Category: Recipes

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Homemade Mosquito Repellant

Homemade non-toxic mosquito repellant: 3 ingredients!
     Our move to Virginia came with lots of surprises, one of which I wasn’t prepared for: bugs. More importantly, bug bites. I can’t even express how much I despise mosquito bites. I swell and itch and scratch and itch and scratch… you get the point. We came here when I was pregnant during the summer and I dreaded leaving the house out of fear that a bug bite would further enhance my pregnancy-induced insomnia. You shouldn’t have to live in fear of bug bites! This is my third summer here and I’m getting used to it (as much as you can get used to it).

I’m always trying new bug sprays while refusing to use the majority of over-the-counter mosquito repellants because of their ingredients. I now have little babies to think about too. It is becoming common knowledge that the substances we put on our skin enter into our bloodstream. You can read more about that here, if you’re interested. So, I ask myself often, if I wouldn’t eat it, should I put it on my body? Or on my babies’ bodies?

Now I arrive at the reason for this post: my favorite, effective, good-smelling, non-toxic, homemade, 3-ingredient mosquito repellant! There is no sticky or oily residue and you don’t stink afterwards. It does require re-application and it may clog some spray bottles, but these are minor issues to me when my skin and my children’s skin is protected (without the use of chemicals).

Mosquito repellant without the chemicals
Ingredients:
2 tsp vanilla extract (no sugar added, not imitation)
1 tsp orange oil (essential oil)
8 oz water

Directions:
Mix these together thoroughly and pour into a spray bottle (or several). Shake before use. Spray a lot, everywhere, frequently. I base these measurements off of an e-how article I read and I’ve made it twice, both times with good results.

Here are some tips to get you started concocting your own non-toxic homemade bug spray: 

  • Buy organic vanilla extract. I purchased a 4 oz bottle made by Simply Organic. The good news? There’s always a $1 off coupon available on their website!
  • Use a high-quality essential oil. I used Wyndmere because that’s what I could find in the store (here it is listed on Amazon, if you can’t find it). Higher quality essential oils can be purchased through an authorized seller of Young Living Essential Oils (which I am). Check out their website and see the difference! If you’re interested in purchasing this oil or other oils, just contact me!
  • As for the spray bottle, I tried a standard spray bottle that you would get in the cleaning aisle and it lasted about a day before it clogged. I have since purchased trial size spray bottles at Target for $0.97 each. Even with daily use only one has clogged!

Usually, I hate spraying bug spray and use it sparingly, but not with this stuff. Let me know what you think!

EDITED 8/6/14:
I still love this bug spray but I’ve learned a few things. No plastic bottles! Invest in glass when using essential oils. This spray didn’t remain effective in a clear, plastic bottle because light was able to get to it. Buy small, dark glass bottles (I found some at a local health food store for less than $3). I also know now that I will not put any other essential oils on mine or my family’s bodies unless the oils are Young Living Therapeutic Grade Essential Oils. Other oils are not guaranteed or even created for anything other than aromatherapy. They are not safe for skin application and can actually be unhealthy when applied. Lesson learned!

If you want to make the switch to Young Living, it’s easy!

Go here and enter the Sponsor ID and Enroller ID 1414775. Enter your personal information, select Wholesale (it will save you 24% off the retail price), and choose the Premium Starter Kit. You can bypass the Essential Rewards Kits (they’re optional) and you’ll be well on your way to experiencing all these benefits and more! (If you do decide to do Essential Rewards, you can sign up at any time, spend $50 a month and save on shipping while gradually building your medicine cabinet arsenal for every ailment imaginable).

Read more about why we use ONLY Young Living in our home here.

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Kale Salad Recipe


 

 

If I were in the mood for  poetry, I would write an Ode to Kale, or a Kale Salad Haiku… yes, that’s how much I Love Kale. Do you love kale? Do you hate it? Have you tried it? Have you tried it like this?

This recipe is adapted from a photocopied, scanned recipe e-mailed to me many years ago by a friend who’d made it for dinner one night. My husband and I were immediately hooked. We average one kale salad a week and when we make it we go big! It’s one of those foods that we feel healthier when eating. When we’ve been away for a couple of days and had take-out or less than appealing choices, we come home and make kale salad. It’s that healing.

What if I told you that kale is so full of nutrients your body will thank you for eating it? Vitamins B1, B2, B6, C and E are prevalent in it. It also has significant amounts of carotenes, manganese, calcium, chlorophyll, copper and iron. As a part of the cabbage family, kale has anti-cancer properties. Are you getting how incredible this food is and why it should be a part of your life? I shouldn’t say, “should”… I mean I want you to want it, to try it, to love it, but if you don’t, it’s okay. Life will go on. Throw some in a smoothie every once in a while and continue to enjoy your life.

No matter how healthy I tell you it is, if you haven’t had kale prepared in a delectable way, there will be no convincing you. The first time I saw kale was in a CSA produce box and I tried it raw, I tried it steamed, I tried it sautéed… I hated it. This recipe, while raw, breaks down the kale with the citrus and salt so it is tender and flavorful, not bitter and dry. The seeds add crunch while the avocados make it creamy. I kinda want it right now, but I’m not even hungry!

Try this recipe. Tell me what you think. Tell me it changed your thoughts about kale, please! If you want, tell me it changed your life too!

Recipe for Kale Salad

 

Dressing:
¼ c fresh squeezed lemon juice
¼ c olive oil
¼ c Bragg’s liquid aminos
¼ of a red onion, chopped (or more if you really like onions)

Salad:
2 bunches of kale

Toppings:
2 ripe avocados
1/8 c each: sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds (all toasted)

Make your dressing first. Combine the first three ingredients in a measuring cup and add the onions to it to marinate. Then, start toasting the seeds in a saucepan or frying pan on medium-low (about 8-10 minutes). If they start popping they’re done. While the seeds are toasting, chop the kale, discarding the stems. Throw it in a salad spinner, wash and spin dry.

To assemble, pour the dressing over the kale and massage deeply. Then massage some more. Massage until the leaves are bright green, shiny and reduced in volume. Sprinkle with seeds. Cut up the avocados and place them on top. Serve room temperature or cold. (I like mine chilled first. My husband likes his room temp. To each their own.)

Visual step-by-step (with the help of my husband) follows:


 

Juice the lemon. Do you have a lemon squeezer? If you don’t, don’t let it stop you! We didn’t have one until recently. It makes things a lot easier but it’s not imperative.

 

 

Add the olive oil

 


 

Add the Bragg’s – do you have Bragg’s? Do you know what it is? More on this subject later, but it is found in most grocery stores with a health food section. Check by the ketchup, vinegar, salad dressings and other condiments.

 


 

Chop your red onion. The size of the pieces is really personal preference. When I first had this salad, the onion was in half moons. My husband prefers smaller pieces and I don’t care, so that works!

 


 

Add the onions to the dressing, stir and let sit until you’re ready to assemble your salad.

 


 

Note: amount of pumpkin seeds here is not exact. I ran out. There, I said it. My salad didn’t suffer, but I prefer equal ratios.

 


 

Chop, chop, chop that kale. This is my least favorite part. Maybe you have a super-awesome spouse who will do this part for you!

 


 

Wash and dry that kale! If you don’t have a salad spinner, this is where the recipe would say, “Wash kale and pat dry.” I’ve never actually done this, but the salad spinner is a really useful tool for the kitchen.

 


 

See the volume of kale in our giant mixing bowl? Prepare to be amazed as it shrinks before your very eyes.

 


 

Massage. Massage. Massage. I can’t stress this enough. My husband is really good at this part, thankfully! In fact, he’s really good at making the whole salad himself!

 


 

Top with seeds and avocado and serve!

 

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How to Cook Quinoa (and Why You Should) 

I can’t say enough good things about quinoa. To me, it is a super food, if you’re into things like that. It’s a great alternative to rice or cous cous. You’ll get good amounts of iron, phosphorous, copper and zinc in quinoa. Quinoa is also high in protein, vitamins B2 and E, magnesium and manganese and it’s technically a vegetable. Yes, a vegetable. I know, right? Its seed is actually related to beets, chard and spinach plants.

I use regular quinoa, the beige kind you see most often in stores. There are also other colors like red, purple, orange, pink or black! Let me know if you try any of these and if they taste different. I buy the regular kind because it’s found in bulk and if you’re on a budget, like we are, bulk is cheaper!

I should probably mention it’s gluten-free, though that’s a given in our home. I cook it for my family about once a week. I store about eight cups in a sealed container in the pantry and the rest I keep in the fridge or freezer. Do you keep your grains refrigerated or frozen? They stay fresher longer this way, just so you know. I tend to keep containers in the pantry for easy access but only about a month’s worth. The rest is kept sealed in bags in the freezer.

Cooking is simple. Quinoa requires a 1:2 ratio, that is one cup of quinoa to two cups of water; or two cups of quinoa to four cups of water. I usually make two cups at a time. Leftovers are easy to use in a casserole (try this one!) or pizza bites (thank you, Pinterest!) or quinoa-kale patties. I often freeze the leftovers for use in quick recipes later on. Mix your quinoa and water in a small pot, bring to boil, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. The rest is just details… like adding a squeeze of lemon, a pinch of each: salt, pepper, sugar and a pat of butter for extra flavor. Adding minced or powdered garlic is a favorite here too. Once you make the regular quinoa, you’ll find you can do so much with it!

My go-to supplies for making quinoa: lemon, salt, pepper and sugar

 


 

The finished product with a pat of butter and a few sprinkles of garlic powder. It’s hot, light and fluffy!