Ginger “Puff” Cookies-Skinny Version

It is 33 degrees outside as I write this, sitting on the back porch at 6 am. It’s still dark and my coffee is close at hand. I love this change in the weather-it means all things nutmeg and Christmas and Thanksgiving and decorating and making presents and more coffee and hot tea and….

Tasty, Skinny Ginger “Puff” Cookies-which I make without sugar, shortening and a ton of calories.

(I love the original Ginger Snap type Cookies, don’t get me wrong. But with ingredients like 1 1/2 Cups of Shortening and 1 Cup of Sugar…I wanted to find a healthy alternative that would satisfy my ginger cookie loving ways.)

Here’s all that you’ll need to make your own Ginger “Puff” Cookies (printable recipe at the bottom):

2 1/4 C Flour, plus 3-4 TBS
2 tsp Ground Ginger
1 tsp Baking Soda
3/4 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Ground Cloves
1/8 tsp Salt
3/4 C Ripe Bananas
1 tsp liquid Stevia
1 egg
1/4 C Molasses
2 Powdered Packets of Stevia to Sprinkle the puffy tops (not necessary, but nice)

Preheat the oven to 350. Makes 40-45 cookies.

In a medium mixing bowl, measure out the 2 1/4 Cup of Flour.

Enjoy the ginger scent for a moment, then add the 2 tsp Ground Ginger.

Next, add the 1 tsp Baking Soda.

Add the 3/4 tsp of Cinnamon.

Inhale, then add the 1/2 tsp of Ground Cloves. Yum.

Finally, add the 1/8 tsp Salt.

Thoroughly mix the dry ingredients together.

In a large bowl, add the 3/4 C Bananas.

Add the 1 tsp liquid Stevia.

Crack yer egg into the bowl.

Lastly, add the 1/4 C of molasses.

Blend on a low speed until mixed-about a minute.

Slowly, add the dry ingredients to the wet, increasing the mixing speed if needed. The batter will become very thick and very sticky.

If the mixer starts to bog down, add the rest of the flour mixture by hand. Then, add the 3-4 TSB of the remaining flour until the batter is very thick.

Spoon 1″ round cookie puffs onto an ungreased cookie sheet, leaving about 1-2″ in between each puff.

Sprinkle the tops of the cookies with the powdered Stevia, if desired. This makes them a little sweeter-and my hubby, the sweet tooth, desired the extra sweetness.

Bake 8-9 minutes or until the cookies are puffy and browned on the bottom. Cool on the pan on a wire rack for one minute.

Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Enjoy these Tasty, Skinny Ginger “Puff” with a hot cup of tea and without the guilt!

If these parties are up, I link to them! (Here’s my complete Linky Party Page):
Monday: Crafts Keep Me Sane, The Better Baker, Skip to My Lou, DIY Showoff, Say Not, Sumo’s Sweet Stuff, Etcetorize, Sew Chatty, Brassy Apple, Flour Me With Love, Creating my Way, Mad in Crafts, Our Delightful Home, Sew Can Do, It’s So Very Cheri, Craft O Maniac, Polly Want a Crafter, Tuesday: Craft Edition, Inspiration Board , New Nostalgia , Lettered Life , Coastal Charm, Tip Junkie , Ladybug Blessings, Hope Studios , Todays Creative Blog, Wednesday: Someday Crafts , Day2DayJoys, Jillify It , Junk in the Trunk, We are that Family , Frugally Sustainable, Sew Much Ado, Fine Craft Guild , The Thrifty Home, My Girlish Whims , Quick, Easy, Cheap & Healthy, Trendy Treehouse, Thursday: Somewhat Simple, No Minimalist Here , A Glimpse Inside, The Mommy Club, The 36th Avenue, Cheap Chic Home, Beyond the Picket Fence, Fireflies and Jellybeans , House of Hepworths , The Shabby Chic Cottage, Friday: My Repurposed Life, It’s a HodgePodge Life, The Shabby Nest, Just Wingin’ It, One Artsy Momma, French Country Cottage, Finding Fabulous, Passionately Artistic, Petals and Picots, Simply Designing, Little Becky Homecky, My Romantic Home, Bacon Time, Simply Living, Saturday: Polkadot Pretties, Tatertots and Jello, Create and Inspire, Be Different, Act Normal, Craft Envy, Funky Junk Interiors, Petites Passion, Sunday: Under the Table, Natural Mothers, Mopping the Floor

“In Your Face!”-Back on Fox23 with Mouthwash, Toothpaste & Lip Balm

This morning I will once again be a part of Oklahoma’s Fox23 lovely morning show called, “Great Day, Green Country“. Things you should know:

1. I will be nervous.

2. I will wonder if there are boogers in my nose.

3. I hope I don’t sweat-too much.

Photo Source
Unbeknownst to their noses (what are they-smelling impaired?), this nervous and sweaty girl is coming back to share her Homemade Peppermint Mouthwash, Toothpaste and Lip Balm recipes on LIVE television. LIVE. No screw-ups, Rebekah.

Maybe the peppermint scent from my homemade products will snuff out the scent from my sweaty pits–but any of you that do Crossfit with me will know that would be a miracle.

Here’s the video from earlier this morning! Again, don’t judge…I laugh when I get nervous….

I will be sharing a quick and easy recipe for Tasty, Homemade Toothpaste that costs about $.25 to make. Compare that to the usual $4 tube I buy and I am singing the praises of DIY. Not only is it cheaper, but it’s healthier. There are no unnecessary ingredients and the baking soda and hydrogen peroxide really do the trick.

I’ll also show you how to make your very own Peppermint Mouthwash. It’s refreshing, cheap ($.25 compared to $6 a bottle) and easy to make. Plus, it will leave your mouth feeling clean and ready to get close to that special someone.

Last but not least, I will share the recipe for creating (in large quantities) your own Simple, Organic Lip Balm. I make enough to last the year with one simple recipe. And by making my own, I spend around $.25 a tube on the ingredients and the container, rather than Burt’s Bees that costs me around $3.

•   •   •   •   •   •   •   •   •   •   •   •   •   •

I hope you have enjoyed these recipes! It may seem overwhelming at first to rid your home of toxins and store-bought everything. And maybe you don’t want to make these products, but would like the benefits of non-toxic products in your home without going broke. I have found some simple solutions to replace the things that I cannot make/don’t want to make myself by purchasing them from a non-toxic green company online. Without directly endorsing them, if you are interested in knowing more,  Feel free to email me with questions.

Here are links to my other Homemade Household Cleansers and Beauty Products:

Homemade Beauty Products
Simple, Organic Lip Balm
Homemade Peppermint Mouthwash
Homemade Peppermint Toothpaste
Easy Laundry Soap
Homemade Laundry Softener
DIY Stain Stick
DIY Brass Cleaner
Organic Vegetable/Produce Cleaner
Homemade Household Cleaners

And here are a few Homemade Food Items to easily replace store-bought items:

Simple, Tasty Granola
Easy Crockpot Yogurt
Simple, Homemade Butter
Cooking and Freezing Beans, avoiding BPA
Homemade Hummus
Garden Fresh Salsa

If these parties are up, I link to them! (Here’s my complete Linky Party Page):
Monday: Crafts Keep Me Sane, The Better Baker, Skip to My Lou, DIY Showoff, Say Not, Sumo’s Sweet Stuff, Etcetorize, Sew Chatty, Brassy Apple, Flour Me With Love, Creating my Way, Mad in Crafts, Our Delightful Home, Sew Can Do, It’s So Very Cheri, Craft O Maniac, Polly Want a Crafter, Tuesday: Craft Edition, Inspiration Board , New Nostalgia , Lettered Life , Coastal Charm, Tip Junkie , Ladybug Blessings, Hope Studios , Todays Creative Blog, Wednesday: Someday Crafts , Day2DayJoys, Jillify It , Junk in the Trunk, We are that Family , Frugally Sustainable, Sew Much Ado, Fine Craft Guild , The Thrifty Home, My Girlish Whims , Quick, Easy, Cheap & Healthy, Trendy Treehouse, Thursday: Somewhat Simple, No Minimalist Here , A Glimpse Inside, The Mommy Club, The 36th Avenue, Cheap Chic Home, Beyond the Picket Fence, Fireflies and Jellybeans , House of Hepworths , The Shabby Chic Cottage, Friday: My Repurposed Life, It’s a HodgePodge Life, The Shabby Nest, Just Wingin’ It, One Artsy Momma, French Country Cottage, Finding Fabulous, Passionately Artistic, Petals and Picots, Simply Designing, Little Becky Homecky, My Romantic Home, Bacon Time, Simply Living, Saturday: Polkadot Pretties, Tatertots and Jello, Create and Inspire, Be Different, Act Normal, Craft Envy, Funky Junk Interiors, Petites Passion, Sunday: Under the Table, Natural Mothers, Mopping the Floor

Tasty, Homemade Peppermint Toothpaste

I am obsessive compulsive about my teeth. I will brush after coffee while I’m still at Starbucks. I will finish a meal out with a quick trip to the bathroom just to get my brush on. I blame my OCD behavior on good old fashioned self-imposed guilt knowing just how much my parents scrimped and saved so that I could have braces. I also blame my German teacher in high school, whose breath-God bless her heart-smelled constantly of coffee and lifesaver candies.

Therefore, I am determined to never offend someone with my breath or destroy the investment Mom and Dad spent a fortune on.

In the past, I’ve been alright spending $4 on a tube of toothpaste. Not anymore-those frivolous days have ended. I’ve finally found the love (of toothpaste) of a lifetime. It’s freakin’ cheap, it tastes great, and it keeps my pearly whites pearly.

It’s everything I hoped a toothpaste would be.

Here’s all that you’ll need to make your very own Peppermint Toothpaste:
4 TBS+ Baking Soda (depending on how thick you like your toothpaste)
2 TBS Vegetable Glycerin
1 1/2 tsp Stevia Extract
1/2 tsp Hydrogen Peroxide (3.5% or less)
1/4 tsp Peppermint Oil
5 drops Tea Tree Oil
Opaque/Dark Container

In a mixing bowl, measure out 4 TBS of Baking Soda. Baking Soda whitens your teeth and lightly scrubs away the gunk.

Add to this the 2 TBS of Vegetable Glycerin. The Glycerin creates a smooth, non-gritty toothpaste. You can leave this out if you desire, but the toothpaste will be a bit more cakey.

To this, add the 1 1/2 tsp Stevia Extract. The Stevia adds a little sweetness to the toothpaste. You can add more or less dependent upon your sweet tooth needs (ironic…).

Add the 1/2 tsp Hydrogen Peroxide. Hydrogen Peroxide will whiten teeth, clean gums, and disinfect the mouth.

Next, add the 1/4 tsp Peppermint Oil-which gives the toothpaste a kick and lovely flavor. You can replace this oil with cinnamon or something you prefer more.

Lastly, add 5 drops of Tea Tree Oil. The Tea Tree Oil is an anti-fungal, anti-bacterial and anti-all nasty things that can be found in your mouth. (Yick).

Mix everything together using a spatula. Add more Baking Soda if the consistency isn’t thick enough.

Test a little out, adding more peppermint if you like super spicy, more Stevia if you want it sweeter.

Store the toothpaste in a dark or opaque container. I re-used a burn cream container for my paste.

Enjoy your very own homemade toothpaste while knowing you rule. With very little time or money spent, you now have a pearly whites polisher without all the chemicals and pocketbook guilt!

I hope you have enjoyed these recipes! It may seem overwhelming at first to rid your home of toxins and store-bought everything. And maybe you don’t want to make these products, but would like the benefits of non-toxic products in your home without going broke. I have found some simple solutions to replace the things that I cannot make/don’t want to make myself by purchasing them from a non-toxic green company online. Without directly endorsing them, if you are interested in knowing more,  Feel free to email me with questions.

Here are links to my other Homemade Household Cleansers and Beauty Products:

Homemade Beauty Products
Simple, Organic Lip Balm
Homemade Peppermint Mouthwash

Easy Laundry Soap
Homemade Laundry Softener
DIY Stain Stick

DIY Brass Cleaner
Organic Vegetable/Produce Cleaner
Homemade Household Cleaners

And here are a few Homemade Food Items to easily replace store-bought items:

Simple, Tasty Granola
Easy Crockpot Yogurt
Simple, Homemade Butter
Cooking and Freezing Beans, avoiding BPA
Homemade Hummus
Garden Fresh Salsa

If these parties are up, I link to them! (Here’s my complete Linky Party Page):
Monday: Crafts Keep Me Sane, The Better Baker, Skip to My Lou, DIY Showoff, Say Not, Sumo’s Sweet Stuff, Etcetorize, Sew Chatty, Brassy Apple, Flour Me With Love, Creating my Way, Mad in Crafts, Our Delightful Home, Sew Can Do, It’s So Very Cheri, Craft O Maniac, Polly Want a Crafter, Tuesday: Craft Edition, Inspiration Board , New Nostalgia , Lettered Life , Coastal Charm, Tip Junkie , Ladybug Blessings, Hope Studios , Todays Creative Blog, Wednesday: Someday Crafts , Day2DayJoys, Jillify It , Junk in the Trunk, We are that Family , Frugally Sustainable, Sew Much Ado, Fine Craft Guild , The Thrifty Home, My Girlish Whims , Quick, Easy, Cheap & Healthy, Trendy Treehouse, Thursday: Somewhat Simple, No Minimalist Here , A Glimpse Inside, The Mommy Club, The 36th Avenue, Cheap Chic Home, Beyond the Picket Fence, Fireflies and Jellybeans , House of Hepworths , The Shabby Chic Cottage, Friday: My Repurposed Life, It’s a HodgePodge Life, The Shabby Nest, Just Wingin’ It, One Artsy Momma, French Country Cottage, Finding Fabulous, Passionately Artistic, Petals and Picots, Simply Designing, Little Becky Homecky, My Romantic Home, Bacon Time, Simply Living, Saturday: Polkadot Pretties, Tatertots and Jello, Create and Inspire, Be Different, Act Normal, Craft Envy, Funky Junk Interiors, Petites Passion, Sunday: Under the Table, Natural Mothers, Mopping the Floor

I think I got the cob out-Behind the Scenes at Great Day, Green Country

Last week, I was once again asked to be a guest on Great Day, Green Country. This time, I shared my Homemade Laundry Soap. You can see the live video of my dorkiness here, if you want to.

After three times of being a guest on the show, I think I got the cob out. If you know what I mean.

I did need to primp a little beforehand, making sure there weren’t any boogers or any lipstick on the chompers.

After laboring over the setup, while wearing really cute shoes, I was ready. And this is what was going through my head.

“Am I ready? Does this look right?”

“I don’t know. But my shoes are really cute.”

“Nope, it doesn’t look right. I’d better fix it. I am the master fixer. Hi-yah! I am ninja quick!”

“Cute, cute, cute. This looks cute. I like to make things cute. La da da da. La da da da.”

“Yep. This looks good. I should have gone with the anti-perspirant rather than the plain ‘ol deodorant. Keep the arms out and let the air flow.”

After everything was settled, all heck broke loose. And I decided my recycled Vodka bottle now containing my Laundry Softener was a photo op waiting to happen.

Yep, I’m a dork.

And then the camera’s began to roll and my heart skipped several beats and I began to sweat and sweat and sweat….But, I think the cob was finally removed-if you know what I mean.

They’ve asked me back again-I hope I can be even more relaxed and cob-less. Lord willin’ and the Creeks don’t rise.