Homemade Deoderant

So I have been allergic to the aluminum something or other in all deoderants pretty much ever since I started using it. So over the last 8 or so years I have had to use these silly all natural ones that NEVER worked, I always smelled if I even thought about breaking a sweat! UNTIL my cousin Betsy told me about how she makes her own and it works so great, she never smells, and its so easy to make! She found the recipe from this website: www.edibleperspective.com

I will never go back to storebought stuff!

6 Tbsp organic coconut oil
1/4 cup arrowroot starch
1/4 cup baking soda
4 capsules 400 IU Vitamin E oil
10-20 drops of an essential oil (I used tea tree oil, but this website girl used peppermint and sweet orange, I couldn't find sweet orange) I will probably switch it up whenever I have to buy more until I find a favorite)

Soften the coconut oil in the microwave, then add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. I store it in a glass jar with a lid. It hardened, but I just rub it between my fingers for a couple seconds to soften it then apply.

Creamy Spinach Dip

1 8oz package cream cheese, softened
1-2 cups fresh spinach, ripped into little pieces
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1/3 cup freshly shredded parmessan cheese
1 teaspoon garlic powder
pinch of paprika
pinch of cayenne
handful of shredded cheddar

In a medium bowl add cream cheese, parmessan, garlic powder, paprika and cayenne. Use a hand mixer, beat until well combined. Add in spinach and bell pepper and beat until just mixed. Spread out evenly into greased baking dish. Top with shredded cheddar and bake at 375 for 15 minutes or until cheese is well melted but not burning.
I liked this with carrots, celery and tortilla chips.

Honey Garlic Chicken

In the middle of cooking this dinner and entertaining 3 kids I realized I was out of honey....so I texted my sweet neighbor then ran next door for a cup of honey. God bless those sweet neighbors. Thankfully she is awesome and buys buckets of raw honey! Just a tip, make sure you have enough of all the ingredients before starting.

8 chicken tenders or 4 chicken breasts (boneless, skinless)
2 cups flour
2 tsp salt
4 tsp black pepper
2 tbsp ground ginger
1 tbsp ground nutmeg
2 tsp thyme
2 tsp sage
2 tbsp paprika
1 tsp cayenne pepper

Combine flour and seasonings in medium bowl

then make an egg wash in a small bowl by mixing together:
4 eggs
8 tbsp water

Set chicken out on a plate and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Then take each piece of chicken dip into the flour spice mixture then into the eggwash then once more into the flour spice mixture, pressing it hard to get good contact.
Heat a deep skillet on the stove with 1/2 inch of olive oil covering the bottom. Heat under medium, maybe between 4 and 5 out of 10. You want them brown and crispy but juicy in the middle.

For the Honey Garlic Sauce:
In a medium saucepan heat
2 tbsp olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
Cook over medium heat but do not let the garlic brown
Add 1 cup of honey
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tsp black pepper
Simmer 5 minutes
Remove and let cool before serving

Simply pour a spoonful over chicken

This is a tad complicated, maybe it was just my circumstances that made it that way but it was well worth the effort. Such a delicious dish! All 3 kids even ate it!

Cauliflower Buffalo Wings

We love us some buffalo wings and since we have moved so far away from a Buffalo Wild Wings, I have had to improvise. These I founds online and actually satisfy our craving for some good wings but in a healthier way. When we do get away and eat at a buffalo wilds wing's I buy ther bottles of wing sauce for home. If you don't have one close or don't want to use there sauce I would suggest Frank's Red Hot Sauce.

1 head of Cauliflower
2 tbsp cornstarch
2-3 eggs, beaten
1 cup plain breadcrumbs
1/2 cup Buffalo Wild Wing's mild or medium sauce
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and coat a baking sheet with cooking spray
In a small bowl combine breadcrumbs and salt and pepper
In another bowl beat your eggs
Break up your cauliflower into large bite size chunks. Toss into a large ziploc bad with cornstarch and shanke until well coated.
Remove each piece of cauliflower from bag and dip into the egg, shaking off excess, then dip into the breadcrumbs, then set on the baking sheet. Continue til done.
Bake for 20-30 minutes. Tender on the inside but browning on the outside.

**Serve with buffalo sauce, ranch, bleu cheese, celery and a beer! Or whatever satisfies your buffalo wing craving!

Turkey Lettuce Wraps

I love PF Changs lettuce wraps so this is what I came up with between another online recipe and my own tweaking.

1 lb ground turkey or chicken
1/2 medium onion, minced
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp sesame oil
2 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tbsp water
1 tbsp peanut butter
1/2 tbsp honey
1 tbsp + 1 tsp rice vinegar
2 tsp chili garlic sauce
dash of pepper
3 green onions chopped
8oz can sliced water chestnuts, chopped
1/4 dry roasted peanuts
10 or so outer lettuce leaves, rinsed and patted dry

**Heat a skillet over medium high heat and add ground turkey, onion, gralic, salt and pepper.

**Meanwhile, in a microwave safe bowl mix together: sesame oil, soy sauce, water, peanut butter, honey, rice vinegar, chili garlic sauce and pepper. Heat in microwave for 20 seconds, then pour over turkey once its completley cooked.

**Add green onions and water chestnuts to the skillet and let cook for another 2 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped peanuts and serve with cold lettuce leaves.

***I also make a sauce to add on top of the wrap.
In a small bowl mix together
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp chili garlic sauce
2 tsp yellow mustard

(If you want it more spicy add more chili garlic sauce, if you made it too spicy add more soy sauce. the redder it is the hotter)

No Bake Energy Bites

1 cup dry old fashioned oats 1 cup toasted coconut flakes 1/2 creamy peanut butter 1/2 ground flaxseed 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips 1/3 cup honey 1 tsp vanilla Mix all ingredients together in a medium bowl. Set in fridge for 30 minutes. Then roll into small bite size balls and store in an air tight container in fridge. Keep in fridge for up to a week. These are the perfect afternoon pick me up sweet snack when the yawn attacks start :-)

Crock Pot Chicken Taco Chili

Yum yum yum! Definatly fitting for a cold lazy day inside.

1 onion, chopped
1 16oz can black beans, rinsed
1 16oz can kidney beans
1 8oz can tomato sauce
10oz package frozen corn kernels
2 14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes with chiles
1 packet taco seasoning
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp cumin
3-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
sour cream, shredded cheese and fresh cilantro are ideal for topping

In your crock pot: throw in all ingredients, stir together, set chicken on top. Cook on low for 8 hours, half hour before serving remove chicken, let cool, then shred and put back in crock pot. We piled this on top of tortilla chips in a bowl then topped with sour cream, shredded cheese and fresh cilantro before digging in!

Gotta love comfort food!