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Seven Ways to Prepare Now for Low Stress and Budget-Friendly Holiday Gifting

Posted on October 27, 2015 by Beeyoutiful Mary Leave a comment

I know, I know, I KNOW. There’s a special kind of frustration and pressure that mounts when you walk into a store in October (probably still wearing short sleeves!) only to see Christmas decorations up already.

Goodness, let me have my fall, people! I’m not even getting to wear my boots yet!

But what I do appreciate are all the great ideas for holiday gifts that are creeping into my Pinterest feed, and the fun craft ideas that float across Facebook. And given that I have almost already filled my entire schedule for the next 12 weeks, I am glad to be reminded that if I want to make a few thoughtful gifts, it might be time to plan on it now.

So while we’re not ready to turn on the Christmas tunes at Beeyoutiful headquarters and throw any tinsel just yet, we are going to give you a head start with our list of seven Christmas gifts you might want to make or purchase before the holiday rush this year.

1. Cinnamon Ornaments

They’re not edible, but these cookie imposters smell divine and are great as teacher gifts or for Grandma.

1 cup Applesauce
1 1/2 cup Ground Cinnamon
*You can also add small amounts of glitter to your dough to add extra glitz to your ornaments!

Mix until thoroughly incorporated. Place dough on a sheet of cinnamon-dusted waxed paper; place a second sheet on top of the dough. Roll to 1/4 inch thickness, and then peel off the top paper. Use your favorite cookie or biscuit cutters to cut dough into shapes.

Using a thin spatula, place dough shapes on a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet. Using a ice pick or skewer, poke a hole on the top part of each ornament to later insert the ribbon. Bake in a preheated oven at 200* until solid (up to 2 hours).

Once cooled, insert ribbon or decorative string and tie in a hanging loop. Hang on your Christmas tree or anywhere you’d like to spread the scent of Cinnamon.

2. Herbal Sugar Scrub

This is a great gift for those on your list who enjoy a bit of pampering.
1 cup Sugar
1/2 cup Sweet Almond Oil
1/8 cup Raw Honey
1/8 cup crushed Hibiscus petals
30 drops of Peppermint Essential Oil (Or substitute another favorite oil)

Mix together until thoroughly incorporated and then store in a tightly capped glass jar. Place in tins or decorative glass jars for a beautiful gift. Use a chalk board tag and a liquid chalk pen for an added cute touch on the label.

3. Herb and Spice Blends

Buy your herbs and spices in bulk and create some of your own blends, then give them as gifts to your favorite cooks! Several popular spice blends are Cajun, Italian, Herbs de Provence, Ranch, and Cinnamon Sugar. Here’s a salt blend to get you started.

Kickin’ Popcorn Salt

1 cup Sea Salt
1/2 cup Chili Powder
1 Tbs Cayenne Powder
1/4 cup Paprika
1/4 cup Garlic Granules
1 Tbs Oregano
1 Tbs Thyme

Mix together and store in a tightly capped glass container. Pop your popcorn, then melt butter and add 1-2 teaspoons of this salt to taste. (I also like to add the juice of a lime.) Drizzle over freshly popped popcorn and toss to distribute evenly.

4. Herbal Tea Blends

Use bulk herbs and teas to create custom blends for your next tea time. (Learn the simple steps to blending herbs here!)

5. Essential Oil Rollerball

Create your own unique aromatherapy blends using your favorite essential oils, jojoba oil, and an empty rollerball bottle. The Complete Book of Aromatherapy and Essential Oils has some great recipes and tips on making safe and fragrant blends!

6. Spiced Vanilla Granola

Get our delicious recipe here! Make it ahead in big batches, then portion it into pretty containers to gift later.

7. Books

Choosing a favorite wellness book for a friend is a great way to share information and education, and boost their long-term health too. Talk about a gift that keeps on giving!

Foodie Friday: Gluten-Free Pumpkin Chip Mini Muffins

Posted on October 9, 2015 by Beeyoutiful Toni Leave a comment

#FoodieFriday- Gluten-free Pumpkin Chip Mini Muffin Recipe from Beeyoutiful.com

It’s autumn: that time of year when everything begins to smell like cinnamon and great big pumpkins work their way into every possible recipe. Take advantage of the season with this delicious treat, and be prepared to share it when friends want to replicate the spicy sweetness in their own kitchens!

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Chip Mini Muffins

1 cup pumpkin puree, homemade or canned (NOT pumpkin pie mix)
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 large eggs
3/4 cup rapadura unrefined sugar
1 cup gluten-free flour blend (I used Trader Joe’s)
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup (gluten free) chocolate chips
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice blend (or 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, and 1/4 teaspoon cloves)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 24 cup mini muffin tin, or line with paper liners.

In a large bowl, whisk together the softened butter and eggs, adding the pumpkin puree and sugar and mixing until smooth.

Sift or whisk together the dry ingredients. Gradually incorporate into the wet mixture. Fold in chocolate chips.

Fill the muffin cups about 2/3 full and bake for 15-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the muffins comes out clean. Let cool for 5-10 minutes, then remove from pan to a cooling rack.

NOTE: If you prefer to bake this recipe in a regular muffin tin or bread pan instead of as mini muffins, you may need to add xanthan gum or other gluten-free binders to prevent crumbling. I find that using mini muffin pans for gluten-free baking creates enough crust area that the muffin generally holds together well without requiring additives.

Foodie Friday: How to Create Your Own Herbal Tea Blends (Plus a Recipe!)

Posted on September 25, 2015 by Beeyoutiful Mary 2 comments

Few things bring comfort to my mind as much as a warm cup of herbal tea on a crisp fall day. As the temperatures drop and leaves turn, my morning routine has begun to steadily include a mug or two of my favorite herbal delights! It is soothing, helps me slow down a bit and awakens me for the day, but even better, this liquid supports my body with vital nutrients and encourages my healthy immune system. How blessed we are that something so good for us is also so delicious.

While mixing blends is something anyone can do, there is some art to mixing a tea that is not only delicious but provides the nutritional support you need. You can have some delicious teas that lack nutritional density, or you can have a bitter stout teas that work beautifully but are literally hard to swallow! Learning to select a careful balance of herbs that have both taste and active properties, and that pair well, is the key.

Often herbs or spices fall into both categories, such as Cinnamon, Elderberries, Lemon Balm, and Hibiscus. They are all very nutrient dense while being quite tasty as well. Using these along with a more herbaceous tasting selection helps to cover the less delectable flavor and take your cup of grassy flavored water to a new level of bold fruity or spicy flavors.

When crafting an herbal tea, start by selecting your target outcomes. For example, if you’ve awakened with a scratchy throat and want to soothe and lend nutritional support, you’ll want to select herbs and spices to support throat health.

These could include (but definitely are not limited to) Slippery Elm Bark, Marshmallow Leaf or Root, Mullein, Cinnamon Bark, Elderberries, Hibiscus, Rosehips, Elderflower, Licorice Root, Garlic, and Cayenne. Now a big infusion of these herbs might help the sore throat, but wowzers! It might be really hard to get down.
Selecting a few of the powerful favorites and then pairing them with some flavorful teas will make a sip you will not only benefit from but enjoy drinking.

From these, I suggest selecting several that have historical benefits for the throat; Slippery Elm, Mullein, Marshmallow and Licorice Root would be my base. I’d use equal parts of each, and then add Cinnamon Bark, Orange Peel, Lemon Balm and Clove to help lend a little flavor. Licorice Root’s spicy warmth helps marry the flavors between the two groups.

Here’s a recipe for my favorite Throat Love Herbal Tea Blend.

2 Tbs Slippery Elm Bark
2 Tbs Mullein
2 Tbs Marshmallow Leaf
2 Tbs Licorice Root
1 Tbs Cinnamon Bark
1 Tbs Orange Peel
1 Tbs Lemon Balm
1 Tbs Cloves

Mix together and store in a dark glass or metal container. Use 1-2 teaspoons per cup. Steep in freshly boiled water for 10-15 minutes. Sweeten with honey or stevia to taste. Enjoy!

Herbal tea blends can be quite expensive, with some specialty blends costing as much as $50 or more per pound. A pound will make quite a few cups of tea, but knowing how to blend your own teas allows you to create your own unique flavors while going easier on the budget.

We would love to hear your favorite blends or recipes! Try out some of Beeyoutiful’s Tea Blends and let us know what you think.

Happy Tea Drinking!

Mary Ewing, Family Herbalist

Foodie Friday: Grilled Sweet Peaches

Posted on July 31, 2015 by Beeyoutiful Mary Leave a comment

Nothing says summer like a barbecue, and one of my favorite things is to try new foods on the grill.

Grilling vegetables and fruits is fun, and it brings out different flavors than cooking them on a stovetop. One of my personal favorite flavors that captures all the yummy goodness of summer is grilled fruit.

Fire up your grill and join me for some of this delicious decadence!

Grilled Peaches

4-5 medium-sized peaches, sliced in half and pits removed
1 cup Rapadura
2 tsp ground Cinnamon

Clean grill well and coat with coconut oil before starting.

Stir together Rapadura and Cinnamon in a mixing bowl. Toss sliced fruit in the sugar mixture to coat. Grill over low heat for 3-4 minutes, being careful not to allow them to burn. Serve hot as a stand-alone dessert or with a dollop of raw cream.

10 Reasons You Won’t Want To Be Without Cedarwood Essential Oil

Posted on July 23, 2015 by Beeyoutiful Mary Leave a comment

When we first considered carrying Cedarwood Essential Oil at Beeyoutiful, cheers went up among the men, because its hale and hearty woodsy aroma is definitely favored by the masculine members of our team.

But then the more we Beeyoutiful women learned about and used Cedarwood, we found its benefits and subtle aromatic nuances were delightful for both genders and all ages! It’s a team favorite now.

Considered appropriate to use with children, Cedarwood Essential Oil is a fantastic support for the respiratory system and skin health, and aids in calming and quieting a restless soul.

Here are just a few of the incredible ways we’ve already learned to use Cedarwood Essential Oil.

1. Add 7 drops of Cedarwood to 1 teaspoon of Sweet Almond or Jojoba Oil and massage on the chest, neck, back of the spine and heels of the feet to support the respiratory system.

2. To soothe an overstimulated child or adult, diffuse Cedarwood for 5 minute intervals until relaxed. May also mix with complimentary oils such as Bergamot, Cypress, Cinnamon, Frankincense, Lemon, Lime, Lavender, Rose, Neroli and Rosemary.

3. Add 1 drop of Cedarwood to your facial wash to help avoid acne or other facial blemishes.

4. Clean your floors with Cedarwood!

Freshly Cleaned Floors
1/4 cup Vinegar
5 drops each of Lemon, Cedarwood, and Tea Tree Essential Oils
drop or two of liquid castile soap
Mix together and add to mop water.

5. Add 2-3 drops of Cedarwood to your shampoo to chase away dandruff.

6. Mix one drop of Cedarwood and one drop of Marjoram into Sweet Almond Oil, and use the mixture to massage stiff and sore joints.

7. Cedarwood helps to repel bugs and rodents; take advantage of this by dispensing a few drops onto a cotton ball and placing it in areas where pests are seen.

8. To support kidney health, add 3-4 drops of Cedarwood to Bath Salts. Mix thoroughly and then add to the bath water. Soak for 30-45 minutes.

9. Make your own “Cedar Balls” by putting several drops of Cedarwood Essential Oil on a piece of fabric. Put in a lingerie bag or organza bag and hang with clothing that needs protection from moths.

10. Cedarwood is calming and appropriate for kids!

Settle Down Massage Blend
2 drops Cedarwood Essential Oil
1 drop Lavender Essential Oil
2 drops Orange Essential Oil
2 ounces carrier oil
Massage on to the back, neck and feet to help bring calm to children and adults.

These are just a few ways we have discovered that Cedarwood has rapidly become invaluable to us. We would love to know how you have used it; please share your ideas with us!

Get your own bottle of Cedarwood Essential Oil here, or as part of our discounted Men’s Magic and Dream Team essential oil combination packs. Cedarwood’s also an ingredient in our kid-friendly blends, Easy Peasy Breathie, Immuni-T, and Bee Focused.
Eager for more recipes and tips on Essential Oil usage? Our email series 101 Uses for Essential Oils is packed with information you can put to use right away!

Foodie Friday: Minute Mug Cake Recipe (Grain-free, Gluten-free, Refined Sugar-free)

Posted on July 17, 2015 by Beeyoutiful Toni 3 comments

Sometimes I just need a little sweet treat, something that doesn’t require a lot of time in the kitchen or firing up the oven in the middle of the summer swelter.

Using a single serving recipe like this one means it’s simple to make, cleanup is minimal, and perhaps best of all, there’s not an entire cake lingering for days and tempting me to over-indulge!

This mug cake recipe is easy enough for a child to make, ready in mere minutes, and made of nourishing ingredients that don’t make me feel guilty or sick afterward. It’s gluten-free, grain-free, and contains no refined sugar, making it suitable for many diets, including paleo.

Minute Mug Cake Recipe

Choose a LARGE microwave-safe mug (or even a glass 2-cup measuring cup) and add:

1 Tbs butter

Melt in microwave for about 30 seconds. Swirl melted butter to coat the sides of the mug.

Add to mug:

1 Tbs honey
1/4 tsp vanilla
1 drop liquid stevia extract
1 egg

This is why you should use a LARGE mug!

Stir wet ingredients with a fork until egg is thoroughly beaten.

Then add to mug:

1 Tbs coconut flour
1 Tbs almond flour
1 Tbs cocoa powder
pinch cinnamon
pinch salt (if using unsalted butter)
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
up to 3 Tbs milk or water

Stir well to incorporate fully for a smooth cake batter texture.

Microwave on full power for 90 seconds. (Depending on its power, your microwave may take a bit more or less time to bake your mug cake.) The cake will puff up and then settle down as it cools.

Eat your cake straight from the mug while it’s warm, or invert on a plate. If you want to make this simple treat even more decadent, top with fresh berries (or a fruit sauce), nut butter, whipped cream or ice cream (in the winter, maybe even snow cream!).

This recipe is open to many variations; I’ve used carob powder instead of cocoa, coconut oil instead of butter, and maple syrup or rice syrup instead of honey. You could add a sprinkle of chocolate chips on top of the batter, or stir in some sliced almonds for a little crunch. Try it out and let me know how you personalize this recipe to suit your own tastes!

Foodie Friday: Spiced Maple-Vanilla Granola Recipe

Posted on May 15, 2015 by Beeyoutiful Toni Leave a comment

I’ve made many batches of this recipe as gifts, and every single time I’ve been asked later for “more of that wonderful granola”! The blend of spices (especially the “secret ingredient” of cardamom) combined with vanilla is what I think makes it special, but feel free to adjust the seasoning to suit your own tastebuds.

Tips

Use parchment paper or silicone baking mats on the baking sheet, or expect to scrub hard when the syrup adheres nearly permanently to the metal surface. (I learned this the hard way.)

Use sunflower seeds to make a nut-free version that’s a bit more accessible to those with food sensitivities.

Spiced Vanilla Granola

4 cups organic rolled oats

1 cup chopped raw almonds, pecans, or walnuts

½ cup organic raw unsweetened shredded coconut

¼ cup freshly ground flax seeds

¼ tsp salt

½ tsp cinnamon

¼ tsp nutmeg

¼ tsp cardamom

¼ tsp coriander

¾ cup Sucanat or Rapadura

⅓ cup coconut oil

¼ cup maple syrup or honey

1 Tbsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 300°F. Cover a rimmed shallow baking pan with parchment paper. In a large bowl, mix all dry ingredients.

In saucepan, combine oil, sugar, and syrup or honey. Bring up to simmer over medium heat. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.

Pour hot liquid over oat mixture, stirring quickly to mix well.

Spread mixture onto baking sheet. Bake at 300°F, stirring every ten minutes until golden brown (about 30 minutes). Cool completely and store in air-tight container.

Makes about 6 cups. Recipe can be doubled or tripled to fill more than one baking sheet.

Foodie Friday: The 7 Foods You Need in the Bathroom

Posted on May 8, 2015 by Beeyoutiful Toni Leave a comment

You probably don’t think about body products while you’re picking up groceries for supper. It’s also not common to head for your pantry when you want to wash your face!

Let’s get a little unconventional and explore 7 foods you should have in your bathroom – and why you want them.

Raw Apple Cider Vinegar

Besides its many health benefits, did you know that Raw Apple Cider Vinegar is also an excellent facial toner? Mix a little raw ACV, water and a few drops of lavender essential oil for an easy facial toner that’s soothing and healing.

Raw ACV is also great in a hair rinse. You can skip conditioner and instead rinse your hair with 1 tablespoon of ACV mixed with one cup water. It leaves hair soft, shiny, and with no frizz! Add a single drop of Rosemary Essential Oil to the mix for a lovely scent and to boost the shine even more.

Oats

Your mom might have added oats to the bath when you had chicken pox as a kid, and they still deserve a place in your bathroom today. Oats promote healing and reduce inflammation, making them a great choice for sensitive skin.

You can use ground oats as a gentle, soothing body scrub, or as an everyday face exfoliator. (Just whiz rolled oats in a food processor to make a gritty flour.) For mature or sensitive skin, make a paste of ground oats and milk. Smooth over damp skin, let dry for 10 minutes, then rinse with warm water.

Cornmeal

Cornmeal is an inexpensive and effective exfoliant. Mixed with a little honey, it’s a simple body scrub. Many commercial body scrubs contain salt, which is much too harsh for most skin. Cornmeal is soft enough to not damage skin, but still get the job done.

Baking Soda

Add a pinch of Baking Soda to the lather from your cleansing bar to turn it into an exfoliating wash. Rinse well and be sure to follow with a gentle moisturizer.

Raw Honey

If you can only put one food in your bathroom, choose raw honey. Honey can be used to wash your face (yes, really!). It fights breakouts while moisturizing and healing skin, making it the perfect multitasking food for your bathroom. You can also use raw honey to heal cuts and scrapes, fight minor fungal and bacterial infections and much more.

Cinnamon

Cinnamon has antifungal, antiparasitic, and antibacterial properties. Consider keeping a little shaker of ground cinnamon handy, and sprinkle a little over your toothbrush each day to harness the power of cinnamon to fight oral bacteria (goodbye, morning breath!).

Sea Salt

While salt isn’t great for scrubbing your skin, it makes an excellent addition to bathwater. A salt bath helps detoxify, re-mineralize the body, and increase circulation, all while contributing to lowered stress levels. Not a bad way to improve your health! Use a mineral-rich natural salt (like dead sea salt or real salt) for best results.

Foodie Friday: Strawberry Oat Bars (Recipe)

Posted on May 1, 2015 by Beeyoutiful Toni One comment

Strawberry season is in full swing, and that means it’s time for fruit-laden baked goods to grace our tables. Make this recipe for Strawberry Oat Bars and see if you agree! If you’re feeling adventuresome, try substituting a different fresh berry or fruit and let us know how it comes out.

Strawberry Oat Bars

Crust and topping:

3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup Organic Rolled Oats
1/2 cup Unsweetened Organic Raw Shredded Coconut
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup butter, melted
1/3 cup Raw Almonds, sliced or chopped
1 Tablespoon Rapadura sugar
1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon

Filling:

2 cups finely diced strawberries
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 Tablespoon Rapadura sugar
4 teaspoons Arrowroot Powder
2 tablespoons warm water

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line an 8×8 pan with aluminum foil for easy cleanup.

To make the strawberry filling, combine the strawberries, maple syrup, and rapadura sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.

In a separate bowl, whisk the arrowroot and water together until the mixture resembles milk and pour into the hot strawberry mixture.

If you want your filling to be on the thick side, continue to simmer for about a minute (but no longer, or it will break down the arrowroot and actually make the mixture thinner). Remove from heat.

In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, oats, coconut, salt, almonds, rapadura sugar, and cinnamon.

Pour in the melted butter and stir until well combined. Press 1/2 of the oat mixture into the bottom of the 8×8 pan. Spread the strawberry filling on top. Take the remaining oat mixture and crumble it on top of the strawberry filling.

Bake for 25-30 minutes until the topping is golden brown. Let cool completely before cutting into squares.

Foodie Friday: Lebanese Lentil Pilaf with Aromatic Spices

Posted on April 24, 2015 by Beeyoutiful Mary Leave a comment

Try this simple recipe for a delicious and richly-scented dinner, reminiscent of your favorite Middle Eastern cuisine. Serve alongside fresh raw vegetables and yogurt for a nutritional and probiotic boost!

Lebanese Lentil Pilaf

1 Tbsp lemon juice
3/4 cup dried lentils, rinsed and picked over
2 Tbsp coconut oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp ground cumin
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon powder
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1 qt of bone broth or chicken stock
3/4 cup organic long grain brown rice
3 tomatoes, quartered lengthwise
1 cucumber, peeled, cut into rounds
plain yogurt
chopped fresh mint

Soak lentils in warm water with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice for several hours. Drain and rinse.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, and spices. Sauté until onion softens, about 4 minutes.

Add broth, soaked lentils, and rice. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and cook until liquid is absorbed and rice and lentils are tender, about 45 minutes.

Season pilaf to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to plates. Serve topped with tomatoes, cucumbers, yogurt and mint.