Recipes – Earthy Girl Living

Which Came First?

Posted on May 2, 2016May 15, 2016 by lisawilkins15@yahoo.com

Which did come first? The chicken or the egg? Pretty deep thinking right? …. Either way, I’m glad we have eggs to eat and the fact that they are so inexpensive is awesome! I don’t know if you like them or not, but I LOVE eggs! They really are one of the most perfect foods out there. You can eat them for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or even a snack! You can eat them raw, hardboiled, sunny side up, scrambled, or fried. You can eat them here or there, you can eat them anywhere! (ha ha good ol’ Dr. Seuss. I’m sorry I guess that’s the first grade teacher coming out in me!) Eggs are full of protein. Each egg has between 5 -6 grams of protein and only about 70 calories!

Eggs get a bad rap these days. So many people I know only eat the egg whites and they skip the most delicious part because they say they are watching their cholesterol. It is true that the white contains most of the protein but the yolk contains some great nutritional benefits too. Studies are finding now that eating 2 eggs a day (not just the whites) can actually be very beneficial to your health. Eating the whole egg doesn’t bring raise your lipid profile (an assessment for cardiac risk), and it actually might improve it! It’s a package deal if you ask me! You really need to read this article on cholesterol and see what the new studies are saying.

I highly recommend that you find a local farmer’s market to purchase your eggs. There’s a lot of disturbing information out there on ways people are fooling the system. If you think you are buying free range, organic eggs at the grocery store, think again. It’s really all semantics. Read this article if you want to know the real deal. It might really make you give up eating eggs from the store and you might ponder becoming a vegetarian all together.

If you live in the Gainesville area, check out Green Acres Farmers Market off of Hwy 53. There are many folks out there with free range chickens laying a much better egg than the store bought ones. You might just need to investigate in your area to find someone. There are many farmer’s markets around town now, so someone there can certainly supply you some authentic, organic, free-range eggs too!

There are a few differences that are noticeable with store bought vs. free range. It doesn’t matter which color the shell is; they are all the same inside and have the same nutritional value. The shell is actually thicker on free range eggs. The vitamin D the chickens are soaking up while they are “free ranging” affects the shell. The yolk on the free range egg will be a much deeper, golden color. It is creamier and won’t break as easily as the store bought ones. I challenge you to try the comparison of the two. You will taste and see the difference. It is unmistakable!!

I typically buy 3 dozen eggs at a time. I pay $5.50/per dozen. They can stay right out on your counter for up to 6 weeks. If you shop at the grocery store and buy free range, organic eggs, you will pay about $5.00/per dozen. After reading the article above I hope you realize that they really aren’t really free range, organic.) I would much rather support a local farmer and get a far superior egg! Look at the difference between the eggs I made for breakfast one morning. One is store bought and the other ones are free range. Can you see the difference? I told you it is unreal.

One way I love to eat eggs is with homemade salsa. I actually make this simple chunky salsa and put it on my eggs. It’s awesome and you can of course enjoy it with chips too! It is really fast and easy. All you need is 1 can Rotel (I like original), 1 can yellow corn, 1 can black beans, cilantro, onion, and lime juice. I chop the cilantro and onion, drain the beans, corn, and Rotel. I add the juice of 1/2 to a 1 whole lime. If I don’t have fresh lime, I use lime oil. It only takes a drop or two at the most. Mix, refrigerate a few hours, and get ready to chow down! You will love this dip! It is a staple in my house. You know exactly what is in it and it’s low cal and high in protein!

You can actually diffuse lime oil too! Lime is known for it’s benefits to uplift, balance, and energize. It helps to support a healthy immune system, it affects your mood in a positive way, and promotes emotional balance. Now remember the oil comes from the lime peel and is not from the juice! It is super concentrated! A little goes a long way!

Lime oil is also good for removing grease spots and sticker residue. I hate it when you buy something like a picture frame and they stick the price tag right in the middle of the glass and you end up with a sticky spot. Just get a cloth, put some lime oil on it and rub. You will be amazed at how quickly the sticky spot is erased!

Here’s a great recipe for Key Lime Parfait:

Ingredients:

1 cup vanilla Greek yogurt
1/2 cup organic granola (we like to use organic French vanilla granola)
Zest and juice of 2 key limes
2 drops Lime essential oil
Optional: 1 tablespoon honey

Note: Key limes are naturally a lot smaller than regular limes. If you can’t find key limes than replace with 1/2 of a regular lime.

Directions:

In a small bowl, add yogurt, lime zest, lime juice, Lime essential oil, and honey for added sweetness.
In a tall cup or bowl, add 1/3 of the yogurt mixture to the bottom of cup and top with 1/2 of granola. Repeat layers until ingredients are gone

Now on a totally different note: For you Atlanta folks, please consider cleaning out your closets and donating your items to a program called “A Million Meals.” Your items will need to be put in a garbage bag and taken to a local church near you. You can click here to find a church in your area that’s participating in the program. I’m sure there is one close to you and more are being added daily. For every garbage bag full of adult and kids clothes that you donate, you will be providing meals for 55 people in Africa. The goal is to reach 1 million meals, or “1 mealion.” So get cleaning out your old shoes, purses, belts, T-shirts, bathing suits, etc. Get them in by May 31st!!

Until next week, clean out those closets, be safe, and be kind to someone out there!

Naturally, Lisa

Spring is Sprouting, So Can YOU!

Posted on March 20, 2016May 16, 2016 by lisawilkins15@yahoo.com

Happy first day of spring!

The flowers are bursting out around here and it is so beautiful!! Spring has sprung! I decided I wanted to get on the bandwagon too!

I have started to grow my own sprouts. It is really super easy to do and it only takes a few days until you have sprouts ready to eat! I double dog dare you to try it!!

Last week I spoke about the rise of diabetes in our country. If you didn’t read my blog from last week, make sure to check it out! I listened to Dr. Greger’s book on Audible. It’s called How Not To Die. It was very in depth but well worth listening to; if you are really serious about making a change in your diet and your health. I highly recommend it!

One key idea I picked up on in the book was how beneficial broccoli is to our health. It helps with many types of cancers. He suggests to eat it every day. He also mentions that broccoli sprouts help reduce the risk of type II diabetes. He recommends 1/4 cup of broccoli sprouts a day.

So you want to get started!?!?! You only need a few things: You will need a couple of ball jars, a screen for each jar to put over the top of the opening to strain the water off, and some seeds of your choice. I started with broccoli and sunflower seeds. They are yummy!

You can, of course, order a set that includes everything you need, but I wanted to try it with what I had available. I wasn’t sure if I’d like this whole sprouting seeds business and I didn’t want to invest much money if it was awful. I have to say I like using the jars and they are super easy. Maybe one day I’ll get the trays and the set, but right now I like using the jars.

To start, you will need to rinse the jars and place a little bit of the seeds in the bottom of the jar. The broccoli seeds are so tiny only about 1 teaspoon is needed. I just usually guess and pour. Screw on the lid with the screen in place. Rinse the seeds and place upside down to strain the water off. I place mine in a bowl upside down at an angle so the water can continue to drain.

I put them in a dark spot for the first 24 hours. You could throw a towel over them if you want. I usually put mine in my pantry. Then after 24 hours, bring them out, or uncover, and let them sit on your counter. I rinse them several times throughout the day and follow the same procedure.

Rinse, strain, place upside down on counter. I do this for several days until they sprout and completely fill up the jar. Then, they are ready to eat!!! I take them out of the jar and place them in a container and keep them in the refrigerator. Add them to your salad or to any meal. You can even juice them! Who knew right?

Here’s a great Caesar salad dressing recipe from Dr. Michael Kluper. This recipe was from the book How Not to Die.

2Tbsp almond meal
3 crushed garlic cloves
3Tbsp dijon mustard
3Tbsp nutritional yeast flakes
2Tbsp white miso
3Tbsp lemon juice
1/3 cup of water

Blend and enjoy! If you have a high speed mixer it might be best to use whole almonds in place of the almond meal.

Here’s another way to use your sprouts. Try this stir fry recipe.It’s yummo!

Cook 1 cup of white rice. While it’s cooking, scramble an egg. Add oil to a pan, add rice, shred a bit of carrot, a little onion, add the egg, salt and pepper to taste, and of course add your broccoli and sunflower sprouts. Add a little dab of butter while this is all cooking. Stir and brown, Add Bragg’s Liquid Amino (soy sauce alternative) and you have a fabulous meal! It’s super easy! You of course could add some chicken or steak too!

Here’s a great diffuser recipe to try this spring. It will take you to paradise!!

2 drops citrus or wild orange

2 drops Sandalwood

3 drops Grapefruit

If you need a diffuser, or any oils, I would love to talk with you about them! Just let me know!

I hope you have a fantastic week! Get out there and move around! Spring is here!!

Naturally, Lisa

Sick???…You Need Bone Broth!!

Posted on March 7, 2016May 16, 2016 by lisawilkins15@yahoo.com

Well it’s a bummer when someone gets sick in your family! If someone does come down with a cold, flu, or sinus infection……the best thing in the whole world is to cook a whole chicken and make some bone broth. I’d like to share one of my family’s favorite recipes!! It has been passed down for generations and this recipe is always requested when someone is under the weather! It is so easy and it’s packed with nutrition!!!! It’s a healer for sure!

This is my version of bone broth. You of course can make bone broth using beef or chicken. I really like making chicken broth because of the simplicity of it! I find the best way to make the broth is to throw a whole chicken in a pressure cooker with 2 cups of water. I season the chicken with a little salt and pepper and bring it up to pressure. I cook the chicken for 20 minutes. Then bam it’s done! You can let the chicken sit there and cool and then debone it.

I like to take the pressure off the pot with a quick release method and then open the lid. (You will of course need to read the instructions for your pressure cooker to learn how to do this.) Click here to see an overview of how to use a pressure cooker. There is enough meat from the whole chicken for 2 meals for my family of 4. I stick the other half, that I am not using, in the freezer for later use.

Typically what I do is divide the broth that is in the pressure cooker after it has cooked. Usually there are about 3 cups of broth in the pan after I have pulled out the chicken. I measure out 2 cups of broth and set the other cup aside. I usually store the 1 cup of extra broth in a ball jar and freeze it. This way I can use it for another meal at a later time without having to go through the cooking process.

I take the 2 cups of broth and put them back in the same pressure cooker (haven’t washed it yet) and add 1 cup of rice. I have found that Mahatma works the best. I salt and pepper the rice. I stir in about half of the shredded chicken and close the lid to the pressure cooker and cook for 10 minutes after it comes up to pressure. I do a quick release on it again and there is a nice hot steaming meal that it absolutely delicious! Serve with a salad and you are all set!

So you still have 1 cup of delicious bone broth in the freezer and the frozen chicken. When you are in need of another delicious meal, thaw them both out and get out your pressure cooker or a big stock pot. Add the bone broth and about 4-5 cups of water to the pan. Remember the bone broth is super concentrated. Cut up 2 carrots in slices, 2 celery stocks chopped, 1/2 of an onion chopped, and the other 1/2 of the chicken meat, which I like to chop up. I like to add either 1/2- 3/4 cup of elbow noodles or rice to my soup. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Put all ingredients in the pressure cooker and cook for about 3 minutes, after it has come to full pressure. Use the quick release method and of course your noodles will not be quite finished. I place the glass lid over the pressure cooker and let it steep for about 10 minutes. The noodles continue to cook. Make some cornbread and Yummo!! You have another meal ready to go.

I use to think the gelatin in the soup was fat and it was bad. I remember spooning out the gelatin after I had put it in the refrigerator overnight. I actually threw it away thinking it was fat! Oh my! Little did I know that was the best part and filled with nutrition. Don’t throw the gelatin away!!

Of course you can make bone broth on the stove in a regular pot and let it simmer. There are recipes out there where you cook the stuff for 24 hours. If you are hanging around the house and you’ve got time, this works. I just always do it the quick way, with a pressure cooker. I think the flavor is better too! Now I have to say I have not tried the broth that has been cooked for 24 hours. I’m sure it is probably fantastic too!

So let me tell you…….all pressure cookers are not created equal. I have had many over the years. I started with an oldie that had the rocker on top. It use to scare me to death! I always thought it would explode. I worried using it around the kids.

I have since gotten a Fissler brand and I love my new pressure cooker! I would highly recommend it to anyone that wants to start cooking with pressure. This new cooker does not have a rocker on top and it is super quiet! It’s a little expensive but a great investment.

Here’s another recipe that you might want to check out using a Fissler pressure cooker. It goes over how to use the pressure cooker and you can see how easy it is!

I bought a 2 piece set . The set came with both a 6qt and a 4 qt pan, a glass lid that fits both pans and then of course the top that you use to seal the pans to go under pressure. I use them both constantly in my kitchen. They can be used like regular pans too.

Please do not be scared off from these recipes if you do not have a pressure cooker! They are so yummy and worth making. Just get out a pan and start cooking! We need to get back into the kitchen! If you make these 2 recipes, you will have made 2 meals with nothing artificial added and you know exactly what is in them! This is the way we need to be cooking folks! This will heal any ailment out there! Just try it!!

One thing I have to add here is that I hope you are all taking vitamins! This will keep your immune system in check!! I’d love to tell you about the best vitamins I’ve ever taken. I can totally tell a difference when I take them. I have more energy and I feel fantastic! They have a money back guarantee and you really should try them! Please let me know if you would like to try them for 30 days, and feel the difference.

Hope you have a great week! Be kind and make someone’s day!!

Please subscribe to this blog by scrolling all the way down to the bottom! Also make sure to follow me on Instagram @earthygirlliving

Naturally, Lisa

What’s that smell?!?!

Posted on January 18, 2016May 15, 2016 by lisawilkins15@yahoo.com

Well let me tell you!! That is the aroma of á la garbage! I’m totally kidding!! It’s not garbage like you might be thinking.

You would never know that I have a pile of rotting food on my counter- top right now! Feeling inspired after watching Cowspiracy on Netflix, I purchased two different pieces on Amazon to help me embark on saving the earth one piece of rotten banana at a time! I’m composting!

Wait a minute, rewind…Cowspiracy? It actually was a very interesting movie on how livestock are causing so many of our environmental issues today. It was a little disturbing, and honestly, I’ve contemplated becoming a vegan after seeing it.( Read more about it here.) If not a total vegan, could I be a vegan until 4:00 each day? Or, could I eliminate meat out of my nightly meals, maybe a few days of the week? Could you? Would you? If you have time you should check out the movie and then I’d be interested in your answer! Big things to ponder.

The bottom line is that I do want to help save the planet!! So I will start with baby steps and at least I can compost, right? Every little bit helps. Maybe you too will consider changing your diet or at least composting too!! Read some interesting facts about trash here!

Let me explain how it works. The Compost Pail (pictured on the left) sits on the counter and as you are preparing a meal, you can drop the items into it easily. It is completely sealed with charcoal filters on the top to prevent the smell from permeating your kitchen. Trust me, you don’t want to leave it open! After the pail becomes full, I can transport the items to the larger EcoBin Composter (pictured on the right,) which is outside in my yard. How easy is that? It really requires very little effort. As I tell my first graders, “You just need to train your brain!!”

Items that you should compost are: kitchen scraps, fruits, vegetables, used coffee grounds, tea bags, and egg shells. You should not put in fish, dairy products, animal fats, or oils. These items are harmful to plants and they may cause odor, which of course, would attract rodents and flies. You do not want to add diseased or insect ridden plants as they might infect your new plants when you transfer the compost to your garden. I also read that you do not want to add black walnut leaves or twigs since they will omit harmful compounds to plants.

In the outside bin, in addition to your kitchen scraps, you would add grass clippings, green leaves, flowers, vegetables from the garden, dry, brown leaves (other than black walnut), dried grass, straw, hay, sawdust, coffee filters, paper napkins, or shredded newspapers. For the best results, you want to alternate layers of greens and browns. You would not add coal or ashes, pet waste or coated paper products either. You will want to bury and mix in food scraps so the local critters don’t chow down. You want to remember to break the items down for quicker decay.

Of course winter is not the ideal time to start this process but, what the heck! At least I got started!!! The compost needs heat to break down. You will need to aerate the pile by turning it at least once a month. The more you turn it, the quicker the items will break down. A well maintained compost will have temperatures of 140-160 F. If you decide to take a break from composting the outside bin folds up for easy convenience.

I’m excited about using the compost soil in my flower pots once spring time comes!! I can’t wait to plant some Impatiens and geraniums on my porch! I know they are going to be vibrant with color and add that nice pop!

Now on to something else totally trendy: A smoothie bowl. You may ask, “What is a smoothie bowl?” Well it is actually a nice twist on a basic smoothie. You add the ingredients you would typically add in your smoothie, but instead of sipping it out of straw, or a cup, you would pour it in a bowl. I know, that sounds really weird and crazy, but I have to tell you, they are awesome! You are able to add toppings and eat it with a spoon. It is like ice cream or frozen yogurt, but way simpler. No waiting time to freeze! On top, I added my homemade Earthy Girl Granola and some fresh strawberries, bananas, blueberries, and coconut pieces. I was excited to throw all the toppings from the strawberries and banana peel into my new counter-top compost pail!

Strawberry Banana Smoothie Bowl Recipe

1/4 cup yogurt (vanilla or your favorite) *Vegan omit yogurt
1 cup berries of choice (I like strawberries) can be frozen
1 banana (best if frozen)
Chia seed 1 tsp
Flax seed 1 tsp
Maca root 1 tsp ( find out about it here)
1 scoop Trim Shake protein powder vanilla (contact me if you want more info on this product)
Coconut water ( just enough to get it in a liquid state)

I used a frozen banana and fresh strawberries. It gives the smoothie a good consistency. You could use ice cubes too.

Mix in a blender, pour into a bowl. Add toppings. I put blueberries, Earthy Girl Granola, and toasted coconut chips on mine in the photo.

The best thing about smoothies is how easy it is to change them up. You can tweak the amount of any of the ingredients to suit your taste. Be creative with your fruit choices!! Find a combo that you like!! Just try it!

Check out how pretty these things are and not to mention absolutely delicious too!

Let’s Get Uncomfortable

Posted on January 11, 2016May 16, 2016 by lisawilkins15@yahoo.com

What do I mean “Let’s get uncomfortable?” Why would anyone want to be uncomfortable? And on purpose? Am I loosing it? I have been so blessed in my life; beyond words to express. I am so dog-gone lucky, so why in the world would I be saying “Let’s get uncomfortable?!” I just want you to ponder this…… If you are warm and comfortable, in your own little cocoon, there is no growth happening. Growth is hard. It is cold. It is scary! But you know what?, “life begins at the end of your comfort zone!”

Because it is a new year, I’ve decided that I am using the mantra “New Year, New You” to motivate me to make those changes. I was going to have to get uncomfortable to take new steps in the right direction. I wrote down a few things that I knew needed some work My house for one, is on the top of my list. As my children have grown up, and moved out, their empty rooms have been left behind and needed a little TLC. Yes it is bittersweet to clean out all the yearbooks and memories of their childhood, but I have to get uncomfortable. Right? Maybe a few tears too!

I decided I want to use one room as a work-out/ “Aromatouch Technique” room. I have been certified in this technique which is an amazing process of applying oils to the back and feet. It creates an overall felling of wellness. It is very powerful, yet simple. I invested in a massage table and I needed the space to set it up. So the number one goal was to clean out the ol’ bedroom. I worked on it a little each day, and it created the biggest disaster! There were things everywhere and I couldn’t hardly walk through the hallway. Was I uncomfortable? Yes! I couldn’t stand it!

We started by heading to Home Depot and we picked out some wall colors that would be fun and up-lifting. My artsy daughter chose moroccan sky, which is an orange shade; a purple shade called heather sachet, and a light gray. I was thinking…”What the heck?…this is going to be awful, but I went with it. We got home and cleaned everything out of the room. Talk about time consuming and slow. That’s when things started piling up everywhere. OH!!, one thing I forgot to tell you, “I think I’m part hoarder.” No really!! I hate to get rid of things because one day I could possibly need it. So this task was difficult to say the least. I’m still having separation anxiety as it all sits in the garage to go to Goodwill. We painted the walls and it looks amazingly fresh and fabulous! I touched up the baseboards and doors with white gloss so the colors on the walls would pop! We got some new wall decorations from Target (50% off, gotta love it) and Etsy. We included a Himalayan salt lamp which I bought at Bed Bath and Beyond. It has many healing properties to help with allergies. (Read 10 Reasons to Have a Himalayan Salt Lamp). You know me, trying to go for the natural approach.

So now, I challenge you to start taking steps toward your goals. Do you have anything you want to get started on in this new year? You can make it happen. One small step at a time. Pick one thing! It’s so motivating to see the results. Like “I did this!!” Yes!!

We got a lot done this weekend and decided to celebrate by making some granola. This is something that is super easy to do (minus breaking open the coconut). It is so much better for you than store bought brands. You know exactly what you’re adding. I love to eat my granola on yogurt, ice cream, or as a cereal with almond milk. It’s great on smoothie bowls if you’ve hopped on that train!! Here is my new granola recipe if you are looking for new, deliciously healthy options for this year.

Earthy Girl Granola

4 cups rolled oats
1 cup slivered almonds
1 cup chopped cashews
3/4 cups sunflower seeds
3/4 cups Pepita seeds (pumpkin seeds)
3/4 cup shredded coconut (if doing from scratch here’s how and don’t forget to freeze it first, because it will save your life, or your hardwood floors 🙁 at least!)
1/4 cup Sucanat (dark brown sugar replacement. Found( here)
1/4 cup maple syrup or to taste
1/4 cup olive oil
salt to taste (if the nuts you are adding are salted, you will want to decrease the amount used)

Preheat oven to 250. Mix the ingredients in a bowl, stir thoroughly, place on jelly roll pan or baking dish with sides. Cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes or 1 hour and 30 minutes if you like it crunchier. Stir every 15 minutes for an even, golden color. Let cool, eat and enjoy!! Store in Ziploc or Tupperware.

Sneek Peek: Next week I will be diving into all things composting and delicious smoothie bowls. I will be posting my blogs on Sunday nights around 7:00. I hope you all will join me each week as I embark on this new journey!

Naturally,
Lisa