Soap Berries

I am so excited to share these berries with you!! I have been using soap berries for the past few months and have become absolutely obsessed. I have mostly been using them for my laundry however they can also be used for other purposes such as a surface cleaner, dish soap, glass cleaner and shampoo. Here is the rundown of what soap berries are and why I love them so much.

Soap berries (or soap nuts as they are sometimes referred to) are berries that grow on the Sapindus Mukorossi tree. This tree grows in various countries across the world, preferring tropical and sub tropical climates. Though not for eating (they will irritate your stomach if you eat them), they are an effective, safe, eco friendly cleaning agent for your home. Being completely chemical free, they send zero toxic waste down the drain and once the berries break down they can be composted.

So how exactly do these work? When immersed in water, soap berries produce Saponins. Saponins are chemical compounds that hold antibacterial, anti fungal and foaming properties. They work to break down the surface tension in water and draw out dirt and oils- basically creating the positive effect of a detergent without the negative environmental effects. When I use these for laundry, I place five berries in a muslin drawstring bag (this came with the berries when I purchased them) and add it to the load. I like to add a few drops of essential oil onto the bag to add a scent however this is not required when using the soap berries. There is no need to add any detergent or fabric softener to the load- these berries do it all!

I have found them to be effective at certain stain removal however not everything. Having an 8 month baby who is an insanely messy eater and is crawling all over the place means lots of stains and dirt. I pre-soak most items that are stained and pre-scrub stubborn stains. Saying that, I did once have old blood stains that I assumed would stay on the fabric, however when I washed them in the machine with the soap berries (without even soaking before hand) they came out completely clean.

The berries last for 5-10 cycles. Once they decompose and become thin and brittle I place them in the compost and then replace with new berries.

This website has some useful recipes you can try for other soap berry uses such as household cleaners, shampoo, pre-soak liquid etc.

Overall, here is what I have found to be the pro’s and cons of the berries when using for my laundry:

Pro’s:

Antibacterial

Anti fungal

Eco friendly

Great for sensitive skin and people with skin conditions such as psoriasis and eczema who react to detergents.

Non-toxic

Compostable

Multi purpose

Effective

Affordable

Cons:

Doesn’t remove every stain.

Honestly that is about it for con’s from me. Overall I friggin love these berries and everyone I have introduced them to now use them for their laundry. Not one person has come back to say the berries didn’t work or they didn’t love them.

You can find these at various bulk stores, health food stores or online. I purchased mine from this store.

I would love to hear about your experience if you do try these or have already tried them. Leave your thoughts or any questions in the comment section below.

Manuka Honey

This spotlight goes out to one of the best medicinal foods I know: manuka honey.

Manuka honey comes from bees that have pollenated the tea tree- a plant native to Australia and New Zealand. The tea tree holds potent antibacterial qualities (hence why tea tree oil is so effective against acne). As manuka honey comes from the tea tree it too holds antibacterial properties. Manuka honey is a great natural medicine for a wide array of issues including cuts, burns, colds, throat infections and acne. Here are some ways to use this honey:

1) When I feel signs of a cold heading my way I immediately turn to this honey. I take a small spoonful in the morning and evening that soothes my throat and helps my body fight off the cold.

2) Manuka honey can help boost the bodies immune system. Having a spoonful regularly can aid in your bodies defense of colds and infections, making it a wonderful natural preventive tool. 

3) Manuka honey can be used externally. I rub a little onto my skin to aid in the healing of cuts and burns. 

4) Great as an ingredient in a homemade face mask, particularly for acne prone skin due to its antibacterial qualities. I like to mash a small amount of avocado or banana with a scoop of this honey, or mix it with kaolin or bentonite clay powder then leave on my face for 10-15 mins before washing off. This leaves my skin glowing and healthy. 

It is good to pay attention to the ratings of manuka honey as this will determine the products medicinal strength. There are various rating systems such as K-factor, UMF etc and it can all get quite confusing. I find this link useful as it provides a chart outlining what rating to look for in the various rating systems to ensure you are purchasing high quality manuka honey. If you scroll down to the very bottom of the page you will find the chart. 

Amrita Energy Snacks

For today's health spotlight I am reviewing Amrita energy snacks. 

I recently received a generous box of various flavors and have been trying these out over the past few weeks to see whether I believe they should be recommended to my readers. Here's my thoughts:

Firstly, I love that these bars are raw and made with completely clean, wholesome plant based ingredients. They are about 70% organic and completely non-GMO, as well as being free from most of the common allergens such as nuts, soy, and dairy. They are on the sweet side, but not overly sweet which I appreciate. There company makes full sized bars as well as mini bites. I prefer the mini bites as I found these energy snacks to be very filling. The full sized bar was too much for me as a snack, but it did come in handy one time when I needed breakfast on the run. For an energy snack, however I like to have 1 or 2 of the smaller bite sized ones. 

 The flavors that I loved, in order of preference are

1) Sunflower butter and jelly (This one is super delicious)!!!

2) Pineapple chia

3) Apple cinnamon

4) Cranberry raisin

5) Mango coconut

Normally I love anything chocolate flavored, however I was not a fan of the chocolate/maca or the choc-chip/coconut flavored bars. They weren't "chocolaty" enough and I tasted more of the rice protein than anything else. The dark chocolate/quinoa bar was a little better but I still didn't love it. I personally would go more with the fruit flavors than the chocolate flavors when purchasing these bars. 

The protein used in these bars is plant based. To quote the website, "We use Organic brown rice protein – a raw, plant-based protein with a complete amino acid profile that is high in glutamine, arginine, lysine, leucine, and branched-chain amino acids." This is a good quality protein however  I do not love the taste of rice protein. I prefer hemp protein due to its milder, nutty flavor. This is just my personal preference. 

I give these bars 4 out of 5 stars. The main reason I didn't give 5 stars is because of the rice protein. Thankfully the fruit flavored snacks cover up the taste of the rice protein and I will definitely purchase the flavors that I listed above again. I believe these make a great, healthy, nutritious, filling energy snack. 

Amrita have given a 30% off discount code for my readers who want to try these out. You can use the code HeatherObasare30

Ellie's Best Nut Milk Bag

This weeks spotlight goes to Ellie's Best nut milk bag.

What's so good about this bag that it deserves a spotlight? Well, I have had difficulty finding a nut milk bag where the pulp actually stays in the bag. What I kept experiencing with other bags was pulp leaking through making the milk grainy. Graininess= definitely not what i am aiming for when i make my milk.

I have to say I was skeptical when Ellie's Best sent me this bag as up to this point I had had no luck in finding a good one. I was honest with her saying that if I did not approve, the bag was not going to get good reviews. I want my website to be completely authentic and only ever want to post things I actually like and want to share with your all. I guess she had enough confidence in the bag because she still sent it to me, and turns out I actually love it! 

I will also say this guys- homemade dairy free milk is so simple to make and tastes a whole lot better than the packaged ones. These packaged milks often have different gums added which to me give it a flavor and texture that I just don't like. I prefer to stick to homemade.

A lot of recipes call for soaking the nuts before hand but for me this requires too much forward thinking. I usually just put them into the Vitamix or Nutribullet unsoaked and it works just fine. Because its so easy, quick and soooo much tastier I would really encourage you guys to try making your own! Here's how I make it:

1/2 to 3/4 cup raw nuts/seeds, depending on how creamy you like it (I use almonds, pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds interchangeably). You can also use coconut flakes for coconut milk. 

3 cups filtered water

2 dates, pitted

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Pinch salt

I blend for about 45-60 seconds then filter the liquid through the bag.. And there's your milk!! You can remove the dates and vanilla from the recipe for an unsweetened milk too. 

She gave me a 10% discount code for anyone interested in purchasing it from the website: Heathero 

Have a great week guys!

Simple Mills Pizza Dough Mix

I tried this pizza dough mix for the first time this week and absolutely loved it! I shouldn't have been surprised- I am in love with their sprouted seed crackers too, particularly the jalapeño ones. 

This pizza dough mix is grain free, gluten free, certified non-GMO, vegan and paleo friendly. Plus it tastes delicious. To me it has that yummy home made bread kind of taste and I have no idea how they get that taste in there as there is only a few simple ingredients:

Almond flour, arrowroot, flax meal, cauliflower, baking soda, oregano, cream of tartar, garlic.

With great flavor and clean healthy ingredients, I had to add this pizza dough mix to my spotlight page!

Dandelion Greens

Todays health spotlight is on the humble dandelion. Though dandelions are a weed that usually end up being mown over or pulled out and thrown away, they are in fact edible and a wonderful source of nutrition. I find the bunches of dandelion greens to be fairly cheap at my local health food store, but you can also go foraging for them instead.

I started incorporating dandelion greens into my diet when I was researching prebiotic foods. That's PREbiotic, not its wonderful cousin the PRObiotic. Dandelion greens are a wonderful prebiotic- aka a source of specific fiber that fuels the good bacteria in your gut, promoting gut health. As well as being a marvelous prebiotic, dandelion greens hold many other health benefits:

- Very high levels of vitamin K (important vitamin for bone strength, heart health, oral health and regulating normal blood clotting). 

- High in calcium, riboflavin and Vitamin A

-Contains almost twice the amount of iron as spinach

- A serving of dandelion greens provides about 15-17% of the daily dosage of Vitamin E 

-Believed to help play a role in regulating inulin levels and regulating blood sugar. 

-Also believed to be anti-inflammatory due to being a source of antioxidants and essential fatty acids.

I mostly use them in my green smoothies or salads, but you can add them to meals in the same way you would spinach or kale. They tend to have a bitterness to them, especially the larger leaves. I don't mind this when its mixed into a smoothie or salad, but if the bitterness bothers you you can do a quick 20-30 second blanch that helps reduce this. 

Give these too often discarded weeds a go!

Lily's chocolate chips

Today's spotlight goes to Lily's - my go to brand for chocolate chips. Why? Well here's the run down:

1) Fair trade certified, aka ensures the farmers who source the cocoa beans are receiving a fair wage. 

2) Sugar free (sweetened with stevia) and free from toxic ingredients

3) Non-GMO certified

4) Named after a girl who battled brain cancer, a percentage of profits go towards cancer research. 

5) Taste delicious!

Also for the vegans out there, these choc-chips are completely plant based.

I use them as a snack on their own, add them to homemade trail mix & use them in my healthy baked goods. The company also sells chocolate bars but I haven't tried these yet (Largely because I am such a sucker for Hu chocolate bars....). 

Most Wholefoods across the US sell them and they are also available at some health food stores. I have no idea if they are sold outside of the US however, but if you can get hold of them, I definitely recommend. 

That's it for this week! 

Kombucha

This spotlight goes to the oh so fabulous Kombucha. This drink quickly rose in popularity in the western health food scene when its health benefits became known, but in fact is has been drunk for centuries in parts of Asia and Eastern Europe. It was known in China over 2000 years ago as the "immortal Health Elixir". Or something along those lines. 

So what is Kombucha?

Simply put, kombucha is fermented tea (usually made with green or black tea leaves and sugar). The fermentation process happens when the kombucha culture known as SCOBY (symbiotic culture/colony of bacteria and yeast) eats away at the sugars in the tea. The SCOBY is a thick, pale fleshy looking thing- almost like a flat round squid... I know I know, I'm not making this sound very appetizing. But don't give up reading yet! As the sugars are eaten away, the tea becomes rich in live probiotics, vitamins, amino acids & other organic acids and enzymes that are beneficial to your health. There are many believed health benefits of kombucha, including:

Digestive health

Detox

Gut health

Immune health

Help to stabilize yeast and hormones

Increased energy

Healthy skin, hair and nails

Joint care (due to kombucha containing glucosamines) 

Now don't get me wrong- kombucha isn't a magical tonic where you drink a glass a day and then you are all fine and healthy. You still need to eat clean and take whatever steps you need to take towards your individual health. But for me, kombucha has been a wonderful addition to my life and I definitely do notice its benefits, particularly for my gut health and energy levels. I try to drink about 1/2 to 1 full glass a day, depending on how strong and acidic my brew turns out.

These days you can find bottled kombucha in most stores that sell healthy food. I prefer, however to make it myself as I save a bucket load of money and it is so easy to make- much easier than I thought it would be. I began my kombucha brewing with a starter kit from this company which made it super simple. Also, If you are interested in brewing your own kombucha this you tube video is helpful or you can feel free to message me with any questions you have! 

South River Miso

This health spotlight is a delicious miso paste that was introduced to me by my friend in Nashville. The company is "South River Miso" and they make really high quality miso pastes (my particular favorite out of the few I have tried so far is the dandelion/leek paste). They produce their pastes using methods that are centuries old- no modern day corner cutting. Because of this the quality is high meaning the probiotic benefits are greater and the flavor is so much tastier than any others I have tried. 

For those who don't know, miso (meaning 'fermented beans') is a Japanese fermented paste. The main ingredients are salt, fermented grains (koji) and beans. These get combined together and left to ferment over time, forming live cultures that are wonderful for your gut health. It is also high in protein and a source of vitamins and minerals. To read more about Miso and its health benefits, here is a short article with useful information. 

The paste can be used in so many ways other than just making miso soup. Here's some other ways I use this miso paste:

As a spread on my toast/sandwiches

As an ingredient in this miso crusted eggplant recipe of mine

To add flavor to homemade dips

Mix into cooked veggies for extra flavor/nutrition

Mix it into my veggie broth or bone broths for added gut benefits (I make sure the broth is at a milder temperature so the heat won't kill the good bacteria in the paste). 

Due to the quality that comes from ancient production methods the cost is a little higher than what you pay for regular paste at the supermarket, but in my opinion it is definitely worth the investment. 

Camu Camu Berry

This spotlight is a berry known as Camu Camu. This berry grows in the Amazonian rainforest in Columbia, Brazil, Venezuela & Peru and holds the highest concentrate of vitamin C in any plant... period (rosehips are close behind and will get a mention in a future weekly spotlight). Fresh camu berries hold around 2100-2200 milligrams of vitamin C per 100grams. To give you some perspective, oranges contain around 52mg vitamin C per 100g.

As well as vitamin C, this plant is also high in antioxidants and amino acids. It contains protein, iron, niacin, phosphorous, Lutein, beta-carotene, manganese, potassium & calcium. 

In the US, camu camu is usually sold in powder form. It has a sour taste but you only need a small amount of this powder to get a big kick of vitamin C, so the taste does not overpower. I usually add 1 teaspoon of powder to my smoothies once to twice/week. I have also used it in my "cold/flu shot" where I juice lemon, ginger and orange and mix in camu powder, manuka honey and cayenne pepper. It tastes awful but is a powerhouse drink for combating the cold! 

Finally, due to the high vitamin C levels, be careful to not exceed the serving directions on the packet as you don't want to over do it! 

T

Vega One Nutrition Shake

This weeks spotlight is on Vega One- my go to nutrition shake. 

Vega One Nutritional Shake is a plant based nutrition powder developed by a vegan ironman. I love to use it in my post workout smoothies, or to mix it in the healthy bircher muesli I make for breakfast. Here's the run down of its nutrition content per serving:

20g protein                        6 servings of greens          50% daily intake of vitamins & minerals    

            25% daily intake of fiber            1 billion probiotics                                              

Antioxidants- 1000 Orac                           1.5 grams of omega 3 fatty acids

Many nutrition shakes are disguised as "healthy" however have high amounts of sugars, refined carbs or synthetic/man-made nutrients. I love that Vega One is is 100% plant based, using whole, natural ingredients- no crap. 

If you are going to drink nutrition shakes, make sure you read the ingredients and choose healthy natural versions, because they aren't all made that way!

Moringa Oliefera

I decided to start this spotlight page with a bang by writing about one of my all time favorite super foods: Moringa Oliefera: I have been absolutely obsessed with this plant since my mother-in-law introduced it to me a few years back. She has a moringa tree in her yard in Jamaica so I am lucky enough to get large bunches of fresh moringa leaves whenever I visit. I use the whole leaves to make tea, or grind them into powder to add to smoothies. I also use the powder in my raw vegan brownies to add nutrition. 

So why do I love it so much? Well, the nutritional benefits are extensive. Due to its high nutrition content it is used to treat malnutrition in many places across the world. It is a rich source of antioxidants, vitamin A, B 1, B2 and B3, C, D, potassium, magnesium, calcium and amino acids. In fact it has 18 of the 20 known amino acids, including all 8 essential amino acids making it a source of complete protein. Great news for vegans and vegetarians!

I usually add about 1/2 to 1 tablespoon of powder into my smoothie but I would recommend starting small (around 1/2 teaspoon) and letting your stomach warm up to it- moringa is a powerful aid to digestion so best not to over do it straight away!

Here are some links for more information:

http://www.purehealingfoods.com/moringaInfo.php

http://www.nutrition-and-you.com/moringa.html

http://www.naturalnews.com/042435_Moringa_oleifera_health_benefits_herbal_medicine.html