All About Freezing Lemons and Limes

At one time in my life, I relied on ReaLemon for most of my lemon juice needs. They leave that extra "L" out for a reason (it's from concentrate). Lemons can be expensive though. And if you don't use them quick enough, they can get moldy. Seriously, what happened to the price of lemons? Back in my day, you could get a lemon for a nickle. No, maybe that was bubblegum...

So when I can, I buy lemons in bulk when they are on sale or cheaper than usual. I don't want the lemons to go to waste, so I freeze some of the juice so I can always have fresh juice on hand. (If you want to zest and juice your limes and maybe oranges, do that too.) Now, I know someone is thinking, "I don't have time to juice a bunch of lemons." And that's okay. If you buy lemon juice in a bottle and decide not to buy ReaLemon, here are a few other options: Santa Cruz Organic Lemon Juice and Volcano Lemon Juice. (This one I actually found at the base commissary for $5 for a large bottle. Supposedly it can be found at Costco.)

DIY Lavender Vanilla Sugar Scrub

Back in January, I showed you how to make a one-time-only exfoliating scrub. I started with that because my sister always says she doesn't have time to make any of the homemade products I recommend. Understandable. Truly, it is. The kitchen-to-tub body scrub (as I like to call it) is quick and easy and you can make it as needed. But making an exfoliating body scrub to store for future use, whether for yourself or to give away, is also nice (and quick).

Today, I'm going to tell you how to make a very simple Lavender Vanilla Sugar Scrub. Before you run off because you don't have lavender, just wait...you can make this scrub with just the simplest ingredients that you probably already have in your home. Using lavender is optional (but highly encouraged).

How to Grow Herbs in Mason Jars

I have a black thumb. If you don't believe me, ask the aloe plant that I killed. Aloe plants are supposed to be very easy to care for. From now on, I can only keep the absolutely easiest-to-care-for plants in my house. Like bamboo. No one can kill bamboo. I think.

But I grew herbs. Okay, so I didn't start them from seeds (well, I did but those died), but it still counts...right? 

Rosemary, Basil, Chives, Mint

If you love herbs as much as I do and want to try to grow your own, especially if you have limited space or a black thumb, this is the way to go. This idea came from Pinterest, although I'm not sure of the original source. I don't have a personal Pinterest account (and I just joined for my blog - join me here), but a friend told me about this so I wanted to try it out. I don't take credit for this idea, so if this was your idea, thank you. I'm guessing it was probably Martha Stewart. (Kidding!)

Five Minute Freezer Fudge: Nut & Nut-free versions (paleo, gluten free, dairy free)

If you are familiar with coconut oil, you are aware that it melts at about 76° F. The cool thing about coconut oil's ever changing state is that frozen coconut oil makes for great candies and other goodies. I usually make candies out of coconut oil to keep in the freezer. I prefer these little frozen treats to baked goods, because it's easier to control how much I eat (and measuring is not absolutely necessary...and that is always a plus for me). If I see a batch of cookies staring at me every time I walk through the kitchen, I'll probably chow down on 3 or 4 a day. The candies are tucked safely in my over-packed freezer. If I really, really have to want some, I have to shuffle things around, potentially dropping jars on my toes, in order to grab a bite. (Truthfully, this has gotten a lot easier since my last Whole30. While I definitely enjoy some dark chocolate, this fudge, or something sweet occasionally, I don't indulge every night like I used to do. Now, I usually just eat some fruit. I love me some fruit.)

[Ended] Giveaway! Tropical Traditions Gold Label Coconut Oil

If you've been reading my blog, you might notice that I use coconut oil in almost every recipe. Ever since I decided to give up processed oils, I've been using coconut oil for everything from baking to sauteing to making candy (fudge recipe coming soon). I also use it for deodorant and toothpaste and lip balm and well...all sorts of body and skin care products. You don't even have to make anything. Just slather this stuff on your skin. Or eat it with a spoon...if you're into that.

Win 1 quart of Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil!

Spaghetti Squash with Basil Avocado Sauce and Grilled Chicken

I actually made this recipe years ago...but with regular pasta (which you can do if you eat pasta). I was cooking up dinner for two and realized there wasn't much going on in the fridge. So, I smashed up an avocado and threw it on some penne pasta. I added sun-dried tomatoes and some grilled chicken breasts on top (at a time when the breast meat was all I ate) and dinner was served. At the time, I was certain I invented this creamy avocado sauce (you guys know how much I love using avocado to make things creamy like here and here). But now there are avocado cream pasta dishes all over the Internet. I knew I shouldn't have taken my leftovers to work...