i'm putting all of my recipes into a livejournal.

you can add it if you want; all of the entries will be public, and behind a cut.

juliacooks

uh, where the FUCK is the mayonnaise?

recently, i began making my own yogurt. not only is it easy, but it's far cheaper than purchasing storebought yogurts. also, i can fully control what ingredients go into my yogurt.

homemade yogurt is also safe for those with lactose intolerance or ibs - the lactose in the milk is broken down by the long incubation period and healthy probiotics. storebought yogurts often have high lactose counts as well as added sugars, as they are produced for taste, not for health benefits.

the only items needed to make homemade yogurt are milk, and a "starter" - basically, a yogurt with live, active cultures used to inoculate the milk with the beneficial bacteria.

i currently use stonyfield organic plain whole milk yogurt as my starter yogurt. it only contains milk, and 6 live, active cultures:

Lactobacillus acidophilus
Lactobacillus bulgaricus
Lactobacillus casei
Lactobacillus rhamnosus
Streptococcus thermophilus
Bifidobacterium bifidum

for my milk, i currently use non-homogenized whole milk from wright dairy. i do use a yogurt maker, the salton ym9, but a yogurt maker is not necessary to make homemade yogurt. all you need is a device to maintain a temperature of around 110 degrees for several hours. many people use styrofoam coolers, ovens, or even heating pads.

first, i sterilize my containers. i use quart-sized canning jars, which i sterilize along with several metal spoons in a boiling water bath.

next, i heat a quart of milk in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium to medium-high to 180 to 185 degrees, stirring frequently to prevent scorching. once the milk has reached the proper temperature, i then cool the milk to 110 degrees by placing the entire pot in a sink filled with cold water.

once the milk has cooled to 110 degrees, i inoculate the milk with 2 spoonfuls of my starter yogurt, making sure to mix the yogurt in gently, without beating or whipping the milk.

now that the milk has been inoculated with live cultures, the yogurt needs to maintain a temperature of 110 degrees for several hours. it is also important that the yogurt remain undisturbed. i like to incubate mine for 6 hours; a longer incubation time will yield a thicker, more tart/tangy yogurt.

after incubation, the yogurt should appear slightly set. the yogurt should then be transferred to the refrigerator to chill. the yogurt has a slightly runnier consistency than storebought yogurt (as most storebought yogurt contains gelatin/pectin). i like my yogurt thicker, like greek yogurt, so i strain my yogurt through cheesecloth for 1-2 hours (you can also use coffee filters or even paper towels). straining the yogurt longer will also yield yogurt cheese, also called "yocheese", which can be used as a substitute for cream cheese or sour cream.

homemade yogurt should be eaten within one week. you can save a small amount (1/4 cup) of your homemade yogurt to be used as starter culture for the next batch. however, fresh starter (such as storebought) should be used after 3-4 batches.

i have now made 6 quarts of homemade yogurt in the last week. i can get 4 quarts of yogurt from a single gallon of milk. even with the non-homogenized milk that i buy, which costs more than milk from the grocery store, a quart of homemade yogurt only costs me about $1.25.

i usually eat my yogurt with honey and walnuts, or occasionally fruit preserves. my homemade yogurt does not cause any problems with my ibs, and the health benefits are numerous. it's very likely that i will never purchase storebought yogurt (aside from an occasional starter package) ever again.

i love coconut products; from coconut oil to coconut milk, to eating coconut meat!

i use coconut milk as an occasional hair treatment. basically, i shake the can well, apply the coconut milk to dry hair, and cover. i then let it stay on for about an hour before rinsing out and cleansing as usual.

i use coconut oil for both my skin and hair. i apply it all over as a moisturizer after showering; it even seems to help my keratosis pilaris! i also apply small amounts to my hair, usually on the length only.

this entry will likely be edited, as i would like to add more information about the health benefits of coconut.

i love honey. absolutely love it. not only do i ingest it on a regular basis, but i use it a LOT in my skin care/hair care routine.

for eating, i use really raw honey and apitherapy raw honey as raw honey still contains a lot of beneficial nutrients that have been heated and filtered out of store bought honey.

however, for regular skin/hair care, i just buy cheap, regular honey, usually from our local aldi store.

i mix honey 1:1 with my conditioner, nature's gate herbal hair conditioner. i keep the mixture in a plastic squeeze bottle, and shake before using. the honey makes the conditioner last a lot longer, and also leaves my hair soft and shiny.

i also use honey as a skin wash. i wash my face with it in the mornings; just wet my face with warm water, rub the honey on, and rinse off. it keeps my skin moist in this winter weather, and also seems to help keep breakouts at bay. i also do the same with my entire body when i shower, as it keeps my skin moist. on sensitive areas, i just use plain water; on armpits, a bit of dr. bronner's unscented castile soap.

i am seriously amazed when i see what people pay for salt scrubs! this one is good for the body, and the honey scrub is good for the face.

1/2 cup sea or kosher salt
olive oil

1.) mix oil and salt to desired consistency. apply to skin and rinse well.
2.) store in a tightly closed container.

ps: you can add a few drops of essential oils to liven things up!

or should i call it 'hairnaise'?

1 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 egg, room temperature
1 tsp white vinegar
1 tsp lemon juice
1 squeeze honey

1.) whip everything together until emulsified (i use a stick blender for this)
2.) apply to dry hair and cover with a plastic cap.
3.) leave on for 15-30 minutes, or up to an hour.
4.) rinse thoroughly, then cleanse hair with your preferred method.

ps: rinse with WARM, not HOT water.

pps: this is basically a recipe for 'eating mayonnaise' (with honey added). i cannot vouch for store-bought mayonnaise, though.

2 tsp clear aloe vera gel
1 tsp jojoba oil
clean, filtered water (or rainwater)

1.) add aloe gel and oil to a glass measuring cup. fill cup the the 4 oz line with water. add any essential oils if desired. add mixture to a spray bottle and shake well before using.
2.) to use, spray on clean, damp hair, and comb through with a large, wide-toothed comb.

here it is: THE definitive menstrual cup post.

( click here if you aren't repelled by frank discussion of menstruation )

links i like. i'm positive i will revisit this post a lot to add more. as always, please feel free to recommend sites that i might like!

cosmetics database: this site tells you what ingredients are in your beauty and skin products, and just how toxic they really are.

care2: i love the personal care section, but the entire website is fantastic.

pioneer thinking: full of great advice and readers tips.

carefair: homemade skin recipes, great articles.

treehugger: everything green, from green gifts to making biodiesel.

lime: healthy living with a twist: also on sirius radio. tips, tricks, recipes, advice, and live radio stream.

haute nature: my covet site. amazing art, furniture, products all made from recycled or sustainable products, as well as organic/natural materials.

i no longer color my hair, but have convinced my mother to use henna and indigo to cover her grays instead of commercial hair dyes. henna is a 100% natural plant-based dye and can be used on previously chemically-treated hair. however, PURE henna should be used; a large number of store-bought "prepared" henna (rainbow henna, hennalucent, etc) contain metallic salts.

if you use henna that contained metallic salts on previously colored hair, it WILL turn greenish, break, and fall out in clumps. pure henna will condition and thicken your hair, leaving it shiny and with rich color.

( henna for hair )

i use this for occasional exfoliation. i used to use this scrub every few days, but no longer need to now that i am using cleansing grains on a daily basis.

demerara cane, raw, or brown sugar
honey

1.) add a small amount of honey to the palm of the hand. add sugar until mixture reaches desired consistency.
2.) apply to skin and massage well. rinse off or remove with a warm, wet washcloth.

just like biore strips, except natural and much cheaper.

1 tsp knox unflavored gelatin
1 1/2 tsp milk

1.) mix gelatin and milk together in a small container. microwave for 10 seconds, then apply paste to the skin (i use wooden popsicle sticks for this).
2.) allow mixture to dry for 30 minutes or until stiff. peel off carefully.

this is an great recipe to use when hair is dry (especially after using henna). for my waist-length hair, 1 part equals 1 tablespoon.

1 part honey
1 part clear aloe vera gel (i prefer "fruit of the earth" brand)
4 parts cheap, cone-free conditioner (vo5 works especially well)

1.) mix honey, aloe vera gel, and conditionerb together in a small bowl. microwave for 10 seconds.
2.) apply to clean, wet hair after cleansing. cover with a plastic cap and leave on for 30 minutes to an hour. add heat if desired.
3.) rinse thoroughly.

1 cup sugar
juice from 1/2 of a lemon
1/4 cup honey
cornstarch
fabric scraps

mix lemon, sugar, and honey in a bowl. microwave on high for about 2-3 minutes, until it bubbles into a smooth consistency. let the mixture cool until 'warm' - you should be able to tell by touch if it's a suitable temperature.

clean and dry the area to be waxed. dust the area with cornstarch (this draws out oils and makes the little fine hairs stand up). spread a thin layer on your skin. Cover with a strip of fabric and rub the strip the opposite way of hair growth, about 3 times.

grasp the fabric end and pull it off very quickly against the direction of the hair growth or the other way if you wish. this WILL hurt, but after awhile it’s a lot less painful. it's not any worse than regular waxing. reheat the mix if it gets too hard to spread. the mix can be stored in a tightly closed container.

1/3 cup organic rolled oats
1/3 cup organic corn meal
1/3 cup dried adzuki beans
2/3 cup kaolin or bentonite clay

1.) grind adzuki beans and rolled oats into a fine powder with a blender or coffee grinder. add clay and corn meal. store in a tightly closed container.
2.) add water or honey to grains and mix into a paste. apply paste to skin, massage gently, and rinse or remove with a warm, wet cloth.
3.) moisturize as desired.

honey is the best thing i have ever used on chapped lips. just smear it on, let it sit, then rinse off or remove with a warm, wet cloth. it softens the lips, sloughs off the flaky skin, and, due to antibacterial properties, will also help heal any splits or cracks.

tammy just found out that the shots she has to give brian each week he is on chemo are $6000. every week. luckily the insurance covers it, but just her copays alone are running $600-$800 per week. every week.

i think i'm going to try to raise some money for her and give it to her anonymously. if you guys can think of any ideas for me (or if you want to help!), let me know!

going to destin for an all-expenses paid work trip for 3 days would normally be awesome.
going to destin for 3 days of torrential rain and flooding and red tide sucks.

thank you jonezell!!!