Tools for Natural Living

Herbs do more than add flavor to foods. Plants that are high in antioxidant compounds, such as rosemary and garlic, help to make foods safer by blocking potential carcinogens from forming during the cooking process, namely heterocyclic amines (HCAs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Although all forms of cooking trigger glycation from protein-sugar chemical reactions in foods, HCAs and PAHs readily form when muscles meats, including chicken, pork, fish and especial

This simple but satisfying dish is easy to put together and is easily adaptable to variations on the basic recipe. If you're inclined to make your own gnocchi from scratch, so much the better. Otherwise, using a good quality packaged gnocchi from the grocery store is just fine. Ingredients 1 pound package gnocchi 2 tablespoons butter 1 medium yellow onion, diced 1 1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon flour 2 cups half-and-half (not low-fat) 1 teaspoon dried thyme 1/2 teaspoon nut

Raspberry & Sweet Basil Jam Sweet summer raspberries and fresh sweet basil are paired together in this delightful jam. Perfect to spread over warm biscuits or scones or to use in your favorite thumbprint cookie recipe. Ingredients 6 cups raspberries 1 1/4 cups Turbinado sugar 3/4 cup raw local honey 1 cup fresh basil leaves, finely chopped Directions Heat the raspberries in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat for a minute or two while crushing them with a potato masher. Ad

How to Use Cacao Nibs If you love chocolate, then you're really going to love cacoa nibs. But ... what exactly are cacao nibs? Answer: dried, roasted cacao beans. In other words, pure chocolate that hasn't been introduced to sugar yet. In terms of flavor, these little morsels deliver rich chocolate flavor and have a crunchy bite that's very satisfying, but they're not at all sweet. In fact, cacao nibs have a slightly bitter undertone similar to baking chocolate -- only b

DIY Fab-Breeze Conventional fabric and room fresheners contain chemicals that are known to present health hazards to people, pets and planet. Formaldehyde, for example, is classified by the National Toxicology Program as a known carcinogen and statistics gathered by the National Cancer Institute show that people exposed to high levels of formaldehyde may have a higher risk of nasopharyngeal cancer as well as leukemia. Other potentially dangerous chemicals typically used as f

Rose & Vanilla Lotion This formula calls for rose water, which you can easily make yourself or obtain from just about any pharmacy. The use of palmarosa essential oil makes the formula a bit more economical without sacrificing a rose-like, floral quality. Ingredients ¾ cup sweet almond oil 1 cup rose water (recipe) 2 tablespoons grated beeswax (or use pastilles) 30 drops organic palmarosa essential oil ½ teaspoon vanilla extract Directions Combine the sweet almond oil and bee

Herbed Focaccia Focaccia is an Italian bread similar to pizza but with a lighter interior texture. While very gratifying served hot from the oven as an alternative to garlic bread or as a dipping bread for culinary oil, it's also great for making grilled paninos. As an added bonus, focaccia serves as pizza in its own right with either ingredients baked into the bread or with toppings heaped on top -- or both. In northern Italy, however, a sweet, more cake-like variation call

7 Uses for Eucalyptus Essential Oil Apply a few drops to a clean rag and use to remove stickers and glue residue from glassware and other items. Mix 10 drops with 1/4 cup coconut and use as a chest to help relieve cough. Combine 20-25 drops with 1 1/2 cups distilled water and use as an all-purpose cleaner. Add a few drops to your pet's shampoo to help deter fleas. Add 10-15 drops to your natural laundry liquid to remove odors and kill germs. Place a drop or two on a tissue or

Coconut & Lemongrass Body Wash Many store-bought shower gels and body washes contain questionable ingredients, such as parabens, pesticides (oh, yes) and synthetic fragrances. Because words like "natural" currently have no regulatory definition, manufacturers freely use them as marketing spin to make you believe that their products are made from all-natural ingredients when it may contain only a few drops of essential oil -- and even that may be synthetically derived. It's s

With the calming properties of lemon balm and skullcap, this colorful herbal tea blend is the perfect way to greet the sunset after a long day of tending the garden. Ingredients 4 parts organic dried lemon balm 3 parts organic dried skullcap 2 parts organic dried rose petals 1 part organic dried lemon peel Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir to mix. Store in a mason jar with lid away from direct light and heat. To prepare, steep a tablespoon tea in a cup of hot