Spicing up your life - Herb and Seasoning Blends

Kitchen Seasonings – Salts and Herb Blends

For your own culinary pleasure or for a great gift, you can make seasonings that match your tastes and beat anything you can buy!

I like to work with several types of seasonings, all distinctly different. Herb Blends, Seasoned Salts, Herb/spice blends and, possibly may favorite, Infused Salts.

Herb Blends are a combination of dried herbs. Once crushed or chopped, herbs lose their potency, so it’s best to only make a small amount of these at a time. You can add dried minced garlic or onion to some of these. The ingredients generally keep their individual characteristics which blends in the cooking of the food you add them to.

Seasoned Salts are a simple combination of salt and ground spices. Many dry rubs are essentially seasoned salts.

Herb/spice blends, made with dried herbs and spices, are great to have on hand for quick ethnic dishes. I keep a ‘Mexican’ blend to liven up chili or refritos.

Infused salts, are a combination of fresh herbs and garlic blended into salt, then dried, lending their flavor to the salt itself. These are incredible on grilled meats, fish, vegetables and many other dishes, as well as used right at the table.

For the following recipes do NOT use iodized table salt. Choose Sea Salt, Kosher Salt, Sal Gris or whatever you prefer. You do not want the texture to be too fine.

RECIPES:

Herb Blends - Here are 3 blends of herbs we grow, dry, and combine to brighten our meals. Several of these herbs are hard to find in the store.

FISH FEST:

Sprinkle Fish Fest over any kind of seafood before cooking. Also sprinkle with a bit of lemon pepper or a squirt of lemon juice.
Lemon Thyme - Wonderful fragrant perennial.
Lemon Basil - Another wonderful basil. Loves hot weather. Annual that you can harvest it repeatedly and it will rapidly grow back as do all the basils. Just remember to cut it above 2 new leaf shoots.
*Lemon Basil and Lemon Thyme are hard to find in stores, so plan ahead and grow your own if you want to try this blend.
Dillweed - The feathery leaves, not the seeds.

Oregano - Another hardy perennial. Greek is milder, Mexican stronger, use accordingly. We prefer Greek.
Sweet Marjoram - Very fragrant annual. Relative to Oregano, used with eggs, vegies and meats.
Celery leaves - I actually grow a specific type of celery that mainly produces leaves. You can save the leaves from celery (organic) you buy and dry them in a colander or basket after trimming from the stalk.
Garlic - Garlic granules or dried, minced, garlic. Garlic granules are slightly coarser than garlic powder, and are definitely NOT garlic salt. Store it in glass jar with airtight lid.
Onion Granules - this we buy as well. Both can be purchased from the bulk jars at your Co-op or Natural Food store as well as through spice outlet online..

ITALIAN SEASONING:

Add to tomato sauce for pasta, lasagna, or any tomato dish or sprinkle on pizza.
Oregano, Sweet Basil, Rosemary, Thyme, Garlic
See above for all of these.
Fennel Seed - We buy these, toast lightly in a small, heavy pan (we use cast iron) and then crush it slightly with a mortar and pestle.

MEAT TREAT:

Sprinkle over chicken, turkey, roasts, whatever, before cooking. Add 1 or 2 teaspoons to oil and vinegar with 1/2 teaspoon salt for a nice herb vinaigrette.
Rosemary - Easy to grow perennial in the ground or a pot.
Sweet Basil - Hot weather annual, easy to grow, pick repeatedly to keep from flowering and it will grow back.
Thyme - The regular sort, varigated or plain, perennial with tiny leaves.
Bay Leaves - Mediterranean Bay (the kind you get in stores) is milder. If you use the west coast native Bay Laurel, use it sparingly.
Garlic – (See above)

PREPARING THE HERBS (if you grow your own):
All the herbs listed here are harvested early in the morning after the dew has dried off of them, and hung in bunches by their stems in a well ventilated place out of direct sunlight. I like to use a rubber band to hold the bunch and a twisty-tie from vegetables I purchased at the store, or string, tied on to hang them by. The rubber band conveniently stays tight as the herbs dry and the soft stems of basil and others shrink in diameter. Woody stemmed plants such as rosemary and thyme have no problem. As to the bay, I just prune off a very small branch full of leaves to dry . Herbs dry well inside a perforated paper bag, keeping them out of direct light.
When dry, strip the leaves from the stems and store as whole leaves in airtight containers (we use glass jars) in a cool, dark cupboard. When you make a blend or use the herbs directly in cooking - that is the time to crush or chop them. Once broken they will lose their aromatic and flavor qualities faster.
(By the way, you can save the stems and bundle them, tie with cotton or jute string, and throw on hot coals when grilling for herbally flavored smoked meats. You can also place them in the cavity of poultry when roasting)

ASSEMBLING THE BLENDS:
This is the inventive part. I never measure anything unless I have to, and cannot begin to give you exact measurements for any of these, but I do have some "rules of thumb".

In all the blends use equal amounts of the large leafy herbs (basil, oregano, dill, celery).
Grind these coarsely with a herb grinder (there are many styles, I like the Mouli Parsmint best - shown in photo) or chop with a knife.

Thyme and rosemary are more compact, use only ½ to ⅔ the amount of one of the others after grinding. You can run the rosemary through the grinder as well.

To ½ cup blended herbs add 1 or 2 large bay leaves, ground, and/OR 1 Tablespoon garlic granules and/OR 1 Tablespoon onion granules, or 2 teaspoons fennel seed, as called for. (If you use bay laurel, use less).

Mix all ingredients in a bowl, then store in an airtight container until used. Best used within 6 months.

Herb/Spice mixes

Great in beans, stews, casseroles – you will find many uses.

Cajun Mix  - Good in red beans, Hopping John, shrimp, eggs, be creative!

1 Tablespoon white pepper, ground

1 Tablespoon black pepper, ground

1 Tablespoon onion granules

2 Tablespoons sea salt

1 Tablespoon dried thyme leaves

1 Tablespoon dry mustard

¼ cup paprika           

1 Tablespoon dried oregano leaves

2 Tablespoons cumin

2 Tablespoons sugar

Combine ingredients, putting dried herbs through herb grinder (see herb blends). Store in airtight container. Best used within 6 months.

Mexican Seasoning –Great in chili, enchilada sauce, refritos, fajitas and more. From Sunset  Recipe Annual cookbook (recipes from 1989, published in 1990)

¼ cup chili powder

2 tablespoons EACH: ground cumin, ground coriander, dry oregano leaves, dry basil leaves

1 tablespoon EACH: dry thyme leaves, garlic powder

¾ teaspoon cayenne

Stir together ingredients. You can grind dry herbs as noted above. Store in airtight container. Best used within 6 months.

Seasoned Salts

The simplest of all to make. Just measure and blend. Store up to six months in an airtight container.

Everyday Season Salt - Use as for any commercial Seasoned Salt. Use on everything from salads to scrambled eggs, meats of all kinds.

Ingredients:

¼ cup Kosher or Sea Salt

4 teaspoons ground black pepper

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon garlic powder (NOT garlic salt)

½ teaspoon onion powder

½ teaspoon ground red pepper

Directions:

Place all ingredients in airtight container. Stir or shake until combined thoroughly. Best used within 6 months.

References: Drying herbs: http://nchfp.uga.edu/how/dry/herbs.html
Storing herbs & spices: http://nchfp.uga.edu/how/store/texas_storage.pdf 

Type ‘A’ Grilling Rub (An ‘overachiever’ - good on anything! From Weber grill newsletter)

This recipe makes around 2 tablespoons. I often quadruple it to have enough to store for other occasions.

1 teaspoon dry mustard

1 teaspoon granulated onion

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon granulated garlic

½ teaspoon ground coriander

½ teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon ground black pepper (freshly ground if possible)

Directions:

Combine ingredients. Press rub into all sides of meat or fish and refrigerate for 1 hour prior to grilling. To intensify flavors.

Store in airtight container. Best used within 6 months.

Infused Salts

Use to “salt” roasts or meat for grilling of all kinds from pork and beef to chicken, game birds, and duck. It’s also great on vegetables of all kinds, dried beans, popcorn, potatoes, eggs, etc.

Ingredients

• 4 to 5 garlic cloves, peeled
• 3/4 cup kosher salt, sea salt, or other non-iodized salt
• About 2 cups loosely-packed, pungent fresh herbs such as sage, rosemary, thyme, savory, or small amounts of lavender, peppercorns, citrus zest, chive flowers...
• (For Tuscan herb salt use a mix of fresh rosemary and sage)

·       Hand-Chopped Method

·       Cut each garlic clove lengthwise through the center, remove the sprout (if any) in the center and set aside for other cooking.

·        

·       Mound the salt and garlic on a cutting board. Use a chef’s knife to mince the garlic, blending it with the salt as you work.

·        

·       Place herbs in a mound and coarsely chop them. Add the herbs to the garlic salt and chop them together to the texture of coarse sand.

·        

·       Spread salt on baking sheet and leave near open window for a few days to dry. Or in preheated oven (low) with heat turned off for a few hours. Store in clean, dry jars.

·       Food Processor Method

·       Prepare garlic as noted above In the work bowl of a food processor, combine the garlic and 2 tablespoons of the salt. Pulse until the garlic is chopped medium-coarse. Add the herbs and continue pulsing until the mixture is the texture of very coarse sand. Transfer to a sheet pan and toss with the remaining salt.

·       Dry as noted above. Store in airtight container in dry, dark place. Keeps almost indefinitely!

Musings on Unseen Enemies

Humans are an odd lot. We can approach the same situation with terror, disdain, flippance, acceptance, complacency or curiosity... sometimes all at the same time! Sometimes our instincts serve us well. Others, well, there are a whole series of jokes and videos based on ‘watch this!’.

Often the situations that cause this cascade of reactions are ones that make us uneasy. Ones we may be fearful of or that we don’t understand. Something new and confusing. I believe that we are faced with situations like this everyday at some level or another and we ease into handling them without too much anxiety. Locating a new address, figuring out a new appliance, trying a new food, meeting a new person...

When the issue faced is large and may have dangerous results and, in particular, can be predicted ahead of time it is hard not to go through the extremes of these reactions. Whether it is a big storm like a hurricane or tornado or that can cause floods or other damage, or bad wildfire conditions that raise our insurance rates (if we can get it) or cause power shutoffs, or a new virus spreading out from it’s point of origin, the longer we have to prepare the easier it is to react emotionally rather than rationally.

If you know me at all, you know I am an infinitely curious person. I am fascinated by our new technology and how it has enhanced our ability to know what’s happening in the atmosphere or underground or in our bodies. I am interested in where things came from and the long term history that shows what has happened in the past and offers clues to the future.
You may also know that I have long been intrested in community emergency response, working with EMS and communications, and emergency preparedness. I study up on this stuff and find it useful and fascinating.

So I look at the immediate issue of the response to this new health threat and am amazed at the tools we now have to help us recognise, predict, and prepare for it. I am fascinated that we have the statistics in real time to show us the pattern it takes as it travels around the globe and how the actions taken in different places affect it’s spread. I am dumbfounded by some of the responses people take (toilet paper? I just don’t get it!), worried when they are terrified (this could take a while, save your energy), and alarmed when it’s not taken seriously.

This is not going to be easy in any case, no matter how intriguing it is to watch. The medical response folks and organizations around the world are not ‘crying wolf’ for fun. The economic engine that depends on us gathering and spending and working in close contact is going to take a hard, if temporary, hit. And the organizations we have put in place to keep us safe are in the hardest place of all. Like the weather forecast - they want us to prepare for the worst and expect the best. If the storm doesn’t arrive as predicted we blame them (as if there are not enough variables in the atmosphere to make any prediction a close, but not 100% guarantee). And in this case, if we do a good job and it doesn’t become a massive disaster we tend to blame the emergency organizations and not pay attention to future warnings. It’s human nature.

So here’s the thing... we have the choice of preparing and being wrong about the severity and/or having the virus mutate and peter out, preparing and having it be bad but contained, or not preparing and it petering out after a lot of folks get sick and a number of them dying or not preparing and having it be disasterous.
Because of the amount of distance travel in the modern world, this genie was already out of the bottle, likely by the time it became active, last December (and, no, that flu you had in America or Europe back in November/December was not COVID-19 unless you had just come from Wuhan, China). People who had been exposed but not come down with symptoms had likely left the region before the seriousness had been accepted. As the serious nature of this new disease has become clear the world started working to contain it as best as possible.
But here’s the thing: This is a NEW (novel) disease. Unless you have it now you, me, NOBODY, has anti-bodies to this. So pretty much everyone will get it. And you will either be sick or be a carrier.

I know too many wonderful people who fit the high-risk category to feel good about this.

Stuff to know:
This is NOT AIRBORNE (like measles). This is spread by droplets - That is, if an infected person coughs or
sneezes, droplets spray out up to 6 or 7 feet (unless they are wearing a mask or cover their cough with an elbow or tissue). These droplets attach to what they land on. They will stay active on that surface for a few days.

If you get residue from these droplets on your skin they will not necessarily infect you, but you will be able to pass them on to things (or people) you touch. If you get them on mucus membranes (eyes, nose, mouth) they can infect you. I don’t know about you, but I tend to rub my eyes a lot, this could infect me if I get a germ on my hands. Anyhow, this is why you want to wash or disinfect your hands a lot.

Just because we are facing this new virus doesn’t mean we still won’t catch colds, have allergies flare up, or get the more common flu. If you get sick that doesn’t necessarily mean you have the COVID-19 virus. But be aware. If you are concerned, call your medical provider and go from there.

If we work now to slow (not prevent, too late for that) the spread of this virus it will help us be able to serve those who become desperately ill with it. If it moves fast and too many are gravely ill at once we create a situation where healthcare workers will be forced to choose who gets treatment and who has to wait, no matter what the outcome.

And remember, if this does become part of our permanent future, over time we will all have some antibodies,  and treatments and vaccines will become available. With luck it will become another malady like the common flu. Still deadly, but something we can deal with.

Please everyone, be patient and take care of each other. It may be a pain, but it will pass.

Starting all over again

We’re just touching base after a 7 year hiatus to say we’re planning to start writing on this BLOG again.

Much has happened with us, as in the rest of the world in those passing years. We sold our business and are living with continuous major roadwork. We have been posting our musings in briefer form on facebook. We have become more involved in volunteer work from food preservation to Emergency Medical Services and Emergency Response Team and citizen science projects.
And much has remained the same as we continue to live on our off-grid, mostly self-sufficient mountain homestead.

Many of the things we wrote about starting in 2008: the environment; staying healthy; voting, are more important than ever. If you haven’t read our BLOG before, please consider looking over our earlier posts for things you might be interested in.

Staying home here while this coronavirus/ COVID-19 social isolation period is in effect is easy. It is important to have a place you are comfortable for those times. And a stack of videos and/or good books.

Be a Force of Nature

Stormfront

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) partnered to designate March 3-9, 2013, as National Severe Weather Preparedness Week, and is calling upon all Americans to Be a Force of Nature.
Simmons Natural Bodycare is committed to Being a Force of Nature and pledges to do so by: knowing our risk, taking action, and being an example for our families and community by sharing the steps we took. Because we live in an area prone to severe storms, floods, and high wind, the recent severe weather around the country reminds us that this weather can strike anywhere and at any time.

Just last year, there were more than 450 weather-related fatalities and nearly 2,600 injuries. Each time severe weather threatens we hear stories of ordinary Americans who do the extraordinary to save loved ones – a mother protecting her children by shielding them from flying debris, a homeowner opening up his storm shelter to neighbors, neighbors helping a senior in a wheelchair get to a safe shelter, individuals ensuring friends are aware of the current watch or warning in their area.
Tornadoes struck approximately 46 states, caused over $1.6 billion in damage and nearly 70 fatalities. There were more than 935 tornadoes in 2012, with 206 in April alone. While April and May are peak months, tornadoes happen all year round.
Building a Weather-Ready Nation requires that every individual and community take action because severe weather knows no boundaries and affects us all. Be a Force of Nature by making a public pledge to be prepared at ready.gov/severe-weather.


What can you do to Prepare?

Knowing your risk, taking action and being an example by sharing your knowledge and actions through your social network are just a few steps you can take to be better prepared and assist in saving lives.

Know Your Risk: The first step to becoming weather-ready is to understand the type of hazardous weather that can affect where you live and work, and how the weather could impact you and your family. Every state in the United States has experienced tornadoes and severe weather, so everyone is exposed to some degree of risk.
Here we can lose communication and power due to severe winter storms, have road closures from floods in the low lands, snow or landslides in the mountains. Dangerous driving conditions can arise from ice or hail.
Check the weather forecast regularly and visit ready.gov/severe-weather to learn more about how to be better prepared and how you can protect your family during emergencies.

Pledge and Take Action: Be Force of Nature by taking the Pledge to Prepare at ready.gov/severe-weather. When you pledge to prepare, you will take the first step to making sure that you and your family are prepared for severe weather. This includes filling out your family communications plan that you can email to yourself, putting an emergency kit together, keeping important papers and valuables in a safe place, and getting involved.
Obtain a NOAA Weather Radio, and check to see if your cell phone is equipped to receive Wireless Emergency Alerts and sign up for localized alerts from emergency management officials. Stay informed by having multiple sources for weather alerts - NOAA Weather Radio, Weather.gov, and Wireless Emergency Alerts. Subscribe to receive alerts at www.weather.gov/subscribe.

Be an Example: Once you have taken action and pledged to Be a Force of Nature, share your story with your family and friends. Create a video and post on a video sharing site; post your story on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, comment on a blog, or share through any other social media site. Technology today makes it easier than ever to be a good example and share the steps you took to help us achieve the vision of a Weather-Ready Nation.
Join us today and pledge to prepare for the severe weather in our area.


Get Information: Stay informed on the different types of severe weather such as tornadoes, severe thunderstorms and flooding at www.weather.gov and ready.gov/severe-weather or the Spanish-language web site www.listo.gov.

"I have one word for you...Plastics."

"Plastics" That one word made a memorable quote in the 1967 movie "The Graduate". Referring in the story to 'the product of the future' and a great career move. They were right.

The very first plastic was made in 1869, slowly evolving until after World War II. Since then the proliferation of synthesized polymers in every aspect of our lives has made it one of the great material pollutants on earth... not to mention that most plastics are made from oil
( http://www.howstuffworks.com/plastic.htm ).

Here is an excellent article: 
 A Brief History of Plastic's Conquest of the World

What makes plastic so great? It can be made into any kind of object and is resistant to solvents. What makes plastic so bad? Even though plastic products are nearly indestructible, they lose their usefulness and as waste they can take centuries to decay. They are toxic when they burn and only some of them are recyclable.

degraded plastic

Some plastic 'photo degrades'. This means it breaks down in sunlight into smaller & smaller pieces without ever really disappearing, becoming a hazard to wildlife, which ingests it. There are large islands of plastic waste in our oceans ( http://marinedebris.noaa.gov/info/patch.html#5 ).

Try to limit the use of plastic in your everyday life. One easy way is to take a re-useable, washable fabric shopping bag with you to the store. Another way is to purchase items made with natural materials such as wood. Or metal water bottles and glass food storage containers. Try to get items for which there is no natural substitute, made from recycled plastic, if possible. Beth Terry writes about living without plastic. Follow her here.

the oceans are our trash bin

It's practically impossible to get plastic entirely out of your life (this computer, for example), but every little bit helps.

This month, April, is designated as Earth Month, but every month - every DAY -  we should be conscious of how our actions affect the health and future of our planetary habitat. We work toward a sustainable future any way we can.

For some natural alternatives, see our  natural body care tools online

Remember...

Today is set aside for remembrance & recognition of the wars that have been fought and the brave servicemen and women who serve. Not to glorify war, but to recognize it's existence and all that it means. Please also read my 2009 post: 'War & Peace".


Thanks to Bubbleman Tom Noddy for posting this:

Today, November 11, 2012, would have been Kurt Vonnegut's 90th birthday. But, what he thought was sacred was the recognition of the end of the First World War on November 11.

Armistice Day. Vonnegut was a war veteran but he didn't care much about Veterans' Day, he continued to celebrate the day by its original name ... Armistice Day. 

"When I was a boy ... all the people of all the nations which had fought in the First World War were silent during the eleventh minute of the eleventh hour of Armistice Day, which was the eleventh day of the eleventh month.

"It was during that minute in nineteen hundred and eighteen, that millions upon millions of human beings stopped butchering one another. I have talked to old men who were on battlefields during that minute. They have told me in one way or another that the sudden silence was the Voice of God. So we still have among us some men who can remember when God spoke clearly to mankind."

Every day, work toward Peace, Honor the dead, Respect the living. _/|\_

Election's over - now for a Shameless Plug!

 

Shop with us on Small Business Saturday – Nov 24th

Between Black Friday and Cyber Monday sits Small Business Saturday®,

a day dedicated to helping small businesses and their communities.

We at Simmons Natural Bodycare are proud to take part in Small Business Saturday

this year

We want to encourage you to Shop Small® with us on November 24th.
On Small Business Saturday, we are excited to offer a special discount.

Check out our website after Nov. 20 to see what it is!

Visit ShopSmall.com to learn about other ways to get involved and support
your favorite small businesses. Also, don’t forget to “Like” and recommend
us on Facebook at facebook.com/SimmonsNaturals !

Thank you for supporting Small Business Saturday 2012.

And thank you for supporting Simmons Natural Bodycare this Holiday Season!

(S)He who Hesitates...

The 2012 Election is coming up fast! Just over a month until Election day - Tuesday, November 6 - and we will be choosing yet again who will be the man representing us as a country, officials on the state and local level, as well as other referendums, depending on where you live. There is always a lot going on on election day.

Often no one exactly fits the bill of what we are looking for, and we feel as if we are choosing the lesser  of two poor choices, or we may decide it's not worth voting at all, but in reality that is never the case. Your vote counts and it DOES make a difference, in all elections and particularly in the state and local ones.

"We in America do not have government by the majority. We have government by the majority who participate." -Thomas Jefferson, third US president (1743-1826)

It is important to register early, especially this year when your state may have new rules or restrictions that you need to know about. While the goal of a democracy is an equal vote for every citizen, it isn't always simple to get that chance to vote. You have to get registered, and you have to exercise the right once you are.

de·moc·ra·cy 

noun 

plural de·moc·ra·cies

1

a : government by the people; especially : rule of the majority

b : a government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised by them directly or indirectly through a system of representation usually involving periodically held free elections

2

: a political unit that has a democratic government

3

: the common people especially when constituting the source of political authority

4

: the absence of hereditary or arbitrary class distinctions or privileges

Here is a link to all the information you need to vote in the next election, no matter where you live: Register to Vote

People who do not live where this is an option wish it was. What makes it work is our participation. Remember, if you do not choose, the choice will be made for you. Vote!

Water - for a Beautiful, Healthy Life!

Water - your health & beauty depend on it! The most important thing you can do, especially in hot weather, is stay hydrated.

We have all learned that water is the key to life. Drinking an adequate amount of liquid daily is important to maintain your health as water aids in digestion, circulation, absorption and even excretion. All your body's cells are mainly water and, as we constantly lose water through respiration, perspiration, urination & more, it is important to ingest enough water to maintain proper balance.

I want to add that as we age we tend to drink less liquids, and dehydration has many symptoms that are mistaken for other problems - including fogginess of the mind! It's important to be aware of your own consumption of water & water-rich foods & to be aware of the signs and water drinking habits of your loved ones as well.

It can even save a life.

So how does this relate to beauty?

Well, not just because we all look best when we are healthy, but that skin, the largest organ of the body, relies on water to be healthy, soft, & supple. If your skin is not getting sufficient hydration you will soon notice it turning dry, tight and flaky. Dry skin has less resilience and is more prone to wrinkling.  

As we lose water every day, it needs to be replaced. Unfortunately, the water you drink will reach all the other organs before it reaches the skin. So, it's important to care for your skin, particularly in dry, hot weather.

So what is the best way to add water to the skin?

• Apply a hydrating moisturizer within 2 minutes of leaving the bath or shower. The skin is still porous and is vulnerable to products that are applied following the bath or shower, allowing better absorption. This can be something as simple as olive oil, lotion, or skin creme. It doesn't need to be something fancy and expensive to achieve a good result.
• Drink more water. Drinking at least 8 - 8oz. glasses a day will help rid the body and skin of toxins. Some of this can be in the form of high water content foods (download this PDF chart) or juices. REMEMBER that caffeinated or alcoholic beverages act as diuretics, effectively causing you to lose more liquid in the long run, so don't count those in the total.

Learn more about how keeping well hydrated benefits your health here.

Of course, access to pure drinking water can be a challenge as we stress Earth's supply. Read more about water at 'Water, Water Everywhere'

Be aware of the physical 'Dangers of Dehydration'.

And use natural & organic products to help rejuvenate dry skin.

Mairzy Doats...

"Mairzy doats and dozy doats
And liddle lamzy divey
A kiddley divey too, wouldn't you?
Yes! Mairzy doats and dozy doats
and liddle lamzy divey
A kiddley divey too, wouldn't you?"

I grew up on this song & Oatmeal for breakfast. Oatmeal cookies and later Granola & Granola Bars and knowing oats were good food and good for your health. Much later I learned how good oats were for your skin, used externally, as well.

Oatmeal's many skin care benefits have been known since antiquity. Its skin-soothing powers were known as early as 2000 BC, and to this day, the FDA cites it as effective for relieving dryness and inflammation, clinically shown to help heal dry, itchy skin. Many people who suffer from eczema find that an oatmeal bath helps releive their symptoms. Oats are totally hypoallergenic unlike many of the ingredients that are given to people who have eczema by doctors. Oats can also soothe chicken pox, mosquito bites, and dry skin (caused by excessive central heating, pollution etc.) They soothe mild burns, any type of irritated skin.

Because oats are slightly rough, they are also a gentle natural exfoliant, softening & smoothing the skin and you will find colloidal (finely powdered) oatmeal in soothing body soaks, moisturizers and soaps.

(from the RealAge website)
"There are four reasons why your skin adores oatmeal," explains New York City dermatologist Amy Wechsler, MD:

1. Dryness fighting: Oats contain polysaccharides, which become gelatinous in water and leave a fine protective film on the skin, preventing dull, flaky dryness.
2. Moisturizing: Oats are full of healthy, lubricating fats.
3. Defense building: The proteins in oatmeal help maintain the skin's natural barrier function, which ensures that the world outside the skin stays out, and what's inside the skin stays in.
4. Pore cleansing: Oats are filled with natural cleansers (called saponins) that gently remove dirt and oil from the pores.
To reap all of these benefits, Wechsler suggests treating your skin to a colloidal oatmeal mask every week or two. Here's her super simple recipe -- good bet the ingredients are already in your kitchen.

The Skin Doc's Smoothing, Soothing Oatmeal Mask:

2 tablespoons old-fashioned oats
2 tablespoons hot water
1/2 tablespoon honey
1. Put the oats into a clean herb or coffee grinder on the finest setting, and process into powder.
2. Pour into a small bowl and stir in hot water and honey. Let stand for 5 minutes.
3. Wash face with warm water. While skin is still damp, massage paste onto face, circling around eyes and mouth. Leave on for 10 minutes.
4. Remove with tepid water and a washcloth. Apply your favorite moisturizer to seal the deal and set the glow.
P.S.: Don't stop eating oats just because you've transformed them into a beauty treatment! They're hard to beat as a source of health-protective soluble fiber -- and eating a high-fiber diet can make your RealAge up to 6 years younger.
---
Here are a few more radiance promoting, totally natural, make them yourself oat recipes from NaturalNews:

Oat and Brown Sugar Scrub:

2 Tbsp. ground oats
2 tsp. brown sugar
2 Tbsp. avocado
5-6 drops of the beautifying rose essential oil.

Mix all ingredients in a bowl until you have a smooth paste. Gently massage onto damp skin, and rinse off with warm water. Increase the dose for a full body super scrub.

Oat and Honey Milk Bath:

½ cup rolled oats
¼ cup almond milk
5-6 drops of lavender (to ensure that you truly chill out in your bath!)
Place the ingredients in a small, natural fabric bag, such as hemp, muslin or cheesecloth. Hang the bag under the faucet as you fill the tub, then put the bag into the bath as you soak up the goodies.

---

And, of course, you can enjoy these benefits as well from Simmons special Unscented & Almond scented Oatmeal soaps, both are rich in organic colloidal oats and rolled oats to maximize the soothing effect on your skin.

By the way, here's the rest of the song:

"If the words sound queer
And funny to your ear,
A little bit jumbled and jivey
Sing "Mares eat oats
And does eat oats
And little lambs eat ivy"

Summer Activities

Whether your inclination leans to gardening, hiking, or lounging by the pool, you can be sure the summer months will have you and your whole family spending time outdoors.

Be sure you do the simple things needed to keep that time happy & safe - without the unhappy results overexposure to hot weather can cause.

1) Drink lots of water! Not soda, beer or juice... Water. Dehydration is a factor many ailments, up to & including Heat Stroke. You are not always thirsty when you need to be. Know the warning signs: Irritability, confusion & dizziness, headache. Children may be fussy & tired, sleepy & less active. Infants can be fussy or not be urinating as much as usual. Read more here.

2) Use sunscreen & be moderate about time in the sun. Don't be extreme in either direction - we need to get out in the sun to be healthy, but over expose not only leads to painful sunburn and a risk of Melanoma, but to early aging of the skin. Learn more.

3) Protect dry skin. If you garden or wear sandals during these hot, dry months your hands & feet can take a particular beating. Between the dirt, heat & washing often to clean up, the skin can dry, crack and become callused. Be aware of this & remember to wear gloves &/or use products that protect the skin from losing its natural moisture. Check out our natural products, formulated especially for this purpose .

Here's to the best and most enjoyable Summer for everyone!

Outta this World

In the space of only a couple of weeks we have had 3 eclipses visible from here. THREE spectacular celestial events. WOW!

Those who know me know I'm in love with natural phenomena - see my earlier post: Phenomena.
These eclipses are no exception.

First we were right in line for the May 25, 2012 Annular Eclipse of the Sun, the so-called "Ring of Fire' eclipse, where the entire Sun is not blocked out, but leaves a circle around the moon's Dark Disk.
Last night, the full Strawberry Moon was partially eclipsed by the Earth's shadow.
Today, RIGHT NOW, the planet Venus is  in Transit across the face of our mighty star. No one alive today is likely to see this again, the next occurrence is in 2117.

These events help me internalize what it actually means to live on a planet orbiting through space in a cosmic dance with moons and stars and other planets. I am elated and humbled by the experience.

Experiencing these, and other, phenomena bring me to the moment in such an exciting way. Here. Now.

I am filled with joy to be part of this astounding universe.

Picking up Chicks...

Befitting Spring, we recently picked up some new chicks, the avian kind. Meat birds - Cornish Cross - not laying hens (we are trying another breed, Freedom Ranger, later as well). Our hens are in overdrive and we only add new blood to our laying flock every two or three years.

You may already know we go to extremes to house our happy hens (see our post "Coopus Optimus" ). While we love the birds, we love even more being able to tend to them with ease and convenience. If it's easy, we find we keep their lodging cleaner and well tended as we should. We are happier and the chickens are healthier &, presumably, happier, too.
To this end we built a brooder to replace the annual foil lined cardboard boxes we raised chicks in until they are big enough to be out on their own. Now in it's second year I am happy to report it is a great success and am willing to share it's design.

Using 1"x1/2" hardware cloth, J-clamps for connectors (Your local feed or hardware store should have these and the tool to clamp them. They are used for building cages), a utility tray (hardware store), the foil covered bubble insulation often used to wrap water heaters, and a couple miscellaneous handles, we built the cage.

The key to the project was wanting a brooder that was easy to clean. This entailed a removable pan that can slide out and be cleaned without disturbing the chicks.
 After much searching (baking pans, tupperware, etc.) we found these great Utility Trays at a local hardware store. They were big enough (18"x30" or more), but too deep (4" - 6"). But nothing else was even close to what we wanted. However, as there were heavy plastic we were able to cut it down to the 2" we wanted.
To finish it off we added a handle to one end.
Now we had the template for our brooder.

We hang short pieces of the insulation with wire to keep heat in.

 Next we built an elevated cage. The floor is very slightly larger than the dimensions of the tray, so it will slide in and out. The walls are 10" tall from the floor to accommodate the growing chicks for several weeks. To make it fit over the tray, that means the side & back walls are made from pieces of hardware cloth 12" tall, with the floor attached 2" from the bottom. The front wall is only 10" high and attaches at the floor, allowing a space to remove the tray.
We put a solid 'roof' on the back half of the brooder, and loosely attached the front half so that it could be opened to tend to our chicks.
We cut holes in the front to allow the use of a couple of rabbit feeder to use when the chicks were older. As new chicks they are not tall enough to access those feeders and we place a smaller chick feeder & waterer inside the cage.

Wooden knob is to open front 1/2 of top

Now, the most important thing for raising newborn chicks is keeping them warm. This is easiest to achieve using a light bulb. As we are off-grid and produce our own power (Power in the Storm), our out buildings are wired to 24vt power, similar to a boat. So we use marine 24vt bulbs.

Place insulated cover over lamp...

We use the insulated metallic bubble wrap to keep the heat in. We construct a 4-sided box to cover the back half of the cage, top & 3 sides, using duct tape to fasten the pieces. In the top we traced the edge of the lamp. Using that circle as a guide, we cut slits in the shape of pie slices so it fits over the lamp & keep the heat in.

$6 indoor/outdoor thermometer keeps track of conditions.

This year it was so cold when we got the chicks we made an additional 'inner sanctum' from a 10" wide, 3' long strip of the bubble insulation with a doorway cut into it. Taped into a cylinder, it fit right under the light to concentrate the heat (see final photo below). It works perfectly.
Now that it's warmed up we removed it and they are roaming more.

We regulate the temp. by wattage of light bulb (25wt or 50wt)

Now all you need are wood shavings, newspaper, or other bedding to put in the tray for the manure to fall into (it's just too disgusting otherwise). Turn on the light & add chicks!

Later in the season (when it quits raining) we plan to make a portable pen/chicken tractor so we can range our meat birds on our hilly pasture. We'll keep you posted.

Cozy in their new home

Breaking Bread Together...

Bread, in it's many forms, is a common tie for people all around the world. Since Biblical times bread has been considered so essential to the maintenance of human life that there was no act more social than sharing one's bread with others. 

It is comfort food, rounds out a simple meal paired with soup, salad, cheese. And even featured in a famous poem of love by Edward Fitzgerald.

"A jug of wine, a loaf of bread, & thou"

While I used to bake weekly when our children were growing up, since they left home I am not often inspired to spend the energy for a single loaf. We purchased a bread machine (which works great on our off-grid power) and much of our bread is baked there.
Then I discovered this incredibly easy method...

I am in love all over again! 
I had heard of this recipe it for some time. Our friend, Rose, made one & shared the recipe, which she found on the internet, a year or so ago (which I have here somewhere...). I found it again in M. Bittman's 'How to Cook Everything'. It requires almost NO effort & is SO good. 

NO WORK ARTISAN BREAD
Recipe: 
ingredients:
4 cups flour
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. yeast
2 cups lukewarm water

The night before:
In a large bowl mix all ingredients. Stir until blended completely for a sticky dough. Cover (I use a hotel issue shower cap) and let sit in a warm place at least 14 hours. 
It will form a bubbly sponge and can acquire almost a sourdough tang.

Next day:
Around 3-1/2 hours before you want to eat it, scrape the sponge onto a lightly floured surface & fold 3 or 4 times. Use only enough flour to keep it from sticking to you. Cover & let sit 15 minutes. 
Form into a ball using flour sparingly, as previously noted. Place ball, squished together side down, on an untextured dishtowel with a dusting of cornmeal on it, sprinkle a bit more cornmeal on top, cover with towel & let rise until double or finger pressure leaves an indentation. 
About 1/2 hour before it's done rising set an ungreased covered baking dish/dutch oven in oven & turn oven to 450 degrees. 
After 1/2 hour has passed take HOT pan out, flip dough into pan, squished together side now up, & cover with hot lid, return to oven & bake, covered at 450! after 1/2 hour remove lid & bake another 20 to 30 min. Until golden brown.
Cool at least 15 min before eating

This artisan style bread has the best crust EVER! I always add a couple Tbsp. ground flax. I have made it 100% white, 1c. whole wheat & 3c. white, 50/50, & 100% whole wheat. 
The combos were the best, & the whole wheat has an unbelievable flavor and makes the best toast ever. Try it!!

Soap is part of our life

I suppose you could call it wholistic business.
How we make our soaps and run our business is truly a direct extension of our life as a whole.
Here is a short  slideshow that gives you a glimpse into our business, our power system & life.
 


As always, find our soaps at SimmonsNaturalBodycare.com