered as medical advice. The information above is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any illness or disease. I am just a natural health and pure, organic living enthusiast, sharing what I have learned. I encourage you to always do your own research. Please check with your naturopathic physician or a certified herbalist or aromatherapist before introducing anything new into your home.

Heirloom Tomato Salsa Farmer's Market Style + Cookbook Preview!

Jon and I usually spend Saturday morning browsing the farmer's market and running our errands for the week. The last few weeks, we have been finding the most beautiful organic heirloom tomatoes at our farmer's market. I'm definitely a chips and salsa kind of girl when it comes to snacking. Actually, I like salsa with just about anything and Jon doesn't complain about it (he's just as enthusiastic as I am) so we always have salsa in the house. I prefer making my own, though once in awhile I'll pick up a jar of store-bought. You just can't beat fresh when it comes to flavor, though, and homemade pico is my favorite. This is my version of it, with a bit of a Stewart family twist. This is one of the recipes from the cookbook we're creating, so it's also a preview of that for you!

WHAT YOU'LL NEED:

- 2-3 organic heirloom tomatoes (for this recipe we used 2 large and a handful of baby heirlooms)
- 1 organic red onion (use 1/2 if you want yours to be more mild)
- 1 organic jalapeno
- 1 handful organic cilantro
- 3-6 cloves of organic garlic (whatever suits your taste)
- juice of 1/2 an organic lemon
- pinch of organic cumin
- pinch of organic crushed red pepper
- pinch of organic black pepper, ground
- pinch of sea salt or Real Salt

INSTRUCTIONS

Chop everything up, toss it in a bowl, season to taste, and enjoy it before it's gone! It never lasts very long. ;)

What do you put in your homemade salsa? Leave a comment below!

Homemade Hand Sanitizer

Most hand sanitizers (even "organic" or "natural" options) contain toxic chemicals, preservatives, and carcinogenic fragrance ingredients. We've been trying to replace items we use that contain these toxins with items that do not, but it's been quite a challenge to find a hand sanitizer we consider pure enough to use! So here is our current homemade hand sanitizer recipe:

Homemade Hand Sanitizer

What you'll need:
- a bottle or container for your homemade hand sanitizer
- isopropyl alcohol (we use 91%)
- organic, food-grade aloe vera gel (not the green gel stuff from the sunscreen section - that's full of toxins too)
- organic essential oil for scent (optional) - We choose to use the pure, organic oils from Veriditas Botanicals and, for this recipe, we are using their lavender oil.

Instructions:
- Fill your bottle 2/3 full with the aloe vera gel (a funnel really helps with this step). Fill the remaining 1/3 with the rubbing alcohol. Mix thoroughly. Add a few drops of essential oil (refer to the bottle to see how many drops to use) and mix again. Enjoy your homemade hand sanitizer!

We keep a bottle of this in our car because we are germ freaks. ;)

Note: For an even more natural recipe, substitute witch hazel for the rubbing alcohol.

Earthpaste Giveaway Winners!

Thank you to all who participated in our Earthpaste giveaway! If you missed our review of Earthpaste toothpastes, you can check it out here.

The winners of the giveaway are:

Colleen Anderson
Moo77hb
Jeremy Desnoyers

Enjoy your toothpaste! =) All of the winners have been notified via email. If, for some reason, you did not receive the email (check your spam folder), please send your name/mailing address to me at jonanderinstewart@gmail.com and I will send your info to Earthpaste, who will be sending you your package. Thanks!

Tropical Mango Smoothie Recipe

This one tastes like something you would drink in the middle of summer while you're sitting on the wrap-around porch out front, watching the sunset from a wooden porch swing (piled with cushions, of course). I love it so I hope you do too. =)

Tropical Mango Smoothie
Servings: 2

Ingredients:
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup organic coconut or almond milk
- 6 oz. organic pineapple, peeled, chopped, and frozen
- 6 oz. organic mango, peeled, chopped, and frozen
- 6 oz. organic peaches, peeled, pitted, sliced, and frozen
- 1 organic banana, peeled, halved, and frozen
- the juice of 1/2 organic lime (optional)

Add your wet ingredients to the blender first, followed by the rest of them. Blend until smooth and enjoy!

Favorite Products Series featuring Natural Vitality // What is Amla?

When Natural Vitality recently asked me if I would be interested in testing some of their products, I excitedly responded with a "yes!!" I had been hearing about and seeing reviews of their products on blogs I follow for months and there were definitely a few things I had been wanting to try. Here are my thoughts on some of their products (plus, some ways to use them in our smoothies!). I'll start with my favorite:

Natural Vitality's Vitamin C Complex is sourced from organic amla, which has been my preferred source of Vitamin C for use in supplements/vitamins for quite awhile now. Amla is basically an Indian gooseberry. It naturally contains 30 times more vitamin C than an orange and also contains proteins, other vitamins and minerals, and is packed with powerful antioxidants. I was beyond excited when I saw this bottle in my box of goodies from N.V.

I love that Natural Vitality's amla-sourced Vitamin C. is in capsules, so I can easily add its power-packed nutrients to my smoothies! This one is great, guys. No additives, nothing extra...just organic amla-sourced Vitamin C and bioflavenoids (well...and the capsule). No yeast, dairy, egg, gluten, soy, wheat, sugar, starch, preservatives, or artificial flavor or color. I definitely recommend this one. Love it. Love, love, love! Empty 2 capsules into any of our smoothie recipes for an extra Vitamin C. boost.

The Organic Life Liquid Multi-Vitamin ingredients from Natural Vitality are plant-sourced, which is really important in a multi-vitamin. The multi includes 24 organic veggies, superfruits, and berries, and its aloe vera contains more than 200 plant-based biologically active amino acids, vitamins, antioxidants, minerals, enzymes, and sterols. The box they sent me contained 30 individual packets (one packet = one serving) that you can take alone or mixed with water, juice, or a smoothie (more on that later). This product is vegetarian, gluten-free, and GMO-free.

To add this multi-vitamin to your smoothies, simply pour the contents of 2 packets in with the rest of the ingredients in any of our smoothie recipes! Our smoothie recipes make 2 servings, so you and your smoothie-buddy will each get a full serving of vitamins.

The Plant-Sourced Minerals mix from Natural Vitality is a purified water extraction of soluble plant-derived minerals. They are minimally processed and this mix offers a complex of more than 70 plant-based, small-particle, bioavailable trace minerals. It's vegan, gluten-free, GMO-free, cruelty-free, allergen-free, and contains no wheat, dairy, egg, sugar, or artificial color or flavor. While this is the liquid version of the product, I recommend the capsule version of it, which does not have the extra "other ingredients" list!

To add the plant-sourced minerals to your smoothies, simply add 2 tsp. of it to any of our smoothie recipes.

Overall, I really like what Natural Vitality is doing. They strive to provide plant-based, organic, quality products. They also give back to our wellness-building community, which you can read more about here. They keep their products GMO-free and pesticide free and support organic farming (yes!). Browse more of the products they offer here (and don't forget to go buy their Vitamin C!!).

Much love,
Erin

Dark Chocolate Smoothie!

Hello. My name is Erin and I love chocolate. Well, raw chocolate that is...the dark, pure stuff that's only sweetened with pure goodness and doesn't have any soy or additives in it. Not that contaminated-with-lead grocery store junk. ;) I knew it would only be so long until I would try a chocolate smoothie recipe, and here it is! It even has veggies in it...and you know what?? The kids didn't even notice! Ha! Success! Want the recipe?

Dark Chocolate Smoothie
Servings: 2

Ingredients:
- 1 cup organic almond or coconut milk
- 1 cup water
- 3 bananas, peeled, halved, and frozen
- 4 carrots, peeled, chopped, and frozen
- 3 heaping tsp (a real tsp, not a measuring spoon) of raw, organic cacao powder
- 2-3 TBSP raw, organic almond butter
- 1/4 tsp organic cinnamon

(we buy our almond butter and cacao powder from Mother's)

You know the drill! Wet ingredients into the blender first, add the rest, blend until smooth and enjoy! This smoothie is best enjoyed immediately after blending.

P.S. - If you taste your smoothie and find that you would like it a little sweeter, add more frozen banana. If you want a richer chocolate flavor, add more cacao powder.