Childhood Memories of a Wooded Wild-With My Two Best Friends (Yes, A Girl's Best Friend Too)

In 1987 as some of you know, my mum & stepdad moved us all from the suburbs of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to the deep woods of Maine, namely a ways outside Abbot Village. (Deep, DEEP woods, yes. I still have dreams about how amazing & mysterious it was, especially to a small child.)

They purchased two adorable male puppies in Upstate New York along the way to protect us: a goofy, sooty-black Newfoundland, & a bedraggled mutty adorable Irish wolfhound. I fell in love! Sebastian was the Newfie & Casey was the wolfhound. They grew VERY quickly & were, without a doubt, absolute partners in crime- in every possible way.

This is a lot what Sebastian looked like. Below, much what Casey looked like.

 (We lost all original pics of them while being in the Amish for so long, they forbid pictures as "graven images". I have done my best to recreate here what they were like with these borrowed images. Bear with me. I used the images which remind me of their looks & personality, the most. I just wish I had a pic of them playing together, which by far is the most irreplaceable!)

Casey & Sebastian (aka "Sebastian Swashbuckler"-the little devil, haha!) quickly grew to utterly massive, full male size. They had to be at least 120 lbs each, the pick of the litters. They would accompany me on my three-year-old pursuits of the land, ha. I remember dragging them by the collars once they were grown, bigger than I was, one on each side of me, all bossy little-girl style, telling them to "Come" & "Heel" as I fearlessly walked my tiny self down massive logs, from the scattered mess of what Dad had felled from tall old trees, trying to clear the area a bit & tame the land from absolute wilderness. We used the best beams for building, & heated the cabin with the refuse.

I never saw a Maine black bear in those parts, but they were rumored to be common in the area, & having those dogs around me gave my parents more peace of mind. I played outside incessantly, & they were almost always nearby. They were so gentle with me!!!!!!! They barked ferociously when they heard a noise in the woods, then would come lay down next to me & watch over me, aww. What perfect guard dogs for our little family~ usually, that is. When they weren't being naughty & causing mischief!

Ah, such goofballs they were. We tried to take them swimming once, & only once, in the creek down the road. The newfoundland Sebastian, who half-carried himself regally like some sort of sooty Moorish king, & half stupid-cutely like his own court jester, was supposed to have carried centuries of water-rescue in his blood.... swimming in frigid Northern ocean waters, in his very genetic makeup. Not so, however. Glug, glug, glug down in the water, & Dad actually had to jump in & save HIM, simultaneously swimming & pulling him to shore. LOL!!!!!

Then there was the fence my parents put up once, to attempt to keep them from running away instead of keeping them tied or on leashes. They would run, run, run down the hill & then, at the same time like two racehorses, scale the fence gliding through the air like you wouldn't believe!! It was a high fence too, like a 6-foot tall one if I remember correctly!!! (They were always trying to run away from what I can remember as a tiny tot, lol. It was both worrisome & ridiculous at the same time.)

My parents conspired to move it further down the hill & make it higher, I believe. Or at least closer to the treeline so it wasn't so easy for them to scale it. But then, the funniest thing happened.

I will remember to my dying day looking out the back door with my mom who was absolutely doubled up in fits of laughter, showing me what was happening out back. Those naughty boys were running, running, running down the hill and then, JUST at the spot where the fence used to be, in unison they lifted up & SAILED over absolutely *nothing* in the air. Invisible fence?! Bwahaha! They did this at least a few times before realizing it wasn't there......

I don't remember if the new location of the fence kept them in or not, but the sight of them jumping the good part of the next week over absolutely nothing, with that devil-may-care attitude like they were getting away with something, was just too adorable &, quite frankly, hilarious. I miss those guys & all their ridiculous antics, too numerous to mention here. We had several awesome, huge guardian dogs come & go over the years, but those guys were the legendary ones. The dogs my mom & I still bring up in anecdotes on the holidays, & still laugh our butts off about, hardly having to say a word past mentioning them, but just remembering how utterly silly they were, a perfect humorous combination of very smart & a wee bit dumb at times, but in the cutest ways. I mean that of course with the most respect, I love animals very, very much. We all have our mindless moments however, & animals certainly are not excluded from that in the least!

They both, quite sadly, came to a tragic end after some happy years had passed. Casey the wolfhound started acting strangely confrontational to my poor mum right before Christmas one year, suddenly turning & growled/snarled & snapped at her for no reason.....& she was heavily pregnant with my little brother at the time, so it was a no-go. They got rid of him the next day, & it was so heartbreaking but, with a pregnant mama, they didn't want to take any chances & I understand!!!! He is etched eternally in our minds though from the good days & years with him. He was very, very sweet & generally lazy as all get-out. You know how, in the old movies set in the British Isles, how the kings always have wolfhounds laying around the fireplace sleeping? That's how he was generally, whenever he was in the house. Somewhere there's still a pic of him standing up where my stepdad had put his paws on his shoulders, & Casey's awesome wiry-haired head and shoulders towered over Dad!!!!! Probably a good almost-7 feet tall. He was really like a small horse. Incredible dog. Probably just needed socialized more, looking back on it all!! He was an amazing, mysterious, loving Soul.

Sebastian Swashbuckler, Mum's favourite, came to a different tragic end. We had him for years longer, & got another adorable pup to keep him company. But one fateful winter night, he slipped leash & ran away.  I awoke the next morning to my mom weeping inconsolably & having to tell me he got hit by a plow truck, after dad & older brother fruitlessly searched/called for/tracked him all night long. The plow truck broke his back severely (((tears))). He was alive, but completely paralyzed beyond repair according the the vet, & suffering to the point that it would not have been fair to keep him alive. His mournful eyes said such a loving goodbye to my parents as they tearfully had to make the quick decision to put him down that night, there at the veterinarian's. Everyone was so, so sad... the plow truck driver didn't forgive himself even though it wasn't even his fault. It was so emotional with such a magnificent creature like that. Such a loving, massive, amazing animal with such a hardheaded love of running free...at all costs.

The dogs, to this day, are each living Legends... my fearless childhood Protectors.

The dogs, I still, when I get my own little cabin in the woods again someday, want to recreate & get each of those breeds again, as an adult.

And let my children grow up with them, & create new hilariosity, & new legends.

May both dogs be running free in puppy heaven to this day, Forever.

........And of course, they'll probably still be jumping in unison over invisible six-foot fences, ALL the while.



                                                                      ***

My New Javita Weight-Loss Coffee Website for you to order easily!!! :)

Christine Elizabeth

 

 

 

 

For the first wave customers, Javita bulk order has been placed after everyone's checks cleared & your order will be on its way very soon! For this second wave, I have a little customer website I can refer you to now to order, yay!!!!!!! So please look it over & if you have been delaying trying it to lack of checks or no time to send one out, take a look!!!!!! http://www.buyjavitacoffee.com/askchristineelizabeth

 

 

 

 

The Week's Finest Five: Paleo/Raw/Ayurvedic/Traditional Recipes

Good morning my dears & Happy Friday!!! Here is the week's finest five picks- for fresh, inspiring, mouth-watering, ultimately nutritious AMAZING recipes for the top best ways to eat in my opinion: Paleo, Traditional, Raw Vegan, & Ayurvedic Vegetarian......! I mentioned before, I eat a decent/occasional amount of clean meat usually, but believe in high-raw very much, & the benefits of taking a break from it & eating balanced vegan-vegetarian etc. too... Enjoy.... These are unique & just OOH-LA-LA fabulous!!!!! This weekend, try one or try them all!!!! Below is a win-win-win-win-win combination sure to delight everyone.... So, dig in! ;-)

1) RAW Lemon-Lavender Doughnuts (?!) Wowowowow.......!

Ingredients:


Doughnuts:

2 1/2 cups raw almond meal
2 1/2 cups dried shredded unsweetened coconut
1 cup sprouted buckwheat flour or additional coconut
2 Tbsp lemon zest
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2/3 cup raw coconut nectar
2 drops lavender essential oil
1 Tbsp dried lavender flowers

Frosting:
3/4 cup raw cashew pieces (preferably soaked overnight)
2 Tbsp coconut water
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp lemon zest

1 cups fresh young coconut meat (or additional soaked cashews if not available)
3 Tbsp raw coconut nectar, raw agave nectar or raw honey
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 teaspoons vanilla and seeds of half a vanilla bean
2 drops du Terra lavender essential oil
1/4 cup raw coconut oil (warmed to liquid)
a few drops *natural purple food coloring
dried lavender flowers for garnish

Methods/steps

For the doughnuts:
1) combine the almond meal, coconut, buckwheat flour, and sea salt in the food processor and process until finely ground like flour (but not too long or it will turn to nut butter).
2) Add the lemon juice and zest, vanilla, coconut nectar, and lavender oil and process until smooth. Stir in lavender flowers until evenly blended.
3) Form batter into 12 doughnuts on a lined dehydrator sheet. Dehydrate at 115 for about 8 hours, or until dry but still soft.
For the frosting:
1) combine the cashews, coconut water, lemon juice and zest, coconut, coconut nectar, sea salt, vanilla, lavender oil and process until smooth.
2) With the motor running, add the coconut oil and process until blended.  Add the food coloring and process until evenly colored.
3) Place the frosting in a bowl and put it in the freezer for  about 30 minutes to an hour (depending on how warm it has gotten) until it is chilled to frosting like consistency.
4) Once chilled, place in a pastry bag (or plastic ziplock with the corner cut off) and pipe onto doughnuts.  Sprinkle with dried lavender and serve!

Additional Tips

* Red cabbage can be used to make natural purple food dye! Simply cut and boil the cabbage until the water is very dark and concentrated which will give you a very pigmented dye.

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2) HIGH-RAW VEGAN Avocado-Carob "Haystacks"!!

They are magnificent. The avocado lends a buttery, nutty, creamy quality that is offset by the sweet roasted malty flavour of the carob and the textural crunch and nutty deliciousness of the grains and coconut.

 

 

                                                                                                                                               

Ingredients:

 

1 avocado
1/4 cup carob powder (or cocoa, if you don’t like carob)
1 tsp vanilla extract
sweetener to taste, such as stevia or agave (for a more neutral flavour), or perhaps maple syrup or raw honey
1/3 cup desiccated coconut
1/3 cup 5-grain mix (or just rolled oats) (heaping)

In a food processor, process the avocado, carob or cacao, vanilla extract, and sweetener until well combined. The food processor I was using is rather unimpressive, and couldn’t get this mixture anywhere near smooth. My mixture had very discernable tiny blobs (ugh, that word again) of bright green avocado, but honestly it doesn’t matter at all. Just get the mixture blended as well as you can!
Take the metal blade out of the food processor and stir in the coconut and grains.
Spoon the haystacks onto a lined baking tray, and pop into the freezer for one hour (or for days, until you eat ‘em all). Personally, I preferred to leave these out of the freezer for a little while before eating them, but I know some like them best straight from the freezer. Do what works for you!
Nom nom nom.

3)  Paleo Cocoa-Coffee Chili!!!! Although the raw desserts win first & second place, This is number 1 on my list this week for utterly unique, nutritiously FABULOUS, Paleo-style dinners or anytime....!

By: Victoria Wren
Servings: 10 (at least!)
Ingredients:
1600g ground beef
140g chopped bacon
2 red onions
5 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tins chopped tomatoes
2 tablespoons tomato puree
2 tablespoons pure cocoa powder
2 tablespoons instant coffee granules
2 tablespoons mild chilli powder
2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon extra hot chilli powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions: Chop up the red onion and bacon into small bits.
In a very large pot, throw the olive oil, bacon, crushed garlic and onion and cook slowly until the onion is translucent and the bacon more or less cooked.
Toss in the ground beef and brown it. While it’s browning, measure the rest of the dry ingredients in a bowl: cocoa powder, coffee granules, chilli powder (both mild and hot), cumin, paprika, oregano, sea salt and black pepper.
Add this mixture to the pot and stir well. Then add your chopped tomatoes, tomato paste and balsamic vinegar.
Let this cook for a good half hour or preferably more on a slow, low heat. Even better, cook the day before and then reheat and serve the following day!
Notes: This makes a HUGE batch of chilli and is perfect for freezing!

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4) Ayurvedic, Vegetarian KADHI :

Kadhi is a lovely, healthy Ayurvedic dish which looks a bit like soup and has a sour taste. It is a great remedy for colds, coughs and throat problems when drank hot...

"A popular delicious Indian dish in Ayurvedic Way"... and wonderfully delicious & healing!

 

Preparation Time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min

1kg Yoghurt
1 Liter Water
70-80g Chickpea Flour
15ml or 1 ½ tsp oil (olive or any other plant oil that you like to use)
½ tsp fenugreek seeds
¼ tsp mustard seeds
1 Pinch asafetida
10 curry leaves
1 tsp turmeric
1 lemon, according to taste also more
salt according to taste

"Pour the water together with the yoghurt into a bowl and whisk the mixture.
Mix the chickpea flower into it with the hand and make sure that it is well mixed. The flour has to be completely in the yoghurt and water so that there is no dry chickpea flour left. The mixture should be thin like buttermilk.
Heat the oil in a pot and when it is hot, shortly fry fenugreek seeds, mustard, asafetida and curry leaves. Before any of the spices burns, add the yoghurt mixture and keep on churning while bringing it to boil. Add turmeric and salt according to your taste and keep on churning.
The longer it boils, the better the taste will be. It should boil at least about 20-30 minutes but you can boil and churn it for two hours, it will only increase the good taste!
"In India we use sour yoghurt for this dish but when we are traveling out of India we often use lemon juice to make the Kadhi sour. Just pour it in in the end and enjoy hot Kadhi on rice.
You can add Pakori if you like and some people like it thicker whereas others like it very liquid. You can regulate this very simply by a bigger or smaller amount of water. Enjoy!!!!!!

Tip: When the Kadhi starts boiling and rising in the pot, just put a small steel bowl into the pot, too, and there will not be any need of churning anymore. The curry will happily boil on its own while you prepare the rest of your meal."


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5) GREEK Traditional (& Obscure!!) Leg of Lamb & Orzo..... ("Arni Youvetsi").....

 

4 lbs leg of lamb (the weight is approximate)        

                     

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon oregano

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1 cup red wine

1/2 cup melted butter or 1/2 cup olive oil

1 1/2 cups water

2 lbs fresh tomatoes, peeled, seeded and pureed

1 large onion, minced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/4-1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (depending on preference)

1 lb orzo pasta                                                  

freshly-grated parmesan cheese or kefalotiri

 

1. Preaheat oven to 375F (190C).
2. Wash and pat dry the leg of lamb. Rub with the lemon juice and pour melted butter or olive oil over. Season generously with salt, pepper, oregano and thyme. Place in a large baking pan and pour wine, 1 cup water, the tomato puree, minced onion, garlic and cinnamon around meat (if you have an earthenware casserole - even better!). Give the sauce a stir and roast, turning meat over occasionally when you see a crust forming (to brown all sides) for 1 to 1 1/2 hours (note: Greeks like their lamb well-done, if you prefer a shorter cooking time, cook to your personal preference). ;)
3. In a large saucepan, bring plenty of water to the boil, salt generously and boil the orzo pasta for 8 minutes. Remove and drain - retain a cup of the cooking water. Add the pasta to the lamb casserole and give everything a stir to distribute orzo throughout the pan.
4. Increase heat to 400F (200C) and continue to bake another 15-20 minutes, or until pasta is fully cooked and has absorbed most of the liquid in the pan (it should still be fairly 'juicy' - not dry). If the pasta is too dry, stir in enough of the pasta cooking water you've retained to keep it saucy.
5. Have lots of freshly-grated parmesan or kefalotiri cheese to sprinkle over pasta at table. (Love, love, love.....)
6. I actually want to just mention, the MOST traditional way (& too obscure to even find online when I looked) is to just stew everything together for a few hours...... not baking....... I have a crumbling photocopy of a recipe with this way written on it, I need to scan & will post someday too! It requires a LOT of watching & stirring though, as the orzo sticks & scorches so easily... even with all that oil, it scorches almost instantly!!!! But that is the usual way I have made it. ;) Secret old recipe from my first husband....! This is a more modern & easier recipe I have posted here.

                                                                            ***

Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy my dears!!!!!! :) Happy Weekend & Happy Cooking/Preparing!!!!!!!!!!!!! Leave me comments how everything turned out. Xxo blessings!!!!!!! :-)

July Update: Some Amish Homesteading Memoirs, & Independence Specials!

Hello, my Dears!!!!! How are you all? In good health & fabulous energy, I hope!!

Things are REALLY heating up for the summer!!! My DIY wellness consulting company is expanding dramatically, the new Facebook page is taking off right away, people are very responsive & enthusiastic with emails & encouragement pouring in every hour 24/7, things are looking just wonderful! I have been working around the clock and still, still, so much to DO! ;-)

My personal story is being called "Entirely Unique & Brilliantly Entertaining", woven with drama, humor, incredible Amish homesteading memoirs, & useful information tailored to the situation I am called to speak/teach in. To give you all a little taste, my family left the "Big City" of Pittsburgh, PA when I was a tiny child, moved us a thousand miles away, to miles outside of a village barely on the map (To this day, the population is merely an approximate 400), & along with my 4 brothers, various massive guardian dogs, cats, 2 ducks, an angora bunny & a HOST of wildlife over the years among other situations, moves, & countless other stories, was raised deeply secluded as Amish in what basically was a completely different "time" & place!!!! Growing up in the Deep Woods of Maine, completely self-sufficient, we built our own house(s), gardens, learned & practiced all manner of projects, traditional arts & crafts, ancient skills & studies, home businesses, hand-clearing & domesticating the land & instilling an extremely productive work ethic in all of us...

As an adult, I'm an entirely Self-Taught Homeschool Graduate, "Lifelong Homesteader", & now the past 8 years a "Greek Mama" of three wonderful & very funny, sweet little boys who embody that same spirit of adventure & daring, themselves! After over a decade of adult life in additional learning, natural family living, perfecting the "domestic goddess" skills on my own as a housewife & mother myself, homesteading etc., quietly observing & attempting to "fit in" with the modern world (& realizing I don't have to try to be someone I am not!), finding additional, incredible health benefits from continuing my studies & branching off into Traditional Yoga, Ayurveda, as large a scope of Health & Wellness as I could find from all over the globe, Traditional ethnic foods, fermentation, & all MANNER of global-oriented studies & traditions, & then weaving ALL the best of the BEST knowledge I can possibly absorb & summarize into an amazing package to offer you all.... My story, passion & entire life's work!!!

 ...I am now finally ready to "Come Out" with my marvelously rich & rare story, teaching & spreading my obscure wisdom & knowledge, memoirs, humor, & hope for the future of the human race, with EVERYONE!!!! I weave my open & honest, Amish-raised business practices & hard work ethic into these new offerings & projects, and am so excited to break all of this knowledge & wisdom down into simple, highly effective, proven methods for you all to enjoy & benefit from!

Projects in the works include my first cookbook with memoirs & anecdotes; special Youtube DIY & cooking videos; larger group classes; a weekly Youtube talk & cooking show planned for the Fall, and much, much more! Many of my close friends & clients have been BEGGING me to openly teach the world my Amish knowledge & old skills, healthy cooking, lifestyle tips & "domestic goddess" wisdom so I am going to go ahead & finally say, "YES!" I am both nervous & very excited, of course!!!! But I am also ultimately happy by being my True, Authentic Self & finally being able to help people become healthier, happier & Fully-Realized humans: Body, Mind & Soul!!!!

 I want to note also, I recently officially added Javita superfoods-infused weight loss & energy+mind coffees, to my carefully selected services. It is my first & ONLY product I have ever offered that I have not made myself, so please check out the testimonials, try a box & see for yourself how amazing it is. It has just been exploding with interest & perfect reviews.... I mean, what can be better for my fellow coffee drinkers than delicious gourmet coffee with herbs & superfoods infused directly into it, for authentic, visible health benefits? People notice a marked difference within the first day or two with how they feel, their energy levels, & Garcinia Cambogia is fully endorsed by Dr. Oz & hailed as "The Holy Grail of Weight Loss" since the scientific research came out last October! Very exciting times, the products & knowledge coming out now so we can lead ultimately healthy lives in every possible way. I am backing this product with honesty & integrity, and I've never backed another product before, let alone publically, like this. You can now order it directly from me, I'm an independent distributor & can answer any questions you have.

 In case you're on Facebook & haven't had a chance to "LIKE" my main page there yet, its http://facebook.com/christineelizabethrallis , head on over & take a look!! I will keep up the DIY projects from both myself & select folk (Feel free to share yours, too! I want to have a whole DIY homesteading & wellness community over there!!!). What a wonderful way to support, encourage & spread knowledge around of fabulous beautiful old skills, arts, crafts, techniques, ...& blossoming new ones using modern technology & skills, too?!

Okay, so here are some July "Independence" Specials.... perfect for both July 4th & the independent/self-sufficient/sustainable DIY movement, hahaha! July is a perfect month to celebrate, & start incorporating your own favorite wellness & homesteading/urban homesteading skills into YOUR life. Start today!!!! As always, feel free to email me with questions & comments too! Any feedback is highly appreciated. Blessings & Love to you All! Be Well!!!!

JULY SPECIALS:

$99/Introductory 2-hour Wellness Consultation & Lifestyle Inventory... a $179 value! Take advantage while the special lasts & the available spots are open! I will meet with you (or over phone/web if distance) & go over many questions with you, learning exactly what kind of lifestyle you lead, basically taking caring, compassionate inventory of how we can help overhaul, "tweak" & strengthen you and your heath & overall wellness in every aspect of your life. I will draw up your own custom guidelines based on your busy schedule & lifestyle, personalized recommendations, & much, much more, all custom-tailored for YOU. Even a bonus free week of ultra-nutritious meal planning, & the included recipes!!

$45 Introductory Box (Month Supply) of Javita Coffee, Burn+Control for Weight Loss and/or Energy+Mind for Clarity, mental focus etc. I just personally, cannot recommend these ENOUGH for coffee drinkers to switch & feel the difference, immediately. So much extra energy, focus.... and visible weight loss without depriving yourself or excessive dieting, pills etc. Its a HEALTH coffee, not a questionable supplement like many diet products are. It contains herbs & superfoods infused directly into delicious gourmet coffee. Shipping is included anywhere in the contingent US. Just try a box, & see for yourself what health critics are raving about! 

$99 Introductory 3-day (contingent or non-contingent, based upon your schedule) Basics 101 Cooking Classes in YOUR choice of Traditional, Amish, Ayurvedic, Mediterranean, Raw, Paleo, Vegan, Vegetarian, Global Superfoods, or a Nutritional Fusion of all which is my favorite! Learn to cook & eat healthier, amazing, nutrient dense, ultimately nourishing meals at a FRACTION of the cost of fast food & "convenience" foods. This includes learning how to prepare ahead & freeze meals for those busy nights you want to come home from work & just collapse! :) It is already preserved, & is a simple as thawing, heating & eating! This makes a wonderful, thoughtful gift, by the way. Again, just like the consulting, I plan around your busy schedule and am available mornings, mid-days, & evenings, etc! This totals about 4 hours of private, personal "101" lessons! Take advantage of this and impress your family & friends with amazingly delicious, nourishing feel-good meals, "Christine-Elizabeth" style. Group discounts also available, call/email & ask me today!

$99 Yoga/Fitness Bundle of 10 Local LV Group/Public Outdoor Summer Practice/Classes
$179/10 Private Local 1-hour Lessons!
$12 each Group/Public Class 
$19 each for 1-hour private one-on-one practice/lesson in your own backyard or choice of local Lehigh Valley/Jim Thorpe area parks/beaches. Let me come to you!
$5 Super-special: Bring friends with you to any of the above class/lesson specials, & they only pay $5 each additionally to you with any Public or Private Lesson/Class!!!

...As my favorite Yoga teacher of all time taught me, I come from the perspective of humbly practicing Yoga WITH you, not "at" you in any sort of guru position. I have over 15 years experience with both Kundalini Kriyas & Vinyasa Flow Yoga. It is truly my favorite thing in the world to practice & spread awareness how amazing it makes me & everyone feel as the mind expands & the bodily meridians open up!!!!! Come practice with me in the outdoor location of your choice, or see if a class/group we are doing is local to you to join nearby. Most of the cost of these classes is to merely cover gas milage for myself to facilitate & help you, I am so passionate about spreading Yoga!! I can come to your home backyard, to parks throughout the Lehigh Valley & Jim Thorpe areas, and more! Classes/Practices are generally about an hour, although I offer longer ones as well.  I *strongly* encourage outdoor barefoot practice on grass or sandy beaches, etc., for maximum "Earthing" benefits (which study was recently published & now has been scientifically PROVEN to be beneficial to our health)!  I also offer steep group discounts for larger groups, just ask me.

Different moods for classes, such as Dynamic "Sun Power" classes, soothing slower end-of-day "Moon" classes, and a mix of it all, are offered & fully customizable. Private lessons are fully personalized to YOU! The classes will gently challenge you, whatever your level from beginner to semi-advanced, but never push you over your comfort zone. I also incorporate breathwork & simple guided meditation/grounding/deep relaxation. You will GLOW & feel magnificent to your core after practicing with me!!!

                                                                  ****

As always, I offer special custom work from Superfood Catering (Includes on-the-spot group cooking class!!), to DIY-themed and/or Yoga/Wellness/Ayurvedic Retreat in-home/office birthday & holiday parties, & so much more. Call me today to discuss pricing, scheduling & availability.

Public speaking engagement invites welcomed! Call or email me for inquiries. I cannot wait to hear from you!! Have a blessed week, and stay tuned for everything to come!!

Warmly,
Christine Elizabeth

http://facebook.com/christineelizabethrallis
http://askchristineelizabeth.blogspot.com
askchristineelizabeth@gmail.com
Telephone: (484) 523-6822

 

Ask Christine Elizabeth... The Amish-Raised, Greek Homesteader, Natural Mama, Yogini!

 

 

 

"ASK CHRISTINE ELIZABETH!"
A Division of Christine Elizabeth Rallis, LLC
The One & ONLY:
"Greek-Amish DIY Homestead Goddess!!!"
I Now Humbly Offer To You All, A Blossoming DIY Wellness/Fitness/Urban Homesteading Blog, Consulting Co., & much, much more!

http://askchristineelizabeth.blogspot.com/
http://facebook.com/christineelizabethrallis

I'm Now Poised and READY to Help the World with my Ancient Wisdom, Knowledge & Skillset!!!
30 Years LIFETIME EXPERIENCE as a pure, wholesome, naturally holistic,
100% AMISH-RAISED MAINE FOREST HOMESTEADER
Busy Greek Mama of Three,
Entirely Self-Educated Homeschool Graduate...

...Turned Modern, Urban Homesteader
& DIY Wellness/Yoga Goddess/Superfood Chef & DYNAMIC Instructor!!!

*

I Offer Holistic, Traditional, Nourishing Cooking,
Healing through Foods, Simple Preserving, Herbal Wellness, Fermentation For Health, Homesteading DIY Projects & MUCH more- 20+ Years experience!!!
I Specialize in Teaching About/Preparing Superfoods
& Traditional Foods From Around the Globe,
Amish, Paleo, Ayurvedic, Raw & Mediterranean fusions!
I will teach you how to prepare foods that are not only ULTIMATELY NOURISHING & HEALTHY,
But also SIMPLE & Time-Efficient for the Modern World!
Even organic, homemade "fast food" frozen dinners for the entire family
Are a CINCH after I train you in my immensely satisfying "101 Basics"!!

I ALSO even offer specialized, Strict Vegan, Vegetarian & Raw Lessons,
Using only the most healthy, Protein-balanced & safe eating plans, Created from scratch &
Based solely on the LATEST scientific research!

I am PASSIONATE about these subjects, having lived & breathed them my ENTIRE life.
I Want To Help YOU Become the Fully-Realized Human YOU were created to BE!!
*
Kundalini & Vinyasa Flow Yogini with 15+ years experience!!
Classes offered, private & group at only $10 each/hr
Nature-Canopied, Outdoor Open-Air Sessions Preferred For Maximum Benefits. ♥
YOU Pick the Time & Place (Local LV Clients only)!!
Group/Party discounts of 10 or more, at only $7 each/hr!

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Wild Mushroom Sunday Brunch~

Greetings, folks!

Here is a lovely brunch idea!! I created this last weekend from wild-foraged "chicken mushrooms" & oyster mushrooms which my good friend Sandy found & gifted me, and they were phenomenal!!!!! Of course, be sure when wild-foraging anything, especially mushrooms, that they are correctly identified or from a reputable forager/gatherer!!!!!! I cannot stress this enough. 

Here is a run-down & visual: 

Amounts are flexible, but I basically chopped a pan full of mushrooms & sautéed them in a bit of extra-virgin olive oil, garlic, & dehydrated onion powder for a good 20 minutes. Be sure they are well-cooked but not overdone, juicy & tender!

Then add wild spinach, or if you don't have any wild greens use spinach, baby spinach, kale, collards, chard etc! The sky is the limit with breakfast scrambles. This recipe is merely a guideline, especially of how to use a few wild edible plants. Add any herbs, spices, salts & peppers you would like!!!!! I love using fresh thyme and/or basil when I have it on hand, cayenne, pink Himalayan salt, & often a pinch of curry, garlic and/or onion powder for extra flavor! 

After everything is softened & seems deliciously done, add a few beaten eggs (I usually just beat by themselves, not adding milk, cream of water). I only used 6 here, but could have done more! As long as there are enough eggs to reasonably bind the rest together....

"Stir-fry"/scramble over medium heat until done!!!!! We added great gobs of cheese & ate it right up, forgetting to photograph the last step, but it was *already* delicious without it!!!! 

Enjoy!!!! Play with the recipe & tweak to your personal fave tastes. Enjoy the rest of your weekend!!!

Love, Christine Elizabeth xo

Superfood-Infused Coffees, for Weight Loss & Energy + Mind!

***Unbelievable***....To my large & beloved natural lifestyle following people out there, & really just EVERYONE!!: I just found out about a new natural cutting-edge weight loss coffee with *superfoods*..... and it tastes great!!!

 

 

 I didn't know coffee could be elevated to that level & standard of PERFECTION like this has now become....superfoods & herbs infused directly into the coffee!!!!  Wow. THIS HAS MY FULL ENDORSEMENT!!!

I'm actually going to carry this with my other carefully selected wellness services, and having a pre-launch party for this branch of my wellness business!!!! The boxes are going fast so please let me know if you want to try one!! :)

PS: It's considered breastfeeding-friendly too!!!! My natural mama friends absolutely LOVE it!! :-)

                                                               ~Viva la Javita!!  Xxo!

Tonight's Dinner: Chicken & Rice Stew W/Garlic Indian Chapatis

Here is a warm, thick, nourishing stew perfect for a long rainy day like today, and most of this week has been.......Appearing to have been simmered for hours but, with the addition of lightly-sautéed chicken breast chunks, is much quicker in a time-crunch than the traditional boiling of a whole chicken like I would normally do. And paired with yummy salted garlic Indian chapatis, fried on the grillpan or griddle, it's the perfect simple, healing comfort food for a cool rainy evening.....

I quite simply, sautéed cut up carrots & celery in just a bit of olive oil, seasoned with garlic, onion powder, salt & pepper etc., whatever you would like, in the bottom of a soup pot, for a few minutes, while simultaneously sautéing generous chunks of cut-up chicken breast in garlic (fresh or powder) & salt, pepper, butter or olive oil in another frying pan/skillet. Turn off chicken when just done & lightly golden, & save to put in the stew at the end.

After garlic, onion, carrots, & celery are mildly softened, throw some rice in (I used a good 2-3 cups uncooked jasmine rice, it turned very thick & creamy like a risotto), sauté a minute or two, & then fill the pot with water. Cook on a low-medium boil until everything is tender & the rice is cooked & done. I boiled it a bit extra (taking extra care the starchiness of the rice does not make it burn on the bottom) to make the rice extra creamy. Throw in the chicken breast chunks when it is finishing up. I added a generous amount of dried parsley to finish it also, but if I had fresh I would have used it instead! Season with any extra salt, pepper etc. you would like, & serve hot with the freshly-made chapatti.

I'm sure this simple stew with rice would be delicious to try with cut-up (think leftover?) steak or fish also! Try any sautéed vegetable in season. Asparagus would be just beautiful with the risotto-style creaminess of the rice. Currying the entire stew would be another wonderful, warming option! So would a generous pinch of red pepper flakes or ground cayenne. Use whatever you have on hand.

                                                                     Chapati


Chapatis are sooooooo simple to make! :) Very good on a budget too! All you need is a little flour, water, & salt (or try a little natural raw sugar if you want to make a sweet one...yummy!!), & a bit of oil. If you have garlic or other spices you want to try (think rosemary, thyme, oregano, etc....), feel free to add them either in the dough or on the chapati as you are cooking them. Experiment with both fresh & dried herbs~ this flatbread is easy & versatile.

*Makes 10 servings

Makes servings USMetricAdjust Recipe (Help)

2 Cups flour (go ahead & use whatever flour you normally use. I used a combo of regular white wheat & a bit of kamut~ Sprouted would be awesome too, but I'm all out of it for now;))

 

1 Teaspoon salt

 

2 Tablespoons (extra-virgin) olive oil (or coconut oil, sunflower, etc. oil)

3/4 Cup warm water, or as needed                                                    

 

1. In a large bowl, stir together the flour and salt. Use a wooden spoon to stir in the olive oil and enough water to make a soft dough that is elastic but not sticky. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface until it is smooth. Divide into 10 parts, or less if you want bigger breads. Roll each piece into a ball. Let rest for a few minutes.
2. Heat a skillet over medium heat until hot, and oil or butter lightly. On a lightly floured surface, use a floured rolling pin (they have little pita/chapatti rolling pins too which are great!) to roll out the balls of dough until thin like a tortilla, or a pita, depending on what you want. Its a pretty flexible foolproof dough/recipe. When the pan starts smoking, put a chapati on it. Cook until the underside has brown spots, (about 30 seconds to a minute or so for small ones, more for larger thicker ones), then flip and cook on the other side. Continue with remaining dough. Be careful not to burn. sprinkle with herbs, salt, sugar, or whatever comes to mind. These are best served hot & fresh, but we eat leftovers cold or reheated too. The leftovers get gummy overnight, but still are very tasty .

 

 

           Enjoy your quick, healthy, nourishing, home-cooked supper. Have a beautiful evening!!

 

                                                        Love, Christine Elizabeth

My Personal Natural Beauty Secret Ingredients!

I am going to share with you all, my personal "Beauty secrets"..... And they are very simple, actually. Ingredients, not pricey products. Do it yourself right at home! :-)

Below is an excerpt from a longer article I wrote on the "Anti-makeup Campaign, Or, Feed Your Face!"

I extracted (pun intended) the ingredients from the article so you can keep the list easily bookmarked & handy!

Besides drinking lots of water & good herbal teas, & getting adequate rest & eating healthy, getting exercise when possible, here is my list of actual "ingredients, not products", I use:

(1) Water. LOL I know but, seriously. I rinse my face in the morning if I don't shower right away, with cool, fresh water from the sink. I do not generally ever use soaps or cleansers besides my shampoo & sometimes a bodywash. (I'm usually in a hurry so I pick a lovely-scented, as natural/organic/clean as possible but it changes according to my budget, safe for entire body, shampoo for showering whole body & even shaving usually.) I just rinse my face & wake up by splashing cool water over it, & pat dry with a towel.

(2) Rosewater. I don't make this, but I should learn how. I spray it on my face as often as I think to, between once a day & several x a day if its hot or etc. I let the mist dry on my face. It smells ravishing & edible to boot. REAL roses, rosewater, rose oil etc. has many beneficial & healing, beautifying properties & qualities. It is also known to be soothing & calming, and romantic/sensual.

(3) Pure edible oil(s) such as coconut, emu, carrotseed etc. I've used sunflower, grapeseed too etc. Only a drop or two. Coconut oil is awesome on your whole body too. I don't usually moisturize my entire body unless rarely in the dry winter months, or over sunburn perhaps on rare occasion, but I do my face, neck & collarbone area ("décolletage").  Sometimes if it feels dry I will use more, like a little palmful on the face & even pat the excess off once its drenched with oil. If it feels oily, I don't moisturize for a little while. Rosewater is sometimes soothing & moisturizing enough I've noticed, especially lately this past spring & summer. I used to use a lot more oil, now I use less.

(4) Pineapple. A little piece of fresh (or canned in a pinch) pineapple (or papaya too I've heard) contains enzymes that eat dead skin cells, its awesome! Like once a week or month, rub a little piece of it all over your freshly-rinsed or washed face (put your hair up first). Let the juice dry on your skin about 15 minutes, less for sensitive, a bit more perhaps for the first time). Then wash it off with a washcloth or simply rinse it off with warm or just cool water. You will see results, it is just lovely! Makes your face shiny-cute, rosy & reveals the fresh layer of new skin underneath. I love it! I haven't done it in a few months, I'll have to go grab some pineapple at the farmer's market next time, eat some & then rub a piece on my face for a little mini-facial! :)

(5) Pure essential oils, like from Mountain Rose Herbs or another reputable herbal source, are great to collect. Don't fall for over-priced blends from new companies springing up, however. They should only be about $5-15 an ounce/half ounce & contain only the pure essential oil. Unless it is PURE Otto of Rose, Rose Attar or other rare precious pricey famous oils (Ylangylang is another, etc.), I'm talking things like sweet orange, lavender, rosemary etc.

Pure essential oils are fabulous to have on hand to put a couple drops in a relaxing beauty bath with some baking soda or Epsom/mineral salts, very easy DIY bath products. You can blend them yourself & tailor them to what YOU like. I repeat, don't waste your money for blends someone else created if they look overpriced! Do the research (just Google it or pick up a book about aromatherapy) yourself, & save tons of money. They last forever, too. I get a vial of lavender oil once or twice a year & its no more than $6-15 usually depending on market price & availability. Lavender pure essential oil is nice to wear on the wrists too & temples if you have a headache or want to relax. Keep away from the eyes though, like any other essential oil. Most of them need diluted, they are very potent.

(6) Baking Soda. I love having this around!! It is dirt-cheap too, ridiculously so. Makes your skin SOOOO SILKY IN BATHS!!!! Dump half a small box in.... at most you are paying thirty to sixty CENTS for a silky, sensuous, amazing bath. The beauty industry doesn't want you to know this, ha! You can also make a thin paste from it with couple drops water (or rosewater!) & use it for anti-perspirant too, although interestingly sometimes you can break out in a rash from using it, if your lymph nodes go into detox, which is normal. Discontinue use if uncomfortable on the underarms, or if you want to do a full lymph node detox, use it daily & watch the results. It eventually goes away & takes the junk your body has stored from previous toxic products, in your lymph nodes, away & many people find it to be an effective odor control & anti-perspirant, without the highly toxic "Cream of aluminum" as I jokingly call it, mainstream deodorants/anti-perspirants. I'm in the process of experimenting with DIY recipes of deodorants to find the "perfect" recipe that is easy to use & causes less heavy detoxification right away.... & I will let you all know when I find it!!!!!

(7) Tea tree essential oil for acne & blemishes.... just a tiny drop or two on each one... it is a very powerful drying & antiseptic agent. Works on most pimples in a day or two!

Happy Skin-Nourishing! :-)

Have a beautiful week!!!!

Love, Christine Elizabeth xo

Anti-Makeup Campaign- Or, Feed Your Face!

 

 

Good Saturday morning my dear readers!!!!! Listening to a little Bob Marley, drinking coffee, baby sleeping, time to blog a little! How is everyone today?

Okay, so I am caffeinated & about to launch into what could be either a revelation or a very touchy subject....for women mostly that is! The subject of makeup/cosmetics/beauty products & the multi-BILLION-dollar annual revenue it generates!!! Shocking, you say? I agree.

The global revenue in 2011 from the cosmetic industry was 38 BILLION DOLLARS!!!!!!!!!!! What the h*ll is going on?! Why are we plastering garbage on our faces? Do we realize we are often *creating* our "problem skin"? Most of "us" started wearing makeup when we were teens with troubled skin. This often irons out as we mature, but the Industry certainly doesn't tell you this!!! They tell you the opposite. I cannot tell you how many things I have heard that make me laugh because I live the opposite. But we all have heard the sales ladies, the advertisements, the commercials, the insane amount of marketing telling women they are not beautiful enough without this or that product to "correct" themselves. Let's call it what it is, its disgusting. It is completely disgusting, and a lie. Is your husband or boyfriend saying the same thing? Let's face it, 99% of cosmetic use is going to be for sex appeal whether you admit it or not, right? So ask them what they think! 9 times out of 10 any man, even "city boys", are going to tell you they absolutely despise makeup & prefer a fresh face. They learn to put up with it because women wear it so often but they don't really like it. So WHY do we do this?! For other women? Or because the media tells us to? Ummmmmm..... we are now outspoken on every other type of media and we still punish ourselves like this? This is just another lie, loves. Think about it!

Then we get so used to putting chemicals (possibly mixed with a few "natural" things) on our skin/faces/hair etc. we think, even if we take a couple-day break, that this is how our skin IS. It is NOT!!!!!!! It is merely a vicious cycle more often than not.....

I used to wear  makeup every day. I broke out like crazy when I did, no matter what expensive or inexpensive brand, formula etc. product I tried. Then what is often the case, women cover it up instead of washing off & letting their starving skin BREATHE. It is an endless cycle & the foundation especially, gets thicker & thicker over the years. They end up looking unreal or like china dolls- I have lots of sweet friends who do this even in the Bohemian/natural/health-obsessed world. I don't usually say anything because I would never want to hurt their feelings, but it looks awful & I cannot understand the concept behind what started all this! Wash that crap off, lol. Let your skin breathe for a day, a week, a month, a year! Seriously, can you believe we are wasting this much $$ globally for "Beauty"??????

WOMEN are beautiful, not makeup! PEOPLE are beautiful!!!!!!! Not foundation & fake colourings!!!!! Can you even SEE your gorgeous natural freckles & beauty marks? Can you feel the wind on your face or is your makeup drying out? Can you run out & play in the rain or did you forget the waterproof mascara this morning? Oh, my God!

And then, WHAT kind of message are we sending to our children?????? Our girls? Our teenagers???? Our "Tweens" now... its getting younger & younger??? "Everyone" at school is doing it....really? Do all women wear makeup? No! Why should all these lovely fresh-faced young girls start younger & younger poisoning their faces? Even if its "natural", anything beyond a pretty lipgloss or nail color for a treat maybe, why should they feel the need to "enhance" their sweet little faces?! To look older because television is sexualizing kids younger & younger & younger??? Is that a good reason, really? Because "everyone" is doing it? They aren't. Plenty of parents DO say no. Or highly regulate these subjects!

I don't have little girls (yet, anyway.... ;-)). I have three lovely little boys. They *love* beautiful "mamas" & "aunties" etc., ladies, fairies, princesses, all that stuff, traditional beauty in the storybooks & movies. But I had a fascinating, eye-opening talk with them about a year ago that they still remember after I forgot even, & it made a profound impact on them. I think they were kind of idolizing a few pretty lady movie stars they saw, I can't remember which ones, maybe like Angelina or J-Lo. Or faces in magazines, air-brushed to perfection... they were making remarks that those ladies were prettier than most people or something, I can't exactly remember. I was disturbed that they were getting caught up in the fake glamour of it all from media, ugh. But what happened next was the good part. ;-) I got the bright idea to Google a few stars WITHOUT makeup, for them, & explain what makeup & airbrushing ("like paint" lol) actually DOES for surface stuff & when they wash their faces, they look a LOT different.... sometimes horrifically so according to Google, LOL. They were so shocked & fascinated, we poured over search images for a good hour or so & talked about it at length!! The initial Dove "Campaign for real Beauty" video of a normal girl they glamourized & made over for about 12 hours or so, before computer-enhancing her face for a billboard, was another great one. Kudos to Dove for their campaign but they are still selling products & capitalizing now on that....for more "beautifying" skincare & etc. LOL! They are a business, not a charity (yes, they donate to charity a small percentage of proceeds, but they are making millions & millions of pure profit too), & they are pulling heartstrings of American women & girls to buy their product for "Real Beauty" now.... Oy vey... (((face-palm)))

For example: Here is a pic of Jennifer Lopez without makeup, compared to what we all know she looks like in the limelight-and I like her, I think of her as beautiful, but this is just a good example:

 

Actually I just saw this one of Miley Cyrus too, so I'm not providing just one example ;-)

 

 

(They look pretty average to me under alllllll that makeup & glamour!)

 

At any rate, to finish my little story, that simple talk & research, on that rainy Saturday with my small children (ages 6 & 8 now), made such a lasting impact, my eldest child actually brought it up the other day when we were watching a movie on TV & I said absent-mindedly, "Oh she is SO pretty, aww!!", about a cute little fresh-faced young lady. Demetri said, "Yeah Mama but remember, they are wearing heavy paint makeup for TV & don't really look like that under it in real life!!" Awwwww. My little sweetie! I totally had forgotten that talk and here it is almost a year later!! I hope he carries a love for wholesome fresh-faced girls without makeup into his adult life & can help his generation get rid of the fake, false glamour of heavy, toxic cosmetics once & for all. Also I am trying to teach them above all, the beauty of a good character & a loving kind heart, regardless of what the outside looks like. This is the most important thing regardless of race, religion or circumstance. A loving happy HEART will shine through in the bright eyes & smile of a healthy, kind-hearted, wholesome young adult regardless of what their face was born like, it will be BEAUTIFUL. There is no higher beauty than that.

Now let me backtrack a bit. I want to write about good health habits for your skin, and the importance of feeding & nourishing your skin & body. A healthy body, decent exercise, adequate sleep etc., is crucial of course.... but even if you cannot get that (such as long hours at work, college studies, or new parents etc.), why spackle your skin & cover it all up? Our skin TELLS us what it needs! Our eyes do, our skin does, our whole body does. I'm, not saying NEVER wear makeup, but seriously think about this please. If you eat moderately healthy, live a moderately healthy lifestyle, FEED YOUR SKIN edible ingredients to nourish, soothe & protect, you will glow. Period. You may have the occasional flare-up, but who doesn't?! I do once in awhile, but I haven't owned foundation or cover-up in many years!!!!! I get compliments all the time on my skin & complexion. Women ask me what I do. I feed my face & then let it CORRECT ITSELF. Our body is a temple of God. Its a beautiful, living, breathing creation. It is its own support system & if ALLOWED to work, will correct problems on its own or with very little help. I firmly believe this. If it looks dehydrated, flush yourself with water & fresh juices, steamed foods with a little healthy oils, etc. Take care of yourself instead of covering it all up & denying the problems.

Yes, I will readily admit, sometimes for severe acne sufferers or any skin problem, etc. it needs a little medicine or corrective care to alleviate, just like our insides do. But if women just take the time to RESEARCH what they are actually putting on their face & paying a price for, they may want to look into healthier options instead. And for Goodness sake don't plaster cosmetics over the blemishes & medication so they can't breathe.... I only used cover-up & foundation-type skin correctors for a few years in my early twenties & got some severe facial infections trying to hide pimples this way. I did find, however, tea tree oil applied directly to the acne or blemish & allowed to breathe in the open air without makeup, healed VERY fast, within a day or two. I have told lots of people about this if they ask me for natural acne & blemish treatments & its a 100% success rate from what I can think they ever said after trying it. Just a tiny drop will dry them out usually.

So,..... what to do instead of all that makeup....? My immediate response: "FEED your FACE", don't just starve it & cover it up. This is what I think of when thinking about a daily or weekly beauty routine. There are many, many lovely "skin smoothies" you can whip up right in your blender out of fruit & other food ingredients, apply as a mask & wash off.... pure coconut oil, emu oil by the drop etc., these are just terrific & will NOT clog your pores, contrary to common opinion. Ladies, experiment with the same amount of interest you did with makeup as a teen, & you will find what works for your specific skin type to make it glow & shine its best. I have a few personal favourites I'll list below in a bit.

Do you realize, not only the amount of money women are coerced into spending for "beauty" products alone (remember that 38 BILLION....uh, could we boycott it for a year & donate instead just to eradicate world hunger & poverty on a global scale?! Just a thought....), but really researching what toxic products are in things if you choose to continue to use them?  I have made my own organic skincare, as do several of my other friends & family. You all know me as huge into the DIY movement. MOST "natural" (I'm cringing as I write that, ha!) skincare & cosmetic products are still FILLED with at best, inorganic substances & at most, downright harmful ingredients known to cause cancer!! Take Kiss my Face & Jason cosmetics/skincare for examples!! These are available at most health food stores for a very jacked-up, "organic"-feeling price. MOST of these products, turn over & read the back, they are still disgusting!! They almost all contain Methyl & propyl PARABENS.....found in breast cancer cells, & causing a host of problems. Most of the ingredients are still unprounouncable, & I'm not talking about when they spell out the Latin name of herbs & essential oils or vitamins like A (Tocopherol), etc. I'm talking about the exact same, harmful chemicals & preservatives you can find in dollar-store skincare & cosmetics, these companies are shamelessly putting in their product & marketing to unsuspecting, trusting people to make even more of a buck in the Natural industry. Its very sad!!!

Which brings me to, the MAKEUP/cosmetic industry labeling which is much worse than toiletries/skincare-type products, the latter of which at least requires ingredients to be listed on the label. (Think eyeshadow compared to shampoo-where are the ingredients? Many don't list it or are vague.) Ever wonder what is in that expensive "organic" or "99% botanically-derived" cosmetic contains? At least because of demand by consumers, the facts are starting to finally come out!! Many are cancer-causing or linked to very bad reactions, health issues of all types, & are often even downright carcinogenic. I beg you, do a little reading & re-evaluate just WHAT you are putting on your face, or your daughter's faces, & know there are options that are still fun, beautifying to the skin, & create a fresher, healthier, less flawless-obsessed, Natural Beauty. The natural world is so imperfectly beautiful. Should we all look like flawless marble cookie-cutter statues, or all be the individual, unique, brilliant, naturally beautiful people we were born to look like??

Some of the freshest, most BEAUTIFUL faces & pure, gorgeous complexions I have *EVER* seen in my entire 30 years have been among the Amish & Mennonites I grew up with who are forbidden to wear makeup, and likewise Greek nuns who often look a good decade younger than what their real age is. Etc., etc., etc! The latter don't use mirrors & don't even know what they look like after a while, its fascinating. They are smiley, rosy-cheeked, no blemishes, baby-pure skin, fresh-faced to the extreme! Its amazing! The common denominator in both of those groups is not wearing makeup. (Also they both eat home-grown food very often, as an interesting side note.) They look better than most ladies who do, it is really eye-opening. I firmly believe, more often than not, our skin CAN correct itself & bloom regardless of what type we have. The REAL YOU IS BEAUTIFUL!!!! Why not give it a try?

Of course now I am going to share with you all, my personal "Beauty secrets" for free, ;-)  & they are very simple, actually. :) Besides drinking lots of water & good herbal teas, & getting adequate rest & eating healthy, getting exercise when possible, here is my list of actual ingredients, not products, I use:

(1) Water. LOL I know but, seriously. I rinse my face in the morning if I don't shower right away, with cool, fresh water from the sink. I do not generally ever use soaps or cleansers besides my shampoo & sometimes a bodywash. (I'm usually in a hurry so I pick a lovely-scented, as natural/organic/clean as possible but it changes according to my budget, safe for entire body, shampoo for showering whole body & even shaving usually.) I just rinse my face & wake up by splashing cool water over it, & pat dry with a towel.

(2) Rosewater. I don't make this, but I should learn how. I spray it on my face as often as I think to, between once a day & several x a day if its hot or etc. I let the mist dry on my face. It smells ravishing & edible to boot. REAL roses, rosewater, rose oil etc. has many beneficial & healing, beautifying properties & qualities. It is also known to be soothing & calming, and romantic/sensual.

(3) Pure edible oil(s) such as coconut, emu, carrotseed etc. I've used sunflower, grapeseed too etc. Only a drop or two. Coconut oil is awesome on your whole body too. I don't usually moisturize my entire body unless rarely in the dry winter months, or over sunburn perhaps on rare occasion, but I do my face, neck & collarbone area ("décolletage").  Sometimes if it feels dry I will use more, like a little palmful on the face & even pat the excess off once its drenched with oil. If it feels oily, I don't moisturize for a little while. Rosewater is sometimes soothing & moisturizing enough I've noticed, especially lately this past spring & summer. I used to use a lot more oil, now I use less.

(4) Pineapple. A little piece of fresh (or canned in a pinch) pineapple (or papaya too I've heard) contains enzymes that eat dead skin cells, its awesome! Like once a week or month, rub a little piece of it all over your freshly-rinsed or washed face (put your hair up first). Let the juice dry on your skin about 15 minutes, less for sensitive, a bit more perhaps for the first time). Then wash it off with a washcloth or simply rinse it off with warm or just cool water. You will see results, it is just lovely! Makes your face shiny-cute, rosy & reveals the fresh layer of new skin underneath. I love it! I haven't done it in a few months, I'll have to go grab some pineapple at the farmer's market next time, eat some & then rub a piece on my face for a little mini-facial! :)

(5) Pure essential oils, like from Mountain Rose Herbs or another reputable herbal source, are great to collect. Don't fall for over-priced blends from new companies springing up, however. They should only be about $5-15 an ounce/half ounce & contain only the pure essential oil. Unless it is PURE Otto of Rose, Rose Attar or other rare precious pricey famous oils (Ylangylang is another, etc.), I'm talking things like sweet orange, lavender, rosemary etc.

Pure essential oils are fabulous to have on hand to put a couple drops in a relaxing beauty bath with some baking soda or Epsom/mineral salts, very easy DIY bath products. You can blend them yourself & tailor them to what YOU like. I repeat, don't waste your money for blends someone else created if they look overpriced! Do the research (just Google it or pick up a book about aromatherapy) yourself, & save tons of money. They last forever, too. I get a vial of lavender oil once or twice a year & its no more than $6-15 usually depending on market price & availablility. Lavender pure essential oil is nice to wear on the wrists too & temples if you have a headache or want to relax. Keep away from the eyes though, like any other essential oil. Most of them need diluted, they are very potent.

(6) Baking Soda. I love having this around!! It is dirt-cheap too, ridiculously so. Makes your skin SOOOO SILKY IN BATHS!!!! Dump half a small box in.... at most you are paying thirty to sixty CENTS for a silky, sensuous, amazing bath. The beauty industry doesn't want you to know this, ha! You can also make a thin paste from it with couple drops water (or rosewater!) & use it for anti-perspirant too, although interestingly sometimes you can break out in a rash from using it, if your lymph nodes go into detox, which is normal. Discontinue use if uncomfortable on the underarms, or if you want to do a full lymph node detox, use it daily & watch the results. It eventually goes away & takes the junk your body has stored from previous toxic products, in your lymph nodes, away & many people find it to be an effective odor control & anti-perspirant, without the highly toxic "Cream of aluminum" as I jokingly call it, mainstream deodorants/anti-perspirants. I'm in the process of experimenting with DIY recipes of deodorants to find the "perfect" recipe that is easy to use & causes less heavy detoxification right away.... & I will let you all know when I find it!!!!!

Will you join me in washing that makeup OFF your face & letting your skin breathe & heal itself? Will you "feed your face" with me? Will you save *bucketloads* of money & look into simple, effective, DIY recipes & tricks from the grocery store or farmer's market to use in place of toxic "cosmetic" paints, basically? I'm not asking you to never wear makeup again. I'm asking you to let your face detox & actually get COMFORTABLE with the real you. (It even took me a couple years to get comfortable again, when I got caught up in makeup the few years I started wearing it, I thought I looked awful without eye makeup & blush to define everything....!)

And to be honest, I do still own a makeup bag, & its not even completely organic.... BUT I only use it maybe once every 6 months LOL.....just for pure FUN if I feel like wearing colorful eyemakeup for a special occasion or to dress up.... not every day, or every week, or even every month, but once in a blue moon, & its fun sometimes! I have to admit the last few times though, I didn't enjoy it & washed it off an hour later lol. My skin felt like it couldn't breathe even though I only had on blush & eye makeup, heh! But on a daily basis my skin is free, uncluttered, feels really healthy & wonderful, and I get compliments on my clear complexion like I said.... Use it for special occasions or just skip it altogether! :) If you want to slowly wean off if you have serious blotches or skin problems, start trying to just wear less & less every day & if you don't have to go out in public, don't wear it at all. Don't sleep in it obviously. Detox yourself from the habit, like quitting cigarettes almost. It can be a real habit or crutch! Don't let it be. You are so BEAUTIFUL without it & your skin WILL correct itself & glow by itself! "Feed your face," & shine!

If you feel "naked" without makeup, tempted to cover it back up for short-term effect instead of long-term investment, I'll tell you another thing that is REALLY fun to do to distract yourself & feel "pretty". I started getting really into awesome Bohemian, global accessories a few years back, to go with anything from jeans to a sundress. Instead of spending time on toxic makeup & focused on just the face which is silly anyways, I match some awesome bangles & a chunky necklace or pair of earrings to my outfits, & forgot all about makeup LOL. Voila! Think of the whole pic, not those pores only you can see (You don't know it yet, but no one is standing over your face with a magnifying glass. Step BACK from that mirror, lady! ;-))  Now I have lots of cool jewelry accessories I've made or thrifted (Or re-made from thrifted or broken pieces, its so fun & they look beautiful & ever-changing!!).... You can still have a *stunning* look without spackling your face & putting chemicals on your eyes & skin. And making & wearing a few adorable necklaces or bangles etc., or creating a few yummy DIY skin-nourishing recipes together, is a LOT healthier & cuter of an image to send to our little girls & teenagers than the whole cosmetic/media mess, aww. Join me, & the rising number of lovely fresh-faced ladies who are rejecting this cultural fake image, & feel the freedom!!!!

In conclusion: Just be YOU, & love yourself. Don't be afraid to go bare! "Going bare", for your face that is, is the NEW sexy!!!!! Big smile now! Xxo!

Warmly, with love,
Christine Elizabeth