My Blog = My Life: organic

The chemical aerosol fresheners you can purchase in the store may send off a pleasant odor, but they wreak havoc on our health! The highly condensed level of VOCs (volatile organic compounds) and artificial fragrances can cause headaches, earaches, diarrhea, vomiting - even wheezing in young children!

However, sometimes it take more than just an opened window to clear out an unpleasant odor from a room. This Herbal Mist Air Freshener is completely natural and the scent is as lovely as you choose to make it! Mist in the kitchen after frying onions and bacon, spray inside the diaper pail, and store a bottle in the bathroom.

To make your own herbal spray air freshener, all you need is a clean spritz bottle and 2 basic ingredients:

1. Distilled water
2. Essential oil (I've provided some blend suggestions below)

• Country Spice | cinnamon, ginger, vanilla, bay

• Spring Morning | lavender, rose, geranium, rosemary, sweet orange

• In the Woods | sage, thyme, cedar, patchouli, frankincense

• Lover's Lane | vanilla, sandalwood, ylang ylang, jasmine, neroli, rose

• Far East | patchouli, cedar, sandalwood, lime, coriander

• Energizing | basil, lavender, orange, nutmeg, mint

• Calm, Cool, & Collected | bergamot, geranium, clary sage, chamomile, yarrow

• Garden Glimpse | lemon, orange, basil, thyme

Linking to: Natural Living, The Prairie Homestead, Mind Body Sole

This dessert has got to be one of my favorite ways to enjoy summer fruit! Supposedly the recipe makes 6 servings, but our family finds it's never quite enough! Double the recipe for a 9X13.

Ingredients: 2 1/2 cups sliced peaches, fresh or canned 1 cup raspberries, fresh or frozen 1/2 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen 1/2 cup blackberries, fresh or frozen
1/4 cup organic butter 1/2 cup oats (I use gluten-free) 1/4 tsp sea salt 3/4 cup raw cane sugar
Directions: Gently stir fruit together. Pour into the bottom of a square baking dish (8x8 or 9x9). In a separate bowl, mix remaining ingredients together until crumbly. Sprinkle on top of fruit. Bake at 375F until top is golden brown, about 40 minutes. Serve warm with shipped cream.
Makes 6 servings.

Alternatively, replace the peaches and berries with 4 cups of pears or sliced Granny Smith apples.

Like many of you, we are a single-income, larger-than-average, (1.8 or more children), homeschooling family.

And both my husband and I come from a rich, Dutch heritage.

In other words, whether or not we need to be, we enjoy frugal living. I'm also a lover of nutritious, from-scratch, whole-food cooking. Overtime, we've found that you can have one and the other! Here's how we can enjoy a mainlywhole-food diet on a budget (we still eat take-out more often than I'd like to admit!).

Cheap foods that are good for you

1. Whole grains. Oatmeal, brown rice, and quinoa are cheap! For ultimate nutritional value, choose any of these grains and soak them for a hearty breakfast that'll keep you energized all morning.

For a fabulously healthy, gluten-free, blueberry-muffin smelling breakfast, pour 1 cup of steel-cut oats, brown rice, OR quinoa in a crock-pot. Add 1 1/2 cups of almond milk, 1 1/2 cups water, 1-2 Tbsp of ground flax seed, 2-3 Tbsp butter or coconut oil, 1 cup fresh blueberries, cinnamon, sea salt, and sweetener (honey, maple syrup, stevia, or brown sugar) to taste. Stir. Cook on low overnight. Alternately, try using diced apple and a handful of walnut in place of blueberries.
2. Beans and legumes. Beans are one of the cheapest proteins available and can be used to replace meat in a meal. Given a good, over-night soak in purified water, they are a highly digestible form of fiber, complex carbohydrates, iron, and folate - ideal if you're pregnant or breast-feeding.

Our favorite way to enjoy beans are in chili, taco salad, and brownies (there's a Special Agent Brownie recipe in Trim Healthy Mama that's absolutely fabulous!).

3. Eggs. Eggs are one of the very few complete proteins available to us (they contain all 9 essential amino acids), contain only 70 calories, and are chock full of nutrition. Besides being excellent sources of protein and good cholesterol, they also contain iron, vitamins A, D, E, and B12, folate, selenium, and lutein.

Eggs can be cooked quickly in a variety of ways (hard or soft-boiled, fried, poached, scrambled) and provide great structure and texture when added to baked goods.

We enjoy them on their own and in omelettes, crepes, breakfasts bakes, and pizza crust.

Foods worth paying more for

No matter how tight our budget, there are certain foods I don't cheap out on as we feel the extra dollars are insignificant compared to the health benefits. We'd rather "pay the farmer than the pharmacy," as the saying goes.

1. Oil. It's a safe bet that anything you can get in a big plastic jug for $4 is not good for you. Vegetable oils and margarine derived from cheaply grown or genetically modified plants like sunflower, corn, soybean, canola, safflower have little nutrition to begin with and are chemically altered and deodorized in order to make them palatable. Our bodies were not meant to consume them.

Opt instead for healthy saturated fats that are rich in Omega 3 fatty acids. These include butter (preferably organic), coconut, olive, and red palm oil.
2. Fresh, local, organic produce. We can't afford to purchase all of our produce this way, but we try our best to grow or purchase the infamous "Dirty Dozen" organically as these fruits and vegetables contain the highest pesticide residue otherwise:

• Peaches
• Apples
• Celery
• Peppers
• Nectarines
• Strawberries
• Pears
• Cherries
• Spinach
• Lettuce
• Potatoes
• Grapes

• onions
• avocado
• sweet corn
• pineapples
• mango
• asparagus
• bananas
• cabbage
• broccoli
• papaya
• kiwi

Instead, we use coconut or almond milk. They contain high levels of vitamins A & D and are lactose free. They cost slightly more than pasteurized, hormone enhanced cow's milk, but since we rarely use it for more than our morning smoothie, we don't notice a difference in our grocery bill.

As our budget allows, we try to purchase higher quality dairy products like kefir, greek yogurt, cream and cottage cheese.
4. Meat. Cheaper cuts of meat are usually that way because they come from animals that are pumped full of genetically modified grain products, growth hormones, and antibiotics - the sole purpose of which is to fatten an animal up as quickly as possible for slaughter. Food Inc. is a fascinating documentary that explains how the food industry is making us sicker, fatter, and poorer through this process.

Although more expensive, grass-fed, locally raised, organic beef and chicken is a far more nutritious alternative and of much less consequence to your health.
5. Sweeteners. Sugar is cheap, appeals to our pallet, and is easy to come by. Consequently, diabetes, obesity, cancer, heart failure, and a host of other health concerns are also the norm. We stay away from refined sugar as much as possible and use raw honey, pure maple syrup, and stevia instead.

While they should still be used in small quantities, these sweeteners contain healthy enzymes and minerals which are difficult to get from other foods. They also have a healthier Glycemic Index which means they don't mess with your blood sugar levels in the same way refined sugar does.

Where to get healthy food for less

1. Garden. Anyone can grow their own produce, even a little bit. Be it a pot on the balcony of your apartment or a 3 acre market garden, all you need is some seed, soil, water, and sun and you're in business.

We put in a large raise bed last year for free - my husband made a tarp in exchange for a truckload of triple-mix and I used the gift cards I got for my birthday to purchase our seeds and plants.
2. Farmer's Market. Farmer's markets are great places to find local, seasonal produce, cure meats, eggs, honey and maple syrup at a fraction of the price you find in the store. Plus, farmers generally care about individual relationships with their customers and often offer a faithful buyer further discounts and "throw in a little extra."
3. Local Farmer. In the fall, we often purchase 1/4-1/2 a cow from a Christian farmer who grows his beef organically. We get to choose how we'd like it butchered and our freezer is well stocked for several months. We estimate purchasing our meat this way saves us 30% of the store price.

If we had the space for it, we'd love to keep our own chickens. We go through plenty of eggs around here! Thankfully, they are cheap to come by! We buy them from Brad's co-worker whose family keeps organically raised laying hens as a sideline business.

In the summer, we pick our own berries, freeze most of them, and turn some into sauce or jam. A relative of ours keeps a bountiful raspberry patch where we can come and go as we please.

It didn't work out last year because of pregnancy complications, but this summer, my mom, sisters, and I plan on putting up other produce from local farms that we don't grow ourselves: peaches, pears, carrots, pickles, etc.

4. Bulk Stores. I buy most of our grain from The Bulk Barn. We often receive coupons for $3.00 off a purchase of $10.00 or more (which I can easily spend in one visit!). I blend whole kernels with my Wondermill and the stuff I purchase pre-ground (flax), I purchase in small quantities as it goes rancid quickly. I purchase my organice herbs, teas, sea salt, and spices from The Bulk Herb Store.

I also purchase soap and other dried goods here like coconut, almonds, walnuts, and cranberries.
5. Grocery Store. You can save money at the grocery store by using coupons, ad-matching, checking the clearance shelf, and purchasing store-brand non-perishables like brown rice and tomato paste.

The clearance shelf where everything is ripe and ready, is a wonderful place to get greatly discounted produce. If you have a juicer, freeze your juice into Popsicles for a healthy summer treat or into ice cubes for slushies. Peppers and onions can be cut up and bagged for pizza toppings, apples turned into sauce, and mushrooms sauteed in butter for a fine steak topping.
6. Online. I must admit to rarely purchasing groceries online. I prefer to see the product myself. The exception to this is the extra virgin coconut oil I get from Tropical Traditions. The quality is truly remarkable. We use it a lot, especially in desserts like Chunky Cream Pops, Skinny Chocolate, and Peppermint Patties. I'm thankful it regularly goes on sale for 40-50% off.

In the interest of full disclosure, some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I receive an affiliate commission. I only recommend products I use personally. Your purchases through these links help support Growing Home. I humbly thank you for your support! Linking to: Mind Body Sole, Raising Homemakers, Deep Roots At Home, Frugally Sustainable, Natural Living Raising Arrows, Time Warp Wife, Far Above Rubies, Homestead Barn Hop, The Better Mom,

Ontario strawberries are almost in season! When they are, we'll eat them for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. There's nothing quite like them! Strawberry Spinach (or Field Green) Salad is our favorite way to incorporate the sweet, red berries into an evening meal.

Serves: 4-6 people Ready in: 15 minutes * For THMer's, this recipe falls into the Satisfying category.
Ingredients:

• 6 oz. fresh spinach or organic field greens
• 2 cups, sliced strawberries
• 1/4 small, finely sliced red onion
• 2/3 cup slivered almonds or walnuts
• 1/4 cup goat cheese (chevre, or feta)
• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 Tbsp plan-approved strawberry jam (Smuckers has a stevia-sweetened version)
• 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper.

Linking to: Stacy Makes Cents

One bite of this flavor-packed salad and you'll understand why Goodness Me cooking instructor Sandy Pomeroy named it Sensational Salad! A plate or two of this, and you're well on your way to 5-10 servings of vegetables per day. I've tweaked the recipe to suit our taste, but the original came from her.

Sensational Salad

• 4 cups organic salad mix (choose one with lots of different leaf varieties)
• 1 cup cauliflower florets, finely chopped
• 1/2 cucumber, quartered horizontally, then chopped
• 1/2 red pepper, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup green onions, finely chopped
• 1/2 carrot, grated
• 1 cup kale, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup mushrooms, finely chopped
• 1 cup raw pumpkin seeds
• 1 cup dried cranberries

• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup flax oil
• 1 tsp. Herbamare
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1 clove garlice, finely chopped

The whole family will enjoy this dish for breakfast, lunch, or dinner and because it's loaded with fresh spinach, this breakfast bake is an ideal choice for pregnant mamas who need an extra boost of folic acid! Maximize the health benefits by using farm-fresh eggs, raw milk (almond milk works great too), grass-fed turkey bacon, and organic produce.

An excellent source of protein, folic acid, calcium, and fiber. Gluten-Free and Trim Healthy Mama friendly!

Ingredients:

• 6 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, grated
• salt and pepper to taste
• 10 bacon strips, fried and crumbled
• 8 cups fresh spinach leaves, washed and dried
• 1/2 an onion, finely chopped

Cut into squares and serve warm.

I have searched high and low for a good, affordable, gluten-free alternative to canned cream soups to use in recipes like Chicken Broccoli Casserole. Who knew such a thing could be so difficult to find?! Then a friend emailed me this from-scratch mix. I tried it, we loved it, and just had to share!

Adapted from Taste of Home.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups dry milk powder (non-instant is preferred)
• ¾ cup organic cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• ½ teaspoon dried basil
• ½ teaspoon dried parsley
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

Directions:

Mix all ingredients together with a whisk. Store in an airtight container.

To make into soup, combine 1/3 cup dry mix with 1 ¼ cups water in a small saucepan. Whisk until smooth. On medium heat, bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes, until thick. Cool. This amount = 1 can condensed cream-of soup.
For Cream-of Chicken Soup: use 1 ¼ cups chicken broth instead of water.
For Cream-of Mushroom Soup: use water; add ¼ cup diced, cooked mushrooms to soup after it thickens
For Cream-of Celery Soup: use water, add ¼ cup diced, cooked celery to the soup after it thickens or add a dash of celery seed to the mixture while it’s cooking.

Linking to: Mind Body Sole, Raising Homemakers, Deep Roots At Home, Natural Living,Modest Monday, A Wise Woman, Walking Redeemed, Gluten-Free Homemaker

I've enjoyed this herbal bath with each of our babies! The herbs, garlic, and sea salt make combine to make a healing, soothing, aseptic bath that helps prevent and control excessive bleeding, repair a woman's reproductive organs, and rapidly heal the baby's cord stump. No one (except the midwives who told me this would happen!) could believe how quickly our babies were sporting beautiful belly-buttons instead of black stumps - usually within two or three days!

This recipe is midwife approved and makes enough for 2 baths. If you don't use it all up, it can be frozen until the next bambino comes along or passed along to a pregnant friend. She'll love you for it!

You'll Need:

• 1 oz. Calendula
• 1 oz. Uva Ursi
• 1 oz. Comfrey
• 1 oz. Shepherd's Purse
• 1 cup sea salt
• 1 large, fresh garlic bulb

Directions:
Place herbs in a large pot (I use my biggest soup pan) and fill with water. Bring to almost a boil. Steep for a minimum of 2 hours - the longer, the better! Strain the solution. Pour the liquid into freezable containers (ice cream or yogurt tubs work well) and store in the freezer. The garlic and salt are added directly to the bath on the day you intend to use it.
As soon as possible after the birth, fill the tub with comfortably hot water (Brad usually does this for me while the midwife is checking baby's vitals and making sure everything is okay). Add one frozen tub of the herbal solution (it will melt in no time), a cup of sea salt, and a whole bulb of crushed garlic. You won't come out stinky, I promise!
Immerse yourself in the warm water and have your husband or midwife pass the baby to you. Your baby will stretch, unfold, float - maybe even smile, thoroughly enjoying the feeling of familiar weightlessness in the warm water. It's beautiful!

After you've had a good long soak with your precious new gift, pat yourselves dry, dress in warm, soft pajamas (or clothes if you give birth during the day!), and snuggle up in bed with your baby!

***You can also enjoy this bath after a hospital birth! Ask your husband to prepare it for you whenever you're feeling up to it after arriving home. The sooner after giving birth you use it, the more noticeable the healing effects will be.

I recommend buying your herbs and sea salt from high quality, organic sources like the Bulk Herb Store or Mountain Rose Herbs.

Linking to: Mind Body Sole, Raising Homemakers, Deep Roots At Home, Frugally Sustainable, Natural Living,Modest Monday, A Mama's Story, Raising Arrows, Homestead Revival

This dish/spa cloth pattern is easy-peasy - perfect for beginner crochet or for those who need an inexpensive, practical, heirloom gift in a hurry! The pattern requires only 1.5 oz (68 yards) of medium weight cotton yarn, making it an ideal way to use up your scraps. Alternating rows of single and double crochet stitches add interest and texture to the cloth.
Finished cloth measures 9"x9". Machine washable and dryable.

You'll need:

• 1.5 oz (68 yards) medium weight (4) organic cotton
• 4.5mm crochet hook
• yarn needle for finishing off
• scissors

Pattern:

1. Chain 34.
2. Single crochet in second chain from hook. Work a single crochet into each chain stitch. (33 sts)
3. Chain 1. Turn. SC into each stitch. (33 sts)
4. Chain 2. Turn. Work a double crochet into each stitch. (Note: Chain 2 at beginning of row does not count as stitch)
5. Repeat step 3 twice. (Two rows of single crochet)
6. Repeat step 4.
7. Continue repeating steps 5-6 (2 rows of single crochet, 1 row of double crochet) until cloth measures a perfect square (9"x9"), making the last row single crochet.
8. Chain 8 to make hanging loop. Slip stitch into first chain and tie a tight knot.
9. Cut yarn, leaving a 10" tail. Using yarn needle, weave end down through the edge of your cloth and fasten off at the corner. Trim tail.

Make a few in coordinating colors and pair with our family's favorite hand cream, Beeyoutiful's Miracle Skin Salve for naturally splendid gift!

Linking to: Holy-Spirit Led Homeschooling

Homeschooling

• 4 Essential Subjects to Teach Your Child
• 4 Tips To Successful Homeschooling
• 5 Things To Expect If You Homeschool
• 6 Ways To Keep Homeschool Sanity
• 75 Book Recommendations for the Christian Family
• Age Appropriate Chores For Toddlers
• Child Trophies
• Dear Friend Who Doesn't Homeschool
• Embracing The Homeschool Advantage
• Girls Shouldn't Be Highly Educated...
• Helpful Hints For Teaching Multiple Grade Levels
• Homeschooling Day By Day
• Idols of a Homeschool Mother's Heart
• If You Asked Me Why We Want To Homeschool...
• Naive, Sheltered Homeschoolers
• Organic Education
• Our Homeschooling Curriculum for 2013-2014 (Pre-K)
• Teaching Children To Memorize Scripture Part 1
• Teaching Children To Memorize Scripture Part 2
• Teaching Reading And Writing In Minutes Per Day
• The ABC's For Godly Girls - Bible Curriculum Review
• The Danger Of Junior Kindergarten
• The REAL Reason We Homeschool
• What To Get A Homeschooler For Christmas
• When You Feel Like You're Way Behind On Everything
• Who's Responsible For Your Child's Education?
• Why I'm Not Cut Out To Be A Homeschool Mom
• Why Your Curriculum Choice Might Not Matter As Much As You Think It Does
• Yes, You Can Teach Your Child To Read!
• You Can't Cover All the Bases

• 75 Book Recommendations for the Christian Family
• Helpmeet Or Mother - Is There An Order Of Importance?
• When You Feel Like You're Way Behind on Everything

• 15 Good Things I Don't Do
• 15 Reasons Why We Love Having Kids
• 3 Reasons Why It's Important For Children To Clean Up After Themselves
• 75 Book Recommendations for the Christian Family
• Age Appropriate Chores For Toddlers
• A Good Morning Starts The Night Before
• A Mother's Rights
• Accidentally Pregnant
• Anna's Birth Story
• Are You Getting Paid What You're Worth?
• Battling The Selfish Mom In Me
• Children: Blessing or Burden?
• Don't You Know What Causes That?
• Fostering Femininity In A Feminist World
• Gentleness
• Girls Shouldn't Be Highly Educated...
• God Will Make A Way
• Grace for Today
• Helping Our Children Choose Good Friends
• Helpmeet or Mother - Is There An Order Of Importance?
• How The Lord Hurt My Pride
• How To Be A Perfectly Miserable Mother
• If I Do Everything Right...
• Is Motherhood Getting In The Way Of Evangelism?
• It Took A Vasectomy
• Keeping A Growing Home | A Management Series for Moms
• Know Your Role!
• My Daily Schedule
• Natural Family Planning
• Now I Value Life
• Put Down The Phone And Be A Mom
• Serving Our Families - A Waste Of Intelligence?
• The Cost of Being A Stay-At-Home Mom
• Time-Saving Home Management Tips
• Triplets!
• Trying To Prevent Babies Or Trying To Conceive?
• "When Do I Take A Shower?" {And Other Questions I Never Thought I'd Be Asking Myself)
• When Mama is Forced To Work Outside The Home
• When Motherhood Feels Too Hard
• When Things Don't Do My Way
• You've Had How Many Cesareans?!

• 7 Ways for The Christian Family To Get Involved Politically
• 75 Book Recommendations for the Christian Family
• Before You Head To The Polls
• How America Can Win Her Freedom Back
• How Could Something So Awful Happen?
• For The Sake Of The Children... Or?
• Girls Shouldn't Be Highly Educated...
• Meek and Unapologetic?
• Pants or Skirts?
• Say It Like It Is
• Should Women Go Off To War?
• Why Would You Keep Having Children In Such A Scary World?

Finally, after many long years, Regina will have some competition on the organic market scene.

Dad's Organic Market will open its doors on Monday, Jan. 25 at 1 p.m. The Victoria Avenue store, a couple of blocks west of the Leader-Post building, looks huge. For a neighbourhood market, that is.

Dad's is expanding into Regina following the success of their Saskatoon store. With this second store, a Saskatchewan-grown franchise is born. Right on.

Let's hope that prices are not as sky-high as in Regina's other organic market, Nature's Best on 14th Avenue. I mean, Nature's Best is a cool store. But sometimes I literally have to read the price of an item three times just to make sure it really does say $5 for a bunch of dill, or whatever the case may be.

Here's to more choices on Regina's food scene. This can only mean good things for restaurants and regular Joes alike!

This post contains affiliate links.

Photo source: Getty Images
When we were on our honeymoon, I picked up a bacterial infection. I couldn't keep anything down and spent a day in the hospital on IV. The doctors gave me an antibiotic designed to kill the bacteria. I took it as prescribed, but the problem got worse. I sought the advice of a Doctor of Natural Medicine who suggested I take Black Walnut tincture. The infection was gone in two days.

A few months later, Brad lost thirty pounds in three months (and he didn't have a pound to spare in the first place). He saw multiple specialists and had every test under the sun. No one could make a diagnosis. He was eventually told, "Maybe this is your ideal weight. Not everyone is meant to be the same size." Another doctor recommended that he should start drinking Boost to gain weight.

We took a look at the ingredient list and were shocked to discover that the first three ingredients were water, sugar, and corn syrup which made up 47% of the actual serving! That's equivalent to swallowing your vitamins with a 237ml glass of water containing 7 teaspoons of sugar.

Brad wanted to gain the weight back but in a healthy way. He chose not to drink Boost. We quit going to doctors and started doing our own research. For two years, we tried various diets and eventually eliminated gluten, and limited corn, and cow's milk (we still love dairy, just not store milk itself). I started making smoothies full of good fat and kefir for breakfast and he started taking probiotics with his meals. We still have a long way to go, but he's slowly putting the weight back on.

When our then 18 month old son started getting chronic ear infections (at least one a month), we took him to a specialist. He said our son would eventually grow out of it, but in the mean time, we could either choose to have tubes put in his ears, or relieve the pain with Tylenol and Motrin. I knew Tylenol and Motrin would do nothing more than mask the real problem and was concerned with the toxic effect regular doses of ibuprofen would have on his liver and kidneys. A friend of mine recommended I take him to the chiropractor. After a series of four adjustments, he hasn't had an ear infection in over a year.

When our daughter was born 6 weeks premature, I was denied the right to breastfeed our daughter because the nurses said she would burn too many calories if I let her work for it instead of using the tube for feedings like they recommended. My midwife was happy to intervene on our behalf and when I finally got the chance to breastfeed our little girl, she gained four ounces overnight - more than she had gained on the tube since birth!

We were told our youngest baby's life was not "viable" (worth trying to save) until I reached 24 weeks; I hemorrhaged nine-days postpartum after a botched manual placenta removal; our ex-gynecologist had no problem delivering a child in one room and aborting another in the next.

Doctors are but men.

They have helped us on many occasions and to a large extent, we place a lot of faith in their expertise. However, we must be careful not to credit them with an infallibility they do not have, and remember that it's an individual's right and responsibility to choose who they trust with their healthcare.

We've been reminded many times over the past few years that the best men are men at best. Doctors make mistakes, just like everybody else. They don't have a solution to everything, and often their solutions are atomistic instead of holistic. If that's what you like, it's not a problem, but if your philosophy of healthcare has got you believing that we ought to focus on healing the root cause of a malady in addition to providing symptomatic relief, then it makes sense to investigate alternatives to conventional medicine.

It's odd to me that our advocating the use of natural means (which have proven to be effective and superior to conventional medicine several times in our experience) can bring out the worst in people. There seems to be some sort of understood rule that if you don't put all your money on a conventionally trained M.D. from the Mayo clinic, you must therefore be a fringe greenie who will drink herbal concoctions to the death!

We make our healthcare decisions based on a position somewhere in the middle of the two extremes. I'm not comfortable putting all my eggs in a basket I've seen break before, and I'm skeptical of advice that comes from a doctor who doesn't believe all of life is sacred, beginning at conception and ending with natural death.

I don't trust natural "medicine" doctors who believe the power to heal lies within yourself (this philosophy contradicts everything Scriptural), and I don't buy the lie that you can discredit diet, exercise, and proper hygiene so long as you take several handfuls of supplements and chug them down with a bottle of Pepsi.
With conventional medicine now the third leading cause of death killing 225,000 people each and every year as recognized by the Journal of the American Medical Association and half of doctors routinely prescribing drugs they know won’t work, learning to stand up for yourself in any sort of medical situation and not take advice blindly can be a lifesaving skill. An informed patient is no doubt a doctor’s worst customer. ~ The Healthy Home EconomistSo, who do we trust?

That's for you to decide, but these are a few principles our family tries to take into consideration when we have a decision to make regarding our health:

Find a Christian, pro-life doctor who respects your parental rights and invites inquisition. If your doctor ignores your questions, fails to give straight answers, or gets agitated when you don't immediately jump at his offer to write up a prescription, it's time to find someone who treats you like a human being instead of another cog in the wheel.
Get a second opinion, and a third, and a fourth. I feel more confident of a diagnosis and prescription if multiple doctors are in agreement. If four doctors tell me four different things, I don't know who to believe and start seeking the counsel of others who have been in a similar situation.
Seek counsel from seasoned mothers. Is there anything more sincere than a mother's love for child? Mothers who have dealt with a sick child are usually well-studied in all the different options available, and tend to have an empathetic heart to go along with it.
Do your own research. By that I mean, don't believe everything you read online. Study reputable sources, consult with herbalists, chiropractors, nurses, nutritionists, doctors, and homeopaths. Self-educate and become well-rounded so you can make an informed decision.
Trust your intuition. God gave that to you!

Pray! Too often I forget that the miracle worker of Nazareth is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). God is not limited by time, space, medicine, or a diagnosis. He invites us to touch the hem of His garment when we've spent all our living searching for answers and finding none (Matthew 5:25-29).
Remember that God has all our days planned. I can't explain the paradox of God's Sovereignty and man's responsibility, but it's a comfort, not a curse, to know that even though the responsibility of their healthcare falls into my lap, God entrusted them into our care after He had planned out all their days (Psalm 139:16). Not a hair can fall from their head without His permission (Luke 12:7).
Recommended Resources:

Treating Fevers Naturally by Meagan Vissers, RN, FH. Meagan is a Christian friend of mine who has been trained in both conventional and herbal medicine. The information in her eBook was the answer to my concerns about Tylenol and Motrin's effect on our organs, and gave me a plethora of effective, natural solutions.

Treating Fevers Naturally taught meeverything the doctor didn't:what a fever is and why it’s a good thing; what’s going on with your child when they have a fever; what the difference is in “degrees” of fever; the concerns of fevers and how to deal with them appropriately; the difference in medical vs. natural treatment options; and natural treatments for bringing a fever down and making your child comfortable.

Treating Fevers Naturally sells for $14.97, but the education and confidence it gives a mother in charge of her child's health is priceless.

The Bulk Herb Store. The Bulk Herb Store is a Christian, family-run business that sells a vast collection of organic herbs and teaches people how to use them for practical and medicinal purposes.

I used their herbs to help a complicated pregnancy, and to make the post-partum herbal bath I enjoy after each child is born. Their book, Making Babies, taught me how to make my own herbal tinctures and salves and how and when to use them. I also use their spices and sea salt in my baking and cooking.

Other hugely informative books and videos they carry include:

• Be Your Own Doctor by Rachel Weaver
• Gut and Psychology Syndrome by Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride MD, MMedSci(neurology), MMedSci(nutrition)
• Herbal Antibiotics by Stephen Harrod Buhner
• Herbal Antivirals by Stephen Harrod Buhner
• Herbal Recipes for Vibrant Health by Rosemary Gladstar
• Practical Herbalism by Phil Fritchey
• The Green Pharmacy by Dr. James A. Duke
• The Herbal Drugstore by Linda B. White, M.D., Steven Foster.

Trust Your Intuition by Jenni Wilson, M. H., wife of an M.D. Trust Your Intuition is the combined work of several Christian medical experts (three of whom are my personal friends), and seeks to provide balanced, grace-filled, information regarding both conventional and alternative medicine.

It offers easy ways to protect yourself and family from synthetic medicine and it's negative side effects, help you avoid toxic treatments, and choose natural therapies that have proven to be effective in homes all across the country.

The Maker's Diet by Jordan Rubin, Ph.D., N.M.D. We were thrilled to discover this book shortly after Brad's weight reached an all time low. Most diet books are designed to help people lose weight, but The Maker's Diet is the story of how Jordan Rubin, a once healthy young man in his prime, who experienced the same kind of weight loss as my husband and was eventually given up on for dead by several doctors.

He started patterning his diet and nutrition according to principles he discovered in the Bible, attained his ideal weight, and wrote about his journey in book that has helped people boost their immune systems, improve their physical appearance and digestion, regain their energy, and reduce their stress.

We don't follow The Maker's Diet explicitly, but it was the foundation for much of our diet change and investigation into holistic healthcare.

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One of my many goals this year is to avoid unhealthy snacking, both for myself and for our kids. I have a huge weakness for chips and chocolate, and I fear I've passed my bad habits onto our kids. So, I'm taking extreme measures and have committed to not purchasing packaged snacks; if it's not in the house, we can't eat it!

Of course, that means we need to replace the junk with snacks of the healthy variety. In addition to these ideas, Coconut Oil Banana Muffins fit the bill perfectly! These muffins are moist, flavorful, and melt in your mouth. They're also egg-free and dairy-free.

Coconut Oil Banana Muffins
Time: 15 min. prep; 16 min baking (per batch).
Yield: 3 dozen
Egg-free, dairy-free

Ingredients:

• 2 cups organic all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon aluminum-free baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground nutmeg (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 cup melted coconut oil
• 1 cup coconut or almond milk
• 2 cups coconut sugar
• 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
• 5 very ripe, mashed bananas

1. Preheat oven to 385 F. Insert paper liners into muffin pan.
2. In a large bowl, sift and stir flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and sea salt. Set aside.
3. In a small saucepan, heat coconut oil and milk together until coconut oil has just liquefied. Pour into a large bowl and add coconut sugar and vanilla. Blend together
4. Mash bananas and stir into wet ingredients. Add dry mixture to wet mixture and fold together until just combined.
5. Fill muffin cups half way (this batter spreads!).
6. Bake for 16-18 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
7. Cool for 10 minutes before removing.
8. Freeze, or enjoy warm!

Are you making a conscious effort to snack healthier, too? What's your favorite resource for quick, budget-friendly, healthy treats (besides Pinterest, I mean)?

In the interest of full disclosure, some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I receive an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products I use personally. Your purchases through these links help support Growing Home. Thank you for your support.
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This week, we made our own sausage for the first time! I was so pleased with how they turned out. They're similar in taste to our local Mennonite summer sausage and surprisingly easy to prepare. By using local, organic beef, you can rest assured that the quality of your product far outweighs the store-bought variety. No fillers, or cancer-causing nitrate preservatives, homemade sausage is an excellent source of protein for gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, and normal diets alike!
The following recipe is just a base. Tweak it to your own tastes. I rolled one sausage log in ground pepper to give it an extra kick.
Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp Water
• 2 Tbsp Salt
• 2 tsp Liquid Curing Smoke
• 1 tsp Onion Powder
• 1/2 tsp Dry Mustard
• 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
• 1/2 tsp Ground Pepper
• 2 lbs Lean Ground Beef

It feels as though everyone I know has come down with seasonal colds and flues over the last week! Thankfully, we've been spared so far. I'm sure our turn is coming though so I made up a stockpot of Chicken Soup on the weekend for when the time comes.

Grandma knew what she was talking about when she said chicken soup is good for the cold! When chicken is cooked in a soup or broth, it releases an amino acid called cysteine that helps break down mucous and heal the lungs. The addition of other vegetables (garlic, onion, leeks, carrots, and celery) provide vitamins A, B, C, and E, and provide antibacterial, anti-fungal, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory properties.

So if the family's feeling queasy, simmer up this traditional favorite and enjoy the flavorful health benefits! There are a zillion variations to Chicken Soup. This is how I make mine (and how my Mom made hers). Gluten-free.

Healthy, Healing, Old-fashioned Chicken Soup

For THMer's this is a Fuel Pull.

Ingredients:
1 whole organic chicken
water
6 carrots, peeled and sliced
2 large onions, chopped
1 leek, chopped
1/2 stalk of celery, chopped
2 garlic cloves
1 Tbsp dried parsley
1 Tbsp oregano
2 tsp Herbamare (or sea salt)
1 tsp freshly ground pepper
4 cups prepared GF Chicken Boullion (I use the Epicure brand)
4 bay leaves

Directions:
Place whole chicken in a large stock-pot and cover with water. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Boil for 30 minutes or until the meat is ready to fall off the bone. Remove chicken from stock-pot until it's cool enough to handle. Carefully pick apart the meat and return it to the soup in small, bite-sized pieces. Discard the bones. Simmer soup for several hours - the longer, the better! Remove garlic cloves and bay leaves before serving.

If you're feeling well, nothing beats a bowl of warm soup served with crusty white bread, sharp cheddar, and a handful of saltines. :-)

Makes 20+ servings. Freezes well.

For more healthy recipes, I highly recommend The Cottage Mama Plans Her Menu eBooks. This is the one set of eBooks I continually go back to for recipes (especially the homemade BBQ sauce!). They are to simple to prepare and are generally loved by the whole family.

To give you a little update on baby first, here he/she is at 19 weeks old!

As most of you know, I was diagnosed with a very large subchorionic hematoma quite early in this pregnancy. Simply put, I had a blood clot (three times larger then our baby) between my placenta and the lining of my uterus. We were told we had a 1 in 3 chance of miscarrying for the second time.
After many ultrasounds, many trips to the ER, and too many times where I broke down into tears because I "knew for sure" we were losing our baby, we are half way through this pregnancy. We are so thankful for God's sustaining grace thus far and all the help we've received from our family, friends, and church so I could be on modified bed-rest.
Last week, things got a little more complicated as an emergency ultrasound showed that the original blood clot had not shrunk in size at all. In addition, I have developed two more clots which cause heavy bleeding, even in the middle of the night while I'm resting.
Second-trimester bleeding puts me at "high-risk" and I am no longer allowed to consult with my midwife alone. We now have and OB in addition to our midwife, and our hopes for another home-birth are put on hold unless something drastically improves.
"Modified bed-rest" has been changed to "strict bed-rest." With the exception of getting up to eat, shower, and use the bathroom, I spend most of the day lying down or crocheting. As you can imagine, it's very difficult with two toddlers running around. :-) Lord willing, we will be moving in with family who have graciously opened up their home to us for as long as we need it sometime this week or next.
We're often asked what's causing these blood clots and how I can get rid of them. The truth is, not one single doctor of the many we have met with over the past few months can explain why they develop or how to prevent them. No one has prescribe any medication to help the clots dissolve, so we've being using the herbs and homeopathic remedies our midwife has suggested to help sustain the pregnancy. Here they are (and what they do) in case you find yourself in the same situation:
Pregnancy Vitamin: I take this with all of my pregnancies, for the baby's health as well as my own. Make sure the folic acid content is at least 1mg daily, and that the iron is taken in a separate pill from the calcium. Calcium inhibits iron absorption.
Arnica: I take 15 arnica pellets a day. It is a homeopathic remedy that aids in the healing of bruises and wounds. I take it to control the growth of the clots, and hopefully, to shrink them as well. You can also use Arnica flowers in a tincture, or to make a salve.
Sepia (Inky Juice): These past few months have been a whirlwind of emotions. One minute we think we're losing another child, and the next we're happily staring at our energetic little babe on the ultrasound screen. I take 15 pellets of Sepia a day to help with the morning sickness, headaches, weariness, and emotional exhaustion.
Later on in the pregnancy (Lord willing, there will be a "later"), I plan on drinking Red Raspberry Tea to help prepare my uterus for birth. I took it with our second child and noticed a huge difference between my labor with him and our first.
Evening Primrose Oil is something else I take near the end of a pregnancy to help soften the cervix. After an hour and a half of pushing and second degree tear with our first, I was willing to try anything to prevent it from happening again! It worked wonders with our second - no tearing at all, and he literally "slipped" out in three pushes!
The Arnica and Red Raspberry Tea are available through The Bulk Herb Store. I love this family run company and its commitment to providing quality, organic, herbs, teas, and information on how to use the natural medicines God has created for us!

This post contains affiliate links for products I love and personally endorse.

Bonjour beautiful ones!
I hope all my East Coast friends are fending OK through Sandy? I have been praying for you all. What a horrible and frightening experience.
We're having our fair share of flooding here in the Pacific Northwest as well... Not that it compares. I think we might have broken Mother Nature...
But on a completely separate note It's time for... FLEA MARKET FINDS!!! Where I make a lot of noise and brouhaha and pretend that I found something fabulous for a song *winks* More often than not my hopes of finding the Picasso in the attic are dashed, And I probably pay way too much, but this week I think I did pretty good! I have my fingers crossed that you'll agree?
I was making my rounds as usual at the Value Village (Quickly becoming my absolute favorite thrift) and I spied something sparkly in their front showcase. When I looked a little closer I realized that there was a whole LOT of sparkly! Oh happy day!! What is it about a crown or tiara that brings out the inner princess?! Am I alone in this? As the sales clerk pulled out one crown after another I just kept saying "wrap em up!" I was feeling more than a little giddy! I couldn't believe there were so many there at Halloween time. I ended up taking 6 in total (all but one) They are sooooo blingy fun! And large ones too! I believe at least a couple of them are Amaranth crowns? Maybe all of them? I don't know for sure. It looked like a beauty queen had decided to let em all go! Some are missing a few rhinestones so I'll be on the hunt for those. Do any of you peeps know a good source?

This is one of my favorites, it's very regal.

I think this more organic looking crown with colored stones is my favorite, but I keep oscillating...

Or maybe this one?... The blingiest of them all. This one looks like an Amaranth crown?

I tried this Amaranth crown out on Jeanne and she likes it! It's the plainest of them all, but maybe that's why it suits her. Simple peasant girl that she claims to be *winks*

Glory Issabella couldn't make up her mind so she tried on three at once!

Jeanne liked this one too, but in the end preferred the more simple style.

Glory eventually decided that this pretty tiara set in gold was her favorite. It brought out her lovely alabaster complexion *winks*

Speaking of crowns I found this lovely Marie Antoinette-esque boudoir doll on ebay and couldn't resist placing a crown on her also. Here she's lounging with her best girlfriend.

Isn't she pretty?! She has such darling blue eyes.

This boudoir half doll was also an ebay find. She has an 18th century look to her and is made from paper mache.

As usual their faces are a little chipped *sighs*

Her little friend came to me via etsy. I've named her Justine after the seller I purchased her from. She was lovely to deal with.

That's all my finds for this week. I hope you're all staying safe and dry with the power on! I also hope you'll leave me a comment. I LOVE to hear from you! I apologize for not getting out and visiting all your blogs earlier. Lots of family health issues again. I'll be catching up with everyone this week! I can't wait to see what you've all been up to! Vanna
I'm joining Sherry at No Minimalist Here for:

And Paula at Ivy & Elephants for:

Debra at Common Ground for:

Courtney at French Country Cottage for:

And Cindy at My Romantic Home for:

Several years ago, Andrew Pudewa spoke at our homeschooling conference and he said something I'll never forget:
"The problem with trying to cover all the bases is that you end up going a mile wide and an inch deep. In other words, you know virtually nothing about everything." He suggested delving deeply into one particular topic of interest, and in so doing, touch on everything else.

Thematic concepts jive with the vision for our children's education and so far, learning together has been fun, organic, and life-integrated. There are few things more wonderful than seeing your children more eager to start "school" than they are to eat breakfast!

This week we are studying "Fall." Besides learning to write her numbers and letters each day using the Rod and Staff Pre-K Series, we are also learning about God's Word, government, science, math, art, English, home economics, and Phys Ed. We don't use a curriculum to teach these things, or categorize them as such, but it's happening whether she realizes it or not.

Here's a peak into our week:

Bible

After breakfast, we read the story of Naomi and Ruth. I chose this story as part of our theme because it takes place during harvest time. Our memory verse is Leviticus 23: 22:
"And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not make clean riddance of the corners of thy field when thou reapest, neither shalt thou gather any gleaning of thy harvest: thou shalt leave them unto the poor, and to the stranger: I am the Lord your God."We discussed what kind of principles God is trying to teach us through this verse and how we can apply them to our lives:

• Why should we share from the bounty that God has given us?
• Should poor people still work to get their food or should they rely on rich people to collect their grain and bake their bread? (the role of government, socialism) Read Proverbs 10:5; 6:6-8; 13:11; 19:15
• What things has the Lord blessed us with that we can give to someone else? Read Proverbs 11:25; 19:17; 22:9; 28:27
• Who can we bless this week and how? (Make plans to visit a nursing home, invite someone over for dinner, or drop off toys or clothes to someone that could use them)

• Count, add and subtract with leaves.
• Discover fractions while making pumpkin puree for our 7-month old (quarter, half, and whole pumpkin).

• Use as many adjectives as you can think of to describe various "Fall" objects (i.e. leaf: big, red, thin, pretty, maple, broken, wide, etc.)
• Read "Autumn Fires" poem by Robert Louis Stevenson (Included in 1 Week of Fall Activities and Printables for Preschoolers)

• Read Animals in the Fall Preparing for Winter by Martha Rustad, Why Do Leaves Change Color by Betsy Maestro and Seasons by Robin Nelson. (More reading suggestions in 1 Week of Fall Activities and Printables for Preschoolers)
• Go on Treasure Hunt (Alphabetical list of objects in 1 Week of Fall Activities and Printables for Preschoolers). Identify and collect items on the list using a field guide.

• What is it called when animals go South in the Fall? Can you name some animals that do this?
• How many seasons are in a year? What are they called?
• What is a "cycle"?
• Who made the Earth so that it is tilted?
• What happens inside a leaf to make it change color?

Art

• Make a "Thankful Tree." (Instructions in 1 Week of Fall Activities and Printables for Preschoolers)
• Create a Corn Husk Doll. (Instructions in 1 Week of Fall Activities and Printables for Preschoolers)
• Paint a Pumpkin. (Instructions in 1 Week of Fall Activities and Printables for Preschoolers)

• Bake leaf-shaped sugar cookies and decorate them (Instructions in 1 Week of Fall Activities and Printables for Preschoolers).
• Dehydrate apple peelings to make Apple Twigs ((Instructions in 1 Week of Fall Activities and Printables for Preschoolers).
• Make and freeze sweet potato and squash puree for Anna.

Phys Ed.

• Rake leaves!
• Hike through the woods for our Treasure Hunt.
• Pick apples at an orchard.

FREE! Download and print your copy here.

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I can't believe I'm already saying this, but our "little" (18+ lbs) boy Judah will be half a year old this month and is nearly ready to sample his first taste of "big people food!" To kick off the big celebration, purred organic carrots are on the menu. I like to start with carrots because they're naturally sweet, are the highest vegetable source of beta-carotene (which the body converts into Vitamin A) which is good for the eyes, contain many anti-oxidants, and are easily digestible.

Making your own baby food is a great way to ensure a healthy start on solids. You know exactly what your baby is eating and can pronounce all the ingredients. It's not a difficult task either; all that's required is a little time. And, for those of you who are concerned about finances, you'll be happy to hear that you can make your own baby food for about 10% of the store-bought variety (I made mine at $0.08 per serving compared to $0.79 per jarred serving).

Here's how to do it in 7 easy steps:

1. Wash and peel carrots

2. Chop 'em up

3. Steam carrots in a minimal amount of water until just tender.

4. Puree in blender until completely smooth.
Add some of the cooking water if you need to thin it out a little.

5. Spoon into ice cube trays and freeze.

6. Once frozen, transfer to freezer bags in meal-sized portions.
Seal tightly and return to freezer.

7. To serve, simple warm in saucepan or microwave.
Doesn't it almost look too pretty to eat?

Burgers are one of our favorite ways to start off a weekend! These are gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, Trim Healthy Mama friendly, and mighty tasty. Topped with crispy, bacon, sharp cheddar, fresh lettuce, juicy onion, tangy mustard, and creamy mayo... it's a guilt-free party in your mouth.

Time: 10 minutes plus grilling
Servings: 5-6 burgers
Gluten free, dairy-free, soy-free, Satisfying for THMer's.

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup finely diced onion
• 1 Tbsp ketchup (no sugar) mixed with 1 Tbsp water
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1/2 cup almond flour
• 1 lb organic ground beef
• Seasonings to taste: salt, pepper, garlic powder

To keep the burgers THM friendly, use portobello mushrooms as buns or a low-carb pita (such as Joseph's) for a Satisfying meal.

We enjoy our burgers with:

• mayo
• mustard
• ketchup
• lettuce
• red onion
• tomato
• cucumbers (or pickles)
• bacon