Recipe for Home Made Lip Balm

Here is the recipe my husband used to make a batch of lip balm as gifts for teachers and the like for Christmas.

Ingredients:
3 TSP of Beeswax (or .45 ounces)
4 TSP of Cocoa Butter (.40 ounces) you can use Cocoanut Butter as well
5 TSP of Sweet Almond Oil
2 TSP of Lanolin
1/2 TSP Honey
5 drops essential oils (I used Lemon Eucalyptus - but have used peppermint as well)

Melt Beeswax, Cocoa Butter, Almond Oil and Lanolin in a double boiler - stirring often. Once it is melted - add Honey and Essential oils. Keep Stirring while you add it to the container of your choice.

Done - Burt's Bee's for a lot less than the store! My triple batch made about 5 ounces of lip balm. Considering a Burt's bee's contains about .15 ounces at 6 dollars a tube - I am about 70 dollars ahead!

GF/CF Zucchini Chocolate Chip Muffins

Here's another baking recipe from my recent co-op veggie score. This is adapted from elanaspantry.com. If you haven't checked out her blog, you should!

1 1/2 cups almond flour
1/3 cup sorghum flour
1 large zucchini grated (about 3-4 cups not packed)
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
2 tsp. cinnamon
2 eggs
2 tbsp. flax meal
6 tbsp. hot water
1/2 cup mild flavored liquid oil (I used canola)
1/2 cup agave nectar or honey
1 cup dairy free chocolate chips (I used Guitttard)

Preheat oven to 350. Mix the hot water and flax meal in a small cup - set aside to gell. Mix the rest of the ingredients and then add the gelled flax. Line 2 dozen cupcake molds with liners. Fill each about 1/2 way with the muffin mix. Bake about 18-23 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.

Yummy!

GF/CF/SF Chocolate Pudding

This is a recipe I came upon and adapted after getting 3 very ripe avocados in my co-op box. My kids don't eat them, my husband likes them but wouldn't eat them quick enough, and that left just me. Anyway, I've been dying to find a good way to make pudding and this seemed like me opportunity to try the avocado version. It's delicious with a very rich dark chocolate flavor! It even fooled my kids and I was secretly doing a happy dance thinking of all the great nutrients they were getting on the sly. Woo hoo! Sneaky Mommy wins again...mwah ha ha ha ha ha.....

2 very ripe avocados
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2/3 cup local honey
1/4 cup agave nectar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. instant coffee powder
1/2 tsp. salt

Blend it all up so no chunks of avocado remain (this would seriously blow your cover). Chill and serve with a smile :)

New Resources for Eating Local

Throughout this process, I've been learning more about what goes into our food in addition to how to cook it. I've read a couple of books lately that have inspired me to change not only what I eat but how I get what I eat. These titles are: "The Omnivore's Dilemma" and "Coming Home to Eat". In response, I've been searching for local sources of my food - I want to know the people who bring it to my table. I've been privileged to locate a local co-op where I was able to get a HUGE box of organic produce at a very reasonable price. Here's a link to Kristina's site: www.rawfullyorganic.com. Not all the produce through this co-op is local but it is all organic and super tasty. If you're in the Houston area, check it out! Another local resource for local raw dairy products (cow and goat) and grass fed meat is http://gramenfarm.com/. My kids and I visited and enjoyed playing with the goats, chickens, and cows and then leaving with a big old bag of goodies. We haven't purchased meat yet from them - we're running our freezer low first. Also, I found a great local source for honey and pastured eggs. If you're interested and you're in the Houston area, e-mail me directly (moulenbelt@consolidated.net) and I'll pass the number along if the owner is OK with that. I'll post more as I find more. For now, I'm pretty excited about the steps we're taking to feed our family more responsibly.

Happy Eating!

GF/CF Lemon Sugar Cookies

I was lucky enough to receive some fresh lemons from a friend's tree. Since it's almost Christmas time, sugar cookies are on my brain so here you go!

1 cup blanched almond flour
1 1/2 cup fine brown rice flour (if yours is course, run it through a food processor for 20 seconds or so)
1 cup cold Earth's Balance margarine
1 tbsp. fresh lemon zest
1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp xanthan or guar gum
1 /2 cup powdered sugar (I use organic since it is processed with tapioca starch instead of corn)
1 egg

I know there is meant to be an order to mixing the ingredients...let's say I just throw it all in my stand mixer and give it a whirl...literally. I'm not an orderly kind of gal but my cookies always turn out yummy anyway :) So, mix it up and drop in spoonfuls on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Flatten slightly with your palm. Bake at 350 for 12 minutes or so, or until the edges get golden brown. I sprinkled mine with white sugar sprinkles to make them look like "snowballs". I'd frost these with vanilla buttercream frosting too but I'm out of powdered sugar ;)

Happy snacking!