Apple Streusel Pie

I hope you all had a blessed Christmas!! I made two apple pies for two separate family dinners at my house for Christmas, and they turned out really well! I actually wrote the recipe down this time

Here is the recipe:
1 premade pie crust (I used the No Roll recipe #1 from my book)
5 large apples
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. vanilla
5 packets stevia (I used the NOW brand...if you don't like stevia, replace with extra sugar)
1/4 c. coconut sugar (or xylitol or regular sugar)
1 Tbls. arrowroot powder or cornstarch
1/2 Tbls. cinnamon

Streusel Topping:
3/4 c. gluten free flour blend (recipe is in book)
1/3 c. coconut sugar (or xylitol or regular sugar)
2 packets stevia (replace with more sugar if you don't like stevia)
1/4 t. cinnamon
1/2 c. coconut oil
2/3 c. chopped walnuts

Peel and slice apples, and place in a large bowl. Add lemon juice and vanilla to the apples and carefully stir. Sprinkle the stevia, coconut sugar, arrowroot and cinnamon over apples and stir carefully until evenly coated. Pour apple mixture into the prepared pie crust. Mix the struesel topping until crumbly, then sprinkle over the top of the apple mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 55-60 minutes.

Enhancing hair color

This time of year, my hair seems to get really dark. I'm sure the lack of sun, and lack of me being out in the sun doesn't help. My hair is naturally a dark honey color, but in the winter it turns a drab brown (at least that is my opinion of it!). I have been trying to find ways to color it naturally, as I don't like the nasty chemical hair colors. Plus I don't like the maintenance of haircolor upkeep. I have been reading how you can enhance color or lighten your hair with tea and herbs. One article I read said that hair can be lightened up to 4 shades with a combination of chamomile tea, cinnamon, honey and olive oil. All four of these ingredients have a natural peroxide in them, and all are beneficial to the hair. I decided to give it a try! I put 2 chamomile tea bags in a coffee mug and steeped it for about 30 minutes. Then I mixed in about 3 tablespoons honey, 1 tablespoon cinnamon, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and 2-3 tablespoons conditioner. My hair is very long, so you may not need this much of a mixture if you have shorter hair. I applied this sludgy mixture to damp hair, then put a shower cap on and a heat cap. I have a microwaveable heat cap, but you could just cover the shower cap with a towel. I also put a towel around my neck to catch any drips. I let it sit for about 1 hour. I can really tell that it lightened my hair! I am going to keep doing it about once a week to lighten it more. It won't be super drastic like hair color would be, but it will help warm it up. Plus, using on a regular basis will make the effects more dramatic.

Here are some other tea ideas:
1. For brown hair/dark hair - Black tea  (3 bags to a mug) or very strong coffee. Add sage tea to it to cover gray. Pour over damp hair and leave on for 30-60 minutes or longer. Rinse out, but do not shampoo for 24 hours.

2. For red hair - Hibiscus tea or Rooibus tea. Make a strong tea, pour over damp hair and leave on for and hour. Rinse and condition, but do not shampoo for 24 hours.

Peppermint Patty Iced Cappuccino

I know it is winter, but I was in the mood for something chocolate and minty :). My daughter was also wanting something sweet, so here is my concoction for today...Peppermint Patty Iced Cappuccino. I didn't tell my daughter what it was, and when she tasted it, she said it tasted like those little mints we used to get at the Mexican restaurant (which were Peppermint Patties!).

Here is the recipe:
1/2 c. coffee (fresh, not instant)
1/2 c. coconut milk (or whatever milk you like...I used the So Delicious coconut milk)
2 t. cocoa powder
1/4-1/2 tsp. liquid stevia (omit and add more honey or sugar if you don't like stevia)
2 T. honey (or more to taste)
1 c. ice
1 drop therapeutic grade peppermint oil

Mix all ingredients in a blender and blend to desired consistency. I used a vitamix for this, so I'm not sure how long to blend this in a regular blender.

First recipe!

I really enjoy making own beauty products. I don't like using chemicals in my house. Part of that stems from the fact that my daughter has been ultra sensitive to chemicals since birth. It also stems from the fact that I have learned a lot more about the dangers of chemicals to the body. One product that I used, even though I knew it was loaded with chemicals was hairspray. My husband practically douses his head with it every morning. The turning point came for me when my bathroom was covered in a thick layer of crusty hairspray, and no amount of scrubbing would get it off. I was on the bathroom floor with every tool I could think of, including scalding hot water. I even scrubbed with a brush. It would not come off. Pretty gross. After trying to find a natural hairspray, and practically coughing at the price (most were about $7.00...for hairspray!), I decided to try to make my own. I was a little shocked to find that hairspray is basically just sugar, water and chemicals. So here is my recipe. Yes, it is mostly just water and sugar! It works great, and does not make you or your bathroom sticky. My husband, who likes his hair spikey and stiff, really likes it. Plus, the essential oils in it smell good and are good for the hair and scalp. If you have trouble with thinning hair, the rosemary will benefit that as well.

Homemade Hairspray

1 c. water or herbal tea
4 t. sugar (or more, depending on how strong of a hold you want)
2 T. vodka (used as a preservative)
10 drops therapeutic grade Grapefruit essential oil
10 drops therapeutic grade Rosemary essential oil

Heat water or tea to boiling, then turn off the heat. Add the sugar, and stir until completely dissolved. Add vodka and allow to cool. Add the essential oils after the water mixture cools. Put into a spray bottle, and shake well before using. This recipe makes a firm hold hairspray.