I normally don’t do this; snacks for dinner I mean. But today, I was in a pinch and needed something fast and gluten free for dinner. Well, why not snacks for dinner? This is a fairly healthy or has the possibility of a healthier dinner than I made. What you are looking at is a lovely arrangement of gluten free chips, 2 different kinds of gf crackers, a small bit of roasted red pepper hummus, carrots and celery, golden cherry tomatoes with roasted cauliflower (leftover from dinner the night before, but breathe new life into the florets by re-heating in the oven and spearing with toothpicks!), cucumber dip (see recipe below) and 3 different cubed cheeses with no nitrate and gf pepperoni.
It’s not bad for dinner in a pinch and will probably delight your loved ones-it looks like snacks or appetizers but it has veggies (which you could substitute some broccoli or your fave veggie in) and some protein in the meat and hummus (you could cube some cooked chicken for a lower fat option).
I whipped up the cucumber dip-how easy is this and it tastes incredible!
Cucumber dip
1 cucumber (either grated or chopped small
1 onion (same thing)
1 block of warm cream cheese (can use neufchatel for a lower fat option)
Squeeze the water out of the veggies and add all ingredients to a food processor adding salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate for about 2 hours.
Voila- your dinner in a pinch and it’s gluten free! The most important thing is to have fun doing it-use veggies and meat/cheese that you enjoy and even if it’s not the healthiest thing around, it isn’t too bad every once in a while!
O
M
G!!!!!
I love this beyond words. However, you do NOT want to see the process to get from 2 beautiful silk scarves, to this lovely finished product. I about threw my sewing machine out the door several times, and I would not want a seasoned sewer to inspect my inside seams. But overall, I can’t tell you how excited I am for a nice, hot summer day to wear this! This was supposed to be a shirt…there are several pins on Pinterest with this “scarf shirt” project and I’ve been dying to make it.
You take two scarves of the same size, pin them together leaving arm holes and neck opening and sew around the top and the sides. Now, I may only be 5 feet of pure redheaded (albeit fake) firepower, but I didn’t expect it to be a dress on me! I think these scarves must be XL. 
I will try this again with smaller scarves because I really do want a shirt too. But for now, I will enjoy the flowing, billowy feel of light silk against my skin. Ahhhh.
Today I am so excited to present my first guest blogger! Catherine Basile is a dear friend of mine and has been one of my biggest supporters, so why not have her share a few of her own ideas? Thanks for giving her a warm welcome and take it away, Catherine!
Over the last few years I have slowly forgotten one of the most important things in life; take care of yourself first!! Now I’m not saying I’ve just thrown my arms up & said “meh, screw it”, but what I’ve done is not allowed myself to take the time for ME! Pampering yourself is one of the most important things to do & let’s face it, it feels great, too. I boldly decided on New Year’s Eve to make this a year for me. In a mildly incoherent state of mind I told myself “I’m going to get at least 1 massage a month, I’m going to get facials & manicures, I’m joining a gym, I’m going to blah blah blah………” Well I quickly realized in my excitement of the new year that those things take money & that is something I don’t have a whole lot of. So in an effort to continue on the “me” path, without having to get a personal loan from the bank, I started doing research for inexpensive but effective DIY ideas for facials & helpful hints for relaxing. Here are two of my favorites so far. I hope you find them helpful to your life & enjoyable.
Banana Mask
1 tbsp raw honey
1 ripe organic banana
10 drops Lemon juice
If you suffer from allergies as most of us do around Colorado, use local raw honey for this mask. Believe it or not, your skin reacts to the seasonal allergies as well & this will help calm the red dryness. Use a ripe ORGANIC banana! The goal here is to be all natural & keep chemicals off your skin. The banana helps nourish and the honey absorbs & retains moisture, hydrating the skin & enhancing your natural glow. Lastly, a touch of lemon juice exfoliates the skin, reducing the appearance of scars and acne. Mash the banana well then add honey & lemon, mixing well. After washing makeup off your face, apply the banana mixture to your face & leave on for 10 mins. This is a good time to lay back & relax! Rinse with warm water & a soft washcloth. Follow with an oil free moisturizer.
Hand & Foot Mask
2 tbsp fine sugar or salt
1 tbsp raw honey
1 raw egg yolk OR 1 tbsp Olive Oil
1 tbsp full fat cream – You could use soy or almond milk instead
Wash hands before doing the mask so you get all the dirt & oil off. Mix all the ingredients in small bowl & stir well. Before applying to hands &/or feet, make sure the gloves, plastic bags or saran wrap is ready to go for wrapping once the mask is applied. I learned this little trick the hard way! Over the sink, apply a generous layer of the mask to your feet or hands & massage as you spread it over your skin. If you’re super lucky, get someone to do it for you. Now that is truly being pampered! Now put on the gloves or cover with saran wrap/plastic bags. Sit back & relax for 15 mins. Rinse with warm water & follow with moisturizing hand or foot cream. Your hands & feet are left feeling super soft! If you are looking for some fun ways to change up this mask, add your favorite essential oils.
You can store leftovers of either mask in an air tight container & refrigerate for up to 1 week.
Thanks Catherine! You’ve inspired me to do one tonight!
I waited and took several shots of this project but never found the perfect lighting…sorry about that! At least you will get the gist of it. This belt shelf project has been floating around Pinterest for years. Mine works perfect for my plants and vintage knick knacks in the window.
I took 4 XL leather belts I purchased from the thrift store and belted them together. Then I put my top shelf in between the belts about half way down the length. Holding the shelf upright at 90 degrees, I then drilled a couple screws in through the belt and into the wood to secure. Do this in both the front and the back of the shelf. Then, I wanted it secured to my ceiling/window frame, so I screwed it directly into the frame. The bottom shelf was easy to put in to the bottom of the belt “loop” once the shelf was hung.
Make sense?
Imagine being able to taste chocolate all day, whenever you want…with NO calories!
Try this most awesome of awesome chocolate lip balm.
.5 oz beeswax
2 tb coconut oil
a dash of honey (less than 1/8 ts)
a dash of vanilla oil or essence (just a couple drops)
1/8 ts cocoa powder
Melt together in the microwave or a double boiler and pour into containers. Enjoy!
I know I’m really jumping the gun with this summer recipe, but I had a hankering for it and made some! Not only do raw veggies work wonders for your energy, they each have their own unique health properties; from fiber and vitamins, to essential minerals and antioxidants. I love this recipe because unlike juicing, it uses the whole veggie which contributes to your daily fiber intake.
Gazpacho (chilled Mexican tomato/veggie soup)
I like my gazpacho simple so the tomato and cucumber flavor shines through, hence the simplicity of this recipe. There are many versions out there, but here is mine.
4 vine ripened tomatoes
1 large cucumber
3 green onions (or a regular onion works)
1 green bell pepper
handful of cilantro
3-4 cups tomato juice
salt and pepper
Mix everything in the blender and blend well. Chill and serve.
I wasn’t sure if I was going to post about this new recipe or not, but I think it’s growing on me! I’ve been racking my brain trying to figure out what else to do with the 3 lbs of cocoa butter that I bought since the white chocolate fiasco. This is a realllllly cool recipe, it has all the makings of a hip, raw and “foofy” dessert, so I had to try. Perfect for paleo junkies and vegans, too. I did one tiny cheat and used a double boiler to melt my cocoa butter since I don’t have a dehydrator nor the time to wait 20 minutes for it to melt on low heat in the oven. Here’s the original link with the recipe and I hope you will try it, I think. http://vegetarian.about.com/od/rawfooddessertrecipes/r/Raw-Food-Lemon-Mousse.htm
Raw Lemon Mousse
Yield: 2 cups
Ingredients:
•2 cups sliced banana (about 2 bananas)
•6 tablespoons melted raw cacao butter
•4 teaspoons lemon zest
•1/2 cup lemon juice
•1/2 cup raw agave nectar
•1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Melt your cocoa butter (I used a double boiler and it took about 3 minutes). Then blend all of the ingredients together in either a blender or a food processor. Pour the mixture into a bowl, dish, or small casserole pan to set in the refrigerator for at least 45 minutes before serving.
I am curious to know if any of you try it-let me know what you think!
