Enzyme Cleaner! Naturally Non-Toxic Love...

Typically the beautiful smell of lemons and oranges means your mouth gets all watery for that juicy 1st bite, but this mama's already wondering how many more days of fruits can she eat before she'll have enough for more cleaning solution!

Every time I get citrus, don't get me wrong, I LOVE IT; Fresh juices, easy fast foods, whole nutrition, etc... but until I started cleaning with vinegar I never realized how special the discards could be! From dried potpourri, vinegar infusions, powdered citrus peels for baths, to a newish thing for me, enzyme cleaning! Talk about non toxic bliss! I follow a now dear instaFriend, yes, on instagram, that posted a cleaning recipe using orange peels! Since I was all into the vinegar I was intrigued at this fermentation process. I try to use as natural cleaning products as possible but when you purchase as a consumer the number one thing they want is your money. The number two thing to consider is the more natural it is, more more expensive it will be. Between unfair taxation and high cost, low demand and unwillingness to educate beyond consumer protocol commercials people end up paying for your moral grounds, always. Further research lead me to find that maybe my tougher stains *bodily soils, soap scum build up, etc...* would become easier with another kind of cleaner besides my citrus vinegar! ASAP I assembled said equipment and though my gal listed her steps on IG, I also found this with a snappy online search and later she blogged!

You will need: 

2 Liter plastic bottle*

1 Liter of water*

4 cups +/- some of any citrus scraps

100 grams of organic brown sugar*

all natural kick butt about to ferment

What you will do*: 

Place peels in jar, water, then sugar. Tighten lid and shake, shake, shake. Shake, shake, shake. Shake that Enzyme. Yea, shaaaake that Enzyme! I like to party. Now remember those *'s up there in the what you will need? Every one I know uses a plastic bottle because the glass CAN break under the extreme pressure of fermentation. So I knew I would have to "burp" this dude daily. Please enter this DIY decision with severe caution and awareness of what you put this in. Also, if you do not have scale to weigh out 100 grams here is a handy conversion website! I have not found any where it matters what kind of water you use, I happen to use the same water we drink because we have a filtered source. After mixture is made set in a safe place with a date written on it. Let hang out for three months. If burping is needed to help with expansion then it's ok! Just not too much too often. 

After allotted fermenting time strain mixture and use as a concentrate! I add this directly to tough stains or in the wash. I put some in a spray bottle with water or add a cap full to ANY cleaning situation I can! As a weird tip, in concentrate, it is an AWESOME fruit fly trap. 

about  mid way through the three month wait

TADA! July 2013

Now patience is a must! Waiting is key so do not rush this. I use this stuff daily and for fun add my own EO blends to compliment the delish citrus scent it leaves behind! Have fun watching this process and enjoy it daily knowing you are doing a greater good than just a simple DIY cleaner! 

Holistically Natural Cleaning with Vinegar!

So not sure if you are in the know; my main secret stinks.

Vinegar.

I had read up on easy ways to use vinegar as a natural cleaner and jumped at the fact it cleaned almost every thing I needed it too. Right way fell IN LOVE with the pure alternative and had not a second thought to it. After awhile my wonderful and amazing husband declared no more vinegar he could not take it. Because I was using it so much the "vinegary" smells never really had time to dissipate and on top of that we had just moved for the 1st time as a military family to a place that had no AC and limited wind flow throughout...so smell what I am wafting? 

i. was. mortified.

I HAD TO STOP USING VINEGAR?

not these tatas.

So after a whiny moment and secret use of it when he went to work the next day I sat down to the new then website pinterest and found my cleaning salvation. CITRUS INFUSED VINEGAR!!

my 1st citrus vinegar cleaner in Jan 2011

GLORIOUS CITRUS PEELS!! I was stoked *and still am 2 years later* with all I can do with the cleaner and no smelly after-burn! I try to use organic only peels in certain batches that are all only organic any way; such as a bag of oranges, or a small bag of limes, but you can mix and match ANY citrus combination you want and it does NOT have to be organic!...that is just a weirdo move I do so I know if it's all organic or not. IF you are not eating and cleaning organic make sure to scrub hardy tardy so you can get rid of all pesticides and germies that will effect your health

if ingested or contaminate your natural cleaner. 

Citrus usually falls in the middle of the road between the "Organic-vs-Non" debate but I tend to follow the Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen  ruling! Buying only organic what I need to and seeing what is on sale. If the organic is only a few cents more, the protection of workers rights starts to pull at the cheap me and she gives in hence, sometimes organic cleaner..sometimes CLEAN cleaner :)  Since it is a HUGE misconception that every thing you eat has to be organic, this list as well as the free app come in handy seasonally! My 1st few batches were somewhat boring but later I started playing around with adding lemon and oranges together or just lime.. That's fun in the summer months! I mean have a blast. Mandarins. Clementines. Limes. Lemons. Grapefruit. Lesser knowns: Pomelo, Citron, Mikan, and Red Finger Limes from Australia! Read up on the health benefits of this holistically aPEELing fruit! It is definitely an easy (& cheap!) remix of a classic! Unplug your nose and breath in that refreshing feeling you are one step closer to living the healthier life! 

Directions:
Citrus peels + fill and top off with Vinegar. Store in cool place for 2-8 weeks *the longer the better*, shake every few days and either use full strength or dilute down!

Uses: Um, *Everything but specifically: add to your laundry's rinse cycle for THE green way to get rid of static, add to dish rinse cycle to get rid of all residue inside and on dishes, add to your toilet water 10 minutes before you scrub down to let citrus odor penetrate, or pour some into a small bowl or jar and leave out in a room for an odor absorber! I use my peels two times, adding more the 2nd time and use them before I discard them the second time! I do not know where I read it, but I remember it being on Pinterest to use your left over vinegar peels by adding baking soda to them and scrubbing down the sinks and kitchen area, then running them through the disposal. It makes the kitchen smell lickalicious, shine and those hard to "naturally" bleach areas easier!!!! I use this for cleaning and my weekly hair rinse!! LOVE IT AND YOU! Hope this inspires you!





* not recommended for granite, wood floors, and marble

Quinoa Burgers

I Can Not resist the temptation of something fried right up from time to time.

 If you are comfortable and familiar with salmon/crab cakes I'd dive right into rummaging around the fridge/pantry and have some fun. For others who need some guidance to find their art...: The actual pictures were taken last summer, the 1st time I made these! Since then I have upgraded to frying in cast iron skillets only (even then I was all about the coconut oil and evoo but it is a long journey and I learn daily)! Taking steps to walk a clean, healthy lifestyle can be a challenge for some folks and if it is I challenge you (and me) to find what you love and make it healthier; then when you learn more,... healthier, and healthier... until you're happy, or healthy, or since they'll go hand in hand...

when you're body is healed :) 

   I 1st had quinoa patties at a local spot in Newport, RI called Keenwah :) Completely obsessed I quickly ventured to google where I found this recipe from epicurious then decided I am free and so is my quinoa. ROAR. 

Following the basic draft..needed the binder, eggs, bread crumbs, etc... I ended up toasting up two pieces of gluten free bread and pulverizing them with Trader Joe's 21 season salute in a 15$ blender. It is salt free, scrumptious, and not only is this good for me but every one, even if you're not actively

 watching your sodium intake. 

fry you freshman patties

cleaning greens to eat with qp! 

Ended up chopping up some onions, garlic, squash, used local chèvre and all the seasonings of my 

heart's desire!  

After the Quinoa Patties were done I served them over a luxurious salad, because all things green are gorgeous, and topped it avocado slices and homemade dijon vinaigrette! I typically serve them over any hot or cold greens and homemade dressing or juice from the greens! Wrap in lettuce for ultimate protein wrap or vegan treat if you substitute the cheese for almond pepper jack! HELLO! I also have added red onions, roasted pablano peppers, flax, roasted eggplant, any veggie.... the options truly can be catered to you! These guys can be super filling or small and easy to serve as finger foods for younger kids or parties! Blend up some avocado, lemon, salt, evoo and you have one yummy healthy dipping sauce! The whole point is I saw/tasted some thing I loved, and made it my own! You Can Tu! 

Hope this inspires you some way to eat some thing fun!

 Responsibly.

CHOCOGOOP

Try this:
1 tablespoon cacao
1 tablespoon honey
1 table spoon coconut oil
mix until mixed

slather that bad boy goo on any thing from toast to a banana to strawberries your finger.

chocolate ice cream for breakfast

The days of youth are constantly at our fingertips. Wind blowing through your arms that make you want to fly like a bird, sounds of the ocean always bringing magic to your heart, a smell of vanilla in the summer to remind you of sweets that only long gone elders knew how to make; All of the small wonders make a soul so simple and childlike. The sheer giddiness of childlike behavior should be reason enough to enjoy chocolate ice cream for breakfast :) It IS a Mama D version of chocolate ice cream but it's soft serve yumminess will have you melting faster than itself if you don't hurry up and enjoy!

They key to almost all of the smoothies I make is a little trick called FROZEN BANANAS aka Vegan Ice Cream aka Smoothie aka Milkshake Heaven. I am telling you.

 No I am YELLING AT YOU, THIS ISH IS BANANAS- B A N A N A S :) 

 I buy bananas in bulk and usually use most of them but towards the end I will slice up some, freeze them on a single layer and store them in the freezer until I need some creamy satisfaction. I usually use coconut water or water as my thinner but feel free to use milk or juice of choice (once I juiced some spinach for spinach water). Use about 1 cup of bananas per adult serving. For me and the two toddlers I used 3 cups. Pile up bananas, start with 1 tablespoon of cacao, a drizzle of honey and blend. Watch it and go with your instincts/preferences! It will be THICK so work a little bit of your fluid into it slowly (or it'll get kind of watery like in my pictures). Taste it. If you need more cacao or coconut water or honey keep going. This is a VERY sweet treat if you are not careful with your desire to be flooded with pure ice-cream-for-breakfast nirvana!!! I am working on knowing my body better and kind of refuse to give exact measurements. . just start with a basic measurement ( 1 tsp - 1 tbsp )  and taste your way from there. It's bananas and honey and chocolate. YOU CAN NOT GO WRONG!!! As I am mixing these simple ingredients together I drizzle in some melted coconut oil. I keep the coconut oil on top of the fridge so on most days some of it's liquid or you can heat it up as you see fit. Microwave, Stove, Double Boiler. I have a little Turkish tea pot I melt mine with over the gas stove.

Perfection is what this breakfast is. Oh and the kids will adore it too. We were going to add strawberries and blueberries but we ate those while watching this magic happen. 

Let the kids help or if it's for company that is hesitant to "try new things" secretly serve this bad boy and set up a "healthy sundae" bar without folks even knowing *yes I have been known to sneak tons of healthy alternatives into Casa Cantu gatherings but only after I ask for allergies.. I myself can not eat mushrooms so why ruin someone's night/life just because I want to prove vegan ice cream/smoothies are literally a culinarist-guru-in-training's dream!* 

I first was inspired by Dr. Ben Kim's chocolate vanilla smoothie while we were in Rhode Island. It was an instant summer hit. I am now very confident in my testing abilities and use this first experience as a guide to what I have on hand or am planning. This was a quick version Avery happened to ask for one morning so I was like OH YEA! Some times I add the vanilla especially in the smoothie, and most times I sprinkle some crushed walnuts on top. Depends on what I am craving. For the healthy sundae bar you can have a spread of fresh and dried fruit, healthy whip cream, raw nuts, dried coconut flakes, chia seeds and cranberries give a fun sprinkle-ish feel to this but if you're down with sprinkle town then do it! Eating a healthier ice cream is a HUGE first step in a healthier lifestyle or if this is for a dairy free soiree then you know your guidelines, I'm just here for the ICE CREAM :)

I encourage you to try this fun treat any time with some one you love, especially YOURSELF!!!  

CSA Chamomile Tea

Good Day to y'all!! You would think that the way I run my mouth it would be easier for me to blog but it is not. Unless Dragon dictation develops the from brain thought to word *yes i use word for macs* I don't think it'll ever be easy to sit here and type for 20 mins then erase it all just to give up and not post for months. . pretty much my blog cycle. Either way... quickies seem to be the best. Little blurbs to get me and you until the next in depth sit down! This sweet little number is a tea I made with the fresh chamomile that came in our CSA box earlier this month.

I love our CSA by the way.

pretty little things

Got the inspiration from a wonderful place I took an Herb class
called Self Heal School of Herbs and Healing 

We literally took "weeds" and made a delish tea from room tempered water that took about 3 hours to brew after a good muddling!
I on the other hand did not want to wait hours so I left this baby in the sun for about an hour.
Then mixed in a simple syrup of coconut sugar and water and enjoyed some fresh Chamomile Tea from our beautiful CSA! I encourage you to try some simple tea with your favorite edible flowers!!