oregano -

June 28, 2018

Homemade Kale Chips (Kids Love!)

Making food kids will love is more than just recreating healthier special treats. It’s important to find ways to get veggies in ’em, too, and these homemade kale chips do the trick! Grab the recipe below.

One of the main objections I hear from parents when switching their kids to real food is “My kids won’t eat ______.” Here’s the thing, mom and dad, kids WILL eat what you prepare for them, eventually. You just have to find tasty ways to prepare them.

Enter homemade kale chips: the absolute tastiest way to prepare kale kids will love.

My kids fight over who gets the most kale chips at my house. The kids wait anxiously around the oven for them to finish crisping up. They say things like “How much longer until the kale’s done? I LOVE kale!”

If you, too, want your children to love kale (and lotsa other green veggies), take note: the yummiest way to cook veggies is to roast them in the oven with butter or ghee and get them just slightly crispy/charred. Be sure to add just the right amount and type of seasoning. Voilà.

Health benefits of kale

Not sure it’s worth trying to get some greens into your little one? It is. Kale boasts:

a high content of vitamin K, important for healthy bones and blood clotting
some omega fatty acids
more vitamin C than an orange
a decent calcium content
folate, a B vitamin important for brain health and development
vitamin A, needed for eye health
a good source of magnesium
fiber to help regulate bowels

Do you need any more reasons to get this super green superfood into your kid’s diet?

Don’t panic; buy organic

While kale is filled with health benefits for growing little bodies, it’s important to buy it organic, as it tends to test higher in pesticides than many other types of produce.

For these homemade kale chips, I prefer to buy the organic bagged, pre-chopped curly kale. Of course, you can easily buy whole curly kale, but for some reason, I find the pre-cut, bagged stuff has a better, less bitter flavor, which I’m guessing may come from the leaves being picked earlier, as the younger leaves are less bitter than the more ripe ones.

The secret to perfect homemade kale chips

You need just the right amount of fat (don’t be stingy), and the right flavor of fat (using butter or ghee imparts the perfect buttery flavor).

In addition, using just the right amount of salt, a well as a surprise dried herb gives it such a delicious taste.

With all of the above in mind, my kids actually say these homemade kale chips taste like popcorn- and I agree! Early in our paleo journey, popcorn was one of our most-missed foods (but if you’ve read our story, you know that corn can cause some major behavioral meltdowns for one of our kiddos- read about that here).

Keep in mind that greens shrink -a lot- as they cook. I start with a large baking sheet, but end up with a pretty small helping of kale chips. I usually have to make a double batch to make our crew happy, and even then, they ask for more.

Place a few pats of ghee throughout the pile of kale, then add seasonings.

Ready for the oven.

Print Recipe

Homemade Kale Chips

Prep Time5

Cook Time20

Total Time25

Servings: servings

Author: Jaclyn

Ingredients

6-8 oz chopped kale stems removed
1/4 heaping cup ghee
1 tsp dried oregano
3/4 tsp salt

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375.
Spread kale on a large stainless steel baking sheet.
Spread the ghee in chunks over the kale, so that it's divided up and spread out.
Sprinkle the salt and oregano over the whole tray of kale.
Put in the oven and set a timer for 5 minutes.
When the timer goes off, remove the kale and stir very well, ensuring that the melted ghee coats every bit of kale, and the seasonings are well dispersed.
Place back in the oven and set the timer for another 10 minutes.
Again, remove and stir the kale, then place back in the oven for another 5-10 minutes, checking halfway through to be sure the kale isn't getting too charred.
Once the kale is crispy and slightly charred on the edges, remove from the oven and allow to cool before eating (or risk a burned tongue- not that I burn my tongue every time because I can't resist popping a piece of kale right in my mouth!).

What looks like kids gingerly grabbing a piece of kale is actually impatient children who can’t stand waiting for mom to take photos!

Be sure to make extra for sharing- one batch is never enough!

Have you made homemade kale chips before? Did you love ’em or hate ’em?

March 12, 2017

Everything Extract: How To Make Your Own Natural Antibiotic

In a time when it’s becoming rapidly clear that antibiotics are causing gut health problems that lead to chronic disease and creating drug-resistant bacteria that no longer respond to treatment, one may wonder what to do in the event of a serious infection. You already know I’m a fan of DIY supplements, so it will come as no surprise that I’ve created a DIY natural antibiotic for just such occasions.

When my oldest was a baby, I practically demanded a prescription for every cough and sneeze, without realizing that the use of antibiotics have long-reaching, negative health consequences.

I know now that antibiotics should be a last resort choice when nothing else works… but thankfully, since learning about herbs, I’ve found that there are better options.

Why antibiotics should be avoided

Here are a few reasons you might want to avoid conventional antibiotics in favor of natural herbal antibiotics:

1. Antibiotics kill bacteria. Duh. That’s why we use them. But- our bodies are filled with both good and bad bacteria, and antibiotics aren’t picky.

Antibiotics take an unbiased sweep through the body, killing off every type of bacteria they encounter, including the good stuff your body actually needs.

Where do antibiotics hit first? The stomach, where they damage healthy gut flora. Once that good bacteria gets diminished, the bad guys have an opportunity to get stronger and take over.

2. Antibiotics cause disease. Because the majority of your immune system is found in your gut, your gut bacteria controls how healthy you are and how well your body can fight off invaders.

When antibiotics change the gut terrain for the worse, opportunistic bacteria becomes strong enough to wreak havoc throughout the body, causing everything from autoimmune diseases to bowel disorders.

Antibiotic use has even been linked to autism (read Gordon’s story of healing from autism here, and learn about how several rounds of antibiotics preceded his diagnosis of autism).

3. Antibiotics create superbugs. This is becoming more and more apparent all the time, as drug-resistant infections become more common.

We have let our profligate use of antibiotics reshape the evolution of the microbial world and wrest any hope of safe management from us…

Resistance to antibiotics has spread to so many different, and unanticipated types of bacteria, that the only fair appraisal is that we have succeeded in upsetting the balance of nature. -Marc Lappé, When Antibiotics Fail

The evolution of life-saving medicines has had unintended consequences, as the frequent and overuse of antibiotics has left us with persistent and recurring infections that are harder and harder to treat.

Natural antibiotic herbs

Thankfully, there are lots of herbs that are effective for treating a variety of infections and illnesses. Here, I’ve created what I call “Everything Extract” because it contains a few key herbs to target anything and everything.

Our family recently used it as part of a protocol for a particularly nasty respiratory infection that went through all of our kids, and it did its part to help them recover.

Here’s what you’ll find in my natural antibiotic.

Everything Extract: The Players

Oregano- A long-time, go-to remedy for our family, oregano has been a powerful ally in our house for battling everything from strep throat to PANDAS and oppositional defiant disorder.

Oregano is high in vitamin A, which has been found to help in recovery from measles. (source) The high level of vitamin A may be part of oregano’s immune-bolstering magic, along with vitamin C, manganese, vitamin K, and iron.

Oregano is also antibacterial and contains antioxidants. The essential oil is especially powerful against particularly nasty infections, which is why I use Oregano Spirits (the only time I’ll use essential oils internally) sparingly for serious infections like strep throat or when an illness isn’t responding well to other herbal treatments.

Get Oregano Spirits here and organic loose leaf oregano here.

Thyme- like oregano, thyme is one of my favorite herbs for cooking, but it’s also powerful for fighting infection

Thyme is anti-fungal and may help to battle candida infections and restore balance in the gut and body.

It is also has powerful antiseptic and disinfectant components and has been used to break up mucus, fight colds, coughs, fevers, headaches and sore throats.

Get organic loose leaf thyme here.

Rosemary- Perhaps my favorite culinary herb, rosemary graces everything from sweet potatoes to chicken in my kitchen, frequently.

Rosemary also helps stimulate the immune system and promote healthy digestion.

It’s been used as a remedy for coughs and colds, as well as a wash for mouth, gums, and sore throat.

Get organic loose rosemary leaves here.

Ginger- a synergistic herb that helps to strengthen the benefits of other herbs it’s used with, ginger is one I use almost every day.

I use it in this herbal pain killer for headaches, as well as to help drain the lymph system anytime I’m fighting a cold.

Ginger is high in vitamin C, B6, potassium, magnesium, and manganese. It’s helpful for pain, nausea, and has anti-bacterial properties, which make it a good choice for including in your recovery routine regardless of the illness.

Get organic dried ginger root here.

Everything Extract: The How-To

If you’ve read about how to make an herbal extract, you know it’s really simple to do.

To make this herbal antibiotic “Everything Extract,”

Combine the herbs in equal parts in a large jar, filling the jar halfway. (For my Everything Extract, I used 1/2 cup each oregano, thyme, rosemary, and ginger, to equal two cups total.)
Fill the jar the rest of the way with vodka (I use a gluten-free vodka in a glass bottle).
Tighten the lid and label the jar with date and contents.
Place the jar in a cool, dark cabinet.
Shake the jars once or twice a day for 6 weeks before straining into a clean dropper bottle.

I use a dropperful in a small amount of water 1-3 times a day during illness.

This natural antibiotic is safe for children and pregnant or nursing mothers, though oregano can dry up breastmilk, so should be used carefully.

Do you know a friend who’d like to hear about natural antibiotic options? Sharing is caring!

April 24, 2016

Home Remedies for Sinus Infections That Really WORK!

Last week, I was struggling with some kind of cold/sinus infection that has had me taking more time to rest and take better care of myself. I don’t deal with these annoying minor illnesses often, but when I do, I want to feel better fast! A few years ago, I got a sinus infection that just would not go away, despite trying lots of natural remedies. I started worrying I might need to go to the doctor for an antibiotic… so I started really researching home remedies for sinus infections.

When I want to learn how to fix something, I always start with the cause.

What causes sinus infections?

Sinus infections (also called sinusitis) occur when the nasal passages become blocked and filled with fluid, mucus, and germs. Common causes are:

a cold– left untreated, a cold can turn into a sinus infection when it takes root in the sinuses.
allergies– chronic nasal inflammation and presence of mucus can also harbor infection and turn into sinusitis.
physical abnormalities, like a deviated septum, can cause the nasal passages to become unable to properly drain.
chronic infection or overgrowth of fungus like candida (a yeast) or bacteria. Many pathogens can overgrow in the sinuses.
poor immune function.

So, as with all disease and illness, it’s important to address the underlying conditions like pathogen overgrowth and strengthen the immune system with proper nutrition. But, when you’re battling an acute sinus infection, you want relief now! To heal a sinus infection, you need to reduce mucus, remove infection, and restore system balance. Here’s how I do that:

Neti pot

A neti pot serves two purposes. It can help to clear mucus from the sinus passages, plus, it helps to wash out infection. I use real salt with warm water in my neti pot, but have also tried other germ-killing agents. These can be really painful and I haven’t seen any added benefits personally over salt water. I have also used high-quality probiotics in the neti pot, as they can help to replenish the nasal cavity with good bacteria.

To use the neti pot

fill it with sterile water and a little salt (I use about 1/2 tsp.). I find that getting the water just a smidge warmer than body temperature is just right.
place the spout of the neti pot against the nostril you’re starting with, then press until there is a seal so the water won’t leak out.
tilt your head over a sink and tip the neti pot to begin pouring the water through the nostril. It will travel up your nostril and through the sinuses, then come out of the other nostril. Sometimes severe congestion will prevent the water from being able to flow through. If that’s the case, you can try again later.

I find that I can blow my nose and get lots of mucus out after using the neti pot. I repeat the process on both sides.

Oregano

Oregano tincture is one of my favorite remedies for infection. It’s powerful against all sorts of pathogens, including those that cause sinus infection. Oregano is what finally got rid of that horrible sinus infection I thought I would I would need antibiotics for.

Tinctures are my favorite way to use oregano, and there are two kinds that I use: I like this oregano leaf extract for less severe illnesses. It’s powerful without overdoing it. When I’ve got a doozy, however, sometimes I use this oregano spirits tincture, which also includes oil of oregano.

When I’m taking oregano, I make sure I’m using a good probiotic to ensure that my gut bacteria stay healthy.

Lymphatic massage

This video really speaks for itself. I have found lymphatic massage to be so helpful. I actually try to remember to do it each morning when I take a shower, just for my health, but I have especially noticed improvement in congestion when I do this massage during illness. I’ve even done it on a baby and found it to be helpful.

Treat the infection if it spreads

When I get a sinus infection, it tends to spread to my ears as well. The mucus just builds up and harbors infection. If you’ve had one of these nasty infections, you know what I mean.

A couple of months ago, my kids got a respiratory sickness that had them all coughing and oozing snot. When my two youngest boys started complaining of ear pain, I cringed, knowing that the infection was spreading. When I know the ears are involved, I typically get them to the chiropractor, but it was late in the day and I wanted them to feel better fast.

I put a few drops of 3% food grade hydrogen peroxide in each of their ears, one ear at a time, holding their head to one side for a few minutes, turning it over and draining the ear, then repeating on the second side. It worked like a charm! Only a time or two each and they didn’t complain about ear pain again.

With my own recent illness, I used the same trick and it really did work well- and quickly!

Self-care and immune system support

Finally, when I’m getting beat down by a sinus infection, I make sure to take extra care of myself and support my immune system. I do that by:

taking daily detox baths. I fill a bath with hot water and add a couple of cups of Epsom salts, the soak for at least 20 minutes, and preferably until the water becomes tepid.
drinking plenty of water. Staying hydrated helps the body to flush out sickness. Bonus points if you further support your system with sole water!
eat/drink lots of broth. I tend to crave nourishing soup when I don’t feel well, so I make quick, simple soups and drink mugs of broth to support my immune system. See how to make poached chicken and a whole stock pot of broth here.
get plenty of good sleep. That’s not always easy as a mama, I know, but when I’m not feeling well, I at least try to make sure I’m getting to bed early, so even if children wake me up, I’m getting the best sleep possible, which is a necessity for recovery from illness.