A long time ago, in an apartment far, far away ... it is a period of ingredient wars. Rebel olive oil, striking from an overactive food processor, has won its first victory over the evil egg yolks. In non-nerd terms: Two years ago, I tried to make homemade mayonnaise. Several times. Not once did it work. The olive oil and the egg yolks, in my wild food processor, would not emulsify. All was lost. So I gave up. Until a couple of months ago, when I found the strength to try again. And ... Continue Reading
Crunchy Home
Heat Got You Down? Make Some Keep Your Cool Spray
When you come from hearty German stock, like me, red face is an issue. But it only happens upon extreme exertion. Like, say, moving a king-sized mattress all by myself. You should've seen my face, yo. It was like a tomato and a firetruck had a baby all over my cheeks. While growing up, this caused me great consternation, and was, in no small part, a source of extreme embarrassment at the roller skating rink. It never crossed my mind that the embarrassment, instead, should've come from ... Continue Reading
Navigating Your Natural Health … One Step at a Time
Several years ago, I had a friend tell me his story about climbing Machu Picchu. He was pretty out of shape at the time, and every time he looked up to see how much farther to the top, he had a keen sense that he'd probably die. Somewhere along that climb, he started saying to himself, "One step at a time. Just the next step. That's all I have to take." As soon as he embraced that idea, each step got a little easier, and before he knew it, he was at the top - basking in the glory of the Incan ... Continue Reading
Make it STOP: Natural Remedies for Gas and Bloating
I live under the Rocky mountains. Like, right under. If the mountains were a hat, I would be the old lady wearing them. Only I would paint them fuchsia. There's just something about an old lady in a pink hat. Still, even though I see them every day, there's something magical about saying, "I'm going up to the mountains this weekend." Like it's a relaxation destination, a daring adventure. All in a 15-minute drive. I went up to the mountains this weekend. It was neither particularly ... Continue Reading
DIY 101 – Working With Water
Water. Agua. Eau. It is the great giver of life, the washer of dirt, the slow and steady drip of time. Without water, life on this planet would not exist. Unfortunately, with water, life in your homemade creations may exist where you don't want it to. Whether you're DIYing your own beauty concoctions or edibles, there's one important thing you need to be aware of when you use the effervescent aqueous essence. Early in my crunchy DIY escapades, I learned a ... Continue Reading
Five Important Things I Learned About Food from Joel Salatin
If you've seen Food, Inc., you know Joel Salatin. He's unforgettable. Really gives the whole documentary it's juicy, natural flavor. He's the farmer. You know the one I'm talking about. With the large glasses and the no-nonsense, down-home, slightly skewed sense of humor, shootin' the breeze while the chickens go gracefully into their dark night behind him. His mouth is the kind of mouth for which a sprig of wheat would stand in line just to get chewed on. Not only is he outspoken for ... Continue Reading