Many of you may have a family apple-picking adventure on your fall calendar. We try to visit our favorite apple orchard The Historic Orchard at Altapass in North Carolina. We have so much fun hiking through the orchard picking and eating apples as we go!
If you find that you have more apples then you know what to do with after your orchard trip, you can make simple, dried apple slices. These treats are perfect for the school lunchbox. Read on to learn how to make these simple treats in a couple of short steps.
What you will need:
– organic apples
– cinnamon
Directions:
Dehydrating: Line your food-dehydrator shelf with parchment paper. Cut your apples into super-thin slices and arrange the slices on the shelves of your food-dehydrator. Sprinkle with cinnamon and either dehydrate at 135° until crisp.
Baking: Line a baking sheet with a reusable mat or parchment paper. Cut your apples into super-thin slices and arrange the slices on the baking sheet. Sprinkle with cinnamon and bake in the oven at 225° for about 1.5 hours.
Do you make apple slices during the autumn season?
Sometimes, maintaining healthy skin can seem impossible. If you have acne, that bacteria-fighting scrub from the drugstore might dry out your skin, causing itchy and painful redness. If your skin is too dry, a store-bought moisturizer might make your skin appear greasy. Finding the perfect product may never happen.
Luckily, there are natural ways to boost your skin’s appearance. Below, we’ve listed some great at-home remedies that can combat common skin blemishes without hurting your skin’s health. As a bonus, these natural methods can be cheaper than serums and soaps produced commercially, so you won’t waste big bucks if they don’t work for your unique skin.
Here are just a few fuss-free natural remedies for common skin ailments and blemishes:
Fighting Acne Naturally
Acne is incredibly common. In fact, 85% of people have experienced acne in some form throughout their life. However, just because acne is common doesn’t mean you want to have it. Pimples are painful, and deep forms like cystic acne can leave scars.
There are many types of acne that all have different causes and symptoms. However, natural skin hygiene habits can combat most forms of this condition. Try this homemade honey-based face wash from Dr. Axe to combat acne-forming bacteria:
Ingredients
1 tablespoon melted coconut oil
3 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
20 small droplets of melaleuca essential oil
2 capsules of live probiotics
Leave this mixture on affected areas for two minutes, then wash away with water. Repeat once daily to kill bacteria and reduced inflammation associated with acne!
Reducing the Appearance of Scars at Home
Like acne, scars come in all shapes, sizes, and forms. Though we commonly think of scars as long-healed cuts, scars can also come from burns, surgeries, or tissue that was completely removed.
Scars on the face can be particularly troublesome. Even though in 2016 91% of children were vaccinated against measles, mumps, and rubella, many older adults have facial scars left from these types of childhood illnesses. Scars anywhere on the body can appear darker or lighter than the surrounding skin, and keloid scars form bumps.
Scars are signs that your body has done the work of healing an earlier injury. As such, scars don’t need treatment themselves for you to be in good health. Scars are also unlikely to disappear completely. However, if you’d like to minimize the appearance of a scar, you can try the following natural method:
Aloe Moisturizing
Try taking a leaf of an aloe plant and peeling away the dark outer skin. Then, scoop out and apply the light green/clear gel directly to the scar area. Let the gel rest for half an hour, then rinse with cool water. Repeat twice daily.
Natural Cellulite Treatments
It’s been estimated that 80% to 98% of women have cellulite somewhere on their body. Even though it is common, many women and men alike would prefer their cellulite was less noticeable. Cellulite is associated with the body’s fat storage processes, so many consider diet and exercise to be the best treatment.
However, even individuals with a healthy weight can have cellulite. No matter your size, there are a variety of methods for reducing cellulite. Try eating more seaweed or soaking with seaweed in your bathwater. Seaweed is known for balancing hormones and drawing toxins out of the body. Additionally, dry brushing with a natural bristle brush can improve circulation and exfoliate old skin cells, which may reduce dimpling and improve skin’s overall appearance.
No matter what your skin looks like, all-natural methods can help you save a little money and support your overall health. Before trying expensive and artificial serums for skin conditions that may never go away (like stretch marks, scars, and wrinkles), give these natural, homemade solutions a try.
Looking for the perfect drink for your pool party! The mister whipped up a batch of his famous Gin Lemonade recently and I was reminded how much I love it this time of year! Be careful though, they are strong – one is all you need. Ha!
What you will need:
juice from 5 organic lemons
1 1/2 cups of organic sugar
1 1/2 cup organic gin (you can also use vodka)
8 cups ice
Directions:
Whisk the lemon juice and sugar together until the sugar is completely dissolved. Add the gin and whisk again. Then, add the 8 cups of ice to a blender with the gin-lemon-sugar mixture and blend until smooth. Add lemon slices for garnish and enjoy.
Magnesium is one of those minerals that people are generally aware of but don’t really know what it is or what it can do for your body. Magnesium is a nutrient that the body requires in order to stay healthy. It plays a critical role in regulating muscle and nerve functions, blood sugar levels, blood pressure, and making protein, bone, and DNA.
Oftentimes, people don’t get enough magnesium in their diets. While it takes a while to start noticing the effects of a magnesium deficiency, symptoms can include loss of appetite, nausea, weakness, muscle cramps, and an abnormal heartbeat. Since magnesium is critical for over 300 enzyme processes in the human body, it’s important to get a good dose of the mineral every day. Below are a few healthy recipes rich in magnesium for you to try!
Salmon Salad Bowl
This power veggie bowl features fresh salmon and a raspberry balsamic glaze. It’s rich in flavor and antioxidants, and organic too!
Ingredients:
4-oz organic grilled or baked salmon
3-4 cup organic seasonal greens
1/2 cup organic slices zucchini and squash
1/2 cup organic raspberries
1 tbsp organic balsamic glaze
2 tbsp cinnamon avocado or olive oil
dash of organic sea salt
dash of organic pepper
2 organic thyme sprigs
organic parmesan crumbles
organic lemon juice
Luckily, salads are super easy to throw together. After slicing the veggies, sautee in a skillet with oil, salt, and pepper. Once the vegetables and salmon are cooked, begin to build your bowl. Greens first, then veggies, then salmon. Top off with the balsamic glaze, thyme, and the remaining oil. After tossing, throw in some raspberries with a touch of lemon juice and parmesan.
Cinnamon Spice Plantain Bites
These heavy-packed protein bites are full of spices, are grain-free, and require no baking!
Ingredients:
1 cup coconut or almond flour
1/2 cup plantain flour or ground plantain chips
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
1/3 to 1/2 cup nut butter of choice
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cloves (ground)
1/4 to 1/2 tsp ground anise
1/2 tsp butter or vanilla extract
1/2 cup honey
1 tbsp molasses
Begin by grinding up the plantain chips. Then, after mixing up the dry ingredients, add in nut butter extract, molasses, and honey. After mixing, roll into bite-sized balls. Freeze right away and use coconut or almond flour to roll the bites in after they’re frozen. To maintain freshness, store in fridge or freezer.
Eben and I are a little obsessed with pumpkin chocolate chip cookies. It’s only September 9th and we have already baked a huge batch. They are delicious. We have been baking these together since he was a toddler and now that he is a teenager, we have the recipe memorized. They make our house spell like pumpkin heaven. You should definitely make a batch – here is the recipe:
Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups organic flour
1 tsp organic baking powder
1 tsp organic baking soda
1 tsp organic cinnamon
1/2 tsp organic nutmeg
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup organic butter
1 1/2 cups organic sugar
1 tsp organic vanilla
1 egg or egg replacer
1 cup organic pumpkin
2 cups organic chocolate chips or vegan chocolate chips
Preparation: 1. Combine organic whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in a bowl and mix together.
2. Add butter and sugar in a stand mixer, mix well. Add vanilla, egg and pumpkin and mix well. Gradually add the flour mixture and mix well on medium speed. Add organic chocolate chips and stir together.
3. Bake in traditional oven at 350 degrees for 18 minutes.
4. Cool on a rack for 10 minutes and enjoy.
Many of you may have a family apple-picking adventure on your fall calendar. We try to visit our favorite apple orchard The Historic Orchard at Altapass in North Carolina. We have so much fun hiking through the orchard picking and eating apples as we go!
Magnesium is one of those minerals that people are generally aware of but don’t really know what it is or what it can do for your body. Magnesium is a nutrient that the body requires in order to stay healthy. It plays a critical role in regulating muscle and nerve functions, blood sugar levels, blood pressure, and making 