Dark Chocolate & Anise Cookies

An Italian favorite and vegan! That means no cholesterol and they are trans fat free too. Oh, and I should probably mention how delicious they are. My love even commented on how happy he was that I made a texturally proper and delicious 'buttery cookie'. In light of all of this, I want to go ahead and unofficially nominate myself for some type of vegan cookie recipe of the year award or decade-whatever...

I'll stop with the day dreaming and give you the Recipe:

1/4 cup all purpose flour

3/4 cup semolina flour

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 teaspoon anise seeds

1/4 cup veg oil

2 tbsp. water

1/2 tsp. vanilla

vegan chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper sprayed with oil.

In a bowl, mix the flours, baking powder, anise seeds and salt thoroughly. In another bowl, mix the sugar, oil, water, & vanilla well. Slowly add the flour mixture to the wet mixture stirring gently. Once mixed, add the chocolate chips to the mixture. Spoon out onto baking sheet and bake for 10-11 minutes.

Cool and enjoy!

*recipe can be doubled, etc.

*Photo by Stella at The Witchy Kitchen

White/Light Under Eye Circles

Aestheticians and beauty workers have begun to report a new and commonly heard complaint from many of their clients in recent years. This complaint is about under eye circles and not the dark ones about which we are all so accustomed to hearing people mope. Nope, women and men are complaining about a type of under eye circle that is much lighter or described as whiter than the rest of the face. This white under eye circle gives an unhealthier look than its darker cousin, and also causes for a worn and tired appearance. Being that even skin tone is what most of us strive for, white under eyes that cause us to look like some prehistoric fish or bird on the run are the last thing we want on our faces.

So what is the culprit? Well, you could be one of the lucky people who simply has this due to wearing sunglasses in a sunny environment, which means you just need to stay out of the sun and wear a hat in addition to your glasses when outside. However, for many people with this affliction the culprit is most likely refined sugar, which causes not only white unhealthy looking under eyes but also Diabetes (a much more serious affliction).

Now you might want some scientific data on this, which I just do not have. I am writing about this, because, despite my high fiber and mostly organic diet, I developed these unhealthy white under eyes. I searched the web for help only to find a whole load of info on bags and dark circles. I did, however, come across a health forum where a nutritionist advised another person with this problem to cut her refined sugar. She stated that the white under eyes would fade more and more with time and a low sugar diet.

After reading, I thought about my own sugar intake. And, sure enough, I would certainly describe myself as someone with a sweet tooth and even a weakness for sugar. As hard as it was and with some doubt about the whole thing, I cut the refined sugar in my diet by about 75% along with other forms of sugar. Within about a month and a half, my white under eyes were gone and the even skin tone I was so used to returned! In addition, I have developed a little more self control when it comes to sugar, and my blood sugar is considered low.

If you have the problem of light/white under eye circles, I hope you will take an honest look at your diet and see if you could be taking in too much sugar. Being that the average American consumes a half pound of refined sugar a day*, you just may be!

*Info from Dr. Ann Louise Gittlemen (Taste For Life Magazine, November 09)

Photo by Olga Shelego at PhotoXpress.

Painful Gas

This post is not about too much gas. So for you bean lovers and vegetarians out there, I can't help you much. This post is about painful gas that feels like someone is stabbing you in the gut. If this sounds familiar, keep reading.

Now, I am not going to lecture you too much about the reason you have this gas. You are probably already aware that it was caused by those chicken wings at the bar, the cheeseburger you ate at lunch, or whatever other overly fatty food you ingested earlier in the day. I will simply say that I hope you go ahead and realize these types of foods don't do much for your health and can obviously also cause painful gas!

One of the best and easiest home remedies for this ailment is peppermint tea. Yeah, I know that sounds weak, but I can assure you it is not. An 8 oz. cup or two of real peppermint tea provides extreme relief for this ailment. I usually put an organic bag of peppermint tea in 8 oz. of boiling water and allow it to steep for about 3-4 minutes. A touch of sugar is also nice and enhances the flavor of the mint.

After drinking the tea, I really recommend lying on your side. I don't know how to convey this gently, but it allows the gas to exit a bit easier. If you feel you need a little extra help, have another cup.

Please let me know if you try it....

*Photo by lefebvre_jonathan at PhotoXpress

Dry Hair Relief

This is a remedy for dry hair that you have probably come across before in your searches for what to do inexpensively and naturally for your parched tresses. It is a simple, yet effective mixture of items that may already be in your kitchen or that can easily be bought at the store. Banana, Avocado, and a touch of olive oil are mashed to create a deep conditioner that is to be massaged into hair and allowed to do its thing for at least ten minutes.

I have used this dry hair remedy/concoction many times, and it is so very moisturizing. I recommend it to anyone, and especially to those of us that have dry, curly, or kinky hair. A vinegar rinse is also a great idea after this treatment if you would like some extra shine.

Dry Hair Remedy:
1/2 of a ripe avocado
1/2 of a ripe banana
1/2 tablespoon olive oil

Mash ingredients thoroughly together. Massage into hair and scalp and cover with a towel that you don't mind getting dirty. Allow to sit for at least ten minutes. Wash with a gentle shampoo (one that does not contain sodium lauryl/laureth sulfate or anything that sounds like this). Run your regular conditioner through hair if you like. Enjoy!

P.S.-If you have truly damaged hair, a good trim is most often necessary!

Cold Sores & Fever Blisters

I hate cold sores and fever blisters and, yes, I just used the word 'hate'. They are painful, and mine blow up to such a large size on my lip that I look like I have a beak. That was before I knew what to do about this physically and socially awkward ailment though. It was also before I understood why I get cold sores and what causes them to suddenly appear.

Cold Sores/Fever Blisters are caused by the Herpes Simplex Virus-I or II. They can be found on the inner mouth, lips, nose, face, ears, and genitals. The sores have a yellow or green messy looking center with redness and swelling surrounding the area. Over 90% of the world's population has either or both Herpes Simplex I & II, but only 10% of this 90% get cold sores and fever blisters. So next time you have one and your friend says, "I don't have what causes that", just know that you are not alone and that your friend most likely does have 'that' despite a lack of physical manifestation.

For those of us in the 10% of people that do so unfortunately get these blisters when we are stressed, sunburned, or coming down with an illness, there is some real help. However, time is of the essence as is being aware that your immune system has let the Herpes out of the cage! How do you know this you might ask!?! You know because wherever it is that you normally get that sore there is a tingling or itching that starts. Yes, right at the spot from which it is planning on bursting forth. It might feel like your heart just jumped into said spot due to an odd palpitating in the area.

What to do? Run to your local health food store or Whole Foods and get some L-Lysine and a cream that has real menthol (Blistex). Take the L-Lysine immediately (preferably on an empty stomach) and as often as the instructions allow. Meanwhile, apply the menthol cream every thirty minutes that you feel something is still going on in the area. In the process of all of this, avoid protein as it weakens the L-Lysine's effect. And do not eat chocolate, nuts, or anything high in L-Arginine. L-Arginine feeds the herpes virus unlike L-Lysine, which hinders viral replication.

If you do this, you will possibly avoid the sore all together like I often do. And, if not, it will be so much smaller and heal in about half the normal time. So you know, this routine has always worked for me and all my friends who suffer from this. They regularly call me and scream, "I feel that tingle! What do I do again?"

P.S.-Don't ever squeeze or pick a cold sore or fever blister. You will regret it!

Lice-Oh My!

Since one of my last posts was about dry hair, I thought I would stick to the subject area and embark on another common hair and scalp problem: Lice. This infestation is any parent's nightmare and isn't much fun for the rest of us either due to an itchy discomfort coupled with worries of passing on this highly contagious mite. Luckily, this is one of the easiest problems to treat at home naturally.

This is not a home remedy as much as it is instructions on a natural remedy that is an effective alternative to chemical treatments like 1% Permethrin cream. The remedy is simply a tea tree shampoo plus a bottle of real tea tree oil. The Dessert Essence company makes an excellent shampoo called Therapeutic Treatment Shampoo, which is designed to kill lice and treat other conditions. It can be bought at most health foods stores or places like Whole Foods.

With this treatment, you will wash hair according to instructions and be sure to add about 8-10 extra drops of tea tree oil to the shampoo each time before applying. Wash vigorously ensuring that the shampoo/oil mixture reaches the scalp and covers the hair and neck. Leave on the hair for about 5 minutes before rinsing. Do this until the infestation is gone-usually takes less than 2 days of washing twice a day. The tea tree conditioner is also excellent during this time but optional.

Please let me know if you try this!

P.S.-Remember that bed linens, brushes, & combs should be washed or soaked in white vinegar or bleach. Mattresses should be vacuumed, and items that can not be washed like hats should be disposed of immediately.

Photo by Nick Potter at www.nickpotter.net

Stomach Pain n' Tummy Terror

If you ever suffer from digestive pain, you are most likely already aware of how not fun it can be. And for those of us that suffer from this type of pain and discomfort regularly, we intimately know the harrowing toll it can take on both our physical self and the rest of our existence too. Yes, intestinal distress can sneak up on us and ruin something as simple as a trip to the market or even cause us to miss work. And when being home to spend time with the toilet while downing Pepto Bismol becomes more urgent than getting to work, we know we are in trouble...

I got to thinking about intestinal pain this past week, as I picked up the bottle of Pepto Bismol that my Cauldron Boy seems to be using a bit more frequently lately. I suppose my increased concern with his discomfort along with the fact that I have a papaya tree outside my new front door seemed to warrant a post. If that makes no sense to you, just know that papaya is rich in papain which helps with digestion;-).

My Cauldron Boy comes from a long line of people that just don't seem to have the best digestive systems. Even so, a lot of the distress seen in his family is due to poor diet and individuals who are less than keen on admitting such. Hence an array of pharmaceuticals are used in place of lifestyle and bad habit changes. However, there are also folks in his family that eat quite well while exercising regularly who still seem to suffer with almost constant symptoms of pain, abdominal burn, indigestion, bloating, painful gas, nausea, and mixed bouts of constipation and diarrhea. You name it, they got it and regularly too!

If you also feel like you suffer from regular/chronic intestinal distress and don't know why due to either not ever seeing a professional about the issue or seeing one and feeling you were improperly diagnosed, here is a short list of somewhat common intestinal disorders in which you may want to familiarize yourself. Keep in mind that some of these problems are diet related while others are genetic and/or even just down right mysterious.

1. Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)-a bowel disorder characterized by chronic abdominal pain, discomfort, and alteration of bowl habits without detection of any organic cause. Note, Dearies, that some professionals believe that IBS is caused by stress and psychological problems.

2. Celiac Disease-a disease characterized by the inability to process the gluten protein in wheat. Symptoms are abdominal pain, cramping, rectal bleeding, undigested food in stool, and often weight loss. Only 1% of Celiac sufferers worldwide are diagnosed!

3. Crohn's Disease-a quite mysterious inflammation of the intestines that can range from the mouth down to the rectum. Symptoms are all of those listed above to include fever, skin rash, eye swelling, mouth sores, and unintended weight loss.

The three situations above are obviously quite serious not only due to pain, but also due to the possibility of malnutrition. They are all also a real possibility for someone experiencing regular intestinal distress. Before jumping onto the Crohn's bandwagon or any other wagon though, consider everyday diet and habits. Do you feel that you eat a lot of fat, for example? Fat wreaks havoc on our stomachs causing pain, burning, and often diarrhea. Plus, we all know what else it does! Or maybe you don't get enough whole grains and whole foods into your diet. If processed foods, white bread, white rice and the like are your staples, bloating along with pain, gas, and constipation will be a regular part of life.

Often, a simple analysis and plan change in reference to diet and lifestyle can set us in the right direction for curing intestinal pain and problems. Be sure to also include your favorite pro-biotic rich foods (yogurt, tempeh, sauerkraut, etc.) in your diet on a regular basis. These foods keep our digestive bacteria rich and balanced, and are especially important after a round of antibiotics. Oh, and here is a tip right from my doctor's mouth, which I did verify through research 'Eat slowly and properly chew your food. Over 50% of intestinal pain and discomfort can be alleviated by this simple act/good habit'. Amazing...!

Amazing this last bit of information is, indeed, my lovelies. I will have to tell my wolfman Cauldron Boy to slow down a bit and chew while also monitoring his intake and personal habits. I hope any of you out there who suffer the way my Cauldron Boy does will do so also while analyzing food choices in reference to pain in the quest for intestinal comfort. Oh, and don't hesitate to see a professional when all else fails. They can be useful sometimes (smile).

p.s. plain, organic yogurt with papaya and whole grain granola is quite a gut tonic;-), Dearies!