Alfredo Pizza

If you have the same sick obsession with heavy whipping cream and alfredo sauce that I do then you’ll love this recipe.

Ingredients

2 or 3 Roma tomatoes

Pint heavy whipping cream

2 cloves garlic

1/4 stick of butter

Fresh basil leaves

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

large bag mozzarella cheese

1 jar marinated artichoke hearts-drained

1 small can sliced black olives

1/2 red onion-sliced

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

2 ball pizza dough

Make sure your pizza dough as been out in a warm environment and has been given the time to rise (preheat oven to 425F).

Chop garlic gloves and put them in medium saucepan with butter and allow to sauté. Then add the pint of heavy whipping cream, and bring the burner to medium heat. Add the parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper. Reduce this mixture into a thick alfredo sauce. Keep and eye on it, and keep stirring, adjusting the temperature so it doesn’t boil over (nobody likes to clean up burnt alfredo sauce from the stove top). Once the sauce has reduced to an acceptable thickness remove from heat and set aside. 

Grease to pizza pans, or cookie sheets with ample amount of olive oil, and then sprinkle with cornmeal. Begin stretching out the pizza dough until it is one even thickness and covers your pan. Don’t get discouraged if it seems like it’s taking a long time. Stretching pizza dough is like training your husband, it takes time, and patience, and just when you think you got it they go right back to the way they were. 

After the dough has been stretched use a ladle to add a thin layer of alfredo sauce to the top of the pizza. Then top each pizza with the sliced roma tomatoes, red onion, artichokes, olives, basil leaves, and finally top if off with the mozzarella. Bake in your oven at 425 for approximate 20 minutes. When the top crust begins to brown use a spatula to lift pizza from pan and slide directly onto oven rack for a few minutes, this will crisp the underside of the pizza crust.

Enjoy!

Natural Remedies for Adults

*This is not medical advice, and this information should not be used as substitution for medical advice. This is for informational purposes only, the writer has no medical training or background.*

If you’re on this page it’s because not only do you prefer not to give children over the counter medicines, but you’d also rather not take them yourself. I totally understand that philosophy, especially since many of the OTC medicines replace your annoying symptoms with drowsiness or cottonmouth, yuck!

Stuffy Nose

Netty Pot

Warm water

Salt

     Seriously, I can not describe to you the wonderful benefits of owning and using a netty pot. If you don’t know what one is, it’s basically a small tea pot with an elongated spout to help you flush saline water through your nasal passages. You can get them at just about any health and wellness store, and they are porcelain so they can be thrown into the dishwasher, or a pot of boiling water to sanitize between uses. Depending on the size of the netty pot, take about 3 or 4 ounces of water and dissolve a tablespoon of salt into it, then fill your netty pot with that water.  Tilt your head backwards, and gently allow the saline solution  to wash out both nasal passages. The salt helps to dry out the mucous membranes and keep them from over producing. You can perform this procedure as necessary throughout the day. This little trick also works on children, but it might be difficult to get the younger ones to hold still long enough to complete the task.

Urinary Tract Infection

Cranactin

Water

Organic raw apple cider vinegar

     There is nothing more painful or irritating than a urinary tract infection, especially for women. When you begin to feel the signs of a urinary tract infection you should immediately begin taking cranactin 2 to 4 times per day (available at health and vitamin stores). It is imperative that you drink plenty of water with the cranberry pills as they are strong and can put a strain on the liver (if you’re pregnant consult your primary care provider). Drink at least one eight ounce glass of water each time you take a cranberry pill. In addition to the cranactin you can also add two tablespoons of organic raw apple cider vinegar to an eight ounce glass of water two or three times daily. This will aide in flushing out the toxins and bacteria in your urinary tract.

Colds

1 quart of water

4 garlic cloves

4 heaping tablespoons honey

2 chamomile tea bags

The juice of one lemon

Vitamin C

Zinc

Echinacea 

     Bring the water to boil, and pour it into a large mason jar. Add the other ingredients and let steep for a minimum of 30 minutes. Once the tea is done steeping and has cooled off a bit   drink it often, and try to drink one whole quart a day. This tea will help you to stay hydrated and provide electrolytes. Take 1000mg of vitamin C when you  first feel your symptoms coming on, and then 500mg every 3 to 5 hours after that until 48 hours after you begin to feel better. In addition to the tea and vitamin C you should also be taking zinc and echinacea (the echinacea tincture works better than the pills or tea, just dilute in 1oz of water as it is bitter). Please ensure you follow the dosage guidelines on the bottles, as taking to much of a homeopathic remedy can cause ‘reckoning’ where it actually makes your symptoms worse.

Soar Throat/Coughing

Honey

Hot water

Lemon

Fenugreek

     Soak 1 tablespoon fenugreek in 4oz water, then use that water and enough honey and lemon juice to make a thin syrup.  Take as often as needed to ease sore throats and coughing. If the sore throat is accompanied by intense coughing at night, I suggest taking a natural menthol (not Vicks) rub and putting it on the feet just before bed, and then covering the feet feet with socks. Additionally drinking as much water as possible will help to keep the mucous membranes moist and reduce irritation.

Constipation

Fresh Squeezed lemon Juice 

Warm Water

     Squeeze the juice of one lemon into 8 ounces of warm water and drink. It make take a few servings before you see any results.  Another thing I like to do for intestinal upset is eat yogurt that contains a lot of probiotics.

Ear Aches 

Peroxide

     If you notice the beginnings of an ear ache, but haven’t had the other signs of ear infection you can put 4 to 6 drops of peroxide in the ear a few times per day, and often this will prevent an ear ache from turning into a full blown ear infection.

Bug Bites and Stings

Apple Cider Vinegar

     Raw apple cider vinegar is an end all be all when it comes to bug bites an stings. Having grown up in the south I’ve seen my fair share of insect bites, especially those of the fire ant (really words can’t describe that pain!).  Recently on a trip home my nephew was running around the house screaming like a banshee because he got stung by some insidious creature. My first step in alleviating his pain was to soak a cotton ball in apple cider vinegar, the second was to physically tackle him (he’s a very large 5 year old) to the ground, and convince him that it wouldn’t hurt to put to cotton ball on his leg. 20 minutes later his little red welt had disappeared and he had forgotten all about that event.

Restlessness/Sleeplessness

Lavender essential Oil

Orange essential Oil

Chamomile tea 

Valerian root

    Depending on the depth of your bath, add approximately 5 or 6 drops lavender oil to the bath tub to help you relax. Another oil I highly suggest for relaxation is orange oil, add approximately 4 to 5 drops either alone or in addition to the lavender oil. Turn the lights down in your bathroom and soak for 15 to 30 minutes until you begin to feel soothed and calm. (Note: Be careful with the orange oil, you should always add it to water first, if you get drops of it on a non porcelain surface wipe up immediately as it could stain.)

    Drinking one to two cups chamomile tea helps to soothe me when I’m feeling restless. If you aren’t interested in drinking the tea, you can add about 4 teabags to your bath, and get the calming effects that way. 

    Valerian root is a known sedative, and can be either taken in pill form or as a tea just before bed time. There are several brands of sleep-aide teas that have valerian root in them as one of their main components. I prefer the Nighty Night tea by traditional medicinals when I can’t sleep, or feel anxious.

No Knead Dutch Oven Bread

Because there is a God, I know there is, otherwise this bread wouldn't exist!

1/4 tsp active dry yeast
1 1/2 cups warm water
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting. You may use white, whole wheat or a combo of the two. ( I usually use a combo of the two, and it turns out really well)
1 1/2 tsp salt

cornmeal for dusting

1. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in water. Add the flour and salt, stirring until blended. The dough will be shaggy and sticky. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let the dough rest at least 8 hours, preferably 12 to 18, at warm room temperature, about 70 degrees.
2. The dough is ready when its surface is dotted with bubbles. Lightly flour a work surface and place dough on it. Sprinkle it with a little more flour and fold it over on itself once or twice. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let it rest for about 15 minutes.
3. Using just enough flour to keep the dough from sticking to the work surface or to your fingers, gently shape it into a ball. Generously coat a clean dish towel with flour, wheat bran or cornmeal. Put the seam side of the dough down on the towel and dust with more flour, bran or cornmeal. Cover with another towel and let rise for about 1 to 2 hours. When it’s ready, the dough will have doubled in size and will not readily spring back when poked with a finger.
4. At least 20 minutes before the dough is ready, heat oven to 475 degrees. Put a 6- to 8-quart heavy covered pot (cast iron, enamel, pyrex or ceramic) in the oven as it heats. When the dough is ready, carefully remove the pot from the oven and lift off the lid. Slide your hand under the towel and turn the dough over into the pot, seam side up. The dough will lose its shape a bit in the process, but that’s OK. Give the pan a firm shake or two to help distribute the dough evenly, but don’t worry if it’s not perfect; it will straighten out as it bakes.
5. Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the lid and bake another 15 to 20 minutes, until the loaf is beautifully browned. Remove the bread from the dutch oven and let it cool on a rack for at least 1 hour before slicing.

Herbal Pregnancy Blend

      So what can you do to help your every growing uterus and baby do their best during pregnancy? Well, you can start by drinking the following herbal infusion. This infusion is borrowed from my dear friend and midwife Carol Gautschi. Aside from being extremely savvy when it comes to herbs and tinctures, she’s in my humble opinion the best midwife I know (the link to her website is available under the Midwives and Doulas tab). I take this herbal tea blend the entire time I’m pregnant, and breastfeeding, and truly believe in it’s beneficial nature.

1. 1 part Nettle leaf cut
2. 1/2 part Alfalfa leaf cut
3. 1 part Red Raspberry leaf cut
4. 1/2 part Oatstraw cut

To prepare infusion:

1. Warm a quart glass jar under hot tap water.
2. Put one large handful of herbal mixture in empty, warm jar.
3. Pour boiling water into jar, making sure to stir down herbs.
4. Cover jar and leave overnight to extract nutrients.
5. In the morning, pour contents through a fine mess strainer (the metal screened type with a handle works best.) Rinse jar out and pour your infusion back into the jar. Discard or compost herbal material.
6. Drink entire quart over the day. You may dilute the infusion with water or herbal tea if you wish, be sure to work at drinking the entire quart.

     If you have never been a tea or coffee drinker, this infusion may seem strange to your taste buds. The flavor can be improved upon by adding one or two herbal tea bags. Flavors from Celestial Seasoning such as “Magic Mint”, “Grandma’s Tummy Mint”, “Mandarin Orange” or “Lemon Zinger” as favorites for some women. Diluting the liquid with more water or natural unsweetened fruit juice is an option that some women prefer.

(Remember to refrigerate herbal infusions after straining. Herbal infusions are food, and will begin to ferment after several hours in summer heat.)

     I usually buy my herbs in bulk from MountainRoseHerbs.com. They are a wonderful resource for bulk organic herbs and you can get the herbs for much cheaper than you would purchasing them locally (unless you happen to live in Eugene, Oregon where he company is located). you should order the following quantities; 2 pounds Nettle leaf cut,1 pound Alfalfa leaf cut, 2 pounds Red Raspberry,1 pound Oat straw cut.This will produce 6 pounds, leaving you with plenty of herbs for your breastfeeding year

Alfalfa (Medicago Sativa)

One of the richest mineral foods in the world, alfalfa’s roots grow as deep as 130 ft. into the ground, allowing it to reach minerals not available at higher levels. The name “alfalfa” is Arabic and means “Father of All Foods” (Al-Fal-Fa)

Contains: Calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, chlorophyll, biotin, choline, inositol, iron, PABA, sodium, sulfur, tryptophan, Vitamins A, B complex, C, E, G, K, P and U.

Alfalfa is a restorative tonic, which promotes pituitary gland function. It contains eight enzymes known to promote a chemical reaction that enables food to be assimilated properly, helping to normalize weight, reduce incidence of ulcers, diabetes and other digestive orders. It alkalinizes the body, reducing arthritis symptoms, neutralizing uric acid, improving kidney function and reducing edema. A toning agent to the intestines, it improves peristaltic action of the bowels, improving colon disorders and normalizing bowel movements. It contains anti-fungal properties. Alfalfa’s tryptophan levels help improve sleep patterns. In tablet form, alfalfa has been used successfully to reduce heart disease, and improve arrhythmias. Alfalfa has been shown, in laboratory trials, to reduce cholesterol levels by reducing plaque.

Nettle (Urtica Dioica)

For those of you who have wandered into woodlands near water, stinging nettle will be a familiar memory. Nettle is a popular table green still today, eaten much the same way as cooked kale or spinach. Rich in chlorophyll, nettle is a world favorite for all urinary tract problems.

Contains: Chlorine, chlorophyll, formic acid, iodine, magnesium, potassium, silicon, sodium, sulfur, tannin, Vitamins A and C, facilitates absorption of Vitamin D form the sun, proteins, iron, copper, histamine, glucoquinine.

Nettle is a gentle yet powerful tonic to the adrenals, and is know to rebuild the adrenal cortex, thus improving energy levels. It has been used with great success in the treatment of adrenal exhaustion, one of the primary underlying causes of Chronic Fatigue and a host of other autoimmune disorders. As the adrenals are the fundamental glands of the immune health, Nettle is used to improve general immune function, thus increasing resistance to illnesses caused by viruses or bacteria’s. With its strong affinity to the adrenals, Nettle is used extensively to eliminate allergy and hay fever symptoms.

It has been used throughout time to restore kidney function, eliminating edema, cystitis, incontinence and urinary tract infections. Improving liver function, nettle reduces jaundice. The high vitamin C levels in Nettle ensure that dietary iron is absorbed properly, thus reducing anemia. Its unique blend of nutrients stabilizes blood sugar, strengthening the nervous system and reducing headaches. By improving nerve signal to the muscle, Nettle helps increase muscle response time, thus reducing incidences of post-partum hemorrhage. By improving elasticity of the skin, Nettle helps prevent tearing of vaginal tissue. Combined with Burdock Root, Nettle is extremely helpful in the treatment of eczema. Nettle is an excellent promoter of abundant breast milk.

Oat straw (Avena Sativa)

Oatstraw, as any livestock breeder will confirm, builds the strongest possible body, with the greatest resiliency. Used extensively in European cultures throughout time for health and beauty, our country has let this valuable herb slide into disuse.

Contains: Starch, silicic acid, calcium, high in Vitamins A, C, B complex, LE, G, phosphorus, potassium, mucin, and proteins.

Oatstraw contains Avenin, an amorphous alkaloid which is highly nutritive to cells, improving normal cellular reproduction. Its calcium form is so easily absorbed that Oatstraw is considered the premier herb/food for the nervous system. Working directly on the brain and endocrine system, Oatstraw reduces nervous disability, anxiety and epilepsy. Due to its ease of absorption, Oatstraw has been used with great success in addiction recovery. As calcium is responsible for the enzymatic process by which nutrients are laid down in the muscle, Oatstraw improves muscle tone throughout the body, reducing leg cramps and heart palpitations, improving digestion and elimination. Improving muscle tone allows the cardiovascular system to function more vigorously, thus improving circulation to the uterus and placenta, and therefore, to the preborn infant. Its high levels of minerals make Oatstraw invaluable in building excellent bone density and enamel on teeth. Oatmeal’s high levels of silicic acid are responsible for its international fame, in skin disorders such as acne and relief from topical inflammations such as chicken pox and poison ivy. Oatstraw, in cases of allergic reactions, seems not to affect the individual to the same degree as the oat grain itself and is often used, without aggravation by those who cannot eat oats.

Cleavers (cut and sifted) is an excellent substitute in this formula if you are allergic to oats.

Red Raspberry (Rubus strigosus or idaeus)

Likely the most well-known pregnancy herb, red raspberry has been used throughout Europe and the Americas for centuries as the premier childbearing years herb. Growing easily in almost every environmental condition, even the youngest country child can identify the wild, briary canes as they overtake everything in their path.

Contains: Fruit sugar, pectin, citric acid, malic acid, silicon, Vitamins C, B2, niacin, carotene, magnesium, manganese, molybdenum, selenium, improves Vitamin D absorption.

Red Raspberry is a specific muscle toner, working on the smooth muscles of the body, including the uterus. As it soothes spastic muscle behavior, it improves contractibility of the uterus during labor. The particular properties of the herb tone and nourish the ovaries, and by relationship to the pituitary, reduces nausea, morning sickness and intestinal spasm caused by excessive progesterone. This same relationship has made Red Raspberry a popular herb for menstrual cramps and hot flashes. Due to its astringent qualities, it is used for mouth ulcers, bleeding gums, hemorrhage, hemorrhoids and cold sores. The unique mineral blend in Red Raspberry promotes healthy nails, bones, teeth and skin.

Edible Finger Paints

     Who out there hasn’t dared to try their art supplies? I mean they are so bright and beautiful and often carry the pungent aroma of chemicals, why wouldn’t you want to  taste them? My own toddler prefers to gobble them down, not just taste them and this is why I prefer to make her art supplies instead of  buying them (you know when I’m not being to lazy, and the dollar store doesn’t call out my name!). Below are a few recipes for finger paints that can be eaten, though some of it might not taste all that great.

Kool-Aid Finger Paints

2 cups flour 

2 packs unsweetened Kool-Aid

1/2 cup salt
3 cups boiling water
3T. oil

Just mix the wet materials into the dry materials, and presto, you have edible finger paints for your little one. (Note: Pleas please be careful with the amount of food coloring you use. just use enough to give it color, otherwise your kid will turn blue!)

Simple Food Based Finger Paint

½ cup of cornstarch

¼ cup of sugar

2 cups cold water

Food coloring

Mix the cornstarch and sugar together, then slowly stir in the water and mix well. Put the mixture in a sauce pan on the stove over medium heat and heat for about 5 minutes or until the mixture develops a gel-like texture. Separate the mixture into several smaller containers (Ice cube trays work great) and add a few drops of food coloring to each container. I won’t list it here, but you can make several different colors with standard food dye if you look up a color chart online. My husband and I often have contest with his acrylic paints to see who can make true purple. It’s really not as easy as it looks!(Note: Pleas please be careful with the amount of food coloring you use. just use enough to give it color, otherwise your kid will turn blue!)

Alternatives to Food Coloring

For those of you out there who don’t wont to use food coloring, fear not! There are several different food items that can help you achieve the proper color.

• Red - cherry juice, raspberry juice, cranberry juice
• Blue - blueberry juice- this is really more purple than blue.
• Yellow - dried turmeric
• Health food stores may carry vegetable based food coloring.

Edible Play-Dough

Who out there hasn’t dared to try their art supplies? I mean they are so bright and beautiful and often carry the pungent aroma of chemicals, why wouldn’t you want to  taste them? My own toddler prefers to gobble them down, not just taste them and this is why I prefer to make her art supplies instead of  buying them (you know when I’m not being to lazy, and the dollar store doesn’t call out my name!). Below are a few recipes for play-dough that can be eaten, though some of it might not taste all that great. (Note: when using food color go easy, just enough to give it some color, otherwise your kid might turn blue.)

Kool-Dough 

1 cup flour

1 cup water

1/2 cup salt

3 teaspoons Cream of Tartar

1 package Kool-Aid Mix (any flavor of unsweetened)

1 tablespoon cooking oil

Mix dry ingredients together in a large saucepan. Slowly add water mixed with oil and stir over medium heat until mixture thickens to dough. Turn out onto a heatproof bread board or counter top and knead until cool enough for children to handle. Dough will be the color of the Kool-Aid mix and will smell like the Kool-Aid mix. (Can be stored in a tightly covered container for up to six months) 

Jell-O Play Dough 

1 cup flour

1/2 cup salt

1 cup water

1 tablespoon oil

2 teaspoons Cream of Tartar

1 (3-1/2 oz.) package "unsweetened" Jell-O

Mix all ingredients together and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until consistency of mashed potatoes. Let cool and knead with floured hands until dry.

(Note:) This recipe needs to cool completely "before" storing it in an airtight container, and the items made from this play-dough recipe can be painted (with edible paint!) when they are dry.

Natural Remedies For Children

*This is not medical advice, and this information should not be used as substitution for medical advice. This is for informational purposes only, the writer has no medical training or background.*

I know that  a lot of people just like myself have a hard time giving their children over the counter medicines, and are on the constant search for a better way to treat childhood illnesses. Some of the most effective fixes I’ve found to ease the complaints of little ones are; herbs, tinctures, homeopathic tablets, and surprisingly a few things from the cupboard.  Interestingly garlic and honey are both known to have antibacterial and anti fungal properties, while lemon can soothe a sort throat or sort out intestinal issues.

Colds

1 quart of water

4 garlic cloves

4 heaping tablespoons honey ( not recommended for those under one year)*

2 chamomile tea bags

The juice of one lemon

Bring the water to boil, and pour it into a large mason jar. Add the other ingredients and let steep for a minimum of 30 minutes. Once the tea is done steeping and has cooled off a bit  encourage your child to drink it often. I’ve even put it bottles and sippy cups for younger ones. This tea will help them to stay hydrated and provide electrolytes. I also keep children's liquid vitamin C (preferably one containing zinc) on hand from the local health food store, and follow the dosage guidelines very closely.  (Note: it may take some children a little coaxing to drink something other than milk or juice, but the flavor is not bad.)

For Soar Throat/Coughing

Honey

Hot water

Lemon

Take honey and dissolve it in enough water and lemon juice to make a thin  syrup.  Give this to your child as often as needed to ease his or her bouts of coughing. If the sore throat is accompanied by intense coughing at night, I suggest taking a natural menthol (not Vicks) rub and putting it on their feet just before bed, then covering the child’s feet with socks. Additionally drinking as much liquid as possible will help to keep the mucous membranes moist and reduce irritation.

Constipation

Fresh Squeezed lemon Juice 

Warm Water

     This Remedy works as well for adults as it does children. Just squeeze the juice of one lemon into 8 ounces of warm water and have the child drink it. It make take a few servings before you see any results. This also works great for breast fed babies who are constipated. The mother can drink this concoction and its' effects will help her breast milk to take on a laxative effect. Another thing I like to do for intestinal upset is eat yogurt that contains a lot of probiotics.

Ear Aches 

     If you notice your child is beginning to tug on their ear, but hasn’t had the other signs of ear infection you can put 3 or 4 drops of peroxide in their ear, and often this will prevent an ear ache from turning into a full blown ear infection.

Teething

“Well, Granny used to say...” As much as I’d like to believe that soaking a wash cloth in whiskey and then freezing it is ok for children, well, I can’t! So instead at my house we take cloves and soak them in oil until they’ve imparted their properties into the oil and then rub the oil on the gums, or use the Hylands teething tablets. I usually try the clove oil first if I think the tooth/teeth are only causing mild discomfort and move to the tablets as I see her pain level has increased. It’s important to note that when using homeopathic dissolvable tablets you should not touch them with your hands, as the oils in your skin can have an effect on the way the tablets work. I usually shake the tabs into the lid and use the lid to drop them into the mouth.

Bug Bites and Stings

     Raw apple cider vinegar is a end all be all when it comes to bug bites and stings. Having grown up in the south I’ve seen my fair share of insect bites, especially those of the fire ant (really words can’t describe that pain!).  Recently on a trip home my nephew was running around the house screaming like a banshee because he got stung by some insidious creature. My first step in alleviating his pain was to soak a cotton ball in apple cider vinegar, the second was to physically tackle him (he’s a very large 5 year old) to the ground, and convince him that it wouldn’t hurt to put to cotton ball on his leg. 20 minutes later his little red welt had disappeared and he had forgotten all about that event.

Restlessness/Sleeplessness

Lavender essential Oil

Orange essential Oil

Chamomile tea 

It's important to vary the number of drops depending on the depth of the bath, but given the typical bath depth for a toddler I usually add about 3 to 4 drops of lavender essential oil to the bath water just before bed. You can also add 2 or 3 drops of orange oil and Chamomile tea bags to the the water if you are unable to get them to drink chamomile tea sweetened with honey.  Let your little one soak in the bath right before bed, or anytime they are cantankerous and unable to be soothed. (NOTE: Be careful with the orange oil, you should always add it to water first, if you get drop of it on a non porcelain surface wipe up immediately as it could stain.)