From Scratch: Toothpaste

      In my quest for a simpler and more basic life I have made the big switch from conventional store bought toothpaste to- wait for it- home made toothpaste. Yes I have gone over to the other side and while this is most definitely not for everyone's pallet I have grown to enjoy it. With home made toothpaste there is no leftover cloying sweetness- no weird bubbly foam running down my arm- just fresh breath that stays with me all day.

     There are of course many health benefits to using homemade toothpaste- many health benefits to avoiding store bought- but my intention here is not to create a polarizing argument with my parents- who paid for years of dental work. One key point that I will point out is that this toothpaste is so inexpensive to make- like pennies to make. Also the environmental benefits cannot be denied- this is almost a zero waste product. Plus the clay is really good for you!

The Goods:

2 Tbsp bentonite clay
2-4 Tbsp of boiled or distilled water
4 drops of tea tree oil
5 drops of liquid stevia
10-15 drops of peppermint essential oil
a pinch of real salt

The Deal:

Combine clay with 2 Tbsp water in a non metal bowl- stir with a non metal spoon (I used a popsicle stick)

Add tea tree oil, stevia and 10 drops of peppermint oil- mix well

add salt and test the taste- adjust taste one drop at a time- you can add in more water at this time as well- going slowly

Be sure to store toothpaste in a jar with a glass or plastic lid- the toothpaste will dry out over time so be sure to keep it covered up when not in use!

Side Note:

Thieves Oil is great in place of Peppermint oil- perfect for cold and flu season

The addition of a few drops of colloidal silver is a great way to fight against periodontal disease- as a natural antibiotic colloidal silver fights bacterial pockets and helps fight the battle against cavities


Full Disclosure: I am in no way a Doctor - this is a recipe that I found to work well. You can also visit the Soap Dispensary to purchase a re-fillable toothpaste with many of the same ingredients. I also want to note that I am the only person in my family that actually likes this toothpaste- our kids still use Nature's Gate.

Life Lemons

With the amazing weather we have been enjoying in Vancouver these days we are slipping into our Summer routines early. Every day we walk home from school in the sunshine- dreaming of cold treats and ways to chill out and relax. It was during one of these strolls home that memories of lemonade at the farmer's market last summer were brought to surface- plans were made and our own lemonade created!

In a blender combine the juice of six lemons- 1/4 cup of sugar or to taste- two cups of water and around four cups of ice cubes. Flip the switch and let 'er fly! Aside from all the juicing this slushy beverage is as close as we got to farmer's market lemonade- once the kiddos have and their fill this is the perfect base for gin or vodka- an excellent hot weather cocktail!

Best enjoyed with one's feet up on a Friday afternoon!

Favourite Cake Friday

Cousin Laura's Blueberry Muffins

The Goods

2 1/2 cups flour

3/4 cups white sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp soda

1/4 tsp salt

zest and juice of 1 orange

1 large egg- slightly beaten

2/3 cup veg oil

1 tsp vanilla

3/4 cup buttermilk or yogurt

2 cups berries

The Deal

whisk together egg, buttermilk, oil, vanilla as well as orange zest and juice

combine dry goods in another bowl and fold in berries

with a light hand fold in wet ingredients- do not over mix

    - this is a very dry, cake like mix

fill each muffin cup to almost full

bake about 20 minutes in a preheated 375 degree oven

     - if using frozen berries bake about 3-5 minutes longer

        We have a freezer full of blueberries- and we have all ready started indulging in some of our favourite recipes- like this one- shared with me years ago by dear cousin Laura! I make this recipe at least once a week and it never fails to disappoint! If you don't happen to have an orange on hand a lemon will do nicely in a pinch- slightly tweaking the flavour in a favourable way! I hope you enjoy this as much as we do- even though it is not a cake per say!

       Dear Friends it is Friday again- September is just flying by- to which I am sure many of my stay at home Mum friends here in BC are rolling their eyes! The children will go back to school- eventually- all will return to normal- until then I am trying my best to enjoy this extra time with my Littles! Keep calm everyone- grab that extra cask of wine and have a super wonderful weekend! Happy Friday Friends!

The Empty Pantry

         Lets be really honest here- some days there is seemingly nothing to eat in the house- some days it is five o'clock and you still have no idea what to make for dinner- some days a trip to the grocery store with two or three crabby kids seems like the last thing on earth anyone would want to do. Still people gotta eat. It's a conundrum for sure and one I faced just last night- so I thought I would share one of our favourite quick- from scratch- soup recipes. It's whats to make when the pantry is empty!

Easy Curry Tomato Soup

vegetable oil or rendered fat*

half a small onion diced

a clove or two of garlic

1 stalk of celery diced

1 medium carrot diced

soup stock- or bullion cubes*

one large jar of canned tomatoes

1-2 cups of water

curry powder or paste

a dash of ground pepper

half a cup of cream, sour cream or yogurt

        In a soup pot heat oil or fat- I like to use bacon fat which I save in a small jar in the freezer for such events as cooking soup. So heat up the oil or fat and saute the diced vegetables- this is a basic mixture for any soup- onion, celery and carrot.  Once all the veggies are soft and the onions have gone transparent add your soup stock and canned tomatoes- add water- 1 or 2 cups depending on how watery your canned tomatoes are- allow to simmer for a few minutes before blending with an immersion hand blender- blend until the soup is smooth- add curry and pepper- remove from heat and add cream- still until combined. Serve with a nice chunky slice of bread for dipping!

     This is the perfect soup for a cold winter night when the craving of fresh veggies is strong- I will admit that last night I used our last jar of canned tomatoes and I swear I could taste the Okanagan sunshine! I also used garlic that my dad grew and carrots that our kids planted- it is so satisfying that even when the pantry appears to be empty I just need to dig around a little to find treasures from the past summer!

* rendered fat- I like to cook with left over bacon drippings- the taste is perfect for soup's like this one

* bullion cubes- Ok so while soup stock is the best ingredient to use if your pantry is truly empty you may still have bullion cubes floating around- if this is the route you are taking please be sure to add at least one cup of water per cube!