DIY Produce Wash

Honestly I am a fan of homegrown, organic produce.

We have 1/3 of an acre lot, and we have planted and eaten a variety of produce grown in our yard.

Fruits like peaches, blackberries, pears and figs.

Vegetables like tomatoes, sweet peas, zucchini, lettuce, spinach and so on.

But with a family of 5, we still buy plenty of produce at the store.

Although I am always on the lookout for marked down organic produce,

truth is, we can't always fill our cart with it.

So our next best option is to wash our produce with our homemade produce wash.

It's easy, effective, affordable and safe for us and our environment.

Here is how to make yours.

Turmeric Paste and Turmeric Milk

I have been using turmeric for about 9 years,

mainly because I am believer in natural medicine.

Turmeric is truly amazing.

You can find many, many sites about the benefits of adding turmeric to our diet.

In Chinese medicine, turmeric has been used for centuries to cure anxiety and depression.

Turmeric is also an incredible antiflammatory, 

and I have been using it for running related pain.

Today I am going to share with you how to make

turmeric paste and turmeric milk.

For the turmeric paste, use

Hydration drink

Hydration drinks are very useful during hot months, not only if you exercise, but if you do any kind of activity outdoor (yard work, laying at the pool...) that involves sweating.

I am not a big fan of Hydration-sport drinks...

I have a hard time drinking something bright red or neon green/yellow.

In any case, the general idea of hydration drinks is to enhance the water with sodium, potassium, and 

Carrot Cake Smoothie

I admit,

I am not a fan of drinking vegetables...

just not my thing.

Plus, I eat plenty of them...

But I like smoothies during Summer time,

so I made this Carrot Cake Smoothie.

See, as long as I call it "Carrot Cake"...I am ok with drinking it.

Fresh carrots are really good for us.

Benefits of eating carrots

This is how I made it:

Pallet Project

I have been looking for some inspiration out there, 

and decided I was going to make a medal plaque for myself.
(you could also make this to just hang pictures and necklaces)

Something that fits my style and my budget.

The prices I found online were anywhere between $30 to $50.

The price for my medal and bib holder was $0.

I know, surprising.

I used 

I FINISHED!

Oh yes,

I finished my first full marathon.

26.2miles = 42Km

Let me tell you the inside story:

I hit the wall between mile 19-21 and curled up on the side of the road and cryed, in pain, cramping. 

Several times. 

Could barely walk. 

Then I got back up, put water on my face and licked my face off (yes, I sweat salt). 

Found some small bags of ice on the side of the road (thank you Jesus!), 

picked it up and iced my legs.

 So at mile 21 I pretended I was just going on a 5 mile run. 

My legs started to move again, 

I looked down at the line on the road and followed that to the finish line. 

Rock on! 

Still finished in 4hours and 32min

I did it.

I am now recovering, eating, drinking water and icing my legs for the rest of the day.

(and I got sunburned...wonderful memories)

Daniela 

Sugar Exchange

We all know that sugar is not got good for us.

But do you know why it's not good?

At the bottom of this post I have a list of reasons why sugar should be avoided or eliminated.

Right now, let me show you how easy it is to substitute white sugar in recipes.

I made this little handy picture for 

Homemade Peanut Butter

You would not believe how easy making peanut butter is.

I absolutely LOVE anything homemade,

especially when it's this easy.

The reason why I make my own peanut butter, is not merely a money saving idea, 

although it's actually cheaper to make your own if you buy peanuts in bulk (1-5 lb)

What's scary about the peanut butter we find at grocery stores, are the other ingredients listed beside peanut butter.

Even organic and more natural pb, can contain high levels of sodium and sugar.

So what does my peanut butter contain?

How to make Apple Cider Vinegar

If you have followed my blog for a while, you have probably read my post about ACV

(apple cider vinegar),
and it's health benefits.

Recently I have taken the task to try to make my own.
Really not as hard as it might sound.
It's all about fermeting.
My method uses scraps.
I like this method because I get to eat my apples and make vinegar too. 
This way is also faster (as the pieces are smaller compared using apples cut in quarts) taking around two months to complete the process.

All you need is:

Protein Energy Bars

This recipes was inspired by a need of nutrients and a fast energy snack.

Since I have started to run (about 8 months ago), I quickly realized how many calories runners burn.

During a training run, I burn anywhere 500 to 1000 calories and

during a half marathon I burned over 1500 calories in just 2 hours.

When running, it is key to get plenty of nutrients and calories

...because without proper nutrition you won't run very far.

This bars have one key ingredient for energy:
honey.

(to know more about the benefits of using honey, check this post here).

This is a no bake, delicious easy recipe:

Spreadable butter (the easy way)

I am a butter person. 

I know some say it's bad for you...but it's all about quantity. 

I don't use much of it.

(I am also a whole milk kind of lady...but then again, I don't drink lots of milk).

Anyhow, this is usually what I buy to spread on my morning toast/bagel/muffin.

Beside the fact that it is pricey, when I looked at the nutritional info, well, I wasn't really impressed.

One of the things that I try to keep in check, is the sodium intake.

I mean, it is absurd the amount of salt that is found in most foods.

I have trained my taste buds to "require" less salt, and because I cook mostly from scratch, I can really keep the sodium intake down.

Anyway,

I decided to try to make my own spreadable butter.

I used 

Natural mosquito repellent

Today I am going to share my natural mosquito repellent.

I am one of those people that attract mosquitoes...

yes, great, I know.

I must not be the only one...

One night, as we were working in our yard, 

Almond Butter

Oh my, our family loves almond butter

(minus the hubby).

Almond butter is one of those things that are easy and healthy for you...and it can be fairly inexpensive too.

I use 3 ingredients:

The Un-hurried life

The un-hurried life.

Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV)

Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) is made from organically grown apples and retains many beneficial components because it is not pasteurized. 

ACV undergoes two fermentation processes where it produces enzymes and nutrients that makes it so good for us.

Here some benefits of raw ACV

Benefits of consuming Local Honey

I love honey...for many reasons.
I buy locally grown, organic, raw honey.

 This is because the local bees are consuming foods from the area you live in. 

This is beneficial as they contain immune stimulating properties needed for your body to adapt to 

Better sleep for Less

Are you ready to get a better night of sleep?

Here some simple solutions and ideas.

First of all, you don't need to pay a lot of money for a bed. 

An adequately firm surface with enough room to stretch out is a great starting point.

 Adding a