Essential Oils for an Unproductive Cough

On our path to better health, another thing I'm trying to change is our reliance on medications. I started dabbling in essential oils about a year ago & I have been very pleasantly surprised by their effects on several ailments. 

About a month ago my older son came down with a cold that went straight to his upper respiratory system & so began his barking cough, particularly at night. It didn't seem to keep him awake, but I knew he wasn't getting a restful nights sleep & neither was I. 

Around 3 in the morning I searched for an oil combination to help with his cough. I knew that my Breathe Ease oil was a good candidate for opening up the his lungs, but after researching I found that adding Rosemary & Peppermint might help to stop this unproductive cough.

I took a tablespoon of coconut oil & added 2 drops of each oil in the palm of my hand. I wasn't able to rub this concoction on his chest, because he was sleeping & would not roll over. So I just rubbed them it on his back...

he stopped coughing immediately!

I wasn't sure if it was a fluke, but we applied these every night until his cold was gone. Then just the other night his cough came back & our doctor believes it's due to allergies (whether seasonal or because of our dog, we're not sure...). I whipped up this combination again & the same thing happened. He stopped coughing right away.

Now, so that I don't have to stumble around the house in the middle of the night with my giant case of oils & my vat of coconut oil, I made up a small mason jar of "Cough Rub" to apply to his chest & back before bed.

It's always best to apply essentials oils with a carrier oil, especially on children. The Rocky Mountain Oils website is a great resource for application & uses. I am NO expert, these are just my personal results. Please educate yourself & take caution when using essential oils.

Caprese Salad with Avocado

As it begins to warm up around here I'm really starting to crave fresh foods & today I made the freshest salad for lunch. The color of food really inspires me & this salad did not disappoint when I was photographing it. ;)

Recipe

Serves 1

• 1 cup Spinach
• 1/4 cup Fresh Basil, torn
• 1 Roma Tomato, chopped
• 1/8 Avocado, chopped
• 2 Tbsp Fresh Mozzarella, torn
• Balsamic Vinegar

Directions

• Mix together the spinach and fresh basil. 
• Top with Roma tomatoes, avocado & mozzarella cheese.  
• Drizzle with balsamic vinegar.
• Enjoy! 

21DF: 1 Green & 1 Blue

Menu Monday - 3.16.15

This weekend we were knee deep in our master bathroom renovation, but I took a little time to plan out our meals, because if I don't make a plan & a shopping list, the week just doesn't go as smoothly.

I have to change up the week a little bit since it's St. Patrick's Day. Taco Tuesday is now Taco Monday. ;) We're also having our youngest son's birthday party on Saturday with family. I asked him what he wants for dinner, and he said "Steak!" I'm not sure I'm going to make steak for a 3 year old's birthday... buuut maybe! So Saturday is still up in the air. I think on his REAL birthday I'll cook him a big steak. If he's asking for steak at 3, what and how much will he be eating when he's 13?!

Our Menu for the Week of 3.16.15

Monday - Turkey Tacos/Taco Salads with Cilantro Lime Brown Rice

Tuesday - Crock Pot Corned Beef & Cabbage

Wednesday - General Tso's Chicken with Brown Rice & Broccoli

Thursday - Chili Cheese Fries with Roasted Cauliflower

Friday - "Skinny" Shrimp Scampi with Cherry Tomatoes & Zoodles

Saturday - Ty's Birthday Dinner

Sunday - Sun Dried Tomato & Goat Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts with Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Shamrock Shakeology

It's that time of year to indulge in your favorite Spring-time treat in honor of St. Patty's Day, but this year you don't have to spare nutrition & spend extra calories (& consume God knows what chemicals). I made this as an after-workout protein shake, and it was both delicious & refreshing! I love using fresh herbs while I cook, but they're usually in savory dishes. It was fun to be able to make something sweet with something green.

Recipe

Serves 1

• 1 scoop Vanilla Shakeology
• 1/2 Banana
• 1 cup Spinach
• 1/4 cup Fresh Mint
• 1 cup Ice
• 1 1/2 cup Water (or more)

Directions:

• Place all ingredients in a high-powered blender until smooth.  
• Enjoy! :)

 I also tried it with a scoop of Chocolate Vegan Shakeology & it was not as green, but just as tasty!

21DF: 1 Red, 1 Purple, 1 Green

Mexican Casserole

One of our favorite types of meals around here is a good Mexican dish. We typically have "Taco Tuesdays" because they're simple, healthy, and everyone will eat them. I decided to try a casserole & it quickly became a favorite! I used venison because my husband is a big deer hunter, and our freezer is usually packed with this lean & cholesterol-free meat, but you can make this with beef or even turkey if you'd like.

The photo really doesn't do it justice. This meal is chock full of vegetables & lots of flavor!

Recipe:

Serves: 12

• 1 cup Brown Rice
• 2 pounds Ground Beef (or Venison or Turkey)
• 1 can Black Beans
• 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
• 2 Bell Peppers, diced
• 1 large Onion, diced
• 4 Green Onions, sliced thin
• 1 can Diced Tomatoes
• 1 can Green Chile
• 1 tablespoon Chili Powder
• 1 teaspoon Cumin
• 1 teaspoon Corriander
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper
• 1/2 cup Fresh Cilantro, minced
• 4 oz. Cheddar Cheese, shredded
• Plain Greek Yogurt

Directions:

• Cook rice according to package directions until just al dente. Drain, if needed, and set aside. 
• Brown beef in a large skillet until no pink remains; drain excess fat and add to rice in a large bowl along with beans.
• Heat oil in the same skillet and cook peppers and onions until slightly softened, about 5 minutes; add to beef mixture.
• Add all remaining ingredients to beef mixture except cheese and stir gently to mix well.
• Pour beef mixture into a greased 13 x 9 baking dish and top with grated cheese.
• Cover and bake at 375 until bubbly throughout and cheese has melted, about 40 minutes.
• Let stand a few minutes before serving.
• Top with a spoonful of Greek Yogurt.
• Enjoy!

21DF - 2 Reds, 2 Greens, 1/4 Yellow, 1/2 Blue

Menu Monday - 3.9.15

Wow, it's been a little too long. I gave you one week of dinners & left you hanging. Sorry!

My boys & I took an unexpected and last minute vacation for 10 days to the Caribbean, and it was delightful. We left sub-zero temps for 70's & 80's - my idea of perfect weather. And then we returned to sub-zero temps, and of course the boys got sick again. But it's warming up slowly & thanks to the time change, they're sleeping & it's still a little light out!

So here I am with the second installment of healthy dinners:

Our Menu for the Week of 3.9.15

Monday - Mexican Casserole with Venison & Rice

Tuesday - Roasted Chicken & Vegetables with Whole Wheat Couscous

Wednesday - Turkey Tacos / Taco Salad with Crock Pot Re-fried Beans

Thursday - Crock Pot Pork Chops

Friday - Out for Fish

Saturday - Balsamic Glazed Steaks with Sauteed Maple Brussels Sprouts & Shoestring Sweet Potatoes

Sunday - Crock Pot Turkey Breast with Green Beans & Mashed Red Potatoes

Fruit Salsa with Cinnamon Stevia Chips

We went to my brother in law & sister in law's house to watch the Super Bowl this year, where we ate from a nacho bar that they put together. It was a fun idea that everyone loved! They too are foodies & really enjoy cooking & trying new foods. Summertime at the cottage is full of some good eats!

For their nacho bar they shopped at a Mexican grocer & bought authentically seasoned & cooked shredded beef & pork with toppings like fresh guacamole, tomatoes & lettuce. It was simple & delicious. I wasn't quite sure what to bring, & then it hit me that we might want a little sweet to go with our savory.

I've been making fruit salsa for years from a recipe that I found in the classic cookbook from Better Homes & Gardens. I didn't stray too much from the original recipe, other then making half of the chips with Stevia instead of sugar, swapped the butter for coconut oil & I added whatever fruit we had in the fridge.

Recipe:

Serves 12 (8 chips & 1/2 cup salsa)

Salsa-

• 1 cup Strawberries, finely chopped
• 1 medium Orange, peeled & finely chopped
• 2 Kiwi, peeled & finely chopped
• 1/2 cup Raspberries, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup Blueberries, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup Yellow Bell Pepper, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice

Cinnamon Chips-

• 12 Flour Tortillas 
• 3 tablespoons Coconut Oil
• Cinnamon
• Stevia in the Raw

Directions:

• Combine all ingredients for salsa. Cover & refrigerate for 6-24 hours. 
• Preheat oven to 350 & melt coconut oil in a bowl.
• Brush coconut oil on each tortilla & cut into 8 wedges.
• Place wedges on baking sheet in a single layer & sprinkle with cinnamon & stevia.
• Bake for 10 minutes & repeat with remaining wedges. 
• Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 weeks.
• Enjoy chips with salsa!

This is a tasty & healthy snack that everyone enjoys. The recipe make a lot of salsa, but I just added the rest into my smoothies once we ran out of chips!