Whipped Shea Butter Recipe for Hair and Skin

This is AMAZING homemade lotion!! Christy found this recipe on a blog and decided she wanted to make it. Each of us girls has a cute jar that we re-scoop more whipped lotion into once we’re finished. It looks like frosting and I want to dip my finger through it and eat it. One great thing I have noticed is that when I apply it either at night or in the morning I scoop some and lather in my hand. It will start to melt just from the ingredients from the Shea Butter and other oils that have solidified due to the colder temperatures.  

As long as you don't add a product that has a water base this whipped lotion will last out of the fridge for one month.

Don't feel you have to follow this to the letter.  I read that you shouldn't use more than 40% of the total recipe in liquid oil (olive oil, jojoba oil, etc)--Shea butter and coconut oil are solids at room temp so they don't count toward that.

The feeling of this lotion is like...frosting! Which is perfect for the super dry weather here in Arizona. In the winters my skin get so dry from the drastic weather changes from high 70’s in the day and low 40’s at night. I have had a hard time finding lotions that aren’t going to clog my pores and over powered by the perfumes. It's an interesting blend of whipped/light and fluffy and heavy. I LOVE it!! I also love that I know exactly what's in it and what's going on our skin. I've been trying to be more conscious to the idea that if you can't eat it you shouldn't put it on your body. Your skin is your largest organ.

Whipped Shea Butter for Hair and Skin
Makes about 4 cups

6-8 oz organic unrefined Shea butter (We get it from Butters-N-Bars)
1/2 cup organic coconut oil (you can get this at natural grocery stores or online here)
2 tablespoons organic olive oil
1 tablespoon cornstarch (this gives it a less greasy feel on your skin)
1/2 teaspoon of Thieves essential oil (Immune Strength) (rule of thumb: if you can't ingest it, don't use it on your skin)

Scoop the shea butter into a glass Pyrex measuring cup or glass bowl.
Melt in microwave (gentle heat, don't boil!) I use 1 min 30 sec, power 5 on my micro. The reason for gentle heat and only 5 min in the fridge is because the Shea will get a bit gritty if you over heat/cool it. Not that big of a deal really--the 'grit' will melt in your hands like the rest of it.

Add in the coconut oil, olive oil, and cornstarch and whisk until incorporated and fully melted. The heat of the Shea butter will melt the coconut oil.

Pour mixture into bowl of your stand mixer. Use the whisk attachment. Turn mixer on level 6 and whip for 15-20 minutes until it begins to 'trace' (Some people describe the "trace" as a little mound of soap that takes a second or two to disappear back into the mix. You can see the whisk leaving lines/tiny ropes across the top of the mixture). Don't stress about this idea--if it's whipped 20 minutes you're fine!

Take the bowl off the mixer and stick it in the fridge for 5 minutes.

Take it back out and back onto the mixer. Mix on level 10 for another 15-20 minutes. Add essential oil and mix another minute or two. You're done! Scoop your mixture into glass containers. (Use Pyrex or Anchor 2 cup glass bowls with rubber lids)

Shea Butter from Butters-N-Bars--this is the before pic

Afterwards-- Looks like frosting or whipped cream doesn't it? Beautiful!

Eat as the Greeks do...

                         Chicken Souvlaki

Active Time: 30 min

Total Time: 1 hr 40 min

Serves 4

1 1/2 tsp finely grated lemon zest, plus 3Tbs lemon juice

2 garlic cloves, finely grated

1Tbs chopped fresh oregano

2Tbs extra virgin olive oil

Coarse salt & fresh pepper

1lb boneless, skinless chicken beast halves, cut into 2 inch cubes

1/4 English cucumber, chopped

1/2 cup fat-free Greek yogurt

3 plum tomatoes, quartered

1/2 small red onion, cut 3/4 inch thick, and separated into slices

4 whole wheat pitas (you can use Naan Bread too)

1. Whisk together lemon zest, 1Tbs plus 1 1/2 tsp lemon juice, half the garlic, the oregano, 1Tbs plus 1tsp oil, and 1/2 tsp salt. Add chicken and Ross to coat. Refrigerate, covered, for 45 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, stir together remaining lemon juice, garlic, the cucumber, and yogurt, and 1/4 tsp salt. Refrigerate, covered until ready to serve.

3. Heat grill to medium heat. Thread chicken, tomatoes, and onion onto skewers. Brush with remaining 2 tap oil, and season with pepper.

4. Grill skewers, turning, until browned on all sides & cooked through about 8 minutes per side. Grill pitas until charred, about 2 minutes per side.

5. Serve skewers with charred pita bread and cucumber yogurt sauce. Garnish with oregano leaves.

This meal is easy when it comes to preparing, it's refreshing during the hot summer months here in Arizona. When I make this meal I can picture myself in Greece looking out over the Mediterranean with a glass of wine enjoying the sunset. If you enjoy trying new dished you will fall in Love with this one.

Quinoa

Just some helpful tips on why Quinoa should be incorporated into you diet. Quinoa is an amino acid-rich (protein) seed that has a fluffy, creamy, slightly crunchy texture and a somewhat nutty flavor when cooking. Quinoa is very rich in manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, fiber, folate, and copper, all great ingredients that your body needs. 

 Health Benefits

• High in protein and contains all 9 essential amino acids
• Helps for Migraine Headaches- rich in magnesium which helps relax the blood vessels, preventing the constriction and rebound dilation characteristics of migraines.
• Helps Improve Cardiovascular Health

Rainbow Quinoa Stir-Fry

1 cup Rainbow Quinoa ( You can use the regular kind as well)
1 Tbs Olive Oil
2-3 Garlic Cloves, minced
White Onion, chopped
Broccoli
2-3 Carrots
Green Beans or Sugar Snap Peas (or both)
Corn
Bell Peppers
Avocado (add when serving)
Salt and Pepper

Directions:

Follow directions on the back of the package for cooking the Quinoa in a separate pot, since there is just myself and my sister 1 Cup of Quinoa makes enough for dinner and lunch the next day. Once cooked set aside.

In a large pan saute olive oil, onions, and minced garlic. Once cooked through add carrots, broccoli. Cook until soft, then add remaining vegetables. Add salt and pepper to taste. Once the vegetables are cooked to your liking add the Quinoa to the mixture, you may find you need to add more olive oil, salt and pepper. Once everything is mixed you may serve. Top the final dish with avocado. This dish is really great because you can add any vegetables that you like to or remove any that I have listed above to your liking. This is a simple, but very healthy dish and it's great for lunch the next day. If you are vegetarian this is a great meal to make as well. You may also add meat to this as well.

Enjoy!

Boost Your Immune System --- Great Immune recipe for Kids too

Sore Throats:

Gargling with red sage tea can help relieve the pain along with Fenugreek, garlic; lemon and propolis are very useful as well. I like to finely chop 2-3 cloves of garlic, placing on a large spoon and covering with honey. Then I swallow with water. Do this 3-4 times a day and you will see your health improve. Another thing I find to be helpful is boiling hot water, adding fresh squeezed lemons and some honey for flavor and just relax and sip on your tea.

Nausea/ Vomiting:

 Drinking teas of basil, lemon balm, or ginger help to calm the stomach. My favorite is ginger tea. I cut small chunks of ginger root, add to my glass water bottle and pour boiling water over it and drink all day. You can use your tea up to 2-3 times before it begins to loose its strength.

If you are pregnant, drink up to 3 cups per day of spearmint or peppermint tea prepared using 1 teaspoon of herbs to 1 cup of water. Also ginger has been used for morning sickness for many years. There are some contraindicates for using ginger during pregnancy. If you wish to try ginger, only use fresh ginger root prepared as a tea and no more than 1 cup per day. DO NOT USE GINGER ESSENTIAL OIL.

Fevers:

Drink teas of borage, chamomile, elderflower, feverfew, hyssop, horehound, lemon, lemon balm, lemongrass, peppermint, rosemary, sage, thyme, or yarrow. My personal favorite is peppermint, because if it’s soothing and cooling effect. Another great trick is to sponge with cold water.

Earaches:

It is very important that you treat both ears, even if only one is troublesome. Rinse out ears with a warm carefully strained infusion of horehound. Also, you can add a few drops of warm mullein oil in each ear or a few drops of warmed infused garlic oil in each ear. (Please see directions for making your own infused oil) Some beneficial herbs for teas are lemon balm, hyssop, and yarrow.

*Soothing Ear Blend*

½ oz Chamomile Flowers (Dried)

1 Cup water

½ Cup almond oil

½ Cup vegetable glycerin

Place the chamomile and water into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer until half the liquid remains. Remove from the heat, strain, and cool until warm. Add the almond oil and vegetable glycerin. Soak a cotton pad in the blend and insert carefully into the ear. You can halve this recipe if you would like.

Coughs:

There are a few different herbs and recipes for coughs. Thyme, sage, elderflower and peppermint teas are really helpful. Drinking hot blackcurrant drinks along with an infusion of mullein, thyme, yarrow and horehound as a blend. Lastly, the horehound cough syrups, there are a few different kinds depending on what ingredients you have.

Sage, Garlic, and Honey

6Cups of water

2 Tbs Salvia officionalis leaves

2 Cloves of Garlic, finely chopped

½ Lemon, juiced

Honey to taste.

Boil water and pour over sage, garlic, and lemon juice. Steep the mixture for 5 minutes. Add honey if necessary. Drink at least 3 cups an hour. Fast while using and rest in bed with plenty of blankets to sweat it out.

Horehound Cough Syrup I

1oz Horehound

1oz Licorice

1oz Elecampane

½ oz Hyssop

½ oz Marshmallow Root

Honey to sweeten

Peppermint essential oil: 1 drop to 1 pint of fluid

Prepare a standard decoction using all the herbs except the horehound. Strain and pour over the horehound. Leave the mixture to steep for 10-15 minutes, and then strain and measure. For each cup of fluid, add 1 cup of honey, and then return to the heat and simmer gently in a covered saucepan until the mixture has thickened. Cool and add the peppermint essential oil. Bottle and store in a cool place. Use 2-4 teaspoons as required every 1-2 hours.

Horehound Cough Syrup II

1 Cup Raw Sugar

2 Tbs honey

1 Tbs Fresh Lemon Juice

½ pt Horehound Infusion

2-3 drops Peppermint essential oil to taste

Combine sugar, honey, lemon juice, and oil over a low heat and simmer until it forms syrup and thickens. When the syrup has thickened, stir in the horehound infusion. Add peppermint oil and remove from the heat. Bottle and store in the refrigerator.

Colds:

Drink plenty of fluids such as water, lemon and honey drinks. Keep warm and get plenty of rest. This preparation of crushed garlic, dash of cayenne pepper, ginger, and honey and lemon juice in the early stages will help throw off your cold. Also, herbal teas of sage, elderflower, ginger, yarrow or thyme teas are very helpful. Vitamins that are good to give your body an extra boost is zinc, vitamin C and Echinacea tincture also helps. My elderberry tincture is very helpful and my sisters and I have used this several times this year with cold/flu that have tried to attack our bodies don’t last. Make the recipe on the side of this blog and use it! Only take 1 tablespoon 4 times a day when feeling under the weather.

Here are a few recipes for building your kids’ immune system.

Immune-Enhancing Herbal Snacks

¼ Cup astragulus Powder (Astragalus membranaceus)

¼ Cup Maca Powder (Lepidium meyenii)

¼ Cup Elderberry Powder (Sambucus nigra)

¼ Cup Powdered Vitamin C

1 Cup Almond Butter

½ Cup Maple Syrup

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and blend together with a fork. Add a little more maple syrup if too stiff and dry, or a little more elderberry powder if too sticky. Roll heaping tablespoon into balls and then roll in sesame seeds or shredded coconut as preferred by the child. Eat 3-4 each day during cold and flu season, or for a child needing immune support due to frequent infections.

Infusions

1oz dried herbs

1 pint of purified water

Place your herbs into a ceramic or glass teapot. Bring the water to a boil. Do not use aluminum pot. An electric kettle or kettle on the stove is fine.  Turn off the heat and pour the water over the herb. Cover the pot and let steep for 10-20 minutes. Strain the tea in a non-aluminum strainer and then drink. Store for NO more than 24 hours in the refrigerator.

Decoctions

1oz herbs or root

1 pint water

Place the water into a pot made from non-reactive material (such as stainless or enamel). Do not use aluminum. Cut or crush the herb or root and add it to water in the pot. Do not cut or crush in advance, as vital constituents can be lost. Turn on the heat to medium. Simmer your decoction with the lid off until the volume of water is reduced by 1 quarter, so three quarters of a pint remains. Cool and strain. Take in divided doses according to the use. Sore for NO more than 72 hours in the refrigerator. 

Making your own perfumes or colognes

Most perfumes or colognes are created with synthetic chemical, which aren't even listed on the labels. Why would you put something on your skin if you couldn't actually ingest this?? Your skin is the largest organ on your body and everything you put on your skin has to be processed through your other organs. 

You can easily create our own perfumes and colognes from natural ingredients. It's pretty easy too! Always remember to have fun and be creative! Enjoy!!

When making your own perfumes or colognes you have to remember 3 notes: 

Top Note: 

• Lighter aromas that evaporate readily.
• The very first impression of  the aroma
• Short Duration: Usually dissappears within 30 minutes.

Body or Middle Note:

• Much longer life than the top note
• This stage can last 30 minutes to four hours

Top Note:

• Usually appears after one to two hours 
• Can last anywhere from five to 36 hours
• Provides the fixative quality of an essential oil

Formulating your Blend

For simplicity, determine the percentage of each ingredient in your composition by basing your formula on 100-drops. This is a ratio only, so you can reduce or increase the formula so long as you keep the relative amounts of each essential oil at the same ratio.

• Start with 60 drops of a citrus aroma (such as lemon, sweet orange, or neroli)
• Add a wood note (such as cedarwood) about 5% or 5-drops
• Add a spice or herbal aroma at the ratio of 15% or 15-drops
• Now add 5-10% (5-10 drops) of a floral fragrance
• You may want to add just a touch of a green note and a sweet base note
• You may also wish to add a touch of a floral absolute

If you are having trouble deciding what is a citrus, spice, herbal, green or sweet note, I have added the descriptions below.

Getting you started with some blends:

• Bergamot blended with anise and rose for an energizing floral-type blend.
• Ylang-ylang blended with clary sage and ginger for an oriental-type blend.
• Sandalwood and ylang ylang with lavender, chamomile, and rose for a soft floral-type blend
• Ylang ylang and bergamot with rosemary, peppermint, and pine for green, herbaceous-type blend.

Orange Spice Cologne

A warming, spicy, and exotic blend that will lift spirits, invigorate senses, alleviate stress, mental fatigue, and tension. The aroma is delightfully reminiscent of Chai tea.

• 1 organic Cinnamon Stick
• 25 organic whole Cardamom Pods
• 15 organic Cloves
• 1 organic Vanilla Bean – cut into small pieces
• 1 fresh organic Orange peel – zest only
• 8 oz Vodka

Crush spices in a mortar and pestle. Combine with Vanilla Bean pieces, Orange peel zest, and vodka in a glass mason jar. Cap tightly and shake once or more per day. After 2-6 weeks, strain the spices and pour the infused liquid into a glass bottle with a mister top. Simply add more spices if you desire a stronger cologne.

Sweet Summer Perfume

A relaxing and warming blend reminiscent of summer, with a lightly floral aroma complemented by hints of spice and cedar. Cedarwood is one of my favorite essential oils. Especially useful during times of stress, anxiety, irritability, or depression.  A great lift-me-up during the cold and dark winter months!

• 10 drops organic Lavender essential oil
• 5 drops organic Chamomile essential oil
• 4 drops organic Cardamom essential oil
• 1 drop organic Cedarwood essential oil
• 1 drop organic Geranium (Rose) essential oil
• 1 tsp organic Jojoba Oil

Drip all essential oils into a glass bottle, and roll between palms to evenly mix the oils. Add Jojoba oil and roll again. Add additional essential oils if you desire a stronger perfume.


Fragrance Description Guidlines

Aroma Description	Essential Oils
Citrus	Bergamot, lemon, lime, mandarin, sweet orange, bitter orance, neroli, petitgrain, and verbena
Herbal Spice	Basil, black pepper, caraway, cardamon, cinnamon, clove, ginger, marjoram, nutmeg, rosemary, and thyme
Floral	Geranium, jasmine, lavender, neroli, rose, and ylang ylang
Fruity	Cajuput, chamomile, clove, juniper lavender, and pine
Green	Basil, galbanum, immortelle, oakmoss, and violet leaf
Minty	Peppermint, spearmint, rue, and sage
Warm	Anise, benzoin, chamomile, clary sage, cedarwood, geranium, ginger, immortelle, jasmine, marjoram, rose, rosemary, thyme, and vanilla
Sultry	Jasmine, narcissus, neroli, and boronia

Tired, sluggish, gaining weight, and stressed? It could be your Adrenal Glands

Here are some of the common symptoms of adrenal fatigue:

Low energy levels

Trouble sleeping at night but want to sleep during the day

Cravings for salt and/or sugar

Feeling confused and overwhelmed

Impaired cognitive functions- brain fog, lack of concentration

Blood sugar irregularity

Poor libido

If you have more than one of these symptoms you should read this.

Worn-out adrenals can affect the whole body and that natural support implemented before something else goes wrong may save you from a more serious diagnosis. Thankfully, there are a number of safe and supportive herbs and supplements to help you with this. Remember to listen to your body, and to monitor your progress as you experiment with a natural approach. We all react differently to therapeutic agents. If you know you are sensitive, vary your dosages accordingly, and consider working with an experienced herbalist.

	Astragalus root (A. membranaceus). Astragalus aids in the body’s natural ability to adapt to stress, bolstering the immune system so you stay well while helping to regulate normal blood sugar levels and alleviate insulin resistance.
	Cordyceps (C. sinensis). Cordyceps is a prized antioxidant fungus that can slow aging and take a load off the adrenals by supporting the immune system, balancing the inflammatory response and helping to stabilize blood sugar.
	Eleuthero (Eleutherococcus senticosus, formerly called Siberian ginseng). Eleuthero is an adaptogenic herb that can help protect us against the negative effects of stress, while decreasing fatigue, enhancing mental clarity, helping to balance blood sugar, and even perhaps supporting bone remodeling as well.
	Rhodiola rosea (“golden root”). Rhodiola is another adaptogenic herb that protects against stress-related fatigue and “burnout”; increases mental clarity; and offers immune and blood sugar support. An added benefit of Rhodiola is its antidepressant and antianxiety effects.
	Licorice root (Glycyrrhiza glabra). Well known for supporting adrenal balance, licorice root aids in increasing energy and endurance. Though many of the above herbs can be used relatively freely of restrictions, certain forms of licorice can increase blood pressure and lower potassium and thus, licorice should be used with care and guidance. Adrenal fatigue, in many instances, is accompanied by low blood pressure, so licorice taken at the appropriate times and dosages can be of benefit in those cases. However, this herb is best taken under the care of an herbalist or a functional medicine practitioner Vitamin B3. Niacin is important for the health of the adrenal glands. Deficiency symptoms include insomnia, nausea, tender gums, depression, and irritability. Some fresh herbs that are full of Vitamin B3 are Alfalfa, Burdock Root, Dandelion, Fathen, Fenugreek, Kelp, Parsley, and Sage.  Vitamin D is also really essential for a healthy Thyroid. You can find Vitamin D in any kind of greens, alfalfa, watercress, and of course the Sun, but for those who live in climates with gloomy weather try other alternatives.

Here are some other supportive lifestyle measures you can take to ensure a full adrenal recovery:

• Sleep. Resist the temptation to burn the candle at both ends! Getting 8-10 hours a night of sleep is one of the best ways to restore your adrenal glands. It’s best to turn in early if you can. Drink herbal tea or consider a natural herbal supplement to help you wind down. And if you need one and can, take a nap during the day.
• Modify your exercise. Some people feel great after they exercise. If this is you, stick with it. Others feel drained with exercise and it’s important to take it slow. Mornings are best for aerobic exercise because this is when your cortisol is naturally highest, but try not to let your heart rate go above 90 beats per minute. It’s recommended that relaxing walks, yoga, or any kind of exercise that restores you instead of draining you.
• Eat well and often. Eating certain foods, and at specific times of the day can help you return to a natural cortisol rhythm and avoid the “crash and burn” of sugar/caffeine highs and lows. One important point: a hungry body puts stress on the adrenals, so don’t let yourself go too long without a meal or a snack.
• Relieve stress. Schedule a massage or enlist a partner or friend to give you one; practice yoga, t’ai chi or qi gong; put up your feet and enjoy a cup of tea; or call a loved one just to talk. Cultivate the practices that best relieve tension and stress for you. Even just five minutes a day of quiet breathing or meditation can do wonders for your adrenals.
• Play. Take a good look at your life, and let go of as many of the things that drain you as possible, replacing them with those that fulfill you. Engage with the people, activities, and work you most enjoy: go to the beach, play with your children, go dancing — whatever you have fun doing, give yourself permission to do it during this time of healing. Your adrenals will soak these experiences up with pleasure.

Rejuvenate you skin with a homemade scrub

During the cold winter months, where your skin takes a good beating with the dry, cold air. Spring is near so scrub away the dead skin and get ready for the beauty of summer.

2 TBS Almond Oil

1 TBS Coconut Oil

1 tsp Aloe Vera

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

1/4 C. Almonds (soak overnight and blend)

1 tsp Baking Soda

Mix everything together until smooth paste, then add fine sugar. Add 5-10 drops of your favorite essential oil if you would like. Let stand for 5 minutes. *Use a 4 oz. Jar

This is great for removing your dry skin or just re-hydrating from the harsh cold weather. Dampen your face, apply over in a circular motion, leave on for 5-10 minutes.

I recently read from this site where I buy my olive oil from, he said " I would never put anything on my face that I wouldn't eat!" Joseph Sciabica. The more I think about that the more it's true. Why would I put something harmful on my face that would damage my organs, but that is what so many of us do these days with the products that are sold in the stores. If you would like to rate the products you use on a regular basis to see what cancer causing ingredients are in your products check out this site: http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/. It lists thousands of products that range from 0, which is the best to 10 which is highly toxic ingredients.  **This site is not just for women, so men check it out.... 

Enjoy the Scrub!