EASIEST Broth EVER (Allergy Friendly)!!

I have come to love my crockpots dearly... & I now have 3 of them, after only having one for several years... yet all the while I really could have used 3 of them because I pretty much always using mine!

I have a 6 qt oval, a 6 quart round (it actually has 3 crocks to the set... so a 2 qt, 4 qt, & 6 qt, but I almost never use the med or sm ones, at least not for cooking but I do find myself using them to ferment pickles, etc.), & a 4 quart round.

One thing I have read over & over about is "old fashioned" bone broth & how healing it is to one's gut.  Healing the gut is especially important for anyone trying to heal their gut from damage caused by a food intolerance, medication, etc.

So here you go... the EASIEST broth ever.. seriously, it IS!!  If you don't have a crock pot you can make it stove top & simmer it on low for several hours (or less time if you need it ready sooner), but will obviously have to watch it more closely.

INGREDIENTS:

- chicken or turkey carcass, beef bones, fish heads & scraps, etc.
- water
- vinegar (optional)
- salt (optional)
- herbs (optional)

CROCKPOT DIRECTIONS: 

1.  If using poultry or smaller beef bones, crack them open w/pliers or your hand to allow the marrow to seep into the broth - that's good stuff!
2. Once cracked open put your carcass (the skin, fat, fatty meat, etc. that you wouldn't normally eat), drippings (from cooking the chicken or turkey originally if you don't use them all up for gravy, etc.), and bones (or fish heads & fish scraps, which don't require cracking open to my knowledge) into your crockpot (size can vary, don't stress about it at all!)
3. Add water to about an inch below the rim of the crockpot (or stock pot)
4. Add 1-2 TBSP of vinegar (white or apple cider both work) to draw the nutrients out of the bones; can omit if desired
5. Add some salt, if desired (I tend to add the salt to the meal I am making from the broth instead of while making the actual broth, unless we will be drinking the broth as-is)
6. Herbs, if desired (I usually add mine & let them sit in the broth for about 5 minutes before serving the broth after I shut the crockpot or stove off, which helps them not to get overcooked to the point where there is no flavor imparted from them)
7. Turn the crockpot on low or high for several hours until is reaches the desired taste, color, etc. 
8. Once finished strain out the carcass, bones, skin, etc; if you have pets be sure to break the bones up, they will crumble easily between your fingers if you squeeze them after they have simmered, but if they don't crumble easily do NOT give them any pet so as not to create an impalement or choking hazard.
9.  ENJOY!!  

Didn't I tell you it's super easy?!  Ahhhhh, REAL broth ready to drink as-is or to be used in a soup, casserole, gravy, etc.!!

 NOTES: 

- There is no right or wrong really to the size of crock pot, etc.  You will find what works for you after making it a time or two.  I tend to let mine simmer for 12-24 hours in a crockpot. 

- If you want it to gel once it cools, then use less water.  If you don't care about it thickening up, then feel free to use more water freely.  

- If you desire the broth to gel up but want to make a lot of broth, you could also use 2-3 carcasses if using a smaller roasting bird (in order to have 2-3 at the same time, you can freeze the carcasses after you  until you have however many you want & throw them right into the crockpot frozen; I would break the bones open BEFORE freezing though to avoid trying to break open frozen bones)


<3 Mama Lee <3


Do YOU make broth from scratch??  Have YOU ever made bone broth??  What is YOUR favorite broth to make??  

Be sure to come back & let me know how you like your broth!!

REVIEW: Safe & Natural Products By M & M Soaps

Is everyone busy getting ready for Thanksgiving??  Have you started your Christmas shopping??  We are getting ready for Thanksgiving dinner around here.  I've also started shopping & creating Christmas gifts for the grandparents in our lives.  I hope to get those completed ASAP so I can make a few things for the Lee kiddos.  We'll see how far I get.

We've have got a very busy December ahead with birthdays, crafting, a Christmas program & practices for the kids, etc.  The funny thing is, I was SOOO naive in thinking December wouldn't be as busy as October & November... seriously, WHAT was I thinking?!

Enough about me, right now I have some FANTASTIC products to tell you about that are creations of Arianna Mojica from M & M Soaps. 

My gift package arrived beautifully wrapped

I was given the blessing of a goody box from M & M Soaps.  Their slogan is "Nourish Your Skin From The Outside In" & they stand very true to that by using all natural ingredients, without any harmful fillers or additives.  They use high quality ingredients that will not only not harm your skin, they won't harm your body either!  Such products are very rare these days; especially ones that won't break the bank.

One VERY IMPORTANT thing to keep in mind is that our skin is the largest organ of the body & whatever we out on our skin will be absorbed into our bloodstream & then enter our other organs.  Think about that the next time you lather up, spritz perfume on, paint your fingernails, or apply your deodorant.

If you are using big name brand products right now, you may never see them the same if you really stop to think about the harmful effect such things can have on your overall health.  I know I sure thought differently after I read & finally UNDERSTOOD the product labels of things I had been using for years & years.  Honestly, I was upset when I realized what I had been dumping into my body day after day, year after year! 

Don't lose hope though, as we can help our bodies to heal just by reducing the toxin load, & we can further facilitate healing by replacing products that contain dangerous ingredients with ones that use safe & truly natural ingredients.

A good rule of thumb in the natural health community is that if you can't EAT it, don't WEAR it!  Now, I know as much as anybody that if there is a tight budget to adhere to (& who doesn't have a tight budget these days?!), that "rule" may be harder to follow.  For me & my family I try my best to buy the healthiest products I can within our budget.

I now make a lot most of what we use, so that really helps the budget.  I also do my absolute best to minimize & get only what we really need, so that I can have the budget capacity to buy the best products (or supplies to make products) I can within our means.

I no longer use things like perfume, hair spray, mousse, gel, lipstick, or body spritz, not only to cut down on our toxin load intake, but also to ease the budget to allow for the healthy versions of what are true necessities for our family... you may find you need (or just plain want) hair spray, lipstick, etc. & that is okay.. find what works for you!  I would suggest you look into the safest brand & formulation you can reasonably afford and/or trying to make your own to cut down your toxin load intake.

With things that we mist on, spray on, & breathe in we must be very careful as well.  Remember baby powder that was used on babies after every diaper change?!  Well, there is a reason they stopped recommending it & now even STRONGLY ADVISE AGAINST it... it is unsafe because the particles become airborne when applied & are then ingested into babies' lungs as well as those of everyone  in the vicinity.  Hair spray, body spray, & perfume all are airborne so you may want to reconsider if you really need them, & if so, if you can find a healthier alternative such as something homemade.

Some people claim it is too expensive to buy "safe" deodorant, shampoo, toothpaste, etc.  I can tell you that I have personally found many sources of "safe" versions of many cosmetics, toiletries, etc. for the same price or even cheaper than products chock full of toxic ingredients, so rest assured it surely CAN be done!!  I utilize online shopping for most of said items unless I make them myself, & then I usually order the ingredients online.

For my family it has been a s-l-o-w process buying things little by little.  Some months I will find a recipe for something I want to make, but it is not in the budget to spend the money to buy all of the ingredients at once, so I may even buy them over 2-4 months to avoid going over budget.  No matter how great something may be, it is not worth the stress of blowing the budget.

Anyway, back to the awesome products at M & M Soaps.  I was provided with some wonderful products to review: Clay Facial Soap, Chamomile Lavender Swirl Soap, Chai Tea Soap, a cupcake soap in cinnamon, & whipped shea butter.

I find their prices to be pretty reasonable, especially for the quality of the products & all of the love put each into each & every handmade product.    

The soaps are fantastic!  Not only are they beautiful, but they are long lasting, safe, & natural.  I love that their facial soap gently exfoliates my ((gasp)) aging skin, yet doesn't leave it feeling dry or tight.  

Doesn't that look YUMMY?!

The cupcake soap was the last to be used because it was absolutely too cute to use, but no worries, in the name of research & reviewing I used it.  Some of my children actually thought I was lying about it being SOAP, it was THAT pretty & realistic.  I think one of them may have even licked it when I turned my back because I saw some tongue wiping going on when I turned back around?!  Even the kids thought it was too pretty to use, but once I used it first they were more than happy to lather their hands with it.

The whipped shea butter had a fantastic, lemon-lime scent; one that was not overpowering or fake by any means, but one that greatly appealed to my sensitive nose.

I love infused products that are truly naturally scented because they don't give me a headache like the ones that can only CLAIM to be "naturally" scented.  I know if something is a fake within moments of smelling it because I will develop a headache instantaneously.  No headaches at all from the M & M products.  That is a huge plus for me, & you will not be disappointed if you try them too!

I asked Arianna to give me an intro so you can "meet" the woman behind the products:

"My name is Arianna and I am a mother, wife, teacher & healer who strives daily to live life aligned. I create healing soaps & related products using only what is in nature. My aim is to reach those that seek healthier beauty options.  We pride ourselves in the fact that we deliberately avoid the use of synthetic lab fragrances and colorants. We only use therapeutic grade essential oils as scents and we only use clays, herbs, minerals, botanicals, fruits and vegetables to add color to our creations. Our mission is a simple one... to provide you with a soap bar that is nourishing and healing to your skin from the outside in!"

  

 If you are in the market for any handmade soaps, lotions, shaving bars, salves, lotion bars, deodorants, and much more, be sure to check our M & M Soaps and tell them Mama Lee sent you!

They have many unique items so you may even want to keep them in mind while you do your Christmas shopping.  They have some DIY kits too for making your own healthy salves, lotion bars, & scrubs for those who would like to try their hand at making some great products without having to track down ingredients.  The kits even include the molds to make the soaps and/or containers for the finished salve.  If they are out of stock on something, be sure to contact Arianna directly to get what you need.


Now why don't you head on over to M & M Soaps to find some yummy goodies for someone on your Christmas list... or even for yourself?!


Don't forget to like them on Facebook, Twitter, and Google!!

Happy Thanksgiving,
<3 Mama Lee <3

What kinds of products do you use??  Are you trying to replace any of your current products with safer alternatives??  What products do you like at M & M Soaps??


** I was provided the some sample products for my review.  I was not paid for my review & the opinions shared are my own. **

EASY Cheesy Potatoes - Gluten Free, Grain Free, Allergen Friendly

Being a mama, & sometimes one who gets wrapped up in a project or task longer than originally anticipated, I sometimes rely on quick fixes for meals and main dishes.  Having to feed a family around food sensitivities drastically limits what I can quick quickly, or at least if I don't want to cook from a box or can't afford to.  Have you ever priced those crazy expensive

See the cheesy goodness?!

gluten free entrees and/or snacks?!  YIKES!!  Sure they are GF, but come on, how is a growing family (or any family on a tight budget) supposed to afford them?!  We'd need a crazy amount of them to feed us, & if I am going to spend that kind of money for one meal just for the entree, even for a quickie one, I am going to eat OUT and have a break all together.

Anyway, one thing we have gone back to eating is potatoes.  Before we had to go GF we had greatly reduced our potato intake because of varying information I had read about potatoes & the poor impact on health.  After we had to go GF & having to eliminate so many other foods from our menu, I decide to give potatoes another shot. 

Truth is that we LOVE potatoes of all kinds!  I have also since found other information that supports the fact that potatoes can be healthy, very healthy in fact.  I honestly think that since no 2 people are exactly alike, no diet, food, etc. will impact every person the same way and we don't experience any known negative issues after eating potatoes, so we will continue to enjoy them in moderation.

Oh yes, back to the recipe.  You will not even believe just how easy this is, as long as your potatoes are already precooked.  If not, this is still a super easy recipe, you just have to wait for the potatoes to cook first.  Patience, my friend, patience! 

You can use potatoes that have been precooked various methods - baked, pan friend, steamed, & even mashed!  We tend to like to get as much of the peel off if we use baked potatoes (unless the potatoes are organic) since they are on the "dirty dozen" food list, but feel free to leave the skin on, if that is your preference. 

Once the potatoes have been precooked you are ready to go!  Sometimes we will even bake the potatoes a few days ahead of time (& store them in the fridge after they are cooked) for this recipe so we are ready to go without any long wait time.  When we use baked potatoes we will break them apart with our hands as we add them to the pan.

This is a very forgiving recipe & we do everything based upon looks, from making this so many times, so I don't have any exact measurements. 

It is so easy to cook this & is also a great dish to allow a younger chef (a tween or teen) to prepare and help introduce them to cooking because of it being so forgiving, requiring little stove time, & the fact that it is quite delicious so no fear of messing it up!

This can be made dairy free (& other allergen free) by using oil instead of butter, & by using non-dairy "cheese" in place of dairy based cheese.



INGREDIENTS:

1. cooked potatoes (diced, baked, sliced, mashed, etc.) - feel free to fill up that pan!
2. coconut oil, butter, etc. - depends upon how many potatoes
3. salt - to taste
4. spices (cilantro, parsley, pepper, etc.) - as desired


DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat the oil or melt the butter in a skillet or frying pan

2.  Add the potatoes & heat through thoroughly (feel free to drizzle more butter & oil onto the potatoes to get the desired consistency & taste you'd like)

3. Sprinkle mozzarella, cheddar, etc. cheese on top of the potatoes & heat until melted

4. Once the cheese is melted, add salt (& spices, if desired) to taste


I like to serve this with a salad, and/or steamed green beans or broccoli, and sometimes a nice loaf of GF bread depending upon which meal it is being served for.


Enjoy!

<3 Mama Lee <3



Do YOU like potatoes??  What is your favorite way to prepare potatoes??  Do you think you will try this??