NATURAL HOMEMADE DEODORANT

Some months ago, I read about how bad regular deodorant is for us. It seems that the popular anti-perspirant deodorants contain aluminum chlorhydrate, a toxic compound linked to brain disorders and cancer. Some other new aluminum free anti-perspirants have appeared on the market. But whatever they have in them, if they work at all, stop up the sweat glands and that is also really bad for the immune system.
 

On the basis of this information, I refused to use any toxic deodorant ever again. I had two choices: go without or find a natural deodorant. I’d noticed that sometimes, in colder weather, I could go without using deodorant and not have any noticeable under-arm odor. But in summer and with heavy exercising, I needed some help to avoid a strong odor. I searched out the commercial natural products. It turned out that the natural deodorants that are commercially available are expensive.

There had to be a better way. I decided to make my own. So, I began to read the DIY blogs on the Internet. I tried a few of their recommendations. Some results of this initial experiments smelled strange or included essential oils that were expensive. Others just didn’t work and I ended up stinking. I didn’t give up. I kept on until I made something that was right for me. Eventually I succeeded.

And I’m sharing this effective (for me, at least) deodorant with you. I’ve never experienced any stains on my clothing. I’ve been using it once a day for a year now, and I swear by it. It’s easy to make, there are just a handful of natural ingredients, and it works.

Personal deodorant made from natural oils and cloves.

Clove and Oil Deodorant Recipe

One of those items in this easy homemade deodorant is clove. Cloves are very healthful. They have powerful antifungal, anitibacterial and antiviral properties.  The oils moisturize the skin. What's more, coconut oil is the 12-carbon Lauric Acid. When digested, it forms a monoglyceride called monolaurin. Both of these acids kill harmful bacteria, viruses and fungi.

Ingredients

1/8 cup organic coconut oil

1/8 cup organic olive oil

5 whole organic cloves

You may use a bit of essential clove oil, if you don't want the whole cloves in the jar. Also they may be removed after a couple of days. The nice clove odor will stay on.

Put the ingredients in a small glass jar. (I use old pimiento jars.) Seal with a lid and keep in your bathroom. The process should take you about 5 minutes.

Use your fingers to spread a pea-sized amount under each arm and rub in for a few seconds. On hot summer days it’s totally melted and in winter it somewhat thicker. It still works well, despite temperature fluctuations. 

Your underarms may go through a short detox period when you’re getting used to your new, chemical-free deodorant. Give the deodorant at least 2-3 weeks to decide if it’s working for you. If you sweat a lot throughout the day or during workouts, you may want to reapply the deodorant another time during the day or use a little after-bath talco or organic cornstarch in addition to this product.

I recommend that you try making your own natural deodorant. Look around for some recipes. I believe that you’ll find one you like. It may well be the simple one described here. Beyond that, you’ll feel much better knowing that you are using a deodorant that is healthy for you and not costly to make.

THE SEARCH FOR A BETTER TABLE SPREAD

I'm always looking for ways to prepare and eat REAL FOOD - or, at least, as close to it as we can get these days when so much of the readily available stuff is full of empty calories and toxins. For my own health and that of my family members, I've learned over the years to make most food from scratch. Among other things, it was important to me to have a healthy and tasty spread for my toast and to put on the veggies.

Store-bought margarine was out because it was made from what I consider non-food contents and loaded with chemicals. Of course, I also wanted to keep within a budget - since my household income hasn't increased more than a smidgeon in five years while food costs have doubled - or it seems that way to me. Am I wrong on this?

Obviously, I wanted to use only "natural foods" in my table spread. That pretty well ruled out industrially processed vegetable oils. There are a lot of problems with those oils. One hundred years ago, most people didn't consume any vegetable based oils. Today, US people consume mostly vegetable oils such as canola, corn, cotton seed and soy. The soaring increase in vegetable oils occurred after the 1950s. That's when the government launched a campaign to convince people to eat industrial oils and margarine and thus, avoid butter and other "artery-clogging saturated fats." According to the theory, then promoted, saturated fats were the cause of so many heart attacks and that dietary change was going to change all that. Well, butter and lard in the diet decreased substantially over the years but the use of cheap industrial oils went through the roof - to a current average of 70 pounds per year per person. (For sure, a lot of this has to do with the meteoric rise of the fast food industry where processed foods and cooking grease and oil are the basis of most of what's served.)

Our collective health, as we are well-aware, has not improved over the sixty or more years since that campaign. Instead, as a nation, half or more of us are overweight and have chronic (diet-related) diseases. Part of the reason that we have so much illness comes from the unnatural oils we are consuming. Vegetable oils contain very high levels of polyunsaturated fats, something human bodies can't use well - leaving us fat but not well-fed. Nutritional science knows that saturated- and monounsaturated fats, in modest quantities - is what we need. Another problem is that polyunsaturated fats are unstable and oxidize easily - during processing, by light exposure while sitting on shelves or, later on, in our very own bodies. Oxidized fats cause cell mutation. These mutations cause cellular inflammation and clog arteries. Is it any wonder that we have so much cardio-vascular disease and cancer?

Well, my answer to this dilemma is to make my own tubs of buttery spread. When I first started making this spread I just used olive oil and butter. Later, I added coconut oil to the mix. That gives it a bit more consistency and a lighter flavor.  I like the combo of flavors. My husband doesn't - says he doesn't need butter at all. So, I continue to use my combo for cooking and he uses only olive oil on bread and baked potatoes. Someday I'd like to follow his guidance - less use of dairy products - but haven't done so yet.

In the meantime, I have my own table spread - one that doesn't have a list of ingredients a mile long and is free of potentially toxic additives. It's super easy to make.


A healthy table spread that's easy to make.

Grandma's Own Not-Margarine Spread  (makes about a pound)


Ingredients (organic and extra virgin varieties are recommended)

1/2 pound butter (two sticks)
1 cup olive oil
1/4 cup coconut oil
dash sea salt (or more if you like it salty)

Directions
Put out all ingredients close to the stove to get warm. When all are soft, take a small spatula and whip them together. You could use a blender or food processor to do this but I find it unnecessary. When there are no more important lumps, you've got your spread.

Press your spread into a clean glass jar. Store it in the fridge. The color of course, will tend to be a bit greenish rather than bright yellow. Once, I put some turmeric in the spread thinking that it would look more yellow but that didn't turn out so good. It looked an even brighter green! Also worth noting - not all olive oils are light tasting so plan to try out a couple of different brands until you find what's best. Beyond that, this otherwise good table spread but may not be the best substitute in baking. You'll probably have to experiment with that to find the fats that work for you.

Closing thoughts
With this recipe you can get along without the use of vegetable oils for your table spread. It is also advisable to stop using them for cooking and baking. I use butter, olive and coconut oil for all kitchen uses. On the other hand, a huge challenge still comes from processed foods. If you look on the label of most processed foods, you'll see "partially hydrogenated corn/soybean/etc. oil" or "may contain soybean, canola, or other vegetable oil". These products are not good for you. Stop buying them.  If you're pressed for time during the week, cook up several healthy meals on the weekend and freeze the portions that your family needs. That way you won't be so inclined to buy quick-cook dinners or stop by fast food places.

YOU DON'T NEED A TOXIC BOMB TO STOP UNDERARM ODOR

Underarm odor. Now, that's a touchy subject.  And one that we've been taught to deal with by using the "right product."

Most of us women were told to begin using a store-bought deodorant when we reached puberty. It was a rite of passage, just like the introduction to sanitary pads (back-in-the-day) or tampons, more recently.

Times have changed.

Of course, we’re still concerned - most of us, anyway - with the possibility of offending someone with our potentially strong underarm odor. But, great news has been withheld from us for too long. We don't need a toxic bomb to stop the stench, and that’s what most commercially sold deodorants are. While the industrial DEO situation is grim, we can fight back by tackling our underarm odor naturally.

We don't need those commercial personal products that have so many harmful chemicals in them. We have the right to choose what we put on our skin. And it's about time we exercised that right. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) doesn't do much about the safety of personal care products and cosmetics. In the European Union, there are well over a thousand banned chemicals in personal products while in the USA, there are ten or so.

While most conventional antiperspirants work well, they are really a chemical overkill with numerous harsh and cancer causing substances - beginning with aluminum, parabens and chemical fragrances. Just read the scary ingredients printed on the labels of the store-bought deodorants. Those DEOs are bad news because whatever we put on our skin - anywhere on our beautiful bods - ends up in the bloodstream and then moves into our organs.

We can start our healthy - and sweet smelling - hygiene by eating a good diet,  drinking enough filtered water and taking a daily shower. That definitely cuts down on body odor. But, sadly, for many, it's not enough.  Luckily, for those of us who long for natural options, there is a way. We can make our own healthy deodorant.

Natural DEO is easy to make.

I demanded healthy armpits and found a recipe that absolutely beats B.O. And I have been using it for about as long as I can remember - with no major slip-ups - even during hot, stressed out and sweaty days.

This DEO offers a lot. It’s effective, non-toxic, costs only a few pennies, and has no wasteful packaging. (And, in my opinion, it’s awesome to have happy armpits and, at the same time, wield a blow to harmful consumerism.)

The best part is that it's made up of things that probably are already in your kitchen. These things go into your food. And, if it's found in good, healthy food, it's got to be the same when spread out over your skin.

Healthy Homemade DEO
3 Tablespoons Coconut Oil - organic is best

1 Tablespoon Baking Soda

3 Tablespoons Cornstarch - organic is best

Essential Oils (optional)

Small glass jar - recycled is best.

Just stir up everything in a bowl with a fork or spatula and transfer it into the jar. Then, take a small amount on your fingers and apply it to your underarms. It dries right away. And, like most commercial DEO's, it's best used once or twice daily, according to your needs.

This DEO works. The baking soda stops odor, the cornstarch absorbs moisture, and the coconut oil makes it stick together and offers antiseptic properties. Essential oils help it smell nice. You’ll be ever so pleased with this made-healthy-at-home DEO.

And, hey, just a few decades ago it was common to apply a deodorant cream. We can do that again, if that's what it takes to avoid harmful chemicals.

There are only two warnings that I can think of for your natural DEO. First one - try it first on a small area of your skin - to test for some kind of (highly unlikely) allergy. Second one - it's probably best to use up each batch within a calendar month.

Keep your homemade DEO at room temperature for easy application. If it gets too gooey (something that can happen in hot weather), leave it in the refrigerator between uses. You'll find that it won't be shockingly cold by the time you put it on your fingers. Another way to tackle the summertime goo problem is to add a bit more cornstarch - or small amount of beeswax - to the mixture.

COOKING OIL SPRAYS: ANOTHER THING TO THROW AWAY - FOR GOOD.

A lot of foodie-consumer-products are touted to be natural-like and more convenient for you. And some of them are supposed to help you cut calories. The reality is that most of that is just BIG-FOOD manufacturers' hype. Less costly natural ingredients are almost always more healthy and don't have to seriously add to food preparation time. The case in point, here, concerns commercial cooking sprays in aerosol cans. They contain oils, an emulsifier and a propellant to create a fine mist of oil onto a surface making it nonstick for cooking. The sprays are expensive relative to regular cooking oils. They also use many more natural resources - particularly, the aluminum cans.

This post urges you to toss out the oil spray can and get cooking in a healthier way. And, if you still need convincing, here is some more bad news about aerosol cooking sprays.

Unhealthy additives.
The aerosols in use in these sprays tend to be toxic chemicals and, even in tiny amounts, can't be good for your health. Just one glance at the ingredients and you'll know that it isn't pure or natural. Yeah. Ugly things like soy lecithin, mono and diglycerides, dimethylpolysiloxane, dimethyl silicone, and artificial flavors. The long-term effects of eating these chemicals on a regular basis are not well known but can't be good. As to lawful half-truths in advertising, some have simply listed a "propellant" as ingredient. Needless to say, they don't want to have to spell out what substances are in there. But word has it that the usual propellants are petroleum gas, propane, and butane. (Anyone in their right mind would want to avoid propellants.)

Genetically modified foods (GMO’s)
Most of the soy, corn, or rapeseed/canola commercialized in the US is GMO. (And that's as much as 90 percent according to some sources.) For years, scientific studies have shown that GMOs create health risks such as infertility, auto-immune disorders, diabetes, and changes in the gastrointestinal system. GMO foods also contain higher levels of pesticides than conventional crops.

Damage to the lungs
Because the aerosol particles are so tiny, you just can't stand back far enough to get away from them when you spray. So the cook - and any one else nearby in the kitchen - is always breathing in some part of the spray when they are in use. Over time, that kind of chemical exposure is a serious risk for respiratory disease.

Bad for the environment
Most cooking sprays contain propellants, all of which are greenhouse gases. That can't be good for the earth.  And the nitrous oxide, used in some, is particularly bad in that it doesn’t break down easily. That means they create environmental damage for many decades.

Unnecessary packaging
The manufacture of aluminum cans represents huge amounts of resources. Then, after use, most of the spray cans end up in landfills. Only a small fraction get recycled. But those also require a recycling, a process that involves a great deal of heat and electricity.

Help solve the oil spray can problem by not participating in it.
Don’t look to BIG-FOOD manufacturers to do you favors. Now that you know more about them, do you actually want to use cooking sprays? And the same can be said for many other foodie-consumer-products. Real food, in the form of fruits and veggies, lean proteins, whole grains, and good grade oils, bought as fresh as possible and prepared in the kitchen is what's best for you.

You can always do just what has been done for centuries by carefully using the right amount of oil for each type of food preparation. I remember that as a young girl, we used measuring spoons to add the oil. We also spread out the oil with our fingers onto the baking sheets. But, now-a-days, we tend to do our best to avoid such direct contact with the gooey oils. Fortunately, there are at least a couple of good ways to do spread out the oil without skin contact.

Solutions to the cooking spray can dilemma.
If you think you can't live without cooking sprays, there are some really good options to the commercial ones. And these alternative are less costly in the long run, more earth-friendly, and healthier.

First, you can always buy a hand-pump mister bottle at a big box store and fill it with your favorite cooking oil. But these misters tend to clog up and need a lot of unstopping. (I tried them a while back and decided it just wasn't worth all the fuss.) 

 

Second, you can do what I do now to avoid the use of commercial sprays. I dispense my regular cooking oils - sunflower, coconut and olive oil - with a drip pour spout. I drizzle a few drops of oil into the pan or skillet. If I need a more uniform way of spreading it out - like for baking tins - I use a small silicon spatula to baste the oil onto the cooking surface. I use two bottles - one for regular cooking oil and another for olive oil. The color-coded caps keep me from grabbing the wrong one in a rush.

The little bottles with drip spouts are recycled soy sauce containers. I bought the spatula at a big box store. They work well and clean up perfectly with warm water and regular dish washing suds.
 

JUST BECAUSE YOU CAN, DOESN’T MEAN YOU SHOULD: TOWELS FOR EXAMPLE.

Only yesterday I had proof that my husband doesn’t follow all my blog posts. Or if he reads them, he sometimes glosses over them or misses the message. Just something less than two years ago, I wrote about the need to downsize on bathroom towels. At the time, I gave a lot of - what I thought were - good reasons for doing it. You can read it (link below) and decide for yourself just how good the reasons were. And they still are good reasons as far as I’m concerned.

But, back to my first comment, it all happened when my husband came home for lunch and saw me crocheting the edge of a towel. You’ve undoubtedly seen those towels. They are rather small and made of thin cotton. That’s just the point. Since my decision two years ago to downsize on towels, I’ve had to purchase a couple of thin towels for myself. I found them at the dollar store. My husband continues to use the old “regular” ones that we bought ten years ago and, by some miracle, continue to tolerate frequent machine washing. He wouldn’t let me get rid of his plush treasures when I did my first post on towel downsizing. So, I’m the one who uses thin ones.

On seeing me crochet yesterday, he asked what I was doing. I said: “ I’m crocheting an edge on these cheap, dollar store towels because if I don’t, they ravel out and look terrible. With this edging, they hold up just fine.”

Dollar store towels look pretty good with crocheted edging.

His reply was: “ We can afford to buy good bath towels.” Roughly translated, I suppose he meant that I was AGAIN wasting my time on a rather useless project. I answered him, saying: “I like these towels and do this to keep them serviceable for a long time.” That was enough to quiet him, especially since I got up right then and got busy serving lunch.

But some hours later, I thought that - maybe - I should post more about my decision to use thin, cotton towels rather than the usual fluffy ones. Like my husband, maybe my readers missed that post – so far back in time. Or perhaps I didn’t explain myself as well as I should have. So, here I am with another post the subject of bath towels.  The theme for this one is: JUST BECAUSE YOU CAN (afford to buy fluffy towels), DOESN’T MEAN YOU SHOULD (buy them).

It has everything to do with the harmful effects of the cotton industry

Cotton is a natural product. “Natural” sounds like, maybe, ecological. Unfortunately, cotton growing is not earth-friendly. Being “natural” doesn’t mean that it’s something sustainable.

The sad truth is this.  Cotton growing involves the most intensive pesticides use of any agricultural product in the world. The annual cotton crop accounts for 22.5 percent of all insecticides, herbicides and defoliants used at the global level. And all those toxins end up harming wildlife and contaminating other foods that we eat.

Water use is another concern. Growing enough cotton for one T-shirt requires 257 gallons of water. Think about how much water goes into producing the plush towel that seems like such an good buy for $6 to $10. The polluted wastewater emissions from cotton fields and textile industry also weigh heavy on the environment. What’s more, due to the intensity of cotton farming, cotton in many poor countries makes up for a large percentage of agricultural land - so much so that the local population can’t even cultivate their own food.

If that wasn’t enough, there’s the question of genetically modified cotton. GM cotton hasn’t got much world attention because cotton is falsely considered to be a non-food crop. But food is also an issue here. Cottonseed oil is used for cooking and in animal feed. 
 

We all can make better choices.

So, that’s why I choose thin towels over plush ones and the reason that I want my towels to last for a very long time. And besides all that, the shell-crocheted edge makes my simple towels more attractive – something that I like. After all, it takes me only about three relaxing hours to finish crocheting the edges of a towel, and the cotton yarn I'm using is left over from an earlier project.
 

Fluffy bath towels are among the things you can easily acquire but that, most likely, you shouldn’t (now that you know some of the problems involved.) But, of course, the same can be said of a huge number of other “convenient” consumer products that - thinking more clearly about it – seem to be motivated more by personal vanity than by need. Other examples (and even bigger ones) that come to mind are brand new cars, wide-screen TVs, smart phones, all-round sound systems, etc. But those are subjects of future posts, if I ever get around to them.

Earlier posts

THINGS TO DOWNSIZE RIGHT AWAY: CASE #1 – LARGE, FLUFFY BATH TOWELS
HOW CONSUMERISM (STILL) TRIES TO FOOL US

  

MEATLESS MONDAYS JUST GOT BETTER WITH THIS POTATO-MUSHROOM SKILLET DISH

I like veggies. Always did. And, it's a good thing, too, since for most of my adult life I've been a vegetarian. Perhaps, for this reason, I'm totally captivated with side dishes. In my experience, veggie side dishes are good substitutes for meat-based main courses and usually easier to prepare.

Thankfully, I’m most of the time at home and love to experiment with veggie dishes in my own kitchen. I make them as hearty as I can so that they can be main courses on their own. (When you don’t eat meat, you go to a lot of dinners with friends or family knowing that the very best you can hope for is a simple soup, a garden salad and a dinner roll.)

I strive to make these veggie recipes - that I bring to the table and share with you, here - to be as important and well made as meat-based main dishes. In this way, meatless meals can still produce raves.

Even, if you’re not a vegetarian, challenge yourself at least once a week with "Meatless Mondays". And I hope these tasty veggie recipes help convince you to try several meals-minus-the-meat during the week. It’ll grow on you as a cook and, soon, you'll be as proud of your veggie dishes as you are of what were your best meat-based dishes. And you'll know that you're doing your part to save the planet, one-meal-at-a-time - all this, while preparing real, sustainable food that satisfies the taste buds and nourishes the body.

I served this potato-mushroom dish with white rice and a green salad.

Recipe for potato-mushroom all-in-a-skillet dish

Here's a recipe that I've made in many different ways over the years. You'll like this one. It's my last variation, served up just this week.  Try it out. You'll find that it's elegant enough for an evening meal - even with company. 

It's totally doable in a stove top skillet or can even be done in a slow-cooker (if you have a lot more time). You won't have to light your oven - a plus in these hot summer months. The top and edges get a bit crispy, but the middle is creamy.

Organic vegetables are the best choices for freshness and for nutrition. For those who want to be even more careful, try the non-dairy substitutes that are mentioned.

Ingredients

1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced

2 cloves of garlic

2 Tbs. olive oil

4 medium potatoes, sliced

2 Tbs. white wine vinegar or 1 Tbs. apple cider vinegar

1/3 c. sour cream or unflavored yogurt (for non-dairy, try unsweetened cultured coconut milk)

2 tsp cilantro, minced

4 ounces button mushrooms, sliced

1 tbs. butter or non-dairy margarine

Salt and pepper, to taste

¼ cup regular or non-dairy Parmesan cheese

Sprigs of cilantro

Instructions

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil a couple of minutes. Add the onions and garlic and cook over medium heat until tender, about 10 more minutes.

In the same skillet, cover the onions and garlic with a layer of potato slices, overlapping them. Sprinkle with the cilantro, and then with salt and pepper. Add all other ingredients except the Parmesan.

Cover with a lid and cook stove top over low heat for 25 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.

Best if served immediately. Top with fresh cilantro sprigs and Parmesan cheese.

USE THE SEASONAL VEGGIE BONANZA TO MAKE THIS TOMATO, SPINACH & BLACK BEAN SOUP

As summer crops come in this month, mountains of fresh tomatoes are everywhere. And, if you're lucky enough to have them from your own garden, they're free for the picking. If not, all those tomatoes are out there, somewhere - and cheap right now at the Farmers' Markets. So, use the veggie bonanza to make this healthy tomato soup. It has even more nutrients with the addition of blacks beans and spinach.





Made  this great tomato soup, today. 

Also had fried potato cakes, brown rice,
whole wheat crackers and guacamole.



Homemade tomato soup is the stuff of childhood, and nothing could be more comforting. What's more, you can make this soup recipe in only a few minutes. It doesn't involve a lot of veggie cutting. And this recipe doesn't use dairy at all. Instead it uses a dash of soy or coconut milk and a bit of sugar to cut part of the acid that sometimes goes with boiled tomatoes. Canned stew tomatoes can be substituted if you aren't so lucky as to have mounds of fresh ones. (Choose certified organic products whenever possible.)

 

Ingredients

- 8 fresh tomatoes, halved & boiled with just ½ cup of water until tender, then blended OR a large can of diced tomatoes

- 2 large handfuls of fresh, washed spinach or 1 pkg of frozen spinach
- 1 cup of left-over cooked black beans or a can of black beans
- 1 Tbs. olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tsp. sweetener (best choice is honey or non-GMO cane sugar)
- fresh or dried basil
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced

Directions

Dump cooked or canned tomatoes with everything else in a pan.

Cook over a low fire for 20 minutes.
Serve hot with a dash of hot sauce and some grated soy cheese - or Parmesan cheese - sprinkled on top.

YOU'RE MISSING SOMETHING IF YOU HAVEN’T TRIED INDIAN FRYBREAD

For those of you who've never eaten frybread along with a meal or as a dessert topped with honey or maple syrup, you've missed a real treat. And if you're not from the U.S. Southwest, where it's a cultural icon, perhaps you don't even know what Indian frybread is. Basically, frybread is an all-purpose flat bread that's served like biscuits in the East and South or tortillas in the Mexican American parts of the US. But frybread has its own tradition, rooted in Native American history, and is something so easy to prepare and so tasty that you might find yourself hooked on it. Now, that's not such a bad idea at all, especially, if calorie-counting is not on your agenda.


Frybread is a comfort food delight and so good for campfire evenings.

The history of this simple bread is both interesting and sad. It's widespread adoption among Native Americans happened in the mid 19th century. That's when the US government's policy of decimating and displacing tribes left the survivors in areas of the country that didn't have the rich natural resources that had been their heritage for thousands of years.

The U.S. government provided rations of flour, salt and lard and almost nothing else to those that made it through the struggles of forced marches and other travails to end up in reservations. Having so few food choices,  Native American women used what was available, and that's how frybread became a staple food. It was originally baked wrapped around a stick over a campfire and only later became a skillet-cooked food. While the Navajos get most of the credit for popularizing frybread, this kind of flatbread was a common bread on many reservations throughout the U.S. Today, frybread has become a symbol of pan-Indian resilience and, as a cultural unity food, takes table-top honors at Indian powwows. But you don't have to be a powwow-goer to learn to make and enjoy this delicious flatbread.

Today, frybread doesn't usually keep people alive but is a savory addition to meals that gets raves when heaped with combinations of meat, beans, veggies and cheese. Some people call these variations: "Indian tacos." It also makes a wonderful dessert when topped with honey, maple syrup, or jam. Covered with powdered sugar, they taste a lot like cake doughnuts. And it's a great treat for young and old when the dough is wrapped on a stick and cooked over the campfire. Whatever it's uses, it's one of our U.S. ethnic and comfort foods that everyone should try.

And, for those who shy away from the use of lard, vegetable oils and butter make acceptable substitutes. Other potential ingredients include cornmeal, oats and an egg added to the wheat flour. And, however it's made or what it's purpose, frybread is a totally hands-on experience, with kneading as an essential part of the process. Here's a usual recipe.

How to make frybread (recipe is for approximately 10 saucer-sized, flatbread patties).

Ingredients
4 cups of unbleached white flour – OR -- 2 cups of white flour and 2 cups of whole wheat flour)
1 Tbs. baking powder
¾ - 1 tsp. salt
1 ½ cups warm water (2 Tbs. powdered milk can be added)
¾ -1 cup shortening, warmed to room temperature
Extra flour for the bread board and for hands

Directions
- Put flour in bowl, add dry ingredients. Stir.
- Mix in warm water to form dough.
- Cover hands in flour.
- Knead dough by hand until soft but not sticky. Cover with a cloth and let stand for 10-15 minutes.
- Shape dough into balls about 2 inches across then flatten them into rounds by patting and stretching the dough. Can also be rolled out on a board.
- Melt a quarter of a cup of shortening in frying pan. When the grease is hot, put just one or two dough patties - at a time - in pan. Fry one side till golden brown, then turn and fry the other. Continue frying, adding a bit more grease as needed, until all the patties are cooked.
- Patties may be drained briefly on a paper towel. Best if served right away.

DIY SHAMPOO & SHOWERING SCRUB - GIVE IT A TRY

Years ago, in Mexico, a couple I knew told me that they had given up using soap and were showering only with water. Not only were they soap-free at that time, during a rather arduous 4-day aikido camp, but had been doing it for almost a year. They said that, for them, washing with soap - hands included - caused the skin to lose its natural resistance to germs – and, what’s more, that body odor resulted from frequent use of soap and water.  My husband (wasn't then, is now) and I laughed at that possibility. But we were forced to admit that this couple didn't stink any more than the rest of us – what was more than a bit, I must say, with all due respect to our training group, after  back-to-back two-hour training sessions. Nevertheless, our immediate thought was that the no-soap thing must be some leftover custom from the 60’s, even though the hippie era was over by at least a generation at that time. On the other hand, I have to admit that ditching the soaping-up routine was intriguing to me.

At the time, my husband and I couldn't imagine taking a no-soap shower - something we thought was highly imaginative and possibly unhygienic. But a number of years have gone by and now,  speaking for myself and not necessarily for my husband,  and I have had to question many things that we used to do in an almost robotic way just because somebody told us we should be doing it. Also, I read that a large number of regular people now live soap-free. Deciding to go without commercial soap for bathing and, possibly, for shampooing has finally ended up on my list of things to try. So far, I'm in my second week of no-soap showering, and it's all good, thus far. No shampoo hair care - without passing through a really itchy scalp phase - may still prove to be tricky. Time will tell.

It seemed to me that the most common reason people were using so much soap was because they'd been told – by constant commercial reminding - that they needed it. And, maybe all those harsh chemicals really messed up our bodies' skin oils balance. That might be the reason for so many skin problems that we are seeing at this time. Could it be that our supposed “need” for antibacterial solutions was somehow related? I wasn’t sure but decided that I would continue to hand wash with soap at most of the recommended – before food prep, after toilet - times of the day. (I never carry or use antibacterial products, except when traveling, when I can’t be sure to have sufficient water for hand washing for hours at a time.)

We’ve been programmed as super-consumers to wash our body every day with soap, wash our hair with shampoo most every day, and buy expensive products for all of this. Maybe it’s our over-use of hygiene products that caused us to smell bad in the first place? We've probably hyper-sensitized ourselves to body odor because of all the perfumed stuff that we’ve been using. When you “overkill” on ridding yourself of smells from natural oil, the body compensates by producing more oil, and you often end up with a bigger problem in the long run. Then, we find ourselves needing more specialized products to correct the problems we, ourselves, produced. All this, and not to say anything about the “need” for dermatologists to “fix” whatever skin problems we haven’t been able to solve.

Trying out the no-soap routine

Anyway, as to my initial self-convincing arguments, I’ve always had the idea that we, as sensible people, wanting to live healthy and sustainably, don't need a bunch of commercially marketed products rubbed on our bodies every day of the week. Anyway, two years ago, I stopped shampooing my hair every other day, something that I did faithfully for decades, in favor of once every 10 to 14 days. It seems that shampoo cleanses your hair but, at the same time, strips out all the natural oils. That causes the scalp to produce more oil to replace the natural oils. You end up washing your hair often because it gets greasy right away.

My results with less frequent shampooing have been acceptable, but I’ve also found out that, to cure occasional scalp itchiness, I need to do 100 brush strokes of my shoulder-length hair several times a week. I never could get the habit of brushing 100 strokes every day, as was recommended in the hygiene books in the middle of the 20th century. Later, that kind of rigorous brushing routine was totally lost - disclaimed - as an unnecessary custom when people started washing hair weekly or more often.

By the way, I haven't done any kind of hair dye for almost a decade. And I have gray hair that I’m proud of. My underarm care - without soap - remains the same. I use nothing at all or a bit of talcum powder when it’s really hot outside or when I’m going to be under some kind of foreseeable physical or emotional stress. From my experience, smelly feet, caused by wearing boots and closed tennis shoes, are best overcome by using clean, dry cotton socks and a bit of talcum powder inside the shoes.

Added to all this, I'll share with you some personal history that provides more arguments in favor of the no-soap experiment.

You may have heard or remember that regular people didn't bathe every day until the middle 1950's. Did they stink? Well, some did but not as many as might suppose. In our family, back then, young girls were taught to bathe – no showers at the time – 2 or 3 times a week, when possible, and to wash the hair once every 2 weeks. Liquid castille soap was a usual shampooing item. Women and girls used a rinse of eight-to-one, water to vinegar, solution after washing.  This kept the hair healthy and relatively oil free. Vinegar contains acids and enzymes that kill the bacteria that lead to dry crust conditions causing dandruff and other scalp conditions. The DIY vinegar hair rinse, used at that time, seemed to be an adequate treatment for the usual 2 weeks between shampoos. At least, no one I knew had any major scalp issues.

Anyway, since the first days of this month of October, I’ve not used any soap while showering. Do I stink? No, I definitely don’t. I still shower daily for about 5 minutes, the same time I did when I used soap. Amazingly enough there was no adjustment time. From the first day, I felt squeaky clean. My dry skin is gone, and the hard to exfoliate rough skin on my legs is disappearing. As to the no-shampoo experiment, it’s only now time to wash my hair, and I’ll let you know later about this, later.  

Now, before you think that you can just enter the shower, rinse off and jump out clean, think again! You can’t be lazy and just stand there under the shower. I believe that it's important to rub a soft washcloth with  some kind of DIY non-soap scrub, all over your body, the same as if you were using soap.

Make your own DIY showering scrub

You'll need –

Sea salt

Apple cider vinegar (ACV is best but you can use the vinegar that you have on hand to get started)

Olive oil

Instructions (You can vary the proportions of  the 3 ingredients however you like.))

-          Take a large mixing bowl and pour in 3 tablespoons of 100% sea salt.

-          Mix in 4 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar.

-          Stir the paste together until the salt is blended in a consistent texture.

 -          Pour in 2 tablespoons of olive oil.  

-          Stir the mixture until uniform. 

-          Pour the scrub mixture into a bottle – plastic is always safer to use in the tub. Fasten the lid tightly. 

-          To use the scrub, stand in the shower stall and shake up the mixture. 

-          Turn on the shower and put a dab of the scrub solution on your washrag. 

-          Use just as you would soap. (I usually end up diluting this mixture, somewhat, with a combination of shower and washrag water.)

-          Rinse yourself thoroughly afterwards to remove any leftover salt and oil.

It’s possible that the same scrub mixture will work OK for hair washing, too. Try it and see how it works for you. That's what I plan to do. Just like shampoo, it’s important to shut or just barely open your eyes to avoid eye irritation. No bubbles are produced but scalp cleansing occurs, nonetheless, according to reports. See notes below.

If you tend to have oily hair, you can prepare a baking soda paste for the scalp instead of using your DIY scrub. (I’ve read this, but not had to resort to it - yet. It certainly seems worth trying.) The somewhat thick scalp-scrub paste is made with baking soda and water, along with a couple of drops of olive oil mixed up in a small bowl just before hari washing. You use this paste just like shampoo.   Rinse hair and scalp twice - once with the vinegar solution, mentioned above, and again, with just water.

Note (added later the same day)
After shampooing with the DIY scrub, my scalp seems to be good and clean. Hair smells good and is soft with the oil acting as a conditioner. I did have to add water to the mix in order to get the "shampoo" feel as I massaged the mixture on my scalp. I rinsed my hair thoroughly under the shower and didn't use a vinegar rinse.

2nd note (added three days after the DIY scrub head wash)
Sadly, it turns out that the DIY scrub, while doing fine as a body wash, hasn't been as successful as a shampooing method. My hair is greasy - back to the drawing board on that question. I think it would be better to use only a couple of drops of olive oil with those proportions of vinegar and sea salt. I'll be trying that out soon...

3rd note (2 and a half months later). Still showering & shampooing with my concoction. Has varied just a bit. I use less olive oil. All that wasn't necessary for my skin type & definitely oiled up my hair too much.

4th note (2014) Now lathering up hair with a healthy (I hope) regular soap bar - the kind that, according to its label, doesn't have sodium laurel sulfate or parabens in it - and thoroughly rinsing with my DIY without any olive oil.

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CHUNKY MINESTRONE SOUP IS GREAT IN COOL WEATHER

Minestrone soup is a popular Italian dish that's a favorite way to use leftovers. The recipe for vegetarian minestrone soup highlighted in this post is super easy to make in the rice cooker or crock-pot and takes only a few ingredients. I made some today to celebrate the cool, fall weather. It was delicious.

A bowl of this chunky, homemade soup can be made for pennies a serving, and it’s guaranteed to warm you up on a cold fall or winter day. Fresh vegetables and herbs make this soup even better. (Remember most kitchen herbs do fine all winter when placed in small pots in a sunny window.)

A lot of people hesitate before making this wonderful dish because they’ve heard that most recipes are time-consuming. It all depends on how many kinds of vegetables you want to use and whether you do an initial sauteing.

The version I made was vegetarian but you can add meat stock and bacon bits, if you prefer. The recipe calls for zucchini but any combination of fresh or leftover veggies that you have on hand will do as well. It’s a versatile soup, so feel free to experiment according to your taste.

Recipe for chunky minestrone soup

Ingredients
1 small onion, chopped
1 small can of tomato sauce
2 veggie or chicken bouillon cubes
1-cup elbow macaroni
1-cup leftover, boiled and seasoned pinto beans
1-cup chopped zucchini
1 TBS. fresh, minced cilantro or oregano
4 cups of water
2 TBS olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
Salt and pepper to taste (Remember to go light on salt. You may not need it at all with the bouillon cubes.)
Options: fresh chopped cilantro or parsley, grated Parmesan cheese and bacon bits – meat or meatless kind. Also dash of chili pepper

Instructions
Throw absolutely everything in a rice cooker at the same time and boil on high for 20 minutes.

If you use a slow cooker, wait until the stock and veggies have boiled a couple of hours before adding the macaroni. It should be ready to eat in another half hour.

Serve in ceramic bowls, topped with fresh herbs, grated cheese, and “real” or meatless bacon bits.

Makes a hearty meal when dished up with cornbread (or any whole grain garlic bread) along with small cups of applesauce on the side.

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BOUND TO GET RAVES: SUMMER VEGGIE SALSA

One of the best things about summer is the long list of fresh, in-season fruits and vegetables. And they’re all there waiting for us to make them up into some of the tastiest dishes on the planet. One such dish that you has to be on your plate this summer is salsa. Maybe you’re already something of a salsa maker, and, then, you’ll want to compare my recipe with yours. But, then again, you may have  been hesitant to make salsa, thinking that it’s something hard to do. Forget that! Nobody needs to go to Mexican cooking school to become a salsa expert.

grilled foods and salsa - summer weather winners

Salsa is the Spanish word for  "sauce". But this tasty side dish can be either uncooked (salsa cruda) or cooked (salsa cocida). Both kinds are served cold. The mix of taste is a real delight.  - fresh fruits and vegetables combined with lime juice, cilantro (also known as coriander), onions, and jalapeno peppers.

You can’t go wrong with fresh salsa making

It’s the incredibly delicious, acidic and spicy taste of the salsa that shouts out “summer.” Whatever varieties of tomatoes you have on hand, or combinations thereof, you can combine them all in salsa. Mixing colors is good, too, - yellow tomatoes, tiny cherry and grape tomatoes, put together in one bowl look great. You can also use your choice of other fresh garden treats, depending on your taste. I’ll mention a few of those later.

Salsas are among the most versatile condiments, adding color and flavor to your meals. They can be served with just about anything that you can grill – meats, fish, or thick slices of fleshy veggies such as eggplant or squash. Not planning to grill?  Well, they make great toppers for all kinds of foods - hot dogs and burgers, baked potatoes, corn on the cob, etc. And, you can’t overlook the all-time favorite snack food of tortilla chips and salsa. It’s equally good with baked pita chips. And these snack foods can be substituted for bread and butter at any meal.

You can't get it wrong with this recipe. Nutrition-wise, they’ve got you covered with antioxidants, fiber and vitamins. So, feel free to try out your own variations. Just be sure to use the freshest veggies you can find. 

Summer Veggie Salsa
Ingredients
2 cups chopped tomatoes
1 small, chopped jalapeno (or ½ tsp. of chili powder - for those who shy away from the really spicy stuff.)
Juice of 1 lime
1 or 2 Tbs. olive oil (or none at all, if you want to pare down the calories)
1/4 bunch fresh cilantro, finely chopped
Small  onion, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional: clove of garlic, minced

Instructions
O.K.  Here’s where you can get creative. Depending on what you have on hand, you can add other chopped fruits or veggies, including mangos, hard apples, cucumbers, or sweet peppers. And when you add avocados to the mix, you've got guacamole. It's that simple.

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and toss gently. Cover and refrigerate for about 1 hour to blend the flavors.Want more acidic zing? Then add 1 to 2 tablespoons of mild vinegar or even tequila.

This recipe takes only minutes, and you’ll be out of the kitchen in a jiffy. So, enjoy summer salsa at the next meal. Or don’t even wait and start snacking as soon as it’s made. If you have any leftover salsa, cover it tightly and refrigerate. By far, salsa is best the first day but extras can usually make it for a second day.

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Some pickled dishes - What they are and why you should make them.
It's getting close to summer, officially. That means that a lot of us will soon have bumper crops of certain vegetables, and the question often comes up: "Is there something that I can do with all these cucumbers, beans, peppers, etc.? Even, for those of us without a super-garden production, we sometimes have too many vegetables left in the fridge at the end of week. No one wants to throw them out, of course.

Jonathan Bloom in his book, “American Wasteland: How America Throws Away Nearly Half of Its Food” (2010), estimates that a quarter of the food that’s brought into U.S. kitchens is scraped off plates, uneaten after meals or never even served up and sent directly to the trash. The idea of wasting so much food really troubles me, especially when current headlines are predicting a world of increasing food costs and shortages. So, this post is about something that you can do - when you don't know what to do - with all those extra veggies. In the spirit of: ‘When you have too many lemons, make lemonade”, there is this variation:” When you have too many vegetables, make pickles.”

Pickles and relishes are briny and vinegary, seasoned vegetables. Vinegar is the miracle ingredient that acts as a preservative. Olive oil does the same thing. Pickling has been a means of preserving and flavoring vegetables, surely dating back to prehistoric times. Archeological evidence indicates the ancient Mesopotamians pickled, and pickles are mentioned in the Old Testament. And history books tell that European explorers to America carried pickles with them on the ships. Pickled vegetables were the means by which 15th-century sailors saved themselves from scurvy and, in the early colonies, they were among the first food items to be produced commercially.

In some other countries, they’re known as giardiniera, ensalada de legumbres en escabeche, chutneys, misodzuke, etc. While there may be variation and even disagreement over procedures, all of these dishes are about the same - a mix of marinated vegetables.  Served traditionally as embellishments for roast meats and beans, nowadays, pickled vegetables  are considered to be great combined with salad greens, side dishes in themselves, or healthy snacks when served up with a few crackers. When pickled as as colorful vegetable medleys, they are decorative, too, and are well accepted on buffet tables along with more “elegant” foods.

So, now we come to two topics that are worthy of note: piccalilli and chow-chow. These are regional names, at least in Appalachia, for vinegary vegetables with spices.  Both chow chow and piccalilli are vegetable mixtures that can include a mix of cauliflower, peppers, onion, cabbage, green beans, etc., along with spices, all depending on the cook’s preference or veggie surplus at the moment. WV, my home state, has long had its own regional food variety – Appalachian or Southern Mountain style. To the best of my memory, the WV choice among garnishes was piccalilli. It's made with several different coarsely chopped veggies and almost always has cauliflower or cabbage. On the other hand, what we called chow-chow was certainly known, but seems, at least in my experience, to have been more popular in the Deep South. Chow chow is a relish with a base of chopped green tomatoes. It may also include onions, bell peppers, and other vegetables, and is usually more finely chopped than piccalilli. While not exactly similar, the terms, piccalilli and chow-chow, are sometimes used interchangeably.

My early memories of eating pickled veggies
Now, my close family was all city folk, and the veggies to make our pickled dishes – and a lot of our prepared garnishes, too - were “imported" from farms where my great uncles and aunts continued to live on. And we sometimes had pickled veggies, usually piccalilli, on the table. It was served on the side of a plate. But as a small child, I found pickled foods to be too vinegary for me. Some years later, entering preadolescence, I developed a taste for piccalilli. Actually, I liked it a lot and could have eaten it with every meal, but that didn't happen, at least not for more than a day or so, because my family also liked and ate quantities of it. (For whatever reasons, I never really liked the versions of chow-chow that I was served, with all due apologies to chow-chow fans.)

Also back then, when I was growing up, we usually had the Sunday family dinner at my Dad’s mother’s house. We called her Mawmaw. As often as not, at these meals, Mawmaw served the family - with 10 or more "regulars" in attendance - two or more different meats and four or more side dishes, including pickled dishes, besides rolls, cornbread, several desserts, etc. (It was an eating marathon, and most of the adults, at least, had the expanded waistlines to show for it.) I believe she made most of the pickled dishes herself, but maybe she also had a supply of jars from our “still on the farm” relatives. Piccalilli, chow-chow, pickled beets and pickled eggs were all highly praised traditions at her house.

We sometimes had these same garnishes at our house, too, but other than pickled beets, I don't remember Mom making them. It was Dad who brought them in. I guess Mawmaw shared with us occasionally.  At home, sometimes pickled vegetables were served at breakfast time with biscuits and sausage or bacon gravy – what our family called “poor man’s” gravy.  At lunch or dinner, too, they were sometimes served with pinto beans and cornbread. While few of our home-served meals could be described as elegant, the presence of piccalilli or chow chow gave the meals a certain spirit of abundance - at least that’s what it seemed to me as a child.

Other early memories of eating pickled veggies were at large gatherings and picnics in the summer time. At least once a year, we traveled 20 or more miles, "up the river" to a park or church grounds where we met with 40 or more family members – most of whom I hardly knew. Also, back then, the best cooks were known for their “secret” recipes for piccalilli and chow-chow, and there were even competitions for these foods at county fairs. They also sold quart bottles of them at the fairgrounds and gave away samples to anyone who came by. I often reminisce about the large-scale picnics and county fairs of my childhood and, of course, the foods that we enjoyed at these events. It brings back some wonderful memories!

Would you like to make some piccalilli?
Now, maybe you remember those old-fashioned pickled vegetables from traditional recipes, and some of you probably still prepare them. But other people never really liked eating them because they were too vinegary - also, sometimes too salty. But here’s good news. There are other ways of making piccalilli, at least, that taste great and aren’t so acid or briny. So, if you still haven’t already learned to love pickled veggies, try out this recipe. I bet that you and your family will love this side dish as much as my husband and I do.

The pickled veggies recipe I’m talking about here is a “quickie” one that can be eaten after two days. Some people might argue that these aren't technically pickles because they aren’t particularly salty and don’t have a shelf life of an entire year. But, they are a version of the same that doesn’t call for the fuss of standard canning procedures. And this piccalilli is a nice balance of crunchy, sour and a touch of sweetness. And when salad greens would long be eaten up  - or heaven forbid, thrown out - these pickled vegetables are still at their best – lasting in the fridge for up to a month. These pickled veggies along with a slab of good bread, a bowl of beans (and maybe some farmers' cheese) make for a complete meal. 

Piccalilli, A Lighter Version
Veggies, chopped coarsely
2 carrots, peeled
1 celery stalk
3 c. cauliflower
1 sweet pepper, red or green
2 c. zucchini or yellow squashes
1 red onion (better sliced than chopped)

Pickling liquid
2 garlic cloves, sliced
1 c. apple cider vinegar
1 c. dry white wine
¼ c. olive oil
1/2 c. water
3 tps brown sugar
2 tsp salt
4 peppercorns
1 tsp dry dill weed
½ tsp mustard seed
2 jalapenos (seeds removed) or 2 banana peppers

Place the pickling ingredients in a 1-gallon stainless steel or enameled pot and bring the pot to a boil. Boil for 15 minutes. Strain the liquid and return to pot. Keep the liquid boiling and add successively: carrots and celery, cauliflower, peppers, onion slices and squash, leaving 2-3 minutes between additions of each vegetable. When you consider all the veggies to be lightly cooked, - still crisp and crunchy, rather than limp and rubbery - remove them from liquid and let them cool at room temperature. Once cooled, put the vegetables in a sterilized, 1-gallon glass pickle or olive jar. Fill the jar with the - now also cooled - pickling liquid. Cover with a sterilized lid and refrigerate for 2 days before eating. Keep it refrigerated for up to a month -  I’m fairly sure that your prized piccalilli will disappear a lot faster than that.

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