Welcome to the Festival of Food Carnival. This month, we celebrate Smoothies and Mocktails!  Hosted by Diary of a First Child and Hybrid Rasta Mama, you’re welcome to join us next time, or if you have a previously published recipe you’d like to share, add it to the linky below.

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I love a protein packed breakfast! It keeps me going all day long. However, I kind of get the summer doldrums when it comes to my standard breakfast fare. Light, refreshing smoothies beckon me.

My favorite breakfast smoothie might sound a tad unusual. But trust me – it is refreshing, delicious and satisfying! To give it a health-packed punch, add in some coconut oil!

Grapefruit Wake-Up Smoothie

Grapefruit Wake-Up Smoothie

Ingredients

  • 2 red grapefruits
  • 8 large strawberries
  • 2 ripe bananas
  • 8 ounces organic yogurt (plain works fine but you can add a flavored yogurt if you like your smoothies sweeter)
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 cup crushed ice

Directions

  1. Juice grapefruit and measure out 1 1/3 cups juice into a blender.
  2. Add the strawberries and chunks of banana.
  3. Combine the rest of the ingredients and whirl until smooth.

Makes 4 (8 ounce) servings.

I REALLY love to whip one of these babies up and sit outside and watch the sunrise. And no – I am not up that early by choice. My son however has things to do and games to play!

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Please take a moment to visit the blogs of our other Festival of Food participants. The links in this list will be live by the end of the day, as participants are all in different time zones.

Stay connected! Be sure to “Like” the Festival of Food Carnival Facebook page.

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Camping

 

 

Soap. Camping. I know…seems like an oxymoron. I mean, you’re going to get all kinds of filthy camping. Why bother with the soap while you are there?

Seriously. Get dirty, commune with the earth, embrace your inner dirt-lover. However, there are some VERY compelling reasons to bring my sweet little Neem Tea Tree Organic Soap along for the ride.

You see, the combination of Neem Oil and Tea Tree Oil creates a powerhouse of an organic soap that is perfect for your camping needs. Check these little nuggets of info out:

  • Neem AND Tea Tree Oil send ticks packing. They hate the scent! Hate it! So washing up with the soap will keep those nasty little buggers away!
  • Mosquitos are not huge fans of Neem Oil. While it won’t keep them from buzzing around you, it will keep them from landing on you!
  • If you didn’t use this soap before venturing out into the wild blue yonder, you can lather yourself up to help relieve the itching from any bug bites, bee stings, or even contact rashes from close encounters with irritating foliage.
  • Are you camping in the lap of luxury? You know – where there re showers with warm water? Forgot to wear your flips flops? Well, both Neem Oil and Tea Tree Oil can prevent foot fungus from taking hold!

Just because Neem Oil and Tea Tree Oil are the powerhouses in this organic soap bar, doesn’t mean that the other three essential oils should be ignored! Spearmint, lavender, and eucalyptus all pull their weight as well! Let’s take a looksee at what each of these essential oils brings to the table!

Lavender essential oil

Spearmint

  • Is a great pick-me-up after a long day fishing, hiking, swimming, or general outdoor frolicking
  • Regulates body temperature
  • Spiders are not a fan of any mint smell so this is a great addition to the anti-spider arsenal
  • Ants do not like it either so rest assured, you won’t wake up in an “invasion of the body snatchers” scenario with ants

Lavender

  • Soothes sun-stressed skin
  • Calms nerves (because let’s be honest – camping is a little creepy, especially at night)
  • Has antiseptic properties
  • Is soothing when applied to abrasions
  • Opens the gateways for healing to begin

Eucalyptus

  • Bugs hate it therefore it makes a great repellant
  • It keeps the nasal passages open (and as we all know, dust and dirt from camping clogs those little nostrils right up)
  • It protects against airborne bacteria

Neem Soap

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One bar does it all! Pack light! After all, you are camping and camping means simplicity right? Here are all the things you can use my Neem Tea Tree organic soap bar on:

  • Your face
  • Your body
  • Your dishes
  • Your clothes
  • Your towels
  • Your pets
  • Anything that is washable!

Yep – this organic soap is really a safe, effective cleanser for most anything. Since it is so gentle, it won’t mess up the PH balance of your hair. It has antibacterial properties making it a great dish washing soap! And if your dog stinks from rolling in a pile of scat, well – Neem Tea Tree Soap to the rescue! Speaking of stink – the essential oils in this bar actually make for a nice deodorant. It won’t stop the sweat on a hot day but it will help you stay smelling sweet as ever!

No matter where you are, this soap is going to nourish, protect, and invigorate your skin while promoting healing. Why wouldn’t you take it camping?

To learn more about this ingredient, check out my Ingredient Spotlight post on Neem Oil. You can purchase my Neem Tea Tree  Organic Soap here.

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Herbal Hair Rinses

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Granola Delight Bars

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Welcome to the Festival of Food Carnival. This month, we celebrate foods with kid-appeal!  Hosted by Diary of a First Child and Hybrid Rasta Mama, you’re welcome to join us next time, or if you have a previously published recipe you’d like to share, add it to the linky below. One of my goals as [...]

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The Benefits of Using Oatmeal on your Skin

April 9, 2013

Wild oats (Avina Sativa) have been a staple in skincare throughout much of recorded history. As early as 2000 BC, the Arabians and Egyptians used oats to beautify the skin. The ancient Greeks and Romans also documented the use of oat baths to heal skin ailments. In 1945, a technological advancement facilitated the fine milling [...]

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5 Easy & Effective Recipes for Homemade Face Toners

April 2, 2013

Winter is long gone in my neck of the woods and all of the wonders of spring are in full effect. I adore this time of year. It makes me feel renewed and reinvigorated. But it also seems to confuse my skin a wee bit. Whenever there is a change in the seasons, your skin [...]

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How to Make Your Own Gentle, Multi-Use Exfoliating Scrub

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I don’t know about you, but I adore having smooth, silky skin. Lumps and bumps happen. After all, it is part of the lifecycle of your skin, but it doesn’t mean I have to sit around and let them take over my outer layer. No, not at all! I used to purchase all kinds of [...]

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