How to Make Yogurt

February 13, 2019 by Leave a Comment
A Production of the Ultimate Christian Podcast Network.

Podcast #35

How to Make Yogurt

 

Making your own yogurt isn’t as hard as one may think. It is actually a very simple and easy thing to do plus you have the added benefit of knowing exactly what is in your yogurt.

 

There are two ways that I recommend making yogurt: the good old fashion way(aka stovetop) and the new-fangled way(aka in the Instant Pot). Both ways require two simple ingredients: milk(raw or store bought but I recommend at least 2% or thicker) and a starter yogurt(plain yogurt or Greek yogurt)

 

The Old Fashion Way

 

Ingredients

  • 1 gallon of milk- preferably raw or whole
  • 8 oz of starter (plain yogurt or plain Greek yogurt)

Instructions

  1. Heat milk in a stainless steel pan over medium heat until it reaches 165-185 degrees.
  2. Cool, either by sitting on the counter or in a cool water bath until the temperature drops to 110 degrees.
  3. Add culture-2 oz of starter (of yogurt from a previous batch, store-bought yogurt) per quart of milk(so 8 oz for a gallon). Gently stir just enough to incorporate into the milk.
  4. Pour into mason jars and put the jars into the oven with the light on for 8-24 hours. I like to place in warm water (110-115 degrees) and put in the oven but some just place the jars in too. The light should provide a consistent heat of about 110 degrees.
  5. Put jars into the refrigerator until the yogurt is cold and set.
  6. Once the yogurt is set you can pour off the liquid whey from the top or strain the yogurt using cheesecloth for a thicker consistency(Greek yogurt).
  7. Enjoy!

 

The New- Fangled Way

 

Ingredients

  • 1 gallon of milk- preferably raw or whole
  • 8 oz of starter (plain yogurt or plain Greek yogurt)

Instructions

  1. Pour milk into Instant Pot(IP), hit yogurt button and then hit adjust until you select the “Boil” option
  2. Walk away and it will shut off when it is done (magic!!)
  3. Once it is done boiling, you can allow to cool on its own or put it in a cold water bath until the temperature is down to 110 degrees
  4. Once the milk reaches 110 degrees you can gently add the starter yogurt
  5. Again select the yogurt button and adjust it from “boil” to anywhere from 8-24 hours.
  6. Once the allotted time is up, put yogurt into mason jars and allow it to cool and set up in the refrigerator.
  7. Once the yogurt is set you can pour off the liquid whey from the top or strain the yogurt using cheesecloth for a thicker consistency(Greek yogurt).
  8. Enjoy!

 

So are you ready? Go grab your milk and starter yogurt and get cooking!

 

As always, be grateful & have faith!

God Bless!

 

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Google Podcasts | Stitcher | Email | RSS | More

Filed Under: Simple Blessings and Oils Podcast Tagged With: , , , ,

Elderberry Syrup = Immune Support

October 29, 2018 by Leave a Comment
A Production of the Ultimate Christian Podcast Network.

Podcast #25

Elderberry Syrup = Immune Support

 

What are Elderberries?

 

Elderberries are one of the best and most- used, go-to natural remedies in the winter months for the minor cold and flu. They are shown to be one of the highest in immune-boosting compounds that are shown to be especially supportive in beating the cold and flu more effectively. One of the best ways that we have found to use them is by making Elderberry Syrup.

 

According to Dr. Madeleine Mumcuoglu from Hadassah- Hebrew University in Israel found that elderberry disarms the enzyme viruses use to penetrate healthy cells in the lining of the nose and throat. When taken before infection, it prevents infection. Taken after infection, it prevents the spread of the virus through the respiratory tract. In a clinical trial, 20% of study subjects reported significant improvement within 24 hours, 70% by 48 hours, and 90% claim complete cure in three days. In contrast, subjects receiving the placebo required 6 days to recover.

 

How to make Elderberry Syrup?

 

Step 1:

Grab some simple ingredients:

  • 4 cups of distilled water
  • 1 cup of dried elderberries
  • 1 ½ cup raw honey
  • 7 drops of copaiba vitality
  • 3 drops of thieves vitality
  • 1 drop each of frankincense vitality, clove vitality, cinnamon vitality, nutmeg vitality, & ginger vitality

 

Step 2:

Simmer the water and elderberries for 45 minutes

 

Step 3:

Cool the syrup for 1 minute and then strain the berries with a mesh strainer

 

Step 4:

Add in 1 ½ cups of raw honey and stir until dissolved and allow to cool for another minute or two.

 

Step 5:

Add in essential oils- 7 drops copaiba, 3 drops thieves, 1 drops each of frankincense vitality,                                           clove vitality, cinnamon vitality, nutmeg vitality, & ginger vitality

  • Copaiba: the amplifier, great for inflammation and total body support (part of the PSK–> here)
  • Thieves: amazing immune support (part of the PSK –> here)
  • Frankincense: supports the body to a cellular level and amazing for respiratory system (part of the PSK –> here)
  • Clove: immune support and wonderful antioxidant
  • Cinnamon bark: immune support and circulation
  • Nutmeg: supports the immune, hormonal and nervous systems
  • Ginger: digestive and nervous system support

 

It was that easy! Now store it in a glass container or jar. Adults take 1 tsp daily and children ½ tsp daily.

 

Are you ready to make some elderberry syrup?

Have you grabbed your supplies?

 

As always,

Be grateful & have faith!

God Bless!

 

 

 

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Google Podcasts | Stitcher | Email | RSS | More

Filed Under: Simple Blessings and Oils Podcast Tagged With: , , , , ,

Chemical Free Home

March 26, 2018 by Leave a Comment
A Production of the Ultimate Christian Podcast Network.

Chemical Free HomeSimple Blessings & Oils

Podcast #9

Chemical Free Home

We know this is a very popular topic because we ALL want to know how to clean our homes without exposing ourselves and our sweet babies to all the toxic things in the world! So let’s start with why we should avoid toxic chemicals, what chemicals we want to avoid, and what we use instead!

Chemical Dangers….The Why!

The Toxic Substance Control Act of 1976 grandfathered in an estimated 65,000-100,000 chemicals currently on the market today. What does that mean to you? Simply put: these chemicals have not had any safety testing and we know very little information about their effects. Of the chemicals tested, toxic labeling is required only if 50% or more of the animals tested with a chemical die. Scary!

Chemicals to Avoid:

There are so many chemicals in our everyday products that are harmful to our health and bodies without us even knowing. What I want to do is EMPOWER our people and EDUCATED everyone on what to avoid and how to avoid it.

Here are just a few to be aware of:

+Fragrance:

Short-term toxicity can include coughing, skin irritation, rash, wheezing, headaches, nausea, vomiting, and irritability. Long-term toxicity can include cancer, lung disease, heart disease and reproductive disorders. Found in: scented candles, perfumes, lotions, and many more just start looking at labels and you will be surprised.

+Triclosan:

Used in many formulations as an antibacterial agent to prevent or reduce bacterial contamination but has been banned in hand soaps in some areas. Sadly it is still found in many other products like soaps, deodorants, cosmetics, shave gel, first aid spray, kitchenware and children’s toys.

+Phthalates:

A low-cost endocrine-disrupting chemical that in lab studies has shown to interfere with hormone production in rats and mimic estrogen in human studies. Found in: plastic food packaging, lotions, skin moisturizers, fragrance, cleaners, glues and nail polish.

+Formaldehyde:

This is a known carcinogen and recognized as such by the Cancer Institute. Exposure can cause eye irritation, asthmatic response, skin irritation, headaches, and nausea. Long-term effects include cancer and possibly leukemia. To make things even more alarming, this isn’t an easy ingredient to find. The ingredients are often listed as it’s fragmented name. Found in: baby shampoo, pet shampoo, shampoo and conditioner, body wash, sunblocks, cosmetics, baby wipes, toothpaste, and more.

So with even just this short list, what do we use now!

I personally have slowly transitioned over the years to more and natural products as I have learned about the dangers of conventional products. I tend to love DIY recipes but the majority of the ones that I will make all are based on cleaning! Why?

1/Because they’re easy

2/Because they’re cheap….like really cheap!

3/Because they’re not dangerous to me or my family.

And that is reason enough for me!

If you took away ONE thing, I hope it’s this one! I use 6 main ingredients to clean my entire house!!! I like to boil down most recipes and use the bare minimum.

So here’s the low down on what you need:

1/Thieves Home Cleaner

2/Water

3/Baking Soda

4/Vinegar

5/Castile Soap

6/ Essential Oils

The Thieves Home Cleaner:

It is formulated with the power of Young Living’s Thieves oil blend, you can get a deep clean without dangerous or synthetic ingredients. Thieves cleaner also includes the scent of Lemon essential oil for an even more uplifting aroma. This all-purpose cleaner can be used on any surface in your home for dusting, spot cleaning, scrubbing, or any other cleaning need. Wherever you use it, you’ll feel good knowing it’s safe to use around everyone in your family, including pets.

+All Purpose: Combine 1 capful Thieves Household Cleaner and 2–3 cups water.

+Degreaser: Combine 1 capful Thieves Household Cleaner and 1-2 cups water.

+Glass and Mirror Cleaner: Combine 1 capful Thieves Household Cleaner, 5 drops Citrus Fresh essential oil blend, 1 teaspoon white vinegar, and 3 cups water.

Who else has a love affair with the Thieves Cleaner?

Sink and Tile Scrub Recipe:

This recipe WORKS!!!! If you are new to DIYs, then you can always stick with just two ingredients, the Thieves Cleaner and the Baking Soda!! Mix in a bowl and use throughout your whole house on grimy surfaces! Use this mixture on: tubs with tough grime, toilet, sinks, & tile. Who else has tried a million natural cleaners for the bathtub with no success? Who will be trying this one soon? I will post it on the blog!

Bathroom Spray:

A fragrance is what I always want for the bathroom! I only want to smell daisies and roses and a clean tub!! Whip up this recipe to keep on the back of the toilet for your own bathroom of the guest bath!! Not only will it smell amazing but you won’t be breathing in toxic chemicals!

Foaming Hand Soap:

This is the first DIY recipe I ever made! Why? Because it was cheap! 🙂 AND I ordered every ingredient outside of the oils from Amazon! If you want a quick Hand Soap without the DIY, you can always grab the Thieves or Lavender soap ready to go in a pump in your next order! Young Living even has a large hand soap refill container. Create your own oil combination of essential oils for your hand soap- we like Thieves oil with some orange the best!

What else should can we do?

As far as cutting other chemicals out, look everywhere but some other easy DIY’s to start are things like wood polish, dishwasher soap, mattress cleaner. We can also replace things like dish soaps, fruit and veggie wash, laundry soap and more. Speaking of laundry lets not forget dryer sheets. Dryer sheets are one of the top toxins in our home and they are really simple to replace. There are DIY fabric softeners or my favorite, dryer balls! Now, all we use in our home is dryer balls and a few drops of essential oils! Order a pack of balls on Amazon, Etsy, or find it at your local natural grocer and add your favorite combo of oils!

Today I want to challenge you to start with one chemical in your home and find a way to replace it with something better. Take small steps to a healthier home, a chemical free home.

Will it be your hand soap? Your all-purpose cleaner? What will it be?

As always, be grateful & have faith!

 

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Google Podcasts | Stitcher | Email | RSS | More

Filed Under: Simple Blessings and Oils Podcast Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Pregnancy, Birth & Beyond – part 2

February 26, 2018 by Leave a Comment
A Production of the Ultimate Christian Podcast Network.

Simple Blessings & Oils Podcast #5

Pregnancy, Birth & Beyond- part 2

Pregnancy, birth & beyond with essential oils

Pregnancy, Birth & Beyond part 2

Let’s talk about birth & beyond

Birth can be exciting, scary, & somewhat unknown. What we need to realize is that pregnancy and birth are also natural and God created our bodies for this amazing process and new life. I want to talk about the many ways that we can support our bodies and our babies when it comes to pregnancy & birth. When I was having our 6th baby I had used essential oils throughout my pregnancy and really just steered clear of the hormonal oils. I love when people ask about the safety of essential oils but do not consider the safety of the products that they are already using- shampoos, deodorants, lotions, make-up, household cleaners and more. Pregnancy is one of the most important times to really take a look at what you are using, the chemicals it contains and how it could impact you and your baby. It only takes 26 seconds for what you apply topically to enter your bloodstream.

 

I also want to state that I am not a doctor and I am not here to treat, diagnose or prescribe but instead share tips on things that I have used and learned through the years and pregnancies. I am also only talking about Young Living essential oils as they have the Seed to seal guarantee for quality and purity. If you so choose to use others, I cannot guarantee they will have the same effect.

So what are the oils to use for this amazing process…

Lavender essential oil-  This oil is amazing especially towards the end of pregnancy and during the birth of your baby. I love this oil to support your round ligaments, during those pesky Braxton Hicks

Contractions. Also great for relaxation, sleep, and super gentle for both you and baby.

Frankincense essential oil: It is holy oil! This is great for supporting our immune system, it is very grounding, aids in relaxation and promotes happy feelings, and is wonderful during times of prayer. I love to anoint my newborns head with this while saying a blessing over them.

Sleepy roll-on: 2 drops frankincense, 2 drops lavender, fill with a carrier oil in 10 ml roll on.

Olive oil is wonderful and should be added to your birthing supplies! This is amazing to apply during diaper changes, it makes the meconium wipe off their newborn bottoms super easy and works wonderfully as a non-toxic way to clean and not dry out your newborn’s skin.

Gentle baby essential oil: Very relaxing for both mom and baby. Wonderful for relaxing baby when they are fussy. This is also a wonderful oil to rub on mom’s abdomen while in labor to aid in progression. It is a very calming oil.

Tea tree essential oil: Wonderful to add to your perineum bottle in the hospital/home for cleaning your bottom after delivery. Helps to keep everything smelling and feeling fresh down there after delivery.

This is also a wonderful oil to add to a Tushy Spray(also cloth diaper safe): 2 oz spray bottle, 4 drops lavender, 4 drops tea tree and 4 drops myrrh essential oil and fill to the top with a carrier oil such as coconut oil.

While we talk about down there…

Claraderm Spray: This works phenomenally for preparing the perineum before delivery and helps with healing after delivery. Some women start this spray around 34 weeks and continue until the baby arrives and then as needed after delivery.

DIY PeriSpray: 2 oz spray bottle, 4 drops myrrh, 4 drops frankincense, 4 drops lavender, 4 drops tea tree, 4 drops Roman chamomile(German can be used), 4 drops helichrysum, coconut oil to the top of the bottle.

Popsicle pads(padsicles): Heavy flow pads, Aloe Vera gel, witch hazel, tea tree essential oil, and lavender essential oil. Apply to the pads and stick in the freezer to use postpartum.

Valor: This great for confidence and fear. It is also amazing to help you get solid sleep and it helps you to hold your chiropractic adjustments. It has been coined “Chiro in a bottle.”

Sacred Mountain: This is a high-frequency oil and is wonderful for creating feelings of strength, empowerment, grounding, and protection. It is known to one of the most helpful essential oil blends emotionally which is why it is so powerful for during labor and after.

 

These are just a handful

of the essential oils that can be beneficial for you, baby and those around you during this amazing part of life. What oils do you feel would benefit you the most? What oils have you used in the birthing process? I hope you found value and learned something new!

 

As always be grateful & have faith!

God Bless!

 

 

 

 

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Google Podcasts | Stitcher | Email | RSS | More

Filed Under: Simple Blessings and Oils Podcast Tagged With: , , , , ,