Crème Brûlée

Crème brûlée is, hands down, my favourite dessert ever. If I were stranded on a deserted island and could only choose one thing to eat for the rest of my life, this is it. It's creamy, rich, and delicious. I like it hot or cold, for dessert or breakfast, and anything in between. And, it is so easy!

The Recipe:

8 egg yolks
1L 18% cream
1/4 to 1/2 cup of organic sugar, or coconut sugar, plus extra for sprinkling on top
splash of vanilla

The Method:

Pour the cream and vanilla into a saucepan. Heat over medium until hot but do not boil. Stir often.

Add egg yolks and sugar to your mixer and whisk together.

When cream is hot, pour slowly into the egg mixture while your mixer is running.

Pour into ramekins. You will need about 8 of these.

Place ramekins on a rimmed cookie sheet, and add water to the cookie sheet. Fill it fairly full.

Bake at 300 degrees for about 40 minutes. You want it to be set.

Take out of oven and sprinkle with sugar.

Turn your oven to broil, and move the rack to the top or second level.

Put the pan back in the oven, and watch carefully! The tops will caramelize in 3 to 5 minutes, on the second rack. I like mine a little under done.

Try to let it cool off a bit before you devour the entire thing! I am not great at that part!

Young Living Essential Oils

I have always loved essential oils. I have used them regularly for years. Lavender to relax, peppermint to relieve a headache, lemon for cleaning, and tea tree for disinfecting. But there is so much more to them than just those four. And the massive selection can be overwhelming! That is one of the reasons I have joined  Young Living. I have looked at this company for a very long time, because I truly believe in the power of essential oils, but I was afraid of the start up costs. Then, the other day, opportunity knocked, and I signed up with the company FOR FREE! Now, I have the privilege of sharing these amazing oils directly with everyone I know!


The oil I am most excited about right now is the Thieves Oil blend. I know several mamas who swear by this one during cold and flu season. Diffusing Thieves Oil each day helps to improve the indoor air quality in your home. Not to mention how yummy it smells! This one is on my "MUST HAVE" list this season!







What is your favourite way to use essential oils?

Fermented Carrots and Cucumbers

I love fermentation. There is something about taking fresh produce and making it even better for you that appeals to the health nut in me. What's not to love? Fizzy, probiotic, delicious creations that are simple to make, and require almost no effort. Sounds like something you and I should be doing more often!

For this batch of ferments, I decided to make two things: cucumbers (aka pickles), and carrots. Let's start with our supplies:


- Mason jars with rings and lids,  1L size
 - Cutting board
- Sharp knife
- Measuring spoon, 1tbsp size
- Sea salt, 1tbsp per jar
- Whey (get the recipe here), 1tbsp per jar










 - Carrots, approximately 8 per jar

- Cucumbers, approximately 5 per jar

- Garlic, 2+ cloves per jar

- Dill, 3+ sprigs per jar

- Mustard seed, 1tbsp per jar for cucumbers ONLY

- Filtered water, to fill jar

Now that we have our supplies covered, here's what to do:

1. Put 1tbsp each of whey and salt into each jar.
2. Slice and add garlic to each jar. You may leave them whole if you like.
3. Chop or slice your veggies however you desire. I left my carrots whole, and did one jar of whole cucumbers and one sliced.
4. Add veggies to jar, alternating with your sprigs of dill.
5. Add mustard seed to jars with cucumbers only.
6. Fill jars with filtered water, stopping no more than one inch from the top of the jar.
7. Put the lids on, and set the jars on the counter.

That's it! Simple, right?

The next step is to leave the jars on the counter for a minimum of three days, or until they are fermented to your liking. Just be careful if it is very warm or if you are leaving the jars a long time, as pressure may build up and your jars could explode. I have never had that happen, but better safe than sorry!
Once your ferment is ready, transfer it to the fridge. Again, be careful when opening the jars. I have had the lid shoot off when I loosened the jar ring.

Here are my jars, four days later. Check out the lovely bubbles! I can't wait to open them. Into the fridge they go, so that tomorrow they will be ready to snack on. Yum!

Makin' Whey! (And, A BONUS!)

Today's post is like a preamble for a few recipes I will be making later this week. I have plans to make some slow food in the form of ferments!

I love fermentation. It is amazing on so many levels. Preserving food without any electricity, actually increasing nutritional content, and supplying those oh-so-good for you probiotics. Not to mention how yummy they are! Some of my favorite things to ferment are cucumbers, carrots, and salsa. Look for a post later in the week detailing how I prepare at least a couple of those! Most of my recipes are inspired by Sally Fallon's cook book, Nourishing Traditions. If you haven't had a chance to check it out, I HIGHLY recommend it.

Ferments can be made by just adding a lot of salt in water along with your veggies, but I like to use whey instead, along with a little salt. Whey is the liquid that separates out when you strain yogurt, or clabbered milk. For simplicity's sake, I like to use yogurt. Are you ready? Here we go!



1 750g container of full fat plain yogurt
A bowl
A dish towel
A place to hang your towel from

1. Lay the dish towel centered in the bowl.
2. Dump in the entire container
3. Close up the dish towel, but do not squeeze it.
4. Hang the yogurt filled towel over the bowl.
5. Leave it alone until it stops dripping (usually around 6 hours)

Whey

The liquid that has dripped into the bowl is your whey! You can use it right away, or store it in a glass container with a lid in your refrigerator until you are ready to use it. Simple, right?

BUT WAIT! There's more!
Open up the dish towel. Inside, you will find cream cheese! I use it for so many things. Stuffed jalapenos, on salmon with fresh dill, made into a dip, or just on crackers or toast. So yummy!

Welcome!

Hello! Are you ready to start your journey to a better you? I know it is something I work toward daily. Life can creep up on you so quickly, and before you know it, you aren't feeling as well as you should be, you're tired, stressed out,  your joints hurt, or you have gained a few pounds. This isn't what you expected. It doesn't have to be that way! You can begin today, right now, with even a small change. If you are really starting at square one, DRINK MORE WATER. Actually, most people can use a reminder to drink more water, even me. Carry a bottle with you everywhere you go, and take a drink whenever you feel the need. You say you don't like water? Add your own flavorings! Lemon, lime, oranges, berries, cucumber, and watermelon are all delicious choices. Water is important for detoxification, and it is what carries minerals in your bloodstream. We all need water!

But, that is just the first step! There is so much to explore. I know I have a long way to go. Life is good, let's get healthy and enjoy it together! Are YOU up for the challenge?