Ingredients:

1-1/2 lbs mixed fresh farmers market mushrooms (your choice of varieties), trimmed and sliced
onions, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp dried thyme leaves or 2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 tsp seasalt
1/2 tsp cracked black peppercorns
1 bay leaf
4 cups organic vegetable or free-range beef broth
1 cup homemade coconut milk
4 tbsp. Virgin Coconut Oil
1 cup boiling water

Preparation

In a bowl, soak mushrooms in boiling water for 30 minutes. Drain through a fine sieve, reserving liquid. Pat mushrooms dry with paper towel and chop finely. Set aside.

In a skillet heat 1 tbsp (15 mL) Virgin Coconut Oil over medium heat. Add fresh mushrooms and cook, stirring, until they lose their liquid. Transfer to slow cooker stoneware.

In the same pan, melt remaining 3 tbsp. Virgin Coconut Oil. Add onions and cook, stirring, until softened. Add reserved mushrooms, garlic, thyme, salt and peppercorns and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Transfer to slow cooker stoneware. Add bay leaf, broth, coconut milk and reserved mushroom soaking liquid and stir to combine.

Cover and cook on Low for 6 to 8 hours or on High for 3 to 4 hours. Discard bay leaf.

Enjoy the organic coconut cream mushroom soup!

Ingredients:
1 onion finely chopped
1 can of chopped tomatoes
1 tablespoon of tomato puree
3 tablespoons of cider vinegar
1 teaspoon tamarind puree
1 tablespoon water
A pinch each of:
– chili powder
– cinnamon
– paprika
– salt and pepper to taste

Barbecue Sauce Preparation

Place the chopped onion in a non stick pan with a tablespoon of water then cook very very gently for an hour or two until the onion starts to brown (not burn).
Mix all the ingredients in a saucepan and warm through.

Very easy to make sauce … sugar free organic recipe.

Organic Hair Products that You Can Make at Home

 By Anna Lynn Sibal

If your hair has specific needs or if you have problems regarding your hair, such as dryness or dandruff, you may be better off dealing with them by using organic hair products.  Synthetic shampoos, conditioners, gels and other commercially made hair care products may be more popular and less expensive, but they are made using chemicals derived from petroleum, and these chemicals are proven to be harmful to the body. 

You can even make your own organic hair products right from the comfort of your home.  The beauty of making your own organic hair products is that you can customize them according to your hair’s needs.  If you suffer from dandruff, for example, you can mix up a dandruff shampoo that is just right for your hair.  What is even more beautiful about this is that you yourself can ensure that the ingredients you have put in your hair products are truly safe and free from toxins. 

Here are just a few recipes that you can work on to make your own organic hair products.

Organic Dandruff Shampoo 

Dandruff is actually made up of dead skin cells that have built up on our scalp.  If our scalp is healthy, we normally shed dead skin cells around once a month.  However, some conditions accelerate the shedding of dead skin cells, and this often results to dandruff. 

You can make your own organic dandruff shampoo using rosemary oil and eucalyptus oil.  Rosemary oil helps increase blood flow to the scalp to accelerate healing.  Eucalyptus oil, on the other hand, is an antiseptic and it also stimulates blood circulation to the scalp. 

To make your roganic shampoo, just boil two cups of distilled water and melt four tablespoons of pure castile soap in it.  Once the soap has completely dissolved, add a teaspoon of potash and let the mixture cool.  When the mixture is at room temperature, you should mix in 14 drops of rosemary oil and 5 drops of eucalyptus oil. 

If you do not have rosemary oil and eucalyptus oil, you can substitute tea tree oil.  Tea tree oil is also an antiseptic and has antifungal properties.  Around 14 drops of tea tree oil will work with the mixture.  Pour the shampoo in a clean bottle and store it in a cool place. 

Organic Hot Oil Treatment for Dry Hair 

Temperature, overexposure to sunlight and overusing certain commercial hair care products can actually make the hair dry and brittle.  You can restore moisture to your hair by using an organic hot oil treatment that contains jojoba oil and sunflower oil. 

To create this homemade organic hot oil treatment, you only need to mix two teaspoons of jojoba oil and one teaspoon of sunflower oil.  Heat the mixture up over a low flame, but do not let it come to a boil.  Just mix it until it is at a temperature that you can tolerate against your skin. 

Apply the hot mixture to your hair and gently massage it onto your scalp.  Once your hair is fully covered with this hot oil mix, wrap your hair in a towel and let the oil sit there for 20 minutes.  Afterwards, wash it off with your organic shampoo and rinse it thoroughly. 

Organic Hairspray 

Most of us use hairspray to keep our hair in place and to maintain our hairdo.  However, commercial hairspray can damage our hair.  You can actually make your own organic hairspray at home using organically grown lemons and oranges.  All you need to do here is to chop half an orange and half a lemon into fine bits and boil it in two cups of water.  Boil it until the mixture is thick and then let it cool. 

Once it is cool, strain the mixture and put it in a spray bottle.  Mix in two tablespoons of rubbing alcohol to keep the mixture fresh for two weeks if you want to keep that spray bottle on your dresser.  If you do not want alcohol in your hairspray, keep it in your refrigerator. 

These are just a few recipes for organic hair products that you can make at home.  If you want to have great-looking and healthy hair, you do not have to rely on commercially made hair care products.  You can make your own organic hair products and rest assured that these products are safe for your hair.